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# Aphoristic Album Reviews

Obsessively chronicling one person's exploration of popular music

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## Posts

- [Blog](https://albumreviews.blog/blog/) - Aphoristic Album Reviews - Recent Blog Posts
- [Music Quiz: Click, Click, BOOM! II](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/18/music-quiz-click-click-boom-ii/) - Again, this week's challenge is sudden death - if you get one wrong, the quiz stops. Also, it's not possible to skip questions. It starts easy, but gets harder. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MSUKent/click-click-boom-songs-ii I scored 12/12 with 2:43 remaining - can you beat my time? Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who again won last week's quiz. RIP to Joe Ely
- [New Music Reviews: Sudan Archives, Westerman, and Rosalía](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/16/new-music-reviews-sudan-archives-westerman-and-rosalia/) - Rosalía delivers on the year's most ambitious album. Westerman delivers another album of exquisite 1980s-soaked melancholy, while Sudan Archives is inconsistent but sometimes great. Rosalía Lux 2025, 9/10Rosalia Vila Tobella deserves kudos for making four entirely different albums. She started with the traditional and dark flamenco of 2017's Los Ángeles, then blended flamenco with modern
- [Gangnam Style by Psy](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/14/gangnam-style-by-psy/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The song pokes fun at South Korean social norms. Psy explained that "people who are actually from Gangnam never proclaim that they are—it's only the posers and wannabes that put on these airs and say that they are "Gangnam Style"—so this song is actually poking fun at those kinds of people who are trying
- [Music Quiz: Click, Click, BOOM!](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/11/music-quiz-click-click-boom-2/) - This week's challenge is sudden death - if you get one wrong, the quiz stops. Also, it's not possible to skip questions. It starts easy, but gets harder. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MSUKent/click-click-boom-songs I scored 12/12 with 3:16 remaining - can you beat my time? I had to stop and think about the Jimi Hendrix one for a while.
- [10 Best Rage Against the Machine Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/09/10-best-rage-against-the-machine-songs/) - Rage Against the Machine's debut album was a slow-burn success. Their debut single 'Killing in the Name' was initially released in 1992, and became the Christmas #1 single in the UK in 2009. Parent album Rage Against the Machine didn't crack the US top 40 but eventually went triple platinum. The group's music, however, was
- [New Music Reviews: The Last Dinner Party, Cate Le Bon, and Brìghde Chaimbeul](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/09/new-music-reviews-the-last-dinner-party-cate-le-bon-and-brighde-chaimbeul/) - Arty fare from three different parts of the UK - Wales' Cate Le Bon, Scottish piper Brìghde Chaimbeul, and theatrical London band The Last Dinner Party. The Last Dinner Party From the Pyre 2025, 7.5/10The Last Dinner Party were breakout stars in the UK last year, making waves with their harmony-laden art pop, reminiscent of
- [10 Best Talking Heads Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/02/the-ten-best-talking-heads-songs/) - Talking Heads emerged from the mid-1970s CBGB scene, along with Blondie, The Ramones, and Television. Neurotic frontman David Byrne formed the band with drummer Chris Frantz. When the new band was unable to find a bass player, Frantz's girlfriend Tina Weymouth learned to play by listening to Suzi Quatro records. The band was completed by
- [XTC: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/19/xtc-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Swindon's XTC formed in the early 1970s, initially playing glam rock. The original band featured singer/guitarist Andy Partridge, singer/bassist Colin Moulding, and drummer Terry Chambers. The band's early work was nervy new wave - they transitioned towards more mainstream pop/rock after keyboardist Barry Andrews was replaced by multi-instrumentalist Dave Gregory. Moulding wrote the band's first
- [Nuggets II: The Madman Running Through The Fields by Dantalian's Chariot](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/07/nuggets-ii-the-madman-running-through-the-fields-by-dantalians-chariot/) - The record flopped, and bemused by their psychedelic direction, EMI dropped them. Their album was scrapped, although it belatedly appeared in 1996. With its swirling, whirring backward tape effects, too-much-to-dream bass pulse, surprise tempo changes, and half-step vocal harmony shifts, "The Madman Running Through The Fields" is one of U.K. psychedelia's defining creations--on a magnificent
- [Music Quiz: Missing Word Band Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/04/music-quiz-missing-word-band-songs/) - Can you complete song titles with the word "band" in them. https://www.sporcle.com/games/cgjackson222/missing-word-band-songs I scored 14/14 - can you beat my time? I had 3:30 remaining. Congratulations to Tony and Max, who both scored full marks in last week's quiz. I've been enjoying Lyle Lovett this week: Read more Music quizzes
- [New Music Reviews: Neko Case, Geese, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/12/02/new-music-reviews-neko-case-geese-king-gizzard-and-the-lizard-wizard/) - Neko Case is back with her gothic Americana. Brooklyn's Geese are perhaps the most discussed indie band of 2025, while Melbourne's King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard recently released their 27th album since their 2011 debut. Read on! King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Phantom Island 2025, 8/10A six-piece band based in Melbourne, Australia, King
- [Positions by Ariana Grande](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/30/positions-by-ariana-grande/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… I have an amazing team, and I work with a lot of really great people, but I control every single shot. I control every little thing, and I used to not, and I used to be able to pass things off and kind of trust people with other things and
- [Music Quiz: Cry, Die, Fly, Fall Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/27/music-quiz-cry-die-fly-fall-songs/) - Can you complete song titles with cry, die, fly, or fall? Find out below! https://www.sporcle.com/games/JoeBeta/cry-die-fly-fall I scored 40/40, albeit with some educated guessing. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored 19/20 in last week's trivia challenge. You've gotta give some credit to Rosalia for making four completely different albums thus far in her career: Read more Music
- [Five Best They Might Be Giant Songs for Children](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/25/favourite-five-they-might-be-giant-songs-for-children/) - I enjoy Lincoln and I adore ‘Birdhouse In Your Soul’, but I’ve spent far more time with They Might Be Giant's records for children, ever since my oldest daughter became enthused with our library's copy of Here Come The 123s. The group’s five albums for kids are some of the most enjoyable children’s music I’ve
- [New Music Reviews: Cardiacs, Great Grandpa, and Tyler Childers](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/25/new-music-reviews-cardiacs-great-grandpa-and-tyler-childers/) - England's zolo band Cardiacs return, despite the 2020 passing of frontman Tim Smith. Indie band Great Grandpa are back with their first record in six years, while country star Tyler Childers is wide-ranging and philosophical on Snipe Hunter. Cardiacs LSD 2025, 7.5/10The Cardiacs make incredibly dense music. They blend the energy and aggression of punk
- [Nuggets II: How Does It Feel to Feel by The Creation](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/23/nuggets-ii-how-does-it-feel-to-feel-by-the-creation/) - Dalton left The Mark Four in October 1965 to join The Kinks. He was eventually replaced by Bob Garner, and the band became The Creation. They enjoyed success with 'Making Time' and 'Painter Man', but split in 1968. The Creation only released one album in the 1960s, but their influence outweighs their output. They were
- [10 Best Rich Mullins Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/18/10-best-rich-mullins-songs/) - Rich Mullins is known for the gimmicky CCM hit 'Awesome God'. But that's an unfair reputation - dig deeper, and he's one of the best songwriters to emerge in the 1980s. Mullins was born in Richmond, Indiana. He was a successful songwriter before embarking on his own recording career. He had a monastic bent, donating
- [Music Quiz: Trivial Twenty—Music](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/20/music-quiz-trivial-twenty-music/) - We've finished working through Grammy winners - well done on staying with us. This week's challenge also has a Grammy question, among 19 other pieces of music trivia. https://www.sporcle.com/games/chriscampbell11/trivial-twenty-is-music-to-my-ears I scored 17/20. I should have got the guitar one, but had no idea who the biggest threat to American youth since polio was. Congratulations to
- [Sex Pistols: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/18/sex-pistols-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The Sex Pistols weren't the first punk band to release an album - The Ramones beat them by 18 months. But Johnny Rotten, Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Sid Vicious became the face of punk in the UK. Manager Malcolm McLaren successfully courted controversy - an infamous appearance on Bill Grundy's Today program, replacing Queen
- [10 Best John Martyn Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/03/10-best-john-martyn-songs/) - The late John Martyn never enjoyed the mass acclaim that his immense talent deserved. Nonetheless, he delivered a string of great records in the 1970s and early 1980s. He started as a folk artist, emerging in the late 1960s alongside Nick Drake and Richard Thompson. By the early 1970s, Martyn had created his own unique
- [The Look by Roxette](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/16/the-look-by-roxette/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… My verdict I've never enjoyed Roxette. There's zero subtlety in their musical approach, with huge hooks and huge vocals - everything's turned to 10 the whole way through. I've never taken time to appreciate how terrible the verse lyrics are. They flow fine, delivered in Gessle's guttural monotone, but they're
- [Music Quiz: Album of the Year Winners (2010s)](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/13/music-quiz-album-of-the-year-winners-2010s/) - As even more logic would dictate, we're now up to the 2010s Grammy winners. https://www.sporcle.com/games/jjmorales/album-of-the-year-2010s-copy I found this one a bit easier than the 2000s one - it helps that "various artists" isn't an answer, and that two artists are repeated. I scored 10/10 with 3:30 remaining. Congratulations to Tony, who was leading when I
- [Nuggets II: Break It All by Los Shakers](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/30/nuggets-ii-break-it-all-by-los-shakers/) - But it's a very strong Beatles pastiche, energetic and tuneful. The pinched, accented vocals are charming. The Aftermath Hugo Fattoruso has enjoyed a lengthy career, working with other Latin music legends like Chico Buarque and Milton Nascimento. Read More Nuggets II Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [The 1975: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/11/the-1975-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The members of The 1975 met at Wilmslow High School in their teens, playing at gigs organised by a local council worker. They started as a punk band, with Matt Healy, the son of two prominent actors, on drums. With the addition of George Daniel, Healy moved to lead vocals, and the band built their
- [New Music Reviews: The Beths and Anna Tivel](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/11/new-music-reviews-the-beths-and-anna-tivel/) - This week, we have confessional power pop from NZ's The Beths and socially conscious folk from Portland's Anna Tivel. Enjoy! The Beths Straight Line Was a Lie 2025, 8.5/10All of The Beths' albums feel like therapy, but this one more than ever. Stokes was diagnosed with Graves’ disease and thyroid eye disease, two autoimmune conditions
- [Nuggets II: I'm Just A Mops by The Mops](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/09/nuggets-ii-im-just-a-mops-by-the-mops/) - The Mops hammered their point home six months later with their first album, Psychedelic Sounds In Japan, which included wild covers of "Somebody To Love" and "San Franciscan Nights," as well as some fuzzed-out nuggets of their own, like "Blind Bird" (which included the dramatic exhortation "Please kill me"--predating Richard Hell by a not-so-blank generation). Best
- [Music Quiz: Album of the Year Winners (2000s)](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/06/music-quiz-album-of-the-year-winners-2000s/) - As logic would dictate, we're now up to the 2000s Grammy winners. https://www.sporcle.com/games/jjmorales/album-of-the-year-2000s I suspect many of us will find the 21st-century quizzes tougher. I scored 8/10, although I think the 2002 one is tough. Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who recorded the fastest time in last week's challenge. Have you heard this Nona Hendryx song
- [10 Best Albums of 2021](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/04/10-best-albums-of-2021/) - I think it's cheating to publish a best albums list during the year in question - like, what if the best album ever is released on the 15th of December? That wasn't the case this year, but a lot of my favourites turned up late in the piece - 7 of the 10 albums here
- [New Music Reviews: Jens Lekman, Margo Price, and Kerry Logan](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/04/new-music-reviews-jens-lekman-margo-price-and-kerry-logan/) - Music from three different continents this week: Sweden's Jen Lekman delivers a chamber-pop concept album about his side-hustle as a wedding singer. Margo Price delivers an authentic country album, steeped in tradition. I review my friend's prog-metal concept album. Lekman dives headlong into a pop sheen on the fast-paced 'On a Pier, On the Hudson'.
- [Love the Way You Lie by Eminem featuring Rihanna](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/11/02/love-the-way-you-lie-by-eminem-featuring-rihanna/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… My verdict Rihanna sings the chorus, backed by gentle piano. It's an almost comical juxtaposition with Eminem's dramatic verses, but it works. I'm the biggest Eminem fan, but he's way more enjoyable with Rihanna's silky vocals to offset his bluster. The Aftermath The critical reception of Eminem's records has diminished
- [Music Quiz: Album of the Year Winners (1990s)](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/30/music-quiz-album-of-the-year-winners-1990s/) - Last week, we looked at 1980s Grammy winners. This week, it's the 1990s' turn. https://www.sporcle.com/games/jjmorales/album-of-the-year-1990s I scored 9/10. I missed the 1991 winner - didn't really know about his solo career. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who recorded the fastest time in last week's challenge (for the second week running). Here's a selection from that 1991 winner,
- [10 Best Bic Runga Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/28/10-best-bic-runga-songs/) - Bic Runga was born in 1976, the youngest daughter of a Chinese Malaysian lounge singer and a Maori ex-serviceman. While still in her teens, major record labels entered into a bidding war for her signature. Bic Runga's a New Zealand music icon despite releasing only four studio albums of original material. She was a huge
- [Ranking Big Thief's Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/28/ranking-big-thiefs-albums/) - On this site, I have a list of my favourite album for every year from 1963 to the present. The only artist to appear more than once is Big Thief. The band formed in Brooklyn in 2015, although leader Adrianne Lenker grew up in Indiana and Minnesota, spending part of her childhood in a cult.
- [Nuggets II: Why Don't You Smile Now by Downliners Sect](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/26/nuggets-ii-why-dont-you-smile-now-by-downliners-sect/) - Downliners Sect's cover of 'Why Don't You Smile Now' is a fascinating record. The vocal delivery is too straitlaced to fully convey to the song's experimental nature, but the droning guitar riff sounds great. The Aftermath While Lou Reed and John Cale became art-rock icons, Downliners Sect never broke through. They reportedly hurt their reputation
- [Music Quiz: Album of the Year Winners (1980s)](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/23/music-quiz-album-of-the-year-winners-1980s/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. Can you identify the 10 album-of-the-year Grammy winners from the 1980s? I was originally going to feature the 1970s, but it was a bit easy since Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon won half of them. https://www.sporcle.com/games/jjmorales/album-of-the-year-1980s I scored 10/10 with 4:31 remaining - can you beat my time?
- [ABBA: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/21/abba-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - In November 2021, ABBA released their ninth studio album Voyage. It was the Swedish quartet's first studio album in almost 40 years - an unprecedented gap in output for a superstar group. It's not the longest gap between releases - niche groups like The Sonics, Fanny, Strawberry Alarm Clock, and The Standells have all taken
- [New Music Reviews: Cass McCombs, Alex G, and Erika de Casier](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/21/new-music-reviews-cass-mccombs-alex-g-and-erika-de-casier/) - Cass McCombs might be the best singer-songwriter operating at the moment. Alex G's 'Afterlife' might be my favourite song of the year. And Erika de Casier is back quickly with another classy album of smooth pop - enjoy! Cass McCombs Interior Live Oak 2025, 9/10Cass McCombs has been making classy singer-songwriter records for years. His
- [The Ketchup Song(Aserejé) by Las Ketchup](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/19/the-ketchup-songasereje-by-las-ketchup/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… 'The Ketchup Song' topped the charts in many countries, becoming the year's top-selling single in seven. Curiously, it didn't crack the top 40 in the US. It spawned a dance, while 'Der Steuersong' ('The Tax Song') became a popular parody in Germany. It was also rumoured to have Satanic undertones,
- [Music Quiz: 50 Solo Artists...Fast and Fatal!](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/16/music-quiz-50-solo-artists-fast-and-fatal/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. This week's challenge is simple, but requires speed - you need to answer 50 (mostly) easy questions in 2 minutes. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MSUKent/50-solo-artists-fast-and-fatal I scored 50/50 with 28 seconds remaining - can you beat my time? A lot of contestants tied on 23/25 last week - congratulations everyone! Read more
- [Pink Floyd Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/14/pink-floyd-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Formed by London architecture students in 1964, Pink Floyd are one of the most beloved classic rock bands. Stadium-rock blockbusters like Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall enjoy the most attention, but they enjoyed a lengthy career on either side of the 1970s. Pink Floyd started recording in the psychedelic 1960s, led by Syd Barrett. They debuted
- [Nuggets II: Nothin' by Ugly Ducklings](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/14/nuggets-ii-nothin-by-ugly-ducklings/) - The sound is raw, not surprising given that the recording cost $330, but The Ugly Ducklings are polished for a garage band. Singer Dave Bingham is charismatic, and the rhythm section is tight. The Aftermath The Ugly Ducklings only made one album in their prime, but reunited for 1980's Off The Wall (a weird choice
- [Steely Dan Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/16/steely-dan-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Steely Dan released a string of quality records in the 1970s that blurred the lines between rock and jazz. They started the decade as a self-contained rock band and ended as the duo of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, supported by a revolving cast of session musicians. Steely Dan's dark humour skewered 1970s American culture,
- [Kathleen Edwards: Albums Ranked](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/28/kathleen-edwards-albums-ranked/) - Kathleen Edwards was born in Ottawa, but a diplomat's daughter, she grew up in Korea and Switzerland. She learned the violin and listened to Tom Petty, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan. After high school, she started a career as a musician, booking her own tours across Canada. She released her debut album in 2002, boosted
- [New Music Reviews: Hayley Williams, Wolf Alice, and William Tyler](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/12/new-music-reviews-hayley-williams-wolf-alice-and-william-tyler/) - Paramore's Hayley Williams and London's Wolf Alice continue to make high-class pop/rock. Meanwhile, Nashville's William Tyler creates exploratory guitar instrumentals. All three are well worth your time. Hayley Williams Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party 2025, 8.5/10Williams is best known for her work with Paramore, but she's also building up a strong career as a
- [Taylor Swift's Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/06/taylor-swift-worst-to-best/) - Taylor Swift is a megastar, and her celebrity profile sometimes overshadows her musical abilities. Opinions on Swift are wildly diverse. In some quarters, she's dismissed as disposable music for teenage girls. In others, she's highly respected as a songwriter and recording artist. Swift is an adept songwriter, particularly as a lyricist. Her storytelling abilities allow
- [Music Quiz: Just Music Duos](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/09/music-quiz-just-music-duos/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. This week, your challenge is to identify duos. https://www.sporcle.com/games/hatefulmissy/just-music-duos I scored 22/25 - can you beat my score? Congratulations to Tony, who showcased his ornithological knowledge in last week's birds in music quiz. Any Jens Lekman fans out there? He sounds remarkably unchanged on his newest record -
- [Talk Talk's Best Album: The Colour of Spring](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/07/talk-talks-best-album-the-colour-of-spring/) - Talk Talk's career trajectory is one of the most fascinating in rock music - over the course of a decade and five albums, they transformed from a generic synth-pop outfit to trail-blazers for post-rock. Keyboardist Simon Brenner left Talk Talk after their 1982 debut The Party's Over. Vocalist Mark Hollis, drummer Lee Harris, and bassist
- [I Shot the Sheriff by Warren G](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/07/i-shot-the-sheriff-by-warren-g/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… I Shot the Sheriff Bob Marley released the original version of 'I Shot the Sheriff' in 1973. Marley framed it as an anti-authority song, although Marley's former girlfriend, Esther Anderson, claimed it also touched on his dislike of her birth control pills. She cites the lines: Sheriff John Brown always
- [Music Quiz: Not Only... But Also: Mega-Selling Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/25/music-quiz-not-only-but-also-mega-selling-albums/) - I've been hiking in the wilderness this week, so I can't report back on last week's results - last time I checked, Rich Kamerman was in the lead. This week, your challenge is to name the famous album from some clues. http://sporcle.com/games/knightlancer/not-only-but-also-mega-albums I scored 18/18, but needed to engage my brain and take educated guesses.
- [10 Best Ben Folds Five Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/05/10-best-ben-folds-five-songs/) - Ben Folds had been trying to break into the music industry for years when he formed Ben Folds Five with Robert Sledge and Darren Jessee in 1993. The trio played piano-centred music in the grunge era, but fitted in with their energy and Folds' sharp, provocative lyrics. The uncharacteristically sincere 'Brick' enjoyed major airplay in
- [Music Quiz: Birds in Song Titles](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/10/02/music-quiz-birds-in-song-titles/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. This week, you need to complete song titles with birds. https://www.sporcle.com/games/mattk77/birdsongs I scored 12/12 with 3:08 remaining - can you beat my time? Congratulations to Eclectic Music Lover, who scored 16/18 in last week's quiz. Here's a shot over Lake Rotoiti in Nelson Lakes National Park. Read more
- [The Beach Boys: Ten Best Albums (that aren't Pet Sounds)](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/30/beach-boys-ten-great-albums-that-arent-pet-sounds/) - For some bands, it's fun to argue what their best album is. Do you prefer Abbey Road, Revolver, or Sgt. Peppers? Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie? But other bands have a canonical best album that's hard to debate against - does anyone not choose Straight Outta Compton or The Stone Roses as the best albums from
- [Nuggets II: The Bitter Thoughts Of Little Jane by Timon](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/23/nuggets-ii-the-bitter-thoughts-of-little-jane-by-timon/) - The Aftermath Dogg's career never kicked on - he recorded tracks for The Beatles' Apple Records, which were never released. Recording sessions with The Moody Blues' Justin Hayward resulted in the single 'Now She Says She's Young'. But Dogg broke away from baroque pop - he later told Ian Anderson that "I took off on
- [Chapel of Love by The Dixie Cups](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/21/chapel-of-love-by-the-dixie-cups/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… You and Ellie wrote several big hits with Phil Spector, such as “Da Doo Ron Ron, “Be My Baby,” “Chapel of Love” and “River Deep – Mountain High.” When you and Ellie were writing with Phil Spector, how did the three of you work together? Barry: Well, my recollection is
- [10 Best Albums of 2022](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/23/10-best-albums-of-2022/) - Even in 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic still looms large over popular music. Many of these albums were affected by events - forcing delays or changes in personnel. As always, there was a wealth of excellent music recorded in 2022 - here are my ten favourites that I covered through this year. As always, to show
- [Dire Straits Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/07/dire-straits-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - One glance at Mark Knopfler’s bandana will tell you that Dire Straits have never been fashionable. Emerging in 1978, at the height of punk, their literate bar-band rock appealed to conservative listeners not enamoured by the upstart sounds of The Sex Pistols and The Clash. Despite their lack of critical cachet, Dire Straits are accomplished
- [Nuggets II: Touch by The Outsiders](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/07/nuggets-ii-touch-by-the-outsiders/) - The Aftermath Wally Tax formed the band Tax Free in 1969 - he invited Ronnie Splinter to join, but Splinter didn't enjoy the softer music. Wally asked me to try playing with Tax Free, but I did not like the music. I tried one time to rehearse with Tax Free. It was too soft, and
- [Music Quiz: Lego Album Covers Quiz](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/18/music-quiz-lego-album-covers-quiz-2/) - Welcome back for quiz time. This week, your challenge https://www.sporcle.com/games/Frankensam/lego-album-covers-quiz I scored 19/20, which was pretty good as there are a few obscure ones in there - perhaps chosen as they make good LEGO artwork. I loved the photography. Congratulations to Tony, who scored a perfect 20 in last week's tough quiz. Big Thief are
- [New Music Reviews: Florence Adooni, Springsteen, and Caroline](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/16/new-music-reviews-florence-adooni-springsteen-and-caroline/) - Three different continents this week. We conclude our Springsteen marathon with Perfect World, the rock album of the set. Ghana's Florence Adooni makes her international debut with A.O.E.I.U.. And London post-punk band Caroline released an excellent second album. Florence Adooni A.O.E.I.U. 2025, 7/10Florence Adooni was born into a musical lineage. She's from Kumasi, Ghana’s home
- [Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/14/thrift-shop-by-macklemore-and-ryan-lewis/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… “Thrift Shop” became massive…When that happens, for one, people are going to be polarized. The minute my niece starts singing a song, I’m like, “That song’s wack.” The minute you’re in a car and you turn to five different radio stations and they’re all playing “Thrift Shop,” you’re like, “This
- [Music Quiz: Lego Album Covers Quiz](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/11/music-quiz-lego-album-covers-quiz/) - Can you identify these Lego album covers? It's pretty tough - the average is 43%. One album cover is hard to recognise, and another is a pretty obscure choice IMO. https://www.sporcle.com/games/FearTheManatee/legoalbums I was pleased with my 75% - can you beat me? Congratulations to Eclectic Music Lover and UK #1s Blog, who tied on 19/20
- [Wild Horses by Prefab Sprout](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/09/life-imitating-art-prefab-sprout-and-john-key/) - Prefab Sprout's terrific 1990 album, Jordan: The Comeback, features a song named 'Wild Horses'. It's about an older gentleman's unsavoury attempt to woo a young lady. Paddy McAloon is a brilliant lyricist, and he's in full flight here, throwing in a plethora of witty horse metaphors. The first line is "Through the rails I spied/Your
- [New Music Reviews: Springsteen, Dijon, and Bieber](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/09/new-music-reviews-springsteen-dijon-and-bieber/) - It's a strong week, with the best record from Springsteen's Tracks II and Justin Bieber's most palatable record (I assume!). But my favourite release from the week is from maverick R&B producer Dijon. Bruce Springsteen Twilight Hours 2025, 8.5/10The best album on Springsteen's Tracks II is the one where he ventures furthest from his core
- [Nuggets II: Vacuum Cleaner by Tintern Abbey](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/26/nuggets-ii-vacuum-cleaner-by-tintern-abbey/) - The Aftermath Guitarist Paul Brett joined after 'Vacuum Cleaner', but enjoyed the most successful career of any of the Tintern Abbey members. He also played with Roy Harper, Arthur Brown, and The Strawbs. Read More Nuggets II Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Complete the 2000s Song Title... With a Picture](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/04/music-quiz-complete-the-2000s-song-title-with-a-picture/) - Can you complete the 2000s song title with a picture? Most people smashed the 1950s quiz, but I imagine this one will be trickier. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Noldeh/oops-i-clicked-it-again I scored 20/20 with 2:41 remaining - can you beat my time? Congratulations to NostalgicItalian, who scored the fastest 20/20 in last week's quiz. Does anyone else like this Justin
- [10 Best Marshall Crenshaw Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/02/10-best-marshall-crenshaw-songs/) - Detroit's Marshall Crenshaw started playing the guitar at age ten. At high school he started the band Astigfa - an acronym for "a splendid time is guaranteed for all", a lyric from The Beatles' /Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite'. Crenshaw went on to play John Lennon in the musical Beatlemania. Given this background,
- [New Music Reviews: Springsteen, Addison Rae, and Tyler, the Creator](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/09/02/new-music-reviews-springsteen-addison-rae-and-tyler-the-creator/) - This might be the worst collection of album art I've ever featured in this column. Addison Rae's debut has passable art, but Bruce Springsteen and Tyler's art directors both mailed it in this week. Bruce Springsteen Inyo 2025, 6.5/10Disc five on Springsteen's Tracks II set, Inyo was originally planned as a sequel to 1995's The
- [10 Best Replacements Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/26/10-best-replacements-songs/) - In the 1980s hair-metal and synth-infusions represented the mainstream of rock, and a scrappy rock ‘n roll band from Minneapolis was relegated to cult status. Shortly after The Replacements broke up, Nirvana took aspects of their sound to the mainstream, particularly Paul Westerberg's ultra-sincerity, on 1991's Nevermind, but The Replacements remain an overlooked college rock
- [New Music Reviews: Hotline TNT, Springsteen, and Stereolab](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/19/new-music-reviews-hotline-tnt-springsteen-and-stereolab/) - This week Hotline TNT go power pop, Springsteen goes country, and Stereolab keep on sounding like Stereolab. Read on for details. Bruce Springsteen Somewhere North of Nashville 2025, 4/10Disc four on Springsteen's Tracks II set was recorded in 1995, at the same time as The Ghost of Tom Joad. It shares the same band as
- [Footloose by Kenny Loggins](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/31/footloose-by-kenny-loggins/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Yacht Rock was a web series that dramatised the intersecting careers of Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald in the late 1970s and early 1980s. My verdict 'Footloose' is a worthy #1. It's shooting for the mainstream, but it's energetic and memorable. I never considered the similarities to The James Gang's
- [Music Quiz: Complete the 1950s Song Title... With a Picture](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/28/music-quiz-complete-the-1950s-song-title-with-a-picture/) - Can you complete the 1950s song title with a picture? I'm less versed in 1950s music than most of my regular readers, but I still puzzled my way to full marks. But you can probably beat my time. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Noldeh/whola-lotta-clickin-going-on I scored 20/20 with exactly 3:00 remaining - can you beat my time? Noone scored 20/20
- [Have I The Right? by The Honeycombs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/24/have-i-the-right-by-the-honeycombs/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… My verdict 'Have I The Right' is fascinating. Without Meek's production it might be a stale oldie, but Meek pushes it in a different direction. The Aftermath Meek tragically died in a murder-suicide in 1967. His landlady asked him to turn the volume down in his studio - he shot
- [Music Quiz: Complete the Album Name... With a Picture II](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/21/music-quiz-complete-the-album-name-with-a-picture-ii/) - Can you complete the album name with a picture? Big Black aren't featured this week - I thought my guess was legitimate.... https://www.sporcle.com/games/zalkon2004/complete-an-album-with-a-picture-ii I scored 19/20 - can you score 20? Congratulations to Tony, who scored the fastest time in last week's quiz. Are you ready to folk out? Good! Read more Music quizzes
- [10 Best Songs by The Zombies](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/10/10-best-songs-by-the-zombies/) - Hertfordshire band The Zombies endured a somewhat erratic career in the 1960s. They enjoyed early hits with 'She's Not There' and 'Tell Her No'. It took, however, three years to record another album after 1965's debut Begin Here. Discouraged by a lack of success, the band broke up after recording their second album, Odessey and
- [Genesis Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/01/genesis-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Originating at Charterhouse School, one of England's most prestigious public schools, Genesis recorded their first album as teenagers in 1968. They spent their early years losing money and making long-winded progressive rock albums. Their use of gentle 12-string guitars and bass pedals, coupled with Peter Gabriel's wordplay, gave them a distinctive sound. By the mid-1980s, Genesis
- [New Music Reviews: Hotline TNT and L'Rain](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/23/new-music-reviews-hotline-tnt/) - Still working through a few more records from 2023 that I hadn't got to yet. This week we feature two very different Brooklyn-based musicians. Hotline TNT offer indie rock inspired by 1990s shoegaze. L'Rain serves up beautiful moments among her experimental textures. Hotline TNT Cartwheel 2023, 8.5/10Brooklyn's Hotline TNT is ostensibly a band. But it's
- [Nuggets II: My Life by Thor's Hammer](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/17/nuggets-ii-my-life-by-thors-hammer/) - The Aftermath Bassist Rúnar Júlíusson also played football for Iceland. The members later formed Trúbrot, a progressive rock band. The 2001 compilation From Keflavik With Love, collects all of the band's English-language output, as well as some of their Icelandic tracks. Read More Nuggets II Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Metallica or The Wiggles?](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/03/08/music-quiz-metallica-or-the-wiggles/) - Last week's history quiz produced a wide range of scores, but congratulation to the three players who were all tied on 23/25 - boppin, Jim, and Tony. This week's quiz requires you to tell Sporcle if a song was recorded by heavy metal behemoths Metallica or Australian children's band The Wiggles. Most of the answers
- [Great B-Sides: 1963 by New Order](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/01/13/great-b-sides-1963-by-new-order/) - After Ian Curtis' passing, Joy Division transitioned into New Order, with Bernard Sumner taking over the front-man role, and Gillian Gilbert joining on keyboards. It's hard to be too critical of Sumner as a wordsmith, given that he only accidentally inherited the mantle of lyricist, but he's an interesting case. His lyrics run the gamut
- [Great B-Sides: Rain by The Beatles](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/12/09/great-b-sides-rain-by-the-beatles/) - For this b-side series, I'm only counting material that wasn't released on studio albums. For instance, 'Black Water' by The Doobie Brothers became a #1 single, after its original release as a b-side, but it was also included on the album What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, so it doesn't count. Likewise, my favourite Beatles
- [Great B-Sides: Urge For Going by Joni Mitchell](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/12/02/great-b-sides-urge-for-going-by-joni-mitchell/) - Joni Mitchell paid her dues playing folk clubs in the mid 1960s, and she wrote songs for other folk artists like Dave Van Ronk, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Judy Collins before she recorded her debut album. Her first song to gain prominence was 'Urge For Going', which Tom Rush recorded as a single in 1966. The song's
- [Great B-Sides: Tell Me About Your Drugs by Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/11/25/great-b-sides-tell-me-about-your-drugs-by-robyn-hitchcock-the-egyptians/) - English singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock has created cult records all the way back to his days in The Soft Boys in the late 1970s. The Soft Boys began their recording career in Cambridge, and Hitchcock's closest frame of reference has always been Cambridge's Syd Barrett, best known as the first front-man of Pink Floyd. 1986's Element
- [Great B-Sides: Oh Shit! by Buzzcocks](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/11/04/great-b-sides-oh-shit-by-the-buzzcocks/) - Most rock bands are remembered for their albums, but British pop-punk quartet Buzzcocks are most loved for their compilation Singles Going Steady. The group's driving, tuneful, and lovelorn songs suited three-minute bursts. Their run of A-sides includes 'Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)' and 'Everybody's Happy Nowadays'. But it wasn't just the band's
- [Great B-Sides: You're My Favourite Waste of Time by Marshall Crenshaw](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/10/28/great-b-sides-youre-my-favourite-waste-of-time-by-marshall-crenshaw/) - Detroit power-pop maestro Marshall Crenshaw isn't a household name. But his tuneful, often exuberant, 1982 debut album sometimes sneaks onto greatest album lists. Deservedly so - it's a great little record of guitar pop, with a timelessly simple three-piece sound, fronted by Crenshaw's sweet perspective and sweet voice. As great a record as Marshall Crenshaw
- [Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/10/07/silver-springs-by-fleetwood-mac-great-b-sides/) - Fleetwood Mac's 1977 album Rumours was a sales behemoth, jam packed with hits written by the group's three songwriters, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, and Lindsey Buckingham. But there was at least one great song that didn't make the cut - Nicks' 'Silver Springs'. It was excluded from Rumours because it was considered too long and
- [I Want to Live in a Wigwam by Cat Stevens: Great B-sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/10/13/i-want-to-live-in-a-wigwam-by-cat-stevens-great-b-sides/) - Cat Stevens' work has endured because his low-key songs are relateable and accessible. Stevens has explored different styles over the course of his career - he started as a teen pop idol in the 1960s, and moved towards progressive rock with 1970s albums like Foreigner But Stevens is most widely cherished for his pair of
- [Nuggets II: No Good Without You Baby by The Birds](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/01/nuggets-ii-no-good-without-you-baby-by-the-birds/) - The Aftermath The band released one more single, 'Say Those Magic Words', as The Birds Birds. Their label suggested the name to differentiate them from The Byrds. They appeared in the 1966 horror film The Deadly Bees before breaking up. Bassist Kim Gardner joined The Creation, along with Ronnie Wood. Read More Nuggets Song by
- [Singapore by Girls Aloud: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/07/singapore-by-girls-aloud-great-b-sides/) - Lots of dedicated music fans are sniffy about mainstream pop music from the 21st century. And if there's anything worse, it's 21st-century mainstream pop that was pre-fabricated for a TV show. Girls Aloud originated from the reality show Popstars: The Rivals, where a boy band and girl band were selected to vie for the 2002
- [Music Quiz: Complete the Band Name... With a Picture II](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/14/music-quiz-complete-the-band-name-with-a-picture-ii/) - I featured the first quiz in this series back in 2018 - here's part 2. Your challenge is to complete a band name with a picture. Watch out for Mad-Eye Moody. https://www.sporcle.com/games/metashades/complete-the-band-name-with-a-picture-again I scored 20/20. Can you beat my score? I doubt it, but you may be able to beat my time of 3:19 remaining.
- [Ten Favourite Music Producers](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/12/ten-favourite-music-producers/) - The role of a music producer can be difficult to define as it can vary widely. Some are limited to the technical aspects of production - recording. mixing, and mastering. Other producers take on broader roles, including writing material, arranging songs, and recruiting session musicians. Here are ten of my favourite producers, presented in alphabetic
- [New Music Reviews:  Springsteen, Wet Leg, and Edwyn Collins](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/12/new-music-reviews-springsteen-wet-leg-and-edwyn-collins/) - This week we have missives from New Jersey, the Isle of Man, and the Scottish highlands. Read on for details... Bruce Springsteen Faithless 2025, 7/10If you're keeping track at home, we're up to the third disc in Springsteen's Tracks II set. Springsteen wrote Faithless on commission, for a “spiritual Western”. He wrote it after the
- [Easy On Me by Adele](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/10/easy-on-me-by-adele/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The album's notable for expanding Adele's sound - she works with cutting-edge producer Inflo. But 'Easy on Me' is a straightforward piano ballad. My verdict I'm not sold on 'Easy On Me'. The most interesting aspect is the lyrical perspective - it's unusual for a mega-selling single to be so
- [Five Best Bruce Springsteen Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/11/07/bruce-springsteen-favourite-five-albums/) - It took me a while to warm to Bruce Springsteen - the radio mostly played his 1980s hits from Born in the U.S.A.. I regarded him as a lame, ultra-American, lowest-common-denominator rocker. But eventually I gave in to his critical reputation and gave a couple of $10 CDs from the bargain bin a try (18
- [10 Best Yellow Magic Orchestra Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/18/10-best-yellow-magic-orchestra-songs/) - Harry Hosono recruited keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto and drummer Yukihiro Takahashi to record a quickie cover of the 1950s exotica tune 'Firecracker'. The trio quickly became superstars in Japan, and influential elsewhere. The austere electronica of Kraftwerk was a major influence, but the three members of Yellow Magic Orchestra brought a wide range of ideas into
- [10 Worst Song Lyrics of All Time](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/05/the-ten-worst-rock-and-pop-lyrics-ever/) - Unless you're Leonard Cohen or Gil-Scott Heron, lyrics in popular music are a secondary concern. Normally I'm happy to bop along to the music and don't mind if the lyrics aren't profound. But sometimes the words are too jarring to ignore. Here's my list of the ten worst lyrics in rock and pop music, presented
- [Music Quiz: Complete the Song Titles II](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/07/music-quiz-complete-the-song-titles-ii/) - It's another speed test this week. You have just 30 seconds to complete 10 hybrid song titles with a link word. Can you pick the correct word that ends one song title and begins another song title to complete the combined song titles? https://www.sporcle.com/games/pschaffman/ending-and-beginning-complete-the-song-titles-ii I scored 10/10 with 11 seconds remaining. Can you beat my
- [New Music Reviews:  Springsteen, Arcade Fire, and Black Country, New Road](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/05/new-music-reviews-springsteen-arcade-fire-and-black-country-new-road/) - A couple of bands are in tough spots in this week's column. Black Country, New Road lost their lead singer four days before they released their previous album. Arcade Fire dealt with allegations against leader Win Butler. Both albums struggle, and another archival release from The Boss is this week's highlight. Black Country, New Road
- [Sault Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/29/sault-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - British soul collective Sault have broken almost every rule of album-making during their brief career. Debuting in 2019, they've already released 12 studio albums. Yet they've only played live once and have never given an interview. Their already sizeable catalogue has taken in everything from smooth R&B to raw post-punk, gospel-tinged soul to classical works.
- [Suzanne Vega Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/05/12/suzanne-vega-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega emerged in the mid-1980s after serving an apprenticeship in folk music in New York's Greenwich Village. Her introspective and gentle songs were immediately successful at a time when singer-songwriters weren't popular. Her first two albums spawned hits like 'Marlene on the Wall', 'Luka', and 'Tom's Diner'. Ranking Vega's albums is interesting, as
- [Arcade Fire: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/31/arcade-fire-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Canadian indie-rock band Arcade Fire formed in Montreal in 2001. The band is centred around the husband-and-wife duo of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. Butler's brother Will was also a member until 2021. The current lineup, including touring members, has nine musicians, and they often incorporate unusual instrumentation like accordion and hurdy-gurdy alongside usual rock
- [Billy Joel Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/29/billy-joel-worst-to-best/) - I spent my teenage years enamoured by the pop tunes of Billy Joel. Joel has a touch of show-tune about his work, and his work has never been as critically acclaimed as his more celebrated contemporaries like Bruce Springsteen or Elvis Costello. Nevertheless, Billy Joel deserves attention. He's a fluid pianist, a capable vocalist, he
- [Genetic by Sonic Youth: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/11/24/genetic-by-sonic-youth-great-b-sides/) - In The Beatles, George Harrison often suffered the indignity of being limited to two songs per LP. It worked fine at the start of the group, when he was the junior partner in the band. By the end of The Beatles' tenure, the rule had become a severe limitation on their potential. By 1969’s Abbey
- [Folkways: A Vision Shared—A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/08/03/folkways-a-vision-shared-a-tribute-to-woody-guthrie-and-leadbelly/) - CBS released Folkways: A Vision Shared—A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly in 1988. It accompanied a documentary of the same name, with famous musicians paying tribute to the two pioneers. The two artists are integral to the American musical landscape. Woody Guthrie (1912–1967) and Huddie Ledbetter (1888–1949) helped lay the foundations for American folk
- [The Shuffle the Music Tag](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/08/14/the-shuffle-the-music-tag/) - I was nominated by Turntabletalk (thank you!) to do the shuffle music tag challenge. Here are the rules. THE RULES• Mention the creator of the tag and link to their blog (created by https://stuffonablogblog.wordpress.com/about/)• Thank the person that nominated you for this tag and link to their blog as well.• Shuffle your entire music library (no matter
- [The Jam: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/22/the-jam-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The Jam were huge in the UK during the punk era, scoring four top-ten albums and four number-one singles. They emerging from Woking, on the outskirts of London. The three-piece band were fast and aggressive enough to initially be considered as punk. Subsequent albums showed a heavy influence from mid-1960s bands like The Who and
- [Music Quiz: Wikipedia Image Blitz](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/31/music-quiz-wikipedia-image-blitz/) - Not asking for much of your time this week - you have just 45 seconds to link six bands to an image on their Wikipedia page. https://www.sporcle.com/games/geographyquizzer/bands-according-to-wikipedia It took me 16 seconds - can you beat me? Congratulations to Tony, who just edged out AdventurePDX with the fastest time in last week's Aerosmith quiz. Read
- [New Music Reviews:  Springsteen, Sault, and Little Simz](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/29/new-music-reviews-springsteen-sault-and-little-simz/) - This week, it's the boss, the complainant, and the defendant. Bruce Springsteen recently dropped seven albums at once - let's start with 1983's LA Garage Sessions. Little Simz' Lotus is often preoccupied with her former producer and friend Inflo, who allegedly never repaid a £1.7m loan. Inflo's band, Sault, also addresses the controversy on 10.
- [Nuggets II: Bad Little Woman by The Wheels](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/27/nuggets-ii-bad-little-woman-by-the-wheels/) - Bluesy Nuggets are often my least favourite. But this one works - it's intense and spooky. Brian Rossi was originally the band's lead vocalist - he's on keyboards here, adding to the spooky atmosphere. Meanwhile, Rod Demick resembles Van Morrison in Them. While he's not as charismatic, he shares the same sneering vocal style. The
- [10 Best Neil Diamond Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/22/10-best-neil-diamond-songs/) - Neil Leslie Diamond is adored by mature women and ironically enjoyed by sports crowds singing 'Sweet Caroline'. Indoctrinated at an early age, however, I appreciate him as a fascinating character. Diamond is one part sequined stadium-filling entertainer and another part introverted singer-songwriter. I already made a list of Neil Diamond's worst peak-era deep cuts, so
- [Music Quiz: Aerosmith Picture Click](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/24/music-quiz-aerosmith-picture-click/) - This week, can you complete Aerosmith song titles by selecting an image? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Tasi/picture-click-aerosmith I'm not a big Aerosmith guy, but I think most of these songs are well known. Can you beat my 12/12 with 1:42 remaining? Congratulations to Tony, who just edged out Rich Kamerman for the fastest time. Someone photographed a native pigeon
- [I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) by Meat Loaf](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/22/id-do-anything-for-love-but-i-wont-do-that-by-meat-loaf/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… My verdict An eight-minute single is unusual. I listened to the radio a lot in 1994, and this song was hard to escape - it's easy to burn out on something so bombastic. But returning to it in the 21st century, it's easier to appreciate the craftsmanship. It seamlessly recaptures
- [Nuggets II: No Presents For Me by The Pandamonium](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/20/nuggets-ii-no-presents-for-me-by-the-pandamonium/) - The risque b-side possibly also limited the single's appeal: 'The Sun Shines from His Arse' was almost finished its recording when Geoff Heath and Reg Ponton came running down from the control room exclaiming "You can't say 'arse'! It's a swear word!". The radio stations wouldn't play "The Sun Shines from His Eyes", due to
- [Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs Albums Ranked](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/15/natalie-merchant-and-10000-maniacs-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Natalie Merchant recently released her sixth solo album, Keep Your Courage. It's a good opportunity to revisit her catalogue. On this countdown, I rank her albums as a solo artist and as the lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs. I only included studio albums of original material - this rules out live albums like 10,000 Maniacs'
- [Music Quiz: Badly Explained Rock Bands](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/17/music-quiz-badly-explained-rock-bands/) - This week's challenge is to identify bands by their (not particularly helpful) descriptions. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Red_Bear/badly-explained-rock I scored 15/15, but I did need to think a little. Can you beat my time of 2:09 remaining? Congratulations to Tony, who recorded the fastest time in a perfect score last week. Time for some temporary secretary... Read more Music
- [New Music Reviews: Real Lies, These New Puritans, and Lorde](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/15/new-music-reviews-real-lies-these-new-puritans-and-lorde/) - We're sticking in Mother England and her colonies this week. Enjoy the urban narratives of Real Lies, the art-rock of These New Puritans, and Lorde's intimate pop-poetry. Real Lies We Will Annihilate Our Enemies 2025, 8/10It's always tough following a masterpiece. While London duo Real Lies haven't received mainstream recognition, Lad Ash was one of
- [I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/13/i-want-to-hold-your-hand-by-the-beatles/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' was The Beatles' breakthrough hit in the United States. Capitol believed that The Beatles would fail in the US, so 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' was actually their first single. It was released two weeks ahead of schedule, after rogue DJs started playing
- [Mississippi by Pussycat](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/29/mississippi-by-pussycat/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The Aftermath Pussycat enjoyed several more international hits. 'My Broken Souvenir' also topped the New Zealand charts. But after that, their appeal became more selective, and they only remained popular in Belgium and The Netherlands. 1970s album reviews NZ #1 hits
- [Jimmy Webb: Five Best Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/08/jimmy-webb-five-best-albums/) - Jimmy Webb enjoyed a sterling career as a songwriter in the 1960s - his website bills him as "America's Songwriter", and it's not an unreasonable title given his rich catalogue of hits like 'Wichita Lineman' and 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix'. After writing for Glen Campbell, Richard Harris, and The 5th Dimension, he
- [Music Quiz: Who didn't start the fire?](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/10/music-quiz-who-didnt-start-the-fire/) - This week's challenge is to sort historical events by which version of 'We Didn't Start the Fire' they appeared in. It helps to remember that Billy Joel recorded his version in 1989, while Fall Out Boy's is from 2023. https://www.sporcle.com/games/nilking23/it-was-always-burning-since-the-worlds-been-turning I listened to a lot of Billy Joel in my early teens, so I nailed
- [New Music Reviews: HAIM, Ezra Furman, and The Mars Volta](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/08/new-music-reviews-haim-ezra-furman-and-the-mars-volta/) - Hopefully there's something for everyone - the smooth pop/rock of California's HAIM, Ezra Furman's intense psychedelia, and The Mars Volta's jazzy Latin rhythms. HAIM I Quit 2025, 7/10It's been five years since HAIM's last record. In the meantime, Alana Haim starred in 2021's Licorice Pizza, and has other movies slated for release. 2020's excellent Women
- [Nuggets II: Bat Macumba by Os Mutantes](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/06/nuggets-ii-bat-macumba-by-os-mutantes/) - It represents a collision of styles. Take away the fuzzy, tremelo guitar leads and it could be a traditional song. Instead, the guitar fights for attention with the harmonised vocals, creating a unique sound. It's fascinating and there are enough ideas for a long career. The Aftermath Sérgio Dias Baptista is still the leader of
- [Music Quiz: Who sang it first?](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/03/music-quiz-who-sang-it-first/) - I'm finally unleashed on the world again, consistently able to compete in these quizzes. Here's one about the original versions of famous covers. I was surprised not to see Otis Redding with 'Respect', although he's included with another song. https://www.sporcle.com/games/poodly/cover-me I had to engage my brain, but I scored 25/25 in 1:13. Can you beat
- [10 Best Straitjacket Fits Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/24/10-best-straitjacket-fits-songs/) - Of the indie guitar bands proffered by Dunedin's Flying Nun label in the 1980s, Straitjacket Fits were the most likely to break through to a mass audience. The Fits were based around two vocalists and songwriters who were an unlikely combination but who complemented each other beautifully; Shayne Carter had the rock-star swagger and his
- [10 Best Jimi Hendrix Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/01/10-best-jimi-hendrix-songs/) - James Marshall Hendrix was born in Seattle. After his discharge from the army he became a musician, spending years gigging with acts like Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and Ike & Tina Turner. Despite his immense talent, it wasn't until he was spotted by Keith Richard's girlfriend and signed by former Animal Chas Chandler that he
- [10 Best Bangles Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/07/01/10-best-bangles-songs/) - The Bangles' work has two facets. There's the 1960s garage rock sound of their early singles and reunion work. And there's the mainstream pop/rock of 'Manic Monday' and 'Eternal Flame'. Susanna Hoffs formed a band with lead guitarist Vicki Peterson and drummer Debbi Peterson. Bassist Michael Steele, formerly of The Runaways, completed the classic lineup.
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your X,Y, and Z albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/26/music-quiz-hide-your-xy-and-z-albums/) - There might be one final outtakes quiz, but we've reached the end of the alphabet. There aren't many famous X,Y, and Z albums - even with all three, I think it's one of the tougher quizzes in the series. https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-xyz-albums I'm obviously ineligible to compete. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored the fastest time in last
- [New Music Reviews: Richard Dawson and Deafheaven](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/24/new-music-reviews-richard-dawson-and-deafheaven/) - We have music from both sides of the pond this week. There's folk from Richard Dawson and blackgaze from Deafheaven. The two acts don't have much in common, but both vocalists are acquired tastes - Dawson's warbling and George Clarke's relentless screaming. Richard Dawson End of the Middle 2025, 7/10Newcastle Upon Tyne’s errant folkie Richard
- [Nuggets II: Real Crazy Apartment by Winston's Fumbs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/22/nuggets-ii-real-crazy-apartment-by-winstons-fumbs/) - Winston's Fumbs only released one single, but the flipside is also worth hearing: The Aftermath Winston only released a handful of singles, including a 1976 single as a solo artist. He returned to acting - he appeared in stage performances of Hair and in the Doctor Who episode Day of the Daleks. Meanwhile, another member
- [Jessie Ware: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/17/jessie-ware-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Jessie Ware is the UK’s most likeable pop star. She's charming where other mainstream acts leave me cold. Ware has a gorgeous voice, but she’s closer to Sade's sophisticated poise than Celine Dion's vocal histrionics. Ware’s dance-pop and blue-eyed soul are tuneful and heartfelt. I’m making celebratory music that’s meant to be enjoyed. And that’s
- [Music Quiz: Songs Containing Lists](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/19/music-quiz-songs-containing-lists/) - This quiz is fun - it might be the only Sporcle quiz to feature Julie Andrews and Lou Bega together. Can you complete the titles of these 16 list songs. It's not too tricky, so please record your time if you score 100%. https://www.sporcle.com/games/midnightdj/songs-containing-lists I scored 100% with 2:07 remaining. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, Max, and
- [10 Best Bread Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/17/bread-ten-best-songs/) - Bread struck AM gold in the early 1970s, with a sentimental string of soft-rock hits written by David Gates. David Gates had contributed to the rich tapestry of 1960s music - he wrote The Murmaids' #3 hit 'Popsicles and Icicles' and produced Captain Beefheart's first two singles. But it wasn't until he teamed up with
- [Here Comes the Hotstepper by Ini Kamoze](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/17/here-comes-the-hotstepper-by-ini-kamoze/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… 'Here Comes the Hotstepper' starts slowly with the "na-na-na" hook, but once the beat comes in it hits like a truck. Kamoze's charisma is infectious, probably the only hit single built around the word "murderer". Here comes the hotstepper, murdererI'm the lyrical gangster, murdererExcuse me mister officer, murdererStill love you
- [Nuggets II: No More Now by The Smoke](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/15/nuggets-ii-no-more-now-by-the-smoke/) - The Aftermath The original band disintegrated during the photo shoot for 'No More Now'. The photographer included a nude model called Christine. It was the photographer’s idea, and the wives and girlfriends had to stay outside. To stop them coming up the stairs, he locked the doors, but they found out about it afterward. They
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your 'W' Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/12/music-quiz-hide-your-w-albums/) - We're almost through the entire alphabet - X, Y, and Z will be together (although I haven't started making that one yet). Can you tell The Wall from The Rooftops? The Wave from the Wet Leg? https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-w-albums I'm not eligible this week. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored 50/50 in last week's quiz. For those who
- [10 Best Joni Mitchell Songs after 1980](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/10/10-best-joni-mitchell-songs-after-1980/) - Joni Mitchell peaked in the 1970s with a terrific sequence of albums, particularly from 1971's Blue to 1976's Hejira. But she also released six studio albums in the 1980s and 1990s. None of these compositions would force their way into my favourite 10 Joni Mitchell songs; her songs are longer and soaked in adult-contemporary arrangements,
- [New Music Reviews: Suzanne Vega and Julien Baker & Torres](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/10/new-music-reviews-suzanne-vega-and-julien-baker-torres/) - All female and all American this week - Suzanne Vega plays folk (with some punk). while two non-country artists make a country album together. Suzanne Vega Flying With Angels 2025, 8/10New York singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega produced one of the 1980s' most ubiquitous hits - 'Luka', the tale of child abuse. But her catalogue is rich
- [Crawl by Atlas](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/08/crawl-by-atlas/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The Aftermath It's hard to tell if it's due to label issues or embarrassment, but 'Crawl' isn't even available on Spotify. None of Atlas's members enjoyed much subsequent success. Ben Campbell is now a restaurateur. 2000s album reviews NZ #1 hits
- [Music Quiz: Which half of the 1970s?](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/05/music-quiz-which-half-of-the-1970s/) - Let's take another break from sorting albums this week and guess which half of the decade songs belong to. Remember that 1975 is in the decade's second half. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Hullabaloo/which-half-of-the-decade-70s-1s I scored 42/50 - solid, but mildly disappointing. Can you beat my score? Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover and jprobichaud, who were tied on 12/15. I haven't had
- [New Music Reviews: Blondshell and Cosmic Cathedral](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/06/03/new-music-reviews-blondshell-and-cosmic-cathedral/) - Alt-rock and prog rock this week. Blondshell's refined her angsty alt-rock, while Neal Morse recruits a veteran band and gives them a hokey name. Blondshell If You Asked For A Picture 2025, 8.5/10Sabrina Teitelbaum took a while to find her musical direction - between 2017 and 2019, she released singles as the pop artist BAUM.
- [A Song for Each Beach Boy](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/27/a-song-for-each-beach-boy/) - Over the last couple of weeks I've been covering The Beach Boys' solo careers - albeit only two of them. Brian Wilson's solo albums of new material, starting with 1988's self-titled record, show flashes of brilliance, although they often suffer from unflattering production jobs. His most vital solo release is his 2004 version of Smile,
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your ‘V’ Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/29/music-quiz-hide-your-v-albums/) - We're still sorting albums this week, and up to V. Can you tell the Violator from the Vulture Prince? https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-v-albums I'm ineligible because I created the quiz. Congratulations to Tony, who scored 14/15 in last week's quiz. Here's 'Ben Franklin'. Read more Music quizzes
- [The Twist by Chubby Checker](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/27/the-twist-by-chubby-checker/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Dance songs became Chubby Checker's specialty. He also had hits with 'The Pony', 'Let's Twist Again', 'Slow Twistin'', 'Twistin' USA', 'La Paloma Twist', 'Teach Me to Twist', and 'Twist It Up'. 'The Twist' also became a hit again in late 1961, topping the New Zealand chart in early 1962. My
- [Nuggets II: Kicks and Chicks by The Zipps](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/25/nuggets-ii-kicks-and-chicks-by-the-zipps/) - The Aftermath The Zipps didn't last much longer, only releasing a few singles. They recorded 'When You Tell It, Tell It Well' in 1969 as the theme song for the Dutch Advertising Association's 29th congress. The invited guest of honour at the congress, his royal highness Prince Bernhard, left halfway through the song, appalled. The band
- [10 Best Syd Barrett Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/22/ten-of-the-best-syd-barrett-songs/) - When people talk about wasted potential in rock and roll, it's usually premature deaths like Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, or Kurt Cobain. Pink Floyd's original leader Syd Barrett also belongs on the list. Although Barrett lived into his sixties, his musical career was effectively over by his mid-twenties, burned out by a combination of LSD and
- [Sparks: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/23/sparks-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Sparks are the world's longest-running cult band. The only constant members are siblings Ron and Russell Mael, who grew up in Pacific Palisades, California. They emerged with the glam movement of the 1970s. Their single 'This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us' and the albums Kimono My House and Propaganda were successful
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your ‘U’ Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/22/music-quiz-hide-your-u-albums/) - We're back sorting albums this week, and up to U. Can you tell the Ultraviolence from the Undertow? https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-u-albums I'm ineligible because I created the quiz. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover and UK #1s Blog, who tied on 35/40. Here I am with the Deputy Prime Minister this week (to the left of his head). Here's my
- [New Music Reviews: Craig Finn and Ex-Vöid](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/20/new-music-reviews-craig-finn-and-ex-void/) - Two rock records this week. The Hold Steady's Craig Finn teams up with The War on Drugs' Adam Granduciel for his sixth solo album. Meanwhile, Ex-Vöid layer harmonies onto their punk roots. Craig Finn Always Been 2025, 8/10As much as I love The Hold Steady, Always Been is my first venture into Craig Finn's solo
- [Nuggets II: Dance Around the Maypole by Acid Gallery](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/18/nuggets-ii-dance-around-the-maypole-by-acid-gallery/) - The Aftermath Elmes and Blakeley went on to join Jeff Christie in Christie, known for the 1970 worldwide hit 'Yellow River'. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Fountains of Wayne: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/28/fountains-of-wayne-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - When New York power-pop band Fountains of Wayne were nominated for a Grammy for Best New Artist in 2004, they'd already recorded three albums. The nomination was on the back of the hit 'Stacy's Mom' - the gimmicky, new-wave flavoured song proved an albatross for the band. The three albums they recorded before their Best
- [New Music Reviews: Bon Iver, Marlon Williams, and Steven Wilson](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/13/new-music-reviews-bon-iver-marlon-williams-and-steven-wilson/) - Duets keep popping up on the music I write about this year, and today's batch is no exception. Marlon Williams teams up with Lorde, while Justin Vernon duets with several female vocalists. Meanwhile, with only two tracks, Steven Wilson doesn't have space for a full duet, but his wife provides vocals on The Overview. Bon
- [10 Best Creedence Clearwater Revival Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/13/10-best-creedence-clearwater-revival-songs/) - Despite releasing their first album in 1968, Creedence Clearwater Revival weren't hippies. Frontman John Fogerty represents blue-collar America, addressing working-class issues like the Vietnam War, while there's a heartland warmth to their swampy rock. The band sounded like they came from the southern states, but were actually Californian. Creedence Clearwater Revival were unlucky. They reached
- [Music Quiz: Which half of the 1990s?](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/15/music-quiz-which-half-of-the-1990s/) - Let's take another break from sorting albums this week and guess which half of the decade songs belong to. Remember that 1995 is in the decade's second half. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Hullabaloo/which-half-of-the-decade-90s-1s I scored 37/40 - I need to bone up on my Roxette. It was easier than the 1980s one for me, maybe because I was a
- [Black or White by Michael Jackson](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/27/black-or-white-by-michael-jackson/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Read More 1990s album reviews NZ #1 hits
- [Would I Lie To You? by Charles and Eddie](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/11/would-i-lie-to-you-by-charles-and-eddie/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… My verdict When 'Would I Lie To You?' was released, I was 12. It felt like an irresistible guilty pleasure. In hindsight, it stands as a great record. The chorus is a massive adrenaline rush with the melody, strings, and Pettigrew's sweet voice. The low-key verses are an effective contrast
- [Taylor Swift's Best Album: 1989](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/06/taylor-swifts-best-album-1989/) - It feels as though Taylor Swift has been around forever, but she released her seventh album, 2019's Lover, while still in her twenties. Swift started young, releasing her 2006 debut at 16, and has used her marketing savvy to keep her brand huge. The magnitude of Swift's success has made her an easy target for
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your ‘T’ Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/08/music-quiz-hide-your-t-albums/) - We're still sorting albums this week, and up to T. Can you tell the real Trout Mask from its replica. https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-t-albums I'm ineligible because I made it. There was a three-way tie last week, with Rich Kamerman, PowerPopMax, and UK #1s Blog all tying on 21/25. My school friend released an album a while back
- [Nuggets II: Get Yourself Home by The Fairies](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/06/nuggets-ii-get-yourself-home-by-the-fairies/) - With Dane Stephens, our shows were not only blues but soul numbers, touches of jazz as well. He was an amazing singer, very very special. Had a great voice, played amazing blues harp, the Fairies were just about to break big. Dane Stephens was involved in a fatal accident while he was driving the group
- [10 Best Songs by The Police](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/04/10-best-songs-by-the-police/) - When they formed The Police in London in 1977, Stewart Copeland, Sting, and Andy Summers were all veteran musicians. Copeland had drummed for progressive rock band Curved Air, Sting had played in the jazz fusion band Last Exit, while Summers’ career as a guitarist dated back to the 1960s when he played with The Animals
- [The Police: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/06/16/the-police-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Stewart Copeland, Sting, and Andy Summers were all veteran musicians when they formed The Police in London in 1977. Copeland had drummed for progressive rock band Curved Air, Sting had played in the jazz fusion band Last Exit, while Summers' career as a guitarist dated back to the 1960s when he played with The Animals
- [Miranda Lambert Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/29/miranda-lambert-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Texas-born Miranda Lambert occupies her own zone between the current mainstream country and the more rootsy sounds of Americana. As she explains, being a major-label artist involves compromise. I love raw albums. I’d love to record an album in a garage and for it to sound like an old Gary Stewart album, without a bunch
- [New Music Reviews: Lucy Dacus and Destroyer](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/29/new-music-reviews-lucy-dacus-and-destroyer/) - Two new records from indie stalwarts. Lucy Dacus edges closer to the mainstream with the genteel Forever is a Feeling. Meanwhile, Dan Bejar continues his erstwhile path, mellower but unmistakably Destroyer. Lucy Dacus Forever is a Feeling 2025, 7/10 From Richmond, Virginia, Lucy Dacus had already forged a noteworthy career as an indie musician when
- [New Music Reviews: The Tubs and FKA Twigs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/15/new-music-reviews-the-tubs-and-fka-twigs/) - Two new-ish records this week. The erotic pop of FKA Twigs and the power-pop of The Tubs. One is extremely solid, the other is probably the worst album I'll cover in this column in 2025. Find out which is which! The Tubs Cotton Crown 2025, 8.5/10Cotton Crown follows The Tubs’ debut album, Dead Meat, building
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your ‘S’ Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/05/01/music-quiz-hide-your-s-albums/) - We're back to sorting albums this week, and we're up to S. Fortunately, many famous albums start with S. Can you tell your Sour from your Surrealistic Pillow? https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-s-albums I'm ineligible, although embarrassingly, I muddled Superfly and Shaft when I tested it. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who smashed last week's decade sorting with 50/50. I really
- [Yummy by Justin Bieber](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/27/yummy-by-justin-bieber/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The Controversy 'Yummy' is a banal song, but it's somehow controversial. Conspiracy theorists linked it to "Pizzagate", the QAnon name for a supposed worldwide cabal of paedophiles and human traffickers. Someone posted a social media comment asking Bieber to touch his hat if he was a victim. Bieber adjusted his
- [10 Best Songs by The Byrds](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/22/10-best-songs-by-the-byrds/) - The Byrds were one of the most significant American bands of the 1960s. They emerged from the L.A. folk scene, featuring three singer-guitarists: James Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, and David Crosby. Their first single as The Byrds was their chart-topping cover of Dylan's 'Mr. Tambourine Man', which established the genre of folk-rock. Their clear vocal
- [Nuggets II: I'm Your Witchdoctor by Chants R&B](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/20/nuggets-ii-im-your-witchdoctor-by-chants-rb/) - Here's the Chants R&B version: The verdict Chants R&B cover of 'I'm Your Witchdoctor' raises the intensity from the original. It's so unhinged that it's compelling. Vocalist Mike Rudd is charismatic, and the record is spooky. Formed in Christchurch in 1964, The Chants R&B's uncontrollable, deviant, sometimes moody rhythm and blues sound owed a debt
- [Music Quiz: Which half of the 1980s?](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/24/music-quiz-which-half-of-the-1980s/) - Congratulations to Tony, who won last week's R album challenge. Let's take a break from sorting albums this week and guess which half of the decade songs belong to. Remember that 1985 is in the decade's second half - more than half of my mistakes involved 1985 songs. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Hullabaloo/which-half-of-the-decade-80s-1s I scored 43/50 - I'm normally
- [New Music Reviews: Japanese Breakfast and Ichiko Aoba](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/22/new-music-reviews-japanese-breakfast-and-ichiko-aoba/) - Two female artists this week. Confusingly, Ichiko Aoba is Japanese, while Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner was born in South Korea. Both records are brief and mellow, but still substantial. Japanese Breakfast For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women) 2025, 8.5/10Zauner's discography runs the emotional gamut. Her mother's death from cancer informed Japanese Breakfast's first two albums,
- [Nuggets II: But You'll Never Do It, Babe by The Boots](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/06/nuggets-ii-but-youll-never-do-it-babe-by-the-boots/) - But You'll Never Do It, Babe The Boots were essentially a covers band - their debut album also featured versions of 'Gloria' and 'She's About A Mover'. 'But You'll Never Do It, Babe' was written by obscured Watford band Cops 'n Robbers. I was set to give it a low rating - it's a mediocre
- [Nuggets II: One Third by The Majority](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/25/nuggets-ii-one-third-by-the-majority/) - On 'A Little Bit of Sunshine', The Mustangs sound more American-influenced than most Nuggets groups. Usually, the influence ran the other way in this era. They sound somewhere between the Beach Boys and The Lovin' Spoonful. One Third In comparison, 'One Third' boasts a tougher edge. In particular, the hard-driving guitar solo is a nice
- [Nuggets II: Flight from Ashiya by Kaleidoscope](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/11/nuggets-ii-flight-from-ashiya-by-kaleidoscope/) - With a 3/4 time signature, acoustic strum, and lilting melody, it's reminiscent of a sea shanty. The psychedelic production touches make 'Flight from Ashiya' a unique record, even if the storyline is a little incoherent. Echo and the Bunnymen's 'The Yo Yo Man' covers similar territory. "Flight From Ashiya," Kaleidoscope's first single, from September 1967,
- [Nuggets II: Here Come the Nice by The Small Faces](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/25/nuggets-ii-here-come-the-nice-by-the-small-faces/) - 'Here Come the Nice' signalled the band's reinvention and their most successful era. The song peaked at #12. Their next three singles - 'Itchycoo Park', 'Lazy Sunday', and 'Little Tin Soldier' - all made the top ten. The Small Faces broke up in 1969. Steve Marriott formed Humble Pie with Peter Frampton. The other three
- [New Zealand's 2020 Election in Six Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/15/new-zealands-2020-election-in-six-songs/) - General elections are held every three years in New Zealand, and they're due soon. Our electoral system is known as MMP - Mixed Member Proportional. Everyone gets two votes - one for a party and one for an electorate MP (Member of Parliament) - and a party wins seat in parliament if they either: Win
- [10 Best Kraftwerk Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/05/10-best-kraftwerk-songs/) - Musicians used synthesizers before Kraftwerk. Karlheinz Stockhausen experimented with them in the 1950s, while Switched-On Bach reached the top ten in 1968. Synths popped up on 1960s rock records by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, while Stevie Wonder also layered synths on his 1970s masterpieces. But Kraftwerk are the band most associated with the
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your 'R' Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/17/music-quiz-hide-your-r-albums/) - There are 25 albums this week, but it's much easier than that Q abomination. There are plenty of famous albums starting with R. https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-r-albums I'm ineligible. Hopefully it's not too tricky! Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who scrabbled his way to 12/15 last week, enough for a win. Here's a photo of today's feijoa harvest. I
- [Rain and Tears by The Hi-Revving Tongues](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/13/rain-and-tears-by-the-hi-revving-tongues/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Impressed with the strobe lights Larry’s Rebels brought back from Australia, the band built their own. They added audiotapes of World War II bombings to the mayhem of feedback, smoke, strobes and explosions. There were occasional minor injuries on stage. Few NZ bands went as far to entertain; little wonder
- [10 Best Pop-Era Genesis Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/08/10-best-pop-era-genesis-songs/) - Genesis formed in the 1960s, when Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford met at Charterhouse School. By 1971, they'd found their classic quintet of vocalist Peter Gabriel, drummer Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist Mike Rutherford, and guitarist Steve Hackett. However, their first album together, Nursery Cryme, initially missed the UK charts. Fifteen years
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your 'Q' Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/10/music-quiz-hide-your-q-albums/) - Not gonna lie - sorting out 15 Q albums is a tricky business. There are probably some you've never heard of. It doesn't help that two of the most famous Q albums in the classic rock canon are by The Who, and I could only include one (feels like having two by the same artist
- [10 Best Songs by Gram Parsons](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/09/10-best-songs-by-gram-parsons/) - 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die describes Gram Parsons as “Keith Richards’ citrus-heir drug-buddy”. Parsons blended rock and country into "Cosmic American Music". I was initially taken aback by Parsons' music. It’s not the commercially oriented country offered by the Eagles and the Counting Crows; it’s anchored in traditional country. Parsons started his career in the International
- [Five Best Songs by The Front Lawn](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/08/five-best-songs-by-the-front-lawn/) - The Flight of the Conchords weren't New Zealand's first musical/theatrical duo. Auckland's The Front Lawn were active from 1985 to 1990. Don McGlashan had already cemented his place in New Zealand music history, singing and drumming on Blam Blam Blam's 'There Is No Depression In New Zealand. Harry Sinclair came from a theatrical background, studying
- [Talent Factories: Ten Bands Behind Future Legends](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/01/talent-factories-ten-bands-that-spawned-multiple-successful-artists/) - Some bands pool their talents to present a united front - they share writing credits, and there's a designated lead singer. These bands often feature stable lineups and long tenures; examples include R.E.M. and Rush. Other bands are full of competing talents with distinct individual voices. Here are ten bands that couldn't contain so many
- [Victoria by The Dance Exponents](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/12/victoria-by-the-dance-exponents/) - They're barely known outside New Zealand, but The Dance Exponents were reliable hitmakers in the 1980s. They kept enjoying success through the 1990s after they shortened their name to The Exponents. They weren't edgy or pretentious, a pop/rock guitar band with a gifted songwriter in Jordan Luck. Their songs are regular fare on NZ radio,
- [New Music Reviews: Sudan Archives, Little Simz, and Tricot](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/27/new-music-reviews-sudan-archives-little-simz-and-tricot/) - Often music releases quieten down for December, but as well as SZA's impressive SOS (covered last week), Little Simz and Tricot also released albums in the final month of the year. Tricot's drummer is the token male this week. Enjoy Sudan Archives' arty and violin-infused R&B, the socially conscious hip-hop of Little Simz, and Tricot's
- [Heavenly Pop Hits—The Chills Albums Ranked](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/23/heavenly-pop-hits-the-chills-albums-ranked/) - When Martin Phillipps passed away in 2024, the world lost a terrific, yet overlooked, songwriter. Phillipps, the son of a Methodist minister, formed The Chills in 1980. They signed to the Flying Nun label but were more sophisticated than most labelmates. Phillipps enjoyed critical acclaim for his jangly songs but never enjoyed mainstream success outside
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your 'P' Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/03/music-quiz-hide-your-p-albums/) - There are a lot more albums to hide this week. Can you sort out the Plans from the Pirates? https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-p-albums I'm ineligible. Hopefully it's not too tricky! Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored the fastest 9/9 last week. I've been interested in Toto's Hydra this week. Here's 'St George and the Dragon'. Read more Music quizzes
- [New Music Reviews: Nadia Reid and Squid](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/04/01/new-music-reviews-nadia-reid-and-squid/) - This week's acts have toned down their idiosyncrasies as their careers have progressed. Nadia Reid has transitioned from a serious-minded singer-songwriter to warm pop songs. Squid's music has become less edgy and experimental. Nadia Reid Enter Now Brightness 2025, 8/10Dunedin singer-songwriter Nadia Reid was part of a wave of excellent New Zealand solo artists who
- [Down Under by Luude featuring Colin Hay](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/30/down-under-by-luude-featuring-colin-hay/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The uniquely Australian references helped make 'Down Under' memorable. The protagonist eats a Vegemite sandwich and rides in a Kombi with a head full of zombie (Australian slang for a type of marijuana). 'Down Under' was used in Australia's victorious 1983 America's Cup campaign. The chorus is really about the
- [10 Best Grant McLennan Solo Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/04/10-best-grant-mclennan-solo-songs/) - In tandem with Robert Forster, Grant McLennan was a vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for literate Australian jangle-pop band The Go-Betweens. While The Go-Betweens were on hiatus during the 1990s, Grant McLennan embarked on a solo career, releasing four solo albums, two albums with The Church's Steve Kilbey, and one album with the Far Out Corporation.
- [10 Best Sam Phillips Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/25/10-best-sam-phillips-songs/) - There are two prominent Sam Phillipses in popular music. This list isn't about the Sun Records producer who worked with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Rather it's about the idiosyncratic female singer-songwriter who launched her career in Christian music as Leslie Phillips in the 1980s. This list doesn't cover Phillips' early work
- [Nuggets: It's Cold Outside by The Choir](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/18/nuggets-its-cold-outside-by-the-choir/) - The Choir had a relatively short career, releasing a handful of singles between 1967 and 1970. They recorded an album in 1968, unreleased until 2018, and reunited for two concerts in 2006. Drummer Dann Klawon, who wrote 'It's Cold Outside', became an electrical contractor. The Choir's biggest contribution to pop culture is the spinoff band
- [The 10 Best Songs by The Seekers](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/14/the-10-best-songs-by-the-seekers/) - With the recent passing of Judith Durham, it's fitting to look back on the ten best songs from Australian folk band The Seekers. The Melbourne quartet sold more than 50 million records with 1960s hits like 'I'll Never Find Another You' and 'Georgy Girl'. While their commercial peak was in the mid-1960s, they're less edgy
- [Music Quiz: Find the 'Call' Artist](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/27/music-quiz-find-the-call-artist/) - Let's take a break from album sorting this week. This week's challenge is to link nine artists to their song with "call" in the title. https://www.sporcle.com/games/ghcgh/find-the-call-artist I scored 9/9 with 2:15 remaining. I wasn't completely in control, but when there are only nine choices, it's a little easier. Congratulations to Max, who scored 18/20 in
- [Turning Rebellion Into Money](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/18/turning-rebellion-into-money/) - To what extent was punk rock an expression of dissent?
- [Ranking Jason Isbell’s Discography](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/16/ranking-jason-isbells-discography/) - If you're an old man, shouting at the clouds about how modern music isn't the same as it was in your heyday, you'll probably enjoy the Americana of Jason Isbell. Isbell's music could have been made any time in the last fifty years. From Alabama, the soul sound of Muscle Shoals is in Isbell's musical
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your O Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/20/music-quiz-hide-your-o-albums/) - Even more album sorting. Can you match the songs to the albums starting with O? Are you on the beach or out to lunch? https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-o-albums I made this quiz, so I'm not eligible to enter. Can you score full marks this week? Congratulations to Rich, Max, and Tony who all scored 22/24 in last week's
- [Faith by George Michael](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/18/faith-by-george-michael/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The verdict I like Michael, but 'Faith' isn't his strongest song. I see the appeal of its simplicity, but I got tired of it on the radio. It's the fault of radio programmers - 'Faith' was the only 1980s Michael song I ever heard on the radio, but they could
- [10 Best Jessie Ware Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/19/10-best-jessie-ware-songs/) - The United Kingdom's most likeable pop star, Jessie Ware is charming while other mainstream acts leave me cold. She has a gorgeous voice, but she's closer to the sophisticated poise of Sade than the vocal histrionics of Celine Dion. Ware's work - dance-pop and blue-eyed soul - is tuneful and heartfelt. Ware is from a
- [10 Worst Songs of the 1980s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/02/10-worst-songs-of-the-1980s/) - When I was a teenager in the 1990s, the 1980s were often reviled as the decade that taste forgot. But I think this list is far less heinous than the 10 Worst Songs of the 1970s - the corporate vibes of the 1980s sound less dated than the hippie ethos still permeating some of the
- [The Lime Green Glory of CosmicBen](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/11/20/the-lime-green-glory-of-cosmicben/) - During the first decade of the 2000s, this website was a minor, unremarkable part of the “web reviewing community”, where people reviewed albums as a hobby. Here I revisit another of my favourite sites. Between 1999 and 2006, "Cosmic" Ben Marlin combed through bargain bins for albums and posted his findings on the web, onto
- [An Explanation and a Plan](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/03/11/an-explanation-and-a-plan/) - An Explanation I wanted to provide an explanation to my fellow bloggers who may have noticed that this blog has undergone a name change, and that I've had to un-follow and re-follow your blogs. A few weeks ago, I noticed that I had received a visit from a strange URL. Out of curiosity I looked it up,
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your N Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/13/music-quiz-hide-your-n-albums/) - Even more album sorting. Can you match the songs to the albums starting with N? Can you tell your Nilsson from your Schmilsson? https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-n-albums I made this quiz, so I'm not eligible to enter. Can you score full marks this week? Congratulations to Rich who scored 24/24 in last week's quiz. It's been a long
- [Ten worst pop stinkers ever - A Letter to the Editor](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/11/a-letter-to-the-editor/) - Ten worst pop stinkers ever I wrote this in response to a list published in a major New Zealand weekly magazine (The NZ Listener). It was published, despite its unusual format, in February 2002: Even though the enjoyment of a pop song is highly subjective, depending on the listener's age and cultural background, the list
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your M Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/06/music-quiz-hide-your-m-albums/) - More album sorting. Can you match the songs to the albums starting with M? Can you tell smoke on the water and madmen across the water apart? https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-m-albums I made this quiz, so I'm not eligible to enter. Can you score full marks this week? Congratulations to Tony and Max, who both scored 24/24 in
- [New Music Reviews: Fievel is Glauque, Ela Minus, Anna B Savage](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/04/new-music-reviews-fievel-is-glauque-ela-minus-anna-b-savage/) - It's another eclectic week of new reviews with: the sophisticated jazz-pop of New York's Fievel is Glauque the electropop of Colombia's Ela Minus the lovestruck singer-songwriter Anna B Savage. All three records are highly recommended. Read on for details. Fievel is Glauque Rong Weicknes 2024, 8/10I've never ventured into the world of Zach Phillips before.
- [Nuggets: Live by The Merry-Go-Round](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/21/nuggets-steppin-out-by-paul-revere-the-raiders-2/) - 'Live' was covered by The Bangles on their debut album. Rhodes went on to release four solo albums in the early 1970s. Most notable was his 1970 self-titled debut, on which he played all the instruments himself. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [New Music Reviews: Anna B Savage and The New Pornographers](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/30/new-music-reviews-anna-b-savage-and-the-new-pornographers/) - For better or worse, there's far less sex and violence this week than the names New Pornographers and Anna B Savage imply. The New Pornographers Continue as a Guest 2023, 7/10You could make a strong case that Vancouver's The New Pornographers are the best pop/rock band of the 21st century so far. They've delivered a
- [Locomotion by Ritz](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/03/02/locomotion-by-ritz/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The Members of Ritz Ruby James Ruby James’s musical roots trace back to her childhood when she first discovered she wanted to be a singer and, steadily pursuing her goal, began to take voice lessons. She explains "I was asked to sing with a band that was gonna be called
- [10 Best Albums of 2020](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/10/10-best-albums-of-2020/) - I know it's obligatory to insert a comment here about how terrible the year 2020 was. Down in New Zealand, however, we were well insulated from the coronavirus pandemic and life was relatively normal. From the list below, I'd only characterise one album (Taylor Swift's Folklore) as a pandemic album - I assume most of
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your L Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/27/music-quiz-hide-your-l-albums/) - We're back into album sorting this week. Can you match the songs to the albums starting with L? https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-l-albums I made this quiz, so I'm not eligible to enter. Can you score full marks this week? Congratulations to Tony and UK #1's Blog, who both scored 18/20 in last week's quiz. In case you missed
- [The Ten Best Songs by The Jam](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/23/the-ten-best-songs-by-the-jam/) - The Jam formed in 1972 in Woking, a satellite town 20 miles from London. Leader Paul Weller formed a three-piece band with bassist Bruce Foxton and drummer Rick Buckler. The trio were indebted to the 1960s. Weller played a Rickenbacker, wore mod fashions, and was indebted to 1960s bands like The Who, The Kinks, and
- [Nuggets II: When The Alarm Clock Rings by the Blossom Toes](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/26/nuggets-ii-when-the-alarm-clock-rings-by-the-blossom-toes/) - Blossom Toes Biography Taken (with some editing) from Magic in the Air's website, now only available on the web archive. All opinions from here on down are from the original author, not mine. Beginnings Blossom Toes formed in 1962 at the Halver and Watts scientific instrument factory in Highbury and Islington, North London as The
- [Nuggets II: It's My Fault by The Rattles](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/09/nuggets-ii-its-my-fault-by-the-rattles/) - 1990—The Rattles are being elected to the millenium band in Hamburg by the Berlin newspaper “Berliner Morgenpost”Reproduction of “The Witch” https://www.rattles.de/band_bio_ENG.php It's My Fault Given The Rattles' other success, it's surprising that 'It's My Fault' was chosen for the boxset. It's a competent blues song, with a Bo Diddley beat. The best part is the
- [The Clash's Best Album: The Clash (U.S. Version)](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/07/28/the-clashs-best-album-the-clash-u-s-version/) - The Clash were a key band from the first wave of British punk in the 1970s. Built around the songwriting team of vocalist Joe Strummer and guitarist Mick Jones, they quickly outgrew punk orthodoxy. The group topped their music with intelligent political statements - Strummer was a committed socialist. Critics labelled The Clash as "the
- [The Butterfly Collector by The Jam: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/10/14/the-butterfly-collector-by-the-jam-great-b-sides/) - The Jam are arguably the most British band ever, with all the telltale traits. They: started young never made it big in the USA, at least partly because of frontman Paul Weller's thick English accent released some of their best material on non-album singles and b-sides. Although they were from the class of 1977, The
- [Music Quiz: D music images](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/20/music-quiz-d-music-images/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. I thought we'd take a break from album sorting. Your challenge this week is to name the albums, musical terms, artists, and other ephemera starting with D. https://www.sporcle.com/games/BanjoZebra/d-music-images I scored 16/20, although I missed one gimme. Can you beat me? Congratulations to Tony, who top-scored last week with
- [New Music Reviews: The Weather Station, Dina Ögon, and Bad Bunny](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/18/new-music-reviews-the-weather-station-dina-ogon-and-bad-bunny/) - As a music reviewer, 2025 started quickly. Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny dropped a wide-reaching album in 2025's first week. Canadian sophisti-pop act The Weather Station released Humanhood in mid-January. Meanwhile, I'm still catching up with 2024, hence the smooth soul of Sweden's Dina Ögon. All three albums are highly recommended. The Weather Station Humanhood
- [Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/16/bleeding-love-by-leona-lewis/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The Real Christmas #1 'Bleeding Love' occupied the #1 spot on the charts for five weeks during December 2007 and January 2008. But it wasn't the 2007 Christmas #1. 'A Very Silent Night' took the #1 spot, a charity single that raised money for the SPCA. 'A Very Silent Night'
- [10 Best Songs by The Soft Boys](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/11/10-best-songs-by-the-soft-boys/) - Robyn Hitchcock started his recording career as the frontman for the Cambridge band The Soft Boys. Kimberley Rew joined on lead guitar. Rew wrote 'Walking on Sunshine' for his next band, Katrina and the Waves - one of the biggest hits of the 1980s. With Andy Metcalfe on bass, Matthew Seligman on bass, and Morris Windsor
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your K Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/13/music-quiz-hide-your-k-albums/) - Can you identify the albums starting with K? As before I had to make this one myself. There aren't as many albums beginning with K, so there are fewer questions than usual. https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-k-albums I'm ineligible to enter this week. Congratulations to John Snow from 2loud2oldmusic, who won last week's quiz with 13/15. Can anyone score
- [New Music Reviews: Father John Misty, Being Dead, and Dawn Richard](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/04/new-music-reviews-father-john-misty-being-dead-and-dawn-richard/) - I'm assuming that nobody cares about 2024 releases in February 2025. But there are still records in my pile that I didn't get to last year. It's not a reflection on their quality - these records were all released toward the end of 2024 and I didn't get to them on time. Enjoy the following:
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your J Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/06/music-quiz-hide-your-j-albums/) - It's Waitangi Day, our national public holiday, here in New Zealand. It's particularly fraught this year, as the far right question our nation's founding document. Unfortunately, today's quiz is completely unrelated to such happenings. Can you identify the albums starting with J? As before I had to make this one myself. There aren't as many
- [The Beatles: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/02/02/the-beatles-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Miraculously, two of the most talented vocalists and songwriters in the history of popular music ended up in the same band. John Lennon and Paul McCartney met in 1957 when McCartney joined Lennon's skiffle band The Quarrymen. They enlisted lead guitarist George Harrison, who emerged as a fine songwriter in his own right. After recruiting
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your I Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/30/music-quiz-hide-your-i-albums/) - Welcome back for another thrilling quizzing session. Can you identify the albums starting with I? Unfortunately, the person who made the original series stopped at G, so again I had to make this one myself. Apologies if some of the choices are a little obscure. I forgot a couple of good options - there are
- [Travelin' Man by Ricky Nelson](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/28/travelin-man-by-ricky-nelson/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… 'Travelin' Man' was written by Jerry Fuller, a 1960s songwriter who also wrote Gary Puckett & the Union Gap's 'Young Girl'. It was originally intended for Sam Cooke. Fuller eventually wrote other top-ten hits for Nelson, including 'A Wonder Like You', 'Young World', and 'It's Up to You'. 'Travelin' Man'
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your H Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/23/music-quiz-hide-your-h-albums/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. Can you identify the albums starting with H? Unfortunately the person who made the original series stopped at G, so I had to make this one myself. Apologies if some of the choices are a little obscure. https://www.sporcle.com/games/grahama/hide-your-h-albums I'm obviously ineligible to enter this week. RIP to The
- [I'll Make Love To You by Boyz II Men](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/21/ill-make-love-to-you-by-boyz-ii-men/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The band's close harmony singing is admirable, and their vocals have personality. Yet 'l'll Make Love To You' feels like an unimaginative retread of 'End of the Road'. Lacking that song's emotional punch, it feels perfunctory. Like 'End of the Road' it was written and produced by Babyface. "Weeell, in
- [10 Best Songs on the Nuggets Boxset](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/19/10-best-songs-on-the-nuggets-boxset/) - Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the double LP set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from 1965* to 1968. The collection of short and punchy songs was a major influence on the punk movement in the UK.
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your G Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/16/music-quiz-hide-your-g-albums/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. Can you identify the albums starting with G? https://www.sporcle.com/games/timmylemoine1/hide-your-galbums I scored 23/24. I didn't know the difference between Godsmack and Sum 41. Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who just beat Tony for the fastest time last week. Has anyone else with a blog had some comments from Suno API
- [Nuggets: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) by The Electric Prunes](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/14/nuggets-i-had-too-much-to-dream-last-night-by-the-electric-prunes/) - It's a psychedelic classic, one of the best songs on Nuggets. It starts beautifully, with the shimmering introduction before the drums hit. James Lowe has a great voice for psychedelia. Born more than a decade after the song's release, it sounds akin to The Dukes of Stratosphere '25 O'Clock'. But '25 O'Clock' was released in
- [Mull of Kintyre by Wings](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/12/mull-of-kintyre-by-wings/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… “I wrote the song when I realised there were no new Scottish songs being written. It was a great experience recording it with the local pipe band and really exciting to see the amazing success it had in the charts at the time, so those memories mean I still love
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your F Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/09/music-quiz-hide-your-f-albums/) - Welcome back - this week we're looking at F albums. It's a popular letter, so this quiz was easier than last week's, at least for me. https://www.sporcle.com/games/timmylemoine1/hide-your-falbums I scored 24/24. I used genre conventions to differentiate between the three albums I didn't know - En Vogue, Anthrax, and Blue Oyster Cult. Can you get all
- [Hard and soft—10 best albums of 2024](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/07/hard-and-soft-10-best-albums-of-2024/) - 2024 was the international year of camelids. The war in Gaza continued and Donald Trump won the US election. Meanwhile, Bashar al-Assad was deposed in Syria. But fortunately, there was interesting music to distract us from the world's chaos. It felt like a significant year for pop. For example, Sabrina Carpenter broke into the mainstream
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your D Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/27/music-quiz-hide-your-d-albums/) - The observant among you may have noticed that the quiz is a day later than usual. I figured people had better things to do than a music quiz on Christmas Day. https://www.sporcle.com/games/timmylemoine1/hide-your-dalbums I scored 23/24 - I could have scored the full 24 if not for a lapse of concentration. I was busy wondering why
- [New Music Reviews: Mabe Fratti and Lauren Mayberry](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/31/new-music-reviews-mabe-fratti-and-lauren-mayberry/) - I'm still catching up with 2024 releases. Guatemalan cellist Mabe Fratti's excellent Sentir Que No Sabes slipped out in June. But Lauren Mayberry (from CHVRCHES) only released her solo debut this month. Mabe Fratti Sentir Que No Sabes 2024, 9/10Guatemalan cellist and vocalist Mabe Fratti grew up only listening to Christian and classical music. Discovering
- [For passing change—the 10 best albums of 1974](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/05/for-passing-change-the-10-best-albums-of-1974/) - I've enjoyed reading other blogs' fifty-year retrospectives of 1974 albums. It got me thinking about my own list. 1974 was the year of Watergate and the Rumble in the Jungle. It's also my favourite year for albums, with two of these albums in my all-time top four. There's a theme of change running through these
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your E Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2025/01/02/music-quiz-hide-your-e-albums/) - I'm scheduling this early because I plan to tramp in the Southern Alps today. https://www.sporcle.com/games/timmylemoine1/hide-your-ealbums I scored 21/24. I had to resort to some guessing at the end. The quiz included some acts I liked, but I wasn't familiar with anything from the featured album, like Madonna and The Who. Can you get all 24?
- [Nuggets: Dirty Water by The Standells](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/29/nuggets-dirty-water-by-the-standells/) - Boston, You're My Home Producer Ed Cobb wrote 'Dirty Water' after a visit to Boston, during which he was robbed on a bridge over the Charles River. Despite the song's association with Boston, none of the Standells had been to the city before the song was released. Cobb also wrote 'Tainted Love', a hit for
- [New Music Reviews: Azana, Cassandra Jenkins, and Lana Del Rey](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/06/new-music-reviews-azana-cassandra-jenkins-and-lana-del-rey/) - Aphoristic Album Reviews takes a look at three new releases from women this week. Ingoma, from South African teenager Azana, is a record from July 2020, while Cassandra Jenkin's An Overview on Phenomenal Nature and Lana Del Rey's Chemtrails Over The Country Club are both from the past few months. Enjoy! Azana Ingoma 2020, 9/10If
- [New Music Reviews: Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Lemon Twigs, and Clarissa Connelly](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/24/new-music-reviews-godspeed-you-black-emperor-lemon-twigs-and-clarissa-connelly/) - It's another diverse week of new releases. We have: the intense post-rock of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. the retro pop/rock of Long Island's The Lemon Twigs the arthouse folk of Scotland/Denmark's Clarissa Connelly. Two of these records feature church bells, befitting for Christmastide. Read on for details. Godspeed You! Black Emperor No Title as of
- [10 Best Paul Kelly Songs: Part 2, 1994-present](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/17/10-best-paul-kelly-songs-part-2-1994-present/) - As I wrote in Part 1 of this Paul Kelly series, he's barely known outside of his native Australia. But he's one of his country’s most beloved musicians. His literate songs are plain and unadorned, often with a rock band or with touches of country and folk. Kelly broke up his backing band The Messengers
- [How To Make Gravy by Paul Kelly](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/10/15/how-to-make-gravy-by-paul-kelly/) - Paul Kelly's a respected songwriter in Australia, with a solo career that began in 1981. He's the type of figure who receives songwriting awards and inclusions on great song lists, without necessarily breaking through to public consciousness. He's little known outside of Australia and New Zealand. Fellow Antipodean songwriter Neil Finn writes "There is something
- [Nuggets: I Want Candy by The Strangeloves](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/01/nuggets-i-want-candy-by-the-strangeloves/) - 'I Want Candy' was written with 1960s hit-maker Bert Berns, and reached #11 on the US singles chart. Despite the initial success the "band" only made one record, breaking up in 1968. All three Strangeloves remained in the music business. Gottehrer has the most impressive CV, producing records for Richard Hell, Blondie, and The Go-Go's,
- [Nuggets: Night Time by The Strangeloves](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/22/nuggets-night-time-by-the-strangeloves/) - Like 'I Want Candy', 'Night Time' has often been covered. Artists who've tackled it include Dr. Feelgood, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Bahaus, and The J. Geils Band. Despite the initial success the “band” only made one record, breaking up in 1968. All three Strangeloves remained in the music business. Gottehrer has the most impressive
- [Music Quiz: Finish the Famous Christmas Song Line](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/19/music-quiz-finish-the-famous-christmas-song-line/) - I don't normally run a Christmas music quiz, but let's try it this year. I may have an advantage here, since I'll probably be playing some of these songs on Christmas Eve. https://www.sporcle.com/games/lolshortee/christmas-carols I scored 27/28 - I missed 'Home for the Holidays', which I don't know. Congratulations to Max who won last week's quiz
- [New Music Reviews: Kendrick Lamar, FKA Twigs, and The Reds, Pinks & Purples](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/21/new-music-reviews-kendrick-lamar-fka-twigs-and-the-reds-pinks-purples/) - This week it's new releases from rap superstar Kendrick Lamar, the jangle-pop band The Reds, Pinks & Purples, and Gloucestershire's FKA Twigs. Kendrick Lamar Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers 2022, 8/10Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar has enjoyed a stellar career so far. With his critical acclaim, a string of #1 albums, and a Pulitzer Prize
- [New Music Reviews: Mk.Gee, Kendrick Lamar, and Tyler, the Creator](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/17/new-music-reviews-mk-gee-kendrick-lamar-and-tyler-the-creator/) - School holidays are just starting. This means I must review the albums with inappropriate language before my girls are home for the summer. Kendrick Lamar and Tyler, the Creator are both hip-hop superstars who stretch the boundaries of the genre. On a completely different note, Mk.Gee's debut album sounds like John Martyn around 1980. Kendrick
- [Somethin' Stupid by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/15/somethin-stupid-by-robbie-williams-and-nicole-kidman/) - New Zealand's 2001 Christmas number one was a cover of a 1960s chestnut, recorded by a famous actress and a laddish singer at the peak of his popularity.
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your C Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/12/music-quiz-hide-your-c-albums/) - I promise not to run 26 of these Hide Your Albums quizzes in a row, but I'm enjoying them. We're up to C this week - can you tell your Clash from your Chemical Brothers? Are you crazy, sexy, or cool? https://www.sporcle.com/games/timmylemoine1/hide-your-calbums I somehow scored 24/24. I only knew about 18, then was able to
- [New Music Reviews: Foxing and Blood Incantation](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/10/new-music-reviews-foxing-and-blood-incantation/) - It's the heaviest week of new reviews in this site's history. Blood Incantation's Absolute Elsewhere has been the most acclaimed metal release for years. Foxing's throat-shredding indie rock has become even more intense. Foxing Foxing 2021, 8.5/10St. Louis's Foxing have been a going concern for the last decade, and this self-titled album is their fifth. Their
- [Nuggets: Lies by The Knickerbockers](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/08/nuggets-lies-by-the-knickerbockers/) - The Knickerbockers' career faded as their chart placements fell. They were also hampered by poor distribution from their label. Drummer Jimmy Walker left in 1968 to replace Bill Medley in The Righteous Brothers. They made two albums in the 1960s but barely boasted any originals, padded out with covers from The Zombies and The Kinks.
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your B Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/05/music-quiz-hide-your-b-albums/) - Last week we hid our A albums, this week it's time to hide your B albums. I scored 24/24, although I had to guess between Blink-182 and Jimmy Eat World at the end. https://www.sporcle.com/games/timmylemoine1/hide-your-balbums I had 5:04 remaining - can you beat me? Congratulations to Tony, who scored 24 in last week's quiz. I've missed
- [New Music Reviews: The Hard Quartet and The Smile](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/03/new-music-reviews-the-hard-quartet-and-the-smile/) - It's a 1990s revival week but with sneaky aliases. The leaders from two of the 1990s most beloved guitar bands are back. Pavement's Stephen Malkmus has released an album with The Hard Quartet. Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke are back with Smile's second album of 2024. They're both misleadingly titled - The Hard Quartet
- [Wind It Up by Gwen Stefani](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/12/01/wind-it-up-by-gwen-stefani/) - Stefani's career has been a lot quieter since 2006 - not unusual for a pop/rock artist after their first decade. She released a new solo record, Bouquet, a couple of weeks ago (15 November 2024). It's only her second non-Christmas solo album since The Sweet Escape. Read more NZ #1 hits 2000s album reviews
- [Music Quiz: Hide Your A Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/28/music-quiz-hide-your-a-albums/) - I don't know what we will do with our lives now that almost 50 rounds of compilations are done. But we could try linking albums to artists. Even if you don't know the albums, you should be able to link three songs to the artist. https://www.sporcle.com/games/timmylemoine1/hide-your-aalbums I scored 22/24 - I struggled with The Grateful
- [Nuggets: Respect by The Vagrants](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/26/nuggets-respect-by-the-vagrants/) - In 1969 Leslie West formed Mountain with Felix Pappalardi. Mountain are best known for the classic rock staple 'Mississippi Queen'. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [10 Best Curtis Mayfield Solo Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/24/10-best-curtis-mayfield-solo-songs/) - Curtis Lee Mayfield started his recording career in the 1950s. He was a member of The Impressions, whose first single, 'For Your Precious Love', was released in 1958. He emerged as a songwriter in the 1960s with hits like 'People Get Ready' and 'Gypsy Woman'. But it's his solo career in the early 1970s that
- [Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/17/party-rock-anthem-by-lmfao/) - You could argue that 'Party Rock Anthem' is throwaway trash. You could also argue that it's an ingenious masterpiece. I fall in the middle. Read more NZ #1 hits 1980s album reviews
- [10 Best Fairport Convention Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/03/10-best-fairport-convention-songs/) - Bassist Ashley Hutchings and rhythm guitarist Simon Nicol formed Fairport Convention in 1967. They named the band after Nicol’s father’s medical practice, above which they rehearsed, on the same Muswell street as the Davies brothers of The Kinks grew up. They recruited lead guitarist Richard Thompson, drummer Martin Lamble, and vocalists Judy Dyble and Iain Matthews. When
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits L](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/21/music-quiz-greatest-hits-l/) - It's the final quiz in the series. It's dedicated entirely to Beatles compilations. It's a weird quiz, with some gimmes like 1 and The Blue Album, but also some tricky ones. Even people who know every Beatles song probably don't recognise some of these, especially if they weren't around for the LP era. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-l-the-beatles-picture-click I
- [Asterix Books: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/23/asterix-books-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The Gaulish warrior Asterix has been a French institution since he first appeared in 1961's Asterix the Gaul. He's accompanied by his inseparable friend Obelix and aided by the druid Getafix's magic potion that gives superhuman strength. His cunning defends his Gaulish village from Romans, Vikings, and even aliens. Four different teams have produced Asterix
- [Tintin Comics: Ranked From Worst To Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/26/tintin-books-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, better known as Hergé, published the first Tintin adventure in the Catholic magazine Le Vingtième Siècle in 1929. The final, unfinished Tintin book, Tintin and Alph-Art, appeared in 1986, three years after Hergé's death. During that time, Tintin evolved; the first volume, Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, is clumsy
- [New Music Reviews: Soccer Mommy and The Cure](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/19/new-music-reviews-soccer-mommy-and-the-cure/) - This week's selection of albums is dark but enjoyable. Soccer Mommy confronts loss on Evergreen, while an ageing Robert Smith wrestles with mortality on The Cure's fourteenth album. Soccer Mommy Evergreen 2024, 8.5/10Evergreen feels like a return to basics for Sophie Allison's Soccer Mommy. She comes full circle, returning to the simple sound of her
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XLIX](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/14/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xlix/) - Welcome back to the final conventional week of this epic series. There's a number 50, but it's dedicated entirely to Beatles' compilations. Does anyone know why 49 isn't IL in Roman numerals? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xlix-picture-click I scored 13/20 this week. I struggled with the hard rock bands, perhaps not surprising to regular readers. Could you tell Deicide
- [Talking Heads Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/09/talking-heads-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - New York rock band Talking Heads started their career as the Artistics, with drummer Chris Frantz and vocalist/guitarist David Byrne. As the group were unable to find a bassist, Frantz's girlfriend Tina Weymouth joined. Weymouth learned to play bass by listening to Suzi Quatro records. The trio played at famous New York club CBGB -
- [New Music Reviews: Nick Cave and Kelly Lee Owens](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/12/new-music-reviews-nick-cave-and-kelly-lee-owens/) - Two English-based artists this week. Australian Nick Cave is back for another album of piano ballads, albeit less doom-laden than usual. Kelly Lee Owens explores her pop-oriented side on her fourth album Dreamstate. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Wild God 2024, 7/10Nick Cave's up to his eighteenth record with backing band The Bad Seeds.
- [Nuggets: Sit Down, I Think I Love You by The Mojo Men](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/31/nuggets-sit-down-i-think-i-love-you-by-the-mojo-men/) - The Mojo Men became Mojo, recording a single album in 1968. Guitarist Paul Curcio later founded a studio in Rochester, New York. His clients included Metallica – he produced their debut album Kill ‘Em All. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Outside Chance by The Turtles](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/29/nuggets-outside-chance-by-the-turtles/) - The Turtles are still around, although Volman has been replaced by Ron Dante, formerly of The Archies, for recent tours. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Diddy Wah Diddy by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/29/nuggets-diddy-wah-diddy-by-captain-beefheart-his-magic-band/) - Beefheart soon moved beyond belting out blues covers, instead delivering idiosyncratic albums like Lick My Decals Off, Baby and Doc at the Radar Station. Rolling Stone tried to convince him to go back to blues covers - based on 'Diddy Wah Diddy', they may have had a point. Beefheart passed away in 2010 from complications
- [Nuggets: Stop! Get A Ticket by Clefs of Lavender Hill](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/11/nuggets-stop-get-a-ticket-by-clefs-of-lavender-hill/) - It's understandable why Clefs of Lavender Hill weren't widely successful. By 1967, when the full-length album was scheduled for release, their strait-laced Beatles/Hollies sound was probably considered obsolete. Their full-length album was belatedly released in 2010 as Stop! Get A Ticket. It collected up their four singles and b-sides as well as covers like Cher's
- [Nuggets: Johnny Was A Good Boy by Mystery Trend](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/25/nuggets-johnny-was-a-good-boy-by-mystery-trend/) - 'Johnny Was A Good Boy' features more interesting musicianship than a lot of Nuggets acts - there's a busy bass line and the eastern flavour to the guitar solo is my favourite part of the song. At the same time, I'm not particularly enamoured with the song itself - it's not an interesting vocal melody,
- [Nuggets: Codine by The Charlatans](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/09/nuggets-codine-by-the-charlatans/) - The Charlatans were among the earliest bands to emerge from the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury scene. They wore 19th-century clothing - they look like they've beamed out of the Wild West in the 'Codine' cover art. The Charlatans were reportedly the first band to take LSD immediately before performing, but don't play the kind of psychedelic
- [Nuggets: What Am I Going to Do? by The Dovers](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/23/nuggets-what-am-i-going-to-do-by-the-dovers/) - The Dovers only hung around for a few singles, but they showed some artistic progression. 'The Third Eye' from April 1966 mines similar Indian and psychedelic influences to The Byrds' 'Eight Miles High'. According to Dovers' guitarist Bruce Clawson, they developed 'The Third Eye' independently; "We'd already worked on the tune," he told Mike Markesich,
- [Nuggets: I Think I'm Down by the Harbinger Complex](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/01/nuggets-i-think-im-down-by-the-harbinger-complex/) - Hockstaff left the band in early 1967, and they never added to their two 1966 singles. Hoyle passed away in 2003, but there's little info on the members' lives after the band. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Out Of Our Tree by The Wailers](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/13/nuggets-out-of-our-tree-by-the-wailers/) - 'Out Of Our Tree' is inventive enough to not be a simple Stones clone. There's a rich arrangement with a busy bassline and organ providing a counterpoint to the fuzz guitar. It's not as abrasive as The Sonics, but it's still edgy for a 1965 track. The Wailers went through many lineup changes during their
- [Nuggets: One Track Mind by The Knickerbockers](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/04/nuggets-one-track-mind-by-the-knickerbockers/) - The Knickerbockers' career faded as their chart placements fell, perhaps not interested in adapting to psychedelia. They made two albums in the 1960s but they barely boast any originals, padded out with covers from The Zombies and The Kinks. The Charles brothers later started a country-rock band named Lodi (wonder where they got that name
- [Nuggets: Louie Louie by The Kingsmen](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/18/nuggets-louie-louie-by-the-kingsmen/) - 'Louie Louie' is clearly a classic - a simple slice of primeval rock that's peerless. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/15/nuggets-wooly-bully-by-sam-the-sham-and-the-pharaohs/) - ‘Wooly Bully’ is an odd song on paper - it’s a twelve-bar-blues with Sam the Sham’s odd vocals half-shouting strange words over the top. Matty told HattyAbout a thing she sawHad two big hornsAnd a wooly jaw But thanks to some strange alchemical property of rock and roll, it’s a classic. Bruce Springsteen later said
- [Nuggets: Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl by The Barbarians](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/29/nuggets-are-you-a-boy-or-are-you-a-girl-by-the-barbarians/) - 'Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl ' is essentially a blues song with novelty lyrics. My mother used to give my sister terrible haircuts. Once a tactless substitute teacher asked her if she was a boy or a girl. This song doesn't refer to that incident. but it's along similar lines, a
- [Nuggets: A Public Execution by Mouse](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/10/nuggets-a-public-execution-by-mouse/) - The members mostly continued in music, in country and rockabilly bands. The original band reunited in 1986 during the Texas Sesquicentennial celebration - they performed at Flag Pole Hill in Dallas in front of an estimated audience of 7,000. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XLVIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/07/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xlviii/) - We're almost through this epic series. It's getting a little obscure - I know little of P-Square or Half Japanese. Lots of country artists this week. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xlviii-picture-click Can you beat my score of 15/20? Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who top-scored with 19/20 last week, squeaking ahead of a few 18s. Read more Music quizzes
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XLVII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/31/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xlvii/) - We're almost at the end of this epic series - just three more to go after this quiz, one of which is dedicated entirely to The Beatles. You probably know the drill by now - link the artist to the cover of their greatest hits on Sporcle. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xlvii-picture-click I found this one easier than some
- [New Music Reviews: Nilüfer Yanya and Caribou](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/05/new-music-reviews-nilufer-yanya-and-caribou/) - It's a midlly disappointing week of new releases (keep in mind I'm generally a couple of months behind the rest of the world). Nilüfer Yanya and Caribou have both made better albums in the past, although both of their 2024 releases have their moments. Nilüfer Yanya My Method Actor 2024, 7.5/10Indie artist Nilüfer Yanya was
- [Into the Groove by Madonna](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/11/03/into-the-groove-by-madonna/) - If you don't like Madonna, you may prefer Sonic Youth's cover, recorded as Ciccone Youth Ciccone is Madonna's surname. Thurston Moore explained to The Guardian. Madonna was actually in a couple of no-wave bands that nobody ever talks about. She was in a band [Spinal Root Gang] with these two twins, Dan and Josh Braun,
- [Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/20/just-the-way-you-are-by-bruno-mars/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Mars shifted to L.A. at 17 after graduating high school. He took a while to break through - he wrote songs, notably 'Right Round' by Flo Rida. He then appeared as a featured artist on the number-one hit 'Nothin' on You' by B.O.B.. This led to his debut album, Doo-Wops
- [New Music Reviews: MJ Lenderman and Beachwood Sparks](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/29/new-music-reviews-mj-lenderman-and-beachwood-sparks/) - It's easy to imagine both of these two acts residing in late-1960s Los Angeles. Beachwood Sparks adopt a Byrds-ish jangle with warm harmonies. MJ Lenderman pitches his music somewhere between Neil Young and Pavement. MJ Lenderman Manning Fireworks 2024, 8.5/10Asheville guitarist and songwriter Jake Lenderman has become a constant fixture in this column. Between his
- [Nuggets: No Time Like The Right Time by The Blues Project](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/27/nuggets-no-time-like-the-right-time-by-the-blues-project/) - Kooper and Katz went on to form Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Kulberg and Blumenfeld formed Seatrain. The band still reform periodically, with original members Katz and Blumenfeld still involved. They released a new album, Evolution, in 1972. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XLVI](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/24/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xlvi/) - We're up to quiz 46 in our greatest hits sequence - congratulations for sticking it out so long. This week's seemed the easiest for a while - I could guess based on genre conventions. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xlvi-picture-click I scored 15/20 but probably should have got a couple more. Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who scored 19/20 is last
- [Talk Talk Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/17/talk-talk-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Formed in 1981, London's Talk Talk enjoyed an unusual career trajectory. They started their record career as a passable synth-pop band, often compared to Duran Duran. Early hits like 1984's 'Such A Shame' and 'It's My Life' allowed them access to larger recording budgets. Their music became more experimental and more organic. Talk Talk ended
- [New Music Reviews: Magdalena Bay and Zach Bryan](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/22/new-music-reviews-magdalena-bay-and-zach-bryan/) - There are some fun classic rock Easter eggs in this week's pair of new releases. Bruce Springsteen duets with Zach Bryan on 'Sandpaper' from The Great American Bar Scene. Meanwhile, Magdalena Bay pay tribute to Love's 'The Red Telephone' on their new song 'Killing Time'. Magdalena Bay Imaginal Disk 2024, 9/10Matt Lewin and Mica Tenenbaum
- [10 Best Echo & the Bunnymen Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/05/10-best-echo-the-bunnymen-songs/) - Liverpool's second-most famous band, Echo & the Bunnymen arrived in the post-punk era; they released their debut single in 1979. Their early career mirrors U2's - both released their first four albums between 1980 and 1984. Both enjoyed mainstream success in the UK by 1984 - Echo & the Bunnymen's Ocean Rain reached #4 on
- [Crazy by Gnarls Barkley](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/06/crazy-by-gnarls-barkley/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Green adds a soulful, malleable vocal over the top. "Is it true that Cee-Lo recorded the vocals for "Crazy" in just one take?""Yeah. He had the words written on paper, and what you hear on the album was the first time he ever tried singing it. He went in and
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XLV](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/17/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xlv/) - We're up to quiz #45 in the series. 45AD was the year the Roman senate consulted about real estate speculation in Rome. Can you score 20/20 in this quiz. I'd be impressed if you can. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xlv-picture-click I scored 11/20. I got fixated on one of the squares - I probably could have scored higher otherwise. Not many
- [10 Best Don Henley Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/26/10-best-don-henley-songs/) - Don Henley was a star even before he began his solo career. He became the Eagles lead singer over the course of their 1970s tenure, fronting hits like 'The Best of My Love', 'One of These Nights', 'Hotel California', and 'The Long Run'. Yet his lopsided skillset meant that he needed assistance as a solo
- [New Music Reviews: Amaro Freitas and The Fauns](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/15/new-music-reviews-amaro-freitas-and-the-fauns/) - It feels a little exotic this week - Brazilian jazz pianist Amaro Freitas plays music inspired by a recent trip to the Amazon. Bristol's The Fauns blend shoegaze with pop sounds on their most recent record. Amaro Freitas Y'Y 2024, 9/10Brazilian jazz pianist Amaro Freitas comes from the coastal city of Recife. His music reflects
- [10 Best Counting Crows Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/13/10-best-counting-crows-songs/) - Counting Crows bridged the gap between alternative and classic rock when they appeared in 1993. The band were clearly indebted to stalwarts like The Band and Van Morrison. But lead singer Adam Duritz channelled angst like his alternative contemporaries. The band formed in the Bay Area, San Francisco, taking their name from a nursery rhyme.
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums XLIV](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/10/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-xliv/) - Welcome back for more quizzing. We're up to #44, and the artists are getting ever more obscure. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xliv-picture-click I scored 13/20. It quickly got difficult after Bert and Ernie. Can you beat me? Congratulations to Deke and Rich Kamerman, who tied on 17/20 last week. My blogging friend Scott Floman has released a couple of
- [Ariana Grande Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/09/ariana-grande-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Ariana Grande pivoted to a music career after four seasons on Nickelodeon teen comedy Victorious. She released her debut, Yours Truly, in 2013 at the age of 20. It showcased a beautiful voice with a four-octave range, warm tones, and a distinctive slur. Grande's vocal abilities are impressive given her petite five-foot frame. Comparisons to
- [Nuggets: Oh Yeah by The Shadows of Knight](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/08/nuggets-oh-yeah-by-the-shadows-of-knight/) - By mid-1967, Jim Sohns was the only original member. But the band reformed and recorded occasionally until Sohns passed away in 2022. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums XLIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/03/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-xliii/) - We're up to quiz #43. I found this one tricky with many artists I wasn't familiar with. Can you tell Samantha Fox from Hilary Duff? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xliii-picture-click I scored 13/20. I liked Squeeze's witty album cover though. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who top-scored last week with 20/20. Here's Squeeze's 'Pulling Mussels from the Shell'. Read more Music
- [New Music Reviews: Jack White and Cassandra Jenkins](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/10/01/new-music-reviews-jack-white-and-cassandra-jenkins/) - Two solo artists this week. Former White Stripes frontman Jack White dropped a surprise record in August. Singer-songwriter Cassandra Jenkins is back with another album of pretty new age ramblings (not an insult). Jack White No Name 2024, 8/10I'm probably not the best qualified to review Jack White's latest solo effort. I haven't checked in
- [Nuggets: Pushin' Too Hard by The Seeds](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/29/nuggets-pushin-too-hard-by-the-seeds/) - The DIY spirit of the garage bands of the 1960s influenced punk, and lots of punks have specifically cited The Seeds as an influence. The band split in the late 1960s but later reformed for a 1989 Summer of Love tour. Saxon passed away in 2009, but the band have sporadically reformed, with keyboardist Daryl
- [Greatest Hits XLII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/26/greatest-hits-xlii/) - We're back into the normal rhythm of greatest hits albums. There are a few I haven't heard of this week. Is anyone into Guano Apes? Or N-Dubz? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xlii-picture-click I scored 16/20. Can you beat me? Congratulations to Tony, who scored last week's only 16/16, although I was confused by new entrant Chris B's score of
- [Gillian Welch: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/24/gillian-welch-albums-ranked/) - For someone born in New York City, Gillian Welch has the uncanny ability to evoke the pastoral music of a bygone America. Part bluegrass and part Appalachian folk, she's able to sound authentic. She's accompanied by guitarist Dave Rawlings, who provides harmonies, songwriting, and plays a distinctive 1935 Epiphone Olympic archtop guitar. Welch just released
- [A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/22/a-whiter-shade-of-pale-by-procol-harum/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Brooker left The Paramounts and formed a songwriting partnership with Keith Reid. Unable to convince others to perform their songs, they formed a band. They linked up with organist Matthew Fisher, who previously played with Screaming Lord Sutch. They named their new band after a friend's Burmese cat. They misspelled
- [Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) by Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/08/savage-love-laxed-siren-beat-by-jawsh-685-and-jason-derulo/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… I find the backstory more interesting than the song itself. The chorus is a nagging earworm that sticks in your head but gets grating after multiple plays. Read More NZ #1 hits
- [The Definitive Charli XCX Album Ranking](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/28/the-definitive-charli-xcx-album-ranking/) - British pop maverick has enjoyed her most successful album release cycle yet with her eighth album Brat. It's sold well in the UK and US and enjoyed critical acclaim. It's even become part of the US political landscape - democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has coopted its art style for her campaign. But how does
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XLI](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/19/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xli/) - There's a changeup this week after 40 quizzes of the same format. Your challenge is to locate the greatest hits album based on two songs from it. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-the-singles-picture-click I somehow scored 16/16, with a series of educated guesses. I had 2:10 remaining. Can you beat me? Congratulations to Bruce from VinylConnection, who was initially disgruntled
- [Nuggets: Moulty by The Barbarians](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/15/nuggets-moulty-by-the-barbarians/) - 'Moulty' is a novelty song, with spoken verses and a singalong chorus. That's a shaky formula but it works here. It helps that some top-class musicians are backing Moulty's monologue. Moulty travelled without the rest of the band to record the song - he was instead supported by The Hawks, later known as The Band.
- [New Music Reviews: Arooj Aftab and Sabrina Carpenter](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/17/new-music-reviews-arooj-aftab-and-sabrina-carpenter/) - Two very different female solo artists this week. Arooj Aftab inhabits a space between folk and jazz on Night Reign. Sabrina Carpenter is between country and 1980s pop on her breakout album Short 'n' Sweet. Arooj Aftab Night Reign 2024, 7.5/10Arooj Aftab enjoyed a critical breakthrough with 2021's Vulture Prince. The Pakistani-born musician enjoyed the
- [The Go-Betweens: Albums Ranked from Worst To Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/10/17/the-go-betweens-worst-to-best/) - Brisbane's The Go-Betweens are one of my favourite bands, but it's sometimes difficult to explain their appeal. Robert Forster and Grant McLennan are limited as guitarists and vocalists, but they balance each other beautifully; the edgier Forster was a fan of The Velvet Underground, while McLennan was a fan of The Monkees. Their songs are
- [Randy Newman Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/16/randy-newman-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Despite a career that spans from the 1962 single 'Golden Gridiron Boy' to the 2017 album Dark Matter, L.A. singer-songwriter Randy Newman has only recorded eleven studio albums. He's also achieved recognition as a film composer, for movies like 1980's Ragtime and the Toy Story franchise. Newman is acclaimed as a satirist - songs like
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XL](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/12/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xl/) - We're up to greatest hits quiz 40. According to my maths, we had a five-way tie for first at 14/20 last week - congratulations to all the winners. It's another tricky one this week. The 1960s male bands (as well as The La's, who look like a 1960s male band) are hard to tell apart.
- [Kacey Musgraves: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/26/kacey-musgraves-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Kacey Musgraves was born in Golden, Texas. She didn't release her debut album until she was almost 25. Before that, she performed as Hannah Montana at children's birthday parties and appeared on the talent show Nashville Star. In 2012 she signed with Mercury Nashville. Songs like 'Merry Go 'Round' and 'Follow Your Arrow' established Musgraves
- [New Music Reviews: Charly Bliss and Mdou Moctar](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/10/new-music-reviews-charly-bliss-and-mdou-moctar/) - Stranded in Australia during the COVID pandemic. Stranded in the US after a coup in Niger. This week's theme is dislocation, with the power pop of Charly Bliss and the guitar rock of Mdou Moctar both affected. Charly Bliss Forever 2024, 8.5/102020 was a disruptive year for a lot of bands. Charly Bliss, who recently
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXXIX](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/05/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxxix/) - It's spring here in New Zealand, which means insanely high winds most of the time. It's lovely when the winds stop though. This is one of the tougher Greatest Hits quizzes, at least for me. There weren't many artists I'm interested in this time, although I'm sure there are some gems I'm ignorant of. I
- [Kate Bush Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/02/kate-bush-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Kate Bush exploded into popular music with her first single, 1978's 'Wuthering Heights'. The folk music from her Irish mother, the progressive rock that her older brothers listened to as teenagers, and radio-friendly pop like Elton John are all melded into Kate Bush’s distinctive art-pop. She became the first artist to have an entirely self-penned
- [New Music Reviews: Porter Robinson and St. Vincent](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/03/new-music-reviews-porter-robinson-and-st-vincent/) - Porter Robinson has added some swagger to his electro-pop. St. Vincent has added some industrial textures to her art-rock. Read on for details. Porter Robinson Smile! :D 2024, 8.5/10Porter Robinson grew up in Chapel Hill, the same town in North Carolina that produced James Taylor, George Hamilton IV, and Ben Folds Five. Robinson started his
- [Nuggets: Don't Look Back by The Remains](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/09/01/nuggets-dont-look-back-by-the-remains/) - The Remains' other song on Nuggets was written by leader Barry Tashian. 'Don't Look Back' was written by outside writer Billy Vera. Vera later enjoyed a number one hit in 1987 with the tearjerking ballad 'At This Moment'. Barry Tashian went into country music and played in Emmylou Harris's Hot Band. He's released seven albums
- [Nuggets: Why Do I Cry by The Remains](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/28/nuggets-why-do-i-cry-by-the-remains/) - It seems like a shame - the band had a lot of potential. The musicianship is accomplished. The performance arguably overshadows the song itself, but it's still a well-written piece. Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band commented that "The Remains were the band that led the way for Rock n' Rollers in Boston." Barry
- [10 Worst Descendants Movie Lyrics](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/25/10-worst-descendants-movie-lyrics/) - Pointing out bad lyrics in a tween fantasy Disney series feels like shooting fish in a barrel. But this quartet of movies features some of the most ridiculous wordsmithery I've ever heard. I've had this post sitting in my draft box for years. But the recent release of Descendants 4: Rise of Red raised the
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXXVIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/29/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxxviii/) - Welcome to the future (if you're reading this in the Americas). It's already 29 August here, and it's time for some quizzing. We're up to #37 in this long-running series. This week you need to tell the difference between the Penguins, the Seals, and the Crofts. Are you up for the challenge. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxxviii-picture-click I scored
- [Crowded House Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/28/crowded-house-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Neil Finn grew up in Te Awamutu, a provincial town in New Zealand. As a teenage guitarist, he joined his brother Tim in the art-rock band Split Enz. When the Enz switched gears to new wave pop, Neil provided their most recognisable song, 'I Got You'. After Tim Finn left the Enz, the younger Finn
- [La Bamba by Ritchie Valens: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/03/22/la-bamba-by-ritchie-valens-great-b-sides/) - 'La Bamba' is a traditional Mexican folk song, from the state of Veracruz. Ritchie Valens, a 17 year old rising star, converted the tune to rock and roll. It's one of the best known Spanish language tunes in the rock and roll vernacular, but Valens' version started its life as a b-side. It was originally
- [The Decemberists Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/26/the-decemberists-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The Decemberists rode the wave of early 21st-century Indie to success, attracting attention with their predilection for historical epics and olde English folk music. They hail from Portland, Oregon, but the band was named for the Decembrist Revolution in 19th-century Imperial Russia. The band's invented back story describes how they met in a Turkish bathhouse
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums XXXVII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/22/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-xxxvii/) - It's just another day of quizzing. Can you match 20 disparate artists to their greatest hits? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxxvii-picture-click I could do it with 85% efficiency, scoring 17/20. The overall results were interesting - Adam Lambert is apparently more recognisable than Freddie Mercury. Congratulations to Don Henley for the most on-brand compilation cover, casting himself as a
- [Nuggets: Liar, Liar by The Castaways](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/04/nuggets-liar-liar-by-the-castaways/) - 'Liar, Liar' was covered by Debbie Harry for the 1988 film Married to the Mob. Despite their success with 'Liar, Liar', which the band reprised in the 1967 movie It's a Bikini World, the Castaways never made a studio album. They split in 1968, but have reformed periodically. Jim Donna still plays live with The
- [Creedence Clearwater Revival Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/21/creedence-clearwater-revival-worst-to-best/) - Creedence Clearwater Revival released their first album in 1968. They seemingly emerged from a Florida swamp but actually came from El Cerrito in California. Rebelling against the psychedelic rock of the late 1960s, Creedence began their career playing stripped-down and bluesy swamp rock. As CCR's career progressed, frontman John Fogerty's writing grew more confident and
- [New Music Reviews: Crowded House and Jessica Pratt](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/20/new-music-reviews-crowded-house-and-jessica-pratt/) - Neil Finn's Crowded House has become a family firm, with his two sons officially in the band, while his wife and older brother Tim also contribute backing vocals Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt is back with a record where Phil Spector and 1960s tropicalia are clear touchstones. Gravity Stairs 2024, 7.5/10With their eighth studio album, Gravity
- [Nuggets: An Invitation to Cry by The Magicians](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/18/nuggets-an-invitation-to-cry-by-the-magicians/) - Bonner and drummer Alan Gordon became a successful songwriting team. Their best-known writing credit is for The Turtles' 'Happy Together'. They also wrote songs for Helen Reddy and Three Dog Night. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: A Question of Temperature by The Balloon Farm](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/27/nuggets-a-question-of-temperature-by-the-balloon-farm/) - “The Balloon Farm was not what I would call a working band,” explains Appel. Although they did play some live shows, the band was conceived more as a vehicle for recording original material. “A Question of Temperature,” co-written by Appel, Schnug and Henny, was one of the first songs to emerge from the new alliance.
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXXVI](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/15/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxxvi/) - Number 36 in the series, and as we know, the sum of the integers from 1 to 36 is 666. Can you match the artist to the cover of their greatest hits? I find it difficult to believe that Sandi Thom had enough hits to justify an album - my flatmate had her album and it
- [11 Best ABBA Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/05/10-best-abba-songs/) - Swedish quartet ABBA were massively popular from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. They were effectively a supergroup when they formed in 1972. Agnetha Fältskog was already a solo star in Sweden while songwriting team Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson had served their apprenticeships in 1960s folk acts. The quartet took a couple of albums
- [New Music Reviews: Itasca and Camera Obscura](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/13/new-music-reviews-itasca-and-camera-obscura/) - We dive into a couple of female-fronted indie records this week. Glasgow twee-pop band Camera Obscura are back for their first record in over a decade. I'd never heard of Itasca before, but it's one of my favourite new releases this year, with its shimmering guitars. Camera Obscura Look to the East, Look to the
- [Blue Velvet by Bobby Vinton](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/11/blue-velvet-by-bobby-vinton/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… 'Blue Velvet' wasn't originally intended as a single. Vinton recorded the song because it fitted into the thematic album he was making, an entire record of songs with "blue" in the title. He recorded the vocal in two takes. Vinton's 'Blue Velvet' became a hit again in the UK in
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXXV](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/08/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxxv/) - We're up to installment number 35 of Greatest Hits. Can you link these artists to their compilation covers? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxxv-picture-click I scored 18/20. It would have helped if I'd known Conway Twitty's gender.... Can you beat me? Congratulations to HeavyMetalOverlord and Tony, who both scored full marks in last week's quiz. To help me remember his
- [New Music Reviews: The Decemberists and Beth Gibbons](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/06/new-music-reviews-the-decemberists-and-beth-gibbons/) - Two veterans this week. Portland literate folk-rockers The Decemberists are back with their ninth album while Portishead's Beth Gibbons releases her first solo album. The Decemberists As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again 2024, 7.5/10The Decemberists' ninth album came after a six-year wait. It perhaps wasn't surprising, given the COVID pandemic. Leader Colin
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXXIV](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/08/01/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxxiv/) - We're still slogging through greatest hits collections. There were many artists I care deeply about in this edition. The Flaming Lips, Cheap Trick, Bo Diddley, Talk Talk, Tom Waits, Ariana Grande, and the Delfonics are all worthwhile. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxxiv-picture-click Despite my enthusiasm, I scored 15/20 - you can probably beat me! Here's Bo Diddley on the
- [19 by Paul Hardcastle](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/30/19-by-paul-hardcastle/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Paul Hardcastle's released dozens of albums, ranging from smooth jazz to synth-pop. But '19' has remained his signature tune. It's buoyant and tuneful, despite the dark overtones of the voiceover. Despite the dated technology, it's retained a lot of its power. Read More 1980s album reviews NZ #1 hits
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXXIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/25/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxxiii/) - In the year 33AD, a financial crisis hit Rome. In Greatest Hits XXXIII, you have another selection of 20 increasingly obscure artists to guess. Can you tell The Zombies from The Yardbirds? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxxiii-picture-click Connected to The Yardbirds, John Mayall passed away yesterday at 90. Amazingly, he was the first from the 1966 lineup to pass
- [New Music Reviews: Neil Young and Crazy Horse and Sault](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/23/new-music-reviews-neil-young-and-crazy-horse-and-sault/) - Two notably prolific acts this week. Neil Young's back with his 47th studio album, an archival project recorded in 1969. Sault have their 13th release, dating back to 2019's 5. Neil Young and Crazy Horse Early Daze 2024, 8.5/10Neil Young has embarked on an extensive programme of archive releases in the 21st century. I haven't
- [Nuggets: You're Gonna Miss Me by The 13th Floor Elevators](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/21/nuggets-youre-gonna-miss-me-by-the-13th-floor-elevators/) - Erickson's career was derailed by mental health issues and a drug bust. In 1968 he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and involuntarily received electroconvulsive therapy. In 1969 he was busted for possession of a single joint. Facing 10 years (!) of incarceration, he pleaded insanity to avoid a jail sentence. During three years in care,
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXXII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/18/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxxii/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. We're up to round 32 of greatest hits. Can you distinguish between Jimmy Somerville and Blake Shelton? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxxii-picture-click I scored 16/20. I was confused by sixties star Sandie Shaw, who looked like a 1990s alt-rock/Goth artist in her album photo. Can you beat me? Can you match the
- [I Swear by All-4-One](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/16/i-swear-by-all-4-one/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The song was already a country hit. John Michael Montgomery's version topped the U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 1993. Fortunately, someone made the reverent cover that this beautiful song deserves... Read More NZ #1 hits 1990s album reviews
- [10 Best Jellyfish Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/14/10-best-jellyfish-songs/) - Singing drummer Andy Sturmer and keyboardist Roger Manning started playing together at high school in Pleasanton, California. They formed their own power-pop band in 1989. Jellyfish were never commercially successful and only lasted half a decade. But they're the most beloved power pop band of their era. Jellyfish made two strong albums in the early
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXXI](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/11/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxxi/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. Can you link 20 (increasingly obscure) artists to their greatest hits albums? https://sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxxi-picture-click There seem to be increasing numbers of artists I don't care about (sorry Gareth Gates) but I scrounged my way to 15. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who top-scored with 17 last week. What are you spinning
- [Nuggets: Psychotic Reaction by Count Five](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/09/nuggets-psychotic-reaction-by-count-five/) - The Count Five made an album, also titled Psychotic Reaction. But they never recaptured the same success and broke up in 1969. Read More Psychotic Reaction on Powerpop.blog Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Romeo and Juliet by Michael and the Messengers](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/09/nuggets-romeo-and-juliet-by-michael-and-the-messengers/) - It didn't chart in the top 100, perhaps not surprisingly as the music world had moved on by mid-1967. It's one of the weaker cuts on the first disc of Nuggets. Michael & the Messengers broke up after a couple more singles. The Milwaukee Messengers soldiered on for longer, touring a rock opera, The Evolution
- [10 Best Similes in Popular Music](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/07/10-best-similes-in-popular-music/) - My nine-year-old daughter recently had a school assignment to write down her favourite similes in songs. It looked fun, so I've also taken on the challenge. Just to remind you, if you've forgotten since school, a simile is: a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind,
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXX](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/04/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxx/) - Good morning (NZ time), and I hope you're ready for another round of quizzing. Like before, you need to link 20 greatest hits albums with their artists. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxx-picture-click I scored 14/20 - can you beat me? Apart from Ron Mael's moustache and Peter Andre's abs, it wasn't a visually distinctive group of artists. Congratulations to
- [10 Best Go-Betweens Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/11/10-best-go-betweens-songs/) - Robert Forster and Grant McLennan met at the University of Queensland. Despite McLennan's lack of musical experience, they formed a band, combining the tunefulness of The Monkees with the edge of The Velvet Underground. Their first album was recorded as a three-piece, with drummer Lindy Morrison. After an uncertain debut, The Go-Betweens recorded a string
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXIX](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/27/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxix/) - Welcome back for #29 in a series that seemingly never ends. Well done to EclecticMusicLover, who top scored with 19/20. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxix-picture-click I scored 17/20, which I was happy with. I'd never heard of Letters to Cleo, Baccara, or Katherine Jenkins. I've covered a bunch of MJ Lenderman's work on this blog. His last solo album
- [New Music Reviews: Kamasi Washington and Dua Lipa](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/07/03/new-music-reviews-kamasi-washington-and-dua-lipa/) - Two solo artists are back from unusually long hiatuses this week. Kamasi Washington's tenor saxophone-driven jazz fusion is back for his first solo album since 2018's Heaven and Earth. Husky-voiced British pop vocalist Dua Lipa is also back. Enjoy! Dua Lipa Radical Optimism 2024, 6.5/10Four years is a long time in pop music. In 2020,
- [Makkuro (真っ黒) - Tricot: New Music Review](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/03/10/makkuro-tricot-new-music-review/) - Math-rock band Tricot formed in Kyoto in 2010, released their debut album in 2013. Their fourth studio album 真っ黒 (Japanese for Pure Black) marks their major label debut. Tricot spent time as an all-female trio, but drummer Yuusuke Yoshida was added in 2017. Yoshida provides the engine for the twin guitar attack of Ikumi "Ikkyu"
- [Just Lose It by Eminem](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/30/just-lose-it-by-eminem/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… It's gimmicky. It uses Pee-wee Herman's guffaws as its main hook. Eminem resorts to cheap rhymes like "Chubba-chubba-chubba-chubba-chubba-chubba-chubby/I don't have any lines to go right here, so chubba-Teletubby." And it's devoid of subtlety, with its jives at Pee-wee Herman and Michael Jackson. I am very angry at Eminem's depiction of
- [Five Best Anika Moa Songs for Children](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/01/08/favourite-five-anika-moa-songs-for-children/) - New Zealand singer-songwriter Anika Moa was a curious choice to bid for stardom in the US market. She’s now a tattooed, coarse-mouthed entertainer, who has branched into TV presenting and children’s music. Moa moved into making children’s music after having her own children; "I had to listen to the Wiggles for a year. Hot potato,
- [New Music Reviews: Billie Eilish and Cindy Lee](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/25/new-music-reviews-billie-eilish-and-cindy-lee/) - It might sound like another brace of female solo artists this week. But Cindy Lee is the stage name for Canadian musician Patrick Flegel, formerly of Women. It's a strong batch this week - the mainstream maverick Billie Eilish, and the psychedelic lo-fi of Cindy Lee. Billie Eilish Hit Me Hard and Soft 2024, 9/10It's
- [New Music Reviews: Waxahatchee and Tyla](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/11/new-music-reviews-waxahatchee-and-tyla/) - Two mononymous female artists this week - the Americana of Waxahatchee and the smooth Afrobeats pop of South Africa's Tyla. Waxahatchee Tigers Blood 2024, 9/10Indie artist Katie Crutchfield keeps getting better with each album. Tigers Blood dips back into the Americana sound she explored on 2020's strong St Cloud. This time she's fortunate to be
- [Nuggets: Hey Joe by the Leaves](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/23/nuggets-hey-joe-by-the-leaves/) - Hey Joe A tale of a man on the run after shooting his unfaithful wife, the origins of ‘Hey Joe’ are clouded. It’s often attributed to folk singer Billy Roberts. It tells a similar tale to the 20th-century folk ballad ‘Little Sadie’. It was covered by many artists in the mid-1960s, like The Leaves, The
- [Nuggets: Too Many People by The Leaves](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/26/nuggets-too-many-people-by-the-leaves/) - 'Too Many People' is a solid song with a nice bassline, and vocalist Jim Poms is a cut above most Nuggets singers. Pons is the band's most notable member - he went on to play with The Turtles and Frank Zappa, before embarking on a long career as a football video director. Read More Nuggets
- [Vampire Weekend's Albums Ranked](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/07/vampire-weekends-albums-ranked/) - Vampire Weekend were formed by students at Columbia University. Frontman Ezra Koenig named the project after a vampire movie he started making in college. The group were interested in African music and punk rock, influences that are clear on their 2008 debut record. The band have only released five albums over sixteen years, resulting in
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums XVIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/20/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-xviii/) - No one scored more than 19/20 in last week's quiz. I'm not sure if this week's task is any easier - I thought it was one of the tougher ones of the series. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxviii-picture-click I scored 15/20 - there were a bunch of artists I wasn't interested in. This is an excellent John Martyn rarity
- [Killing Me Softly by Fugees](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/18/killing-me-softly-by-fugees/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Lori Lieberman The origins of 'Killing Me Softly with His Song' are contentious. The song's original performer as a writer, Lori Lieberman, went uncredited. The song was inspired by Lieberman attending a Don McLean concert and being affected by the song 'Empty Chairs'. She wrote some notes down on her
- [10 Best Nick Drake Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/16/10-best-nick-drake-songs/) - English folk singer-songwriter Nick Drake barely sold a record during his lifetime. But since his premature passing in 1974, at the age of 26, his acclaim and legend have grown. His gentle delivery, virtuoso fingerpicking, poetic lyrics, and sophisticated lyrics are unique. Drake was born in Yangon, Myanmar, the son of a British engineer. Drake's
- [Nick Drake's Best Album: Bryter Layter](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/06/02/best-nick-drake-album-bryter-layter/) - Background English folkie Nick Drake barely created a ripple during his lifetime. He recorded three albums of beautiful acoustic folk, but barely sold a copy during his lifetime. His acoustic music was sophisticated, with flourishes of jazz, and his acoustic guitar finger-picking was beautiful; he used alternative tunings to create tone clusters. Drake studied English
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums XXVII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/13/54734/) - You know the drill - 20 more greatest hits albums to identify. Can you match the heroics of Tony, who scored 20/20 with more than 2 minutes remaining in last week's quiz? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxvii-picture-click I scored 20/20 this week (with 41 seconds remaining). It was a diverse bunch, which made it easier. There were also personal
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXVI](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/06/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxvi/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover who had the only perfect score in last week's quiz. My performance this week is a little controversial. I was interrupted 3/4 of the way through, forgot to pause, and had to restart. I tried to reconstruct how I would have finished up. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxvi-picture-click I scored 18/20 (sort of!). Can you beat
- [New Music Reviews: Mary Timony and Erika de Casier](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/04/new-music-reviews-mary-timony-and-erika-de-casier/) - Two very different female solo artists this week. Mary Timony is a thirty-year indie veteran, having made her name in the 1990s with Helium. Portuguese-born Erika de Casier makes breezy R&B/pop. Mary Timony Untame the Tiger 2024, 7.5/10I only discovered Mary Timony's work recently. I enjoy her 1990s albums with Helium, The Dirt of Luck
- [Freaks by Timmy Trumpet and Savage](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/06/02/freaks-by-timmy-trumpet-and-savage/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Released when Savage's career was stalling, 'Freaks' was wildly successful. As well as topping the charts in New Zealand, it also made the top 5 in Australia and Finland. It was followed by the song 'Push', featured in the trailer of 'The Fate of the Furious', which played during halftime
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums XXV](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/30/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-xxv/) - Another week, and the artists are just getting more obscure. Can you guess these 20 artists from their greatest hits albums? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxv-picture-click Somehow, I thrifted my way to 19/20. I had a slight advantage where there's a relatively obscure NZ artist in there. Congratulations to Tony, whom I think was the only person to score
- [Sugar and Spice by The Cryan' Shames](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/28/sugar-and-spice-by-the-cryan-shames/) - The band were mainly successful in Chicago. Most of their debut album consisted of covers, although 'Ben Franklin's Almanac' shows some promise as an original. If 'Sugar and Spice' is their 'Mr Tambourine Man', 'Ben Franklin's Almanac' is their 'Eight Miles High'. The Cryan' Shames petered out in the late 1960s, after recording three albums.
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums XXIV](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/23/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-xxiv/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored the fastest 20/20 in last week's quiz. Someone made a ton of these Greatest Hits quizzes. We didn't start at number 1, but we're down to #24. This week's challenge involves distinguishing between a bevy of blondes, including Alison Krauss, Anastacia, and Robyn. Are you up for it? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxiv-picture-click I
- [New Music Reviews: Faye Webster and Glass Beach](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/21/new-music-reviews-faye-webster-and-glass-beach/) - Two artists this week where I enjoyed their previous records, but I'm not quite so impressed by their most recent efforts. Atlanta's Faye Webster plays a distinctive kind of country lounge, while Glass Beach are unclassifiable. FAYE WEBSTER Underdressed at the Symphony 2024, 7.5/10Atlanta’s Faye Webster is notable for how young she started her career
- [Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run) by Billy Ocean](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/19/caribbean-queen-no-more-love-on-the-run-by-billy-ocean/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… His subsequent work went under the radar, and it was only a lucky break that propelled 1984's 'Caribbean Queen' to the top of the charts. It was written originally as 'European Queen', but his record company suggested that he record different versions for different markets. While 'European Queen' stalled in
- [10 Best Albums of 2023](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/09/10-best-albums-of-2023/) - It's my fifth year of ranking albums annually on this site. It feels like the weakest year to date. The top of the list is weaker than usual. The top-rated album is more a subtle pleasure than a blockbuster. On the other hand, strong albums just missed the top ten. Condolences to Olivia Rodrigo's Guts,
- [New Music Reviews: Maggie Rogers and Adrianne Lenker](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/14/new-music-reviews-maggie-rogers-and-adrianne-lenker/) - Two short albums by American female solo artists this week. Maryland's Maggie Rogers makes likeable roots-tinged pop. From Indianapolis, Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker recorded her fifth studio album in a backwoods cabin. Maggie Rogers Don't Forget Me 2024, 8.5/10Rogers started her career strongly with Heard It In A Past Life. But she keeps getting better.
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums XXIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/16/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-xxiii/) - Another week, another batch of increasingly obscure artists. This lot's particularly eclectic, with everything from Reba McEntire to Captain Beefheart. Can you differentiate between Coolio and Shaggy? Or between Snow Patrol and Milli Vanilli? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxiii-picture-click I was surprisingly successful this week, guessing my way to 20/20, with 1:01 remaining. Congratulations to Tony, with another perfect
- [Baby, Please Don't Go by The Amboy Dukes](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/12/baby-please-dont-go-by-the-amboy-dukes/) - The group's career faltered, losing key members and they eventually morphed into Nugent's backing band. Nugent is best known for his 1977 hit 'Cat Scratch Fever'. Vocalist John Drake and guitarist Steve Farmer both passed away in the last couple of years, but Nugent survived a bout of Coronavirus. Read More Nuggets Song by Song
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/09/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxii/) - Welcome back for another round of quizzing. It's a little trickier this week in my opinion. Can you tell the difference between Cascada and Jessica Simpson? https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxii-picture-click I scored 17/20, but I was a little lucky. Can you surpass me? Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who beat out Tony for the fastest 20/20. Here's Arooj Aftab veering
- [Paloma Blanca by George Baker Selection](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/05/paloma-blanca-by-george-baker-selection/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… There are some interesting musical ideas. After an extended instrumental introduction, the vocal starts when you don't expect it. But it's hard to see it as anything other than novelty. It's not surprising that parody versions emerged, like 'I Am A Cider Drinker'. A Jonathan King cover, titled 'Una Paloma
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XXI](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/05/02/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xxi/) - You probably know the drill by now - match the artist to the greatest hits album. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xxi-picture-click I found this week's selection the easiest for a while, scoring 18/20. Guessing between Mis-Teeq and Eternal felt like a coin toss, though. Can you beat my score? Congratulations to Tony, who scored 20/20 in last week's quiz.
- [Nuggets: Tobacco Road by Blues Magoos](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/30/nuggets-tobacco-road-by-blues-magoos/) - The Blues Magoos’ best-known song is their third single, ‘We Ain’t Got Nothin’ Yet’, their first release for Mercury Records. It reached #5 on the Billboard Charts. The Blues Magoos stuck around long enough to record six albums, including a 2014 reunion album, Psychedelic Resurrection. Emil “Peppy” Thielhelm (aka “Peppy” Castro) was the band’s only constant
- [10 More Classic Billy Joel Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/28/10-more-classic-billy-joel-songs/) - In 2021, I assembled a list of my ten favourite Billy Joel songs. It included big hits and deep cuts, taken from his 1976-1983 prime. There's been a lot of Billy Joel discussion in my household recently. My nine-year-old daughter's interest in Joel has been piqued by a shoutout from her favourite musical artist, Olivia
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XX](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/25/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xx/) - It's ANZAC Day here in New Zealand, where we remember the Gallipoli campaign, a disastrous attack on a Turkish peninsula during World War 1. It also would have been my dad's 80th birthday - he was born during World War 2. This week you challenge is twenty more greatest hits albums. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xx-picture-click I scored 17/20.
- [Julia Holter: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/23/julia-holter-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Milwaukee-born Julia Holter bridges musical worlds. She is classically trained and merges avant-garde ideas with electronic sounds and indie chamber pop. Impressively, she played all the instruments and self-produced her early albums. Holter is Influenced by esoteric musicians like Alice Coltrane and Arthur Russell. She also enjoys adventurous pop/rock by acts like The Cocteau Twins
- [Is It Over Now? by Taylor Swift](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/21/is-it-over-now-by-taylor-swift/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Swift's been one of the world's most relevant stars for over 15 years while remaining prolific and scandal-free. Even if she fades into irrelevance tomorrow, it's unprecedented. NZ #1 hits Taylor Swift album reviews
- [Star Crossed Lovers by Craig Scott](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/02/star-crossed-lovers-by-craig-scott/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Scott quit music in the late 1970s. He later started New Zealand's first video rental business, and is now a real estate agent in Arrowtown. Read more NZ #1 hits 1960s album reviews
- [The French Horn in Popular Music: A Playlist](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/03/05/the-french-horn-in-popular-music-a-playlist/) - As its name suggests, the French horn evolved from humans blowing into actual animal horns, like the Jewish shofar. The modern French horn is a convoluted-looking instrument, that produces a haunting and gentle sound. The horn is mostly used in orchestral music, but it's found its way into a few pop songs. My father-in-law requested
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XIX](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/18/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xix/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing! This week we have yet another collection of greatest hits albums. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xix-picture-click I scored 5(!) out of 20. I found all the hard rock acts hard to differentiate. Thin Lizzy and Zappa were pretty easy, but after that, it was a bunch of guessing. Congratulations to Tony, who
- [New Music Reviews: Katie Pruitt, Ducks Ltd, and Marika Hackman](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/16/new-music-reviews-katie-pruitt-ducks-ltd-and-marika-hackman/) - The jangly guitar rock of Ducks Ltd are back for their second record. So is the ultra-sincere Atlanta-born singer-songwriter Katie Pruitt. I was in from the ground floor with both of those acts, but I'm only catching up with Marika Hackman with her fourth album. Ducks Ltd Harm's Way 2024, 8/10Tom McGreevy and Evan Lewis
- [Nuggets: Let's Talk About Girls by The Chocolate Watchband](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/14/nuggets-lets-talk-about-girls-by-the-chocolate-watchband/) - 'Let's Talk About Girls' is an odd choice for Nuggets. It wasn't a single, and it doesn't feature the band's usual vocalist David Aguilar. Instead, session musician Don Bennett fills in on lead vocals. It's hard for me to get excited about this song. There's a much stronger cover by Irish punk-era band The Undertones.
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XVIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/11/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xviii/) - Noone scored 20 in last week's quiz - congratulations to Tony, EclecticMusicLover, and Rich Kamerman, who all peaked at 19. There's more of the same this week - can you identify 20 more greatest hits albums. I found the selection of artists relatively well-known this week. But some covers were tough to identify. Read More
- [Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/09/where-did-our-love-go-by-the-supremes/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The Supremes' most successful period was between 1964 and 1967. There was a changing musical landscape and tensions within the group. 'Love Child' put them back at the top of the charts in the late 1960s, but Ross went solo in 1970. READ MORE NZ #1 hits 1960s album reviews
- [In The Shadows by The Rasmus](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/07/in-the-shadows-by-the-rasmus/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Ylönen's lyrics also flirt with darkness. Preoccupied with the possibility of having to serve in the Finnish army, he sings "They say that I must learn to kill before I can feel safe/But I, I'd rather kill myself than turn into their slave." 21st century mainsteam rock is never going
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XVII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/04/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xvii/) - It's that time of the week - identifying more compilations! There are a few compilations in my collection this week. But also some weird, tricky, arty covers that you might find tough even if you know the artist. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xvii-picture-click I scored 18/20. Can you beat my score? Congratulations to Tony, who was just caffeinated enough
- [10 Best Karla Bonoff Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/04/02/10-best-karla-bonoff-songs/) - Karla Bonoff emerged from the same LA scene as musicians like Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, and the Eagles. She watched those artists quickly graduate from Monday open mic nights to stars. But Bonoff had to bide her time. It wasn't until 1976 that she placed three songs on Linda Ronstadt's album Hasten Down the Wind.
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XVI](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/28/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xvi/) - These greatest hits quizzes are fun, so let's do another one. Identify the greatest hits based on its cover. Read More Music Quizzes
- [Fernando by ABBA](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/24/fernando-by-abba/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… ABBA became overexposed in New Zealand and Australia in the mid-1970s. 1977's ABBA: The Album was their last number-one record, even though 1981's The Visitors is their artistic peak. They became terminally uncool, the height of kitsch until time allowed their virtues to shine more clearly. READ MORE ABBA album
- [15 Best New Songs Recorded For Greatest Hits Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/15/15-best-new-songs-recorded-for-greatest-hits-albums/) - As a young music fan, I was reliant on greatest hits albums for my collection. I earned $3 for mowing the lawn and new albums cost $20, so compilations were a surefire way of getting bang for my buck. Compilations often include new tracks alongside time-tested classics. This practice dates back to Johnny Mathis in
- [Beautiful Liar by Beyoncé and Shakira](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/10/beautiful-liar-by-beyonce-and-shakira/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… 'Beautiful Liar' squanders two charismatic stars with a mediocre song. Shakira and Beyoncé have both enjoyed much stronger moments. READ MORE 2000s album reviews NZ #1 hits
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XV](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/21/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xv/) - You probably know the drill by now - link the artist to the greatest hits compilation. We're down to the fifteenth selection of twenty artists, so it's getting pretty obscure. I like the collection of artists who don't usually surface on Sporcle. Read More Music Quizzes
- [10 Best Jeff Buckley Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/16/10-best-jeff-buckley-songs/) - Jeff Buckley is best known for his sensitive reading of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'. It's well done, but taken alone it undersells Buckley's immense talents. Far more than a crooner, he was also a talented guitarist and a sophisticated songwriter - other artists were capable of a lovely cover of 'Hallelujah', but fewer were capable of
- [Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Third Rail](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/19/nuggets-run-run-run-by-the-third-rail/) - It's slight but memorable. It feels British, the chorus could have come from a Hollies song, while the slice-of-life lyrics feel like Ray Davies. The main attraction is the deliciously harmonised title phrase. There's a weird fairground breakdown in the middle. It features a monologue with lyrics like "General chaos, that's general chaos, is up
- [Nuggets: (Would I Still Be) Her Big Man by The Brigands](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/12/nuggets-would-i-still-be-her-big-man-by-the-brigands/) - I don't love the gritty lead vocals, but '(Would I Still Be) Her Big Man' is an interesting concept for a song. A blue collar worker worries about his girlfriend finding out that he's not as rich as she thinks he is. There's a neat little key change too - the song goes up a
- [10 Best Paul Kelly Songs: Part 1, 1985-1992](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/18/10-best-paul-kelly-songs-part-1-1985-1992/) - Singer-songwriter Paul Kelly is barely known outside of Australia, but he's one of his country's most beloved musicians. His literate songs are plain and unadorned, often with a rock band or with touches of country and folk. Kelly has disowned his first two albums from the early 1980s. For most fans, his career begins in
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XIV](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/14/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xiv/) - Welcome back to another week of quizzing. We’re back for yet another round of identifying greatest hits albums. As with the last few weeks, identify the greatest hits album given the artist and title. And Eric Carmen, lead singer of The Raspberries. I like how his gritty lead vocal elevates this Dirty Dancing track. Read
- [Trump and Climate](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/06/02/trump-and-climate/) - I know this is usually a music blog, and apologies to my regular readers for the change in topic today - this is just a one-off. I'm hardly qualified to be a political commentator but wanted to vent a little. I was appalled but not surprised by Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris
- [New Music Reviews: The Smile and The Last Dinner Party](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/12/new-music-reviews-the-smile-and-the-last-dinner-party/) - Two hyped British releases this week. Both are worthy yet the lead single overshadows the rest of the record both times. Read on for more information about two-thirds of Radiohead and five ladies in corsets. The Last Dinner Party Prelude to Ecstasy 2024, 7.5/10The Last Dinner Party are this year's hip new band from the
- [10 Best Townes Van Zandt Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/22/10-best-townes-van-zandt-songs/) - Singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt came from a prominent Texan family. Prodigiously intelligent, his family groomed him as a lawyer or senator but seeing Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan show led him into music. Struggling with manic depression and addictions, his behaviour was often erratic. He was prone to self-sabotaging his career, but his talent
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums XIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/07/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-xiii/) - Welcome back to another week of quizzing. We’re back for yet another round of identifying greatest hits albums. Just like last week, identify the greatest hits album given the artist and title. Read More Music Quizzes
- [Nuggets: My World Fell Down by Sagittarius](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/05/nuggets-my-world-fell-down-by-sagittarius/) - Usher enlisted some studio pros, with Glen Campbell on lead vocals and Beach Boy Bruce Johnston on harmonies. It covers similarly ambitious territory to Pet Sounds and 'Good Vibrations'. It was released the same month as Sgt Peppers, so the interlude of fairground noises probably wasn't derived from The Beatles. It sounds like a blend
- [10 Best Josh Rouse Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/03/03/10-best-josh-rouse-songs/) - Singer-songwriter Josh Rouse was born in the small town of Oshkosh, Nebraska. He moved often as a child, due to his father's military career. His first record, Dressed Up Like Nebraska, was released in 1998. But Rouse's sweet voice and gentle songs often sound like they belong to an earlier era. Sometimes he's reminiscent of
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits XI](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/29/music-quiz-greatest-hits-xi/) - Welcome back to another week of quizzing. We're back for another round of identifying greatest hits albums. This week's quiz requires you to identify the greatest hits album by artist, given the artist and title. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-xi-picture-click I scored 19/20 - I was a little shaky on The Prodigy and DMX. Can you beat me for
- [Joni Mitchell: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/15/joni-mitchell-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Joni Mitchell emerged at a time when the women's rights movement was still building steam. She had to fight for recognition as a serious artist. Her image was often defined in terms of whom she was dating - a Rolling Stone article dubbed her "The Queen of El Lay" As Mitchell's material became more ambitious, and
- [New Music Reviews: Laura Groves and Wednesday](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/27/new-music-reviews-laura-groves-and-wednesday/) - It's the last batch of 2023 reviews for 2024. There's a marked contrast between the rough-hewn sounds of Asheville's Wednesday and the pristine, keyboard-driven sophisti-pop of Laura Groves. Laura Groves Radio Red 2023, 9/10Laura Groves released her debut album, as Blue Roses, back in 2009. There have been a few EPs since, but it's taken
- [Chains by DLT (featuring Che Fu)](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/25/chains-by-dlt-featuring-che-fu/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The success of 'Chains' established Che Fu as a solo star. He enjoyed success with his first two records in particular. He hasn't recorded an album since 2005. He now organises New Zealand's largest sneaker swap meets. DLT became disillusioned with the music industry in the early 21st century, and
- [Music Quiz: Find the Greatest Hits Album IX](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/22/music-quiz-find-the-greatest-hits-album-ix/) - I was a keen buyer of greatest hits records in my teens. With a limited budget, they were bang for your buck, and they suited the CD format of the 1990s - often the LP length of 40 minutes wasn't enough to contain all of an artist's key songs. Can you link these greatest hits
- [Nuggets: Open My Eyes by Nazz](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/20/nuggets-open-my-eyes-by-nazz/) - The Nazz never really reached their potential, only making two albums - a third record, of outtakes, appeared in 1971. The group struggled living in a shared house. Vocalist and keyboardist Robert Antoni earned the name Stewkey because he was always stewed. Rundgren also explained that: "It was brief and very intense. I've made peace
- [Music Quiz: Pop and Rock Songs With Love in the Title](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/15/music-quiz-pop-and-rock-songs-with-love-in-the-title/) - Welcome back. If you're in America or the UK, it's still probably "Pash Wednesday". This has happened twice since World War 2, when Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday fall on the same day. To honour this, we have a love-titled songs quiz this week. https://www.sporcle.com/games/jlamp104/pop--rock-songs-with-love-in-the-title-i?playlist=whats-love-got-to-do-with-it It's on the easier side, I reckon. I scored 13/13
- [Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree by Tony Orlando and Dawn](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/13/tie-a-yellow-ribbon-round-the-ole-oak-tree-by-tony-orlando-and-dawn/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… The band largely wound up in the late 1970s, but attempted a comeback with 1991's 'With Every Yellow Ribbon (That's Why We Tie 'Em)'. Read more NZ #1 hits 1970s album reviews
- [I'm Your Man by Wham!](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/11/im-your-man-by-wham/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Surprisingly, 'I'm Your Man' was Wham's only number one hit in New Zealand. 'Last Christmas', 'Careless Whisper' (released as a solo George Michael single), 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go', and 'The Edge of Heaven' all peaked at #2 or #3, whereas they mostly topped the charts on both sides
- [Music Quiz: Geographic Song Titles](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/08/music-quiz-geographic-song-titles/) - Welcome back to another round of quizzing. Last week, a late-ish entry from Tony, replete with coffee, blitzed the field. This week, you challenge is to fill in the blank of a song title with the photo of a place. https://www.sporcle.com/games/FPL_Elf/geographical-song-titles I scored 16/18. I generally knew the songs, but my geographical knowledge was a
- [New Music Reviews: Ratboys and Danny Brown](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/06/new-music-reviews-ratboys-and-danny-brown/) - It's February 2024, and we're still chewing through 2023 records. Two very different American acts this week. The country and power-pop-infused indie rock of Chicago's Ratboys, and the latest record from rapper Danny Brown. Enjoy! Ratboys The Window 2023, 8/10There are several confusing things about Chicago-based band Ratboys. Lead vocalist Julia Steiner doesn't seem to
- [Nuggets: Farmer John by The Premiers](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/04/nuggets-farmer-john-by-the-premiers/) - It's a good choice for a garage band. It's a catchy three-chord stomper in the vein of 'Louie Louie'. The Premiers' version is more aggressive and direct than the original. It features crowd noises from girls from the Chevelles car club, making it sound like a live recording. The song starts with someone asking "Has
- [Music Quiz: Musician by Real Name](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/02/01/music-quiz-musician-by-real-name/) - Welcome back for another week of quizzing. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who won easily with 29/30. This week's challenge is relatively straightforward - it will probably end up as a speed test. You need to name music stars by their real names. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Quiztopia/musiciansrealname_01` I scored 12/12 with 2:15 remaining. Can you beat me? Apologies for not
- [With You by Chris Brown](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/30/with-you-by-chris-brown/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Brown clearly didn't cope with fame well. But he momentarily looked poised to take over the pop world in 2008. Read more NZ #1 hits 2000 album reviews
- [Guess I'm Dumb by Glen Campbell](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/03/11/guess-im-dumb-by-glen-campbell/) - In late 1964, Brian Wilson quit touring with The Beach Boys so that he could focus on composing and arranging their records. His replacement for the first few months, covering his bass and falsetto, was the talented Glen Campbell. Campbell was then a member of the studio musicians known as the Wrecking Crew and had
- [10 Best Vanessa Carlton Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/28/10-best-vanessa-carlton-songs/) - Vanessa Carlton is largely known as a one-hit wonder. The Pennsylvania-born pianist and singer hit the big time with her debut single 'A Thousand Miles'. Technically Carlton had a couple more hits. She was featured on Counting Crows' cover of Joni Mitchell's 'Big Yellow Taxi'. Her second single 'Ordinary Day', written when she was 17,
- [Peter Gabriel: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/31/peter-gabriel-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - It's unusual for a solo artist's work to overshadow their work with their previous band. But there's a strong argument that Gabriel's solo catalogue eclipses the progressive rock albums that he made with Genesis in the 1970s. Leaving Genesis after 1974's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Gabriel took a couple of albums to find
- [Music Quiz: Not-So-Greatest Hits A&B Artists](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/25/music-quiz-not-so-greatest-hits-ab-artists/) - Last week's quiz produced a tie between 2loud2oldmusic and Geoff Stephen. This week we're continuing the theme of less-than-blockbuster hit songs. Your challenge is to identify artists by the their three biggest hits on the Billboard Hot 100 that failed to reach the top 10. https://www.sporcle.com/games/rockgolf/participation-trophies I scored 25/30 - I struggled to identify artists
- [Music Quiz: 3 Flops, 1 Act: 1980s](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/11/music-quiz-3-flops-1-act-1980s/) - Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who schooled the rest of us on famous drummers. Although Deke also scored a credible 27 out of 30. This week, your challenge is to identify an act by three songs that failed to make the US top 40. Lots of great songs missed out. https://www.sporcle.com/games/rockgolf/casey-never-played-these-either I scored 36/37. I was
- [Nuggets: It's A-Happening by The Magic Mushrooms](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/21/nuggets-its-a-happening-by-the-magic-mushrooms/) - The band didn't stick around for long. When Herb Alpert, smoother trumpeter and head of A&M Records, found out what magic mushrooms were, he demanded that they change their name. When they refused, the record was pulled from the market. The Magic Mushrooms released two more singles. They never released an album, a shame for
- [Music Quiz: 20 #20 Hot 100 hits](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/18/music-quiz-20-20-hot-100-hits/) - Welcome back. Kingclover won last week's quiz, a tough challenge of 1980s small hits. This week, we're dealing with more minor hits. Can you match 20 artists with 20 songs for twenty #20 hits? https://www.sporcle.com/games/rockgolf/sound-and-vision I found it tough - I scored 13/20, with a bunch of bad guesses at the end. Can you beat
- [Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! by Vengaboys](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/14/boom-boom-boom-boom-by-vengaboys/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Read more NZ #1 hits 1990s album reviews
- [Heart of Darkness by Pere Ubu: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/16/heart-of-darkness-by-pere-ubu-great-b-sides/) - Cleveland, Ohio, has a rich musical history. It has a celebrated orchestra and it hosts the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It also birthed Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, the Raspberries, and Joe Walsh's James Gang. It still seems an unlikely birthplace for Pere Ubu, one of the most experimental bands to emerge in the mid-1970s. Pere
- [10 Best Moody Blues Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/21/10-best-moody-blues-songs/) - Birmingham band The Moody Blues have one of the most misleading names in popular music. It fit to start with - their early repertoire was based on American blues, and their cover of Bessie Banks' 'Go Now' topped the UK charts in early 1965. They played on the Ed Sullivan Show and toured with The
- [The Replacements Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/09/18/the-replacements-worst-to-best/) - During ten anarchic years, The Replacements recorded a ton of wonderful songs, self-sabotaged their career, and never achieved the mass success they promised. The Replacements started as part of the hardcore punk scene of the early 1980s, but they were never punks at heart. Lead guitarist Bob Stinson was a big fan of Yes. Lead
- [Nuggets: Talk Talk by The Music Machine](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/07/nuggets-talk-talk-by-the-music-machine/) - Despite the success of debut single 'Talk Talk', The Music Machine's career stalled. Their record company forced them to pad their debut album out with covers, unnecessary for a creative band. They also failed to make the bill for the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. Olsen, Edgar, and organist Doug Rhodes left to form the Millennium,
- [New Music Reviews: Sofia Kourtesis and Boygenius](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/05/new-music-reviews-sofia-kourtesis-and-boygenius/) - I still have a few 2023 releases to get through, but I'm hoping to get my 10 Best Albums of 2023 up later this week. I've covered the final major contender here, so I can publish my list. There's also a brief EP from the indie supergroup Boygenius. Sofia Kourtesis Madres 2023, 9/10Peruvian DJ Sofia
- [Music Quiz: Famous Drummers](https://albumreviews.blog/2024/01/04/music-quiz-famous-drummers/) - Congratulations to Geoff Stephen, who took Canada to a glorious win in last week's Bands that should play together II quiz. Your challenge this week is to name some famous drummers. https://www.sporcle.com/games/g/famousdrummers I scored 23/30. I did it late at night, and maybe could have squeezed out a couple more if I was thinking straight.
- [Music Quiz: Bands that should play together II](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/28/music-quiz-bands-that-should-play-together-ii/) - Congratulations to Jim, who won for the second consecutive week, narrowly in front of a few other contestants. This week, it's the sequel. It's a little easier as there are only thirty answers to deal with. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MSUKent/bands-that-should-play-together-ii I scored 30/30 back in 2019. I don't think I've featured it on this site before. Can you
- [Joanne by Michael Nesmith and The  First National Band](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/26/joanne-by-michael-nesmith-and-the-first-national-band/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… It's a pretty tune, and topped the NZ charts for one week, on 25 December 1970. Arguably, Nesmith's better suited a to a support role than the spotlight - his singing is low-key and a little creaky. But he's a good writer and there's a great hook, using Nesmith's falsetto.
- [Nuggets: Last Time Around by The Del-Vetts](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/24/nuggets-last-time-around-by-the-del-vetts/) - Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Bands that should play together](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/21/music-quiz-bands-that-should-play-together/) - I'm on holiday, so I'm drafting this up slightly early. Congratulations to Jim, Music Enthusiast, who scored full marks with the fastest time in last week's quiz. This week your challenge is to insert a popular phrase into a pair of band names. It's a little longer than usual - make sure you have a
- [New Music Reviews: Chappell Roan and Corinne Bailey Rae](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/19/new-music-reviews-chappell-roan-and-corinne-bailey-rae/) - Chappell Roan and Corinne Bailey Rae have the same initials, but little else in common. One makes provocative, easily digestible music. The other has made an intellectual, ambitious record that took me weeks to get my head around. Read on for details.... Chappell Roan The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess 2023, 8/10Producer Dan
- [Mitski: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/17/mitski-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Japanese-American indie-rock musician Mitski is one of the most interesting figures currently working in popular music - Iggy Pop famously labelled her as “the most advanced American songwriter that I know”. While guitar rock can sometimes feel stale in the 21st century, Mitski's fascinating. Her music often feels like the work of an outsider looking
- [The Last Waltz by Engelbert Humperdinck](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/17/the-last-waltz-by-engelbert-humperdinck/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Humperdinck plumbed even lower depths in the 1970s and 1980s. Clearly desperate for a hit, he jumped into disco and country. He did enjoy a creative renaissance in the 1990s with 'Lesbian Seagull', taken from the Beavis and Butthead Do America soundtrack. Read more 1960s album reviews NZ #1 hits
- [Ten Guitars by Engelbert Humperdinck: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/04/12/ten-guitars-by-engelbert-humperdinck-great-b-sides/) - Arnold Dorsey struggled to break into the music industry until he was advised to adopt a more interesting stage name. Dorsey took the name Engelbert Humperdinck from the German composer of Hansel and Gretel. Already in his early thirties, the change worked; Humperdinck enjoyed unlikely success with his easy-listening music. In 1967 Humperdinck crooned through
- [Music Quiz: Songs in Common](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/14/music-quiz-songs-in-common/) - It's time for another quiz. Both John and Tony managed 15/15 in last week's tough "A" album quiz. Tony recorded the faster time. In this week's challenge, you can try to figure out what The O'Jays, Rihanna, Elton John, and Twisted Sister have in common. https://www.sporcle.com/games/lightmyfire77/songs-in-common I scored 10/10 with 1:22 remaining. Normally, I think
- [New Music Reviews: Sufjan Stevens and The Tubs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/12/new-music-reviews-sufjan-stevens-and-the-tubs/) - Two solidly enjoyable albums this week. Twenty years after his breakthrough album, Greetings from Michigan, The Great Lake State, Sufjan Stevens is back with an especially forlorn record. Meanwhile, UK band The Tubs deliver their debut, energetic and concise. Enjoy! Sufjan Stevens Javelin 2023, 8/10It's an understatement to say that it's been a tough year
- [Nuggets: Nobody But Me by The Human Beinz](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/10/nuggets-nobody-but-me-by-the-human-beinz/) - The Human Beinz's interpretation is much more successful. They smooth out some of the song's rough edges, making an infectious and deserved hit. It reached the top ten in the US, where none of their other tracks made the top 40. The Human Beinz's cover of 'Nobody But Me' has accompanied memorable scenes in The
- ['A Bands' Album Match](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/07/a-bands-album-match/) - Congratulations to last week's contestants. It looks like the fastest time came from Jamie from The Music In My Ears This week your challenge is to link albums to bands starting with A. https://www.sporcle.com/games/thebail/a-bands-album-match I'm not intimately acquainted with the discographies of all of these bands. Even with some lucky guessing, I couldn't tell between
- [10 Best Nic Jones Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/15/10-best-nic-jones-songs/) - Nic Jones emerged in the fertile folk scene of the late 1960s. While contemporaries like Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny, and John Martyn ventured into pop and rock music, Jones remained stubbornly traditional. His first two albums, 1970's Ballads & Songs and 1971's Nic Jones, were austere, Jones playing solo in the studio without overdubs. After
- [10 Best Songs by Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/07/10-best-songs-by-robyn-hitchcock-and-the-egyptians/) - In 1979, The Soft Boys released their debut album, A Can of Bees. By 1985, the members of the now-defunct group were enjoying vastly different fortunes. Guitarist Kimberly Rew was enjoying an international top ten hit with his new group Katrina & the Waves - 'Walking on Sunshine'. Penned by Rew, it's described as "the
- [Love Yourself by Justin Bieber](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/12/03/love-yourself-by-justin-bieber/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Bieber’s vocal performance is endearing, with the right amount of emotion to fuel the piece without overwhelming it. ‘Love Yourself’ was written by Ed Sheeran, who I often find trite. He’s better served by having Bieber's more characterful voice deliver the song. I don’t always enjoy how pop has become
- [Music Quiz: US Bands Spelling Bee](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/30/music-quiz-us-bands-spelling-bee/) - Congratulations to Tony, who joined me on 18/20 in last week's Album Covers III quiz. This week your challenge is to identify the correctly spelled band names. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Pilgab/us-bands-spelling-bee?t=music As a web editor, looking for spelling mistakes is my job, so I scored 15/15. I enjoyed this song from Japan's Tatsuro Yamashita popping up on random
- [New Music Reviews: Kara Jackson and Cleo Sol](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/28/new-music-reviews-kara-jackson-and-cleo-sol/) - Two female solo artists this week. But they're drastically different. Kara Jackson is a bluesy singer-songwriter, brutally honest on her debut album. Cleo Sol's back with her second album in a month, her smooth R&B as warm and comforting as ever. Kara Jackson Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? 2023, 7/10Kara Jackson
- [Axel F by Crazy Frog](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/14/crazy-frog-by-axel-f/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… Are you a Crazy Frog apologist? Read more 10 Worst Songs of the 2000s 2000s album reviews NZ #1 hits
- [Slice of Heaven by Dave Dobbyn and Herbs](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/04/15/slice-of-heaven-by-dave-dobbyn/) - Every New Zealand #1 single... Dobbyn streamlined his sound for the 1990s. It's easy to forget how creatively bizarre some of his 1980s arrangements were. The combination of a synthesised Japanese flute (made with an E-mu Emulator II) and the Polynesian backing vocals of Herbs gives 'Slice of Heaven' an utterly unique sonic palette. Murray
- [End of the Road by Boyz II Men](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/26/end-of-the-road-by-boyz-ii-men/) - Every New Zealand #1 single… 'End of the Road' is a lovelorn ballad. It's harmonically sophisticated, co-written by Babyface. The group are traditional - it's closer to The Temptations or the Delfonics of the previous generation, than it is to Color Me Badd or Salt-N-Pepa. There's some magic in the chorus harmonies, where the distinct
- [Lovesick Blues by Frank Ifield](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/12/lovesick-blues-by-frank-ifield/) - Every New Zealand #1 single... In at least some places, it was a double a-side with 'She Taught Me To Yodel'. Read more 1960s album reviews
- [Music Quiz: Album Covers III](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/23/music-quiz-album-covers-iii/) - Welcome back to another week of quizzing. Tony just pipped James Kalyn for bragging rights in last week's 2000s adjectives quiz. This week your challenge is to name the album when given its cover. It features a fun mix of artists. John Denver and Hootie and the Blowfish aren't often sighted in Sporcle's music quizzes.
- [New Music Reviews: Tirzah and Blake Mills](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/21/new-music-reviews-tirzah-and-blake-mills/) - Acts from both sides of this pond this week. It's easy to tell which artist is from which side. Blake Mills evokes Laurel Canyon, with traces of country and psychedelia. Tirzah has a more modern sheen. Tirzah Trip9love...??? 2023, 9/10As a teenager, Braintree's Tirzah Mastin was on the path to becoming a classically trained harpist.
- [Nuggets: Journey to Tyme by Kenny and the Kasuals](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/19/nuggets-journey-to-tyme-by-kenny-and-the-kasuals/) - The band reunited after Daniel's return from Germany. Kenny and the Kasuals recorded four studio albums in the 1970s and 1980s, but broke up in 2018 as Daniel battled dementia. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [The 10 Worst Songs of the 1960s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/10/10-worst-songs-of-the-1960s/) - The 1960s were a great time for popular music. The development of recording technology allowed new sounds, and the decade saw the rise of Motown, the British Invasion, and psychedelia. Major artists like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones began their recording careers. But as in every other decade of recorded music, there
- [10 Worst Songs of the 1970s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/09/10-worst-songs-of-the-1970s/) - The 1970s were a great decade for albums. Acts like David Bowie, Marvin Gaye, Joni Mitchell, and Led Zeppelin released a swathe of great records. Amongst all the great music, however, plenty of abominable songs also made it onto the airwaves. I only lived through the last few months of the 1970s - the songs
- [10 Worst Songs of the 1990s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/13/10-worst-songs-of-the-1990s/) - It's easy to look back at the 1990s with rose-coloured spectacles. You may assume that the charts were dominated by respected and cutting-edge acts like Nirvana and Nas. But like every decade, plenty of less illustrious artists sold truckloads of records. This list is dominated by adult-contemporary ballads. Upbeat songs I remembered hating, like Billy
- [The 10 Worst Songs of the 2000s](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/12/the-10-worst-songs-of-the-2000s/) - The Y2K bug didn't hit the way doomsayers predicted. Planes didn't fall out of the sky and artists continued to make music, both good and bad. Here I pick out ten of my most loathed songs from the first decade of the 21st century. Often I preface these worst song lists by noting that there's
- [Music Quiz: Adjectives in '00s Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/16/music-quiz-adjectives-in-00s-songs/) - Welcome back for another exciting season of quizzing. Last week's title was shared by Tony and Jim. Both scored 22/22 with 2:58 remaining. This week your challenge is to link the adjective to the 2000s song. https://www.sporcle.com/games/whssox/adjectives-in-00s-songs I struggled with the country songs and scored 20/24. You've probably heard the big announcement, but the Australasian
- [10 Best Songs by Carole King](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/06/10-best-songs-by-carole-king/) - Even before she released her first solo album, New York's Carole King had already enjoyed a prolific music career. She'd inspired Neil Sedaka's 'Oh! Carol' and written a hit song for her daughters' babysitter (Little Eva's 'Loco-motion'). The 1960s hits that she wrote with her husband Gerry Goffin helped make her the most successful female
- [10 Best Eagles Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/20/10-best-eagles-songs/) - The four original Eagles played their first gig together at Disneyland, supporting Linda Ronstadt. Starting as a country-rock outfit, they became one of the most commercially successful bands of the 1970s - their 1976 compilation Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) is one of the highest-selling albums of all time. The Eagles revolved around the songwriting and
- [10 Favourite Guitarists](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/06/04/10-favourite-guitarists/) - The guitar was the dominant instrument in popular music from the 1960s to the new millennium. Many acts even had multiple guitarists, so there are a lot of great players to choose from. The spectrum of genres from blues rock through to hard rock and heavy metal, throws up a lot of acclaimed guitarists, but
- [Music Quiz: Questioning Song Titles](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/09/music-quiz-questioning-song-titles/) - Welcome back for another music quiz. Last week Heavy Metal Overlord was the most adept at telling the difference between Dulux paint colours and progressive rock bands. This week's task should prove a little easier - can you match the first and second half of song titles? https://www.sporcle.com/games/babymonkee/questioning-song-title-match-up?t=music I scored 22/22, with 2:55 remaining. Can
- [New Music Reviews: The Clientele and Jamila Woods](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/07/new-music-reviews-the-clientele-and-jamila-woods/) - Two very different artists this week. London band The Clientele dip into 1960s chamber-pop with their seventh studio album. Chicago's Jamila Woods doesn't deviate from her usual R&B. Yet she explores different themes, tackling love instead of politics. The Clientele I Am Not There Anymore 2023, 8/10Indie guitar band The Clientele have been releasing quality
- [Nuggets: No Friend of Mine by The Sparkles](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/05/nuggets-no-friend-of-mine-by-the-sparkles/) - A large number of musicians passed through the ranks of The Sparkles between 1957-1972 - the best-known is Gary P. Nunn, heavily involved in Austin's progressive country scene. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [10 Best Tom Waits Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/27/10-best-tom-waits-songs/) - California's Tom Waits is effectively the patron saint of this website. My Waits album ranking was the first post from this site to become popular, and it's still one of its most-visited posts. With recently accounted reissues of Waits' peak albums, it feels like a good time to make a companion piece on his best
- [Music Quiz: Prog Rock Band or Dulux Paint?](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/11/02/music-quiz-prog-rock-band-or-dulux-paint/) - Congratulations to Tony, the fastest contestant to score 24/24 in last week's 1990s quiz. This week, your challenge is distinguishing between progressive rock bands and... Dulux paint colours. https://www.sporcle.com/games/idioteque409/dulux-paint-or-prog-band?t=fun I like a lot of prog rock, especially the 1970s giants like Genesis and Yes, but I'm not totally up to speed on more recent bands.
- [Burna Boy: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/31/burna-boy-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Burna Boy's seventh album, I Told Them..., recently topped the UK charts. It feels symbolic, with the Nigerian-born artist the first African to top the UK charts. It's the culmination of a decade of hard work, where he's released seven albums. Burna Boy dislikes the label, but his music is categorised as Afrobeats, a blend
- [Music Quiz: Adjectives in 90s Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/26/music-quiz-adjectives-in-90s-songs/) - NostalgicItalian finished a few seconds ahead of EclecticMusicLover in last week's music quiz, demonstrating fast recall at 1980s song titles. Perhaps predictably, today we have a 1990s quiz. Can you fill in the blank adjectives in these 1990s songs? https://www.sporcle.com/games/whssox/adjectives-in-90s-songs I scored 24/24, with 2:35 remaining. I had to cycle through the answers a few
- [New Music Reviews: Westerman and Victoria Monét](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/24/new-music-reviews-westerman-and-victoria-monet/) - Two sequels from very different artists this week, following up their 2020 records. English art-rocker Westerman releases his second record, An Inbuilt Fault. American R&B artist Victoria Monét releases the sequel to 2020's Jaguar, titled Jaguar II. Enjoy! Westerman An Inbuilt Fault 2023, 8/10Will Westerman was born in London and is now based in Athens,
- [Crowded House's Woodface reimagined](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/22/crowded-houses-woodface-reimagined/) - Crowded House's Woodface was released in 1991. It marked a turning point in their commercial fortunes in pop music's major English-speaking territories. The lead single 'Chocolate Cake', particularly the line "excess of fat on your American bones", effectively killed their career in the US. Yet the album and subsequent singles like 'It's Only Natural' and
- [Music quiz: Adjectives in 1980s songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/19/music-quiz-adjectives-in-1980s-songs/) - Welcome back for another music quiz. Last week's results were tight - lots of people clocked in around 2:50, but KingClover and Max tied for the fastest time. This week, your challenge is to fill in the missing adjectives in 1980s songs. I found it trickier than the 1970s edition. https://www.sporcle.com/games/whssox/adjectives-in-80s-songs I scored 27 out
- [10 Best Split Enz Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/25/10-best-split-enz-songs/) - Split Enz first reached New Zealand's attention with an appearance on the New Faces talent show in 1973, where they finished second-to-last. Their early material was too weird for the mainstream, comparable to early Genesis or Roxy Music, and Phil Judd was a creepy frontman. When the band later broke through in the late 1970s
- [The Smiths: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/01/the-smiths-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The two figures at the centre of 1980s English indie-rock band The Smiths were an unlikely pairing. Vocalist Morrissey was socially awkward, literate, and camp, while guitarist Johnny Marr was an aspiring football player who trialled with Manchester City. Bonding over a shared interest in The New York Dolls, they formed The Smiths with bassist
- [10 Best Albums of 2019](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/02/25/16-best-albums-of-2019/) - I didn't enjoy any single album from 2019 as much as I liked Mitski's Be The Cowboy in 2018. Nevertheless, 2019 was a strong year - albums that I enjoyed by established favourites like The New Pornographers and Taylor Swift didn't make the cut for this top 10 list. I can't cover everything - as
- [Album Battle - Wilco vs Radiohead](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/04/15/album-battle-wilco-vs-radiohead/) - A game I like to play on my cycle commute from work is figuring out the best band of each ten year era. For instance, The Beatles and Bob Dylan are contenders for 1960-1970, while 1985-1995 has a few contestants, including Pixies, Sonic Youth, and Public Enemy. I've been covering Chicago's Wilco recently on my blog,
- [Five Musicians who look like Librarians](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/02/20/favourite-five-musicians-who-look-like-librarians/) - There's a stereotype in popular music of youth and charisma, but not everyone fits the mould. Here are five very talented individuals whose personal style choices are more suited to the public library than to the pop charts. Lisa Loeb I've never heard anything else that Loeb's released, but 'Stay (I Missed You)' from 1994's
- [When Do Bands Peak?](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/08/21/when-do-bands-peak/) - It's easy to find lists of great debut albums, but personally I often prefer a band's later records, where they stretch their wings, becoming more diverse and more comfortable in the studio. Bands' debut albums are often the most pure, refined version of their vision, and as their careers progress, they become more interesting as
- [When Do Bands Peak? (Part 2)](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/09/04/when-do-bands-peak-part-2/) - A couple of weeks ago, we looked at when bands peak - I've always enjoyed band's later albums where they are more confident and more diverse. My graphs based on my ratings bore this out - this graph was based on 24 bands, where I've covered at least their first 6 albums on this site. The
- [Blogging Community Question: Review Requests](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/03/22/blogging-community-question-review-requests/) - Hi everyone! Occasionally my blog receives requests asking me to review albums from emerging artists. The rhythm of my blog isn't really set up for this at the moment, so I'm wondering if any fellow bloggers would like to be listed on my contact page as potential reviewers. If you are interested let me know
- [The Ten Sexiest Men in Music](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/05/07/the-ten-sexiest-men-in-music/) - Music's ultimately about the recorded product, but being handsome certainly doesn't hurt when you're trying to launch a career in entertainment. While a woman's attractiveness might keep her from being taken seriously, a man's handsomeness is nothing but an asset. Here are ten male musicians whose music I enjoy, and whom I consider to be
- [200,000 Plays on Last.fm: Top Ten Tracks](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/12/08/200000-plays-on-last-fm-top-ten-tracks/) - I've been using Last.fm to track my music plays for more than a decade. This week I hit the landmark of 200,00 tracks played. Last.fm doesn't track all the music I listen to - I currently only have it scrobbling plays on my phone and on my work laptop, not on the stereo - over
- [A Listening Biography in 10 Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/18/a-listening-biography-in-10-albums/) - I recently participated in an album draft, run by Hans from https://slicethelife.com/. Like everyone else I picked 10 albums, but I used mine to also tell a story about music fandom. Here are ten albums that broadened my horizons about popular music. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme - Simon & Garfunkel 1966My parents owned a
- [10 Enjoyable Songs That Aren't In English](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/23/10-enjoyable-songs-that-arent-in-english/) - I recently participated in a song draft facilitated by Hans of SliceTheLife. Along with 12 other music bloggers, I selected 10 songs. I set myself some restrictions for my draft - after all, this site is already full of lists like 10 Best Hit Songs of the 1980s. My theme for this year’s draft was
- [10 Worst New Order Lyrics](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/25/10-worst-new-order-lyrics/) - Great music isn't always synonymous with great lyrics - early Beach Boys records dressed up Mike Love's mundane teen dramas with genius harmonies and sophisticated chord changes. Yes adorned Jon Anderson's cosmic nonsense with their amazing instrumental chops. Perhaps the most extreme example is New Order. Due to the untimely passing of Ian Curtis and
- [The Anne of Green Gables Series: Ranked](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/29/the-anne-of-green-gables-series-ranked/) - My grandmother was a dedicated L.M. Montgomery fan. She had an entire display cabinet filled with Montgomery's work and made the pilgrimage from Christchurch, New Zealand, to Canada to visit Prince Edward Island. The appreciation of the Anne books has passed down the generations - I'm now reading them to my pre-teen daughter. The series
- [10 Biggest Snubs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/10/10-biggest-snubs-from-the-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/) - If I were in charge, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would have capped membership years ago. There'd be a small and select field of fifty entrants, limiting it to household names like Elvis Presley, James Brown, and The Beatles. But it's soldiered on, with 351 inductees to date. This makes it tough, as
- [That Time Todd Rundgren Predicted a Failed Auckland Mayoral Campaign](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/25/that-time-todd-rundgren-predicted-a-failed-auckland-mayoral-campaign/) - It's local election season here in New Zealand. In my home city of Lower Hutt, we have the now standard blend of people running for mayor. Some pleasant community-minded citizens, interspersed with a few conspiracy theorists - a bush-faced gentleman who opposes fluoridation and a guy who is still angry at Dr Fauci. But noone
- [Switching from Wordpress.com to Wordpress.org - my experience](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/15/switching-from-wordpress-com-to-wordpress-org-my-experience/) - In April 2021, some posts on this music website, like 10 Worst Songs of the 1980s and 10 Best Hit Songs of the 1980s, went vaguely viral. My traffic doubled in a month, and I considered monetising this site as a side hustle. In order to do this, I switched from WordPress.com to WordPress.org in
- [Jazz according to the 1932 Everyman's Encyclopedia](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/16/jazz-according-to-the-1932-everymans-encyclopedia/) - Published in 1931–32, with 12 volumes, 7 million words, 9,000 pages and 50,000 articles, the second edition of Everyman's Encyclopedia was edited by Athelstan Ridgway. We recently inherited our family's set. I've been bemused by their section on jazz, and thought I'd preserve it here for posterity. I've broken up their interminable paragraphs for readability,
- [The Chronicles of Prydain: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/11/the-chronicles-of-prydain-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Lloyd Chudley Alexander was stationed in Wales during the Second World War. He was inspired by the country's scenery and castles, as well as the Welsh mythology of the Mabinogion. He took names and ideas from Welsh mythology, mixing them with a more contemporary American perspective. He was already established as an author with books
- [New Zealand's 2023 election in five songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/19/new-zealands-2023-election-in-five-songs/) - General elections are held every three years in New Zealand and they're due soon. Our electoral system is known as Mixed Member Proportional (MMP for short). Everyone gets two votes - one for a party and one for an electorate MP (Member of Parliament) - and a party wins seat in parliament if they either:
- [New Music Reviews: PJ Harvey and Mitski](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/17/new-music-reviews-pj-harvey-and-mitski/) - Two critically revered female acts this week - Dorset's PJ Harvey and Japanese-born Mitski. They both feature unwieldy album titles, and records are mellower than their usual fare. Enjoy! Mitski The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We 2023, 8/10Mitski took five years to release a follow-up to her beloved 2018 record Be The Cowboy.
- [Nuggets: Action Woman by The Litter](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/15/nuggets-action-woman-by-the-litter/) - Despite the promise of 'Action Woman', The Litter never achieved much else. Their most popular 1960s album peaked at #175 on the charts, and they disbanded in 1972. 'Action Woman' remains their best-known song, a beloved contribution to the garage rock lexicon. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Songs to Badly Drawn Musician](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/05/music-quiz-songs-to-badly-drawn-musician/) - Welcome back to this week's quiz. I had to prepare this post in advance as I'm on holiday, so at the time of writing it wasn't clear who won last week. This week, your challenge is to link song titles to badly drawn artist images. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MoMosMoProblems/i-know-someone-will-comment-arent-all-the-boys-here-badly-drawn I thought this quiz was trickier than the first
- [Music Quiz: Adjectives in 1970s songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/12/music-quiz-adjectives-in-1970s-songs/) - There were a lot of 18/20s in last week's quiz, but a couple of contestants made it to 20/20 - NostalgicItalian and Eclectic Music Lover - with the latter having the fastest time. This week's challenge is to link adjectives to 1970s songs. Adjectives in 1970s songs I scored 24/24 with 2:49 remaining - although
- [Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - a single-LP version](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/10/goodbye-yellow-brick-road-a-single-lp-version/) - Elton John became a superstar in the early 1970s. But to my mind, he was more of a singles artist than an album artist. He released a series of irresistible singles, incorporating glam rock and Americana into his piano-based pop. But his albums often suffered from a lack of quality control - Goodbye Yellow Brick
- [10 Best James Taylor Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/08/10-best-james-taylor-songs/) - James Vernon Taylor became the figurehead of the early 1970s singer-songwriter movement. He appeared on the cover of Time magazine with the headline "the face of the new rock", where he was compared to Heathcliff and to a "cowboy Jesus". Taylor peaked early - I'm not sure that he's ever topped 1970's breakthrough Sweet Baby
- [Babies, If I Didn't Have You by Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/03/babies-if-i-didnt-have-you-by-kate-anna-mcgarrigle-great-b-sides/) - It's challenging to write about Canadian sisters Kate & Anna McGarrigle without discussing their family connections. The nature of this B-side makes it impossible. Kate McGarrigle was married to singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright III, known for songs like 'Dead Skunk'. The couple divorced in the 1970s, but not before they produced two talented children, Rufus and
- [Neil Diamond's Five Worst Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/03/12/neil-diamonds-five-worst-songs/) - Adult contemporary superstar and Hebrew Hunk Neil Diamond is a fascinating figure to me. His music is an uncomfortable blend of Brill Building pop, gospel, and confessional writing, like he can't make up his mind whether he wants to be Elvis Presley or James Taylor. As an adolescent, I was improbably a Neil Diamond fan
- [10 Best Cat Stevens Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/04/09/cat-stevens-ten-best-songs/) - Cat Stevens launched his career as a teen idol, scoring hits with heavily arranged songs like 'I Love My Dog' and 'Matthew and Son' in the 1960s. A near-fatal case of tuberculosis and a collapsed lung left him hospitalised, with time to refine to rethink his approach. When he returned in 1970, his music was
- [10 Best Kate Bush Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/09/01/kate-bushs-ten-best-songs/) - English art-pop artist Kate Bush is a creative genius, who siphoned her influences into her own unique blend. The folk music from her Irish mother, the progressive rock that her older brothers listened to as teenagers, and radio-friendly pop like Elton John were all melded into Kate Bush's music. Literature is also an important influence
- [10 Best Elton John Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/01/12/elton-johns-ten-best-songs/) - Sir Elton John is one of pop’s biggest hit machines, churning out top forty singles through the 1970s, 1980s, and much of the 1990s. He set Bernie Taupin’s lyrics to music, using his piano skills and agile voice to transcend eras and set sales records. While John was successful for a long time, most fans
- [10 Best Matthew Sweet Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/02/16/matthew-sweet-ten-best-songs/) - Power-pop legend Matthew Sweet was born in Nebraska, but moved to Athens, Georgia, to join the local alt-rock scene. He recorded two unsuccessful records in the 1980s, before his 1991 breakthrough Girlfriend. The record showcased the brilliant lead guitar of Richard Lloyd and Robert Quine, as well as Sweet's warm harmonies and bass playing. Sweet
- [10 Best Prefab Sprout Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/03/24/10-best-prefab-sprout-songs/) - English sophisti-pop band Prefab Sprout date back to 1970s art-rock; leader Paddy McAloon was sent a rejection letter by Brian Eno's record label in 1976. They didn't release their debut album Swoon until 1984, by which time the lineup had solidified. Paddy McAloon was joined by his brother Martin on bass, Neil Conti on drums,
- [10 Best Emmylou Harris Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/04/19/10-best-emmylou-harris-songs/) - Emmylou Harris was discovered by ex-Byrd Chris Hillman in a folk club. Hillman recommended her to country maverick Gram Parsons. Parsons featured Harris' harmony vocals on songs like 'Love Hurts', and mentored her in country music. When Parsons passed away in 1973, Harris continued his legacy of "cosmic American music", blending country, blues, and rock.
- [10 Best Songs by Can](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/05/03/10-best-songs-by-can/) - Classically trained pianist Irmin Schmidt and music teacher Holger Czukay studied under Stockhausen. Both tuned into rock music as it progressed in the mid-1960s. Czukay's student Michael Karoli played him The Beatles' 'I Am The Walrus', while Schmidt discovered the music of Frank Zappa, James Brown, and The Velvet Underground on a trip to New
- [10 Best Fleetwood Mac Songs from the Buckingham-Nicks Era](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/05/31/10-best-fleetwood-mac-songs-from-the-buckingham-nicks-era/) - On New Year's Eve 1974, Mick Fleetwood invited guitarist Lindsey Buckingham to join Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham insisted that his girlfriend Stevie Nicks was part of the package, and Fleetwood Mac's tenth and most successful line-up was formed. The line-up of Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, drummer Mick Fleetwood, bassist John McVie, and keyboardist/vocalist Christine McVie recorded
- [10 Best Wilco Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/06/14/10-best-wilco-songs/) - Jeff Tweedy was the junior partner in alt-country outfit Uncle Tupelo, playing bass and fronting the occasional song. When the group split, Tweedy formed Wilco with other Uncle Tupelo musicians - notably bassist John Stirratt, Wilco's only other constant member. Their first release, 1995's A.M. was pleasant, but the group made a huge leap with
- [10 Best Aretha Franklin Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/12/10-best-aretha-franklin-songs/) - Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul, a powerhouse vocalist and a talented pianist. Growing up in the Church, her music was always steeped in gospel. She delivered hits for a long period of time; her first R&B chart topper was 'I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)' in 1967, and her
- [10 Best Dave Dobbyn Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/23/10-best-dave-dobbyn-songs/) - If you're not from Australasia, chances are that you're not familiar with Dave Dobbyn - he's ubiquitous in New Zealand, but obscure everywhere else. When a panel selected the New Zealand's best ever popular songs in 2001, five Dave Dobbyn songs were included in the top 30 (and 'Outlook for Thursday' was at #31). Dobbyn
- [10 Best Songs from Paul Westerberg's Solo Career](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/27/10-best-songs-from-paul-westerbergs-solo-career/) - My first encounter with the music of Paul Westerberg was my sister's copy of the Friends soundtrack. I wasn't impressed - his rough-hewn vocals were out of place among slick alt-rock tracks from Hootie and the Blowfish, The Rembrandts, and Barenaked Ladies. When I snagged a copy of The Replacements Pleased to Meet Me some
- [10 Best Big Star Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/01/10-best-big-star-songs/) - Alex Chilton was already a star when he joined forces with the Icewater. Icewater's members - singer/guitarist Chris Bell, bassist Andy Hummel, and drummer Jody Stephens - had been playing in Memphis garage-rock bands. Despite the city's heritage of blues and soul, and Chilton's history as lead singer of The Box Tops (he sang the
- [10 Best Steely Dan Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/29/10-best-steely-dan-songs/) - It took me a while to warm up to the sophisticated LA grooves of Steely Dan. Growing up, classic hits radio played precisely five Steely Dan songs; 'Do It Again', 'Reelin' In The Years', 'Rikki, Don't Lose That Number', 'Hey Nineteen', and 'Babylon Sisters'. They're all solid, but none of them captures the verve and
- [10 Best Billy Joel Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/19/10-best-billy-joel-songs/) - Despite his talent, it took Billy Joel a long time to find success. He played piano on the Shangri-Las' 'Remember (Walking in the Sand)' in 1964 as a teenager - although it's unclear whether he appeared on a demo or on the finished version. Thereafter, he spent years playing in unsuccessful bands like the Echoes,
- [10 Best Pixies Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/02/10-best-pixies-songs/) - A quirky alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, the Pixies effectively bridged two eras in guitar rock; the underground bands of the 1980s like Hüsker Dü and the mega-selling 1990s alt-rock bands like Nirvana and Radiohead. The four-piece guitar band is known for extreme dynamics, often juxtaposing quiet verses with loud choruses. Black Francis and
- [10 Best Hüsker Dü Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/21/10-best-husker-du-songs/) - Hüsker Dü are among the embarrassment of riches to emerge from Minnesota in the 1980s - their contemporaries included Prince, The Replacements, and Soul Asylum. The three-piece band played energetic and emotive music - they started playing hardcore punk but blew the genre’s boundaries open with their 1984 masterpiece Zen Arcade. They were prolific in
- [10 Best Gene Clark Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/07/10-best-gene-clark-songs/) - Gene Clark is best-known as an original member of The Byrds. He was the first to leave the group - with a fear of flying he disliked touring, while the other members resented his song-writing royalties. The most accomplished songwriter in the original line-up, it's not surprising that he went on to forge an acclaimed
- [10 Best Songs by The Waterboys](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/04/10-best-songs-by-the-waterboys/) - When Mike Scott formed The Waterboys he was the group's only member, recording most of their self-titled 1983 debut alone in the studio. Since then, The Waterboys have churned through more than 85 members - Scott believes this is a record, beating out other fast-changing bands like The Fall and Santana. The Waterboys have featured
- [10 Best Stevie Wonder Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/18/10-best-stevie-wonder-songs/) - Michigan's Stevland Hardaway Morris started his recording career young - taking the name Little Stevie Wonder, he recorded his first album at the age of 12. His second album, Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius, and his 1963 single 'Fingertips' both topped the pop charts. Wonder was only getting started - with his skills
- [10 Best Paul Simon Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/02/10-best-paul-simon-songs/) - Paul Simon's songs are part of the American landscape, a thoughtful man documenting his inner dialogue in popular song. From Simon and Garfunkel songs like 'America' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' to solo songs like 'American Tune' and 'Graceland', his songs capture both the American zeitgeist and his own personal journey. He's also covered a
- [10 Best Simon & Garfunkel Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/16/10-best-simon-garfunkel-songs/) - Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel met in 1953 when they appeared in their school's production of Alice in Wonderland - Simon played the White Rabbit and Garfunkel the Cheshire Cat. Learning to harmonise together, they released their first single, 'Hey Schoolgirl' in 1957 as Tom & Jerry. Initially inspired by the Everly Brothers, their first
- [10 Best Dire Straits Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/27/10-best-dire-straits-songs/) - Dire Straits emerged at the height of punk in the UK, where Mark Knopfler’s smooth and accomplished guitar playing was at odds with the prevailing trends. Coupled with Mark Freuder Knopfler’s questionable taste in sweatbands, Dire Straits were never cool. Most of these ten tracks are taken from 1980’s Making Movies and 1982’s Love Over Gold. This is
- [10 Best Beach Boys Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/08/10-best-beach-boys-songs/) - The Beach Boys emerged from Hawthorne California, with Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, along with their cousin Mike Love. Their first top ten hit was 'Surfin' USA', derived from Chuck Berry's 'Sweet Little Sixteen', but the group's ornate harmonies oozed with musicality. Brian Wilson soon developed into an outstanding composer and producer, culminating in 1966's
- [10 Best Todd Rundgren Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/03/10-best-todd-rundgren-songs/) - Todd Rundgren emerged in the late 1960s as guitarist and songwriter for the Philadelphia rock band The Nazz. He's scored a few recognisable hits - the early 1970s soft-rock of 'Hello, It's Me' and 'I Saw the Light', as well as the goofy 1980s singalong 'Bang the Drum All Day'. But there's more - those
- [10 Best 10,000 Maniacs Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/24/10-best-10000-maniacs-songs/) - The 10,000 Maniacs formed in upstate New York in 1981. They were initially an eclectic new wave outfit, with interesting elements like dub and folk within their sound. By 1987’s breakthrough In My Tribe, it was clear that vocalist Natalie Merchant was the band’s focal point, becoming known for her socially-conscious lyrics. The 10,000 Maniacs’ most
- [10 Best Natalie Merchant Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/07/10-best-natalie-merchant-songs/) - Despite a dozen years with the 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant was still in her twenties when she departed for a solo career. She told Entertainment Weekly that she "didn't want art by committee anymore," and opted for a simpler sound for her solo debut. She met with immediate success - her 1995 solo debut Tigerlily,
- [10 Best Covers of Carole King Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/19/10-best-covers-of-carole-king-songs/) - Before she released her record-breaking solo album Tapestry in 1971, Carole King had already enjoyed a prolific musical career. She’d inspired Neil Sedaka’s ‘Oh! Carol’ and written a hit song for her daughters’ babysitter (Little Eva’s ‘Loco-motion’). The 1960s hits that she wrote with her husband Gerry Goffin helped make her the most successful female
- [10 Best Queen Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/23/10-best-queen-songs/) - In the 21st century, Queen have emerged as the most-loved band from the classic rock era. They enjoyed little critical respect and struggled to sell records in the US for much of their career, but they now outperform more acclaimed acts like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones on streaming services. As you'd
- [10 Best Lin-Manuel Miranda Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/30/10-best-lin-manuel-miranda-songs/) - It's been a ridiculously successful couple of years for Lin-Manuel Miranda. In 2019 his musical Hamilton was released onto DisneyPlus, while his earlier musical In The Heights was released as a movie in 2020. He also directed a theatrical adaptation of Jonathan Larson's Tick, Tick… Boom!, and provided songs for the children's animated films Vivo
- [10 Best Songs by The Band](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/24/10-best-songs-by-the-band/) - The Band started their career backing blues belter Ronnie Hawkins, where they were known as The Hawks. They then supported Bob Dylan on his controversial 1966 tour. Recording The Basement Tapes with Dylan at Woodstock, The Band started writing their own material. Their 1968 debut, Music from Big Pink was extremely influential - other acts
- [The 10 Best Songs by The New Pornographers](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/08/the-10-best-songs-by-the-new-pornographers/) - Canadian power pop band The New Pornographers are often described as a supergroup. Leader A.C. Newman disputes this, pointing out that neither Dan Bejar's Destroyer, alt-country vocalist Neko Case, nor his former band Zumpano were famous when the New Pornographers formed in 1997. The band's 2000 debut Mass Romantic was an unexpected success, leading to
- [10 Best Sandy Denny Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/22/10-best-sandy-denny-songs/) - Sandy Denny is best-known to rock fans for her guest vocal on Led Zeppelin's 'Battle of Evermore', and her contribution to acclaimed Fairport Convention records like Liege & Lief. But she also carved out a solo career as a singer-songwriter in the 1970s. Denny's an impressive vocalist, warm and expressive, and she's arguably the UK's
- [10 Best Carly Rae Jepsen Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/04/10-best-carly-rae-jepsen-songs/) - Canadian pop treasure Carly Rae Jepsen achieved peak cultural saturation in 2012 with the inescapable hit 'Call Me Maybe'. 'Call Me Maybe' started as an acoustic song, but dressed up with some synth strings and endorsed by Justin Bieber, it was wildly successful. It showcased Jepsen as a bubblegum-pop girl-next-door and made her Canadian Idol's most famous
- [10 Best Judee Sill Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/19/10-best-judee-sill-songs/) - Judee Sill was a 1970s singer-songwriter from California. Her gentle songs were at odds with her tumultuous lifestyle. She spent time in prison for armed robbery and learnt music while serving as a Church organist at a reform school. She also worked as a hooker and struggled with heroin addiction during her lifetime. Despite her
- [10 Best Songs by The Mutton Birds](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/17/10-best-songs-by-the-mutton-birds/) - Don McGlashan had already made an impact on the New Zealand music scene before he formed The Mutton Birds. He was the drummer for the punk-influenced band Blam Blam Blam, remembered for fabulously titled songs 'There Is No Depression in New Zealand' and 'Don't Fight It Marsha, It's Bigger Than Both Of Us'. He then
- [10 Best Joy Division Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/31/10-best-joy-division-songs/) - Manchester post-punk band Joy Division appeared so ordinary - in their music videos they look like four young civil servants playing music in their work clothes. But the music that they created was unique and deeply unsettling. Steven Morris' drumming was robotic, while Peter Hook's bass was busy and melodic, at the centre of these
- [10 Best LCD Soundsystem Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/28/10-best-lcd-soundsystem-songs/) - New Jersey's James Murphy obviously has a terrific record collection - his favourite artists include The Fall, Yes, The B-52's, David Bowie, and Can. LCD Soundsystem's music echoes these influences, along with electronic pioneers like New Order and Kraftwerk. Murphy turned down the opportunity to write for Seinfeld in order to pursue a musical career.
- [10 Best Songs by Sugar](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/09/10-best-songs-by-sugar/) - After Hüsker Dü broke up, singer-guitarist Bob Mould dabbled with a solo career. In the wake of Nirvana's success, he formed a new power trio with bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis. Needing to come up with a band name for an impending gig, he was inspired by a sugar packet on a café
- [10 Best Television Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/23/10-best-television-songs/) - The band Television emerged from the same CBGB scene that produced Talking Heads, The Ramones, Blondie, and Patti Smith. The group was started by Tom Verlaine, Richard Hell, and drummer Billy Ficca. Verlaine and Ficca were childhood friends, while Hell met Verlaine at high school in Delaware. Hell was replaced by Blondie's Fred Smith on
- [The 10 Best Pet Shop Boys Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/20/the-10-best-pet-shop-boys-songs/) - Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe met in a hi-fi shop in Chelsea in 1981. Tennant had bought a Korg synthesizer and the pair bonded over their shared love of electro-pop singles like 'Souvenir' by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and 'Bedsitter' by Soft Cell. The pair formed Pet Shop Boys, named after some friends who
- [12 Best Scott Walker Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/04/12-best-scott-walker-songs/) - The late Scott Walker was one of the most fascinating artists of the rock era, successful as both a crooner and as an avant-garde composer. Accordingly, this list of Walker favourites is scattershot, ranging from easy listening covers to his experimental later work. Scott Walker was born in Ohio but relocated to London with The
- [10 Best Prog-Era Genesis Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/15/10-best-prog-era-genesis-songs/) - As I've noted on this site before, it's remarkable how Genesis transformed from a smalltime band to commercial heavyweights. By 1971, they'd found their classic quintet of vocalist Peter Gabriel, drummer Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist Mike Rutherford, and guitarist Steve Hackett. But their first album together, Nursery Cryme, missed the UK charts initially.
- [10 Excellent Tom Petty Deep Cuts](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/05/10-excellent-tom-petty-deep-cuts/) - The late Tom Petty was a great singles artist - tracks like 'The Waiting', 'Refugee', and 'Free Fallin'' sound terrific blasting from cars and on classic rock radio. Petty had so many enjoyable hits through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s that my list of favourite Tom Petty songs is largely predictable. Ably supported by ace
- [10 Best Tori Amos Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/19/10-best-tori-amos-songs/) - Tori Amos was the youngest ever person admitted to the prestigious Peabody Institute before she was asked to leave for musical insubordination at the age of 11. After a false start with her synth-pop band on 1988's Y Kant Tori Read, she established herself as a significant solo artist on 1992's Little Earthquakes. She was
- [10 Best Parry Gripp Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/23/10-best-parry-gripp-songs/) - My 8-year-old daughter decided that it was her turn to write this weekend, offering to prepare a post about Parry Gripp. Thankful for a weekend off, to celebrate my 15th wedding anniversary, I agreed. She's even more succinct than I am. Gripp's known for his songs for children, which are often fixated on animals or
- [10 Best Chairlift Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/21/10-best-chairlift-songs/) - Caroline Polachek has enjoyed a breakout year, enjoying critical adoration for her second solo album, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You. Her 2019 single, 'So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings' turned into a sleeper success via TikTok, paving the way. But she was already a veteran, first attracting attention for her indie-pop band Chairlift.
- [10 Best Buffalo Springfield Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/18/10-best-buffalo-springfield-songs/) - Californian folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield were short-lived but signicant. They recorded one of the defining protest songs of the 1960s, ‘For What It’s Worth’, and launched the careers of Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay of Poco, and Jim Messina of Loggins and Messina. Buffalo Springfield’s lineup was fluid – the temperamental Young quit and rejoined several times,
- [10 Best Laura Nyro Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/02/10-best-laura-nyro-songs/) - Despite writing hit songs in the late 1960s and her induction into the rock and roll hall of fame, Laura Nyro is a niche figure compared to contemporaries like Joni Mitchell and Carole King. But the piano playing singer-songwriter from the Bronx made some stunning records. She was a couple of years ahead of the curve with her confessional,
- [Randy Meisner's Eagles Songs: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/01/randy-meisners-eagles-songs-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Original Eagles bassist and vocalist Randy Meisner passed away last week. It wasn't a surprise - he'd been battling physical and mental health issues, as well as alcoholism. It was as though he still carried the baggage from leaving the Eagles in their prime - his career never recovered. He released three solo albums shortly
- [Van Morrison: Five Best Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/04/24/van-morrison-five-best-albums/) - The best albums from Van Morrison's catalogue.
- [Richard and Linda Thompson Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/07/17/richard-and-linda-thompson-albums-worst-to-best/) - English folk-rock duo Richard and Linda Thompson's career resembled a soap opera. Active as recording artists between 1974 and 1982, they married, released three albums in quick succession, then spent three years in a Sufi Muslim commune where Richard's religious leader forbade him from playing music. Leaving the commune, their career faded and they were
- [Tom Waits Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/07/31/tom-waits-worst-to-best/) - California's Tom Waits has enjoyed a remarkable career. Emerging in the early 1970s as a whisky-soaked, piano-playing balladeer, his career was seemingly petering out in the early 1980s. But he reinvented himself with the junkyard clang of 1983's excellent Swordfishtrombones, and his output from that album through to 1999's Mule Variations is his peak. I've
- [The Band: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/09/05/worst-to-best-the-band/) - After years of playing live, The Band recorded the Basement Tapes with Bob Dylan, where they developed their unique melding of rock with traditional folk, country and blues forms. The organic harmonies, the virtuoso but unassuming musicianship, and songs that seemed to spring from an America of a hundred years earlier; these qualities created a richness and
- [Neil Young: Five Best Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/09/12/neil-young-favourite-five/) - Neil Young has enjoyed a long and erratic music career. His first brush with fame came with Buffalo Springfield in the 1960s. He released his first solo album in 1969, and he also teamed up with Crosby, Stills, and Nash for 1970's Déjà Vu. Young's been prolific ever since, releasing grungy rock with Crazy Horse
- [Elvis Costello Albums: Ranked from Worst To Best (The First Ten Years)](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/10/24/elvis-costello-worst-to-best-the-first-ten-years/) - He scored a recording contract in 1977, as the punk and new wave movements opened the doors for fresh artists. Elvis Costello, however, was actually a highly literate and sophisticated songwriter who had little in common with punk's untrained approach. But he did share punk's aggression; paired with backing band The Attractions, who came on
- [King Crimson: Five Best Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/12/12/favourite-five-albums-king-crimson/) - King Crimson aren't so much a band as a series of bands, all featuring idiosyncratic guitarist Robert Fripp. With a demeanour that resembles a University professor more than a rock star, Fripp's plotted an erratic course for his band. The group formed in London in 1968, but their ninth album, 1982's Beat, was the first
- [The Moody Blues Core Seven Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/01/02/worst-to-best-the-moody-blues-core-seven/) - Between 1967 and 1972, Birmingham's The Moody Blues released seven studio albums, commonly referred to as the core seven. They stayed in step with the times, transitioning from richly orchestrated psychedelic pop to more stripped-down albums in the 1970s. At the same time. The Moody Blues were twee, moustachioed and played gentle music that rarely
- [Simon & Garfunkel Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/01/16/simon-and-garfunkel-worst-to-best/) - Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel started their recording career as Tom & Jerry in 1957, making teen-oriented Everly Brothers style pop. After a temporary split, they re-branded as Simon & Garfunkel, an earnest folk duo. Their debut album, 1964's Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., was unsuccessful, and a frustrated Simon relocated to London. A Simon-penned track from
- [Paul Simon Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/03/13/paul-simon-worst-to-best/) - Paul Simon has enjoyed a long, worthwhile solo career since Simon and Garfunkel's breakup in 1970. A musical chameleon, he launched his post-duo career with an acoustic record that fitted into the singer-songwriter movement of 1972, then moved into jazz-inflected soft rock with 1975's Grammy-winning Still Crazy After All These Years. By the early 1980s
- [Radiohead Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/06/05/radiohead-worst-to-best/) - The members of Radiohead formed the band at high school - they were originally named On A Friday, reflecting their practice regime at Abingdon School in Oxfordshire. It took them an album to find their feet - debut Pablo Honey contained the hit 'Creep', but was lacking in personality compared to their later work. But they
- [U2: Five Best Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/07/03/u2-favourite-five-albums/) - U2 started the 1980s as a post-punk band influenced by Joy Division and Television. As the decade progressed they beefed up their sound, working with notable producers like Steve Lillywhite and Brian Eno, and became one of the highest selling and critically acclaimed rock bands of their generation U2 has built a distinctive sound around
- [Eagles Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/07/09/eagles-worst-to-best/) - The Eagles emerged from California in the early 1970s, initially as Linda Ronstadt's backing band for her album Silk Purse. They were massively successfully, with a string of chart-topping singles and albums. In particular, their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) is one of the highest-selling albums of all time. It's appropriate that the Eagles' most successful release
- [The New Pornographers' Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/08/14/the-new-pornographers-albums-ranked/) - The New Pornographers emerged in 2000, a conglomerate of talent from nationally successful Canadian bands like Zumpano, Destroyer, and Limblifter. While A.C. Newman is the group's main creative force, the band spotlighted Neko Case's warm, sumptuous voice and Dan Bejar's offbeat songs on a handful of tracks on each album. The group had their winning
- [Jackson Browne's 1970s Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/09/11/jackson-browne-worst-to-best-in-the-1970s/) - Jackson Browne is the quintessential 1970s singer-songwriter, a sensitive individual who analysed his difficult relationships into songs. He was extremely well connected into the 1970s soft-rock scene - he dated Laura Nyro and Joni Mitchell, wrote the Eagles' first hit single, and produced Warren Zevon's breakthrough album. Primarily, Browne's a lyricist, one of the best
- [Wilco: Five Best Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/09/25/wilco-favourite-five-albums/) - When Uncle Tupelo split up after 1993's Anodyne, guitarist and primary song-writer Jay Farrar seemed the best bet for a successful career with his new act Son Volt. But Jeff Tweedy formed Wilco with the remnants of Uncle Tupelo - bassist John Stirratt, drummer Ken Coomer, and multi-instrumentalist Max Johnston. After the unremarkable debut A.M., they
- [Lindsey Buckingham Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/10/16/lindsey-buckingham-worst-to-best/) - It's difficult to blame Lindsey Buckingham for having a chip on his shoulder. He's the studio mastermind, the live spark, and the restless creator behind the imperious pop era of Fleetwood Mac. But Buckingham is little known by the general public, for whom Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood are the most recognisable faces in the
- [Van Morrison in the 1980s: Five Best Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/11/06/favourite-five-van-morrison-in-the-1980s/) - I've already posted about my favourite five Van Morrison albums, but all five were released in the 1960s and 1970s. While he didn't reach the level of his earlier peaks, Van Morrison continued to release fine albums in the 1980s. While other rock veterans like Neil Young, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan struggled with the
- [Bob Dylan's Best Albums of the 1960s: Ranked](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/12/18/ranked-bob-dylans-best-albums-of-the-1960s/) - Bob Dylan needs no introduction - he's one of the key figures in rock music. He helped to define the genre as it matured, especially as a lyricist. He broadened the scope of rock lyrics, utilising both social issues and surreal poetry. Through the 1960s, Dylan never stood still, initially transitioning from coffee-house folk to
- [Neil Finn's Five Best Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/04/30/neil-finns-five-best-albums/) - Until the emergence of Lorde, song-smith Neil Finn was New Zealand's most recognisable pop export. Born in Te Awamutu, Finn was enamoured by the tuneful pop of The Beatles and Elton John. Still a teenager, he joined his brother Tim Finn in Split Enz in 1977, originally as a guitarist. He soon became a key
- [Led Zeppelin Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/05/14/led-zeppelin-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Led Zeppelin were the archetypal hard rock band. They streamlined the sound of 1960s rock bands like Cream and The Who; an important innovation was John Bonham's crisp, groove-based drumming, which contrasted with the busy style of The Who's Keith Moon and Cream's Ginger Baker. Led Zeppelin continuously delved into new styles - they emerged
- [Roxy Music Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/01/26/roxy-music-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - English art-rock band Roxy Music was formed by vocalist Bryan Ferry and bassist Graham Simpson in 1970. They recruited saxophone and oboe player Andy Mackay and synth player Brian Eno (who "treated" the other players' instruments through his synth). Drummer Paul Thompson joined in 1971, and his muscular playing helped keep the band's experimental rock
- [Red House Painters Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/03/17/red-house-painters-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The Red House Painters took their name from a Tennessee painting crew named The International League Of Revolutionary House Painters. Leader Mark Kozelek came from Ohio, but formed the band in San Francisco. Kozelek was joined by drummer Anthony Koutsos, bassist Jerry Vessel, and guitarist Gorden Mack - Mack left the band halfway through their
- [Tom Petty Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/06/tom-petty-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Florida rock and roller Tom Petty distinguished himself with a lovable stream of self-deprecating hits. He emerged with a 1976 debut album that was inspired by mid-1960s acts like The Byrds, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones. Petty was ably supported by the Heartbreakers, a world class backing band. Mike Campbell's economical guitar leads, Benmont
- [Queen Albums: Ranked from Worst To Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/06/queen-worst-to-best/) - Queen formed in 1970 in London, originally a hard rock band with shades of progressive rock and metal. They adapted as musical fashions changed; they flirted with disco on 1982's Hot Space and produced stripped-down, synthesizer-fuelled pop hits on 1984's The Works. But over their twenty-year recording career, certain hallmarks of their sound remained; Freddie
- [R.E.M. Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/11/r-e-m-albums-ranked/) - R.E.M. emerged from Athens, Georgia, part of a fertile scene that also produced The B-52s, Pylon, and Matthew Sweet. They played their first gig in 1980 when the four members were attending the University of Georgia. Drummer Bill Berry and bassist Mike Mills had been playing in bands together since high school. Vocalist Michael Stipe
- [The Clash: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/13/the-clash-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Billed as "the only band that matters", The Clash released their debut single 'White Riot' in the iconic punk year of 1977. But they weren't constrained by punk - their debut explored the reggae they heard on London's streets and they'd soon start exploring everything from disco to dub. The classic Clash lineup featured vocalist
- [Ween: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/26/ween-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Aaron Freeman (Gene Ween) met Mickey Melchiondo (Dean Ween) in their eighth-grade typing class in 1984. They made several homemade albums before their first official release, GodWeenSatan: The Oneness, in 1990. Their fourth album, 1994's Chocolate and Cheese, marked a change in course, recorded in a proper recording studio. It properly showcased the duo's talents. Dean
- [Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young): Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/18/crosby-stills-nash-and-young-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash were all members of famous 1960s bands before linking up as a trio. Crosby was a member of The Byrds, fired when his countercultural songs like 'Triad' were rejected by the group. Nash was frustrated in The Hollies, who chose to record an album of Dylan covers rather
- [The dB's: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/01/the-dbs-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The dB's came from the same era as R.E.M., and featured a similarly jangly sound. While R.E.M. became one of the biggest bands in the world, The dB's remained a fringe act with critical acclaim but few sales. Despite forming in 1978, they've only released five studio albums. The band formed in New York, but
- [Yes Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/01/yes-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Progressive rock behemoths Yes emerged from London in the late 1960s. Starting out as a psychedelic pop band, they became one of its leading exponents of the emerging genre of progressive rock. Despite a revolving crew of members - bassist Chris Squire was the only constant over the twelve albums covered on this list - the band
- [New Order Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/26/new-order-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - When Ian Curtis committed suicide on the eve of an American tour, it marked the end of Joy Division. Guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook, and drummer Stephen Morris continued making music together as New Order. Sumner took over lead vocals and Morris' girlfriend Gillian Gilbert joined on keyboards and guitar. After an album of
- [Transatlantic: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/02/transatlantic-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The progressive rock supergroup Transatlantic played the last concert of their Absolute Universe tour in July 2022. The group have hinted that it might be their final tour, so it's possible that their studio catalogue might remain as the five albums they've recorded between 2000 and 2021. It was such a special night last night.
- [Lana Del Rey: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/23/lana-del-rey-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Elizabeth Woolridge Grant made an immediate impact on popular culture with her 2011 debut single 'Video Games', released under her stage name Lana Del Rey. Her haunting lower register and cinematic feel, chronicling a one-sided relationship. the single immediately established her as an artist with a unique voice. Her moody and lyric-focused music has influenced
- [Freedy Johnston: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/20/freedy-johnston-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Frederic Fatzer grew up in the small town of Kinsley, Kansas, notable for its equidistance between New York City and San Francisco. He sensibly adopted the stage name Freedy Johnston. His small town background initially constrained his music career - with no local music store, he bought his first guitar from a mail-order catalogue at
- [The Velvet Underground: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/04/the-velvet-underground-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The Velvet Underground began as a collaboration between frustrated songwriter Lou Reed and classically trained John Cale. Cale had worked with experimental composers John Cage and LaMonte Young, and Reed’s interest in alternative guitar tunings and drone notes provided common ground. The pair recruited guitarist Sterling Morrison and drummer Moe Tucker and The Velvet Underground was formed.
- [Carly Rae Jepsen: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/01/carly-rae-jepsen-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Carly Rae Jepsen is pigeonholed as a one-hit-wonder. Her 2012 song 'Call Me Maybe' is one of the most ubiquitous hits of its era. If you haven't been paying attention since, you may be surprised to learn that Jepsen's become a beloved and critically acclaimed pop artist. Jepsen was born in Mission, British Columbia, the
- [Paramore Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/26/paramore-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Hayley Williams moved to Franklin, Tennessee, in 2002, to escape from her abusive stepfather. She formed Paramore at the age of 15, joining forces with Josh and Zac Farro, whom she met at a music program for homeschooled students. She met bassist Jeremy Davis when they both played in a funk rock band. Williams is
- [The Cars: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/12/the-cars-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - The members of The Cars were all experienced musicians when they formed. Drummer David Robinson had already played with another famous Boston act, Jonathan Richman's Modern Lovers. The band's two vocalists - bassist Ben Orr and songwriter Ric Ocasek - had played together in Milkwood, a folk rock band. They eventually joined forces in The
- [The Hold Steady: Albums Ranked from Best to Worst](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/18/the-hold-steady-albums-ranked-from-best-to-worst/) - For me, The Hold Steady were the last gasp of a prolonged musical adolescence that reached into my mid-twenties. My first Hold Steady album hit me hard. I played it repeatedly, enjoying its intoxicating modernisation of classic rock, topped by Craig Finn's literate lyrics. The Hold Steady sound like a blend of The Replacements and
- [Jenny Lewis Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/18/jenny-lewis-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/) - Jenny Lewis' musical career is the second act in her working life. She first achieved fame as a child star, appearing in commercials then movies like The Wizard and Troop Beverly Hills. She largely quit acting in the mid-1990s to focus on music, forming Rilo Kiley with Blake Sennett. Lewis released her debut album, Rabbit
- [Nuggets: Spazz by The Elastik Band](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/10/01/nuggets-spazz-by-the-elastik-band/) - The band's career never really recovered from the controversy around 'Spazz'. They earmarked the song 'I Would Still Love You' as their second single - it's a nice tune that sounds a bit like The Left Banke or The Beatles. But they'd signed with Universal, who had other ideas. They forced them to record a
- [Music Quiz: Songs to Badly Drawn Musicians II](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/28/music-quiz-songs-to-badly-drawn-musicians-ii/) - Another week, another quiz. The defender of the crown this week is JB Robichaud from https://mylifeinmusiclists.ca/, who scored 27/28 in last week's albums by decade quiz. This week your challenge is to link songs to badly drawn renderings of the artist's name. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MoMosMoProblems/i-actually-dont-want-them-to-be-bad I scored 20/20 with 4:04 remaining - can you beat my time?
- [New Music Reviews: Cleo Sol, Squid, and Andy Partridge](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/26/new-music-reviews-cleo-sol-squid-and-andy-partridge/) - Just over two years ago, I reviewed new releases by Cleo Sol, Squid, and XTC's Andy Partridge. Coincidentally, Squid and Cleo Sol just released new albums. To complete the symmetry, I realised that I missed Partridge's 2022 EP the first time around. All three are arguably weaker than their predecessors, but still worth your time.
- [Nuggets: Sweet Young Thing by The Chocolate Watchband](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/24/nuggets-sweet-young-thing-by-the-chocolate-watchband/) - 'Sweet Young Thing' was the band's first single. It's a relatively routine blues composition, but there's enough going on to elevate it. The twangy country guitar is a nice touch. The band sound similar to The Rolling Stones and Them - David Aguilar's voice has a similar rebellious swagger to Mick Jagger. The song was
- [Nuggets: Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love In) by The Chocolate Watchband](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/10/nuggets-are-you-gonna-be-there-at-the-love-in-by-the-chocolate-watchband/) - The Chocolate Watchband’s initial tenure ended messily in the late 1960s. Producer Ed Cobb considered the group’s musicianship too raw and often overdubbed them with other musicians, while Aguilar left before their final 1960s album. The Chocolate Watchband reunited in 1999; 1960s members David Aguilar, drummer Gary Andrijasevich and guitarist Tim Abbott are still in
- [Nuggets: Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/17/nuggets-incense-and-peppermints-by-strawberry-alarm-clock/) - The band went on to make five albums, but most of their success seems to have come off the back of 'Incense and Peppermints', with only their followup single and debut album enjoying much chart success. Several members enjoyed careers in other bands - flautist Steve Bartek joined Danny Elfman in Oingo Boingo, while Mark
- [Music Quiz: 7 to 1 Albums by Decade](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/21/music-quiz-7-to-1-albums-by-decade/) - Congratulations to Pierce from ThePress, who seems to have scored the fastest time in last week's quiz. This week, your challenge is to categorise albums by their decade of release. I thought there was one marginal inclusion - an album that was released in the UK in December 1979, but didn't turn up in the
- [Music Quiz: Albums by Genre](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/14/music-quiz-albums-by-genre/) - Welcome back to this week’s music quiz. Congratulations to everyone who scored 28/28 last week. It looks like Rich Kamerman scored the fastest time! This week your challenge is to sort albums into genres. Even if you don't know them, you may be able to guess via genre conventions. https://www.sporcle.com/games/t_rev19/7-to-1-albums-by-genre?playlist=sorting-squares&creator=bhenderson79&pid=49009544a5 I scored 28/28 with 3:07
- [New Music Reviews: Jessy Lanza and Olivia Rodrigo](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/12/new-music-reviews-jessy-lanza-and-olivia-rodrigo/) - Two more female solo artists this week, and again they're quite different from each other. Jessy Lanza, from Hamilton, Ontario, is back with another record of classy adult synth-pop. California's Olivia Rodrigo just dropped one of the most anticipated pop albums of the year, delivering much more consistency second time around. Jessy Lanza Love Hallucination
- [Music Quiz: Sorting classic rock squares](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/07/music-quiz-sorting-classic-rock-squares/) - Welcome back to this week's music quiz. It was a tough quiz last week, but Max from powerpop.blog and Rich Kamerman tiee with 18/20. This week, we have a sorting gallery of classic rock albums for your pleasure. Sorting gallery quiz I scored 28/28 with 3:05 remaining - can you beat me? Read More Music
- [New Music Reviews: Julie Byrne and Blondshell](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/05/new-music-reviews-julie-byrne-and/) - Two very different female artists this week - a classy singer-songwriter record from Julie Byrne, and an attitude-fuelled rock album from Blondshell. Julie Byrne The Greater Wings 2023, 8.5/10Buffalo-born singer-songwriter Julie Byrne was hit by tragedy in 2021. Her former romantic partner and longtime creative partner Eric Littmann passed away suddenly, leaving her bereft. Her
- [Nuggets: I Ain't No Miracle Worker by The Brogues](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/09/03/nuggets-i-aint-no-miracle-worker-by-the-brogues/) - Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums VIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/31/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-viii/) - Congratulations to 2loud2old and Tony, who both scored 20/20 in last week's greatest hits VII quiz. It is with an air of inevitability that we move on to greatest hits VIII. Can you identify the 20 bands responsible for these greatest hits. Play greatest hits VIII on Sporcle. I scored 19/20 - I took a
- [I Wish You Wouldn't Say That by Talking Heads: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/29/i-wish-you-wouldnt-say-that-by-talking-heads-great-b-sides/) - New York's Talking Heads are one of my favourite bands of the new wave era. David Byrne was the nervy frontman, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth were a funky rhythm section, while Jerry Harrison filled out their sound on keyboards and guitar. Despite my affection for classic albums like Remain in Light and singles like
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums VII](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/24/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-vii/) - We're up to number 7 in our series. Can you identify the greatest hits by its cover? Congratulations to 2loud2oldmusic and EclecticMusicLover, who tied last week on 18. This week's challenge was a lot tougher, at least for me: https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-vii-picture-click I scored 15/20, comfortably my lowest so far. Can you beat me? Do you know
- [Nuggets: 7 and 7 Is by Love](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/20/nuggets-7-and-7-is-by-love/) - Love went on to make Forever Changes, with Bryan MacLean playing a more active role as a songwriter and vocalist alongside Lee. But the initial band fractured shortly afterwards - Lee continued on with a different lineup, but the band's final studio album was released in 1974. Guitarist Johnny Echols still tours as Love, but
- [New Music Reviews: Meshell Ndegeocello and Carly Rae Jepsen](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/22/new-music-reviews-meshell-ndegeocello-and-carly-rae-jepsen/) - Today's records are both eclectic - Meshell Ndegeocello demonstrates an uncanny ability to play anything, from dub to jazz to spacy instrumentals. Canadian pop treasure Carly Rae Jepsen pushes the boundaries of her sugary and effervescent music. Meshell Ndegeocello The Omnichord Real Book 2023, 9/10German-born Meshell Ndegeocello is an artist whom I've never explored a
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums VI](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/17/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-vi/) - Things are getting predictable on Aphoristic Album Reviews this week, as we move onto the sixth installment of greatest hits albums picture clicking. It's another eclectic bunch of artists, from The Animals to Snoop Dogg. There were no 20/20s last week, but a lot of 19s - congratulations to everyone who was so close to
- [Alabamy Right by Sparks - Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/13/alabamy-right-by-sparks-great-b-sides/) - Ron and Russell Mael grew up in Pacific Palisades, California, surfing and modelling for mail order catalogues. They both studied film in college, but gravitated to music, recording their first record as Halfnelson in 1971, with Todd Rundgren producing. The brothers moved to England in time to catch the glam-rock wave, forming a new band
- [As I Sit To Play The Organ in the Notre Dame Cathedral - Sparks](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/10/01/as-i-sit-to-play-the-organ-in-the-notre-dame-cathedral-sparks/) - I'm publishing this blog entry in advance, and this song gives an indication, better than any other piece of pop music than I can think of, of what I'll be doing this Sunday morning (although of course my circumstances won't be quite so grandiose). Sparks started their career in the early 1970s, a contemporary of
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums V](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/10/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-v/) - We had two 19/20 entries in last week's quiz - 2loud2oldmusic had the fastest recorded time. This week your challenge is, again, to identify an eclectic bunch of greatest hits. This set runs the gamut from The Carpenters to Nelly. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-v-picture-click I scored 19/20, but I also think it was difficult - I knew just
- [10 Best Hit Songs of the 1980s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/21/10-best-hit-songs-of-the-1980s/) - My list of the ten worst songs of the 1980s has received thousands of visitors over the last couple of weeks. I've received comments accusing me of hating the 1980s, so I thought that I'd set the record straight with a list of great singles from the 1980s. Some are number one smashes, some charted
- [New Music Reviews: Lankum and Amaarae](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/08/new-music-reviews-lankum-and-amaarae/) - There's a lot of stylistic range in these two albums - the dark and droning Irish folk of Lankum, and the vibrant pop of Ghana's Amaarae. Enjoy! Lankum False Lankum 2023, 8.5/10Lankum started as two brothers playing Irish songs in the pub. They were originally known as Lynched - Lynch is the surname of Ian
- [What'll I Do by Bill Withers: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/04/05/whatll-i-do-by-bill-withers-great-b-sides/) - Universally beloved soul singer Bill Withers passed away this week. He came from the small coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, and spent his early career in the Navy. His career as a professional musician was notably short - he released his first album in 1971 at the age of 33, while 1978's
- [Nuggets: Time Won't Let Me by The Outsiders](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/06/nuggets-time-wont-let-me-by-the-outsiders/) - While many of the songs on Nuggets languished in obscurity, 'Time Won't Let Me' made the top five on Billboard. The band, however, weren't able to capitalise on their hit. They enjoyed a minor hits with follow-up singles - 'Girl in Love' and a cover of The Isley Brothers' 'Respectable' - but faded into semi-obscurity.
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums IV](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/08/03/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-iv/) - Congratulations to Max, who won last week's Great Hits Albums IV quiz. I also forgot to announce a winner the previous week - apologies to Tony, who won comfortably. Just like the previous two weeks, you’re invited to join regular readers in identifying which artist a greatest hits collection belongs to. Even if you don’t
- [Waterfall by 10cc: Great B-sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/30/waterfall-by-10cc-great-b-sides/) - The four members of 10cc were all veterans of the 1960s music scene. Graham Gouldman was a successful songwriter, penning The Hollies' 'Bus Stop' and 'For You Love' for The Yardbirds. Eric Stewart played with Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. Lol Creme and Kevin Godley played in more obscure bands like The Sabres, but joined
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums III](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/27/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-iii/) - Just like the previous two weeks, you’re invited to join regular readers in identifying which artist a greatest hits collection belongs to. Even if you don’t know the compilation in question, you can figure some out based on iconography and facial recognition. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rogerisonthehunt/greatest-hits-albums-iii-picture-click I scored 20/20 - I was much more interested in this set
- [New Music Reviews: Arlo Parks and Paul Simon](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/04/new-music-reviews-arlo-parks-and-paul-simon/) - One of this week's artists is almost four times as old as the other - 81-year-old veteran Paul Simon has released his fifteenth solo album (along with five with Art Garfunkel). Meanwhile, 22-year-old Arlo Parks has just released her sophomore record. Paul Simon Seven Psalms 2023, 6/10Paul Simon's enjoyed an innovative career. Even on 2016's
- [New Music Reviews: Jason Isbell and The Japanese House](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/25/new-music-reviews-jason-isbell-and-the-japanese-house/) - Americana stalwart Jason Isbell is back with a terrific new record, while The Japanese House continues to deepen her craft on her sophomore release. Read on for details! Jason Isbell Weathervanes 2023, 9/10Jason Isbell first emerged as a songwriter in the Drive-By Truckers, writing beloved songs like 'Outfit' and 'Decoration Days'. His solo career started
- [Nuggets: Going All the Way by The Squires](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/23/nuggets-going-all-the-way-by-the-squires/) - With the spooky organ, harmonies and minor chords, it sounds inspired by The Zombies' 'She's Not There'. It's arguable that the song itself doesn't deserve a 10, but there's an excellent guitar solo at the end that elevates the song and takes it in a different direction. This band could play well - there's a
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums #2](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/20/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-2/) - There were a bunch of 20/20 scores in last week's Greatest Hits Albums quiz, but Tony had the fastest reported score. Just like last week, you’re invited to join regular readers in identifying which artist a greatest hits collection belongs to. Even if you don’t know the compilation in question, you can figure some out
- [Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums #1](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/13/music-quiz-greatest-hits-albums-1/) - Congratulations to the Punk Panther and to Rich Kamerman, who both scored 20/20 in last week's Classic Rock Cover Match quiz. This week, you're invited to join regular readers in identifying which artist a greatest hits collection belongs to. Even if you don't know the compilation in question, you can figure some out based on
- [Nuggets: I'm Gonna Make You Mine by The Shadows of Knight](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/09/nuggets-im-gonna-make-you-mine-by-the-shadows-of-knight/) - Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Bad Little Woman by The Shadows of Knight](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/28/nuggets-bad-little-woman-by-the-shadows-of-knight/) - Chicago blues band The Shadows of Knight have three songs on Nuggets - unusually for the set, all three are covers. The Shadows of Knight established their recording career with another cover - they enjoyed a local hit with a sanitised cover of Them's 'Gloria'. After the original was banned on a Chicago radio station,
- [Music Quiz: Album Cover Match Classic Rock](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/07/06/music-quiz-album-cover-match-classic-rock/) - There were plenty of healthy scores in last week's hard-to-Google band quiz - noone's score could be described as "paltry", "meagre", or "meager". EclecticMusicLover and Tony both scored 17/18. This week's quiz is surprisingly tough. The median score is only 50%, and it includes obscure records by acts like Badfinger, Todd Rundgren, and Kansas. You
- [Music Quiz: Hard to Google Bands #2](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/29/music-quiz-hard-to-google-bands-2/) - Congratulations to James Kalyn, who scored 18/18 in less than a minute in last week's Hard to Google Bands quiz Just like last week, your challenge is to identify a band from two of its popular songs. All of these bands have difficult-to-Google names. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Velma/another-ungoogleable-band-multiple-choice I scored 17/18. Can you beat my score and get
- [New Music Reviews: Brandy Clark and Susanne Sundfør](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/27/new-music-reviews-brandy-clark-and-susanne-sundfor/) - This week, we have two female songwriters, both from the northwest. Country/Americana artist Brandy Clark is from the Pacific Northwest originally. Meanwhile, Susanne Sundfør is from Norway, the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Both explore their heritage in their most recent albums. Brandy Clark Brandy Clark 2023, 7.5/10Brandy Clark was born in
- [Nuggets: The Trip by Kim Fowley](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/25/nuggets-the-trip-by-kim-fowley/) - 'The Trip' is simply Fowley speak singing some inane psychedelic poetry over a mundane vamp. To his credit, Fowley was enough of a visionary to get ahead of the curve in LSD-inspired psychedelia, but it's a dated track with only the hint of charisma in Fowley's vocal saving it from complete disaster. A world of
- [Music Quiz: Hard to Google Bands #1](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/22/music-quiz-hard-to-google-bands-1/) - Tony last week's last Last Last Last quiz lasted less than one minute, making him the last from last place. In other words, the winner. This week you need to identify a band from two of its popular songs. All of these bands have difficult-to-Google names. I've always thought that a certain 1960s band with
- [Gloria by Them - Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/20/gloria-by-them-great-b-sides/) - Van Morrison's enjoyed a long and prolific career. Like Neil Young, he's continued to released a new studio album almost every year, even long past retirement age. Such is the breadth of Morrison's discography, the two albums he made with Them in the mid-1960s only represent a small portion of his output. Solo records like
- [Music Quiz: Last Last Last #1](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/15/music-quiz-last-last-last-1/) - Well done to Tony, who just pipped EclecticMusicLover for the best score in last week's music quiz. Last week's quiz was Last Last Last #2, so let's keep working our way back to the first in the series. As before, your challenge is to identify an artist by a combination of the last words of
- [New Music Reviews: Avalon Emerson and James Holden](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/13/new-music-reviews-avalon-emerson-and-james-holden/) - This week I cover two solo artists - neither of whom I was familiar with before this year. It's my favourite brace of records so far this year. Avalon Emerson & the Charm 2023, 9/10Avalon Emerson has spent her music career to date as a DJ. Her reinvention as the vocalist for a dream-pop record
- [Nuggets: Can't Seem To Make You Mine by The Seeds](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/11/nuggets-cant-seem-to-make-you-mine-by-the-seeds/) - Aside from Saxon's vocal, the rest of the band is on the sloppy side, even by Nuggets standards. I like the guitar, which reminds me of Neil Young's primitive approach. While I struggle with the vocal, 'Can't Seem To Make You Mine' has been covered by a surprisingly large and credible group of artists, including
- [New Music Reviews: Eddie Chacon and Arooj Aftab/Vijay Iyer/Shahzad Ismaily](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/09/new-music-reviews-eddie-chacon-and-arooj-aftab-vijay-iyer-shahzad-ismaily/) - Both artists this week have links to Faith No More. Eddie Chacon played in a band with FNM drummer Mike Bordin and Cliff Burton as an adolescent. Shahzad Ismaily has played bass with Trey Spruance in Secret Chiefs 3. But confounding, neither record has much to do with rock - read on for details.... Arooj
- [Music Quiz: Last Last Last #2](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/08/music-quiz-last-last-last-2/) - Welcome back! Last week, quite a few people managed to score 21/21 in the Last Last Last #3 quiz, but Rich Kamerman was fastest. It's more of the same this week, with Last Last Last #2. Your challenge is to identify an artist by a portmanteau of the last words of three of their songs.
- [Music Quiz: Last Last Last](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/06/01/music-quiz-last-last-last/) - Last week's debut album quiz proved a little tough - Tony snuck through with a 19/20. This week your challenge is to identify an artist by a portmanteau of the last words of three of their songs. Whoever made it has a great sense of humour, with combos like "Floppy Wartime House" and "Magic Finger
- [Music Quiz: Pick the Debut Album](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/25/music-quiz-pick-the-debut-album/) - Congratulations to Rich from KamerTunesBlog, who scored the only 30/30 in last week's quiz. This week, your challenge is to correctly identify the title of a debut album when given three choices for each artist. As a hint, the self-titled option isn't always correct. https://www.sporcle.com/games/aduchscher/pick-the-debut-album?t=album I scored 19/20. I got tripped by a reasonably obscure
- [New Music Reviews: Tiny Ruins, Rosalía, and Fever Ray](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/23/new-music-reviews-tiny-ruins-rosalia-and-fever-ray/) - It's a week of milestones this week - we have marriage and motherhood and an engagement. Meanwhile, Fever Ray's Karin Dreijer is inscrutable about their private life, but returns with more unsettling music. Tiny Ruins Ceremony 2023, 9/10New Zealand singer-songwriter Hollie Fullbrook has worked at her craft with each new release. Her previous album, Olympic
- [Tiny Ruins - Olympic Girls: New Music Review](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/12/10/tiny-ruins-olympic-girls-new-music-review/) - Genre: Folk-rock, Singer-songwriter New Zealand is presently enjoying a very strong crop of female asinger-songwriters. Along with Hollie Fullbrook of Tiny Ruins, we also have the weirdness of Aldous Harding and the imagery-laden writing of Nadia Reid. Pop superstar Lorde isn't a singer-songwriter but shares the introspection of her contemporaries. Hollie Fullbrook was born in
- [10 Best Hit Songs of the 1970s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/04/10-best-hit-songs-of-the-1970s/) - I've listed the ten worst songs of the 1970s, so it's only fair to look at the highlights of the decade. If rock music came of age in the 1960s, the 1970s saw a proliferation of genres. Funk, disco, progressive rock, hip hop, acoustic singer-songwriters, reggae, and punk were all among the style emerging, or
- [Music Quiz: Clickable Sporcle Jeopardy](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/18/music-quiz-clickable-sporcle-jeopardy/) - Congratulations to Tony, who scored 20/20 in last week's quiz. This week's quiz perhaps requires a bit less musical expertise than usual - some of it's more general knowledge. It's in a Jeopardy-style format. https://www.sporcle.com/games/bhenderson79/clickable-sporcle-jeopardy-music?t=music I scored 30/30 with 2:53 remaining. Can you beat my time? R.I.P. to bassist John Giblin - not a household
- [Nuggets: Laugh, Laugh by The Beau Brummels](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/14/nuggets-laugh-laugh-by-the-beau-brummels/) - 'Laugh, Laugh' was produced by Sylvester Stewart, who went on to success as Sly Stone. It's a very strong Nugget - a sophisticated song written by lead guitarist Ron Elliott. The harmonica is a nice touch - the notes are minimal, but it has a lonesome timbre. The band enjoyed critical acclaim for albums like
- [Music by First Three Songs V](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/11/music-by-first-three-songs-v/) - Congratulations to Tony, who scored the fastest 19/20 in last week's quiz. This week, it's more of the same - twenty albums to identify from their first three songs. I appreciate the eclecticism, spanning from Andrew Lloyd Webber to Drake. https://www.sporcle.com/games/chief7575/first3songs5?playlist=album-by-first-3-songs&creator=chief7575&pid=5cb1def1M Again, I scored 18/20 - I was clueless in a few of the records
- [Music Quiz: Album by First Three Songs #6](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/05/04/music-quiz-album-by-first-three-songs-6/) - Congratulations to Tony, who just pipped EclecticMusicLover in last week's First Three Songs #10 quiz, both scoring 19/20. It's another tough one this week, although maybe slightly easier and more oriented toward guitar rock. Just like last week, I've only heard 6 of these records. https://www.sporcle.com/games/chief7575/first3songs6 I scored 18/20 - I squandered a few guesses
- [Nuggets: The Little Black Egg by The Nightcrawlers](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/30/nuggets-the-little-black-egg-by-the-nightcrawlers/) - The Nightcrawlers were popular enough to enjoy a film - Cracking The Egg: The Untold Story of The Nightcrawlers - and a 20-song retrospective album. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Album by First 3 Songs X](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/27/music-quiz-album-by-first-3-songs-x/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored a perfect 20/20 in last week's quiz. I found this week's quiz tough - it's the last one in the series, and they may have been running out of recognisable acts. I've only heard six of these twenty albums. https://www.sporcle.com/games/chief7575/first3songs10?playlist=album-by-first-3-songs I scored 15/20, with a fair bit of guessing. If
- [New Music Reviews - boygenius and Kate NV](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/25/new-music-reviews-boygenius-and-kate-nv/) - It's an all-female week, from both sides of the Cold War. Russia's Kate NV on one side of the Bering Strait, and the three women of boygenius on the other. boygenius The Record 2023, 8.5/10American singer-songwriters Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, and Julien Baker already pooled their talents on a 2018 EP. Five years later they're
- [10 Bands with the Best Harmony Singing](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/07/10-bands-with-the-best-harmony-singing/) - I've recently made lists of my 10 favourite male and female vocalists. The natural next step is to make a list of bands with outstanding harmonies. There are plenty of worthy acts that missed out - commiserations to The Everly Brothers, The Mamas & The Papas, Yes, The Bangles, Simon & Garfunkel, and R.E.M.. 10
- [Music Quiz: First 3 Songs #9](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/20/music-quiz-first-3-songs-9/) - Geoff Stephen won last week's First 3 Songs VIII quiz, narrowly beating out EclecticMusicLover. This week's challenge is the same format, linking the first three songs to their album. https://www.sporcle.com/games/chief7575/first3songs9 I scored 20/20, although it was hard work. I assume I'm more acquainted with artists like Kacey Musgraves and Dua Lipa than most of the
- [Nuggets: I Wonder by The Gants](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/16/nuggets-i-wonder-by-the-gants/) - The band released three albums, and their 1966 single 'Little Boy Sad' helped pioneer the talk effects unit. But they'd drifted apart by 1967 - Herring continued in the music business as a staff writer for Liberty Records, but the other members returned to Greenwood. They reunited in 2005, but by the end of 2012
- [Music Quiz: First 3 Songs VIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/13/music-quiz-first-3-songs-viii/) - I think boppinsblog won last week's challenge, although it's hard to compare it with kingclover's "pretty fast". This week you need to identify an album by its first three songs. https://www.sporcle.com/games/chief7575/first3songs8 It's an eclectic bunch, from John Denver to The Backstreet Boys. I scored 19/20 - can you beat me for the perfect score? Read
- [New Music Reviews: Kelela and Manchester Orchestra](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/11/new-music-reviews-kelela-and-manchester-orchestra/) - It's a notably mellow week of new releases. Kelela's Raven is minimalist and beautifully sung, while the Manchester Orchestra deliver a mini-album of restrained rock anthems. Kelela Raven 2023, 7.5/10There are some obvious parallels between Kelela and SZA, another alternative R&B artist recently featured in this column. Both released acclaimed debuts in 2017, but took
- [Blues for George Michael by The Boo Radleys: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/09/blues-for-george-michael-by-the-boo-radleys-great-b-sides/) - The Boo Radleys emerged in the shoegaze scene of the late 1980s. They came from Wallasey, a town just across the Mersey from Liverpool. They shifted closer to pop/rock in the 1990s, and achieved critical acclaim, particularly for their 1993 record Giant Steps. I've come under a lot of fire for my enjoyment of The
- [Wilson & Alroy's Record Reviews Reviewed](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/10/09/wilson-alroys-record-reviews-reviewed/) - When I first gained access to the internet, the first information I sought out was record reviews. Before that, I'd been working blind, buying albums based on radio hits. While I rarely look at it now, the All Music Guide was a useful resource, but in the long run I got much more use out of Wilson
- [Music Quiz: Live Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/06/music-quiz-live-albums/) - Congratulations to James, from KeepsMeAlive, who scored the fastest time in last week's 5 Letter Words in 1990s Songs quiz This week your challenge is to match the live album to the artist. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MiniDitka/match-the-live-album-to-the-artist?t=music I got down to a 50/50 guess at the end but I was fortunately correct, so I scored 15/15 with 3:07
- [Nuggets: I See the Light by The Five Americans](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/04/02/nuggets-i-see-the-light-by-the-five-americans/) - The band members largely pursued careers outside of music - guitarist Norman Ezell became a minister, while the other guitarist earned a master's degree in public school administration. Organist John Durrill wrote "Dark Lady" for Cher and "Misery and Gin" for Merle Haggard, and was also a member of The Ventures. On August 26, 2016,
- [Nuggets: Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) by The Swingin' Medallions](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/07/double-shot-of-my-babys-love-by-the-swingin-medallions/) - The Swingin' Medallions are still touring - they're playing Macon City Auditorium next Friday evening. You could certainly argue that they've coasted on the coattails of their one hit record. Michael Huey joined the band after 'Double Shot', but has enjoyed a successful career as a drummer, working with Lindsey Buckingham, Glenn Frey, and Walter
- [Music Quiz: 5 Letter Words in 1990s Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/30/music-quiz-5-letter-words-in-1990s-songs/) - The Fyfes have always been strong spellers, but not as strong as the Robichauds, one of whom dominated last week's quiz. This week your challenge is to fill in the blanks in 1990s song titles. https://www.sporcle.com/games/AwesumJuan/5-letter-words-in-1990s-songs-ii?t=music I knew enough of them to puzzle out all 25 with 58 seconds remaining. It's the reward for having
- [New Music Reviews: Yves Tumor and Kimbra](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/28/new-music-reviews-yves-tumor-and-kimbra/) - This week, new releases from Turin's Yves Tumor and Hamilton's Kimbra. Enjoy! Yves Tumor Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) 2023, 8.5/10Yves Tumor is an American producer and vocalist, born as Sean Bowie in Miami and based in Turin, Italy. Tumor was raised in Nashville, and
- [Aneurysm by Nirvana - Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/26/aneurysm-by-nirvana-great-b-sides/) - The classic lineup of Nirvana - Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl - first recorded together on the first day of 1991. They ran through seven tracks, all captured in just one take. Cobain later added vocals to two of these songs and they were used as b-sides of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. 'Aneurysm'
- [Music Quiz: Bands Spelling Test](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/23/music-quiz-bands-spelling-test/) - Jim, music enthusiast, won last week's quiz, blitzing the hall of fame backing bands quiz in exactly one minute. This week you need to identify the correct spelling of some notable bands. https://www.sporcle.com/games/LTH/arrow-smith The Fyfes have always been strong spellers, but there were a few tricky ones near the end and I could only muster
- [Nuggets: Who Do You Love by The Woolies](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/19/nuggets-who-do-you-love-by-the-woolies/) - I've checked their Facebook page for updates, and I'm pleased to report that The Woolies are.... Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Hall of Fame And Bands](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/16/music-quiz-hall-of-fame-and-bands/) - EclecticMusicLover dominated last week's quiz, with the only 20/20 score. This week, your challenge is to link the hall of fame acts with their backing bands. I think it's pretty straightforward, so that it's somewhat of a speed challenge. https://www.sporcle.com/games/BigGJohnsCreek/hof-and-bands I scored 21/21 with 2:53 remaining. I was unfamiliar with Bob Wills, but obviously was
- [Rockism and Poptimism: or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Carly Rae Jepsen](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/04/10/rockism-and-poptimism-or-how-i-stopped-worrying-and-learned-to-love-carly-rae-jepsen/) - I've been recently reading about Rockism and Poptimism, two different schools of music criticism. It's been interesting for me, both to understand my own personal biases and the biases behind other people's music writing. The term Rockism was coined in the early 1980s. The definition of the word has changed over the years, but as
- [New Music Reviews: Margo Price and Iris DeMent](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/14/new-music-reviews-margo-price/) - They're a generation apart, but Margo Price and Iris DeMent have a lot in common. They both play socially conscious Americana, they were both late starters to their recording careers, and they're both married to other musicians. These albums are my first experience with both artists. Margo Price Strays 2023, 8/10Margo Price grew up in
- [Music Quiz: Who Sang Which?](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/09/music-quiz-who-sang-which/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored 21/22 in last week's band hometowns quiz. This week, your challenge is to differentiate between two similarly named songs. It was a good quiz, with a broad range of artists and eras. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MoMosMoProblems/who-sang-which I scored 20/20 with 1:18 remaining, although it involved some educated guessing at the end. It also
- [Late for the Sky by Jackson Browne](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/05/late-for-the-sky-by-jackson-browne/) - My favourite Jackson Browne song is the title track to his third album, 1974's Late for the Sky. I've never fully understood its meaning. There are dark themes throughout the album - the closing track 'Before the Deluge' is apocalyptic. It's also about new fatherhood, with Browne moving back into his childhood home, Abbey San
- [The French Inhaler by Warren Zevon](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/06/10/the-french-inhaler-by-warren-zevon/) - Warren Zevon was an industry veteran by the time he made his major-label debut in 1976. He'd toured with the Everly Brothers as their band leader, and was rooming with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in 1975. Jackson Browne had championed Zevon, and produced his first major solo album (his 1969 debut was unsuccessful). 'The
- [Music Quiz: Hometowns of Musicians](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/03/02/music-quiz-hometowns-of-musicians/) - There were a lot of strong entries in last week's British or American quiz. But JP Robichaud emerged supreme, blitzing the quiz in less than a minute and realising that Whitesnake were British. This week's challenge is also geographical - you need to identify the hometown of famous musicians. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Mattomic/localmusicians I found this one reasonably
- [New Music Reviews: Caroline Polachek and Robert Forster](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/28/new-music-reviews-caroline-polachek-and-robert-forster/) - It's the first proper batch of new album reviews for 2023. Former Chairlift vocalist Caroline Elizabeth Polachek is onto her second full-fledged solo album. Robert Derwent Garth Forster, previously of The Go-Betweens, is up to his eighth. Caroline Polachek Desire, I Want To Turn Into You 2023, 9/10Caroline Polachek released her official solo debut Pang
- [Great B-Sides: Breakaway by The Cars](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/09/22/great-b-sides-breakaway-by-the-cars/) - It’s the year of Our Lord 2019, and we’re rapidly approaching peak-rock-star-death era. The Cars’ mastermind Ric Ocasek passed away earlier this week. I was surprised to learn that he was 75, older than many of the stars that he replaced as part of the new wave. The Cars’ speciality was their sleek, synthetic sound,
- [Music Quiz: British or American Bands](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/23/music-quiz-british-or-american-bands/) - Most contestants performed impressively in last week’s synonyms and antonyms quiz. The fastest time came from keepsmealive's James Kalyn, who solved it in less than minute. This week your challenge is to guess whether the listed bands are from the US or the UK. https://www.sporcle.com/games/jackfrog10/british-or-american-brands-copy-4 From my perspective, I thought there were a bunch of
- [Music Quiz: Synonym or Antonym](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/16/music-quiz-synonym-or-antonym/) - Welcome to this week’s music quiz. Success in last week’s secondary colours quiz was primarily determined by contestants’ familiarity with Gogol Bordello. Here’s ‘Start Wearing Purple’, a song that many of us missed. Congratulations to the contestants who scored 15. This week, your challenge is identifying whether the bolded word is a synonym or an
- [Nuggets: Steppin' Out by Paul Revere & the Raiders](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/14/nuggets-steppin-out-by-paul-revere-the-raiders/) - Paul Revere & The Raiders' other contribution to Nuggets - 'Just Like Me' - is one of the strongest songs on 'Nuggets'. In comparison, 'Steppin' Out' is less polished - more like a standard garage rock song. It's driven by Paul Revere's Vox Continental organ and a fuzzy bassline. It's a slightly weird choice for
- [Nuggets: Just Like Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/24/nuggets-just-like-me-by-paul-revere-the-raiders/) - They're more advanced than a lot of the other Nuggets acts - Drake Levin's guitar solo is double-tracked, Mark Lindsay is a commanding vocalist, able to switch to a full-blooded roar, while Revere's organ playing is sophisticated. The song isn't especially original, with echoes of 'Louie Louie' and early Kinks, but there's enough happening to
- [Music Quiz: Songs by Secondary Colour](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/09/music-quiz-songs-by-secondary-colour/) - Noone scored 100% in last week's Dead Before 30 quiz, but congratulations to everyone who scored 21. Both Avicii and Pigpen proved challenging. This week, your challenge is to complete song titles with secondary colours. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MD_Law/songs-by-secondary-color?t=music I scored 14/15 - can you beat me? I start working full time next week. At the moment my
- [Music Quiz: Musicians Died Under 30](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/02/02/music-quiz-musicians-died-under-30/) - Congratulations to Tony, who scored a highly credible 23/24 in last week's Albums with Title Tracks Removed quiz. This week your challenge is to identify 22 rock and pop musicians who died prematurely. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Peacemaker/musicians-died-under-30?t=music I scored 22/24 - I was cruising along nicely until I flubbed a couple at the end. We've had floods in
- [10 Best Female Vocalists](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/31/10-best-female-vocalists/) - Rolling Stone magazine recently published its list of The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. To my mind, they did a good job – covering a lot of bases, and highlighting some excellent vocalists. But it’s received a lot of negative attention, most notably for its omission of Celine Dion. Irate Dion fans travelled six hours
- [Music Quiz: Albums with Title Tracks Removed 2](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/26/music-quiz-albums-with-title-tracks-removed-2/) - Most competitors beat me in last week's Homophoney Hits quiz - congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored 15/15. This week, the challenge is to name albums with their title tracks removed. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Pepper360/albums-with-title-tracks-removed-2 I scored 20/24 - can you beat me? Shortly after I posted last week's quiz, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young broke their streak of
- [New Music Reviews - Sara Parkman, Anna Tivel, and Rema](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/24/new-music-reviews-sara-parkman-anna-tivel-and-rema/) - Just mopping up a few 2022 records that I didn't get to before the end of the year. Nigeria's Rema plays smooth Afrobeats with some Arabian and Indian influences. Sweden's Sara Parkman plays art-folk on an album titled after three kinds of love. Portland's Anna Tivel's fourth album is poised and insightful. All three sing
- [Nuggets: Strychnine by The Sonics](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/17/nuggets-strychnine-by-the-sonics/) - Like the Sonics' other Nuggets tunes, 'Strychnine' features Roslie's raucous vocals and the group's warp speed R&B. Roslie's ragtime-ish piano is prominent in the mix as well. The Sonics drifted apart in the late 1960s, with saxophonist Rob Lind serving as a fighter pilot in Vietnam and other members attending university. The band continued, with
- [Music Quiz: Homophoney Hits](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/19/music-quiz-homophoney-hits/) - Last week we looked at singer name definitions. Congratulations to Tony, who scored the fastest time, although Msjadeli managed a very fast time on her second run through. This week we're looking at Homophoney Hits, where song titles are replaced by their homophones. https://www.sporcle.com/games/nabean/homophoney-hits I scored 9/15 - actually below the Sporcle average. I should
- [Music Quiz: Singer Name Definition with a Picture](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/12/music-quiz-singer-name-definition-with-a-picture/) - Congratulations to James from keepsmealive, who top scored in last week's Artist by First Hit quiz. This week your challenge is to match the singer's image to a definition of their surname. You should recognise most of the faces, but it requires some puzzling skills. https://www.sporcle.com/games/whssox/singer-name-definitions-with-a-picture?t=music I scored 21/21, although I was down to educated
- [New Music Reviews: Snail Mail, Tori Amos, Tirzah](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/21/new-music-reviews-snail-mail-tori-amos-tirzah/) - It's three releases from female solo artists this week. Two are sophomore records - Baltimore indie-rocker Snail Mail and London alternative R&B artist Tirzah both follow up their debuts. Both are worthy, but one is particularly great. Meanwhile, veteran Tori Amos releases her sixteenth studio project. Listening to the Tori Amos album while out cycling,
- [10 Best Male Vocalists](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/10/10-best-male-vocalists/) - Rolling Stone magazine recently published its list of The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. To my mind, they did a good job - covering a lot of bases, and highlighting some excellent vocalists. But it's received a lot of negative attention, most notably for its omission of Celine Dion. Irate Dion fans travelled six
- [Music Quiz: Artist by First #1 Hit VI](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/05/music-quiz-artist-by-first-1-hit-vi/) - I'm away on vacation this week, so I've queued this post up early. At the time of writing, EclecticMusicLover had the only perfect score in last week's quiz. This week it's another in the same series, identifying artists by their first number one Billboard hit. https://www.sporcle.com/games/ghcgh/artist-by-first-1-hit-vi There were more artists of interest to me this
- [Sweetest Thing by U2: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/01/sweetest-thing-by-u2-great-b-sides/) - Irish rock band U2 peaked with their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. Their fifth record, it combined Bono's fervour with a sweeping sound from The Edge's effect-laden guitar and atmospheric production from Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. It's also the band's peak as songwriters - deep cuts like 'Bullet the Blue Sky', 'One Tree Hill',
- [Nuggets: Little Girl by Syndicate of Sound](https://albumreviews.blog/2023/01/08/nuggets-little-girl-by-syndicate-of-sound/) - 'Little Girl' has been covered multiple times - by The Residents, The Divinyls, and The Dead Boys, while R.E.M. played it at early live shows. UK punk band The Banned reached the top 40 with their cover of the song. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: (We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet by the Blues Magoos](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/25/nuggets-we-aint-got-nothin-yet-by-the-blues-magoos/) - A 1967 cover was released by UK band The Spectres - they'd shortly rebrand themselves as Status Quo. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Artist by First #1 Hit II](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/29/music-quiz-artist-by-first-1-hit-ii/) - Noone scored full marks in last week's two album decade quiz, but congratulations to the two contestants tied on 39/40 - KingClover and Geoff Stephen. This week you need to match artists with their first number-one hit. It's eclectic, with everyone from Neil "the Hannukah Hunk" Diamond to Sean "SPeezy" Paul. https://www.sporcle.com/games/mason88/artist-by-1st-1-hit-ii It was interesting
- [Music Quiz: 7 to 1 Female Artists](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/05/03/music-quiz-7-to-1-female-artists/) - Congratulations to Tony (https://mumblingabout.com/), who headed off Rich and Chris for the highest score in a tough duets quiz last week. This week's quiz looks at female solo artists. Match the top 5 hit song to the female artist. https://www.sporcle.com/games/DesertSpartan/does-the-queen-of-soul-get-more-respect-than-rodney-dangerfield I scored 27/28, can you beat me and get full marks?
- [Husband House by Sneaky Feelings](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/06/24/husband-house-by-sneaky-feelings/) - I've undergone a career change this week - I've dropped from full-time to a few hours a week, while my wife has returned to work almost full-time. It's been quite a sudden change - we realised that I was finding my job stressful, my wife's work wanted her back, and our youngest child is nearly
- [Music Quiz: Albums from Two Decades](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/22/music-quiz-albums-from-two-decades/) - Congratulations to 2loud2oldmusic, who pipped Tony by less than 10 seconds for the fastest time in the First 3 Songs quiz. This week's quiz is more time-consuming than most - I recommend setting a few minutes aside for it if you want to play. https://www.sporcle.com/games/manonthemoon/albumconceptquiz I scored 38/40. I struggled with Eminem in the 1990s
- [New Music Reviews: SZA, Brian Eno, and Caroline](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/20/new-music-reviews-sza-brian-eno-and-caroline/) - This week SZA drops an excellent and accessible December album, while veteran Brian Eno and debutant band Caroline provide far more esoteric efforts. SZA SOS 2022, 9/10The publishing of end-of-year music lists has become like a nuclear arms race, pushing further and further into early November. I get vindictive pleasure from SZA, an artist who's
- [Music Quiz: First 3 Songs on an Album (#7)](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/15/music-quiz-first-3-songs-on-an-album-7/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who proved something of a sex expert on last week's quiz. This week your challenge is to identify an album given its first three songs. There's an eclectic mix of music, from John Williams to Cher. https://www.sporcle.com/games/chief7575/first3songs7 I scored 20/20 with 26 seconds remaining. Can you beat my time? In other news,
- [New Music Reviews: Richard Dawson, Phoenix, Weyes Blood](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/13/new-music-reviews-richard-dawson-phoenix-weyes-blood/) - There are still a bunch of worthy 2022 releases to cover - this week I discuss the weirdo British-folk of Richard Dawson, the pop/rock of France's Phoenix, and the 1970s singer-songwriterisms of Weyes Blood. Richard Dawson The Ruby Cord 2022, 9/10Newcastle Upon Tyne’s errant folkie Richard Dawson is prolific, releasing a deluge of material as
- [Nuggets: Shape of Things to Come by Max Frost & The Troopers](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/11/nuggets-shape-of-things-to-come-by-max-frost-the-troopers/) - 'Shape of Things to Come' is less attention-grabbing than their big hits - it's a well-crafted garage rock song. The song was written for the film Wild in the Streets. The film is about a fictional band, Max Frost & The Troopers. Max Frost is played by Christopher Jones, but Paul Wybier takes lead vocals
- [10 Best Sting Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/06/28/10-best-sting-songs/) - Sting's reputation is a little shaky as a solo artist. After leading The Police to the status of the biggest band in the world in 1983, he pursued a high-brow, jazzy direction in his solo career. When I first became interested in pop music, Sting was enjoying a wave of renewed success in the early
- [Music Quiz: You're Talking About Sex, Right?](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/08/music-quiz-youre-talking-about-sex-right/) - Congratulations to Tony, who just pipped James Kalyn from Keepsmealive for top honours in last week's quiz. This week your task is to complete the album titles for songs with sexual euphemisms. https://www.sporcle.com/games/zalkon2004/youre-talkin-about-sex-right?t=music I scored 20/24. It's a pretty eclectic mix of music, although it's perhaps not surprising that it skews towards R&B. On Tuesday,
- [New Music Reviews: Alvvays, Sharon Van Etten, & Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/06/new-music-reviews-alvvays-sharon-van-etten-dawn-richard-and-spencer-zahn/) - This week, the best album has the worst album cover art. Enjoy New Jersey singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten, arty ambience from Spencer Zahn and Dawn Richard, and a tougher sound from Canadian indie band Alvvays. Sharon Van Etten We've Been Going About This All Wrong 2022, 7/10Before streaming, listeners relied on the radio singles to
- [The Plague by Scott Walker: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/06/21/the-plague-by-scott-walker-great-b-sides/) - Scott Walker is one long-time favourite artist who I've barely mentioned on this site (edit - I have now). Born Noel Scott Engel, in Ohio, he moved to London and fronted vocal heartthrob group The Walker Brothers. When the trio broke up in 1967, Scott Walker launched a solo career. Although he had the voice
- [Music Quiz: 1990s One-Hit Wonders](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/12/01/music-quiz-1990s-one-hit-wonders/) - Last week's Band by Long Song Title quiz favoured younger contestants - King Clover narrowly beat Jprobichaud for bragging rights. This week's quiz possibly has a similar demographic skew. You need to link lyrics to a song by a 1990s one-hit wonder. You only need to know five songs, so it's not too tough. https://www.sporcle.com/games/CooCooCachoo/5-to-1-onehit1990s2
- [Nuggets: Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) by The Hombres](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/27/nuggets-let-it-out-let-it-all-hang-out-by-the-hombres/) - The Hombres never enjoyed another hit. Followup single 'Am I High (Boy Am I High)' bombed, and their sole album sank without a trace. The band broke up in 1969. Shockingly, two members of The Hombres died by gunshot - vocalist B.B. Cunningham was killed in 2012 while working as a security guard. 'Let It
- [Music Quiz: Bands by Long Song Title](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/24/music-quiz-bands-by-long-song-title/) - Congratulations to Jamie Kyei from The Music in my Ears, who recorded the fastest time in last week's album quiz. This week you need to link the long and pretentious song title with the artist. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Pepper360/bands-by-long-song-title I knew 16, then squeaked my way to 19/20 thanks to some strong guessing at the end. It felt
- [New Music Reviews: Beth Orton, Alex G, and Cass McCombs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/22/new-music-reviews-beth-orton-alex-g-and-cass-mccombs/) - Three strong records from experienced solo artists this week. 1990s veteran Beth Orton is back with an album of poised and textural folk. Alex G delivers another well-written, quirky pop/rock album, while Cass McCombs delivers an accomplished singer-songwriter record. Beth Orton Weather Alive 2022, 8.5/10Beth Orton wasn't an artist I was expecting to review on
- [Music Quiz: Albums with Title Tracks Removed](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/17/music-quiz-albums-with-title-tracks-removed/) - A few contestants scored full marks last week, in the 1972 #1 hits quiz. EclecticMusicLover scored the fastest time. This week's quiz is album-oriented rather than song-oriented. You need to guess the album name based on a tracklist with the title track removed. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Pepper360/albums-with-title-tracks-removed I scored 23/24 - I knew the artist for the other
- [Nuggets: Fight Fire by The Golliwogs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/13/nuggets-fight-fire-by-the-golliwogs/) - In 1968, The Golliwogs were given the option to rename themselves before releasing their debut album - they chose Creedence Clearwater Revival. According to interviews with band members twenty years later, the name's elements came from three sources: Tom Fogerty's friend Credence Newball, whose name they changed to form the word Creedence (as in creed);
- [Music Quiz: #1 Song to Artist Matchup, 1972](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/10/music-quiz-1-song-to-artist-matchup-1972/) - Congratulations to Max Badfinger, who scored 27/30 on last week's trivia quiz. This week you need to link the 1972 song to the artist. https://www.sporcle.com/games/timschurz/match-bill-to-board-1972?t=music I scored 20/22. Can you beat me? There's a lot of 1970s cheese on the list, outweighing the classics from Bill Withers, Al Green, The Temptations, Roberta Flack, and Nilsson.
- [New Music Reviews: Amanda Shires, Black Midi, and Kabza De Small](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/27/new-music-reviews-amanda-shires-black-midi-and-kabza-de-small/) - It's a diverse week - the folky American of Amanda Shires, the intensity of UK's Black Midi, and the smooth amapiano of South African DJ Kabza De Small. Amanda Shires Take It Like A Man 2022, 8/10Texas-born fiddler and singer-songwriter Amanda Shires has always been a talent, but on her seventh album, she's becoming more
- [New Music Reviews - Marlon Williams, The Beths, and Ibibio Sound Machine](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/08/new-music-reviews-marlon-williams-the-beths-and-ibibio-sound-machine/) - It's a strong week of new-ish releases, with two New Zealand acts. Country crooner Marlon Williams expands his range with a fun new album, while power-pop maestros The Beths are also back. London afro-beats/electronic band Ibibio Sound Machine, with lead singer Eno Williams, also feature. Marlon Williams My Boy 2022, 9/10Marlon Williams carved out a
- [Music Quiz: Trivia Clicking](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/11/03/music-quiz-trivia-clicking/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored the fastest 28/28 in last week's Paul quiz, more than three minutes ahead of Max. This week you need to link bands with trivia. It's interesting, but for someone whose head is stuffed full of musical trivia, there were a few I didn't know. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Gains_Marius/trivia-clicking-bands I found it difficult -
- [Nuggets: At the River's Edge by New Colony Six](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/30/nuggets-at-the-rivers-edge-by-new-colony-six/) - 'At The River's Edge' is the b-side to the band's second single, 1965's 'I Lie Awake'. It's a bluesy song, in the style of The Yardbirds. The song was written by Wally Kemp, whose bass is surprisingly dominant in the mix. The first verse lyrics are amazingly generic, although it quickly takes a sinister turn
- [Music Quiz: Hits by Pauls](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/27/music-quiz-hits-by-pauls/) - Tony managed a very strong 49/50 in last week's tough rock sub-genres quiz, an excellent effort. This week's quiz is shorter, but I found it challenging. You need to identify hits by seven artists named Paul. https://www.sporcle.com/games/DesertSpartan/this-quiz-is-apauling/ I scored 24/28 - I was fine with Mr Simon, Mr McCartney, and Mr Mauriat, but struggled with
- [New Music Reviews: Emily Wells, Beyoncé, and Florist](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/25/new-music-reviews-emily-wells-beyonce-and-florist/) - In this week's set of new reviews, two artists who you may not have encountered previously, as well as global superstar Beyoncé. Emily Wells and Florist's Emily Sprague both identify as LGBTQ. Wells' Regards to the End addresses the AIDS pandemic while Beyoncé's Renaissance was inspired by Black dance music. She was introduced to the
- [Music Quiz: Rock Sub-Genres](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/20/music-quiz-rock-sub-genres/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored the fastest time in last week's golfing quiz. This week's quiz is longer and more challenging. With 50 questions, you may wish to preload on some coffee first. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Hullabaloo/progressive-rock-is-the-best I scored 47/50 with 5:24 remaining. All three I missed were from the 1970s and 1980s - including one very obscure
- [Nuggets: Jack of Diamonds by The Daily Flash](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/16/nuggets-jack-of-diamonds-by-the-daily-flash/) - The band only released one further single in the 1960s, a cover of Ian Tyson and Sylvia Fricker's 'French Girl'. They drifted apart - Hastings briefly joined Buffalo Springfield, to replace Neil Young during one of his absences from the group, while drummer Jon Keliehor was fired for prioritising a TM workshop over a gig.
- [Music Quiz: Musicians Golfing](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/13/music-quiz-musicians-golfing/) - Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who dominated last week's Bands that Became Other Bands quiz - he scored 25, 16% ahead of four contestants tied on 21/25. This week's challenge is a little more straightforward, I believe. You need to identify 12 musicians playing golf. I scored 12/12 with 0:32 remaining - you should be able
- [The Wires Are Down by The Blue Nile: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/11/the-wires-are-down-by-the-blue-nile-great-b-sides/) - Moody Glasgow pop band The Blue Nile have such a slim discography that everything they've recorded is to be treasured. Starting with 1984's A Walk Across The Rooftops, they've only recorded three further albums, along with a solo record from lead singer Paul Buchanan in 2012. My favourite Blue Nile album is 1989's Hats, a
- [Music Quiz: Bands That Became Other Bands](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/06/music-quiz-bands-that-became-other-bands/) - Congratulations to Tony and Max, who tied in last week's Chart Toppers in the 1980s quiz. Amazingly, Rich and EclecticMusicLover both knew Paul McCartney's three number one singles in the 1980s. This week you need to identify 25 bands that became other bands. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Tasi/bands-that-became-other-bands I scored 23/25, which I thought was a pretty good score,
- [Nuggets: Follow Me by Lyme & Cybelle](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/10/02/nuggets-follow-me-by-lyme-cybelle/) - Lyme & Cybelle's career was short-lived. Zevon left after their second single - reports differ on whether it was due to musical differences or Zevon's bad habits. Zevon was replaced by Monkees' guitarist Wayne Erwin, who then fired Cybelle. Zevon took a while to find solo success - after an unsuccessful debut album (1969's Wanted
- [Music Quiz: Chart Toppers in the 1980s](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/29/music-quiz-chart-toppers-in-the-1980s/) - Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who identified some obscure acts and scored 20/20 in last week's quiz. This week's challenge involves identifying acts who enjoyed a Billboard #1 single in the 1980s. Note that you don't get disqualified for clicking a decoy - you need to guess 50 in 2 minutes, so click with impunity. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Roll-On-Two/chart-toppers-in-the-80s
- [Music Quiz: Band or Song? V](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/22/music-quiz-band-or-song-v/) - Congratulations to Tony, who scored the fastest competitor time in last week's AI-Generated 1970s Song Quiz. This week, you are presented with four names - one is the name of the band and three are songs by that band. You need to identify the artist. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Exodiafinder687/band-or-song-5 I scored 18/20 - a few obscure ones (at
- [Music Quiz: 70s Song by AI-Generated Art](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/15/music-quiz-70s-song-by-ai-generated-art/) - Congratulations to boppinsblog, who beat kingclover for bragging rights in last week's quiz. We're staying in the classic rock era for this week's quiz. You need to guess the song based on AI-generated art. https://www.sporcle.com/games/abstractcouch/vqgan-clip-70s-songs I scored 15/15 with 5:18 remaining - the ELO one took me a while to puzzle out. I usually find
- [New Music Reviews: Soccer Mommy, MJ Lenderman, and Cloakroom](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/13/new-music-reviews-soccer-mommy-mj-lenderman-and-cloakroom/) - It's a surprisingly homogenous week of new reviews. Three American rock acts, all from the heartland, all dabbling a little in psychedelia and country. Surprisingly, Soccer Mommy, based in Nashville, is the least country-influenced of the three. Soccer Mommy Sometimes, Forever 2022, 8.5/10Sophie Allison was born in Switzerland and grew up in Nashville. Sometimes, Forever
- [Music Quiz: Complete the Lyrics (Classic Rock)](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/08/music-quiz-complete-the-lyrics-classic-rock/) - Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who just pipped Eclectic Music Lover for the fastest time in last week's Cat Stevens titles quiz. Here's a live version of my favourite song from the quiz, 'Sad Lisa', if you don't know it already: This week you need to complete the classic rock lyric. I scored 14/15, missing the
- [The Best Song Named Gypsy](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/06/the-best-song-named-gypsy/) - Despite almost unlimited access to music with a Spotify subscription, I've maintained a collection of files on my computer, burning my CD collection onto it. Among the tens of thousands of songs, it's notable that my library features four songs named 'Gypsy', and all four are excellent. "Gypsy" is a great word to build a
- [Nuggets: Beg, Borrow, And Steal by The Rare Breed](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/04/nuggets-beg-borrow-and-steal-by-the-rare-breed/) - Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Cat Stevens Song by Image](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/09/01/music-quiz-cat-stevens-song-by-image/) - Congratulations to Tony, who just pipped Rich Kamerman in last week's famous lead singer quiz. This week we have a Cat Stevens quiz. Often I try to avoid artist-specific quizzes, but Stevens' early 1970s hits are pretty universal. https://www.sporcle.com/games/I-Am-Batman/missing-word-cat-stevens-songs-by-image There were a few tricky ones in there, depending on your level of expertise. I scored
- [New Music Reviews: Maggie Rogers, Melody's Echo Chamber, and Shearwater](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/30/new-music-reviews-maggie-rogers-melodys-echo-chamber-and-shearwater/) - This week we have new music from Maryland singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers, the dreamy pop of France's Melody's Echo Chamber, and the mellow, textural indie rock of Shearwater. Enjoy! Maggie Rogers Surrender 2022, 9/10Maggie Rogers delivered an impressive debut with 2019's Heard it in a Past Life. It included 'Alaska', a song that went viral on
- [Weekly Music Quiz: Famous Lead Singers by Band](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/25/weekly-music-quiz-famous-lead-singers-by-band/) - Congratulations to Rich "we mean it" Kamerman, who scored 36/36 in last week's California Bands quiz, correctly sorting Beach Boys and Green Day albums. In this week's challenge, you need to identify lead singers of bands by picture. It's harder than it sounds, as it takes in a variety of genres and eras. There are
- [Nuggets: She's About A Mover by Sir Douglas Quintet](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/21/nuggets-shes-about-a-mover-by-sir-douglas-quintet/) - She's About A Standing Still 'She's About A Mover' featured on the band's first album, the misleadingly named The Best of Sir Douglas Quintet. They soldiered on for another thirteen studio records. Their other famous song is 1968's 'Mendocino', which cracked the Billboard top 30, sold 3 million copies in Europe, and featured in the
- [Weekly Music Quiz: California Bands by Album](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/18/sporcle-california-bands-by-album/) - Jim S narrowly beat EclecticMusicLover in last week's 'Got' Song Titles quiz. This week, you need to link the Californian bands with their albums. Remember you can skip ahead if there's a band you're not very familiar with. https://www.sporcle.com/games/thebail/california-bands-albums-8-to-1 I scored 36/36 with 3:27 remaining, despite having to guess a little at the end between
- [New Music Reviews - Real Lies, Burna Boy, and The Smile](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/16/new-music-reviews-real-lies-burna-boy-and-the-smile/) - This week we have Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy, Radiohead side-project The Smile, and the smooth monologues of London duo Real Lies. Real Lies Lad Ash 2022, 9/10The sophisticated monologues of London electronic duo Real Lies have an obvious precedent. It's hard not to compare them with 1980s synth pop-duo The Pet Shop Boys -
- [Music Quiz: 'Got' Song Titles Quiz](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/11/music-quiz-got-song-titles-quiz/) - Tony dominated last week's MTV Unplugged album quiz, scoring a perfect 24/24. This week we're looking at songs with the word "got" in the title. https://www.sporcle.com/games/JoeBeta/got-song-titles I scored 30/32 - I was down to educated guessing about halfway through the quiz, so I was happy with that. It's been a rough couple of weeks for
- [Arguing with Piero Scaruffi](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/05/08/arguing-with-piero-scaruffi/) - Piero Scarrufi has run an internet site since the 1980s, covering not only music, but travel, film, politics, and pretty much everything else. He's a fascinating character, and he's created an alternative canon of challenging albums from outside the mainstream of rock music. He's a champion of avant-garde acts like Captain Beefheart, Robert Wyatt, and
- [Summer in Paradise by The Beach Boys: 30th Anniversary Review](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/09/summer-in-paradise-by-the-beach-boys-30th-anniversary-review/) - The past week marked the 30th anniversary of The Beach Boys' Summer in Paradise. I've been filling in the gaps in my Beach Boys album review page, so it seemed a good time to revisit the most maligned album from America's Band. Mike Love was still riding on an ego wave when The Beach Boys
- [Nuggets: Little Bit O'Soul by The Music Explosion](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/07/nuggets-little-bit-osoul-by-the-music-explosion/) - The Music Explosion were unable to capitalise on the success of 'Little Bit O'Soul'. None of their other singles cracked the top 50, and their sole album was unsuccessful. There's a fascinating comment section on Mark Prindle's review site, with people like the band's bass player Burton Stahl commenting on how unscrupulous Kasenetz and Katz
- [Hit Me Like You Did The First Time by The Flaming Lips](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/05/27/hit-me-like-you-did-the-first-time-by-the-flaming-lips/) - With all the success The Flaming Lips enjoyed with their layered, emotional Pet Sounds-inspired albums like The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi, it's easy to forget that they started back in the 1990s, as a raw, psychedelic guitar band. This song, originally from 1992's Hit to Death in the Future Head, is even more frenetic in
- [Weekly Music Quiz: MTV Unplugged Albums By Three Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/08/04/weekly-music-quiz-mtv-unplugged-albums-by-three-songs/) - Making mellow music with his wife paid off for Rich Kamerman last week - he scored perfect marks in the 'Margaritaville' quiz. This week you need to identify the Unplugged album by three songs. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Tasi/mtv-unplugged-albums-by-three-songs I scored 23/24 - I'm only on name terms with 30 Seconds to Mars and Dashboard Confessional and messed up
- [Great B-Sides: Dead Souls by Joy Division](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/12/16/great-b-sides-dead-souls-by-joy-division/) - Despite their short career, Joy Division were one of the best known bands from the post-punk era. The Manchester quartet had previously operated as a punk band named Warsaw, but didn't find their signature sound until they slowed down their tempo and producer Martin Hannett drenched them in reverb. The reverb brought out all their distinctive
- [Music Quiz: Margaritaville Clicky-oke](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/28/music-quiz-margaritaville-clicky-oke/) - Congratulations to Tony, who scored 20/20 in last week's Badly Drawn Albums quiz. This week you need to complete the stanzas in Jimmy Buffett's 'Margaritaville'. https://www.sporcle.com/games/jimbaz/margaritaville-clicky-oke I'm not a particular fan of Mr Buffett, and only scored 18 of a possible 21. You can probably beat me! You may also enjoy this clip on The
- [New Music Reviews: Bad Bunny, Rae Morris, and Linda Hoover](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/26/new-music-reviews-bad-bunny-rae-morris-and-linda-hoover/) - It's an eclectic bunch this week - Puerto Rican superstar rapper Bad Bunny and English art-pop from Rae Morris. There's also a new vintage release, with Linda Hoover's 1970 album finally released from the archives. Notably, half of the songs were written by the young songwriting team Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, before they formed
- [Nuggets: Put the Clock Back on the Wall by The E-Types](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/24/nuggets-put-the-clock-back-on-the-wall-by-the-e-types/) - The band broke up after five 1960s singles - 'Put The Clock Back on the Wall' is the best-known. The E-Types reunited for their first studio album in 1998, Chase the Moon, with three of the original members. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Artist to Badly Drawn Album 1](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/21/music-quiz-artist-to-badly-drawn-album-1/) - I had to collate last week's result a little early last week, but when I made this post Max from PowerPop.Blog was the only contestant to score 100%. This week you need to link the artist to the poorly drawn album. We've done this type of quiz before, but this is a little different -
- [Early 1970 by Ringo Starr: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/19/early-1970-by-ringo-starr-great-b-sides/) - Ringo Starr had the most to lose from The Beatles' breakup. John Lennon had already launched a solo career with 'Give Peace a Chance' and 'Cold Turkey'. George Harrison had a stockpile of songs that would form the basis of All Things Must Pass. McCartney commenced work on his solo album McCartney, on which he
- [Music Quiz: Artists with 3+ Albums in Rolling Stone's Top 500](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/14/music-quiz-artists-with-3-albums-in-rolling-stones-top-500/) - Last week we looked at the artists with the most songs in Rolling Stone's recent Top 500 list. King Clover and EclecticMusicLover both scored 34/35, although King Clover didn't record a time. This week it's the companion quiz, with Rolling Stone's Top 500 albums. https://www.sporcle.com/games/tk926/artists_top_500_album I'm generally stronger at album quizzes than song quizzes, and
- [Nuggets: Falling Sugar by The Palace Guard](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/10/nuggets-falling-sugar-by-the-palace-guard/) - Emitt Rhodes eventually sought more of the spotlight - it started when he took a solo turn at Palace Guard gigs to sing The Beatles' 'Michelle', accompanying himself on guitar. Still merely 16, Rhodes left The Palace Guard to form his own band, The Merry-Go-Round, also featured on Nuggets. Rhodes also released acclaimed one-man-band albums
- [Music Quiz: Most Songs in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/07/music-quiz-most-songs-in-rolling-stones-500-greatest-songs/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who just pipped MusicEnthusiast in last week's Music in Song Titles quiz. I was even more impressed by 2loud2oldmusic, who solved last week's bonus question, linking five albums by knowing they were recorded at Electric Lady studios. This week we look at the artists with at least three songs in Rolling Stone's
- [New Music Reviews: Let's Eat Grandma, Angel Olsen, and Daniel Rossen](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/07/05/new-music-reviews-lets-eat-grandma-and-angel-olsen/) - It's the strongest batch of new(ish) releases for a while - Let's Eat Grandma's quirky synth-pop is more streamlined and emotionally affecting than before. Angel Olsen's previous record, All Mirrors was excellent, but her new one is even better. Grizzly Bear's Daniel Rossen steps out with his first solo album. Let's Eat Grandma Two Ribbons
- [Music Quiz: Music in Song Titles](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/30/music-quiz-music-in-song-titles/) - Congratulations to Jamie, who scored the fastest time with a perfect score in last week's Name Any Song quiz. In this week's quiz you need to link the musical term with a song title. Each answer is used exactly twice - so you can skip questions and use the process of elimination, even if it
- [Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Gestures](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/26/nuggets-run-run-run-by-the-gestures/) - 'Run, Run, Run' made #44 on the charts, impressive from a teenaged band from a small city. Apparently the single's performance was hampered by distribution issues - it was a popular radio hit but wasn't available in stores. The band only made a couple of singles before drifting apart, with Dale Menten joining another local
- [Music Quiz: Name Any Song from a Classic Album](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/23/music-quiz-name-any-song-from-a-classic-album/) - Last week's semi-obscure 1970s album quiz threw up a diverse range of scores - Rich Kamerman top-scored with 36/40. This week you need to name any track off of an acclaimed album. Even if you don't know any songs, a lot of these records feature a title track. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Spacemaniac/name-any-song I scored 20/20 with 6:18 remaining.
- [Haim: Classic or Dud?](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/11/14/haim-classic-or-dud/) - I've spent a lot of time on this blog so far with music from the 1960s and 1970s, and it's always a relatively easy task; generally, I find that most artists that have stood the test of time for 40 years are well worth getting to know. Covering acts from current times is trickier -
- [Music Quiz: Lesser Known 1970s Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/16/music-quiz-lesser-known-1970s-albums/) - Thanks to everyone who played last week's first album/last album quiz. Congratulations to Sheik Yerbouti, who finished fastest, in less than a minute. This week you need to identify the artists behind some 1970s albums. The artists are pretty well-known, but the quiz maker has spotlighted some of their less known records. https://www.sporcle.com/games/cymbalrush84/lesser-known-albums-1970s/ I scored
- [I Don’t Know What You’ve Got But It’s Got Me (Part 2) by Little Richard: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/06/18/i-dont-know-what-youve-got-but-its-got-me-part-2-by-little-richard/) - Little Richard emerged in the first wave of rock and roll in the 1950s, with hits like 'Tutti Frutti' and 'Long Tall Sally'. He and his contemporaries lost steam by the late 1950s; Elvis joined the army, Buddy Holly perished in a plane crash, while Jerry Lee Lewis's career faltered after he married his 13-year-old
- [Nuggets: I Need You by The Rationals](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/12/nuggets-i-need-you-by-the-rationals/) - 'I Need You' is an overlooked early Kinks song - it's a follow-up to their early garage-rock hits like 'You Really Got Me' and 'All Day and All of the Night'. Oddly, The Rationals' cover was recorded in 1965 but wasn't released until 1968. By this time it was an anachronism, left behind by three
- [Music Quiz: Bands by First and Last Album](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/09/music-quiz-bands-by-first-and-last-album/) - Jim couldn't defend his crown - Tony took out last week's setlist quiz with the only perfect score. This week you need to recognise a band (or solo artist) when shown a split image of their first and final albums. You can play at: https://www.sporcle.com/games/Pepper360/bands-by-first-and-last-album I think it's on the easier side - I scored
- [New Music Reviews: Hatchie, Silvana Estrada, Kelly Lee Owens](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/07/new-music-reviews-hatchie-silvana-estrada-kelly-lee-owens/) - Three albums from female artists this week - the debut album from Mexican folk/jazz artist Silvana Estrada, the sophomore album from Australian dream-pop artist Hatchie, and the third album from Welsh electronic producer and vocalist Kelly Lee Owens. It's a sign of the times that all three releases were affected by the pandemic - Estrada's
- [Sign of Love by Aimee Mann](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/05/sign-of-love-by-aimee-mann/) - Aimee Mann scored her only hit single with her first attempt. She fronted Boston new wave band 'Til Tuesday, whose debut single 'Voices Carry' reached #8 on the Billboard charts. Despite the immediate success of 'Voices Carry', it took a few years for Mann's artistry to catch up with her success. 'Til Tuesday hit their
- [Weekly Music Quiz: Band by Setlist III](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/06/02/weekly-music-quiz-band-by-setlist-iii/) - Congratulations again to Jim, who won this site's Sporcle challenge for the second week running. The very first Sporcle challenge that I laid down on this website was Band by Setlist I - only two people entered, and both of them also entered last week's quiz. More than five years later, it's time for Band
- [Nuggets: Knock, Knock by The Humane Society](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/29/nuggets-knock-knock-by-the-humane-society/) - The Humane Society's second single, for a different label, was unsuccessful and the band folded. Vocalist Danny Wheetman continued in the music industry, with a career that diverted from 'Knock, Knock'. He recorded an album in 1975 with the country-rock band Liberty, and also toured with John Denver for years. He's recorded a dozen albums
- [Nuggets: Primitive by The Groupies](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/15/nuggets-primitive-by-the-groupies/) - Before he became Patti Smith's lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-to 1968 and was a major influence on punk rock. Rhino Records reissued an expanded version of the
- [Music Quiz: Song Titles!](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/26/music-quiz-song-titles/) - Congratulations to Music Enthusiast Jim, who scored the fastest time in last week's Parentheses quiz. Last week it was parentheses, this week it's exclamation marks! It's pretty eclectic, with everything from Louis Armstrong to Bruno Mars. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Hullabaloo/song-titles I had to do some educated guessing but still made it to 35/35 with 3:38 remaining. Can you
- [New Music Reviews: Destroyer, Midlake, and Sault](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/24/new-music-reviews-destroyer-midlake-and-sault/) - Three records from established acts this week. Canada's Dan Bejar is back with another album of sardonic bleating (in the best possible way). Indie-folk band Midlake are much less prolific than London's Sault; Sault's classical work Air is their sixth album since 2019, while Midlake released the first of their five albums back in 2004.
- [Music Quiz: Songs with Parentheses](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/19/music-quiz-songs-with-parentheses/) - Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who scored the fastest time in last week's quiz, narrowly beating Max. This week, regular reader KingClover has supplied a quiz for our enjoyment. You need to match the parts of song titles, including parentheses. https://www.sporcle.com/games/kingclover555/songs-with-parentheses I scored full marks with 3:00 (exactly half of the available time) remaining. Can you
- [Book Review: The Show That Never Ends - The Rise and Fall of Prog Rock by David Weigel](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/17/book-review-the-show-that-never-ends-the-rise-and-fall-of-prog-rock-by-david-weigel/) - David Weigel is a journalist - he's known for his coverage of the conservative movement in the US. He once riled Donald Trump enough that the then-president called for Weigel's firing from The Washington Post. Weigel's also the author of a 2017 book about progressive rock: The Show That Never Ends: The Rise and Fall
- [Music Quiz: 1970s Bands by Member](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/12/music-quiz-1970s-bands-by-member/) - Congratulations to KingClover, who scored the only 10/10 in last week's quiz. A lot of contestants, including myself, didn't recognise Motown's Mary Wells. This week there's a list of members from 30 well-known 1970s bands that you need to identify. https://www.sporcle.com/games/caramba/70s_band_members I scored 28/30. Can you beat my score?
- [Music Quiz: Singers Who Died in the 1990s](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/05/music-quiz-2/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored the fastest perfect score in last week's Signs quiz. There's just a brief quiz this week, with ten questions: https://www.sporcle.com/games/daran/singers-died-in-the-1990s I only answered 8 of those 10 questions correctly - I didn't recognise a couple from early in the decade. Since that was so short, here's a bonus quiz that
- [New Music Reviews: Spoon, Rosalía, Wet Leg, and The Weather Station](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/03/new-music-reviews-spoon-rosalia-and-wet-leg/) - IIt's not my favourite batch of new releases this week - lots of solid 7.5s. Indie band Spoon release their tenth album, Spain's Rosalía follows up her acclaimed flamenco-pop album El Mal Querer, and Isle of Wight duo Wet Leg release their debut. Spoon Lucifer on the Sofa Years of playing together as a band
- [Nuggets: Psycho by The Sonics](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/05/01/nuggets-psycho-by-the-sonics/) - The Sonics drifted apart in the late 1960s, with saxophonist Rob Lind serving as a fighter pilot in Vietnam and other members attending university. The band continued, with none of the classic members involved, until 1980. The use of their version of 'Have Love, Will Travel' in a 2004 TV ad raised their profile and
- [Music Quiz: Signs o the Times](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/28/music-quiz-signs-o-the-times/) - Thanks for playing Click, Click, Boom! last week. There was a tie for fastest time between Tony and msjadeli. This week you need to link the trivia question to the road sign. It's a rock-oriented quiz. https://www.sporcle.com/games/bhenderson79/signs-o-the-times I scored 16/16 with 3:45 remaining. Can you beat my time? Read More Music Quizzes
- [Music Quiz: Click, click, BOOM](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/21/music-quiz-click-click-boom/) - Hello, and welcome back. Last week's classic rock picture quiz proved tricky - the two highest challengers tied for 12/15. This week we're back to some music trivia. Can you answer the questions correctly? Bear in mind it's sudden death - if you get one wrong you're gone from the game. There are also 6
- [New Music Reviews: Nilüfer Yanya, Beach House, and Black Country, New Road](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/19/new-music-reviews-nilufer-yanya-beach-house-and-black-country-new-road/) - It's a strong batch of 2022 records this week - London's Nilüfer Yanya drops a sophomore album that's even more impressive than her strong debut. Baltimore dream-pop duo Beach House still sound inspired on their eighth studio album. Black Country, New Road released their second album exactly 364 days after their first, and four days
- [New Music Reviews: Adrianne Lenker, Gillian Welch, and Ariana Grande](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/08/new-music-reviews-adrianne-lenker-gillian-welch-and-ariana-grande/) - Three recent albums - a solo album by Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker, enthralling with just voice and guitar. An archival release from Americana legend Gillian Welch, covering the first volume of 48 songs she recorded in one weekend in 2016. And the third album in three years from pop/R&B superstar Ariana Grande. Adrianne Lenker Songs
- [Nuggets: So What! by The Lyrics](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/17/nuggets-so-what-by-the-lyrics/) - The other Lyrics wished to pursue a different direction and fired Gaylord from the band. Gaylord reportedly never recorded again before passing away in 2013, while The Lyrics petered out after a couple of unsuccessful singles. Of the songs that I know titled 'So What', The Lyrics is middle of the table, behind Miles Davis
- [10 Worst Sting Lyrics](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/12/10-worst-sting-lyrics/) - In 2007 Blender named Sting as the worst lyricist in pop music, accusing the former Police frontman of “mountainous pomposity (and) cloying spirituality”. I enjoy much of Sting's music - The Police had a terrific run of singles and Sting records such as ...Nothing Like The Sun and The Soul Cages are strong, I draw
- [Music Quiz: Picture This Classic Rock Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/14/music-quiz-picture-this-classic-rock-songs/) - Congratulations to kingclover, who scored 34/35 in last week's Song Title quiz. And congratulations to Jim, who guessed that Christie Brinkley painted the cover of Billy Joel's River of Dreams album. This week you need to guess the classic rock song given some skeletal opening lines and some picture clues. It looks more complicated than
- [Music Quiz: Song Title Mistaken for its Refrain](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/07/music-quiz-song-title-mistaken-for-its-refrain/) - Congratulations to everyone who scored 20/20 in last week's Rock Quartet quiz - especially Jim the Music Enthusiast who scored the fastest time. This week, you need to name the hit song from the key line in the chorus. https://www.sporcle.com/games/redhed311/refrain-from-assuming I scored 34/35 - I was regrettably unfamiliar with the band Nine Days. As a
- [New Music Reviews: Animal Collective, Gang of Youths, Charli XCX](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/05/new-music-reviews-animal-collective-gang-of-youths-charli-xcx/) - This week on the review table, there are new albums from anthemic Australian alt-rock band Gang of Youths - think of a confluence between U2, Springsteen, and War on Drugs. English pop maverick Charli XCX is back with her fifth studio album, while indie darlings Animal Collective are enjoying their most critically acclaimed album for
- [Nuggets: You Must Be A Witch by The Lollipop Shoppe](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/04/03/nuggets-you-must-be-a-witch-by-the-lollipop-shoppe/) - 'You Must Be A Witch' was the lead single from the band's only album, Just Colour, their first record as The Lollipop Shoppe. Neither the single nor the album charted, and the band broke up in 1969. 'You Must Be A Witch' holds up well though - the guitar and vocal are moody and menacing.
- [Nuggets: Maid of Sugar - Maid of Spice by Mouse and the Traps](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/13/nuggets-maid-of-sugar-maid-of-spice-by-mouse-and-the-traps/) - The band released a handful of singles through the 1960s. The members mostly continued in music - largely in country and rockabilly bands. The original band reunited in 1986 during the Texas Sesquicentennial celebration - they performed at Flag Pole Hill in Dallas in front of an estimated audience of 7000. Read More Nuggets Song
- [Nuggets: You Ain't Tuff by The Uniques](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/27/nuggets-you-aint-tuff-by-the-uniques/) - Lead singer Joe Stampley went onto a very successful career in country music - he enjoyed four country #1s in the 1970s, including a remake of 'All These Things'. Along with Stampley, the other members were Ray Mills (lead guitar), Bobby Sims (rhythm guitar), Bobby Stampley (bass), and Mike Love (not THAT Mike Love, drums).
- [Nuggets: Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White by The Standells](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/13/nuggets-sometimes-good-guys-dont-wear-white-by-the-standells/) - The Standells are led by Larry Tamblyn, whose brother Russ Tamblyn is a notable actor. Lead vocals were handled by drummer Dick Dodd. The group’s notable for several high profile musicians who were members before joining other bands - early drummer Gary Leeds would join The Walker Brothers, Dewey Martin briefly replaced Dodd in 1965
- [Music Quiz: Rock Quartets by First Names](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/31/music-quiz-rock-quartets-by-first-names/) - Last week's quiz about Antonyms was pretty straightforward, with a bunch of 20/20s. Tony was fastest. This week is another pretty easy one I think - you have the identify the rock quartet by their first names. They've largely stuck to uber-popular bands. https://www.sporcle.com/games/pabramoff/rock-quartets-by-first-names I scored 20/20, although I didn't record my time like I
- [Ten Favourite Multi-Talented Musicians](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/02/05/ten-favourite-multi-talented-musicians/) - Some musical careers revolve around doing one thing expertly - Billie Holiday sang, Burt Bacharach wrote songs. Other musical careers showcase a smorgasbord of talents - here are ten musicians with impressively wide skill-sets: Beck Mr Postmodern music is a skilled multi-instrumentalist. These are his credits for 1996's excellent Odelay. Beck Hansen: vocals (all tracks),
- [Haitian Fight Song by Charles Mingus](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/05/20/haitian-fight-song-by-charles-mingus/)
- [New Music Reviews: Childish Gambino, Porridge Radio, and Baxter Dury](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/06/02/new-music-reviews-childish-gambino-porridge-radio-and-baxter-dury/) - Normally my method for finding new music is to read about it, add it to a playlist, and listen to it over until I enjoy it. Normally this works well - I enjoyed all of the 51 albums that I reviewed from 2019. 2020 is shaping up to be a strong year overall, but some
- [Music Quiz: Missing Song Antonyms II](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/24/music-quiz-missing-song-antonyms-ii/) - Congratulations to Eclectic Music Lover, who recorded a perfect 25/25 in last week's quiz about Albums With At Least Four Top Ten Hits. This week requires some language skills as well as knowledge of song titles. You need to put the antonym (the opposite) in the song title. For example, if the clue was "The
- [New Music Reviews: Big Thief, Jane Weaver, and Forenzics](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/22/new-music-reviews-big-thief-jane-weaver-and-forenzics/) - I thoroughly enjoyed this week's batch of records. Rootsy indie darlings Big Thief deliver the record that should stand as their career legacy. I'm a year late on Jane Weaver's impressive Flock, while Eddie Rayner and Tim Finn recontextualise their work with Split Enz as Forenzics. Big Thief Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in
- [Music Quiz: Albums with at Least Four Top Ten Hits](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/17/music-quiz-albums-with-at-least-four-top-ten-hits/) - Congratulations to Tony and EclecticMusicLover, who both scored 12/12 in last week's quiz. This week it's all about commercial juggernauts - albums with at least four top ten hits. It ranges from the 1970s to the 2010s and is pop-centric. You need to be a little careful between multiple albums from the same artist (including
- [Harness Your Hopes by Pavement: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/15/harness-your-hopes-by-pavement-great-b-sides/) - The streaming era has scattered previously held views on the hierarchy of popular music. Despite a critical pasting, Queen have emerged as the dominant classic rock band. The number one spot on the Billboard 100 in early 2022 has largely been shared by Mariah Carey's 1994 hit 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' and
- [Music Quiz: Decade by Three Album Releases](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/10/music-quiz-decade-by-three-album-releases/) - Congratulations to Tony, who narrowly edged Sheik Yerbouti for bragging rights in last week's Shopping List quiz. This week's quiz has amazing breadth, covering more than a century of recorded music. You need to link the three albums to the correct decade. https://www.sporcle.com/games/jimbaz/decade-by-three-album-releases I scored 11/12 - I was mixed up between the 1930s and
- [Aphoristic Album Reviews: The Missing Years](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/10/aphoristic-album-reviews-the-missing-years/) - I've had a few issues with the WordPress Reader feed recently - this post both tests if it's now working and re-exposes my most recent posts. Today's Quiz: https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/10/music-quiz-decade-by-three-album-releases/ New Music Reviews: https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/08/new-music-reviews-cate-le-bon-heisei-no-oto-and-howie-lee/ Ten Best Sam Phillips Songs: https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/06/10-best-sam-phillips-songs/
- [New Music Reviews: Cate Le Bon, Heisei No Oto, and Howie Lee](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/08/new-music-reviews-cate-le-bon-heisei-no-oto-and-howie-lee/) - The title New Music Reviews is a little misleading this week, given that one of the new releases is a compilation of songs released between 1989 and 1996. Additionally, two of these three albums are from 2021. But read on for reviews of Welsh art-pop artist (and unexpectedly gifted bassist) Cate Le Bon, Chinese producer
- [Music Quiz: Album by Shopping Receipt](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/03/03/music-quiz-album-by-shopping-receipt/) - Last week's Album by Shopping Receipt IV was a toughie, but a couple of contestants made it to 23/24 - good work Tony and Sheik Yerbouti. I'm not necessarily planning on doing every quiz in the series, but I wanted to do one more. https://www.sporcle.com/games/st3volution/album-by-shopping-receipt I scored 21/25. It was pretty noticeable that almost everything
- [Music Quiz: Album by Shopping Receipt III](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/24/music-quiz-album-by-shopping-receipt-iii/) - Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who scored the only 24/24 on last week's quiz. This week, we're looking at "Shopping Receipts" from artists - they're actually tracklists with track times. I liked how it covered a wide variety of music. https://www.sporcle.com/games/st3volution/album-by-shopping-receipt-iii I scored 20/24 - I drew a total blank on one prominent 2010s boyband where
- [New Music Reviews: Mitski, Arooj Aftab, and Hikaru Utada](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/22/new-music-reviews-mitski-arooj-aftab-and-hikaru-utada/) - Welcome back to the first instalment of new music reviews for 2022. This week I feature three female artists in their thirties of Asian descent - the art-rock of indie heroine Mitski, the jazz/Hindustani classical hybrid of Arooj Aftab, and the pop sounds of Hikaru Utada. I still have a small pile of 2021 records
- [Nature's Best? 30 Great New Zealand Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/12/10/natures-best-30-great-new-zealand-songs-part-4/) - Welcome back for the 4th and final episode of my run through of New Zealand's 30 greatest pop songs - today we look at the final 6 songs. If you missed them, the first three installments are part 1, part 2, and part 3. #6 - Sway - Bic Runga (1997)I have mixed feelings on
- [Music Quiz: Find the Band Member VIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/17/music-quiz-find-the-band-member-viii/) - Noone scored a full 24/24 in last week's quiz, but we did have a bunch of 23s. Tony had the fastest recorded time with 3:54 remaining. It's the final quiz in the series this week. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MSUKent/find-the-band-member-viii I managed to arrest my run of falling scores this week - so far I've gone 24, 24, 24,
- [Music Quiz: Find the Band Member VII](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/10/music-quiz-find-the-band-member-vii/) - Congratulations to occasional contestant Heavy Metal Overlord, who scored the fastest time in last week's Find The Band Member quiz. Due to poor advanced planning on my part, we're now up to Find the Band Member VII. We started at VI, and worked backwards - now there are a couple at the end to finish
- [10 Worst Billy Joel Lyrics](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/08/10-worst-billy-joel-lyrics/) - I wasn't planning to make more bad lyricist lists, but lots of people enjoyed the New Order list. Two obvious candidates for a bad lyricist list share a first name or a last name with Bernard Sumner, but this time it's Long Island piano-pop artist Billy Joel. It's noticeable that most of these lines come
- [Nuggets: She's My Baby by The Mojo Men](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/06/nuggets-shes-my-baby-by-the-mojo-men/) - The central riff of 'She's My Baby' is its strongest feature. This was recognised by Kanye West, who slowed it down and used it as the basis of the track 'Hell of a Life' on his acclaimed 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. That's not the group's only link to a more recent and
- [10 Best Lyricists of All Time](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/03/03/10-best-lyricists-of-all-time/) - In popular music, lyrics are less important than the music. Often the words of popular songs float past innocuously. Stringing together meaningless words that sound good together can be an effective strategy - ask Jon Anderson or A.C. Newman. Bad lyrics can be a deal-breaker; I enjoy Flea's bass playing but I can't get past
- [Music Quiz: Find the Band Member](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/02/03/music-quiz-find-the-band-member/) - Congratulations to Tony, who scored the fastest time in last week's Find the Band Member II quiz, locating 24 famous musicians in less than a minute. This week, unsurprisingly, it's Find the Band Member I - for some reason, I started at #6, so we still have #7 and #8 left to compete and complete.
- [Music Quiz: Find the Band Member II](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/27/music-quiz-find-the-band-member-ii/) - Congratulations to Pierce from https://thepressmusicreviews.wordpress.com/ who snuck in a second faster than Tony to win last week's challenge in a blistering minute. This week, unsurprisingly, it's Find the Band Members Part 2. I think they're getting easier as we work backwards. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MSUKent/find-the-band-member-ii I got them all correct with 2:32 remaining. There were a few people
- [Music Quiz: Find the Band Member III](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/20/music-quiz-find-the-band-member-iii/) - It looks like Music Enthusiast Jim won last week's quiz, leading a large number of perfect scores with the fastest time. Unsurprisingly, we're moving on to Find the Band Member III this week. I think they get easier as we move backward through the series and the acts become more well-known. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MSUKent/find-the-band-member-iii I scored 24/24
- [Nuggets: Story of My Life by The Unrelated Segments](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/16/nuggets-story-of-my-life-by-the-unrelated-segments/) - 'Story of My Life' has a creative arrangement with a busy bassline and some weird phasing of the backing vocals. It's bluesy, but delivered at breakneck speed - it doesn't sound particularly like any of the British R&B bands that the American garage bands liked to imitate. Despite some initial (and deserved) regional success, the
- [Music Quiz: Find the Band Member IV](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/13/music-quiz-find-the-band-member-iv/) - Congratulations to the contestants who scored 24/24 in last week's quiz - it looks like jprobichaud from https://mylifeinmusiclists.ca/ was the fastest. This week we're continuing with the Find the Band Member quizzes - I've been enjoying the broad range of artists featured. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MSUKent/find-the-band-member-iv There was a bit more music nerd fodder this week, like X
- [Goin' Down by The Monkees - Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/09/goin-down-by-the-monkees-great-b-sides/) - Famously, The Monkees started as a band created for a TV show - they were sometimes referred to as the Prefab Four. But as their career progressed, they asserted more influence over their career. On their third album, Headquarters, The Monkees played most of the instruments themselves, becoming almost a self-contained band. The two musicians
- [Music Quiz: Find the Band Member V](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/06/music-quiz-find-the-band-member-v/) - Last week, in Find the Band Member VI, Rich Kamerman had the best score of 23/24 when I scheduled this post - apologies if you recorded your score later, as I'm on vacation. This week, it's more of the same. You need to click the band member when given a band name. As with last
- [Nuggets: I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time by The Third Bardo](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/02/nuggets-im-five-years-ahead-of-my-time-by-the-third-bardo/) - Monn went onto a brief solo career as Chris Moon, but it's difficult to find any other info on the members of The Third Bardo. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [New Music Reviews: Tricot, Ducks Ltd, and L'Rain](https://albumreviews.blog/2022/01/04/new-music-reviews-tricot-ducks-ltd-and-lrain/) - Welcome to the final batch of 2021 music reviews - I've reviewed 72 new releases this year, about as many as I can manage in this one-man operation. There are two guitar bands this week - the retro jangle-pop of Ducks Ltd and the poppy math-rock leanings of Japanese Tricot. There's also the psychedelic R&B
- [Music Quiz: Find the Band Member VI](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/30/music-quiz-find-the-band-member-vi/) - Congratulations to everyone who scored 20/20 in last week's Album Covers II quiz, and also condolences to the contestants who scored 19/20 but missed The Doors' Strange Days. Special congratulations to Jamie from https://themusicinmyears.wordpress.com/, who scored the fastest time. This week you need to link the band name with the picture of an individual member.
- [New Music Reviews: Richard Dawson & Circle, Mr. Twin Sister, and Art School Girlfriend](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/28/new-music-reviews-richard-dawson-circle-mr-twin-sister-and-art-school-girlfriend/) - We've had a few high-profile artists recently, but we're back to the niches this week - the folk-prog of Richard Dawson & Circle, the eclectic indie-pop of Mr. Twin Sister, and the dreamy ambient pop of Art School Girlfriend. Enjoy! Richard Dawson & Circle Henki Rocking, full of personality, AND educational - it's a tough
- [Christmas With Jesus by Josh Rouse](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/26/christmas-with-jesus-by-josh-rouse/) - Nebraskan singer-songwriter Josh Rouse is undervalued - his thoughtful and tuneful songs could have been hits in another era. He released some great records in the early 21st century - the concept album of Under Cold Blue Stars, about a small-town couple in the 1950s, the 1970s pastiche of 1972, and the breakup album Nashville.
- [Christmas Must Be Tonight by The Band](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/12/24/christmas-must-be-tonight-by-the-band/) - I spent my time at University working in a supermarket part time, and it only served to deepen my apathy to Christmas pop songs. The supermarket played music on a four hour cycle, with the songs in the same order each time, so if you'd worked enough shifts you'd know exactly what was coming next.
- [Music Quiz: Album Covers II](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/23/music-quiz-album-covers-ii/) - I had to post this week's quiz a little early, so I might have missed some late entries for last week's Red Album quiz. But congratulations to 2Loud2Old Music, who recorded a perfect score with the best time. This week, it's another old-fashioned album cover quiz, but with typing instead of clicking. https://www.sporcle.com/games/g/albumcovers2 I scored
- [Music Quiz: Click the Red Album](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/16/music-quiz-click-the-red-album/) - Congratulations to Tony, who just pipped Max and Eclectic Music Lover for the fastest time in last week's Blackboard Musicians quiz. This week you need to click the red albums - it's straightforward. https://www.sporcle.com/games/gazzso/click-the-red-album I scored 15/15 with 3:55 remaining - can you beat my time? Last week's bonus clue was a little tricky. The
- [New Music Reviews - Lana Del Rey, Grouper, Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/14/new-music-reviews-lana-del-rey-grouper-sufjan-stevens-and-angelo-de-augustine/) - The most high-profile group of artists for a while - most music fans should have heard of Del Rey and Stevens. Conversely, it’s also the weakest group of releases for a while - Stevens and Del Rey have both made stronger records in the past. Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine A Beginner's Mind A
- [Your Hometown (and hows its musical legacy compares to Gainesville, Florida)](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/07/24/your-hometown-and-hows-its-musical-legacy-compares-to-gainesville-florida/) - I grew up in, and still live in, Lower Hutt, New Zealand, a satellite city of the capital Wellington. Like your average satellite city, it can feel like a cultural vacuum, full of sprawling suburbia - if you want to see a gig or eat fancy cuisine, you go into the capital. Despite that, Lower
- [Nuggets: Mirror Of Your Mind by We The People](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/12/nuggets-mirror-of-your-mind-by-we-the-people/) - We The People never released a studio album, but did release enough singles to justify several compilations; notably 1983's Declaration of Independence. Like The Band and The The, We The People's Declaration of Independence is not an easy item to find on Google! Proctor wrote most of We The People's material, but it was Tommy
- [Music Quiz: Blackboard Blitz Instrumentalists](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/09/music-quiz-blackboard-blitz-instrumentalists/) - As you'd expect from a niche quiz, last week's London Calling competition threw up a range of scores. Congratulations to the Punk Panther who, as you'd hope from his name, scored 19/19. We have a rather high-brow quiz this week - you need to click and eliminate the people who are famous for talents other
- [New Music Reviews: Low, Deafheaven, Sun-El Musician](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/07/new-music-reviews-low-deafheaven-sun-el-musician/) - It's a strong week of records this week. Two records reflect changed style - Minnesota's Low have added distorted guitars to their slow-paced folk, as they've done on their previous pair of records, while San Francisco's Deafheaven have toned down their screaming. Meanwhile, South Africa's Sun-El Musician keeps in his lane of South African house
- [Music Quiz: Opening Lyrics of London Calling](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/12/02/music-quiz-opening-lyrics-of-london-calling/) - Last week we looked at Best New Artist Grammy winners. There was a three-way tie for first place - Tony, Rich, and Geoff (with help from Geoff's wife) all scored 34/40. Late Addendum: after I scheduled this post, EclecticMusicLover submitted a perfect 40/40. This week it's the only quiz that matters. You need to link
- [New Music Reviews: Foxing, Magdalena Bay, and Jupiter & Okwess](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/30/new-music-reviews-foxing-magdalena-bay-and-jupiter-okwess/) - Welcome to what's probably the most obscure batch of reviews for this year - Missouri indie band Foxing, Miami synth-pop duo Magdalena Bay, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Jupiter & Okwess. Since it's almost December, brace yourself for a few more New Music Review Tuesdays over the coming weeks - there are still
- [New Music Reviews: Black Midi, Lindsey Buckingham, and Torres](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/05/new-music-reviews-black-midi-lindsey-buckingham-and-torres/) - Not as strong as last week's crop of records - the new black midi record is excellent but I'm less enthused about new music from Lindsey Buckingham and Torres. Lindsey Buckingham Lindsey Buckingham Buckingham's perenially underrated - the genius behind Fleetwood Mac's commercial behemoths. But this isn't his best solo effort - I'd recommend trying
- [I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams by Weezer: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/30/i-just-threw-out-the-love-of-my-dreams-by-weezer-great-b-sides/) - Los Angeles power-pop band Weezer have pumped out records since 1994, but they're largely beloved for their first pair of albums; 1994's Weezer and 1996's Pinkerton. Both records featured bass player Matt Sharp and were the only records Weezer made before a five-year hiatus. Pinkerton was initially unsuccessful, and it caused the band to splinter;
- [Music Quiz: Best New Artist Grammy by Song](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/25/music-quiz-best-new-artist-grammy-by-song/) - We had a tie last week in the White Album quiz - congratulations to Jim and Max, who tied with a time of 3:10. I'm not sure if we'll have any 100% scores this week, but I'm happy to be proven wrong. You need to match the artist to their song - all 40 on
- [Music Quiz: Opening Lyrics of The White Album](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/18/music-quiz-opening-lyrics-of-the-white-album/) - Congratulations to Rich "Taxman" Kamerman, who squeaked out the fastest time in last weeks 1960s quiz. There were lots of contestants who were very close on his tail. With apologies to younger readers, we're staying in the 1960s for another week. This week you need to link the opening lines of the songs from the
- [New Music Reviews: The War on Drugs, Spellling, and Brandi Carlile](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/16/new-music-review-the-war-on-drugs-spellling-and-brandi-carlile/) - This week we have roots-rock from The War on Drugs, art-rock from Spellling, and country/folk from Brandi Carlile. Two of the albums have tracks with backing vocals from Brooklyn indie-pop band Lucius. I find two of these albums easier to admire than to full-heartedly embrace, but all three are worthwhile. Which ones? Read on and
- [Nuggets: Double Yellow Line by The Music Machine](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/14/nuggets-double-yellow-line-by-the-music-machine/) - Before he became Patti Smith's lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on punk rock. Rhino Records reissued an expanded version of the set in 1998, with 118
- [New Music Reviews: Brandy Clark and Katie Pruitt](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/04/28/new-music-reviews-brandy-clark-and-katie-pruitt/) - This week Aphoristical Album Reviews takes a look at recent releases from two female artists in the Americana/country zone. Both of these records have lovely production and strong songwriting, and are highly recommended. Katie Pruitt Expectations 'Expectations' taps into an upbeat pop/rock sound, but much of Pruitt's material on the rest of the the record
- [Nuggets: The Witch by The Sonics](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/14/nuggets-the-witch-by-the-sonics/) - The Sonics drifted apart in the late 1960s, with saxophonist Rob Lind serving as a fighter pilot in Vietnam and other members attending university. The band continued with none of the classic members involved until 1980. The use of their version of 'Have Love, Will Travel' in a 2004 TV ad raised their profile and
- [Nuggets: Get Me to the World on Time by The Electric Prunes](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/28/get-me-to-the-world-on-time-by-the-electric-prunes/) - The Electric Prunes' fuzzy sound and the charismatic voice of James Lowe make them an enjoyable listen. The song is slight, but it's fun hearing them adapt the Bo Diddley beat into a psychedelic record. The Electric Prunes made two records as a band in the 1960s - both of the Nuggets tracks are drawn
- [Nuggets: Mr. Pharmacist by The Other Half](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/14/mr-pharmacist-by-the-other-half/) - 'Mr. Pharmacist' is similar to Count Five's 'Psychotic Reaction', released a few months earlier, in but it stands on its own as a great pop tune. Many younger listeners may have heard The Fall's 1986 cover before the original. The Fall's version is tougher sounding but Jeff Nowlen's vocal is surprisingly similar to The Fall's
- [Nuggets: Open Up Your Door by Richard & the Young Lions](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/07/open-up-your-door-by-richard-the-young-lions/) - Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Complication by The Monks](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/28/nuggets-complication-by-the-monks/) - The Monks were formed by a bunch of G.I.s in Germany - while serving in Germany interrupted Elvis Presley's career, it did launch The Monks. They released the single 'There She Walks' as The Torquays, before changing their name to The Monks. They released one highly regarded album, Black Monk Time, in 1966. The band
- [Nuggets: Optical Sound by The Human Expression](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/31/nuggets-optical-sound-by-the-human-expression/) - After ‘Optical Sound’, the band’s career faltered. They considered two songs from outside writer Mars Bonfire for their follow-up single. They used ‘Sweet Child of Nothingness’, which became their third single. The song they rejected was ‘Born to be Wild’, which became a US #2 for Steppenwolf. The band’s career ended prematurely after bassist Tom
- [Music Quiz: Complete the 1960s Song Title with a Picture](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/11/music-quiz-complete-the-1960s-song-title-with-a-picture/) - We had another tie last week with the quickfire Tic-Tac-Toe quiz. Tony and Geoff both solved the puzzle with 2:13 remaining. This week you need to complete the 1960s song title with a picture. It's fun and creative. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Noldeh/like-a-clicking-stone I scored 20/20 with 3:57 remaining. Can you beat my time? We're still dealing with Covid
- [Screwed by Janelle Monáe featuring Zoe Kravitz](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/06/03/screwed-by-janelle-monae-featuring-zoe-kravitz/) - Up until this year's Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe's entire musical career has consisted of Afro-Futurist concept albums, based around her alter-ego Cindi Mayweather. But with Dirty Computer, Monáe's created a much more personal album, expressing her political and sexual concerns; she. As brilliant as her previous body of work is, Dirty Computer is easily her most
- [Music Quiz: Tic-Tac-Toe](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/04/music-quiz-tic-tac-toe/) - Congratulations to everyone who scored 26/26 in the 1990s Ruined by a Letter quiz - Tony easily recorded the fastest score, thanks to some judicious coffee. Drew didn't complete the quiz, but was the only person to solve the bonus question - the choice of album art was New Order's only 1990s album, Republic, which
- [New Music Reviews: Billie Eilish, Little Simz, and Natalie Hemby](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/11/02/new-music-reviews-billie-eilish-little-simz-and-natalie-hemby/) - It's not technically true, but it's essentially sophomore albums today. Superstar Billie Eilish releases her second album, UK rapper Little Simz is back for her second record with Inflo, while Natalie Hemby follows her 2017 soundtrack Puxico with a studio album of classy country. Billie Eilish Happier than Ever Happier Than Ever outstays its welcome,
- [Nuggets: You Burn Me Up and Down by We The People](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/17/nuggets-you-burn-me-up-and-down-by-we-the-people/) - It's commendable that the Nuggets compilers sifted through the group's b-sides for material, but 'You Burn Me Up and Down' is one of the lesser tracks I've encountered on Nuggets so far. It sounds inspired by Van Morrison's Them, with a bluesy feel and authoritative lead vocal. We The People never released a studio album,
- [Nuggets: I Live in the Springtime by The Lemon Drops](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/03/nuggets-i-live-in-the-springtime-by-the-lemon-drops/) - The group sold 1,500 copies of their first single, but lack of funds stopped production. They recorded demos in late 1967, which remained unreleased until they were compiled on a pair of albums in the mid-1980s. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Mindrocker by Fenwyck](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/27/nuggets-mindrocker-by-fenwyck/) - Neither Jerry Raye nor Fenwyck wrote the song, and it also turned up as the b-side of American Breed's 'Bend Me, Shape Me' in December 1967. As one of the later songs to be recorded from Nuggets, Fenwyck's take on 'Mindrocker' is relatively ambitious - there are folk-rock harmonies in the verses, like The Byrds
- [Nuggets: Hold Me Now by The Rumors](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/20/nuggets-hold-me-now-by-the-rumors/) - It's hard to find much information about the band, but Pinsky went on to earn a Ph. D in English and became a professor at Augusta State University, Georgia. Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Love's Gone Bad by The Underdogs](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/13/nuggets-loves-gone-bad-by-the-underdogs/) - The Underdogs' version of 'Love's Gone Bad' is an interesting fusion between garage rock and blue-eyed soul, but I prefer the more straightforward soul take from Chris Clark in 1966: Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Nuggets: Why Pick On Me by The Standells](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/06/nuggets-why-pick-on-me-by-the-standells/) - The Standells are led by Larry Tamblyn, whose brother Russ Tamblyn is a notable actor. Lead vocals were handled by drummer Dick Dodd. The group’s notable for several high profile musicians who were members before joining other bands - early drummer Gary Leeds would later join The Walker Brothers, Dewey Martin would briefly replace Dodd
- [Nuggets: Bad Girl by The Zakary Thaks](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/22/bad-girl-by-the-zakary-thaks/) - And indeed it was. "Bad Girl" by The Zakary Thaks is a high-speed, chord-driven doop-chick doop-chick hardcore punk song from 1966. Guitar distortion wasn't quite worth its weight in snuff at that point in time, but you play that song today with today's modern distortion pedal and see how many old people let you into
- [Nuggets: Blackout of Gretely by GONN](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/15/nuggets-blackout-of-gretely/) - GONN seemed destined to land in obscurity - a second single, 'Doin' Me In', wasn't released. They courted controversy by playing in front of a large Nazi flag, didn't progress far beyond playing Iowa state fairs, and they broke up in 1969. 'Blackout of Gretely' belatedly gained a following, especially after it was featured on
- [Nuggets: Voices Green and Purple by The Bees](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/08/nuggets-voices-green-and-purple-by-the-bees/) - 'Voices Green and Purple' has some parallels with the early Rolling Stones - vocalist and bassist Robbie Wood's voice resembles Mick Jagger, as does the bands bluesy stomp. It's the unhinged chorus that's most notable though, accelerating into chaos. 'Voices Green and Purple' tells the story of a bad acid trip - opinions vary on
- [Nuggets: Blue's Theme by Davie Allan & the Arrows](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/03/nuggets-blues-theme-by-davie-allan-the-arrows/) - What would you rate 'Blue's Theme'? Read More Nuggets Song by Song 1960s Album Reviews
- [Music Quiz: Ruined by a Letter 1990s #2](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/28/music-quiz-ruined-by-a-letter-1990s-2/) - Last week's US Presidents quiz featured the cover image of Olivia Rodrigo's debut album Sour. The second single from that album was 'Deja Vu', and it's Deja Vu on the scoreboard this week, with Rich Kamerman and EclecticMusicLover again tying at the top of the leaderboard. They both had perfect scores, but Rich was slightly
- [Music Quiz: Musicians with a US President](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/21/music-quiz-musicians-with-a-us-president/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover and Rich Kamerman who both scored 29/30 in last week's Musicians with US Presidents II quiz. This week we're looking at the prequel: https://www.sporcle.com/games/qlh27/rock-the-vote I scored 22/30 - I struggled with recognising some of the country artists in particular. How did you score?
- [Music Quiz: Musicians with a US President II](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/14/music-quiz-musicians-with-a-us-president-ii/) - Congratulations to Tony, whose 24/25 in last week's Famous Albums Badly Drawn Quiz was a clear winner. This week you need to identify the musicians pictured with US presidents. https://www.sporcle.com/games/qlh27/rockin-in-the-free-world/ I only scored 20/30 - I'm not very good at facial recognition. The balding musician who looked a bit like Jack Nicholson was driving me
- [New Music Reviews: Chvrches, Lorde, Faye Webster](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/19/new-music-reviews-chvrches-lorde-faye-webster/) - One of my pet theories at Aphoristic Album Reviews is that artists peak with their fourth (and fifth) albums. Today, I review the recently-released fourth albums from Glasgow synth-pop band CHVRCHES (with a cameo from The Cure's Robert Smith) and Atlanta's Faye Webster. Coincidentally or not, they're both more impressive than Lorde's Solar Power; merely
- [Nuggets: Journey To The Center Of The Mind by The Amboy Dukes](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/17/nuggets-journey-to-the-center-of-the-mind-by-the-amboy-dukes/) - 'Journey to the Center of the Mind' was The Amboy Dukes' big moment - it reached #16 on the charts. The group's career faltered, losing key members and they eventually morphed into Nugent's backing band. Nugent is best-known for his 1977 hit 'Cat Scratch Fever'. Vocalist John Drake and guitarist Steve Farmer both passed away
- [Music Quiz: Famous Albums Badly Drawn](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/10/07/music-quiz-famous-albums-badly-drawn/) - For most of the week, it looked like 'Advance Australia Fair' was going to ring around the medal ceremony. A late entry from Rich Kamerman turned out to be the fastest time, just pipping Bruce. Congratulations to everyone who participated. This week, there are more badly drawn albums. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Rube/mspaintalbums It's a little more into low-selling
- [Music Quiz: Who's in the Band?](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/30/music-quiz-whos-in-the-band/) - Congratulations to everyone who participated in last week's badly drawn 1970s hits quiz. Especially to Eclectic Music Lover, who just edged Rich Kamerman for first place. Also, thanks for reading my daughters' book. This week you need to sort a bunch of old/dead white guys into their bands. I was happy to see that the
- [New Music Reviews: Kacey Musgraves, Tinashe, and Tyler, The Creator](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/28/new-music-reviews-kacey-musgraves-tinashe-and-tyler-the-creator/) - Three American artists this week, although Tyler, The Creator and Tinashe both have fathers with African heritage - Tyler's father was born in Nigeria and Tinashe's father is a first-generation Zimbabwean immigrant. Meanwhile, Kacey Musgraves veers further away from the heartland country sound of her early work on her fourth album Star-Crossed. Kacey Musgraves Star-Crossed
- [Music Quiz: Artist to Badly Drawn Songs 1970s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/23/music-quiz-artist-to-badly-drawn-songs-1970s/) - Congratulations to kingclover and ElecticMusicLover, who both scored 36/38 in last week's tough 'The' Bands quiz. It included some obscure answers like The Donnas and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. This week, it's a return to the badly drawn franchise. Can you name these badly drawn songs from the 1970s? https://www.sporcle.com/games/MoMosMoProblems/artist-to-badly-drawn-song-70s-1 I got them all correct,
- [10 Best Hit Songs of the 1960s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/21/10-best-hit-songs-of-the-1960s/) - The 1960s were an exciting time for popular music, with new genres emerging and recording technology evolving constantly. I recently listed 10 awful 1960s songs, so it's time to pick out some highlights. This list largely eschews the most acclaimed acts of the 1960s - The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and The Beach Boys have deep
- [Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young's Best Album: Déjà Vu](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/10/20/crosby-stills-nash-and-youngs-best-album-deja-vu/) - Expectations were high for Crosby, Stills, and Nash's second album. Their 1969 debut album was acclaimed, and their appearance at Woodstock only increased their profile. The record company insisted that the trio add another member, after Stephen Stills had played most of the instruments on the debut. After considering Jimi Hendrix and Steve Winwood, the
- [New Music Reviews: Lucy Dacus, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Erika de Casier](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/14/new-music-reviews-lucy-dacus-godspeed-you-black-emperor-erika-de-casier/) - I've been finding lots of albums in the good to very good range this year, but not many great ones. Here are three more strong, but not classic, albums. American indie rock artist Lucy Dacus, Canadian post-rockers Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Danish producer Erika de Casier. Lucy Dacus Home Video It's mostly mellow and
- [Music Quiz: 'The' Bands](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/16/music-quiz-the-bands/) - Congratulations to Tony, who caffeined up and motored through last week's Flip Flop albums quiz. This week is straightforward after last time's visual hysteria. You just need to name the band given the song. https://www.sporcle.com/games/g/thebands I scored 35/38 - I think that was a pretty good effort, as the median score was 41%. The three
- [Music Quiz: Flip Flop Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/09/music-quiz-flip-flop-albums/) - Congratulatons to EclecticMusicLover, who easily won last week's never had a #1 single. He scored 26/29, 3 ahead of J's 23, while no one else scored over 20. This week's quiz is a little confusing. You need to select the named album, but the grid flashes with decoy albums. It took me a while to
- [‘39 by Queen](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/07/29/39-by-queen/) - It's a fair bet that Queen's Brian May is the only person to have achieved a number one pop song and a PhD in Astrophysics. He combined these two skill-sets in ''39', an album track from 1975's A Night At The Opera.Until recently, I assumed the song was something to do with the outbreak of
- [Under Attack by ABBA](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/04/29/under-attack-by-abba/) - It's been an interesting month for 1970s band reunions - first we had Fleetwood Mac drop Lindsey Buckingham, effectively becoming Fleetwood House and a Heartbreaker. And now ABBA have announced their first new music for 35 years, along with a tour as holograms. ABBA seemed like The Smiths or Hüsker Dü, a group that would always
- [These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/09/23/these-are-days-by-10000-maniacs/) - Spring is my favourite time of the year in New Zealand - the days get longer and sunnier. I don't have a song that I associate with any other season, but my spring song is 10,000 Maniacs' 'These Are Days'. The song captures a feeling of optimism and hope that I associate with lengthening days and
- [Music Quiz: Never Had a #1 Single](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/09/02/music-quiz-never-had-a-1-single/) - Congratulations to Aaron, who just edged Tony and Rich for the fastest time last week. This week you need to select the artists that never had a #1 Billboard single. It's not sudden death - if you get one wrong, you can keep going. https://www.sporcle.com/games/citkeane/always-a-bridesmaid It's pretty tough - I was surprised by some of
- [New Music Reviews - Squid, Cleo Sol, and Andy Partridge](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/31/new-music-reviews-squid-cleo-sol-and-andy-partridge/) - In an unplanned coincidence, today's three recent releases are from English settlements ending with on. Post-punk band Squid from Brighton, London's Cleo Sol, and Swindon's Andy Partridge. Squid Bright Green Field Squid have enough personality and chops to make Bright Green Field a fascinating debut album. It opens up plenty of possibilities for future Squid
- [Music Quiz: Band by Fan Store Product](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/26/music-quiz-band-by-fan-store-product/) - Congratulations to tomwritesaboutstuff, who recorded the fastest time in last week's acrostic puzzle quiz. This week you need to name the musical act given a promotional product with their branding. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Aprilli/band-by-fan-store-product-slideshow I scored 19/20 - I missed the squiggly face logo. I suspect there will be plenty of 20/20s this week. It's fitting that the
- [The Ten Best Songs Ever (According To Me)](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/04/16/the-ten-best-songs-ever-according-to-me/) - Lists are always subjective, but songs are particularly so - there are way more to choose from. It’s also way easier to burn out on songs - twenty years ago I would have likely chosen popular tracks like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ or ‘Superstition’, but now the list is largely comprised on deep cuts that haven’t outworn
- [Music Quiz: Mini Acrostic Puzzle](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/19/music-quiz-mini-acrostic-puzzle/) - Congratulations to kingclover, who scored the only 100% score in last week's finish that album quiz. We can continue on with that series sometime, but here's a complete the lyrics/acrostic challenge. You can use the acrostic puzzle to help, but if you can complete all the lyrics you'll be able to finish the quiz without
- [New Music Reviews: St. Vincent, Japanese Breakfast, Emeka Ogboh](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/17/new-music-reviews-st-vincent-japanese-breakfast-emeka-ogboh/) - There's a strong batch of newish albums this week. The retro 1970s sleaze of St. Vincent's Daddy's Home, the diverse indie-pop of Japanese Breakfast's Jubilee, and the Nigerian ambient field recordings of Emeka Ogboh. St. Vincent Daddy's Home St. Vincent often feels like a cut above other musicians - even when she's limiting herself to
- [Music Quiz: The Last Word Albums II](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/12/music-quiz-the-last-word-albums-ii/) - Congratulations to Eclectic Music Lover and Tony, who were the only 100% scores in last week's Last Word Albums quiz. Not surprisingly, this week we're looking at Last Word Albusm II. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Flick/lastfamousalbumiisfun I scored 32/36 - I missed albums by Green Day (twice), The Foo Fighters, and Foreigner. It's a tricky quiz because it often
- [Music Quiz: The Last Word, Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/05/music-quiz-the-last-word-albums/) - Congratulations to Sheik Yerbouti, who won last week's 2010s' Badly Drawn Songs challenge. This week you need to complete the titles of famous albums - although famous is debatable for some of these titles IMO. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Flick/lastfamousalbumsfun I scored 35/36, and I expect that Canadian participants will pick up the one I missed. My fifth cousin
- [New Music Reviews: Can, Mdou Moctar, and Xiu Xiu](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/08/03/new-music-reviews-can-mdou-moctar-and-xiu-xiu/) - 1970s avant-garde German band Can pull a classic show out of their archives, while Mdou Moctar plays desert blues in Niger. Indie band Xiu Xiu are up to their twelfth record, but it's the first time I've checked in with them. Read on for details. Can Live in Stuttgart 1975 The lengthy jams of Live
- [Music Quiz: Artist to Badly Drawn Songs 2010s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/29/music-quiz-artist-to-badly-drawn-songs-2010s/) - Congratulations to Sheik Yerbouti, who scored a perfect 20/20 in last week's quiz. There were lots of strong 18s and 19s too. I apologise in advance if this week's quiz is a little tricky for some regular quiz participants - it covers the 2010s: https://www.sporcle.com/games/MoMosMoProblems/artist-to-badly-drawn-song-10s I scored 13/20 - I made it to 10, then
- [Book Review: In Love With These Times - My Life With Flying Nun Records by Roger Shepherd](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/27/book-review-in-love-with-these-times-my-life-with-flying-nun-records-by-roger-shepherd/) - Note: In Love With These Times was released in 2016, but I only read it recently. Flying Nun is a beloved New Zealand record label, known for a string of alternative albums in the 1980s and 1990s. Legendary DJ John Peel once described Flying Nun as "the best label in the world", and In Love
- [Music Quiz: Artist by Badly Drawn Song 2000s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/22/music-quiz-artist-by-badly-drawn-song-2000s/) - Congratulations to Jamie from https://themusicinmyears.wordpress.com/, who pipped Rich for the fastest time last week. This week we're back to badly drawn songs. This week it's the 2000s: https://www.sporcle.com/games/MoMosMoProblems/artist-to-badly-drawn-song-2000s-1 I'm not quite as confident in the 2000s as in earlier decades - I didn't keep up with radio during that era. But I somehow scraped to
- [New Music Reviews: Manchester Orchestra, tUnE-yArDs, and Wolf Alice](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/20/new-music-reviews-manchester-orchestra-tune-yards-and-wolf-alice/) - Welcome back to new music reviews, with three recent albums. Manchester Orchestra's earnest stadium rock, tUnE-yArDs' eclectic indie-soul, and Wolf Alice's valiant attempts to reignite mainstream rock. Manchester Orchestra The Million Masks of God The Million Masks of God sounds like a lame fifth-generation U2-knockoff on paper, but it's often great in practice. tUnE-yArDs Sketchy.
- [Music Quiz: Follow That Lyric Song Titles II](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/15/music-quiz-follow-that-lyric-song-titles-ii/) - Since Sporcle doesn't measure micro-seconds, it looks like we had a dead heat last week. Congratulations to Rich Kamerman and Tony, who tied both with 3:11 remaining. This week we're tackling the sequel - cunningly named Follow That Lyric Song Titles II. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MovieGuru/follow-that-lyric-song-titles-ii I tried this quiz and I liked it, scoring 25/25 with 3:14
- [Music Quiz: Artist by Badly Drawn Song 1980s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/20/music-quiz-artist-by-badly-drawn-song-1980s/) - Congratulations to Paul from https://mikeandpaulsmusicblog.com/ who scored the fastest time in scoring 20/20 in last week's badly drawn song quiz from the 1960s and 1970s. This week we're continuing into the 1980s. Again there are some amusingly macabre images. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MoMosMoProblems/artist-to-badly-drawn-song-80s-90s I scored 16/16 with 4:44 remaining. Can you beat my time? Does anyone else really
- [Blk Girl Soldier by Jamila Woods](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/06/07/blk-girl-soldier-by-jamila-woods/) - Chicago's Jamila Woods is a writer and a recording artist, and as such she's able to sing eloquently about racial issues. Her second album, 2019's Legacy! Legacy!, was a neo-soul masterpiece, so recently I've gone back to her 2016 debut Heavn. The standout track is 'Blk Girl Soldier', inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement.
- [Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia: New Music Review](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/05/05/dua-lipa-future-nostalgia-new-music-review/) - Pop music has become a much more respected art form in the past decade. Records like Taylor Swift's 1989, Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion, and Robyn's Honey have attained the acclaim usually reserved for more critically favoured musical genres. Dua Lipa's an obvious candidate to cross from mainstream radio to critical credibility. She enjoyed a provocative
- [Music Quiz: 16 Little Musical Instrumental Pictograms](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/09/12/music-quiz-16-little-musical-instrumental-pictograms/) - Congratulations to all the participants in last week’s music jokes quiz. Rich from KamerTunesBlog, helped by his job in music retail, scored the fastest time among the 24s, with Tony and Bruce hard on his heels. This week's quiz requires you to name musical instruments from pictogram clues. https://www.sporcle.com/games/bhenderson79/instrumental-pictograms The pictogram with a flower drove me crazy
- [The Ten Best Singer-Songwriters Ever](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/09/10/the-ten-best-singer-songwriters-ever/) - Google's dictionary defines a singer-songwriter as "a person who sings and writes popular songs, especially professionally." The term's come to have a more specific meaning - I understand it to mean artists who record as solo acts, who write their own lyrics and tunes, and usually accompany themselves on piano or acoustic guitar. The singer-songwriter
- [Five Best Songs from the Bob Dylan film I'm Not There](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/01/22/favourite-five-songs-from-im-not-there/) - The Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There is a fascinating film, portraying different aspects of Dylan using six different actors, including a woman; Cate Blanchett steals the show with her portrayal of Bob Dylan's twitchy peak in the mid-1960s. I don't find the soundtrack as captivating at the movie, and clearly some of the greatest
- [Music Quiz: David Bowie Through The Years](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/12/05/music-quiz-david-bowie-through-the-years/) - Congratulations to Tony (https://mumblingabout.com/), who narrowly defeated Murphy's Law in last week's Aphoristic Album Reviews Part 2 music quiz. After an epic 50 question last week, this week's quiz is a little shorter. There are 10 different shots of David Bowie throughout his career - your task is to match the image to the year.
- [Ruined By A Letter Song Titles: Music Quiz](https://albumreviews.blog/2018/09/13/ruined-by-a-letter-song-titles-music-quiz/) - I was pretty amazed when we got three 30/30 in last week's tough trivia contest - congratulations to Geoff, Tony, and Murphy's Law. This weeks is based in the 2000s, and requires you to fix a song title by changing a letter. https://m.sporcle.com/games/samc67/ruined-by-a-letter-song-titles-2000s I scored full marks with 2:28 remaining. Can you beat my time?
- [Music Quiz: 90s Rock Song By 5 Words](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/14/music-quiz-90s-rock-song-by-5-words/) - We have two weeks of Missing Musician Antonyms results to catch up with. Sheik Yerbouti had the fastest time with a perfect score a fortnight ago, while last week jprobichaud scored the fastest time and guessed the bonus answer. This week you need to guess iconic 1990s songs by a 5 word phrase. https://www.sporcle.com/games/BorezU/taylor-swift-5-words (despite
- [Music Quiz: Nonsense](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/30/music-quiz-nonsense/) - Congratulations to everyone who scored full marks in last week's quiz, but especially to Tony who had the fastest time. This week we're looking at songs with nonsense titles. https://www.sporcle.com/games/DesertSpartan/kid-rock-rates-this-quiz-bawitdaba I only knew about half, but using the process of elimination based on date of release I lucked my way through to 20/20 with 3:05
- [Come Around - Sugar](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/08/27/come-around-sugar/) - Whether he's recording as the guitarist and co-leader of Hüsker Dü, as a solo artist, or as the leader of Sugar, you generally know what you're going to get from Bob Mould. I understand that he's diversified somewhat on some of his later solo albums, but for a good deal of his career, his sound
- [Music Quiz: Follow That Lyric Song Titles](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/08/music-quiz-follow-that-lyric-song-titles/) - Congratulations to Music Enthusiast Jim, who took home the fastest perfect score in last week's Follow That Lyric 1960s challenge. Max from PowerPopBlog guessed the bonus question first - the answer was Van Morrison. This week it's another Follow That Lyric challenge, but with no set decade - it ranges from 1960s chestnuts to 1990s
- [New Music Reviews: Sault, Genesis Owusu, Miranda Lambert](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/06/new-music-reviews-sault-genesis-owusu-miranda-lambert/) - Three new-ish records this week. The fifth album in little over two years from London's enigmatic Sault, a debut from Australian R&B artist Genesis Owusu, while Miranda Lambert joins two other country artists for a literal campfire singalong, Sault Nine It does feel a little slight compared to some of their earlier records - it’s
- [Music Quiz: Follow That Lyric 1960s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/07/01/music-quiz-follow-that-lyric-1960s/) - Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, on the moon this week with a high score of 17/20 in the Today I Learned quiz. This week you need to follow the lyrics in iconic 1960s songs. It should be pretty easy for most regular contestants - I'm anticipating a speed race. https://www.sporcle.com/games/El_Dandy/follow-that-lyric-60s-songs I scored 25/25 with 4:22 remaining
- [Revisiting Creative Noise](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/29/creative-noise/) - During the first decade of the 2000s, this website was a minor, unremarkable part of the “web reviewing community”, where people reviewed albums as a hobby. Here I revisit another of my favourite sites. Like Wilson & Alroy's Record Reviews, Brian Burks' Creative Noise was a very early adopter of the internet for music reviews.
- [10 Best Hits of the 1990s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/25/10-best-hits-of-the-1990s/) - The 1990s are fondly remembered in hindsight, the decade of grunge, gangsta-rap, trip-hop, and Brit-pop. This list of the 10 best songs of the 1990s is more rock-oriented than I expected, given the diverse nature of the decade. Apart from R.E.M. at #10, a lot of these acts feel like wasted potential. Most notably, the
- [Music Quiz: Today I Learned](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/24/music-quiz-today-i-learned/) - Congratulations to Eclectic Music Lover, whose love of eclectic music helped him to score 24/24 in last week's overlap quiz. This week you need to identify which musical "facts" are true and which are imagined. They forgot to include the time when the London Olympics invited Keith Moon, dead for 34 years, to play the
- [New Music Reviews: Crowded House, The Chills, and Porter Robinson](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/22/new-music-reviews-crowded-house-the-chills-and-porter-robinson/) - Coincidentally this week, I review two 7th studio albums by New Zealand bands starting with C. As well as Porter Robinson's electro-pop album Nurture. Crowded House Dreamers Are Waiting Crowded House have made three albums since their reformation in 2006. None of them recaptures the magic of their initial tenure with drummer Paul Hester, but
- [Celebrate the News by The Beach Boys: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/20/celebrate-the-news-by-the-beach-boys-great-b-sides/) - 'Celebrate the News' is much more idiosyncratic - the opening section, based around an acoustic strum, is in 6/4 The second half ramps up into a more conventional 4/4 time signature, using the group's harmonies. The quality of this live version is poor and is mostly the studio version. The live vocals are impressive, particularly
- [Locked Inside by Janelle Monáe](https://albumreviews.blog/2017/12/17/locked-inside-by-janelle-monae/) - I haven't spent a lot of time with Janelle Monáe yet, but she's impressive; able to enjoy popularity despite an uncompromising approach. While there are clear antecedents to her use of science fiction concepts in the R&B genre, with Parliament in the 1970s, her psychedelic soul feels fresh and innovative. 'Locked Inside' is taken from her
- [David Bowie's Best Album: Station to Station](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/08/18/david-bowies-best-album-station-to-station/) - By 1976, David Bowie had already enjoyed a glittering career. His majestic 1969 hit 'Space Oddity' established his career, after a false start with the 1967 novelty 'The Laughing Gnome'. Bowie's first successful album was 1971's Hunky Dory.1972's glam rock The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars transformed him into
- [51st Anniversary by The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/04/51st-anniversary-by-the-jimi-hendrix-experience-great-b-sides/) - By the time Jimi Hendrix released debut album Are You Experienced?, he certainly was experienced. After a stint in the army, training as a paratrooper, he played with the Isley Brothers, Little Richard, and his own band Jimmy James and the Famous Flames. By the time former Animals bassist Chas Chandler signed him to a
- [Inside and Out by Genesis: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/25/inside-and-out-by-genesis-great-b-sides/) - Against all odds, Phil Collins made a strong start to his tenure as Genesis' lead vocalist. Recorded after Peter Gabriel left to pursue a solo career, 1976's A Trick of the Tail was an impressive record. Collins couldn't replicate Gabriel's weirdness and theatricality. But his voice was similar and he successfully fronted a strong set
- [So Long Jerry by Ween: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/31/so-long-jerry-by-ween-great-b-sides/) - One of the most misleading album titles in popular music is Ween's 12 Golden Country Greats. The country part isn't misleading; Dean and Gene Ween actually recorded an entire album in Nashville with notable musos like Charlie McCoy and Bud Picher. The trick is the number 12 - the album that only contains 10 songs.
- [Peter Gabriel's Best Album: Peter Gabriel (1980)](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/05/peter-gabriels-best-album/) - Before going solo, Peter Gabriel fronted the progressive rock band Genesis for six albums. His theatrical flair, croaky voice, and creative wordplay were all important ingredients in the the group's artistic success. Only 25 years old, Gabriel announced his departure from Genesis in 1975, but it took Gabriel time to find his footing as a
- [Music Quiz: Song Title Overlaps](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/17/music-quiz-song-title-overlaps/) - Welcome back to weekly music quiz. Congratulations to Sheik Yerbouti, who just pipped Jim for the fastest time in last week's quiz. This week you need to name the missing words in song title pairs. https://www.sporcle.com/games/ghcgh/song-title-overlaps I scored 22/24. The One Direction song was driving me crazy because I know their Sesame Street version but
- [Music Quiz: Building the Beatles](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/10/music-quiz-building-the-beatles/) - Congratulations to jprobichaud, who recorded the fastest time in last week's quiz. https://www.sporcle.com/games/GeoEarthling/building-the-beatles This week is a single-artist quiz, about The Beatles. You need to identify the four Beatles, an iconic album cover, and fill in the gaps in some famous songs. There are a handful of semi-obscure songs, but it's not too tough -
- [New Music Reviews: Dawn Richard, Olivia Rodrigo, Jazmine Sullivan](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/08/new-music-reviews-dawn-richard-olivia-rodrigo-jazmine-sullivan/) - This week we look at three releases from contemporary female American artists - R&B artists Jazmine Sullivan and Dawn Richard, and actor Olivia Rodrigo, who's rapidly become a pop superstar in 2021. Olivia Rodrigo Sour Sour has made Rodrigo into a pop superstar, and hopefully she delivers a classic pop record to match her newly
- [Todd Rundgren's Best Album: A Wizard, a True Star](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/07/21/todd-rundgrens-best-album-a-wizard-a-true-star/) - Philadelphia uber-talent Todd Rundgren started his recorded career with The Nazz, acting as songwriter and guitarist. When The Nazz broke up, Rundgren learned how to use the studio, frustrated by his lack of technical control in The Nazz. While his writing in The Nazz was influenced by The Who and The Beatles, Rundgren had become
- [Slint's Best Album: Spiderland](https://albumreviews.blog/2019/06/23/slints-best-album-spiderland/) - The two main creative forces in Slint, vocalist/guitarist Brian McMahan and drummer/guitarist/vocalist Britt Walford, both played in the Louisville punk band Squirrel Bait in the mid-1980s. Along with guitarist David Pajo and bassist Ethan Buckler, they formed Slint in 1986. Washer The longest song on Spiderland, 'Washer' simmers gently before erupting into final spasms of
- [Music Quiz: Artist by Badly Drawn Song 1990s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/06/03/music-quiz-artist-by-badly-drawn-song-1990s/) - Congratulations to Tony, who top-scored with 15/16 in last week's badly drawn sexy album covers quiz. This week we're up to the 1990s - can you match the title to the badly drawn image? https://www.sporcle.com/games/MoMosMoProblems/artist-to-badly-drawn-song-90s I scored 19/20 - I chose the wrong option for the Michael Jackson hit. Can you beat me and score
- [New Music Reviews: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and The London Symphony Orchestra, DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, and Tresor](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/18/new-music-reviews-nick-cave-and-warren-ellis-floating-points-pharoah-sanders-and-the-london-symphony-orchestra-dj-maphorisa-kabza-de-small-and-tresor/) - Welcome to what's surely the longest headline in the history of Aphoristic Album Reviews. Coincidentally, all three albums in this week's review pile are collaborations between multiple artists. It's a diverse week - Australian elder statesmen Nick Cave and Warren Ellis recorded the gorgeously ruminative Carnage. An 80-year-old jazz legend, an electronica artist in his
- [Music Quiz: Maxim's Sexiest Album Covers (Badly Drawn)](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/27/music-quiz-maxims-sexiest-album-covers-badly-drawn/) - Congratulations to Tony from https://mumblingabout.com/, who scored the fastest time for last week's badly drawn 1980s quiz. This week we're onto badly drawn sexy covers. https://www.sporcle.com/games/MrChewypoo/Im_too_sexy_for_my_cat It's a bit trickier than the last couple because there are some obscure choices in there and the lack of colour isn't helpful. I scored 14/16 - can you
- [Music Quiz: Artist by Badly Drawn Song 1960s and 1970s](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/13/music-quiz-artist-by-badly-drawn-song-1960s-and-1970s/) - Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover and 2Loud2OldMusic, who both scored 19/20 in last week's Tracks on the Back Solo quiz. I was expecting contestants to struggle with the more recent offerings, but Jeff and John both missed Tori Amos' 1994 album Under The Pink. adventurepdx did brilliant in the bonus quiz, writing in a couple of minutes
- [Music Quiz: Tracks on the Back Solo](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/05/06/music-quiz-tracks-on-the-back-solo/) - Congratulations to Kamer Chameleo-Man who scored the fastest perfect score last week. This week you need to identify solo artists from the tracks on the back of one of their albums. https://www.sporcle.com/games/bhenderson79/tracks-on-the-back-solo/ There's a fair chunk of modern pop in there, so it might prove challenging for some listeners. I scored 20/20 with 3:27 remaining
- [Music Quiz: Guess Em In Fewer Words](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/29/music-quiz-guess-em-in-fewer-words/) - Congratulations to 'Boom Boom' Rich Kamermancini, who won for the second week running in last week's 4x4 quiz. This week it was a lot closer, with a bunch of contestants very close behind his time. This week you need to guess artists based on a few words from the song titles. The clues get shorter
- [New Music Reviews: Flock of Dimes, Kacy & Clayton & Marlon Williams, and Buck Meek](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/27/new-music-reviews-flock-of-dimes-kacy-clayton-marlon-williams-and-buck-meek/) - There's an Americana theme with these three new releases. Jenn Wasner covers a lot of musical ground with her excellent second record as Flock of Dimes. There's an unlikely Canadian-New Zealand Americana record from Kacy & Clayton & Marlon Williams, while Big Thief guitarist Buck Meek provides some home-spun charm on Two Saviors. Flock of
- [Music Quiz: 4x4 Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/22/music-quiz-4x4-albums/) - Congratulations to Baby-You're-A-Rich-Kamerman who blitzed last week's quiz, solving the 8 questions in a reality-defying 6 seconds. This week we are looking at another 4x4 grid - we had one about artists a few weeks ago, but this one has albums. You need to enter the artist's initial in the square - the rows and
- [Music Quiz: Group Clicking](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/15/music-quiz-group-clicking/) - We had a smaller turnout than usual in last week's parentheses quiz, but it was again won by a Jim (but just one this week, unlike last week's two-Jim tie). Congratulations to Jim the Music Enthusiast. This week's quiz is a little different from most quizzes I've featured - you only have a minute and
- [Music Quiz: Parenthetical Asides](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/08/music-quiz-parenthetical-asides/) - Last week's US presidents quiz was a tight run thing, with both Jims joining me on 20/20 at 2:50, creating an historic three-way tie. This week we're looking at the parenthetical aside, as commonly utilised in 1980s song titles. There was no room for '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' or 'So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)'.
- [Music Quiz: Presidents in Song Titles](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/04/01/music-quiz-presidents-in-song-titles/) - Congratulations to Angie and J. who both scored 75/78 in last week's music grid quiz. It looks like almost no-one knew Ray J, perhaps most famous for a (non-music) video that he made with Kim Kardashian that helped to launch the Kardashian media empire. This week you need to link a song to an artist
- [Music Quiz: Music Grid](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/25/music-quiz-music-grid/) - No one scored more than 18/20 in last week's Double Grammy Winners quiz - congratulations to Eclectic Music Lover and Tony who both reached that mark. This week there's a delightful music grid to solve: https://www.sporcle.com/games/RobFitz/music-grid I scored 69/78 (you get a point for each letter you get correct, so it doesn't take that long).
- [Music Quiz: Double Grammy Wins](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/18/music-quiz-double-grammy-wins/) - Congratulations to Sheik Yerbouti, who recorded the fastest time in last week's Who quiz. I didn't watch the Grammy ceremony this week, although I read the winners with sceptical interest. This week's quiz invites you to identify the 20 artists who have won album of the year and record of the year at the same
- [New Music Reviews: The Hold Steady, Julien Baker, and Hayley Williams](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/16/new-music-reviews-the-hold-steady-julien-baker-and-hayley-williams/) - We stay in the USA for this week's new albums. Literate bar-rockers The Hold Steady still have new ideas on their eighth studio album. Tennessee indie artist Julien Baker is back with a third album of introspection, while Paramore's Hayley Wiliams makes a true solo album, playing everything on Flowers for Vases / Descansos. The
- [Music Quiz: The Who Songs by Image](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/11/music-quiz-the-who-songs-by-image/) - Congratulations to Aaron from Keepsmealive, who scored the fastest challenger time on last week's quiz about 1980s Songs. This week we focus on The Who - I don't usually like to feature artist-specific quizzes, but I figure The Who are enjoyed by most regular contestants. You need to fill in the missing word in the
- [Music Quiz: 5 Letter Words in 1980s Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/03/04/music-quiz-5-letter-words-in-1980s-songs/) - Congratulations to J. and Tony who tied for the fastest time in last week's Finish That Band II quiz. This week we're looking at 1980s songs, following on from the 10 Worst Songs of the 1980s list earlier this week. You need to fill in the blanks in the song titles with 5 letter words.
- [Music Quiz: Finish That Band II](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/25/music-quiz-finish-that-band-ii/) - Congratulations to Geoff from https://1001albumsin10years.wordpress.com/, who recorded last week's fastest time with a perfect score. Max also achieved max points. This week you need to complete the band name with a picture. https://www.sporcle.com/games/strokes_static/the-smashing-onions I scored 18/20, although both of my mistakes were due to not identifying the images correctly rather than not knowing the band
- [New Music Reviews: The Weather Station, Transatlantic, and Steven Wilson](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/23/new-music-reviews-the-weather-station-transatlantic-and-steven-wilson/) - Welcome to the first batch of 2021 new album reviews. I examine the sophistipop of Canada's The Weather Station, as well as 2021 releases from two beloved neo-progressive rock acts. Supergroup Transatlantic's The Absolute Universe and Steven Wilson's The Future Bites. As usual, the three albums are presented in order with my favourite first. The
- [Music Quiz: 4 Decades of Music Hits VIII](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/18/music-quiz-4-decades-of-music-hits-viii/) - Last week's 1980s lyric quiz was won by Eclectic Music Lover, who completed the quiz with 44 seconds to spare. Congratulations to everyone who registered a perfect score. This week you need to connect the hit to the decade. https://www.sporcle.com/games/kfastic/4-decades-of-music-hits-viii I scored 23/24 - I missed the Metallica one, which is interesting as I plan
- [Music Quiz: 7 Letter Words in 1980s Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/11/music-quiz-7-letter-words-in-1980s-songs/) - Last week's quiz produced a bunch of different responses - some people cruised through it very fast, while others took a while. Personally I had trouble recognising Gloria Estafan and Paula Abdul, so it took me a while. Congratulations to Rich from KamerTunes, who just pipped J. and 2loud2old for the fastest time. This week
- [Music Quiz: 4x4 Musicians](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/02/04/music-quiz-4x4-musicians/) - We had lots of perfect scores last week, but the fastest score went to Music Enthusiast Jim S. Well done everyone. This week you need to enter the first name of famous musicians into a grid, and spell some words. If you know most of them, you can probably figure out the last few by
- [Music Quiz: 9-10 Letter Words in 1960s Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/28/music-quiz-9-10-letter-words-in-1960s-songs/) - Last week's 2010s lyrics quiz threw out a very wide range of scores. Sheik Yerbouti won with 100%. This week's quiz is the same format, but all the songs are from the 1960s. I'm expecting much higher scores this week. I also think longer words are easier to guess. https://www.sporcle.com/games/AwesumJuan/9-10-letter-words-in-1960s-songs I scored 25/25 with 1:01
- [Music Quiz: 5 Letter Words in 2010s Songs](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/21/music-quiz-5-letter-words-in-2010s-songs/) - Last week's 1990s quiz was headed for a tie between J. and Tony, before Aaron came in late with a winning time. This week, let's jump forward to the 2010s - complete the song titles with 5-letter words. https://www.sporcle.com/games/AwesumJuan/5-letter-words-in-2010s-songs I scored a perfect 25/25, but I did have to do some educated guessing with the
- [Music Is My Life: Book Review](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/12/music-is-my-life-book-review/) - by Myles Tanzer, Illustrated by Ali Mac My two daughters are voracious learners, so when we found this book about 80 notable musicians on the library shelves we borrowed it. My older daughter is 9, and she's probably at the lower end of the target audience for Music is my Life - it's a fun
- [Music Quiz: Missing Musician Antonyms](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/07/music-quiz-missing-musician-antonyms/) - It's summer holidays in New Zealand - I'll let you know who won last week's quiz next week. This week we're looking at the prequel to last week's quiz - select the correct antonym to complete the band name: https://www.sporcle.com/games/Tom_the_Terrible/band-one-antonym This time I skipped the ones I wasn't sure of and scored 20/20 with 3:05
- [New Music Reviews: Ichiko Aoba, Poppy, and Jeff Rosenstock](https://albumreviews.blog/2021/01/05/new-music-reviews-ichiko-aoba-poppy-and-jeff-rosenstock/) - It's the last batch of reviews of 2020 releases. Ichiko Aoba dresses up her folk music in strings and synths, Poppy explores pop-metal, and Jeff Rosenstock pumps out another album of anxious punk. I meant to also review Mr. Bungle's The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo, but I skipped it because it's hard
- [Music Quiz: Missing Musician Antonyms II](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/31/music-quiz-missing-musician-antonyms-ii/) - Everyone, and their monkey, bested me at last week's Elvis picture quiz. Congratulations in particular to all the perfect scores - Rich Kamerman and Paul both somehow finished with only 2 seconds elapsed. This week you need to select the correct antonym (opposite) to complete the band name: https://www.sporcle.com/games/Tom_the_Terrible/band-one-antonym-ii I scored 19/20 - I think
- [New Music Reviews: Natalia Lafourcade, Taylor Swift, and Gabriel Garzón-Montano](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/29/new-music-reviews-natalia-lafourcade-taylor-swift-and-gabriel-garzon-montano/) - Natalia Lafourcade explores traditional Mexican music, Taylor Swift delivers a second surprise indie-folk album for 2020, and Gabriel Garzón-Montano plays arty and eclectic music inspired by his Colombian/French heritage. Natalia Lafourcade Un Canto por México, Vol. 1 I have no idea how Un Canto por México, Vol. 1 compares to other Mexican traditional music, but
- [Music Quiz: Spot the Elvis](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/24/music-quiz-spot-the-elvis/) - Most people aced last week's male vocalist quiz. Rich and Jim tied for fastest time, although Rich had the distinction of guessing the bonus question (Peter Gabriel's Up). This week, we have what I think is the most quickfire quiz featured on this site. You need to quickly scan a grid of Elvis Presleys, and
- [New Music Reviews: Cleo Sol, Chloe x Halle, and Wobbler](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/22/new-music-reviews-cleo-sol-chloe-x-halle-and-wobbler/) - This week we look at the most recent releases from London neo-soul artist Cleo Sol (a member of Sault), L.A. R&B sisters Chloe x Halle, and Norwegian neo-progressive band Wobbler. Cleo Sol Rose in the Dark Rose in the Dark isn't attention grabbing, but it's full of lovely tunes and smooth vocals. Chloe x Halle
- [Music Quiz: Musical Men By Image IV](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/17/music-quiz-musical-men-by-image-iv/) - Congratulations to Geoff Stephen who, with a little help with his wife, just pipped Tony in the 1990s lyrics quiz. This week you need to identify 20 male musical artists. https://www.sporcle.com/games/El_Dandy/sorry-bruno-mars It's not too tricky, and will probably be a speed test - I scored 20/20 with 5:53 remaining. Can you label 20 men and
- [New Music Reviews: Ela Minus, Sault, Róisín Murphy](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/15/new-music-reviews-ela-minus-sault-roisin-murphy/) - In this week's new music reviews: a Colombian, an anonymous collective, and an Irishwoman walk into a bar...... Ela Minus Acts of Rebellion Minus originally planned a double album, but honed a wide selection of tracks into a tight 34 minute record. Peaceful instrumentals like 'Pocket Piano' give Acts of Rebellion balance, but the distinguishing
- [Music Quiz: Song by Opening Lyrics (1990s)](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/10/music-quiz-song-by-opening-lyrics-1990s/) - Congratulations to Max from https://powerpop.blog/, who scored a perfect 30/30 in last week's 1970s lyrics quiz, with commiserations to Felix who knew them all but had technical difficulties. This week, same format but in the 1990s: https://www.sporcle.com/games/stanvick/90s_lyrics This one's a lot harder - I only scored 11/30, which was actually just above the average score.
- [Music Quiz: Song by Opening Lyrics (1970s)](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/12/03/music-quiz-song-by-opening-lyrics-1970s/) - Congratulations to Music Enthusiast Jim, who scored the fastest time while completing the Away song titles quiz. Good work as well to 2loud2old and Paul, who also recorded perfect scores. This week we are identifying 1970s songs by their opening couplets. It takes at least five minutes, so make sure you have the time. https://www.sporcle.com/games/stanvick/70s_lyrics
- [Music Quiz: 'Away' Song Titles](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/26/music-quiz-away-song-titles/) - Congratulations to everyone who tried out last week's Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers quiz. Good job to Tony, Max, and the Punk Panther, who all scored 100%, and condolences to Rich who was foiled by a dastardly popup. This week you need to complete the song titles with the word "away" in them. https://www.sporcle.com/games/JoeBeta/away-song-titles I
- [New Music Reviews: Tiwa Savage, Fleet Foxes, and Sufjan Stevens](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/24/new-music-reviews-tiwa-savage-fleet-foxes-and-sufjan-stevens/) - This week we look at new releases from Nigerian Afrobeats/soul artist Tiwa Savage, indie-folk band Fleet Foxes, and musical polymath Sufjan Stevens. Tiwa Savage Celia Savage's vocals are outstanding, her honeyed voice helping this disparate collection of songs to achieve unity. Single 'Koroba' sticks close to Afrobeats, while 'Temptation' with Sam Smith feels Western. The
- [Music Quiz: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/19/music-quiz-tom-petty-the-heartbreakers-albums/) - Well done to Tony, Rich, Sheik Yerbouti, and Geoff, who all scored full marks in last week's quiz (and everyone else did well too). Tony scored the fastest time. This week you need to identify Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers studio albums - this excludes solo albums like Highway Companion (featured in the banner art).
- [Music Quiz: Trivia Triangles](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/12/music-quiz-trivia-triangles/) - Congratulations to everyone who did well in last week's Who's That With Stevie Wonder quiz - I think every single contestant beat me! Looks like we should all Listen To What the Kamerman Said, after he recorded the fastest time with a 100% score. This week you need to select the correct triangle to match
- [New Music Reviews: Tom Petty, The Flaming Lips, and The Microphones](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/10/new-music-reviews-tom-petty-the-flaming-lips-and-the-microphones/) - Today we look at new records from three veteran acts - an archival release from the late Tom Petty (who released his first record in the 1970s), The Flaming Lips (who released their first record in the 1980s), and The Microphones (first recorded in the 1990s). Tom Petty Wildflowers: All the Rest It's not quite
- [Music Quiz: Who's That With Stevie Wonder?](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/11/05/music-quiz-whos-that-with-stevie-wonder/) - Congratulations to Sheik Yerbouti and Tony, who both scored 9/10 in last week's error message quiz. This week you need to identify the notable person with Stevie Wonder. I'm never very good at person identification - I missed some obvious ones. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Peacemaker/whos-that-with-stevie-wonder I scored 18/25, but I'm assuming lots of you will beat me!
- [Music Quiz: Pop Ups](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/29/music-quiz-pop-ups/) - Congratulations to tangerinetrees99, who scored the fastest time in last week's musical instrument quiz, and well done to everyone who scored 100% (or got close!). Also, Tony from Mumbling About deserves kudos for scoring 100% in the tough Paul Westerberg lyrics quiz that I included as a bonus. This week you need to match the
- [New Music Reviews: Kelly Lee Owens, Kate NV, and Moses Sumney](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/27/new-music-reviews-kelly-lee-owens-kate-nv-and-moses-sumney/) - This week we look at 2020 releases from Wales, Russia, and North Carolina (via Ghana). Enjoy! Kelly Lee Owens Inner Song The addition of John Cale's haughty vocals to 'Corner of My Sky' is a great change of pace mid-record - as a fellow forward-thinking Welsh musician, he's a logical creative partner, and his authoritative
- [Tricot - 10](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/23/tricot-10/) - Kyoto math rock band Tricot's 真っ黒 (Pure Black) was the first 2020 album I reviewed on this site. There have been other excellent records this year, from HAIM, Owen Pallett, and The 1975, but 真っ黒 is now facing its most serious competition as my favourite album of 2020 from Tricot's second album of 2020, 10.
- [Music Quiz: Instruments by Silhouettes](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/22/music-quiz-instruments-by-silhouettes/) - Congratulations to John from https://2loud2oldmusic.com/, who scored the only 20/20 in last week's quiz about Women in Music. This week we'll see who knows their musical instruments - most of these are straightforward, but there were a couple I found obscure, and one I missed altogether. https://www.sporcle.com/games/BanjoZebra/instrouettes How did you get on? There's also a
- [Music Quiz: Musical Women by Image IV](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/15/music-quiz-musical-women-by-image-iv/) - Congratulations to dark horse Luca, who scored 15/15 with the fastest time in last week's Album Covers by Description Quiz. This week you need to identify the female artist from four options starting with the same letter. It's one of the most wide-ranging quizzes I've featured, going right back to the Second World War. https://www.sporcle.com/games/El_Dandy/sorry-sza
- [New Reviews: Burna Boy, Run the Jewels, and Sault](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/13/new-reviews-burna-boy-run-the-jewels-and-sault/) - This week I look at releases from three different continents, all wrestling with political and racial issues. Nigeria's Burna Boy employs Afro-fusion, U.S. hip-hop duo Run The Jewels rattle off fast-paced hip-hop, while anonymous UK collective Sault sing about black-centric issues over R&B, disco, and house. Normally I present these reviews of new releases in
- [Music Quiz: Album Covers by Description](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/08/music-quiz-album-covers-by-description/) - Winter is coming in the northern hemisphere, and 2loud2oldmusic celebrated by scoring the only 20/20 in last week's quiz, nailing the Ne-Yo songs everyone else missed. This week you need to identify the album cover by its written description. https://www.sporcle.com/games/Grunchkoo/album_covers_by_description I scored 15/15 with 3:32 remaining - I like how it included an illustrious and
- [Music Quiz: W,X,Y, and Z Albums by 3 Singles](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/10/01/music-quiz-wxy-and-z-albums-by-3-singles/) - At 10:21 pm last Thursday evening, Jim the Music Enthusiast asked the question "when will Tony win?" At 10:24pm, Tony clocked in with an impeccable 24/24 in the T Albums by 3 Singles quiz. This week is the same format, but albums starting with W,X,Y, and Z. https://www.sporcle.com/games/ghcgh/w-x-y--z-albums-by-3-singles Just like last week, I got two
- [New Music Reviews: The Beths, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, and Victoria Monét](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/29/new-music-reviews-the-beths-gillian-welch-david-rawlings-and-victoria-monet/) - This week we cover some power-pop from New Zealand, some Americana from Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, and a mini-album from R&B artist Victoria Monét. The Beths Jump Rope Gazers Their sophomore record Jump Rope Gazers does a good job of balancing power pop thrills with some exploration in other directions. Energetic songs like 'Dying
- [Music Quiz: T Albums by 3 Singles](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/24/music-quiz-t-albums-by-3-singles/) - It looks like we had a dead heat last week - Rich from KamerTunes and Music Enthusiast Jim both scored 25/25 with 5:49 remaining. Congratulations to everyone who scored full marks, and it sounds like the rest of us need to get up to speed on Steve "Pompatus of Love" Miller. This week takes in
- [Candy and a Currant Bun by Pink Floyd: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/20/candy-and-a-currant-bun-by-pink-floyd-great-b-sides/) - As I wrote in an earlier Syd Barrett post: When people talk about wasted potential in rock and roll, it’s usually premature deaths like Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, or Kurt Cobain. But Pink Floyd’s original leader Syd Barrett also belongs on the list – although Barrett lived into his sixties, his musical career was effectively over by his mid-twenties,
- [Music Quiz: 1970s Artists on Their Album Cover](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/17/music-quiz-1970s-artists-on-their-album-cover/) - Congratulations to everyone who scored 100% in last week's Scrambled 1990s vocalist quiz, and especially to Sheik Yerbouti who just nudged out Tony, 2loud2old, and Geoff for the fastest time. This week we're looking at 1970s artists on their album covers. https://www.sporcle.com/games/nscox/artists-on-the-album-cover-1970s I didn't know the gentleman in the upper right hand corner playing a
- [Set the Ray to Jerry by The Smashing Pumpkins: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/13/set-the-ray-to-jerry-by-the-smashing-pumpkins-great-b-sides/) - I'm just the right age to have accumulated a collection of friends who were obsessed by The Smashing Pumpkins. One friend went for at least two years where he listened to at least one Pumpkins song every single day. Another spent much of a 1995 Boys' Brigade camp listening to the just-released Mellon Collie and
- [Music Quiz: Scrambled 1990s Vocalists](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/10/music-quiz-scrambled-1990s-vocalists/) - Congratulations to Tony from Mumbling About... who scored full marks with the quickest time last week while eliminating his options. This week's challenge is double-pronged - you need to unscramble the anagram of a 1990s vocalist, then match it to the picture. Band names (when necessary) are in parentheses - so if you're guessing Ira
- [New Music Reviews: Jessie Ware, Yves Tumor, and Rina Sawayama](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/08/new-music-reviews-jessie-ware-yves-tumor-and-rina-sawayama/) - Three more recent releases for your listening pleasure. Jessie Ware's sophisticated dance-pop, Yves Tumor's abrasive electronica, and Rina Sawayama's brash pop. Enjoy! Jessie Ware What's Your Pleasure? Ware comes from a relatively famous family - her father's a BBC reporter, while her sister's an actress - so it's surprising that her delivery is so unassuming.
- [Music Quiz: Eliminate Your Options](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/09/03/music-quiz-eliminate-your-options/) - Congratulations to John Snow from 2loud2oldmusic, who scored the fastest time in last week's quiz (and was one of only two 100% scores, along with Rich). I know how much he likes memes, so.... This week's quiz isn't too tricky, but requires some mental agility - you need to remember which 3 options are eliminated
- [Music Quiz: Famous Trios](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/27/music-quiz-famous-trios/) - Last week's 1960s Ruined by a Letter quiz was pretty easy once you figured out how it worked - lots of 100% scores, but Music Enthusiast Jim was the fastest. This week's quiz is more straightforward in concept, but hopefully a little trickier. You need to name famous trios: https://www.sporcle.com/games/midlifecrisis/famous-trio-bands-picture-quiz I scored 15/18 - can
- [New Music Reviews - Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers, Perfume Genius](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/25/new-music-reviews-taylor-swift-phoebe-bridgers-perfume-genius/) - This week I look at new releases by pop-superstar-turned-indie-folkster Taylor Swift, singer songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, and chamber-pop artist Perfume Genius. Coincidentally, veteran drummer Jim Keltner plays on two of these releases. All three of these records are currently placed among the eight most acclaimed records of the year according to the critical aggregation thread at:
- [Music Quiz: Ruined by a Letter (1960s)](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/20/music-quiz-ruined-by-a-letter-1960s/) - Last week's debut quiz was pretty straightforward, and no-one got more than one question wrong. Bruce from Vinyl Connection powered through the quiz the fastest - comfortable in the 1970s (and with compatriot Olivia Newton-John included), Bruce completed the quiz in a blistering 18 seconds. This week, we can see who's best in the 1960s.
- [Sweet Stella Baby by Spirit: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/16/sweet-stella-baby-by-spirit-great-b-sides/) - Emerging in the late 1960s from Los Angeles, Spirit were an odd band even by the standards of an era when rock was in its infancy and genre rules hadn't yet ossified. Spirit's members ranged in age from 16 to 44, and melded jazz, rock, and pop. Frontman Jay Ferguson was an oddball lyricist, eschewing
- [Music Quiz: Debuts #6](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/13/sporcle-debuts-6/) - Congratulation to Tony and Sheik Yerbouti, who both scored 100% in last week's thyme and Gnarls Barkley quiz, with SY scoring the slightly faster time. This week we're looking at debut albums. I enjoyed this quiz because it's a mix of the usual music snob suspects (David Bowie, Bob Dylan) and artists that are less
- [New Music Reviews: Owen Pallett, Hayley Williams, and King Krule](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/11/new-music-reviews-owen-pallett-hayley-williams-and-king-krule/) - Three recent releases for you to peruse. Canadian Owen Pallett's new album ventures into Nick Drake territory with its acoustic guitar picking and strings. Paramore's Hayley Williams first solo album is poppy, yet adult and restrained. London's King Krule continues his enigmatic crossbreeding of punk and jazz. Enjoy! Owen Pallett Island Island is gorgeous, a
- [Missing Member Music Quiz](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/06/missing-member-music-quiz/) - Congratulations to jprobichaud who scored the fastest recorded time in last week's nonsense quiz, while Geoff and Max also scored 100%. This week we're looking at missing members of sets. It was more reliant on culinary knowledge than I expected, with several food-related answers. I scored 13/14 with 2:24 to spare. Can you beat me
- [See What A Fool I've Been by Queen: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/08/02/see-what-a-fool-ive-been-by-queen-great-b-sides/) - Many significant UK rock acts from the 1960s and early 1970s were deeply rooted in the blues. Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, and Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac were among many young bands steeped in blues tradition. Queen took some cues from the hard rock of Led Zeppelin, especially in their early work. There
- [HAIM - Women in Music Part III: New Music Review](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/28/haim-women-in-music-part-iii-new-music-review/) - HAIM’s first two records were fun. The trio of L.A. sisters had great harmonies, their eclectic approach recalled both Fleetwood Mac and 90s R&B, while Danielle Haim’s bluesy guitar added some edge. Their third record, however, is the biggest leap forward from any band I’ve heard this year. It was signalled early - 2019 singles
- [Music Quiz: The Only One](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/23/music-quiz-the-only-one/) - Congratulations to Max (Badfinger20), who won last week's quiz by a substantial margin. He scored 25% more than than the next best candidate in our early influences quiz. This week is less of a music quiz, and more of a logic/general knowledge quiz. You need to identify one of 12 famous musical acts that meets
- [Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters: New Music Review](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/21/fiona-apple-fetch-the-bolt-cutters-new-music-review/) - Fiona Apple's been around for a long time, releasing her 1996 debut album Tidal at the age of 18. But she's not prolific - Fetch the Bolt Cutters is only her fifth record, making each Apple release feel like an event. April's Fetch the Bolt Cutters has proved especially major - in a fractured music
- [Total Eclipse by Iron Maiden: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/19/total-eclipse-by-iron-maiden-great-b-sides/) - Iron Maiden's third album, The Number of the Beast, was made under time pressure. The group had five weeks to record their first album with new lead singer Bruce Dickinson. The single 'Run to the Hills' was released in advance of the album and, with nine tracks running for longer than 40 minutes, the group
- [Music Quiz: Early Influences](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/16/music-quiz-early-influences/) - Last week lots of people scored a perfect 30/30 in the 1980s lyric quiz - congratulations to Rich Kamerman with the fastest recorded time. This week, Jim was interested in a blues quiz. The best I could find was this quiz of early influences in the rock and roll hall of fame. https://www.sporcle.com/games/nscox/Early_influences I scored
- [New(ish) Music Reviews - Neil Young, U.S. Girls, Jonathan Wilson](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/14/newish-music-reviews-neil-young-u-s-girls-jonathan-wilson/) - This week we look at two releases from the first quarter of the year, and one album that was scheduled to be released 45 years ago. Enjoy! Neil Young Homegrown Other memorable tracks include ‘Woodstock ‘99’, which uses parts of Jimmy Webb's 'McArthur Park', and ‘Born to Lose’ which again mines the blue-eyed soul sound.
- [Music Quiz: Spotify Results and Follow That Lyric - 1980s](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/09/music-quiz-spotify-results-and-follow-that-lyric-1980s/) - We've had 20 weeks of Spotify quizzes - congratulations to Sheik Yerbouti for the overall victory. Sheik scored 390 of a possible 400, which is equivalent to only missing one clue every second week over the competition. Tony finished a very close second, only one point behind first place, while Scott led the peloton with
- [You've Got The Power by Van Morrison: Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/05/youve-got-the-power-by-van-morrison-great-b-sides/) - Van Morrison is a prolific recording artist, releasing more than 40 studio albums during his solo career, as well as fronting Them in the 1960s. He recorded a lot of non-album material, but his only non-album b-side that I'm aware of is 1972's 'You've Got The Power'. 'You've Got The Power' is the b-side to
- [Music Quiz: Artist by Popular Spotify Songs XX](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/07/02/music-quiz-artist-by-popular-spotify-songs-xix-2/) - Welcome to the final week of the Sporcle Spotify challenge! It's been a long slog since mid-February, and we've had a global pandemic during the period. Here are the results so far - we had a lot of 19s last week, and I think a lot of people missed Pit Bull? There's a very tight
- [10 Additional Excellent Lyricists](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/06/30/10-additional-excellent-lyricists/) - In my opinion, rock music has four literary giants (Bob Dylan, Randy Newman, Nick Cave, and Leonard Cohen) and then a whole bunch of other excellent writer. I'm covering ten more of them on this list, and but essentially it's an excuse to throw ten excellent lyricists together and quote a favourite line from each.
- [Music Quiz: Artist by Popular Spotify Songs XIX](https://albumreviews.blog/2020/06/25/music-quiz-artist-by-popular-spotify-songs-xix/) - Welcome to week 19 in the Sporcle Spotify challenge. Here are the results so far - it's a very tight battle for first. This week's quiz is at: https://www.sporcle.com/games/MSUKent/artist-by-popular-spotify-songs-xix I scored 19/20, the average is 54%, what did you score? Looks like this is the penultimate week. This week I missed the fourth most guessed

## Pages

- [Aphoristic Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/) - Obsessively chronicling one person's exploration of popular music Welcome to Aphoristic Album Reviews, where I discuss highlights from the last sixty years of popular music. I write album reviews, highlight my favourite albums, blog regularly, and make lists. More recent posts More recent pages Subscribe Subscribe to this website to get regular new posts, with lists, quizzes, and reviews. Type
- [New Zealand Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/new-zealand-miscellany/) - A bunch of New Zealand acts where I don't have the patience to review all their records. It's a mixed bag - Fly My Pretties' debut is the worst album I've ever covered on this site. Fat Freddy's Drop Based On A True Story Fly My Pretties Live At Bats Aldous Harding Designer Kerry Logan
- [2020s Miscellany Part 2](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/2020s-miscellany-part-2/) - The consequence of reviewing new releases each week is that I already have too many records for one page. Here's part two, continuing from part one. Manchester Orchestra The Million Masks of God The Valley of Vision The Mars Volta Lucro sucio; los ojos del vacío Cass McCombs Heartmind Interior Live Oak Melody's Echo Chamber
- [2020s Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/2020s-miscellany/) - This page collects album reviews for 2020s artists of whom I’ve only reviewed one or two albums. This page became too long to edit easily so there's a second part covering M-Z. Collins’ comeback from a stroke is inspiring, but you probably want to start an exploration with his earlier records. Clarissa Connelly World of
- [Wolf Alice Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/wolf-alice-album-reviews/) - Wolf Alice started in 2010 as an acoustic duo when singer Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie met on an internet forum. They added drummer Joel Amey and bassist Theo Ellis in 2012. They released a couple of EPs, before their 2015 album My Love Is Cool. It's easy to be dismissive of rock music
- [Erika de Casier Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/erika-de-casier-album-reviews/) - Smooth R&B artist Erika de Casier was born in Portugal to a Belgian mother and a Cape Verdean father. She's now based in Copenhagen, Denmark, starting her career working in a kindergarten. She spent time as part of the duo Saint Cava. Saint Cava never released a full-length album but played the Roskilde Festival. de
- [Top-Rated Albums](https://albumreviews.blog/top-rated-albums/) - The following albums have scored at least a 9 on this site, 10/10s are in bold. There are lots of artists who I'd like to cover that I haven't got to yet, including classic rock giants like The Kinks and The Who, and more music from the 21st century. AABBA - The VisitorsAble Tasmans - Hey
- [Paramore Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/paramore/) - Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams moved from Mississippi to Tennessee at the age of 13. She met Josh and Zac Farro in a program for home-schooled students. Drummer Zac Farro was in his early teens when they formed Paramore in 2004 with bassist Jeremy Davis. Williams had already signed a deal with Atlantic Records at
- [Hayley Williams Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/hayley-williams-album-reviews/) - Hayley Williams is best known as the lead vocalist of Paramore. However, she has also released three solo albums, two of which stand proudly along Paramore's best work. Hayley Williams Album Reviews Hayley Williams Album Reviews Petals for Armor Flowers for Vases / Descansos Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party Best Hayley Williams Songs Petals
- [The Go-Go's Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-go-gos-album-reviews/) - The Go-Go's emerged from the late 1970s L.A. punk scene. They were originally named the Misfits, and featured core members Charlotte Caffey (lead guitar), Belinda Carlisle (vocals), and Jane Wiedlin (rhythm guitar). Drummer Gina Schock and bassist Kathy Valentine eventually formed the band's enduring lineup, and they gradually moved from punk towards power pop. They toured England with Madness and
- [Bruce Springsteen Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/bruce-springsteen/) - Based on his radio hits I once classed Bruce Springsteen as a lame rocker, responsible for lowest common denominator anthems such as 'Born in the U.S.A.'. But of course, there’s a reason why he’s so respected, and 1984's huge-selling Born In The USA album was simply the commercial culmination of a reputation built by incessant touring
- [Able Tasmans Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/able-tasmans-album-reviews/) - Graeme Humphreys started his musical career in the Whangārei band Sister Ray. Located in the subtropical north, Whangārei is the furthest NZ city from the Flying Nun epicentre of Dunedin. Humphreys moved to Auckland to study zoology and recruited classmate Peter Keen as vocalist. Based around Humphrey's and Leslie Jonkers' keyboards, the Able Tasmans are
- [Big Thief Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/big-thief/) - Indie folk and Americana band Big Thief are based in Brooklyn, but their sound recalls the rustic feel of The Band, Gillian Welch, and Neil Young. Along with songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist Adrianne Lenker, Big Thief's current lineup also includes Buck Meek on guitar and backup vocals, Max Oleartchik on bass, and James Krivchenia on
- [Tyler, The Creator Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/tyler-the-creator/) - Tyler Gregory Okonma, better known as Tyler, the Creator, has enjoyed a rapid career evolution over the last decade. He's of Igbo ancestry on his father's side. He started as a brash teenager, gaining attention with his provocative lyrics for hip hop crew Odd Future. Along the way, he’s toned down the controversy and become
- [Upcoming Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/about/upcoming-reviews/) - These are acts who I'd like to cover one day if I keep this site going for long enough. AirAlex GAlvvaysFiona AppleBadfingerErykah BaduThe BatsBeckAdrian BelewBelle and SebastianBen Folds (Five)BjorkBlack SabbathBlondieBlood IncantationWeyes BloodBon IverBonnie "Prince" BillyThe Boo RadleysThe BooksBad BunnyCardiacsNeko CaseNick CaveCheap TrickChicChicagoCHVRCHESThe ClienteleCocteau TwinsCreamThe CureD'AngeloDe La SoulDeath Cab For CutieDestroyerThe DoorsThe Dream AcademyEarth, Wind, and
- [Taylor Swift Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/taylor-swift/) - When I started this site, I wouldn’t have considered reviewing a country-pop teenage starlet, but Taylor Swift has enjoyed a phenomenally successful career where she’s transcended genre boundaries. Named after James Taylor, even as she’s left the country genre, Swift has retained the confessional, story-telling narratives of country in her songwriting. Swift’s first album, 2006’s
- [Kathleen Edwards Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/kathleen-edwards-album-reviews/) - Kathleen Edwards was born in Ottawa but spent part of her youth in Korea and Switzerland with her diplomat father. She grew up playing classical violin and enjoying the music of Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Edwards skipped college to pursue a career as a musician. After playing SWSX in 2002 she signed a record
- [Weezer Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/weezer-album-reviews/) - Rivers Cuomo moved to Los Angeles from Connecticut with his heavy metal band in 1989. When they split, he formed a power-pop band with bassist Matt Sharp and drummer Patrick Wilson. They appeared with Keanu Reeves' Dogstar on their first show, then were signed by Geffen Records. Most affection for Weezer concentrates on their first
- [Recent Additions](https://albumreviews.blog/about/recent-additions/) - I usually add a couple of artist pages to this site each month. Refer to Upcoming Reviews for a list of artists I plan to cover. September 2025 Wet Leg August 2025 Ben FoldsBen Folds FiveBlondshell July 2025 Kate NVMk.gee June 2025 The Bangles May 2025 The Tubs, Ex-Void etcJapanese Breakfast April 2025 Warren ZevonSupergroove
- [Ben Folds (Five) Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/ben-folds-five-album-reviews/) - Ben Folds was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, also the birthplace of The dB's and Let's Active. He started playing piano when he was nine after his father received a piano as payment for some construction work. Folds dropped out of University of Miami's Frost School of Music. He also played bass in the band
- [Wet Leg Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/wet-leg-album-reviews/) - Isle of Wight's Wet Leg were breakout stars in 2021, when their innuendo-laden hit ‘Chaise Longue’ went viral. Their name comes from an Isle of Wight expression denoting visitors to the island, recognisable because they’d have wet legs from getting off the boat. Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers met at Platform One College of Music
- [Arcade Fire Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/arcade-fire/) - For a band, there are essentially two different career trajectories for a recording career. Like Radiohead or The Beatles, you can start your career with a promising album and work your way up to your masterpiece. Or, like Montreal's Arcade Fire, you can begin with your masterpiece and spend the rest of your career trying
- [The Byrds Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/the-byrds/) - The Byrds started as a folk band, but their cover of Bob Dylan's 'Mr Tambourine Man' crystallised their distinctive sound, with Roger McGuinn's ringing twelve-string guitar and the group's gorgeous harmonies. The ornate yet organic sound with Dylan's intricate lyrics proved highly influential and launched the folk-rock genre. The Byrds had a huge talent pool at
- [Sault Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/sault/) - British collective Sault have eschewed all the usual rules of music-making in their brief and eventful career. They’ve veiled their identities, never played a live gig, never released a music video, and have produced material at a breakneck pace. Sault released eleven albums between 2019 and 2022, as well as production work and side projects.
- [Little Simz Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/little-simz-album-reviews/) - Little Simz is a London-based rapper, singer, and actor with Nigerian heritage. She became a public figure in her mid-teens; in 2010 she appeared in the TV series Spirit Warriors and released her first mixtape Stratosphere. Her first full-length albums, released in her early twenties, received little attention. 2019's Grey Area, produced by Sault's Inflo, transformed
- [Kate Bush Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/kate-bush/) - Kate Bush was discovered by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour as a teenager. She was placed into a training scheme by her record label EMI, where she was taken out of school and studied dance, mime, and music. Bush quickly blossomed into an outstanding performer; her 1978 debut album, The Kick Inside, released at the
- [Lindsey Buckingham Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/lindsey-buckingham/) - Even if you don't know him by name, you've surely heard Lindsey Buckingham's work in the pop era of Fleetwood Mac. While Stevie Nicks was the public face of the band, Buckingham was the architect of their sound, the studio wizard who created the lush pop textures of 1977's Rumours and the deeper, stranger waters of
- [The Jimi Hendrix Experience Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/the-jimi-hendrix-experience/) - Given his blatant talents, it's amazing how long it took James Marshall Hendrix to make an album. Seattle-born Hendrix was caught twice as a youth riding in stolen cars, and given the choice between the army and jail, trained as a paratrooper. After his discharge in 1962, he moved to Nashville and backed acts like
- [Lorde Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/lorde/) - Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor was born in Auckland, New Zealand, the daughter of a poet and a civil engineer. She grew up immersed in poetry and literature. She built a profile through SoundCloud and talent shows, and in June 2013, her single 'Royals' topped the US charts. Aged 16, Lorde was the first New Zealand
- [2010s Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/2010s-reviews/) - This page collects album reviews for 2010s artists for whom I've only reviewed one or two albums. In 2018 I started covering new albums regularly, so this page leans heavily on the last couple of years of the decade. (Sandy) Alex G House of Sugar Michaela Anne Desert Dove Big Big Train Grand Tour Weyes
- [Real Lies Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/real-lies-album-reviews/) - The sophisticated monologues of London electronic duo Real Lies have an obvious precedent. It’s hard not to compare them with 1980s synth pop-duo The Pet Shop Boys. Among other similarities both bands feature former music journalists as lead singers. Real Lies have remixed a Pet Shop Boys track. In a 2019 interview, vocalist Kev Kharas
- [Suzanne Vega Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/suzanne-vega/) - Suzanne Vega was born in Santa Monica, California. At the age of two, she moved to New York City when her mother married Puerto Rican writer Edgardo Vega Yunqué. She wrote poetry and songs in her youth and cites Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, and Leonard Cohen as key influences. At college, Vega majored in English
- [Pearl Jam Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/pearl-jam/) - Pearl Jam grew from the remnants of Mother Love Bone, whose singer Andrew Wood overdosed. Rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament started a new band with Mike McCready on lead guitar and recruited surfer Eddie Vedder as their vocalist. The band's succession of drummers each influenced the group's sound. Dave Krusen anchored the arena
- [Natalie Merchant Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/natalie-merchant-album-reviews/) - Tired of making art by committee, Natalie Merchant left the 10,000 Maniacs in 1993. She wasn't yet 30, but had served as lead singer for the alternative band for more than a decade. She immediately eclipsed her former band with her 1995 debut album Tigerlily, which spawned the top ten single 'Carnival' and went five
- [Grant McLennan Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/grant-mclennan-album-reviews/) - Grant McLennan was taught to play and drafted into The Go-Betweens by Robert Forster. Because of this, he’d never played with another band when they split in 1990. After releasing an album with The Church’s Steve Kilbey as Jack Frost, McLennan launched into a solo career, working with New Zealand's Dave Dobbyn. He withstood a
- [Syd Barrett Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/syd-barrett/) - Syd Barrett was the creative force behind the original Pink Floyd lineup. His behaviour became too erratic, often attributed to schizophrenia and the use of psychedelic drugs. As a result, the group recruited David Gilmour as a live replacement. The group hoped to keep Barrett as part of the group as a songwriter. But the
- [The Blue Nile Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/the-blue-nile/) - The three members of The Blue Nile all attended Glasgow University in the late 1970s. Vocalist Paul Buchanan studied medieval history and literature, Robert Bell studied mathematics, and Paul Joseph Moore studied electronics. The three members found their synth-drenched, sophisticated style almost by accident. Unable to find a drummer and hampered by Buchanan's lack of
- [Laura Nyro Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/laura-nyro/) - New York's Laura Nyro wrote a batch of hit songs in the late 1960s, and is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her confessional songs foreshadowed the singer-songwriter movement of the early 1970s. Prestigious artists like Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Kate Bush, Suzanne Vega, Tori Amos, and Todd Rundgren cite her
- [Blondshell Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/blondshell-album-reviews/) - Sabrina Teitelbaum flirted with musical success in a different guise. Between 2017 and 2019, she released singles as the pop artist BAUM. Her grandfather, Randall D Smith, is known as the pioneer of vulture capitalism. Dissatisfied with the results, she showed her producer an alt-rock song she’d been working on. During the COVID-19 lockdown, she
- [Kate NV Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/kate-nv-album-reviews/) - Moscow-based artist Kate NV was born Eaterina Shilonosova in Kazan, Russia's fifth largest city. She's a woman of many talents - she also serves as vocalist for the post-punk band Glintshake, and has also worked with a collective of avant-garde musicians playing modern classical music. Kate NV released her solo debut Binasu in 2016, juxtaposing
- [Richard Dawson Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/richard-dawson-album-reviews/) - Newcastle Upon Tyne’s errant folkie Richard Dawson is prolific, releasing a deluge of material as a solo artist, in collaborations like Hen Ogledd, and under the alter-ego Eyeballs. His rough-hewn guitar and freewheeling vocals are distinctive. Japan’s David Sylvian recently stated that Dawson “will be, if he’s not already, a national treasure.” Inspired by Mike
- [Julien Baker Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/julien-baker/) - Julien Baker grew up in Tennessee, attending Church and learning on her father's guitar. She played in bands named Star Killer and Forrister, before she recorded demos that didn't fit her band. At barely 20, these demos became Sprained Ankle, a remarkably stark debut album. She continued with 2017's Turn Out The Lights, before returning
- [Transatlantic Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/transatlantic/) - Transatlantic are a progressive rock supergroup, plucking members from other successful neo-prog acts. Bassist Pete Trewavas has been a member of Marillion since 1982, while drummer Mike Portnoy is a former member of Dream Theater. Guitarist Roine Stolt comes from The Flower Kings, while keyboardist and primary vocalist Neal Morse was originally in Spock’s Beard.
- [HAIM Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/haim/) - A trio of sisters from California, HAIM take their name from Este, Danielle, and Alana's surname. The group grew up playing in a cover band, Rockinhaim, with their parents; their father Mordechai was a professional soccer player in Israel. Danielle toured as a guitarist for Jenny Lewis and Julian Casablancas, before forming HAIM with her sisters. HAIM
- [The Hold Steady Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/the-hold-steady/) - Vocalist Craig Finn and guitarist Tab Kubler started their careers with the indie-rock band Lifter Puller. They formed The Hold Steady after watching The Band's The Last Waltz. But unlike The Band, The Hold Steady aren't rooted in traditional music forms - musically, they resemble 1970s classic rock like Bruce Springsteen and Thin Lizzy. The
- [Mk.gee Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/mk-gee-album-reviews/) - Michael Gordon grew up in New Jersey, where he played in bands but gravitated to making solo music in his bedroom. He grew up in the age of music piracy and was inspired by the eclectic range of music that he downloaded from Pandora, like Sly Stone, Bruce Springsteen, and Jay-Z. Gordon uses a Fender
- [The Bangles Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/the-bangles-album-reviews/) - The Bangles came from the Paisley Underground, an early 1980s Los Angeles scene indebted to the psychedelic 1960s. Paisley Underground also spawned Dream Syndicate and Green on Red, but The Bangles were the best-known band from the scene. They enjoyed big pop/rock hits like 'Manic Monday', 'Eternal Flame', and 'Walk Like An Egyptian'. These slick
- [Nuggets II](https://albumreviews.blog/nuggets-ii/) - Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the double LP set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from 1965 to 1968. Rhino Records reissued an expanded version of the set in 1998, with 118 tracks in total. The
- [Marlon Williams Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/marlon-williams-album-reviews/) - Marlon Williams grew up in Lyttleton, New Zealand. He toured Europe as a member of the choir of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament and started playing guitar in high school. His band The Unfaithful Ways, formed with two friends and his school's science teacher, were successful. They released the 2011 album Free Rein and
- [Gob Nation Album Reviews (The Tubs, Joanna Gruesome,  Ex-Vöid et al)](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/gob-nation-album-reviews-the-tubs-joanna-gruesome-ex-void-et-al/) - Gob Nation are a South London-based group of musicians who live in a former care home and play in different band configurations. The bands trace their origins to the 2010s punk band Joanna Gruesome, whose name plays on indie harpist Joanna Newsom. I'm planning to fill in the gaps, but what I've heard from the
- [Japanese Breakfast Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/japanese-breakfast-album-reviews/) - Michelle Zauner was born in South Korea and started her music career with Philadelphia emo band Little Big League. She took a hiatus from Little Big League to care for her terminally ill mother and wrote songs as therapy. She recorded the songs as Japanese Breakfast, eventually recruiting a band with her husband Peter Bradley
- [R.E.M. Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/r-e-m/) - R.E.M. emerged in the wake of punk from Athens, Georgia, and started their career as an insular Indie band, with cryptic albums that enjoyed a cult following. But gradually they beefed up their sound, experienced airplay, signed up to a major label, and became one of the most successful bands in the world. More than
- [Warren Zevon Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/warren-zevon-album-reviews/) - Warren Zevon was born in Chicago, the son of a Ukrainian-born bookie who worked for mobster Mickey Cohen. Zevon briefly studied with Igor Stravinsky, composer of 'The Rite of Spring'. In his teens, he moved to L.A. to pursue a career as a folk singer. An early recording appeared on the Nuggets compilation with Lyme
- [Sparks Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/sparks-album-reviews/) - Ron and Russell Mael grew up in Pacific Palisades, where their father was a graphic designer and caricaturist for Hollywood Citizen-News. The pair surfed and modelled for mail-order catalogues. They gravitated towards English bands like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, The Move, and The Who After a stint with a short-lived band named Urban Renewal Project,
- [Lucy Dacus Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/lucy-dacus-album-reviews/) - From Richmond, Virginia, Lucy Dacus is the daughter of a music teacher. She was raised in a Christian family, and her grappling with faith - a fervent believer in her early teens, she's now a lapsed Christian - is a central part of her music. Dacus attended film school, considering music merely a hobby even
- [Squid Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/squid-album-reviews/) - A crop of young, critically acclaimed post-punk bands emerged in the UK around 2020. It's tough to keep up - I can barely differentiate Dry Cleaning from Black Country, New Road. My favourite of the crop is probably Squid, a five-piece band that originated in Brighton. Squid are fans of 1970s German bands like Neu!
- [Nadia Reid Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/nadia-reid/) - Singer-songwriter Nadia Reid hails from Port Chalmers. It's a port suburb of Dunedin, New Zealand, known for alternative life-stylers and artists. Her mother is a local jazz singer. Operating in the singer-songwriter genre, it's easy to overlook what a capable vocalist Nadia Reid is, with a full, rich voice. But even more impressive than her
- [Supergroove Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/supergroove-album-reviews/) - Supergroove barely made an impact outside New Zealand, but they were inescapable there in the summer of 1994 and 1995. Their blend of hip hop, funk, and metal had already been employed by bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, and Rage Against the Machine earlier in the 1990s. But Supergroove provided
- [Cleo Sol Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/cleo-sol/) - Born in London, Cleopatra Nikolic's parents met in a jazz band - her Jamaican dad plays bass and piano, while her Serbian/Spanish mother sings and plays guitar and flute. Cleo Sol was inspired to take up music by Stevie Wonder’s ‘Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing’. Early singles like ‘LoveBass’ and ‘Call for Me’ failed
- [Jackson Browne Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/jackson-browne/) - Jackson Browne is the archetypal 1970s singer-songwriter. From California, he wrote sensitive, eloquent songs. Additionally, he was involved with everyone in the soft-rock scene. This includes the Eagles (he wrote their breakthrough hit 'Take It Easy'), Joni Mitchell (the end of their relationship inspired 'Car on the Hill' from Court and Spark), while David Crosby and
- [The Weather Station Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/the-weather-station-album-reviews/) - Tamara Lindeman, also known as Tamara Hope, was a notable actor before she became a musician. She grew up in a family of pilots and was a licensed snowboarding teacher in her teens. Lindeman played the lead roles in the movies Stepsister from Planet Weird and an HBO production of The Royal Diaries: Elizabeth I. The only
- [Steely Dan Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/steely-dan/) - Steely Dan were the quiet achievers of the 1970s, recording an excellent series of meticulously written and arranged albums with jazzy chord changes and dark, sarcastic lyrics. The group was formed around Donald Fagen on lead vocals and guitar and Walter Becker on bass and guitar. The pair met when they were students at Bard
- [The Chills Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/the-chills-album-reviews/) - The Chills started on the legendary Flying Nun indie label during the 1980s. Martin Phillipps was the only constant member. His sophisticated writing was different from most of his post-punk labelmates. He was the son of a Methodist minister, growing up in Dunedin, New Zealand. The Chills wrote and played songs that needed a great
- [The Velvet Underground Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/the-velvet-underground/) - 1960s New York band The Velvet Underground have been cited as an influence by a legion of followers. Even if the ground rules of the rock album as an art form had been largely written by the time the Velvets' debut arrived in 1967, there is still a strong argument for their status as the first
- [The Zombies Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/the-zombies/) - The Zombies get lost in the shuffle of British invasion bands. But despite their small catalogue, they're one of the most accomplished bands to emerge from the scene. They're mostly remembered for the album Odessey and Oracle and the singles 'She's Not There' and 'Time of the Season'. But even those two singles showcase a
- [Scott Walker Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/scott-walker-album-reviews/) - Scott Walker was born Noel Scott Engel, in Hamilton, Ohio. A former child actor, he left his career as a singer to become a session bassist. In 1965, Walker moved to London with his band The Walker Brothers. Scott became the focal point of the trio, fronting the number-one hits 'Make It Easy on Yourself'
- [Tiny Ruins Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/tiny-ruins-album-reviews/) - New Zealand is presently enjoying a strong crop of female singer-songwriters. Along with Hollie Fullbrook of Tiny Ruins, we also have Aldous Harding's weirdness and Nadia Reid's imagery-laden writing. Pop superstar Lorde isn’t a singer-songwriter but shares the introspection of her contemporaries. Hollie Fullbrook was born in England and emigrated to New Zealand as a 10-year-old. Songwriting began
- [Trinity Roots Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/trinity-roots/) - Prominent popular music from New Zealand in the late 20th century was often Caucasian. Most internationally recognised musicians came from the Flying Nun stable of twisted guitar pop or the mainstream pop of the Finn Brothers. The early 21st century saw a proliferation of reggae-influenced bands with Polynesian origins. Trinity Roots, a Wellington-based trio, fuse
- [Straitjacket Fits Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/straitjacket-fits/) - Dunedin has a small population and is located in the deep south of New Zealand. But Dunedin's Flying Nun record label produced a string of critically acclaimed and influential guitar bands throughout the 1980s, including The Chills, The Clean, The Bats, and The Gordons. Straitjacket Fits arrived a little later than most of the other
- [Split Enz Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/split-enz/) - Formed by a group of Auckland students in 1972, Split Enz is an iconic New Zealand band. They had a distinctive visual image - percussionist Noel Crombie designed their costumes and album covers. Their career had two distinct phases. In their first iteration, Split Enz were an art-rock band. Led by Phil Judd and Tim
- [2000s Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/2000s-reviews/) - This page collects miscellaneous reviews for artists who don't have their own page. Coldplay Parachutes A Rush Of Blood To The Head X and Y David Gray White Ladder The Mendoza Line Full of Light and Full of Fire Andy Thornton Sunflower Girl Glenn Tilbrook The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook Steve Wynn Here Come The Miracles
- [The Phoenix Foundation Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/the-phoenix-foundation-album-reviews/) - New Zealand indie band The Phoenix Foundation was formed by Wellington High School students in 1994. The group features two singer-guitarists - Polish-born Luke Buda and Samuel Flynn Scott (the son of a prominent NZ cartoonist). Keyboardist Conrad Webbe is the other constant member. The Phoenix Foundation were initially a metal band named Komos, then
- [Finn Brothers Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/finn-brothers/) - I've already covered the Split Enz and Crowded House catalogues separately. This page covers Neil and Tim Finn's solo albums and duo projects. I've only covered a handful of Tim's solo albums, but I've written about most of Neil's solo projects, excluding his collaborative Seven Worlds Collide releases. I haven't been particularly impressed by the Finns'
- [The Mutton Birds Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/the-mutton-birds/) - Don McGlashan kicked around the arty end of the New Zealand alternative scene during the 1980s. He played the drums in Blam Blam Blam, providing lead vocals for the iconic and ironic 'There Is No Depression In New Zealand'. On an OE in New York, McGlashan played drums for Laura Deans' dance company and flatted
- [Kimbra Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/kimbra/) - Kimbra Johnson was earmarked for stardom early. Online videos show her singing as a pre-teen, while she placed second in New Zealand’s national secondary school rock quest at 14. But after a generic debut single ‘Deep For You’, she took time out and became more interesting. Kimbra’s big break came just before the release of
- [The Front Lawn Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/the-front-lawn-album-reviews/) - Growing up in Auckland's North Shore, Don McGlashan and Harry Sinclair deferred their chosen careers when they returned from their OEs. McGlashan was a musician. He had already drummed for the Auckland post-punk trio, Blam Blam Blam. He penned the music for the iconic and ironic 'There Is No Depression In New Zealand'. Sinclair's background
- [Dave Dobbyn Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/dave-dobbyn/) - Every country has a songwriter who's very successful in their home territory but hasn't translated well elsewhere. Australia has Paul Kelly, while Canada had Gord Downie from The Tragically Hip. New Zealand's equivalent is Dave Dobbyn, a songwriter who emerged in the pub rock scene of the late 1970s. Dobbyn dips back into the pub-rock
- [Crowded House Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/crowded-house/) - Breaking up Split Enz, Neil Finn retained drummer Paul Hester from the final Enz lineup and created a more streamlined band. They recruited Australian bass player Nick Seymour (brother of Hunters and Collector's lead singer Mark) and secured an American record deal. Crowded House found immediate success with the single 'Don't Dream It's Over', from their
- [Bressa Creeting Cake Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/bressa-creeting-cake/) - Ed McWilliams and Geoff Maddock met in art class at high school in Auckland, New Zealand. They formed the trio Breast Secreting Cake with drummer Joel Wilton. Forced to change the name of their band, the group chose Bressa Creeting Cake. Each member took a part of the moniker as a faux surname; Maddock became
- [The Beths Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/the-beths/) - The Beths met at jazz school in Auckland, New Zealand. Guitarist Jonathan Pearce stated that playing jazz provided a “very clear idea of what we didn’t want to do”. Instead, the quartet reverted to the music they loved in their youth. The Beths are inspired by 1990s guitar rock, infused with the pop sensibility of
- [Bic Runga Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/bic-runga/) - New Zealand’s Bic Runga has only released four albums of original material, starting with her 1997 debut Drive. But despite her limited output, she reigns supreme as the queen of New Zealand pop music. Runga comes from a unique cultural background; her father was Maori, and her mother is Chinese-Malaysian. They met when her mother
- [Robyn Hitchcock Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/robyn-hitchcock-album-reviews/) - The son of novelist Raymond Hitchcock, Robyn Hitchcock has enjoyed an acclaimed career as an eccentric alt-rock and folk artist. He started his career with the new wave band The Soft Boys, best known for their 1980 album Underwater Moonlight. The title of the documentary Robyn Hitchcock: Sex, Food, Death… and Insects indicates his preoccupations.
- [Caroline Polachek Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/caroline-polachek-album-reviews/) - Caroline Polachek grew up in Connecticut and was formerly the vocalist for the indie-pop duo Chairlift. Chairlift enjoyed a surprise hit in 2008 with ‘Bruises’, featured in an Apple commercial. Polachek previously flirted with a solo career, releasing albums under the aliases Ramona Lisa and CEP, but 2019's Pang was her first record under her own name.
- [Jason Isbell Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/jason-isbell/) - Jason Isbell joined Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley as a guitarist and vocalist in acclaimed Southern Rock band, The Drive-By Truckers, in 2002. He contributed songs like ‘Outfit’, which details his father’s advice upon joining the band (“Don't worry about losing your accent, a southern man tells better jokes.”). Isbell divorced Truckers’ bassist Shonna Tucker,
- [Gene Clark Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/gene-clark/) - Gene Clark achieved fame and success as an early member of The Byrds. As a solo artist, however, he only achieved cult status. Hampered by anxiety, a fear of flying, and alcohol and drug abuse, he received critical acclaim but minimal sales. Harold Eugene Clark was born in Missouri. Inspired by The Kingston Trio, he
- [Burna Boy Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/burna-boy/) - Nigeria’s Burna Boy was born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu. He’s connected with Nigerian musical royalty – his grandfather once managed Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti. His star is on the rise. He’s guested on a UK number-one hit for Stormzy, while African Giant was nominated for a Best World Music Album Grammy. Although Burna Boy dislikes the
- [Jessie Ware Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/jessie-ware/) - Jessie Ware is the UK’s most likeable mainstream pop star. I struggle with mega-sellers like Adele and Ed Sheeran, but Ware’s low-key personality is adorable. She packed her 2012 debut Devotion with great songs. But she suffered from diminishing returns with her following releases. She returned to the 'Spotlight' with 2020’s What’s Your Pleasure, focusing
- [Links to Other Music Blogs](https://albumreviews.blog/about/links-to-other-review-sites/) - These are the sites that feel like part of this blog's community: 1001 Albums in 10 Years 1537 2loud2oldmusic Christian's Music Musings Cincinnati Babyhead KamerTunesBlog KeepsMeAlive ...Like Dancing About Architecture Mike and Paul's Music Blog Movies and Songs 365 Moving The River Mumbling About... Music Enthusiast My Life In Music Lists Old Familiar Tunes PopThruster
- [Best Album by Year](https://albumreviews.blog/best-album-by-year/) - Recently, a reader suggested that I list my favourite albums by year. So here you are - I've mostly only listed albums I've already reviewed on this site. I don't know some years very well - I'm dubious about including veteran artists in a couple of 1990s slots, and I don't know the 2008-2012 era
- [Dawn Richard Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/dawn-richard-album-reviews/) - Dawn Richard was born in New Orleans, of Louisiana Creole and Haitian descent. Her family moved to Baltimore after they were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Richard's father was the percussionist for Chocolate Milk - a funk and soul band that played with Paul McCartney and Allan Touissant. Her mother ran a dance school. Richard recorded
- [Ela Minus Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/ela-minus-album-reviews/) - Gabriela Jimeno Caldas was born in 1990 in Bogotá, Colombia. She spent her teens as the drummer for Colombian hardcore band Ratón Pérez. They played at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. She moved to the US, where she studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. She majored in jazz drumming and music
- [MJ Lenderman Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/mj-lenderman-album-reviews/) - Mark Jacob Lenderman was born in Asheville, North Carolina. He's a busy fellow—in addition to his solo career, he's a member of the band Wednesday. He’s also carved out a career as a solo performer, releasing four solo albums in quick succession. His rough-hewn sound is appealing, recalling Neil Young, The Replacements, and Uncle Tupelo.
- [The Soft Boys Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-soft-boys-album-reviews/) - Robyn Hitchcock started his recording career with the psychedelic new wave band The Soft Boys. They formed in Cambridge, England, originally known as Dennis and the Experts. The lineup that recorded their 1978 debut A Can of Bees featured Hitchcock on guitar and vocals. The other Soft Boys were drummer Morris Windsor, bassist Andy Metcalfe,
- [SZA Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/sza-album-reviews/) - Solána Imani Rowe was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She grew up with a Christian mother and a Muslim father. She studied marine biology at the University of Delaware, dropping out during her last semester. SZA created her stage name from the Supreme Alphabet, influenced by the Wu-Tang Clan's GZA. The last two letters in
- [Neil Diamond Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/neil-diamond/) - I was a teenager during the 1990s but I never went through a rebellious phase. While my cooler peers listened to Nirvana and Green Day, I was absorbed in retro mainstream artists like Paul Simon, Billy Joel, and Neil Diamond. New York's Neil Leslie Diamond is an interesting figure. He's simultaneously an introspective songwriter and
- [Cassandra Jenkins Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/cassandra-jenkins-album-reviews/) - New York’s Cassandra Jenkins comes from a musical family. Her parents worked on cruise ships as musicians, and her brother is in the band Morningsiders. As a teen Jenkins played folk festivals with her family, touring in a giant silver bus. She also toured as a backing musician with The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn and
- [The Smile Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/the-smile-album-reviews/) - There hasn’t been a new Radiohead album since 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool. The Smile might be the next best thing. The two most distinctive members of Radiohead – vocalist Thom Yorke and guitarist Johnny Greenwood – formed The Smile in 2018. The trio's third member is Tom Skinner, drummer for London jazz band Sons of
- [King Crimson Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/king-crimson/) - Originating from an unsuccessful 1968 album, The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp, guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Michael Giles enlisted vocalist and bassist Greg Lake, multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald, as well as lyricist Peter Sinfield to form King Crimson. The group were immediately successful with their debut In The Court of King Crimson, its
- [Richard and Linda Thompson Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/richard-and-linda-thompson/) - Richard Thompson left Fairport Convention after 1970's Full House, his reputation secured as an excellent songwriter and guitarist. He released a spectacularly unsuccessful solo album, Henry the Human Fly, in 1972. He then married Linda Peters and they released six albums between 1974 and 1982; their relationship broke down before an ill-fated North American tour
- [Soccer Mommy Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/soccer-mommy/) - Sophie Allison was born in Switzerland and grew up in Nashville. She self-released guitar-pop as a teenager on Bandcamp, before releasing her official debut, Clean, in 2018. While she records with a band, Soccer Mommy is effectively an alias for Allison. Allison's disinterested, drawling voice and her uncertain blend of bravado and emotional vulnerability recalls
- [Pavement Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/pavement/) - Pavement's debut album Slanted and Enchanted was recorded in 1991 and swansong Terror Twilight was released in 1999. Because their recording career so neatly covers the 1990s, Pavement are a very respectable choice for the best band of their decade. Their slacker image and post-modern approach encapsulate the 1990s. Too clever for the mainstream, they released
- [Buffalo Springfield Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/buffalo-springfield/) - Buffalo Springfield were a short-lived, but fascinating band. It's easy to draw parallels with The Byrds. Both were 1960s Californian folk rock bands, with volatile lineups, who spawned many notable spinoffs. Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay of Poco, and Jim Messina of Loggins and Messina all launched their careers with Buffalo Springfield. Buffalo Springfield's
- [The Band Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/the-band/) - The Band started as The Hawks, backing blues belter Ronnie Hawkins before supporting Bob Dylan on his controversial 1966 electric tour. After the tour, The Band went to earth with Dylan and recorded the Basement Tapes. There they developed their unique melding of rock with traditional folk, country, and blues. The Band's organic harmonies, the
- [Punk and New Wave Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/punk-and-new-wave/) - These punk and new wave artists are covered briefly below: The B-52's Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation Buzzcocks Singles Going Steady The B-52's Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation 1998, 7/10Despite ubiquitous songs like ‘Love Shack’ and ‘Roam’, The B-52’s are an acquired taste. I blame it on Aqua; the Swedish pop
- [XTC Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/xtc/) - Formed in Swindon around songwriters Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, XTC started their career as a glam band. Their recording career started in 1978, with a pair of abrasive new-wave albums. Once keyboardist Barry Andrews was replaced by guitarist Dave Gregory, XTC became a more conventional, guitar-based band and built their reputation with strong albums like Black
- [Television Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/television/) - A plethora of musical acts originated from the CBGBs club in New York in the mid-1970s. The Ramones, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, and Blondie all went on to achieve acclaim, occupying different niches in the punk and new wave spectrum. Television is the least well-known of the above CBGBs acts, but they've received acclaim, especially for
- [Talking Heads Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/talking-heads/) - The Talking Heads started out playing in legendary New York club CBGB, effectively the focal point for American New Wave; The Ramones, Television, Patti Smith Group, and Blondie also launched their careers there. While these groups all came from the same place and time, they're a diverse bunch, and Talking Heads have their own niche as an
- [Radiohead Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/radiohead/) - Named after a Talking Heads song, Radiohead are the most critically acclaimed band to emerge in the 1990s. They convened informally in 1986 as teenagers while attending Abingdon School in Oxford, and were originally known as On A Friday. Front-man Thom Yorke infuses his gorgeous voice with his neuroses, while the band's main weapon is guitarist
- [Kelly Lee Owens Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/kelly-lee-owens/) - Producer and musician Kelly Lee Owens grew up in a small Welsh village. She sang in her school choir and played bass and drums in indie bands. She became an auxiliary nurse at a cancer treatment hospital in Manchester, but her patients encouraged her to pursue a career in music. She moved to London, where
- [Magdalena Bay Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/magdalena-bay-album-reviews/) - Miami synth-pop duo Magdalena Bay consists of songwriter/vocalist Mica Tenenbaum and musician/producer Matthew Lewin. The pair met as high school students, first playing together at Live! Modern School of Music. They formed a progressive rock band, Tabula Rasa, before going to college in separate states and breaking off their romantic relationship. After college, they resumed
- [Paul Kelly Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/paul-kelly-album-reviews/) - While Paul Kelly's never broken big outside of Australia, he’s a beloved songwriter in his own country. He’s a member of the Order of Australia. His 1987 song ‘To The Door’ was included in the APRA list of Top 30 Australian songs from 1926 to 2001. Despite his lack of international success, he deserves comparison
- [Nuggets](https://albumreviews.blog/nuggets/) - Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the double LP set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from 1965 to 1968. The collection of short punchy songs was a major influence on the punk movement in the UK.
- [The Replacements Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-replacements/) - Yet another great musical act to come out of the state of Minnesota (see also Bob Dylan, Prince, Hüsker Dü, and The Hold Steady). The Impediments changed their name to The Replacements after they were banned from most of Minneapolis's bars. The group was led by guitarist and songwriter Paul Westerberg, who joined forces with
- [The Police Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-police/) - English trio The Police released their first album in 1978. Despite the timing, they weren't especially punk, something that's immediately apparent from their choice of band name. The Police were already music industry veterans when they formed - guitarist Andy Summers was already in his mid-30s and had played with The Animals in the 1960s.
- [ABBA Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/abba-album-reviews/) - As a young aphorism, ABBA were one of the first pop bands I was aware of. My first impressions weren't positive. The Swedish quartet's reputation was at a low ebb in the 1980s, their 1970s disco-dabbling hits seen as dated and schlocky. It wasn't until I saw an ABBA tribute band years later that I
- [The Raincoats Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-raincoats-album-reviews/) - The punk and new wave movements lowered the barriers to entry to a musical career, promising a more egalitarian future. Yet with the occasional exception, like Debbie Harry, The Go-Gos, and Tina Weymouth, guitar-based music remained a largely male domain in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Raincoats convened in London, where three of
- [Porter Robinson Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/porter-robinson-album-reviews/) - Porter Weston Robinson grew up in Chapel Hill, a town in North Carolina that also produced James Taylor, George Hamilton IV, and Ben Folds Five. The son of an attorney, Robinson was a debater at school. Self-taught, he started producing EDM as a pre-teen. He developed complextro, adding classically inspired melodies and complicated fills to his
- [Joy Division Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/joy-division/) - Joy Division were one of several prominent bands who were inspired by the Sex Pistols' famous 1976 gig in Manchester - members of The Buzzcocks, The Fall, The Smiths, and Simply Red were reportedly also in attendance. Producer Martin Hannett was instrumental in shaping them, drenching them in reverb and bringing out the most chilling aspects
- [The Jam Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-jam-2/) - The Jam was formed by young teens in Woking, a town on the edge of London. Guitarist and songwriter Paul Weller was eventually joined by drummer Rick Buckler and bassist Bruce Foxton. Like many young bands from the era, The Jam gained a record deal in the wake of punk. Their music was fast and
- [Rich Mullins Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/christian-contemporary-music/rich-mullins-album-reviews/) - Richard Wayne Mullins was one of the most beloved figures in Christian Contemporary Music. He grew up in Indiana, the son of a tree farmer. Growing up he was influenced by Quaker values of peace and social justice, which permeated through his songwriting. He was influenced by The Beatles, Stephen Stills, Cat Stevens, and Genesis.
- [Curtis Mayfield Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/curtis-mayfield-album-reviews/) - Curtis Mayfield was born in Chicago, where he sang in a gospel choir. As a teenager, he joined the vocal group The Roosters. The Roosters became The Impressions, releasing their first single in 1958. When Jerry Butler left the group, Mayfield became the lead singer. He emerged as a songwriter in the 1960s, penning 'Gypsy
- [The White Stripes Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/the-white-stripes/) - There are many examples in popular music of stripping away the superfluity and getting back to basics. But it doesn’t get much more basic than Detroit’s The White Stripes. Dispensing even with a bass player, the purported brother and sister duo delivered direct, blues-inflected rock. Their first album was released in 1999, while the band
- [Arooj Aftab Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/arooj-aftab-album-reviews/) - Arooj Aftab was born in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents. She taught herself guitar and became a viral sensation in Pakistan, an early adopter of the internet with hits ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘Mera Pyaar’. Aftab moved to the US at 19 and studied at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. Vulture Prince, Aftab's third studio album, is
- [Dimmer Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/dimmer-album-reviews/) - In January 1994, Straitjacket Fits played their last gig at the Big Day Out festival. Disillusioned by the music industry, Shayne Carter returned to Dunedin and spent years largely away from the music industry. He later described this period to Under The Radar as "a lost weekend that lasted for six years". Carter rediscovered his
- [1970s Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/) - The 1970s are beloved by music nerds. Artists in various genres cranked out a 40-minute album every year. The late 1960s staked out the territory for many genres; the 1970s was when they were explored more fully. Artists like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder broke free from the Motown singles machine and made album-length statements.
- [Nilüfer Yanya Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/nilufer-yanya-album-reviews/) - Indie artist Nilüfer Yanya was born in Chelsea, West London. She's the daughter of two visual artistsmwith Turkish, Irish and Barbadian heritage. Yanya grew up listening to her father’s Turkish music and her mother’s classical music but gravitated to the guitar in adolescence. Nilüfer Yanya rejected the offer to join a girl group formed by
- [Mdou Moctar Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/mdou-moctar-album-reviews/) - Born in a nomad camp, Niger’s Mdou Moctar first came to prominence after the release of his debut album, 2008’s Anar. Its songs were hugely popular throughout the Sahel region of Africa and traded on cell phones. Thanks to the compilation Music from Saharan Cellphones: Volume 1, Moctar became known outside of Saharan Africa. In 2015, Moctar
- [Charly Bliss Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/charly-bliss/) - Siblings Eva and Sam Hendricks grew up in Westport, Connecticut. Eva Hendricks dabbled in musical theatre and sang jingles for commercials. In 2011 Eva Hendricks, vocalist and guitarist, recorded an EP with guitarist Spencer Fox. The duo were joined by Eva's brother Sam on drums and eventually bass player Dan Shure. The quartet plays guitar
- [Billie Eilish Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/billie-eilish-album-reviews/) - Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell was the first musician born in the 21st century to score a number-one single in the United States. Eilish had already been building a profile for a few years, debuting on SoundCloud and building a following through singles and the impressive EP don't smile at me. Her debut album, When We
- [Sugar Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/sugar-album-reviews/) - After leaving Hüsker Dü, Bob Mould released a pair of solo albums, before forming another power trio. Unlike Hüsker Dü, where Grant Hart was an important songwriter and Greg Norton was central to the band’s sound, Sugar is Mould’s show. His two new recruits, bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis, are unobtrusive and stay
- [Hüsker Dü Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/husker-du/) - Hüsker Dü started as a hardcore punk act in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1979. The three-piece featured Bob Mould on guitar and vocals, Grant Hart on drums and vocals, and Greg Norton on bass and occasional vocals. Over their first few albums, they developed their sound from ultra-fast hardcore punk to melodic popcraft but still
- [The Go-Betweens Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-go-betweens/) - It's difficult to explain the appeal of Australian indie band The Go-Betweens; Robert Forster and Grant McLennan are neither strikingly talented guitarists nor vocalists. But despite their limitations, they made some great albums during the 1980s, eloquent, literate, melodic, and honest, with the focus on Forster and McLennan's accomplished songwriting. McLennan is the more straightforward
- [Olivia Rodrigo Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/olivia-rodrigo-album-reviews/) - Olivia Isabel Rodrigo first came to prominence as an actor. She appeared in Bizaardvark and High School Musical. In 2020, she signed a recording contract and quickly became a pop superstar. Her debut single, ‘Driver’s License,’ debuted at number one on Billboard, while her third single, ‘Good 4 U,’ also debuted at number one. The success
- [Echo & the Bunnymen Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/echo-and-the-bunnymen/) - Echo & the Bunnymen vocalist Ian McCulloch started his career in the humbly named Crucial Three, alongside Julian Cope and Pete Wylie. As the Crucial Three morphed into The Teardrop Explodes, McCulloch formed a new band with guitarist Will Sergeant, bassist Les Pattinson, and a drum machine. After the 1979 single ‘The Pictures on My
- [The dB’s Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-dbs-album-reviews/) - The members of The dB’s are all from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, also the birthplace of Mitch Easter (Let’s Active) and Ben Folds. As teens, future dB's Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple joined Easter in a band named Rittenhouse Square, playing Wishbone Ash covers and recording a six-song album. Holsapple also spent a year in prep
- [Elvis Costello Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/elvis-costello/) - Of all the musicians who emerged in the wake of punk in the late 1970s, Elvis Costello perhaps has the richest back catalogue. Musically literate and stylistically restless, in some ways Costello had little in common with the punk movement. His lyrics are dense and filled with in-jokes and obscure references. But in other aspects,
- [The Clash Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-clash/) - Perhaps the most celebrated band to emerge from the 1970s punk movement, The Clash started as a straight-out punk band. But their music soon expanded, incorporating the reggae and dub they heard on London's streets, as well as venturing into radio-friendly rock, hip-hop, and pretty much everything in between. As a white boy growing up
- [New Order Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/new-order-album-reviews/) - Joy Division's lead vocalist Ian Curtis took his own life on the eve of the band's first US tour. The band rebranded as New Order - taking their name from a newspaper article titled The People's New Order of Kampuchea. They added Gillian Gilbert, the girlfriend of drummer Stephen Morris, on keyboards and guitar, while
- [Richard Harris Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/richard-harris-album-reviews/) - Welshman Richard Harris originally wanted to become a rugby player. But after a bout of tuberculosis, he became an actor. He's known for roles in films like The Field (1990), The Guns of Navarone (1961), This Sporting Life (1963), and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). A singing role as King Arthur in
- [Jimmy Webb Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/jimmy-webb/) - Jimmy Webb wasn’t the only prominent person to enjoy success as a songwriter in the 1960s before launching a career as a singer. Isaac Hayes, Carole King, and Neil Diamond all followed similar paths. As a songwriter, I rate Webb among the 1960s greats - like Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney, he was
- [Counting Crows Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/counting-crows-album-reviews/) - Counting Crows formed in the Bay Area. Vocalist Adam Duritz was formerly in The Himalayans, who recorded an album with producer David Bryson in 1990. The album was unreleased until 2002, but Bryson and Duritz started playing together at open mic nights, calling themselves Counting Crows. Introduction Counting Crows Album Reviews August and Everything After
- [Led Zeppelin Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/led-zeppelin/) - Led Zeppelin was hastily formed by Yardbirds' guitarist Jimmy Page to tour to fulfil contractual obligations. Page grabbed another session veteran, John Paul Jones, on bass, and recruited singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham from a local band. Given the circumstances of this pragmatic and sudden formation, it's surprising that Led Zeppelin have become
- [Ariana Grande Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/ariana-grande/) - Ariana Grande-Butera was born in Boca Raton, Florida to an Italian-American heritage. She started her career in musicals and as an actor, appearing on the teen series Victorious. She transitioned into a recording career, releasing her debut album Yours Truly in 2013 at 20. Ariana Grande’s blessed with an amazing voice, simultaneously rich and coquettish,
- [Lana Del Rey Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/lana-del-rey/) - When Lana Del Rey emerged with the viral single ‘Video Games’ in 2011, she wasn’t someone who I expected to enjoy a long career. ‘Video Games’ had a unique atmosphere, a cinematic ballad with nostalgic Hollywood glamour, but it pigeon-holed Del Rey into a distinctive style. Del Rey’s worked with different producers, who’ve provided different
- [Brandy Clark Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/brandy-clark/) - Brandy Clark was born in Morton, Washington, a small logging town. She grew up enamoured with country music, naming the Patsy Cline movie Sweet Dreams as a particularly vivid influence. She took time out from music in her teens, attending Central Washington University on a basketball scholarship. Accordingly, Clark was a late bloomer in the
- [Gillian Welch Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/gillian-welch/) - Americana artist Gillian Welch was born in New York and adopted by a pair of comedy music entertainers. Welch later learned that her mother may have grown up in the mountains of North Carolina, possibly an explanation for how her music can tap into a bygone era. Songs like 'The Devil had a Hold of
- [U2 Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/u2/) - U2 started as a post-punk band, emerging from Ireland with their 1980 debut Boy. Like many bands originating from the DIY ethos of the punk era, they had limitations. Paul Hewson (better known as Bono) became lead singer because the band wanted to get him off rhythm guitar. David Evans (better known as The Edge)
- [Portishead Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/portishead/) - Portishead formed in the city of Bristol, where a vibrant, multi-cultural music scene spawned trip-hop in the early 1990s. Trip-hop took the beats from hip-hop and slowed them down, adding textures and songs. Alongside Portishead, Massive Attack and Tricky also originated in Bristol. Portishead took their name from a coastal town near Bristol and started
- [Neil Young Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/neil-young/) - Neil Young was born in Canada in 1945, where his father was a notable sports broadcaster. Before fame, Young played in the Mynah Birds, with a young Rick James, before relocating to Los Angeles. There he joined Stephen Stills in Buffalo Springfield. Initially Young took a back-seat role, allowing Richie Furay to front some of
- [Glass Beach Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/glass-beach-album-reviews/) - In the heady days of the 1990s, it felt like Beck was the apex of post-modern innovation, blurring the lines between genres on projects like Odelay. Los Angeles band Glass Beach take this approach about six light years further on their debut album. They ignore genre conventions and change gears abruptly multiple times during a single
- [Dua Lipa Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/dua-lipa-album-reviews/) - Pop music has become a much more respected art form in the past decade. Records like Taylor Swift’s 1989, Carly Rae Jepsen’s Emotion, and Robyn’s Honey have attained the acclaim usually reserved for more critically favoured musical genres. Dua Lipa’s an obvious candidate to cross from mainstream radio to critical credibility. She enjoyed a provocative duet with St. Vincent
- [1950s and 1960s Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/1960s-miscellany/) - Album reviews of 1950s and 1960s artists who don't qualify for their own page. Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison Arlo Guthrie Alice’s Restaurant Buddy Holly 20 Golden Greats Dusty Springfield Dusty in Memphis Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison 1968, 6/10Johnny Cash always had a bulletproof reputation, as a respected elder statesman of country music and
- [1990s Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/1990s-miscellany/) - This page collects miscellaneous reviews for 1990s artists who I've just covered a handful of albums by: Eric Clapton Unplugged Dream Theater Images And Words Awake Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory Ben Harper Welcome To The Cruel World Fight For Your Mind The Will To Live Burn To Shine Diamonds On The Inside
- [Vampire Weekend Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/vampire-weekend/) - Ezra Koenig and drummer Chris Tomson started playing together in a rap collaboration named "L'Homme Run" while attending Columbia University. The pair were interested in punk and African music and named their band after a short film Koenig attempted to make about a vampire invasion of Cape Cod. Koenig and Tomson were joined by multi-instrumentalist
- [The Decemberists Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/the-decemberists/) - The band most likely to win a Scrabble tournament, The Decemberists hail from Portland, Oregon, and are notable for flaunting their extensive vocabulary in song. Despite their American heritage, they're staunch Anglophiles; many of their early songs are set in Victorian England, while leader Colin Meloy is a fan of English folkies like Shirley Collins and
- [Paul Westerberg Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/paul-westerberg/) - His work in the 1980s with the beloved Replacements left leader Paul Westerberg with colossal expectations to meet with his solo career. Despite some valiant attempts, Westerberg's never met the artistic levels of The Replacements trio of Let It Be, Tim, and Pleased To Meet Me. But his solo career has been enjoyable and worthwhile
- [Ducks Ltd. Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/ducks-ltd-album-reviews/) - The duo of Tom McGreevy and Evan Lewis met on the Toronto scene, bonding over their shared love of vintage indie jangle-pop. They now split their time between Toronto and Geelong, Australia. It makes sense because their jangling recalls Antipodean acts like The Chills, The Go-Betweens, The Bats, and Look Blue Go Purple. It's hard
- [New Zealand Music](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/new-zealand-music-reviews/) - As a New Zealander, this site's naturally biased towards New Zealand artists. I've collated them all into one page. New Zealand pop music didn't start in earnest until later than the rest of the world. Despite flickers of brilliance like The Fourmyula's 1969 hit 'Nature', New Zealand didn't produce many noteworthy albums until the second
- [Charli XCX Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/charli-xcx/) - Charlotte Emma Aitchison took her stage name from her teenage MSN Messenger handle. Of part Indian heritage, Aitchison experiences sound-to-colour synaesthesia, where she sees sounds as colours - a phenomenon shared with other notable musicians including Duke Ellington, Billy Joel, Oliver Messaien, and Syd Barrett. Aitchison was born in Cambridge and started her musical career at
- [Jellyfish Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/jellyfish/) - San Francisco's Jellyfish were underappreciated during their existence in the early 1990s, but have since gained a devoted following. Their power-pop is fun and sometimes bombastic but is often sincere. They're notable for their ornate arrangements, especially on 1993's Spilt Milk, where their harmonies are reminiscent of The Beach Boys or Queen. Jellyfish were also
- [Fairport Convention Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/fairport-convention/) - Fairport Convention are the focal point for British folk-rock of their generation. While they started their career as a sixties folk-rock band, like a London equivalent to Jefferson Airplane, they started wading through the archives of British folk songs and electrifying them. With an impressive talent pool, Fairport Convention boasted the sumptuous vocals of Sandy
- [Paul Simon Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/paul-simon/) - It wasn't surprising that Paul Simon launched a successful solo career after leaving Simon and Garfunkel, given that he wrote all of the group's original material. A school of thought enjoys Simon and Garfunkel but dislikes Simon's solo career, a mindset I don't share. Simon's solo career is a natural continuation of his work with the duo; a
- [Judee Sill Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/judee-sill/) - 1970s singer-songwriter Judee Sill was the first artist signed to David Geffen’s Asylum record label. But she had a troubled life; after her father died, her relationship with her stepfather was difficult, and she slipped into a life of crime. After she was arrested for armed robbery, she was sent to reform school, where she
- [Todd Rundgren Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/todd-rundgren/) - Philadelphia-born Todd Rundgren is outrageously talented. He's a skilled musician on multiple instruments, a strong vocalist with a hint of blue-eyed soul, a gifted studio technician who's produced landmark albums from The New York Dolls, Patti Smith, The Psychedelic Furs, Meat Loaf, and XTC, and a capable composer and arranger. Rundgren started his recorded career in the
- [Roxy Music Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/roxy-music/) - Roxy Music were formed in 1971 by vocalist and keyboardist Bryan Ferry who, along with several of his band-mates, came from the same English art school background as The Who and The Rolling Stones. Accordingly, Roxy Music always felt conceptual - they were purposefully experimental, decadent, and futuristic, and there was always a deliberate visual element to
- [Queen Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/queen/) - Bassist and vocalist Tim Staffell quit trio Smile, but not before introducing his flatmate Freddie Bulsara to the band. Bulsara joined astronomy student and guitarist Brian May and dentistry student and drummer Roger Taylor. After a lengthy audition process, electronics student John Deacon was hired on bass, forming the Queen lineup that would endure until Bulsara,
- [Pink Floyd Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/pink-floyd/) - Pink Floyd are one of classic rock’s most renowned bands. Several generations have appreciated the studio wizardry of 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon and the themes of alienation and self-examination of 1979’s The Wall. But the group’s catalogue is deeper than their 1970s big sellers like Wish You Were Here and Animals. Their
- [Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/tom-petty-the-heartbreakers/) - Rock and roll's perpetual underdog, Thomas Earl Petty was born in Gainsville, Florida, in 1950. His interest in rock and roll was sparked when he met Elvis Presley in 1961, and was cemented when he saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Petty dropped out of school at the age of 17 to play
- [Gram Parsons (and The Flying Burrito Brothers) Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/gram-parsons-and-the-flying-burrito-brothers/) - Gram Parsons, or as 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die describes him, "Keith Richards' citrus-heir drug-buddy", is remembered as a country-rock pioneer. While this description is certainly apt, I was taken aback by his music initially. It's not the commercially oriented country offered by the Eagles and the Counting Crows; it's more anchored
- [Randy Newman Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/randy-newman/) - L.A.'s Randy Newman was born into the music business. His grandparents, uncles, and cousins all worked as film score composers. Newman is best known for his film scores, such as Toy Story and Ragtime. 'You've Got A Friend In Me' from Toy Story is arguably his most well-known song, while he won an Oscar for
- [Van Morrison Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/van-morrison/) - Van Morrison began his career as the vocalist for the Belfast garage-rock band Them, scoring hits with 'Gloria' and 'Here Comes The Night'. After Them disbanded, Morrison's career stalled with a stint on Bang records, where artistic frustration caused him to produce his infamous contractual obligation sessions, featuring tossed off songs like 'The Big Royalty
- [Joni Mitchell Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/joni-mitchell/) - Joni Mitchell isn't always given the respect she deserves. In her prime she was often discussed for her famous boyfriends rather than her music; Rolling Stone infamously labelled her the Queen of El Lay in a 1971 piece. There's also a perception of her as a warbling folk singer, but that only applies to the first phase of
- [John Martyn Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/john-martyn/) - John Martyn was born Iain David McGeachy, the son of two opera singers - a surprising lineage given his characteristic slur. Martyn spent most of his childhood in Glasgow, playing rugby. His early music combined folk and blues, and at the time of his 1967 debut, London Conversation, he didn't stand out in a crowded
- [Christian Contemporary Music](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/christian-contemporary-music/) - I don't listen to much Christian music. Most modern worship sounds like Joshua Tree-era U2 to me. I prefer faith-based acts to not limit themselves to the Christian market, like Sufjan Stevens, Over The Rhine, or Amy Grant. The best place to find talented Christian musicians is classical music - highly regarded composers like JS
- [The Beatles Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/the-beatles/) - From very early in their career and probably until the demise of Western civilization, Liverpool's The Beatles will stand unchallenged as the world's greatest rock and roll band. They emerged after a lull in rock music; Buddy Holly died in a plane crash, Little Richard joined the ministry, Elvis Presley was drafted into the army,
- [The Beach Boys Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/the-beach-boys/) - As a casual music listener, it's easy to hear The Beach Boys' sun-drenched hits and conclude that the group were all beaches, girls and cars, and no substance. But the group was led by Brian Wilson, one of the most talented musicians of his era, with an ear for sophisticated chord progressions, studio arrangements, and
- [Carole King Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/carole-king/) - Born Carol Klein, Carole King was the most successful female songwriter of the second half of the 20th century in the U.S., writing more than 100 Billboard 100 hits. King grew up in New York, and attended Queens College, where she collaborated with other musicians of Jewish heritage; she recorded demos with Paul Simon, dated
- [Don Henley Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/don-henley-album-reviews/) - Don Henley emerged as the primary lead singer of the Eagles. He was nicknamed "Golden Throat", and fronted their breakthrough hit 'Best of My Love' and their signature song 'Hotel California'. When the Eagles split acrimoniously in 1980, Henley went solo. Introduction
- [Elton John Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/elton-john/) - Sir Elton Hercules John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, in London. He learned the piano as a child and started his career in the R&B band Bluesology as a teenager. In 1967 he began a songwriting partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin. At first, the pair wrote songs for other artists, including Lulu, before John recorded
- [Katie Pruitt Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/katie-pruitt-album-reviews/) - Katie Pruitt grew up in Atlanta and was raised Catholic. She attended Catholic school and mass. She got into music in middle school, learning the guitar and enjoying musical theatre. But she quickly became interested in songwriting, using it to communicate. She attended open mic nights, and her mother told NPR She just kept writing
- [Eagles Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/eagles/) - The Eagles achieved stratospheric success in the 1970s, effectively bridging the country rock and soft rock styles that were popular in the early 1970s. Songwriting team Don Henley and Glenn Frey pumped out a ton of popular singles, and their Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) is one of the highest-selling albums of all time. As the
- [Julia Holter Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/julia-holter-album-reviews/) - Julia Holter was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was young. She studied music at The University of Michigan, earning a degree in composition. Inspired by avant-garde composer Michael Pisaro, she studied at CalArts. After playing with 1970s psychedelic folkie Linda Perhacs, and recording CD-Rs, Holter released her official debut
- [Richard X. Heyman](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/richard-x-heyman/) - Richard X. Heyman started his career as a backing musician, drumming for Brian Wilson, Link Wray, and Jonathan Richman, and playing keyboards for Ben E King. A one-man band, his work is tougher than early solo Paul McCartney and not as experimental as early Todd Rundgren, and more retrogressive than either - listening to his
- [Maggie Rogers Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/maggie-rogers-album-reviews/) - Margaret Debay Rogers grew up in Maryland, the daughter of a Ford salesman and a nurse. She began learning the harp at seven and writing songs by thirteen. In high school she indulged a wide range of musical interests, playing the harp in the orchestra, singing in the choir, learning the banjo, and dabbling in
- [Amy Grant Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/amy-grant/) - The Queen of Christian pop music, Amy Grant also enjoyed success as a crossover pop artist in the 1980s and 1990s. Born in Georgia, her family moved to Nashville when she was 7. At 15 she wrote her first song, 'Mountain Top'. When she recorded a demo of it for her parents, she was offered
- [Kacey Musgraves Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/kacey-musgraves/) - Born in Texas, a year before fellow country star Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves has followed a markedly different musical path. Swift is the golden girl, whose albums go to number one. Musgraves is the outsider, whose grandmother cried when she pierced her nose. There are parallels between the pair - both are uncluttered and effective
- [Tirzah Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/tirzah-album-reviews/) - As a teenager, Tirzah Mastin was on the path to becoming a classically trained harpist. Attending music school, she found more joy in the songs she created with classmate Mica Levi. After finishing school, Tirzah worked as a print designer, treating music as a hobby. She released a pair of EPs in her twenties but
- [Genesis Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/genesis/) - In the mid-1980s, Genesis and its spin-off projects - Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, and Mike and the Mechanics - were enjoying hit singles galore, with hits like 'Sledgehammer', 'The Living Years', 'Invisible Touch', and 'Sussudio'. But before their mid-1980s chart dominance Genesis produced some great music in the 1970s, with their very English blend of progressive
- [Fleetwood Mac Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/fleetwood-mac/) - Fleetwood Mac formed as a blues band in 1967, when Peter Green recruited Mick Fleetwood and John McVie as his rhythm section. The band went through a large turnover of guitarists and vocalists, including Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, and Bob Welch, as they transitioned from a blues band to a pop band, and relocated
- [Karla Bonoff Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/karla-bonoff-album-reviews/) - Karla Bonoff was born in Santa Monica, California. She played at The Troubadour, alongside future stars like Jackson Browne and the Eagles. Her career, however, is most closely entwined with Linda Ronstadt's. She formed Bryndle with other singer-songwriters on the fringes, Andrew Gold, Wendy Waldman, and Kenny Edwards. Edwards had previously played in Stone Poneys
- [1990s Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/) - Because I was a teenager through the 1990s, my relationship with the decade’s music differs from other decades. I’d probably appreciate bands like Oasis and Nirvana more if I wasn’t saturated with them. I also think that mainstream rock largely ran out of steam, and the most interesting music is on the fringes or in other
- [Christian Contemporary Music - Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/christian-contemporary-music/christian-contemporary-music-miscellany/) - Album reviews of CCM artists who don’t qualify for their own page. Earthsuit | Tim Hughes | Solace Earthsuit Kaleidoscope Superior 2000, 7/10Judging solely from their debut album, it's hard to tell whether New Orleans' Earthsuit are someone's cunning plan to provide a Christian alternative to the secular flavour of the month (circa the turn
- [The 2nd Chapter of Acts](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/christian-contemporary-music/the-2nd-chapter-of-acts/) - The Ward siblings formed a band almost by accident - Nelly and Matthew Ward lost their parents while they were minors, and moved in with their sister Annie in 1970. Annie Herring was married to record producer Buck Herring, who bought her a piano. Annie began composing songs, and after school Nelly and Matthew would
- [Jars of Clay](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/christian-contemporary-music/jars-of-clay-2/) - Jars of Clay were formed when keyboardist Charlie Lowell met vocalist Dan Haseltine at Greenville College, Illinois; Lowell initially noticed Haseltine's Toad The Wet Sprocket t-shirt. The four-piece band was completed with guitarists Stephen Mason and Matt Odmark - unusually, the group don't have a permanent rhythm section. The members started writing songs for their
- [Form](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/christian-contemporary-music/form/) - New Zealand worship band Form were significant for my generation; making church worship music that sounded less like Michael W. Smith and more like Pearl Jam was an exciting innovation. But twenty years later, they're largely disappeared from the inter-webs - only one of their albums is on Spotify, and I had to photograph their
- [Josh Rouse Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/josh-rouse/) - Nebraskan-born singer-songwriter Josh Rouse grew up inspired by British bands like The Smiths and The Cure. His music reflects the homespun feeling of the American Midwest and the introverted yet poppy sound of the bands that influenced him. He also has a predilection for 1970's soft rock, most explicitly on 2003's excellent genre-exercise album 1972.
- [Brian Eno Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/brian-eno/) - Brian Eno started his musical career as a member of Roxy Music, where he used his synthesiser to treat Phil Manzanera's guitar and Andy Mackay's saxophone and oboe. After leaving Roxy Music he built up an impressive catalogue as a producer, with significant albums for David Bowie, Talking Heads, Devo, and U2, where he used
- [Nick Drake Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/nick-drake/) - A gentle-sounding English folk-artist, Nick Drake hardly made a ripple during his short lifetime. He was too shy to play live and barely sold a record. Posthumously, his small catalogue has earned plenty of attention. His delicate and measured approach produced some of the most timeless music of his generation. Introduction Nick Drake Album Reviews
- [Crosby, Stills & Nash Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/crosby-stills-and-nash/) - David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash all started their careers in other notable 1960s bands. Crosby left The Byrds after disagreements over counter-cultural songs like 'Triad' and 'Mind Gardens', Stills' Buffalo Springfield broke up after tensions with band-mate Neil Young, while Nash left The Hollies after their decision to record a Dylan covers album.
- [Can Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/can/) - The experimental band Can were formed in Cologne in 1968. Keyboardist Irmin Schmidt and bassist Holger Czukay came from avant-garde classical backgrounds, studying with Stockhausen. Schmidt's mind was opened to the artistic possibilities of rock music on a trip to New York in 1966, while Czukay was impressed by The Beatles' 'I Am The Walrus',
- [John Cale Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/john-cale/) - While his former Velvet Underground bandmate Lou Reed enjoyed a larger public profile, John Cale has always been like an invisible hand guiding the alternative music scene. Cale started his career in the early 1960s in the contemporary classical scene. He studied the viola, and worked alongside contemporary composers like John Cage, Aaron Copland, and
- [James Taylor Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/james-taylor/) - With his warm voice, pretty guitar-picking, and introspective songwriting, James Vernon Taylor was the figurehead of the singer-songwriter movement in the early 1970s. The son of a physician, his four siblings all became professional musicians. Introduction James Taylor Album Reviews James Taylor Sweet Baby James Mud Slide Slim (And The Blue Horizon) One Man Dog Walking
- [L'Rain Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/lrain-album-reviews/) - Brooklyn's Taja Cheek comes from a family entwined in the music business – her grandfather ran a jazz club and her father worked in record label marketing. Like Sade, L'Rain is both Cheek's stage name and the name of her eponymous band. L'Rain is derived from her mother's first name, Lorraine. Introduction L'Rain Album Reviews
- [Vashti Bunyan Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/vashti-bunyan/) - English folk-singer Vashti Bunyan has enjoyed a unique career trajectory, starting when she recorded a Jagger-Richards composition in the mid-1960s. Her early singles failed to gain much attention, and Bunyan instead travelled by horse and cart to join a commune in the Hebrides. On the journey, she wrote the songs for her debut Just Another
- [Vanessa Carlton Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/vanessa-carlton-album-reviews/) - Vanessa Carlton is best known for the 2002 hit 'A Thousand Miles' and singing backing vocals on the Counting Crows' cover of Joni Mitchell's 'Big Yellow Taxi'. Her debut album Be Not Nobody was successful, but she's struggled for sales ever since. But she's making better music now than she did on her platinum-selling debut.
- [David Bowie Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/david-bowie/) - Born David Jones, and changing his name to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees, Bowie pottered around as a solo artist in London with unsuccessful material like 'The Laughing Gnome'. He eventually gained some attention with his 1969 single 'Space Oddity' and with 1971's Hunky Dory and 1972's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy
- [Big Star Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/big-star/) - Formed around former Box Tops lead singer Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, Big Star existed for a brief period of time in the early 1970s. They were spectacularly unsuccessful during their lifetime due to poor promotion and distribution. But their influence has spread far and wide - the group have earned a deserved cult profile
- [Peter Gabriel Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/peter-gabriel/) - Leaving Genesis after six albums, at the age of 25, Peter Gabriel's solo career initially felt like an attempt to distance himself from his former band. It took him a couple of albums to find his feet, but his third self-titled album, known as Melt, established him as an innovative solo artist and also revealed his interests
- [Simon and Garfunkel Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/simon-and-garfunkel/) - Simon and Garfunkel met as teenagers in a school play, where Simon played the White Rabbit and Garfunkel the Cheshire Cat. The pair initially tried to break into the music industry as Tom and Jerry, playing Everly Brothers inspired teeny pop, then made their first LP in the midst of the 1960s folk revival. The
- [Spirit Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/spirit/) - Los Angeles teenagers Randy Wolfe, bassist Mark Andes, and vocalist Jay Ferguson formed The Red Roosters in the mid-1960s. The band was put on hiatus when Wolfe's step-father Ed Cassidy moved the family to New York in search of work. In New York, Wolfe played guitar with Jimi Hendrix in Jimmy James and the Famous
- [The Rolling Stones Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/the-rolling-stones/) - It's widely acknowledged that The Rolling Stones hit their peak between 1968 and 1972 - right now I'm covering those albums, and a few later highlights, as my Top Rated Albums list feels incomplete without them. I'll come back and cover their 1965-1967 albums later; there are a few that I've only recently become acquainted
- [The Moody Blues Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/the-moody-blues/) - The Moody Blues started their career as an R&B band, enjoying a hit with ‘Go Now’, fronted by future Wings member Denny Laine, in 1965. But after Laine left and Justin Hayward and John Lodge joined, the band found a new direction, lush pop songs, supported by Mike Pinder’s Mellotron. The seven albums that The
- [New Zealand #1 Hits](https://albumreviews.blog/nz-1-hits/) - New Zealand's singles charts took a while to arrive. The first chart based on sales didn't arrive until 1975. Wikipedia lists NZ #1 singles starting in mid-1960, but between 1960 and 1975, these were based on: i) 1960-1964: The Lever Hit Parade. Hit songs were selected by the show's producerii) 1965-March 1966: there was no
- [The New Pornographers Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/the-new-pornographers/) - Canadian indie pop band The New Pornographers took their name from a 1966 Japanese anthropological film, The Pornographers. The term supergroup has always felt a little misleading for this conglomerate of musicians. Most of the members were only known within the Canadian music scene. The success of the parent band helped to raise the profile
- [Aretha Franklin Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/aretha-franklin/) - Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul and, according to Barack Obama, "helped define the American experience". Success, however, didn't happen overnight - when she delighted the mainstream in 1967 with her cover of Otis Redding's 'Respect', she'd already recorded ten albums. Back to 1960s Album Reviews….
- [Bob Dylan Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/bob-dylan/) - Robert Zimmerman was born in Minnesota in 1941, renaming himself Bob Dylan after Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Dylan started his musical career dabbling in rock and roll, and saw Buddy Holly perform three days before Holly's death. He shifted his interest to American folk music while at university, finding early rock and roll too facile.
- [Creedence Clearwater Revival Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/creedence-clearwater-revival/) - 1969 and 1970 were flagship years for rock music, with most major 1960s acts still releasing albums, and exciting new acts that would dominate the 1970s emerging. But perhaps the best performing band in this micro-era was a four-piece band from California, which played stripped-down, swampy rock. Back to 1960s album reviews….. Cincinnati Babyhead says: (CCR) Susie
- [Boygenius Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/boygenius-album-reviews/) - Female solo artists Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, and Phoebe Bridgers had never all been in the same room together when they decided to form a band. The three had collaborated on tours - Dacus and Bridgers had both opened for Baker. The trio took umbrage at constant comparisons to each other - they all have
- [The Beach Boys Solo](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/beach-boys-solo/) - Amazingly, for a band divided into factions since the mid-1960s, it took until 1977 for a solo album to emerge from any of the original Beach Boys. Dennis Wilson's lush, romantic Pacific Ocean Blue sold comparatively to The Beach Boys' Love You, and gained a cult following after being out of print for many years. Dennis
- [2020s Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/) - Less than two years into the new decade, it's already been eventful. A global pandemic and #blacklivesmatter protests have already created ten years' worth of chaos. Because the decade's only just started, it will take a while to populate this page.
- [2010s Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/) - As time has gone on, music has splintered further into sub-genres. Technology has allowed anyone with the inclination to make and release an album, and it's also easier for music fans to focus their attention on a single obscure sub-genre. It's possible that someone's making great music in their room, and the rest of the
- [2000s Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/) - The first decade of the 21st century feels like my home territory. I spent my teenage years in the 1990s catching up with the 1960s and 1970s, so the 2000s were the first decade in which I actively engaged with new music. In the 2000s music splintered further into sub-genres - it's more difficult to
- [1980s Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/) - The 1980s often get bad press, but they were full of great music. Admittedly many acts from earlier eras struggled to adapt to new technology and made weak albums. But many new acts thrived, and there was diversity; hip hop emerged, there was a fertile 1980s alternative rock scene, and exciting mainstream acts like Madonna
- [Kraftwerk Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/kraftwerk-album-reviews/) - Düsseldorf's Kraftwerk helped to popularise electronic music in the 1970s. While the use of electronic instruments was pioneered by composer Karlheinz Stockhausen in the early 1950s, Kraftwerk's minimalist arrangements and catchy tunes helped to take them to the pop charts. Their breakthrough album, 1974's Autobahn, surprisingly reached the top 5 on the Billboard charts. They
- [Acclaimed Music](https://albumreviews.blog/about/acclaimed-music/) - I enjoy the Acclaimed Music list of the top 50 artists based on albums - http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/top_artists/t0a.htm This is what I've covered from their top 50 artists: Already have a page1 The Beatles2 Bob Dylan3 The Rolling Stones4 David Bowie6 Neil Young7 Bruce Springsteen8 Radiohead9 R.E.M.10 Led Zeppelin12 The Velvet Underground13 Elvis Costello14 Pink Floyd16 Tom
- [Contact](https://albumreviews.blog/about/contact/) - I don't usually write reviews on request - you might want to try these blogs: https://80smetalman.wordpress.com/https://vinyldaftdad.wordpress.com/http://crazyonclassicrock.wordpress.com/ - specialises in rock reviews, particularly anything that is inspired by classic rock or anything retro: disco, ska, blues, jazz, R&B, soul, etc. Contact me here, or just leave a comment.
- [About Aphoristic Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/about/) - I was born in 1979, in Lower Hutt New Zealand. I grew up in a household where the main music was bagpipes and Christian radio. When I discovered pop music at the age of 12 it was new and exciting, and vintage acts like Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles felt like my own. All
- [Lists](https://albumreviews.blog/lists/) - I recently decided that this site needs a lists page, so over 2019, I’m planning to publish lists one at a time. I’m not trying to be objective with these – I regard them as a list of favourites. All lists in alphabetical order. Ten Favourite Vocalists | Ten Favourite Multi-Talented Musicians | Ten Favourite
- [1960s Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1960s-reviews/) - Rock and roll launched in the 1950s, but in the 1960s the rock LP as an art form came into its own. Artists like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and The Beach Boys are perennial favourites on greatest albums of all time lists. Rock and pop music became more complex in the mid-1960s, as groups pushed
- [Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/) - This is an archive of album reviews that I've been writing since around 2000. Reviews are organised by decade - artists are filed under their most successful or prolific decade. Sometimes this is confusing - Radiohead are filed under the 1990s, even though some of their most acclaimed music was released in the 2000s. Led
- [100 Best Albums of All Time](https://albumreviews.blog/100-best-albums-of-all-time/) - Here are my 100 favourites from the albums that I've reviewed on this site to date. A few longtime favourites are missing because I haven't reviewed them yet. As you can probably tell from the list, my tastes run towards sophisticated pop. Even though I was born in 1979, a lot of my favourites come
- [Snail Mail Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/snail-mail-album-reviews/) - Lindsey Jordan grew up in Baltimore also home to Beach House and Wye Oak, while at one point her guitar teacher was Helium's Mary Timony. Seeing Paramore at the age of 8 made Jordan question her previously held assumption that only men could form bands. Jordan formed the band Snail Mail, but as the sole
- [Natalie Hemby Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/natalie-hemby/) - Natalie Hemby was born in Illinois, the daughter of a Nashville studio guitarist. She almost signed a record deal with Sony in her early 20s but it fell through. Instead, she worked in marketing but started collaborating with Miranda Lambert as a songwriter on 2009’s Platinum. She contributed to acclaimed albums like Miranda Lambert's The
- [Phoebe Bridgers Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/phoebe-bridgers/) - Indie singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers was born in Los Angeles and studied vocal jazz at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Bridgers grew up with parents who were involved in the entertainment industry - her mother encouraged her to busk and took her to the farmers market to busk. After opening for Julien
- [Black Midi Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2020s-album-reviews/black-midi-album-reviews/) - The members of Black Midi met at the BRIT School in London, a performing art college whose other alumni include Amy Winehouse, Adele, FKA Twigs, and Imogen Heap. With access to the studio during school, they were able to get all the silly experimentation out of their system. The four members of Black Midi are
- [The 1975 Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/the-1975/) - The 1975 formed as a high school band in Wilmslow, Cheshire, where a council worker organised frequent gigs for teenagers. Vocalist and guitarist Matty Healy, the son of prominent actors, was joined by guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald, and drummer George Daniel. The quartet cycled through a vast number of potential names before settling
- [Jamila Woods Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/jamila-woods/) - Chicago's Jamila Woods is a recording artist and writer. She graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Africana Studies and Theater & Performance Studies. Her poetry has been featured in anthologies like Courage: Daring Poems for Gutsy Girls. Both her writing and music focus on the themes of black feminism and self-love. Introduction Jamila
- [tricot Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/tricot/) - Math-rock band tricot formed in Kyoto in 2010, releasing their debut album in 2013. Tricot spent time as an all-female trio, but drummer Yuusuke Yoshida was added in 2017. Yoshida provides the engine for the twin guitar attack of Ikumi “Ikkyu” Nakajima and Motoko “Motifour” Kida and bassist Hiromi “Hirohiro” Sagane. Kida’s flexibility as a
- [Rosalía Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/rosalia/) - Rosalía Vila Tobella was raised in a small town in northern Barcelona, Spain. She was singing with her father at the age of 7, although she mostly listened to music in English and didn't discover flamenco until she was 13. Rosalía began studying music at 16, completing her studies at Barcelona’s Catalonia College of Music.
- [Natalie Prass Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/natalie-prass-album-reviews/) - Natalie Prass was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in Richmond, Virginia. She went to Berklee College of Music and served as a keyboardist in Jenny Lewis’ backing band. Prass signed with Matthew E. White's Spacebomb Records and released her debut album in 2015. Prass’ career is only two records old, but her sophistipop
- [Angel Olsen Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/angel-olsen/) - Singer-songwriter Angel Olsen hails from St. Louis Missouri, where she was raised by a foster family. Because of the age difference between herself and her foster family, she often wondered about their childhood. Her interest in the 1950s has trickled through into her music - her full and commanding voice is surprisingly reminiscent of Roy
- [Janelle Monáe Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/janelle-monae/) - Janelle Monáe Robinson is an intimidatingly talented auteur. As a musician, she's a capable singer, rapper, songwriter, producer, and dancer, as well as a record label owner. She also makes conceptual albums; her first EP and albums are based around her android alter-ego Cindi Mayweather, while she has a distinctive visual aesthetic, wearing a tuxedo
- [Rae Morris Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/rae-morris-album-reviews/) - Rachel Ann Morris took the stage name Rae Morris, a strange choice given that she shares her handle with a well-known Australian makeup artist. She was born in the seaside resort town of Blackpool, also the birthplace of Graham Nash, Chris Lowe, Maddy Prior, and Robert Smith, as well as where Jethro Tull was formed.
- [Mitski Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/mitski/) - Mitski Miyawaki was born in Japan to an American father and Japanese mother. She studied at Purchase College’s Conservatory of Music, during which she self-released her first two albums, 2012's Lush and 2013's Retired From Sad, New Career in Business. Both albums are centered around Mitski's piano and are formative efforts that merely hint at
- [Carly Rae Jepsen Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/carly-rae-jepsen/) - Carly Rae Jepsen placed third on Canadian Idol in 2007, performing songs by Janis Ian and Rickie Lee Jones. She made a likeable coffee-shop pop album in 2008, which was released only in Canada and which featured a cover of John Denver’s ‘Sunshine on my Shoulders’. Jepsen wrote a folk song named ‘Call Me Maybe’
- [The Japanese House Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2010s-album-reviews/the-japanese-house-album-reviews/) - Introduction The Japanese House Album Reviews Good at Falling In The End it Always Does Best Japanese House Songs Introduction Amber Bain’s big break came in 2012 when she was introduced to The 1975’s Matt Healy. Still a teenager, she was signed to the band’s label and attracted attention with her mysterious first releases. Her
- [Sigur Rós](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/sigur-ros/) - Iceland's most famous post-rock band is named after the sister of singer/guitarist Jónsi Birgisson, who was born on the same day as the band was formed in Reykjavík in 1994. The group combine Jonsi's high pitched, gorgeous voice with pretty melodies and atmospheric backdrops. The group broke through to music nerd attention with their second
- [Sufjan Stevens Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/sufjan-stevens/) - One of the most consistently fascinating musicians to emerge in the 21st century, Sufjan Stevens is nominally an alt-folk artist, with his hushed, vulnerable vocals and predominance of acoustic instruments. But that's underselling his talents - he's also a sophisticated arranger, especially on the more ambitious pieces on 2005's Illinois, and he's also dabbled in
- [M.I.A. Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/m-i-a-album-reviews/) - Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam was born in London but spent most of her childhood in Sri Lanka, where her father was a Tamil activist. She originally planned a career in the visual arts but pivoted to a music career after she made a documentary about Elastica and met electroclash artist Peaches. Introduction M.I.A. Album Reviews Arular
- [A.C. Newman Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/a-c-newman-album-reviews/) - Allan Carl Newman is best known as the driving force behind Vancouver's indie-pop supergroup The New Pornographers. Newman started a solo career because fellow New Pornographer Neko Case was working on her own solo material, and the band didn't want to tour without her. A.C. Newman Album Reviews The Slow Wonder Get Guilty Shut Down
- [LCD Soundsystem](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/lcd-soundsystem/) - James Murphy’s LCD Soundsystem blurred the lines between electronic and rock music in the 21st century. Murphy's original career plan was to become a sound engineer or a drummer, but took on a front-man role after the band he was producing broke up. LCD Soundsystem are most commonly filed under "dance-punk", with Murphy's unpolished vocals
- [Jenny Lewis Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/jenny-lewis/) - When Jenny Lewis released her first solo album in 2006, it was her third high-profile career. She'd already enjoyed success as a child actor in the 1980s, appearing in movies like 1989's The Wizard. She wound down her acting career to focus on music, forming Rilo Kiley with Blake Sennett in 1998. Rilo Kiley was
- [Ray LaMontagne Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/ray-lamontagne-album-reviews/) - Ray LaMontagne worked in a shoe factory in Maine. One morning he was woken by his alarm at 4 am for work. The alarm clock's radio served up Stephen Stills' 'Treetop Flyer'. At that instant, LaMontagne decided to become a musician. It took him more than a decade from this epiphany to record his debut
- [Miranda Lambert Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/miranda-lambert-album-reviews/) - Miranda Lambert was born in Longview, Texas. Her parents were private detectives and then ran a shelter for abused women - both of these experiences feed into Lambert's songwriting. Lambert's father played in a country-rock band and taught Lambert how to play the guitar so that she could write her own songs. Introduction Miranda Lambert
- [Chairlift Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/2000s-album-reviews/chairlift-album-reviews/) - Caroline Polachek formed Chairlift with her college boyfriend Aaron Pfenning. The pair initially planned to make music for haunted houses. Instead they were disappointingly conventional - recording an EP. In 2006 they moved to Brooklyn and recorded their debut album, joined by new member Patrick Wimberly. Introduction Chairlift Album Reviews Does You Inspire You Something
- [Wilco Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/wilco/) - Jeff Tweedy was always the junior partner in the pioneering alt-country band Uncle Tupelo. When the group split into two factions, all indications were that Jay Farrar's Son Volt would be the more consequential band. But after 1995's A.M., multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett joined Wilco. Accordingly, their ambition and range expanded dramatically on the 1996 double
- [Ween Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/ween/) - It's tempting to write Ween off as a novelty band - their biggest hit single, 'Push th' Little Daisies', is gimmicky and stoned. But lurking beneath all the silliness is an ace duo who are students of popular music, with the imagination and songwriting skills to affectionately pay homage to or parody everything from Jimmy Buffett
- [Matthew Sweet Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/matthew-sweet/) - 1990s power-pop star Matthew Sweet was born in Nebraska - also the home of Josh Rouse, Conor Oberst, Randy Meisner, and JoJo Siwa. After finishing school he moved south to Athens, Georgia, to attend college and join the alt-rock scene. Athens had already spawned notable alt-rock bands The B-52s and R.E.M.. Sweet played in a
- [Slint](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/slint/) - Britt Walford and Brian McMahan met in their pre-teens, and joined the punk band Squirrel Bait while still in their teens. Walford, a drummer, left Squirrel Bait after the band's first recording sessions, but McMahan stayed on as second guitarist until their dissolution in 1987. Walford and McMahan joined forces with other Louisville, Kentucky musicians
- [Rage Against the Machine Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/rage-against-the-machine-album-reviews/)
- [Martinis and Bikinis - Sam Phillips](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/sam-phillips/martinis-and-bikinis-sam-phillips/) - 1994, 8.5/10. The reference point for Martinis & Bikinis is late period Beatles, acknowledged by the cover of 'Gimme Some Truth'.
- [Sam Phillips Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/sam-phillips/) - Not to be confused with the Sun Records boss of the same name, Sam Phillips started her career in 1980s Christian pop. She used her birth name, Leslie Phillips, in the 1980s and was marketed as the Christian Cyndi Lauper. Based on Phillips' raspy voice and appearance, I'm surprised they didn't try the Christian Stevie
- [Mark Kozelek Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/mark-kozelek/) - San Francisco quartet the Red House Painters (named after the Tennesseean painting crew, The International League Of Revolutionary House Painters) made their debut with 1992's Down Colorful Hill on the 4AD label. The band fitted into the recently coined slowcore genre, with their stately arrangements and introspective lyrics. The word band is a little misleading, as
- [Manic Street Preachers](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/manic-street-preachers/) - This page was largely written by a guest reviewer - I wrote the introduction and the review of The Holy Bible. Manic Street Preachers formed as a high school band in Blackwood, a town in South Wales. Singer/guitarist James Dean Bradfield and drummer Sean Moore are cousins, and shared bunks as children after Moore's parents
- [Freedy Johnston Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/freedy-johnston/) - Freedy Johnston seems destined to be remembered as a one-hit wonder for 1994's 'Bad Reputation', a critically acclaimed but commercially marginal figure. This semi-obscurity isn't necessarily surprising - popular music is littered with talented performers who only enjoyed a brief period of fame - but Johnston is worth hearing, a skilled craftsman dealing in minimalist, engaging, and
- [Lauryn Hill Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/lauryn-hill/) - Lauryn Hill was born and raised in New Jersey. She hit the big time, as a member of The Fugees and as a star of Sister Act 2, while still a teenager. Romantic tensions with Wyclef Jean caused the end of The Fugees, and at the age of 23, Hill released The Miseducation Of Lauryn
- [Faith No More Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/faith-no-more/) - Faith No More's origins go right back to 1979 when the rhythm section of Mike Bordin and Billy Gould formed a band. By 1982 keyboard player Roddy Bottum joined and they had become Faith No More - a young Courtney Love was among their early members. By 1988 they had released two albums but had
- [Fountains of Wayne Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/fountains-of-wayne/) - Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood met at Williams College in Massachusetts. They formed Fountains of Wayne, christening themselves after a garden furniture and statuary store in Wayne, New Jersey. Although the pair recorded their debut largely independently, they were joined on tour and on subsequent albums by guitarist Jody Porter and Posies' drummer Brian Young.
- [Sheryl Crow Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/sheryl-crow/) - Sheryl Crow was already on the wrong side of 30 when she released her debut album. After attending the University of Missouri with Brad Pitt, Crow spent her twenties working as a music teacher, writing advertising jingles, and performing as a backing singer for Michael Jackson and Don Henley. When her 1993 debut album Tuesday
- [Jeff Buckley Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/jeff-buckley/) - It's not an overstatement that Jeff Buckley was one of the most singularly talented musicians of his generation; blessed with a beautiful and athletic voice, a more than adequate guitar technique and an ability to write songs that escaped from predictable verse/chorus patterns while remaining accessible. Additionally, Buckley is also emotionally wide-reaching, able to jump between
- [Tori Amos Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1990s-album-reviews/tori-amos-album-reviews/) - Born Myra Ellen Amos, in North Carolina, Tori Amos took her stage name when a friend's boyfriend told her that she resembled a Torrey pine. Her family moved to Maryland when she was two, where her father was a Methodist minister. She was the youngest student ever admitted to the Peabody Institute after teaching herself
- [1980s Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/1980s-miscellany/) - This page collects odds and ends from 1980s artists: Beastie Boys | Tracy Chapman | Rush | Toto Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique 1989, 9/10Paul’s Boutique was initially a commercial disappointment for hip hop trio the Beastie Boys after the enormous success of their 1986 debut Licensed To Ill, although it’s since been recognised as a landmark. Paul’s Boutique had
- [10,000 Maniacs Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/10000-maniacs-album-reviews/) - 10,000 Maniacs have one of the most misleader monikers in popular music. From their name, you'd expect speed metal or punk, but instead, they're a folk-rock band with socially conscious lyrics and Natalie Merchant's oddly mannered vocals. The band were previously known as Burn Victims before deriving their name from the budget horror film Two
- [The Waterboys](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/the-waterboys/) - Mike Scott was born in Edinburgh, the son of an English teacher. Scott's interest in literature is clearly visible in his catalogue, but his life was changed when he bought the single 'Last Night in Soho' by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich at the age of ten. At high school he played music
- [The Stone Roses Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/the-stone-roses/) - The Stone Roses were formed in Manchester in 1983, around singer Ian Brown and guitarist John Squire. Drummer and backing vocalist Reni (Alan Wren) signed up in 1984, while Mani (Gary Mounfield) joined in 1987 on bass. Despite a scant discography, the band are loved. Their 1989 debut album was a pivotal influence on Brit-pop,
- [Talk Talk Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/talk-talk/) - While there's a natural progression between each of Talk Talk’s five studio albums, the distance between their 1982 synth-pop debut The Party’s Over and 1991’s jazz and ambient-influenced Laughing Stock represents one of the most stunning transformations in popular music; a band that was originally pigeonholed as a one-hit-wonder went on to produce some of
- [Sting Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/sting/) - Conventional wisdom suggests that Gordon Sumner surrendered his credibility when he left The Police, letting his pretentiousness overcome him as he dabbled in jazz and saved the rainforests. As a singles artist he couldn’t match the brilliant individual songs like ‘Message In A Bottle’ he wrote for The Police. But while The Police’s albums often
- [The Smiths Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/the-smiths/) - The unlikely pairing of socially awkward Steven Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, extroverted and four years Morrissey's junior, formed the nucleus of The Smiths, whose witty and stripped-down music was an influential force throughout their brief existence. Inspired by punk (according to legend, Morrissey's musical epiphany can be traced back to the same Sex Pistols concert that
- [Run-DMC](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/run-dmc/) - Run-DMC emerged early in the development of recorded hip hop. They helped to transform the genre from an underground movement with a handful of important singles, like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's 'The Message', into big business. They smashed sales records - their debut was the first hip hop album to go gold and
- [Pixies Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/pixies/) - New Zealand is a lovely country, with lots of sheep and mountains, and it's a good idea to come and visit us if you ever have the chance. Charles Thompson, however, made the right decision in 1986, when he opted out of taking a trip down under to view Halley's Comet, and instead formed a
- [Prefab Sprout Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/prefab-sprout/) - Formed around the songwriting talents of Durham's Paddy McAloon, Prefab Sprout enjoyed some commercial success in the 1980s and early 1990s, but have been relegated to the status of cult band ever since. It's a shame, as McAloon is a very talented songwriter; he's able to integrate complex chord structures into catchy pop songs, and
- [Pet Shop Boys Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/pet-shop-boys-album-reviews/) - Introduction Pet Shop Boys Album Reviews Please Actually Introspective Behaviour Discography: The Complete Singles Collection Very Alternative Bilingual 10 Best Pet Shop Boys Songs Introduction Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe met in a Chelsea hi-fi shop in 1981. Both were interested in disco and electronic music and formed a duo, based on a shared love
- [Marillion Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/marillion-album-reviews/) - Neo-prog band Marillion took their name from JRR Tolkien’s The Silmarillion. They played their first show in London in 1978 - an all-instrumental lineup from which only drummer Mick Pointer was still around when they released their debut album in 1983. Introduction Marillion Album Reviews Script for a Jester's Tear Fugazi Misplaced Childhood Clutching at Straws
- [My Bloody Valentine Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/my-bloody-valentine-album-reviews/) - Introduction My Bloody Valentine Album Reviews This Is Your Bloody Valentine Geek! (EP) The New Record by My Bloody Valentine (EP) Ecstasy and Wine Isn't Anything Loveless EP's 1988–1991 M B V 10 Best My Bloody Valentine Songs Introduction Kevin Shields and drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig met in a karate competition in Dublin in 1979.
- [Dire Straits Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/dire-straits/) - Dire Straits were a talented band at the wrong time. They emerged in the punk era in Britain, but front-man Mark Knopfler's virtuoso finger-picking and Dylan-adjacent lyrics were distinctly un-punk. Knopfler and the other members were pushing 30, and had already undertaken long apprenticeships in various bands - drummer Pick Withers had played with Dave
- [Marshall Crenshaw Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1980s-album-reviews/marshall-crenshaw/) - Detroit's Marshall Crenshaw doesn't belong in the conversation of the most important musicians of his generation. Yet he's a talented craftsman, whose deft guitar pop is likeable and accessible. He's often compared with Buddy Holly, and his 1982 debut album certainly feels like Holly updated for the new wave. Crenshaw is also compared with Elvis
- [The Cars Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/the-cars-album-reviews/) - Boston quintet The Cars were arguably the quintessential New Wave band. They combined the back-to-basics approach of new wave, forward-thinking synthesiser textures, and bright power pop melodies. It’s not difficult to see influences from art-rockers David Bowie and Roxy Music in the detached presence of front-man Ric Ocazek and in the sleek, futuristic textures, but
- [Punk and New Wave Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/punk-and-new-wave-reviews/) - Rock music underwent a revolution in the late 1970s. A new generation of acts arrived, often stripping their sound back with basic songs and simple arrangements. Some of these bands failed to make a huge dent commercially, despite critical acclaim. Others like U2 and Blondie rode their stripped-down sound to international success. Punk and new
- [Yellow Magic Orchestra Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/yellow-magic-orchestra-album-reviews/) - The grandson of a Titanic survivor, Haruomi Hosono was the bassist for the Japanese band Happy End. During a jam session with Happy End, Hosono took a double-sized hit on a joint. The joint was tainted and triggered panic attacks. He healed himself by reading the New Age book The Human Miracle: Transcendent Psychology and
- [1970s Miscellany](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/1970s-miscellany/) - This page collects odds and ends from the 1970s: AC/DC | Aerosmith | Bread | The Carpenters | Eric Clapton | The Doobie Brothers | Roy Harper | Janis Joplin | John Lennon | The Modern Lovers | John Phillips | Rush | Carly Simon | Rick Wakeman AC/DC Let There Be Rock - AC/DC 1977, 7.5/10Usually, I’m stringent about listening to albums many times before rating and reviewing them, but I’m on a long haul
- [Yes Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/yes/) - With their dazzling instrumental chops, lengthy songs, and lush harmonies, Yes perhaps defined 1970s progressive rock better than any other band, despite illustrious competitors like King Crimson and Genesis. At their peak, Jon Anderson's high pitched vocals delivered unintelligible pseudo-religious lyrics, while Chris Squire's rumbling bass and harmony vocals anchored the band. Rick Wakeman supplied classical
- [Stevie Wonder Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/stevie-wonder/) - Stevie Wonder is one of the most outrageously talented figures to emerge from the popular music era. His first song to hit number one was recorded when he was 12 years old, and he continued to have hits through the 1960s as a teenager like 'For Once In My Life' and 'My Cherie Amour', as
- [Bill Withers Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/bill-withers/) - It's difficult to discuss this enduring 1970s acoustic soul singer without referencing one of my favourite jokes, so let's get it out of the way first, shall we? How do you turn a duck into a soul singer?Put it in the microwave until its bill withers. Bill Withers was born in the small mining town of
- [Tom Waits Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/tom-waits/) - In New Zealand we have a sporting cliche, "a game of two halves". This certainly applies to Tom Waits' musical career. For the first ten years of his recording career, he was a singer-songwriter, often on the piano, but with influences of jazz and blues. Waits often wrote about life as a barfly and as
- [Townes Van Zandt Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/townes-van-zandt/) - Born into a high-profile Texas oil family, Townes Van Zandt was groomed as Texas governor, but inspired by songwriters like Bob Dylan, he dropped out of college in the 1960s to pursue a musical career. Of MENSA level intelligence, and diagnosed as a manic-depressive in his early twenties, Van Zandt rejected wealth and comfort. He
- [Cat Stevens Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/cat-stevens/) - His birth certificate says Steven Demetre Georgiou and he later went by the name of Yusuf Islam, but he's best known by his stage name Cat Stevens. He started his career as a handsome teen idol in 1967, scoring pop hits like 'Matthew and Son' and 'The First Cut Is The Deepest'. But a serious
- [Nic Jones Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/nic-jones-album-reviews/) - Born in Kent, Nic Jones grew up listening to Ray Charles, The Shadows, and Chet Atkins. School friends encouraged him to frequent folk clubs where he heard artists like Bert Jansch and Shirley Collins. He joined The Halliard, releasing two albums with them in the late 1960s. When The Halliard broke up, Jones eventually went
- [Billy Joel Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/billy-joel/) - As he helpfully informs us in his song ‘Leningrad’, Billy Joel was born in ‘49, a Cold War kid from Long Island, New York. As a teenager, he enjoyed the music of The Beatles and Traffic and began playing in local bands. After stints in psychedelic bands and the power duo Attila, Joel released his
- [Emmylou Harris Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/emmylou-harris/) - Emmylou Harris started as a folkie - born in Alabama, she dropped out of college to perform folk songs in Greenwich Village. She recorded an unsuccessful debut album, 1969's Gliding Bird, and as a divorced solo mother she dropped out of the folk scene. She was spotted performing by Chris Hillman, and he recommended her
- [Sandy Denny Album Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/reviews/1970s-album-reviews/sandy-denny-album-reviews/) - After recording 1969's landmark folk-rock album Liege & Lief, Fairport Convention splintered. While the band continued with Richard Thompson, bassist Ashley Hutchings departed to form the more traditional Steeleye Span while vocalist Sandy Denny left to spread her wings as a solo artist. Return to 1970s Album Reviews…

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- [music](https://albumreviews.blog/category/music/)
- [New Music Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/category/new-music-review/)
- [Nuggets](https://albumreviews.blog/category/nuggets/)
- [Reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/category/reviews/)
- [Song Lists](https://albumreviews.blog/category/song-lists/)
- [Song of the Week](https://albumreviews.blog/category/song-of-the-week/)
- [Sporcle](https://albumreviews.blog/category/sporcle/)
- [The Best Album by...](https://albumreviews.blog/category/the-best-album/)
- [The Ten Best Songs By...](https://albumreviews.blog/category/the-ten-best-songs-by/)
- [Album Rankings](https://albumreviews.blog/category/worst-to-best/)
- [2019](https://albumreviews.blog/category/new-music-review/2019/)
- [2020](https://albumreviews.blog/category/new-music-review/2020/)
- [2021](https://albumreviews.blog/category/new-music-review/2021/)
- [Great B-Sides](https://albumreviews.blog/category/song-of-the-week/great-b-sides/)
- [New Zealand](https://albumreviews.blog/category/song-of-the-week/iconic-new-zealand-songs/)
- [Bad Lyrics](https://albumreviews.blog/category/bad-lyrics/)
- [2022](https://albumreviews.blog/category/new-music-review/2022/)
- [2023](https://albumreviews.blog/category/new-music-review/2023/)
- [Albums reimagined](https://albumreviews.blog/category/albums-reimagined/)
- [NZ #1 hits](https://albumreviews.blog/category/song-of-the-week/nz-1-hits/)
- [1970s - Punk and New Wave](https://albumreviews.blog/category/1970s-punk-and-new-wave/)
- [Index](https://albumreviews.blog/category/index/)
- [2024](https://albumreviews.blog/category/new-music-review/2024/)
- [Nuggets II](https://albumreviews.blog/category/nuggets-ii/)
- [2025](https://albumreviews.blog/category/new-music-review/2025/)

## Tags

- [#granthart](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/granthart/)
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- [music](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/music/)
- [music reviews](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/music-reviews/)
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- [sugar](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/sugar/)
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- [the b-52's](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/the-b-52s/)
- [the beatles](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/the-beatles/)
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- [the rembrandts](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/the-rembrandts/)
- [the sex pistols](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/the-sex-pistols/)
- [theband](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/theband/)
- [theholdsteady](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/theholdsteady/)
- [tom waits](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/tom-waits/)
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- [wilco](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/wilco/)
- [wings](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/wings/)
- [yankee hotel foxtrot](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/yankee-hotel-foxtrot/)
- [ccm](https://albumreviews.blog/tag/ccm/)