Come Away With Me by Norah Jones 2002 *** 01/11/2024
This is another one of those albums that struck a chord with the listening public as being something to put on if you were planning a cozy night in with your significant other. I’m not entirely sure quite how romantic the line about wanting to be turned on like a light bulb in a darkened room is though! It’s a nice easy listen though - a bit of piano, some folky guitar and smooth vocals from Norah herself. Not my usual cup of tea, but a solid 3 stars though.
Innervisions by Stevie Wonder 1973 ***** 04/11/2024
This is an album that I’ve skipped over previously going from Talking Book to Songs in the Key of Life, but it really is a quiet masterpiece with many standout moments. Living for the City hits hard with a story of a naive young black man moving to New York and ending up on the wrong side of the law, complete with dialogue and sound effects. There are brighter songs too, with Don’t You Worry Bout a Thing being an absolute joy from start to finish.
Cosmo's Factory by Creedence Clearwater Revival 1970 *** 05/11/2024
Sometimes you just want an album of good old fashioned swampy blues and southern fried rock ‘n’ roll to stomp along to. Creedence Clearwater Revival might not be the world’s greatest band, but they really sound like they’re enjoying themselves on this and it’s infectious. Does this earn them a place in this list? Yes, if only for their audacious eleven minute cover version of ‘Heard it through the Grapevine’ which is a whole lot of fun. Bayoutastic!
Black Holes and Revelations by Muse 2006 **** 06/11/2024
This album opens with a huge bombastic blast with arpeggiated synths, huge guitar riffs and crashing drums, like Queen crossed with Phillip Glass. It calms down a little after that with Starlight sounding a bit like Coldplay, although Supermassive Black Hole returns to the big 70s glam rock feel. The standout for me is Knights of Cydonia which adds galloping horses and Dick Dale style surf guitar to the mix. Excellent fun all round. Sagittarius A*-tastic!
Southern Rock Opera by Drive-By Truckers 2001 *** 07/11/2024
Even though I know this is a crowd funded concept album about the experience of living in the Deep South, it still confuses the heck out of me when they start singing about living in Birmingham. Anyhoo, this takes as its starting point the tragic story of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the plane crash in 1977 that killed half the band, as well as the pilots. It’s a wildly ambitious project, but they just about pull it off, tackling some touchy subjects. Bostintastic!
The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe 2010 **** 08/11/2024
I wasn’t expecting today’s selection to be an Afrofuturist concept album inspired by Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, but it turns out that it was exactly what I needed this morning. It’s gloriously textured and complex and I’m already listening for the second time. I’m also a sucker for any album that has an orchestral overture! My highlight is the psychedelic Mushrooms & Roses which explores the unexpected subject of robot sex. Droidtastic!
Parallel Lines by Blondie 1978 **** 11/11/2024
I was a bit too young for punk back in the day but new wave hit me right in my adolescent wheelhouse. This album combines the exuberance of 50's rock 'n' rollers like the Crickets with the punk energy of The Stooges, as well as a touch of French nouvelle vague cool. Just about every song on this is a banger, but apart from the hits (and there are a lot of them!) the standout is the cheeky cover of Buddy Holly's I'm Gonna Love You Too. Peroxide-tastic!
Live At The Regal by B.B. King 1965 **** 12/11/2024
Live albums are tricky to get right - there needs to be the right balance between the music and the between songs banter with the crowd. Fortunately this album hits all the right notes with a great atmosphere and phenomenal musicianship from the king of the blues himself. This still feels fresh, despite being recorded 60 years ago (and harking back to even earlier songs called out as “Real, real oldies!”). Not sure about his relationship advice though!
Songs For Swingin' Lovers! by Frank Sinatra 1956 *** 13/11/2024
This is a change of mood from the previous album, swapping some cheeky love songs for the introspection of In the Wee Small Hours. There’s a good selection of classic tunes, with I’ve Got You Under My Skin by Cole Porter being a highlight. I also found out today that there were two versions of the cover art - the original with Frank looking off into the distance was changed for one where he’s watching the ‘Swingin’ Lovers’ like a slightly creepy uncle!
Liege And Lief by Fairport Convention 1969 *** 14/11/2024
After their previous album which was mainly Bob Dylan style American folk, and a devastating tour bus crash, Fairport Convention regrouped and produced this album which mixes traditional English folk tunes with (gasp!) electric guitars to great effect. The highlights are Matty Groves which is an epic tale of adultery, murder and revenge that builds for eight minutes, and Tam Lin which has all of the faeries, magic and big rock riffs that you could wish for
Kilimanjaro by The Teardrop Explodes 1980 *** 15/11/2024
Weirdly the original release of this album omitted both the title track and their biggest hit, but this version has those plus a couple of other b sides. Anyhoo, with this we are very much in the post punk era with a side line in obtuse lyrics. I struggled to hear what he was singing in places - for years I’d assumed that he was asking his mum to accept his reward. This is probably the best band to be named after a random quote from a Silver Surfer comic.
Out Of The Blue by Electric Light Orchestra 1977 **** 18/11/2024
This is one of those albums where I can clearly remember seeing the cover for the first time - that multicoloured flying saucer with a space ship about to dock promised great things and the album really delivered - mixing electric guitars with orchestral arrangements, some effective sound effects and twiddles, and impossibly catchy songs. The highlight is side 3 which is a sequence ending with the iconic Mr Blue Sky and the instruction ‘Please turn me over’
Neon Bible by Arcade Fire 2007 * 19/11/2024
This was another band that passed me by in the early 2000s for some reason. Initial impressions were that this was by the numbers indie rock with a heavy Coldplay influence, but as it went on it grew more irritating. They threw what sounded like a choir of children into the mix but it was the singer’s voice that had a wheedling ‘please feel some emotions’ vibe to it. Anyhoo, turns out he’s a massive online sex pest, so this album can get in the bin.
Arc Of A Diver by Steve Winwood 1980 ** 20/11/2024
Steve Winwood is an insanely talented musician. He was in three influential bands in the 60s and has worked with just about everyone in the music biz. However, this solo album (he played everything on this) falls flat for me. It’s amiable jazz-funk, but it suffers from weedy 80s home studio production and lacks a bit of oomph. The highlight is an unlikely collaboration with Viv Stanshall (of Bonzo Dog fame) who provided lyrics for the title track.
Coat Of Many Colors by Dolly Parton 1971 ***** 21/11/2024
There’s no better illustration of Dolly Parton’s talent as a songwriter than the opening two tracks on this album. Coat of Many Colors is a heartbreaking story of growing up poor with a mama’s love. In contrast, the next one is Dolly at her sassy best with a cheeky tale of stepping out with a Travelling Man, with a killer twist. There are also songs of awful spousal abuse, spirituality and the simple joy of a flower meadow on a sunny morning. A pure gem!
Shaft by Isaac Hayes 1971 ** 22/11/2024
I’d always assumed that ‘Theme from Shaft’ was a one off novelty record, but it turns out that Isaac Hayes (who missed out on the title role) recorded the whole soundtrack for the film. The result is a double album of prime 70s funk and soul. Judged on its own merits, most of these tracks lack context so feel a bit aimless. The highlight though is ‘Do Your Thing’ - an epic 20 minute track which makes me feel like driving a car through some cardboard boxes.
Remain In Light by Talking Heads 1980 **** 25/11/2024
This album was the final collaboration between Brian Eno and Talking Heads, and it builds on the previous albums with complex Afrobeat rhythms and Byrne’s occasionally obtuse lyrics. The music relies on the absolute precision of drummer Chris Franz and bassist Tina Weymouth in maintaining repeating patterns for extended periods, until they become almost hypnotic. Fela Kuti was an inspiration for this, with a name check on a bonus track. Polyrhythm-tastic
Aftermath by The Rolling Stones 1966 * 26/11/2024
This was the first Stones album to be entirely written by Jagger and Richards, and, after a promising opening track with Paint It Black it quickly becomes problematic, to say the least. The level of misogyny here is quite jaw dropping, from calling women ‘Stupid Girls’ to wishing they were ‘Under My Thumb’ as revenge for asking to be treated as equals. On side two they then wonder why they are having a hard time living on their own. You do the math, Mick.
New Wave by The Auteurs 1993 ** 27/11/2024
You know when you go to a medium sized festival and there’s the second stage for the b-list bands? Well, the Auteurs would be a solid act for some time late on Saturday afternoon as you are getting ready to meet your friends by the main stage to see the headliners. Musically they are 90s left field indie Britpop, with slightly (but not too) quirky vocals and the occasional burst of enthusiastic guitar work. Perfectly fine but nothing to write home about.
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere by Neil Young & Crazy Horse 1969 *** 28/11/2024
I’ve always avoided Neil Young in the past, mainly because I’ve assumed that he was an earnest hippy dippy folk singer due to his association with various permutations of Crosby, Stills and Nash. To be fair, this collaboration with Crazy Horse (not sure if that counts as cultural appropriation or not) is pretty good, adding some much needed blues rock guitar to his songs. Not sure about some of the lyrics on Down to the River though. Cinnamon-tastic!
Roger the Engineer by The Yardbirds 1966 *** 29/11/2024
Apparently Eric Clapton (and you should all know my opinion of him now) was a member of the Yardbirds but quit in a huff shortly before they recorded their debut album citing musical differences. As a result, this album is a lot more varied and interesting than it might have been, ranging from blues to psychedelic rock with the odd Gregorian chant thrown in for fun. Jeff Beck really knocks out of the park with his guitar on this, bringing some unique sounds.
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