Recently i've been busy on the CD purchasing front. I've managed to aquire 5 new albums and a mini live LP so I thought that i'd share them. Note now that I am not a recognised reviewer and am not gifted in this field of writing, nor am I attempting to be. These are purely my opinions.
1) Guns 'n' Roses: Appetite for Destruction:- I've never really listened to G'n'R before and only bought the album on the back of reading a few reviews on Velvet Revolver the post G'n'R band. I'd have to say that this album is a very much over-rated one. The sound quality is poor and Axl Rose's vocals are strained at best, however tracks 6-9 make the album appear better than it actually probably is. 'Sweet child o'mine' is certainly an excellent song and Slash proves himself to be a worthy (not great) guitarist. Overall i'd say 3/5, a decent album but nothing special.
2) Stereophonics: Word Gets Around:- Stereophonics now are laughable but in 1997 they produced one of the best albums of that illustrious decade. The album is classic raw, guitar led rock at its best. It's such a shame that they never repeated this brilliance. Particularily good tracks include 'Local boy in the photograph' and 'thousand trees'. 4/5 for a very good album.
3) Seafood: As the crow flys:- a new and exciting band for me. Described as a 'post grunge' London rock band, they are certianly very interesting. Theres a strong feeling of 'kind of like...' to Seafood. Some tracks are pretty rocky a la Wheezer, early Radiohead, Feeder etc whilst others are more beautiful ballads similar to Coldplay or R.E.M. As the crow flys is a good rock album that won't particularily inspire anyone but should be recognised for what it is. A good 4/5 for this exciting new (for me) band.
4) The Strokes: Room on fire:- The Strokes ae another band that i've never really got into. I got this album basically because i felt like it and i'm glad I did. The Strokes have a firly unique style in that they are very basic and lazy and yet at the same time utterly thorough. I really enjoy listening to this album as I revise because its just so relaxing. A good 3.5/5 for this album although I think it will probably grow more on me.
5) Blink 182: Blink 182:- Out of the three people that I know read this blog i'm sure non will like Blink but hey, I don't care. Blink aren't a musically sound band, they average about 5 chords a song, have heavy bass lines and thumping drum tracks but at the end of the day make cool songs. I've been off Blink for a while now but this album has brought them back home. Blink will always remind me off happy and free times, i'm not sure why but they just do. BLINK ROCK! Not as good as Enema but still a delicious 4/5.
6) Lowdrive- The Newtz Sessions:- My new band :) Lowdrive rock and i'm tipping them for greatness. This is a really cool live album and even though the recording isn't brilliant the songs all sound great. It was free aswell so hey, you can't get better than that. 4/5 watch this space and remember the name: Lowdrive.
Listening to now: Brand New- Soco Amaretto Lime
1) Guns 'n' Roses: Appetite for Destruction:- I've never really listened to G'n'R before and only bought the album on the back of reading a few reviews on Velvet Revolver the post G'n'R band. I'd have to say that this album is a very much over-rated one. The sound quality is poor and Axl Rose's vocals are strained at best, however tracks 6-9 make the album appear better than it actually probably is. 'Sweet child o'mine' is certainly an excellent song and Slash proves himself to be a worthy (not great) guitarist. Overall i'd say 3/5, a decent album but nothing special.
2) Stereophonics: Word Gets Around:- Stereophonics now are laughable but in 1997 they produced one of the best albums of that illustrious decade. The album is classic raw, guitar led rock at its best. It's such a shame that they never repeated this brilliance. Particularily good tracks include 'Local boy in the photograph' and 'thousand trees'. 4/5 for a very good album.
3) Seafood: As the crow flys:- a new and exciting band for me. Described as a 'post grunge' London rock band, they are certianly very interesting. Theres a strong feeling of 'kind of like...' to Seafood. Some tracks are pretty rocky a la Wheezer, early Radiohead, Feeder etc whilst others are more beautiful ballads similar to Coldplay or R.E.M. As the crow flys is a good rock album that won't particularily inspire anyone but should be recognised for what it is. A good 4/5 for this exciting new (for me) band.
4) The Strokes: Room on fire:- The Strokes ae another band that i've never really got into. I got this album basically because i felt like it and i'm glad I did. The Strokes have a firly unique style in that they are very basic and lazy and yet at the same time utterly thorough. I really enjoy listening to this album as I revise because its just so relaxing. A good 3.5/5 for this album although I think it will probably grow more on me.
5) Blink 182: Blink 182:- Out of the three people that I know read this blog i'm sure non will like Blink but hey, I don't care. Blink aren't a musically sound band, they average about 5 chords a song, have heavy bass lines and thumping drum tracks but at the end of the day make cool songs. I've been off Blink for a while now but this album has brought them back home. Blink will always remind me off happy and free times, i'm not sure why but they just do. BLINK ROCK! Not as good as Enema but still a delicious 4/5.
6) Lowdrive- The Newtz Sessions:- My new band :) Lowdrive rock and i'm tipping them for greatness. This is a really cool live album and even though the recording isn't brilliant the songs all sound great. It was free aswell so hey, you can't get better than that. 4/5 watch this space and remember the name: Lowdrive.
Listening to now: Brand New- Soco Amaretto Lime
