My Review Thread

[METALMAN]

Yeah so other people have been doing albums and I have decided it is more fun than songs. So I shall also do albums. Though I won't do it any order. I'm just going to write about albums I've recently listened to or whatever. Here goes...

EVERYTHING MUST GO - MANIC STREET PREACHERS (1996)

Despite having some excellent individual tracks since, I feel this is the Manic Street Preachers most recent album that is truly good. Possibly even great. It was released not too long after that guy they won't shut up about to this day died so it does feature some lyrical input from him. The first five tracks of this album are its strong point. They are loud and frantic. There is a slight drop in quality when the volume is lowered, such as the serene "Small Black Flowers That Grow In The Sky", though this album is never at any point bad.

8/10

Download: A Design For Life, Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier, Everything Must Go, Kevin Carter, The Girl That Wanted To Be God

SILENT ALARM - BLOC PARTY (2005)

I pulled this out because I am going to see them live tomorrow. This is still my favourite Bloc Party album by miles and I can't imagine a better possible setlist than the whole of this album, in addition to "Two More Years", "Song For Clay" and "Uniform". In all honesty, despite me also liking the second album very much indeed, I wouldn't replace any song on Silent Alarm with a song from it. Apart from possibly the two mentioned previously. Helicopter is still Bloc Party's best song, built around a manic riff and resulting in an amazingly catchy song. "Luno" is still Bloc Party at their most frantic. "This Modern Love" is still Bloc Party at their most tender.

9/10

Download: Helicopter, Luno, Banquet, Like Eating Glass

MEN'S NEEDS, WOMEN'S NEEDS, WHATEVER - THE CRIBS (2007)

This is the album where the Cribs just edged onto the fringe of the mainstream. Compared to their other efforts it is a lot more polished and far less shambolic. Which can be both a good and bad thing. For the most part however, their rusty charm remains, such as Ryan Jarman screaming his lungs out on the likes of "Men's Needs", "Majors Titling Victory" and "Be Safe". Like all the other Cribs albums, the best tracks are to be found at the start. In fact, the first four tracks are one of the best openings to an album I have ever heard. Unfortunately it does decline towards the end of the album. While perfectly decent songs, "Ancient History" and the Lee Ranaldo assisted "Be Safe" both suffer from being too long and Shoot The Poets is instantly forgettable. However, the strengths of this album far outweigh the weaknesses. "Girls Like Mystery" and "Our Bovine Public" were two of the most insantly catchy songs to be released in 2007. "Men's Needs" has an awesome riff. "Moving Pictures" is a lovely song.

8/10

Download: Girls Like Mystery, Our Bovine Public, Men's Needs, Moving Pictures, I've Tried Everything

THE REMOTE PART - IDLEWILD (2003)

In a fair world, this album would be a classic. Every song is a belter, whether it is a laid-back acoustic number or a full out rocker. They also got the poet Edwin Morgan, whose poems seemingly have no life outside Higher English curriculums, to lend his voice to the album's closing track. Roddy Woomble's lyrics rival the great poet however, being just as thoughtful and intelligent as ever, which can be found on the likes of...well every song on the album I suppose. Idlewild are mainly known for "You Held The World In Your Arms". The fact that this song, while good in its own right, is actually one of the worst songs on the album shows how good "The Remote Part" is.

9/10

Download: American English, Live In A Hiding Place, Tell Me Ten Words, Out Of Routine, A Modern Way Of Letting Go

Edited January 26, 2009 by metalman

[Turbo Yannis]

You've reviewed two of my all-time favourite albums already. Good show (Y)