Not a high scoring week this. But Tay Tay, nabs the album of the week prize.
Andy
Dry Cleaning - Pretty loopy stuff really. After giving it a considered listen it certainly stepped up from the rage it caused on Saturday evening to the extent that I now think lines like "If I could live across the road from a boot fair, wouldn't that be something" are actually mildly endearing. Not great but not nearly as dreadful as it could be 5.5
Architects - Very much my thing this modern nu-metal sound. They realy knock a tune out and the vocals aren't as craxy as they could be. They're deserving of their position high up in the UK rock world 7.5
Arctic Monkeys - A bit like DC this improved exponentially on a second and third listen. It's still wierdly sounds like AT is trying to do a Scott Walker album (even using the line don't let the sun catch you crying at one point) but it's a much better album than I initially thought, a vast improvement on that space hotel one. Body Paint would be a strong TOTW contender in any other week not dominated by one of the pop world's greats 7
Taylor Swift - Who needs massive pop hits? Folklore and Evermore didn't have them (although Exile is a tune of the millenium so far contender) and they were just fine. Taylor even manages to overpowwer grumpy old Lana on her feature, which is very good. An excellent album that has a rare extended edition that doesn't go on far too long 8.5
TotW - Bejeweled by Taylor (at least it's that at the moment, it keeps changing)
Prince - Not my favourite Prince album but that means it's still one of the best albums there is. So darn funky, what a legend 8
Jim
Dry Cleaning 6
Hard to assess tbf, I don't mind the talking that's become somewhat de rigeur, but tuning your instruments in the background is annoying. It works occasionally (No decent shoes for rain) but is also dreadful at times (icebergs), but always intriguing, original albeit very odd
Architects 6
Some tracks step past my own screech line in the sand , but I quite enjoyed those that didn't. Full throttle rock
Arctic Monkeys v2.0 6.5
I’ve decided its easier to think of AM as a new band. And with that frame of mind , for the space it’s trying to fill, it’s not so bad. But I can’t for the life of me imagine them trying to play any of this between Arabella and From the Ritz to the Rubble . Their sets are going to get even more unbalanced. Shame. I feel like a distant family member has died. RIP some of the most entertaining and cool indie rock of the last 16 years.
Taylor Swift 7.5
Polished well crafted tracks, and whilst I prefer her high octane power pop mode of 1989 and Reputation, this is the best of her slower, folkier offerings from the last 5 years and it grew on me each listen.
TOTW
Tay Tay - Karma
Prince 8
Was not familiar with this, only really listened to his bigger hitters that followed, but it's raw, minimal and classy. Ouch
Guy
Dry Cleaning 5.9
Mad - pure and simple. Not a big fan of that talking / singing thing. Just sounds odd. The lyrics are pretty funny though and it scores up for that. But overall, just....mad.
Architects 5.5
Sam was right. I didn't enjoy this that much. It's the screechy rock I dislike. It just makes every track sound too similar.
Arctic Monkeys 6.2
It's just a shame it's not the old Arctic Monkeys. If you like easy listening then this fine. I realise bands like to proclaim they're "moving in a new direction musically", but this just smacks of a desire to get a 24 month residency at Caesar's Palace.
Taylor Swift 7
Like everyone has said, this is well produced pop with some strong songwriting. Best of a bad bunch this week surprisingly.
TOTW - Taylor Swift, Karma
Prince 8.5
Never been a superfan of Prince but this is a great album. Really enjoyed it. Will dip into a few more of his earlier albums after listening to this one.
Simon
Dry Cleaning: obviously an acquired taste - I quite liked their first album, and this wasn't quite as bad second time round, although it did seem like they couldn't be bothered to play their instruments properly on some tracks. 6
Architects: tiresome. 5
Artic Monkeys: have never previously listened to an AM album so have nothing to compare it against - don't mind the lounge bar style but more variety wouldn't have gone amiss. 6.5
Taylor Swift: polished and professional as expected, but I thought it was all a bit sterile and unimaginative and it didn't do much for me. 6
Prince: first time I've listened to this, and whilst some of it is excellent (e g. Head) it's not as consistent as the masterpieces that followed. 7
Erol
Dry Cleaning - ghastly. Call me old fashioned but a good album generally involves decent singing of a sort and musicians playing their instruments. The tracks on this were missing one and often both of these traits. 2
Architects - a new band for me. At times they reminded me of Linkin Park, which is a good thing, but with slightly more aggressive death-metal style guitars and screeching. Full of grit and energy, this is a decent offering and by far the best album of an uninspiring week. 7
Arctic Monkeys - I listened to it twice and it got worse on the second spin. 70s infused lounge music. The occasional violin backdrop is nice but the only real redeeming tune was Body Paint. Please would the Arctic Monkeys go back to doing what they are good at, as the combination of this and their limp show at Reading is turning me off. 4
Taylor Swift - I have never really quite understood the hype around Taylor Swift and having listened to this, I still don’t. Anti-hero is a compelling number but the rest of the album drifted past my ears without much impact. I struggle to tell Taylor Swift‘s and Katy Perry’s music apart and that’s because mostly, they both make uninteresting, middle of the road pop. 5.5
TOTW - Tear Gas by the Architects
Prince - granted, this does sound pretty dated now but the little purple man always had funk and soul in bucketloads. And for that reason, I will always be a big fan. 8
Matt
Dry Cleaning - yes, I get that spoken word lyrics can seem a bit pretentious or lazy but this worked. The understated mundanity is rather charming (I'd like to know if she ever saw the otters). If it's good enough for Yard Act... 7.2
Architects - no-nonsense urgent rock. I assume they featured in the episode of Grand Designs where Kevin McCloud featured Starship's ambitious redevelopment project. 6.5
Arctic Monkeys- I really enjoyed this. It had parallels with Taylor Swift, a more intimate low key sound, soaked in smoke, booze and a touch of regret with enough swooping orchestra to lift it when needed. 8
Taylor Swift - a mature, reflective almost confessional piece. Captured the sense of late night conversations about, life, ambitions and insecurities but cool and detached enough to avoid mawkishness. 8
TOTW Maroon Taylor Swift
Justin
Dry cleaning - I understand all the criticism but I find it all quite hypnotic to listen to 7
Architects - solid rock 7.1
Artic monkeys - shouldn't like it but after several listens I find it quite entrancing 7.2
Taylor swift - expected to hate it. I did. 4
TOTW - Architects Born Again Pessimist
Prince Dirty Mind - first classic prince album in my mind and one of my favorites. Lots of fast paced songs and no over long funk jams. 8
Mark
Dry Cleaning - the mundane spoken word vocal is mildly diverting for like literally one track and then it just gets on my nerves. Little to like about the underlying music either, and I just can't imagine a scenario where I'd want to play this album again - 4
Architects - more meat & potatoes rock with an absence of roll, over serious and under sexy - 4.5
Arctic Monkeys - I tried hard to love this, I really wanted to, but there's no escaping the fact that it's a tough listen and a huge comedown from their first 5 albums. The first couple are good but it just doesn't go anywhere after that. Not sure Alex has the gravitas or voice to pull off the lounge crooner entirely successfully, and I hate to say it but some of the lyrics (which he's always been pin sharp on) were embarrassingly pretentious. Next album is make or break for them already - 6.5
Taylor Swift - It's okay, and will be the year's biggest seller by a country mile, just not up to all the hype in my view. Big and glossy, but lyrically repeating the same old predictable themes (I'm so plain and unlucky in love) Some of the tracks where she goes a bit early OMD on the synths were ok, and the cynic in me thinks she's got a bit more 'interesting' since collabing with Bon Iver and The National. Meanwhile, I trust she didn't pay LDR as you can't hear her at all - 6
TOTW - There better be a mirrorball, by Arctic Monkeys.
Sam
Dry Cleaning: her voice is lovely but it gets a bit tired song after song of that style . Some of its good tho . 6.5
Architects: they’re from my hometown and they play smart rrrock with snippets of EDM, what’s not to like ? 7.7
Arctic monkeys: let’s face it , they’d not very good are they ? Average at Reading . Blistering first album but sludgy and indulgent since . This is a wrong turn . Body Paint is the only track on here that resembles a decent song . Robbie Williams does this sort of thing so much better … 5
Taylor Swift : fabulous voice and she’s made shed loads of pop bangers . Sadly none of them are on here . Perfectly ok pop but not exciting at all . 6
TOTW : Tear Gas by Architects.
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