Printable version of thread

Posted by: Jonjoliday Aug 6 2020, 08:24 PM

I wanna get some album discussions going. So I am gonna ask you all to recommend me albums to listen to and I will (when I get a spare hour after work/on my days off) do what I've been doing in Madonna's forum and give some feedback and insight into my listens of those albums etc.. Whether it's the first time, 2nd time, 18th time. I don't care. Give me recommendations and I shall post my reviews in this thread!

I wanna discover more music so I think this will help!

I have Spotify, so preferably an album that is on there!

ANY GENRE. I'll give it a go at least. But preferably not HEAVY metal. The most metal I go is Linkin Park!

Posted by: dandy* Aug 6 2020, 09:40 PM

This is a great idea! Are you already familiar with Siobhan Donaghy’s ‘Ghosts’?

Posted by: Rob S Aug 6 2020, 09:59 PM

Evanescence - Fallen
Anastacia - Anastacia
Linkin Park - Meteora

Just some that pop out (were mentioned in the defining thread).

Posted by: Scene Aug 6 2020, 10:02 PM

Rihanna - A Girl Like Me
Leona Lewis - Echo
Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin

Posted by: Jonjoliday Aug 6 2020, 10:38 PM

QUOTE(dandy* @ Aug 6 2020, 10:40 PM)

Posted by: King Rollo Aug 6 2020, 11:26 PM

I would like to see you review Through The Windowpane by Guillemots. I think it's my favourite album from the 00s.

Posted by: Chemistry Aug 7 2020, 12:56 PM

QUOTE(dandy* @ Aug 6 2020, 09:40 PM)

Posted by: dandy* Aug 7 2020, 01:06 PM

Ghosts is by far the best Sugababes related album for me, such wonderful ambition - especially in the second half - I’m not surprised she was feeling resigned when it gained no real attention.

Posted by: Popchartfreak Aug 7 2020, 07:03 PM

ooh zillions I could recommend, but while you mention madonna, I'm just getting round to hearing Madonna's American Life which I didnt buy at the time, it getting slagged off and all, but I bought it a year or two ago for 50p in a charity shop. Totally worth it. OK so it's not peak Madonna, but it's a good album. Critics, never believe them!

Posted by: Jonjoliday Aug 7 2020, 11:14 PM

'American Life' ranks 6th out of 12 for me so far! I have 2 studio albums left for Madonna. I've loved doing it, hence why I decided to do this.

I kinda regret opening it up too much to recommendations though *eyes* but that's the fun I guess!

I'm going to probably do Siobhan tomorrow!

Posted by: Popchartfreak Aug 8 2020, 07:36 AM

Sugababes CD albums are 10 a penny in charity shops these days. It seems as if everyone who bought them (and a selection of other noughties acts) decided to go streaming and dumped their collections...

I think I'd pick I Am Shelby Lynn as a massive fave under-rated album, deals with difficult issues, and yet is powerful, affirming, gorgeous and varied.

Posted by: Chez Wombat Aug 8 2020, 12:22 PM

I've been going through a poster which lists a bucket list for 100 albums to hear before you die (and reviewing each one on here), and these are the albums on there from the 2000s, so I guess if you want to listen to any 'classic' records that you haven't got round to yet:

Arcade Fire - Funeral
The White Stripes - Elephant
The Streets - Original Pirate Material
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
Green Day - American Idiot
Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner
Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying
Daft Punk - Discovery

Completely up to you whether you wanna do any of these, you've probably already got enough in this thread to be getting on with! But I'd be very interested on hearing your thoughts on any of them

Posted by: diva thin muffin Aug 8 2020, 03:08 PM

My faves, the holy trinity of 2006-2007:

Nelly Furtado - Loose
Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
Timbaland - Shock Value

Posted by: Jester Aug 8 2020, 05:16 PM

Thirteen Senses - The Invitation
Air France - No Way Down

Posted by: Jonjoliday Aug 9 2020, 06:48 PM

Before listening to this album the only one I remember is 'Don't Give It Up', which is lovely. I know I've heard 'Medevac' and maybe 'So You Say' before but I don't remember them by memory.

'Don't Give It Up' is gorgeous. Very haunting and powerful! This really suits her voice. I don't remember SYS at all, but it's familiar, so it must've been a one time thing or something. It's beautiful!

01. So You Say
02. Don't Give It Up
03. Goldfish
04. There's A Place
05. Medevac
06. 12 Bar Acid Blues
07. Sometimes
08. Make It Right
09. Ghosts
10. Halcyon Days
11. Coming Up For Air

Goldfish is absolutely GORGEOUS! The most Madonna-ry one on the album imo. The production is very ROL era! There's A Place is beautiful too. 12 Bar Acid Blues is very interesting (in a positive way). Mixing the sound she wanted to achieve with the album with some kinda Madonna Music-era Country-pop... I think it works well! Sometimes is good, bit repetitive, but good! I get why the album is called 'Ghosts'! The whole album is deliciously haunting.

Love this album! I'm amazed it's took me until now to listen to it in it's entirety. Tbf, my opinions on music have broadened since I was first introduced to the tracks I had heard prior to this and I didn't "love" any of them, but I didn't dislike or hate them. So doing this a couple of years ago and my opinion may be different, but as of now... I'm stunned. It's absolutely GORGEOUS. Top to bottom. It's really hard to rank the tracks in all honesty, because nothing deserves to be at the bottom.

A LOT of Madonna (specifically Ray Of Light era to me) meets little ticks of Massive Attack influences throughout the production on this! In fact, I could definitely have envisioned Madonna recording this album in the early 00's!

Thank you dandy* for the recommendation and what a great way to kick this off!

Posted by: dandy* Aug 9 2020, 09:00 PM

I’m so pleased you enjoyed it!!! I absolutely love your bottom two tracks though, I think Sometimes is probably my least favourite on it but even that I don’t find bad. There’s definitely a sort of Ray of Light vibe to it and I think it’s quite Kate Bush inspired in patches too. Previously I’d never be early compared it to Madonna, although that would definitely explain why I like it so much

Don’t Give It Up / Medevac / Goldfish / Coming Up For Air / So You Say / Halcyon Days / Make It Right / Ghosts are my absolute favourites on it.

It’s the first album that springs to mind whenever anyone asks me for an album I think has been unfairly overlooked or underrated so really chuffed it’s found another fan

Also check out Styfling and Don’t Take Me Back as they’re both from a similar time and I think they are both lovely too.

Posted by: Tafty Feb 5 2021, 11:36 AM

I shall be continuing this later!

I know what you're all thinking "Ooh Tafty which album is next? I'm so excited!"... well my friends, I will be listening to Paris Hilton - Paris. The 'Promising Young Woman' soundtrack has got me loving 'Stars Are Blind' again lmao and it occurred to me that I have never listened to her album, despite loving both that and 'Nothing In This World'!

Depending on time, I may get around to one of the ones you guys have actually recommended too In a "just chill and listen to music" mood today. So we'll see.

Posted by: Last Dreamer Feb 5 2021, 11:59 AM

QUOTE(Tafty @ Feb 5 2021, 02:36 PM)

Posted by: Tafty Feb 5 2021, 02:05 PM

I *think* I've only heard the 2 singles from this album and both are brilliant, pure pop joy! I may have heard her version of 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy' but icr. I really wish 'Nothing In This World' was a bigger hit, coz it is an absolute BANGER.

'Stars Are Blind' is very underrated. The perfect song to kick start her career! It's been thrust into my conscience lately due to it's (great) use in the movie 'Promising Young Woman'. 'Nothing In This World' really is a BRILLIANT pop song. One of my favourites of the 00's!

01. Nothing In This World
02. Stars Are Blind
03. Turn It Up
04. Screwed
05. I Want You
06. Heartbeat
07. Jealousy
08. Not Leaving Without You
09. Turn You On
10. Fightin' Over Me (feat. Fat Joe & Jadakiss)
11. Do Ya Think I'm Sexy

'Turn It Up' is surely a 2002/2003 Britney demo? Love it. 'Screwed' & 'I Want You' are so fun and I love the 90's-esque feel to 'Heartbeat' (reminds me of 'I Love You Always Forever'). I can't make my mind up on 'Jealousy', I feel like there's a credible song in there, but it just feels... unfinished and insincere? Not as into as 'Fightin' Over Me' as the rest of the album, but I'm getting Britney-demo vibes again (except I would understand why this was kept as a demo). The less said about that cover... well...

Getting a lot of "Britney leftovers" from multiple songs off of this album. Not necessarily a bad thing, but just that a fair few of them I can see why they would be considered leftovers, had they been intended. As much as I actually enjoy this album, they do feel very much like they're not finished from their original demo forms and most of it is half-baked. Even if I do enjoy half the album and can hear the potential for some solid pop songs in them. A decent album of demo's & "rejects".

Posted by: Scene Feb 6 2021, 11:41 AM

I've never listened to her album but SAB was and remains a noughties favourite of mine and has to be one of the most surprising pop smashes of the decade. It's a shame NITW couldn't continue Paris' success. It really flopped hard. Although did it even receive a CD release?

Posted by: Tafty Apr 6 2021, 04:36 PM

Arcade Fire - Funeral Right off the bat, looking at the tracklist, not a single song I recognise by name. But this is why I am doing this, to open and broaden my music tastes! I'm pretty sure I've heard this as it's been playing at work, but my mind is on tasking so I don't really "listen"... I "hear" it, but don't listen. Oh 'Wake Up'... I have ofc heard this!

01. Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)
02. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
03. Wake Up
04. Crown of Love
05. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
06. In the Backseat
07. Rebellion (Lies)
08. Une année sans lumière
09. Neighborhood #2 (Laïka)
10. Haiti

'Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)' is gorgeous. 'Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)' is a nice way to open an album. I get Bowie vibes throughout this tbh. Just his vocal style I think, especially on 'Neighborhood #2 (Laïka)'. I have heard 'Wake Up' before. Pretty powerful and "epic" and it kinda reminds me of Sigur Ros a bit! 'Crown of Love' is definitely more in line with the sound that I know Arcade Fire for (infusing indie-rock with that soft disco-y sound - if that makes sense lmaooo).

It's easy to see why it's considered an all time great. I liked it a lot. More than I imagined I would anyway. Would I go out of my way to listen to it on the regular? Probably not. But I appreciate it's beauty and what they were going for. It's really beautiful from start to finish. Thanks for the suggestion Chez!

Posted by: Tafty Apr 6 2021, 04:38 PM

Looking for some recommendations of male acts.

Thinking about Enrique coz I love a LOT of his singles, but not sure I've actually checked out any of his albums. But welcoming more suggestions.

Posted by: Chez Wombat Apr 6 2021, 11:41 PM

Oh wow, I didn't expect you to get around to mine as I felt there was like 100 suggested before that (and I forgot I suggested that as it was so long ago) So glad you liked, I agree the Neighbourhood suite is wonderful throughout and I'm really pleased you appreciated the sound.

It does have quite a different sound to their other albums, the disco sound is very apparent on their most recent! It's what I quite like about them, each album is pretty distinctive in terms of themes and sound.

Posted by: Iz 💀 Apr 7 2021, 08:02 AM

Wonderful album, Funeral. Very easy to put on for me whenever I'm reminded of it, I'm glad you enjoyed it and I agree with the way it seems to have lots of different musical influences and that makes it really nice to go through, through the more mellow moments and then the invigorating bits also <3

If I think of anything I'll shout, I used to love Enrique a lot but I only ever listened to his singles. So that might be an interesting one to read about.

uh I thought of a few things, no idea how much you'd like these or how many you've heard but:
Mika - Life In Cartoon Motion
Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Keane - Hopes & Fears
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

can't really provide too many pop males aside from Mika but lump these in with Chez's suggestions x

Posted by: Tafty Apr 7 2021, 10:45 AM

QUOTE(Iz �� @ Apr 7 2021, 09:02 AM)

Wonderful album, Funeral. Very easy to put on for me whenever I'm reminded of it, I'm glad you enjoyed it and I agree with the way it seems to have lots of different musical influences and that makes it really nice to go through, through the more mellow moments and then the invigorating bits also <3

If I think of anything I'll shout, I used to love Enrique a lot but I only ever listened to his singles. So that might be an interesting one to read about.

uh I thought of a few things, no idea how much you'd like these or how many you've heard but:
Mika - Life In Cartoon Motion
Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Keane - Hopes & Fears
My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

can't really provide too many pop males aside from Mika but lump these in with Chez's suggestions x

Posted by: dandy* Apr 7 2021, 10:58 AM

Patrick Wolf was one of my favourite male artists of the 00s. It could be worth a listen to The Magic Position and Wind In The Wires if you fancy giving him a go, the former is the more poppy end of his work whilst the latter is my personal fave.