467. Kilimanjaro - Teardrop Explodes

The Teardrop Explodes always sounded like a great band, simply due to their intriguing name, but I can't say I'd knowingly ever heard a single one of their songs, so I was intrigued as to what this album would offer.

The Liverpool-based band took their name from a quote in a Daredevil comic, and were founded around Julian Cope, from the remnants of several other post-punk bands in the area, including the Crucial Three containing Ian McCulloch, who went on to form Echo and the Bunnymen. The Teardrop Explodes' ongoing existence was tumultuous, with Cope hiring and firing a range of different bandmates over the first few months of the band's existence, and ultimately explaining their lack of longevity, falling apart a couple of years after their debut. The album cover is hardly enticing, with a terrible, shadowy photo of the band over a pretty poor font.

Ha Ha I'm Drowning has a swirly, very Jesus and Mary Chain opening riff, leaving you in no doubt as to the decade this was released. Sleeping Gas has an intensity to it that isn't always matched by its slightly vague lyrics. The doom-laden organ is pretty overbearing, but that does create an interesting atmosphere. Treason is a bit more woolly, with lyrics that go beyond repetitive into simply sounding like a lack of inspiration. Second Head has very Joy Division drumming that once you notice it is hard to ignore. Poppies is a slightly overly meandering song, whereas Went Crazy starts off with a very focussed horn riff. Brave Boys Keep Their Promises has a more upbeat feel, with crisp drumming keeping proceedings moving along nicely, and some nice falsetto tones played off against the horn section. Bouncing Babies Was a relatively successful single, but I can't really understand why, it's brevity being a saving grace. Books has a nice couple of lines, such as "who wants love/ Without the looks", which seems to sum up the shallowness of the forthcoming decade nicely. Thief of Baghdad is ok, and far better than the annoying synth tones of When I Dream, which is an extended mess, frankly. We included Reward in our version, as although it wasn't included on the original, it was on the re-release, and as the runaway hit we wanted to give the album the best chance. It is clearly a much more engaging song than the rest of the fare here, with a great horn section that sounds like a Motown backing track at double speed.

The overall album is more of an overall moodboard of doom and despair than a series of songs. There are plenty of interesting textures and an array of tones, but the actual songs are lacking in depth to my ear. It sounds dated, and not in a capturing the era way, more in a slightly depressing, "no wonder the 80s were musically maligned" way. I can hear that it was probably influential, but that doesn't mean in a good way - driving the 80s sound further into the mire of overwhelming navel-gazing is not to be commended.

Chloe's album rating: 4

Chloe's favourite track: 1. Ha Ha I'm Drowning

Olly's album rating: 5

Olly's favourite track: 12. Reward

Next week is 672. Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J. 

187. Gasoline Alley - Rod Stewart

I must confess that I'm not a huge Rod Stewart fan, but I also don't know much of his material other than the big songs, so I was willing to give it a fair hearing.

This, Rod's second album, is made up of a number of covers, with three Stewart compositions, and the rest covers. It reached number 27 in the UK, but had no singles of note from it. It sparked positive reviews at the time and since, but I can't say I'd ever heard of it.

The title-track and opener is a Stewart and Ronnie Wood composition, and it has a not unpleasant reminiscent air. The guitar sound is fairly thick, against some tinny percussion, with Stewart's voice unsurprisingly front and centre. It's All Over Now is a Womack track, and has a lovely swagger to it, with a real honky tonk piano driving proceedings. I'm not sure this style suits Stewart's voice, as he struggles to lose control, but the overall song is great. Only a Hobo, a Bob Dylan number, is paper-thin, and struggles to elicit much of the sympathy it looks so earnestly for. My Way of Giving is pretty forgettable, some nice guitar licks aside. Country Comfort sounds like a budget "Handbags and Glad rags", although Stewart's voice suits this style of narrative song well. Cut Across Shorty is one of the more bizarre songs I've ever come across, and that is putting it politely. If you're interested in listening to a song that is an extended analogy about the "turtle (sic) and the hare" then please, fill your boots. Lady Day is a slow, ponderous number, and Jo's Lament is 3 minutes 30 of my life I would like back. You're My Girl (I Don't Want to Discuss It) is a nicely strutting rock and roll number with a guitar show of real aplomb by Ronnie Wood.

Overall, this was a very 'meh' album. It has a couple of decent tracks on it, but it is so inconsistent that the overall impression is of low expectations not really met. There is a huge amount of variety in the songs, and Rod can't be accused of not stretching himself musically, but that isn't really sufficient to making a good album. I can't imagine coming back to it in the future, and can find little to recommend it to you, and don't really know why it's on this list.

Chloe's  album rating: 5

Chloe's favourite track: 9. You're My Girl (I Don't Want to Discuss It)

Olly's album rating: 4

Olly's favourite track: 2. It's All Over Now

Next week is 467. Kilimanjaro by Teardrop Explodes.

244. Harvest - Neil Young

An album whose success almost undermined the creativity and reinvention so central to Neil Young, it remains an album I have a real soft spot for.

Harvest was the biggest selling album in the US in 1972, a year not short on great records. Heart of Gold also reached number one in the singles chart, so it was fair to say that Neil Young responded well to the demise of Crosby, Nash, Stills and Young two years earlier. Several of his former band mates feature on this album, showing that their relationship remained strong. The album's success though would surprise and concern Young, who would become increasingly experimental as a response.

Out on the Weekend starts things off at a relatively sedate pace, with a nice gentle country track with just the hint of an edge. Young's voice flirts with angst on the later choruses, but it is the harmonica that steals the show - something of a recurring theme on this album. The title track has a lovely guitar and piano combination throughout, and drumming that demonstrates that less really can be more. A Man Needs a Maid is a quiet yet forceful epic, and one of the songs that got me into Neil Young in the first place. It is stark, and Young's voice is not classically brilliant, but my goodness is it compelling. Heart of Gold is a classic pop song, with a wistful harmonica that captures a warm summer's evening just perfectly. Are You Ready For the Country is a proper gather round the piano stomp, although its slight lack of tightness means that it is one of the weaker songs here. Old Man is a delicate track with some of the best acoustic guitar playing you will hear. The harmonies on the later choruses are a joy to behold, and there is a delightful ebb and flow to the build up. There's a World is a rare miss, with the strings leaving it sounding overblown amongst such stripped back and sparse companions. Alabama is the jewel in the crown of this album for me, with that delightfully dirty yet crisp guitar sound, and harmonies on the bridge that build with a real anthemic quality. It is mournful yet persuasive, and the variety of instruments here all play their part, without overshadowing each other. The Needle and the Damage Done is a heart-wrenching song that captures the destructive force of heroin addiction. Words (Between the Lines of Ages) has a great guitar tone, but is slightly forgettable other than that.

Overall I loved this album, as I knew I would. Whilst at times seeming to hold himself back, the quality of the writing and playing shows Neil Young at the peak of his powers - a peak that he would transform into a triumphant plateau over many years. Whilst often overlooked as dated, the sheer array of excellent songs contained on this album means that it is an essential for any record collector.

Chloe's  album rating: 8

Chloe's favourite track: 6. Old Man

Olly's album rating: 8

Olly's favourite track: 8. Alabama

Next week we have the bizarre sounding 187. Gasoline Alley by Rod Stewart.

70. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme - Simon and Garfunkel

Simon and Garfunkel were a duo who were present throughout my childhood, which is quite a big thing considering my house was not an overtly musical one in many respects.

Following the rushed nature of Sounds of Silence due to label pressure, the duo spent three months perfecting this, their third record. Much of the writing reflects Paul Simon's time in England the previous year, and the quality of the sound, and clever use of instrumentation, ensured this album remained popular for years to come, going on to achieve triple platinum status in the US.

Scarborough Fair/Canticle is an old English Folk song, with the herbs from the album title representing different aspects of a relationship. The organ adds a warmth to the sound, along with the delicate harmonies throughout - this is a classis Folk duet, and whilst slightly saccharine, it is beautifully done. Patterns has a driving percussion element to it, along with a distinctive bass sound, demonstrating a depth of sound in contrast to the much tinnier opening. Cloudy however is simply too tinny and lightweight, lacking some of the direction and cohesion of other songs. Homeward Bound is a great example of simple songwriting, with a catchy chorus, and clear narrative, and a universal emotional pull. It has always been one of my favourite Simon and Garfunkel songs, and repeated listens have not diminished my respect for it. The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine is slightly bizarre, to put it mildly. Whilst musically catchy, the lyrics just seem slightly out of place from such innocent sounding voices. The 59th Street Song is one I've known for years, but is a bit shallow when i hear it now, however pleasant sounding it is. The Dangling Conversation weaves a wonderful set of images, which shows how good the lyrics can be when focused, and the backing strings add a depth to it. A Simple Desultory Philippic is frankly brilliant, with some of the best lyrics this side of Bob Dylan. In fact, Chloe told me that an English Professor she knew gave an entire lecture based on the lyrics of this song, and the references contained within it. For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her is utterly beautiful, with a touching crescendo, and A Poem on the Underground Wall has a delicacy about it that makes it both compelling when you listen to it and slightly forgettable when you are not. 7 O'Clock News/Silent Night works well, but it becomes a bit too depressing on repeated listens.

Overall this is a slightly frustrating album, as there are hints of how good the duo can be, but they lack a bit of consistency. Possibly i know some of the songs too well, and that has hampered my enjoyment of their simplicity, but the pair sometimes seem to be trying a bit too hard to be clever, which is never a great basis for an album. That having been said, when they hit the mark, the songs are superb, and demonstrate Paul Simon's masterful craft.

Chloe's album rating: 7

Chloe's favourite track: 9. A Simple Desultory Philippic

Olly's album rating: 7

Olly's favourite track: 4. Homeward Bound

Next week we have the classic 244. Harvest by Neil Young.