This sounds like a diluted version of that horrid rock / rap crossover. Not that there’s any rap on it, but you get the point. It’s Lenny Kravitz outtakes, with all the original soul and energy sucked out with a clinical production style.

⭐ ⭐

There’s an awful lot of waffle on this album. Indian Sunset in particular had me losing the plot. It’s partially saved by the delights such as Tiny Dancer. This is why punk needed to happen.

⭐ ⭐

Uncle Joe’s 001 double CD. It’s a collection released after his death, capturing various bit and pieces across his pre and post Clash career. It stretches all the way from the early 101ers through to his final Streetcore album. There’s twelve unreleased tracks on there, with the usual disclaimer that demos are demos. I still find it impossible not to listen to the early pub rock of Keys to Your Hear without keeping my feet still. Oh how we miss him.

When I want dumb ass rock ‘n’ roll I turn to The Ramones. I’m finding that I want dumb ass rock ‘n’ roll more and more as life gets ever complex. This is the sound of a band learning how to play their instruments. They never really mastered this, but that’s not the point. It’s all about the attitude. It’s not Year Zero punk, either. There are some glam hangovers to be found in the guitar riffs. It could easily be a bastard version of Mick Ronson cutting out the chunky chords. This album makes me want to wear back leather for the rest of my life.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐

I was very late in finding Wild Wood. I was so pissed off with the way TSC came to an end in 1990, that I dismissed the early Weller solo output as treading water. How wrong I was. I’m pleased that it took me around fifteen years later to pick up on Wild Wood. The hype had died down, I was left with the music alone. Yes, it’s rustic, laboured in places. Even bucolic. But that was the intention. A back to nature bollocks, yet still trying to plot a way forward for Weller, who was still very lost at the time. Yes he, ahem, found his way out of the Wild, Wild Wood. So did I.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

This was a bit of a weird one. I was convinced I already had some Buddy Holly in my collection. But nope. No worries. There’s endless options on ebay. But where to start? Most of the Best Of collections looked like telly advertised K-Tel quality. I took a punt with this at £2 and hoped for the best.

Something wasn’t quite right when it arrived. It was box fresh and sealed. I pressed play. Mmmm. That doesn’t sound like Buddy. Is it a covers band? ChatGPT tells me not so. I’m not convinced. The sound quality went downhill for the final six tracks or so. It sounds like a bad pressing, distorted as fuck. No one wants that from Buddy.

A replacement was arranged, which I’m still waiting for. The lesson here is not to disrespect Buddy with cheap as chips crappy CD compilations.

B.A.D. II’s Kool Aid usually sells for a price range that is out of my reach. This copy appeared on ebay for £6. I managed to get the seller down to a grubby fiver. Small wins, etc.

Kool Aid is far from grubby. It captures B.A.D. in transition from the original band, to Mick Jones reinventing himself once again with a new set of players around him. It’s also VERY rave, not to mention a little chill out in places.

£5 seemed like a fine price to pay. My wish list still has an original B.A.D. corduroy cap. No cap is worth £100, mind.

This sounds more like a mix tape than an album. I love the chopping and changing of styles and references points between each track. You can’t imagine it being recorded anywhere but East London during a particular time. Like all the best albums, it borrows from just about everyone, without ever trying to hide this. It’s disposable music that deserves to be revisited every now and then as a reminder of what was possible.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

It’s difficult to approach a Dire Straits album without all the headband bullshit that exists around them. As ever, it’s me that’s got the problem, not them. As a debut, this is very strong. The songwriting and musicianship is a million miles away from what was making headlines in the music press at the time. I kinda like that. In their own way, Dire Straits didn’t give a shit, and just did their thing. I also like the very English approach to blues and singing with a Geordie accent. Forget the band name, enjoy the music.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐

This is a far more acceptable introduction to the Good Captain. I’ve always struggled with Trout Mask, going back decades now. I should really just give up on it. Safe As Milk is… safe. It’s also very bluesy without all the out of tune wanderings. The bass is a bloody beast throughout. It feels as though it’s anchored to the ground. I’ve still no idea what it’s all about. I like some mystique in my music, just not the Trout Mask level of madness.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐