DoofDoof
doofy
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Reviews 25
Approval 91%

Soundoffs 143
Album Ratings 9669
Objectivity 87%

Last Active 12-19-22 9:35 pm
Joined 06-08-18

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05.06.24 Updated Favourite 50 Artists03.22.24 Sputnik’s Sacred Chows
02.02.24 Doof: a Top 100... minus My Top 100 ♦01.31.24 Putting the Smile on Radiohead
01.27.24 Doof’s Top Shows 202301.02.24 Doof Top Albums 2023 ♦
09.14.23 Recent Doof Digs07.31.23 Genre no 2. Doof Electronic
07.27.23 COMPLETED: 1997 Deepest Dive04.18.23 COMPLETED: 1998 Deepest Dive
01.03.23 COMPLETED: 1994 Deepest Dive01.02.23 Doof’s Top Shows 2022
12.19.22 Doof Top Albums 2022 ♦06.01.22 Top 10 Most Smug Songs
03.15.22 Doof 2022 Deep Dive Potential New Favou03.13.22 200,000 Doof Scrobbles - Most Listened
02.23.22 Lanegan top 10 albums12.11.21 Doof's Top 100 Albums 2021 ♦
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Doof 2022 Deep Dive Potential New Favourites

So the last two years I had a list on RYM where I'd deep dive artist's back catalogues in a week, a format that really improved my appreciation of a lot of band's I half knew or had neglected, but barring a few exceptions (The Go-Betweens, Husker Du, maybe Depeche Mode) it didn't really result in me finding new bands I'd consider 'all-time favourites'. Part of the reason might have been that I had a few on the back'burner that I wanted to get to know slower - well, the time has come, these could well become Doof-core favourites, I'll look to slowly get into these discogs over the year (maybe beyond in some cases) and yup, I'll be putting up other bands as and when I feel like moving onto the next thing...
34Richard Thompson
Sweet Warrior

11. Sweet Warrior (2007) [3.5/5] - Richard is getting older and let's be honest, he already had trad rock, nay dad rock, tendencies a lot of the time. So he wears all these bluesy barroom folk trappings well and the predominantly mid tempo 'assault' is one he can work within infinitely and still make it 'hit' for his audience. 'I'll Never Give It Up', 'Mr Stupid' and 'Sneaky Boy' are as snarky as previous highlights like 'Put It There Pal' and 'You Dream Too Much' so really how could any Thompson fan find complaint? 'Johnny's Far Away' is another great piece of storytelling that sounds like it could have been adapted from a traditional folk song until you hear mention of 'pajamas' and the like - this track also marks the start of an outstanding closing trio of more folk-centric numbers.
33U2
Zooropa

8. Zooropa (1993) [2/5] - this really sounds like an 'odds and ends' mopping up of the band's leftover material from the late '80s and early '90s. At its worst it resembles a lazy '90s remix album of B-Side material...at its best the 'highlights' still just sound like weaker retreads of 'Achtung Baby' material. This album represents the 'calm' before the reboot 'storm' and some fans may have appreciated that...indeed I can imagine Chris Martin has a weakness for this one. Hey, it was an exercise in making 'not a lot' of high quality or inventive material stretch across a full length and Coldplay have dined off a similar approach for a while now. An album made up of at least, {{{AT LEAST}}}, 50% fluff - and I bet it sold by the megatonne all the same. Resting on their laurels they were.
32The Church
Uninvited Like the Clouds

11. Uninvited, Like the Clouds (2006) [4/5] - another sprawling Church release, this one almost works like a magical mystery tour of all their mid to latter career output - thankfully it does a really good job with that and some of these tracks rival the best of 'Magician Among the Spirits' or 'After Everything Now This'. The ultimate standout is the grandiose 'Never Before' which pairs the sleek lushness of 'After Everything' with an epic arrangement. Elsewhere the spidery 'Space Needle' tips it's hat to Sonic Youth, while 'Song to Go...' sounds like we've left the planet and are headed for a moon safari.
31U2
Boy

7. Boy (1980) [3.5/5] - I had to keep stopping myself from comparing this to R.E.M's debut 'Murmur' as the comparison was not flattering and also this was released three years earlier and a lot can change in three years. Still, this is a proficient debut but lacking any of the sort of magic you usually expect from a classic band's respected first outing. The sound is very 'meat and potatoes' really, somewhat satisfying, certainly not a bad guitar sound and the first four songs and a couple later have some memorable hooks. The best conclusion I can reach is that at least this deserves to be considered the better album when held up against 'October' which as we established before, some people get over excited about. In terms of whether this has anything to compete with a 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' or 'New Years Day'...well, there's no debate, nothing here stands up to such a comparison. Cheer up lad.
30Richard Thompson
Daring Adventures

10. Daring Adventures (1986) [3.5/5] - the first Thomson solo album with Mitchell Froom on production duties, supposedly in an attempt to make RT's sound brighter/more commercial/more American. As stated before I don't have a major problem with his approach because he adds variety to the songs where as we know RT on his own sounded like unvarying stodgy pub rock a lot of the time. Anyway, the production experiments aren't that pronounced on this one and overall it is more sprightly than the earlier albums but gets a bit bogged down in the middle of the set with some unremarkable ballads and blues numbers. 'Nearly in Love' rescues this patch and shows the direction for future progression as it's ALMOST a potential pop hit, while 'Baby Talk' is a guilty pleasure thanks to those biting lyrics. The opening trio make for a varied set of tempos and tunes, each equally strong, and the closing pairing are more traditional RT material - but high class.
29The Church
Seance

10. Seance (1983) [3.5/5] - a pleasant surprise in that really this is only a fraction behind 'Heyday' in terms of consistency and for the first four songs it might hoodwink you into believing it'll actually be better. Sadly the quality does dip a couple of times, most obviously at the end of Side A with the 'just ok' 'Travel By Thought'. I'm partial to the goth flavours found in tracks like 'Electric' and 'It Doesn't Change' and surely anyone could fall for the catchiness of the chorus of 'It's No Reason' or verse of 'Electric Lash'?
28U2
Achtung Baby

6. Achtung Baby (1991) [3.5/5] - the second U2 album I had to bump up a .5 on my rating, I think I had this pegged as a guilty pleasure 3.0 when really it's a decent 3.5 album that ok, needed a trim. 'The Fly' remains my favourite U2 song (although 'All I Want is You' has gone up a lot in my estimations and is challenging it...maybe it's just that closing string section?) and that really helps this album's cause. The other winning factor is the best songs are all sequenced within the first eight tracks...so you can always switch off there and forget the somewhat superfluous closing stretch even exists (the album is 55 minutes long - reduce it to 45 minutes and we'd really be cooking). Despite this does 'Achtung Baby' register as my favourite U2 album? Well it's this or the very different 'Unforgettable Fire'...I'll stick my neck out and say for now this remains top dog.
27Richard Thompson
Henry the Human Fly

9. Henry the Human Fly (1972) [4/5] - Thompson's first solo effort owes a lot to his folk roots, certainly more folk than rock in this folk rock, but it works well this time. The guitar playing is still superb and the near outright folk ditties 'Nobody's Wedding', 'Poor Ditching Boy', 'Shaky Nancy' and 'The New Saint George' have life to them and no small amount of charm. The almost rocking/shanty-like opener 'Roll Over Vaughn Williams' and harp sporting 'The Old Changing Way' are both close to Thompson classics and the best here.
26Jackie Leven
Elegy for Johnny Cash

10. Elegy for Johnny Cash (2005) [4/5] - getting sick of writing it but here we have another high class offering from Leven, at worst you could say 'Elegy...' is missing a few career standouts like most of his previous albums had, but then this one feels so well sequenced and constructed...and nothing is less than great. The rapping on 'All the Rage'? Just funny and most importantly the overall the song is another winner.

11. Oh What a Blow That Phantom Dealt Me! (2007) [3.5/5] - the closest to a misstep from Leven in that the guest vocals from Johnny Dowd seem very gimmicky and overly dominant whenever they show up. The rest of the album is up to the usual standard.
25The Church
Forget Yourself

9. Forget Yourself (2003) [3.5/5] - 'After Everything Now This' was a bit of a departure for The Church and had a shiny new 'mature', forward looking style; 'Forget Yourself' on the other hand feels like a return to the late '80s/early '90s. Here think The Stone Roses, The Verve, Ride, Mercury Rev, maybe even a little 'Siamese Dream' here and there. This retro focus doesn't make for the most exciting album in this band's long career, indeed I'd confess it's the one I find weakest of those I've tried, but still it holds onto that 3.5 as over half the material is up to scratch. In particular the trippy 'The Theatre and Its Double, the shoegaze of 'Telepath', the heavier riffing of 'Lay Low' and the mellow 'Maya' are all very fine indeed.
24U2
October

5. October (1981) [3/5] - put forward as a forgotten hidden gem and maybe even 'the U2 album people who don't like U2 might like'; it certainly has a more understated feel. This could be the work of many bands around at the time you feel, an impassioned post-punk set without the arena bombast or too much over emoting from Bono. The songs are...decent, not too memorable but yes decent, and the overall sound is almost 'pretty' at times, reasonably evocative. 'Gloria' and 'Rejoice' do hint at the future approach of the band but can't really punch their weight in retrospect. With the amount of post-punk released at the moment you just know a band will be championed this year for recording an album less consistent than this so there's that. So the album is, yes, 'good' - but unless you are a sucker for this genre and style it is little more.
23Richard Thompson
Hand Of Kindness

8. Hand Of Kindness (1983) [3.5/5] - I have a horrible feeling that when people complain about Thompson's '90s output that this is the sound they think he should be operating with. Don't get me wrong this is a mostly excellent album, in terms of both song writing and musicianship, but the presentation is, for me, unremarkable. This is very close to pub rock (pub folk rock?) and yes, Thompson almost goes into cod reggae on 'Wrong Heartbeat'; each time the writing saves the day but there's an element of plod plod plod to this set. I think I'm trying to say that I like that RT went for the zany production, faster tempos (sometimes) and 'bigger sound' later in his career, the risk taking mostly worked. Still, songs like 'Tear Stained Letter' and 'Poisoned Heart...' can rank among his best and make sure 'Hand of Kindness' registers as a more than worthwhile listen for existing fans.
22Jackie Leven
Shining Brother Shining Sister

9. Shining Brother Shining Sister (2003) [4/5] - Mr. Consistent keeps on trucking with maybe only a couple of slightly over celebratory/over produced moments pushing their luck that bit too far. 'Irresistible Romance' really swings but did it need a couple of minutes of name checking his favourite touring cities finishing with a jig when he finally reaches Dundee? Possibly not, but still a great tune all the same. 'Classic Northern Diversions' (does what it says on the tin) and 'Heroin Dealer Blues' (does what it says on the foil?) are two of his best boasting unique atmospheres among his already meaty discog. Hardly a misstep to report but the spoken word 'Faces' is an outlier that could well split opinion; it reminds me a bit of the Talking Heads track 'Seen and Not Seen' and I think it adds something to the mix, a little bump in the road, but an oddbod for sure.
21The Church
Heyday

8. Heyday (1985) [4/5] - considered the peak of the band's jangle pop era, I have to admit straight away that I can take or leave a lot of mid to late '80s jangle; fortunately this album adds enough of an expansive psychedelic edge to provide some extra weight and intrigue to the sound. Still, that pleasant but pace killing instrumental half way through the tracklist does sap some of my patience and the album never really recovers, despite the band placing the most uptempo track 'Tantalized' straight after. In addition, while there's nothing wrong with the final three songs that close out the album, I can't help but feel the first half has already bettered these tracks at the same game. Just squeaks a 4 rating because the album is solid within the genre and does hint at the best of what was to come after.
20U2
Rattle and Hum

4. Rattle and Hum (1988) [3/5] - I was all set to bury this strange victory lap of a record; there’s the fact it's a double set and half was recorded live and the rest in the studio, plus so many of the songs are cover versions, and Bono starts to really cement that reputation for preachiness/rampant egomania with all the political prattle…and on and on. So it's established that a lot’s working against 'Rattle & Hum', but stay with me, there’s a positive side too. This was actually my mum’s favourite U2 album (she might have even named it their only good album I can’t remember) and there was a wealth of nostalgia unlocked playing some of these songs. ‘Angel of Harlem’, ‘Love Rescue Me’ and especially ‘All I Want is You’ must’ve been on high rotation back in ‘88 because they instantly took me back. None of that stops this album from being a mess, but it’s a celebratory ‘let it all hang out’ mess most of the time - and ‘All I Want is You’ is one of the band’s greatest songs hands down.
19Richard Thompson
Across a Crowded Room

7. Across a Crowded Room (1985) [4/5] - considering the mid '80s are such a graveyard for reputations you've got to give it to Thompson this one still brings home the bacon. I guess 'You Don't Say' is the 'most '80s' and isn't miles away from Robert Palmer or Lindsey Buckingham's output at around the same time, and that itchy rhythm could have featured on Talking Heads' 'Little Creatures' maybe? - anyway, I like it, it's fun hearing RT deliver some straightforward pop music. What surrounds this atypical number is a set of 'business as usual' brilliance, not a bad tune to be found - if you're feeling hyper critical you could call into question how many out and out classics are included here. The bookends are perfect in their roles and have the strongest claims to greatness I feel, but even then they're maybe not QUITE on par with the man's all time very best.
18The Church
After Everything Now This

7. After Everything Now This (2002) [4/5] - certainly an album that would have benefitted from a trim, there's outright filler here while even some of the strongest songs are a little too indulgent, but what stops these irritations derailing the album is the overall sound and mood is king. When 'After Everything...' is hot we end up somewhere very close to career best form (the double whammy of 'After Everything' and 'The Awful Ache') - these tracks are all elegant guitar vistas, delicately wistful vocals and an overall mellow vibe with a downcast chaser. In a discography already filled with more than its fair share of 'growers' this might be the most obvious example of the lot.
17Jackie Leven
The Argyll Cycle, Volume One

7. The Argyll Cycle, Volume One (1996) [4/5] - a mix of previously unreleased songs and rerecorded highlights from his early albums isn't something I'd imagine slapping a 4.0 rating on but here we are. I resisted as long as I could but it's just another evocative set of classy Caledonian goodness.

8. Jackie Leven Said (2005) [3.5/5] - ok a bit of a curio, this is a live performance made up of half songs from Leven and half a short story from Ian Rankin that's split up into chunks. Leven sometimes adds backing music to parts of the readings and he also tries to choose the best song from his catalogue to match the part of the story. Meanwhile Rankin's story references Leven and specific songs at points too. The real draw here is the banter between the two of them that's so enjoyable (Leven's Michael Caine bit creased me up), if you like Scottish brogues you're in luck...
16U2
War

3. War (1983) [3.5/5] - used to have this sat on a 3.0 rating and I can still hear why as it's less polished than the following releases but eventually I connected with that more bombastic early '80s sound. 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' I had to keep getting over the Alan Partridge sketch playing in my head ('What a great song. It really encapsulates the frustration of a Sunday, doesn't it? You wake up in the morning, you've got to read all the Sunday papers, the kids are running round, you've got to mow the lawn, wash the car, and you think "Sunday, bloody Sunday!"') but again, I guess a 'near classic' and to that you can also add 'New Years Day' and the lesser known 'Drowning Man' and '40'. Some of the remaining material clatters about a bit too much ('The Refugee') or just sounds cheesy-weak ('Red Light') but overall this one just about keeps it together for a 3.5 while never coming close to blowing my mind.
15Richard Thompson
The Old Kit Bag

6. The Old Kit Bag (2003) [4/5] - he don't miss, he don't miss! We are surely in relative curio corner at this stage, a forgotten album almost, but once again I had to raise the expected 3.5 rating to a solid 4. This is one of Thompson's least flashy collections, and the overall tone is more reflective and laidback than usual...but not to its detriment. A track like 'First Breath' feels indulgent at first but then cosy as you like after four or five revisits. Impressive.
14The Church
Starfish

6. Starfish (1988) [4/5] - I feel similar about this album as I do about the most popular album by fellow aussies The Go-Betweens. With that band I prefer the more idiosyncratic 'Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express' over the much lauded and neater '16 Lovers Lane'. Here I prefer the more wigged out 90s stuff but that's not to say this isn't a very consistent set. The first two songs in particular are close to perfect but I maintain this album lacks a bit of variety and excitement.
13U2
The Unforgettable Fire

2. The Unforgettable Fire (1984) [3.5/5] - less 'classic material' than 'The Joshua Tree' it could be argued, but overall I prefer it a shade. Eno's influence is more perceivable through the production (parts of 'Indian Summer Sky' and particularly 'Wire' remind me of his Talking Heads sound) and whereas sometimes the lesser tracks on 'Joshua' just sounded like filler for the sake of filler, here the 'also-rans' still serve the album and feel like they're adding to the 'bigger picture'. Sure, for some the album will end on a bit of a whimper with the last two tunes not being what you'd label either energetic or engrossing, but for me at least they sound better for following what came before. A solid album that's biggest problem is only having two really memorable 'airplay worthy' standouts where ideally you'd have had four maybe?
12Jackie Leven
The Mystery of Love Is Greater Than the Mystery of

5. The Mystery of Love (1994) [4/5] - might be underrating this one but it's both very long AND very dense. Spoken word and poetry abounds but nothing feels out of place except maybe (again) the faithful cover version (this time of 'I Say a Little Prayer'). Of the originals you'd have to say 'Looking for Love' is the closest he gets to writing a pop song of his own here, while tracks like 'The Garden' and 'Shadow in My Eyes' have a really mysterious quality working in their favour. Opener 'Clay Jug' is a bluesy romp, 'The Crazy Song' is a heartfelt ballad, and 'Snow in Central Park' is epic and stirring (plus probably the strongest song over all). All these styles add up to a disarmingly confident opening solo statement.

6. Forbidden Songs of the Dying West (1995) [4/5] - his second album is very similar to the debut, just as sprawling, for me lacking in standouts but still well paced regardless.
11The Church
Hologram of Baal

5. Hologram of Baal (1998) [3.5/5] - I guess the rating I've been most torn over so far, this nearly scraped a 4 out of 5. If 1990's 'Gold Afternoon Fix' was the transition to a new style, then eight years later 'Hologram...' is the reverse transition back to incorporating a lot of their early sound once again. While this one is a bit more consistent than 'Gold Afternoon Fix' I can't say as transition albums go it's any more inherently interesting or appealing - there are still a few 'just good' songs that clog this one and stop it reaching that next level of quality. The atmospheric efforts like 'Great Machine' and 'Tranquility' are my favourites this time, plus the closing love song 'Glow Worm' is something different for them and very good, especially the strings.
10U2
The Joshua Tree

1. The Joshua Tree (1987) [3.5/5] - early U2 the final frontier, captain's log stardate shut your pretentious cakehole Picard. Yes, this is a many travelled road...me trying to unlock the godliness of early to mid period U2. To be sure there are often two distinct types of Doof 3.5...the album of great quality that I love an extra bit for some reason and the album of excellent quality I don't feel much of anything for. I think you can guess which type of doof 3.5 this one is. The opening stretch of classics aren't even quite classics for me, all more 4.5 than 5 quality. Bono's vocals are a strange one, he realises he has to add some extra emotional oomph to the end of songs but his efforts come across as empty emoting in the main...admittedly without sounding TOO horrible either. Just a bit 'phoned in' or 'product'. Of all the slightly suspect 'established classics' of the '80s you could choose to tear apart this one feels like an easy target, as there be filler in these thar hills.
9Jackie Leven
Defending Ancient Springs

4. Defending Ancient Springs (2000) [4/5] - could have been Leven's most consistent release...if it wasn't for the two cover versions that arrive early in the tracklist. The opening cover of 'You've lost That Loving Feeling' is too faithful and personality-free, as much as i can just about connect with the idea it fits the spirit of this album. 'Single Father' (about having his kid taken away from him at 15 by social services) and the title track are sublime indeed, while folk numbers like 'Keys to the Forest' and 'Your Winter Days' are up there with his very best. 'Hand is Pale with Holy Kisses' works really well, developing from hushed beginnings into an unexpected soft rocker, while the closing 'Morbid Sky' is one of the man's weirdest.
8Richard Thompson
Mock Tudor

4. Mock Tudor (1999) [4.5/5] - the more tasteful production makes for a smoother set...but then I also miss the variety of the songs sounding so different to each other on the previous few albums. I wouldn't say this is majorly more consistent than entries 1-3 I've already tackled, 'Dry My Tears and Move On' is a bit snoozy for one thing, but this is still super super solid stuff. Favourites are the foot tappin' 'Cooksferry Queen', singalong chorus packing 'Sibella' and the wonderfully measured 'Uninhabited Man'.

5. Amnesia (1988) [4/5] - not too much to say about this one, the '90s albums with the Froom production still had something of the '80s about them and no surprise this production is even more obviously '80s in style. The songs n' solos are great once again - worth special mention are the catchy opener, acerbic 'Yankee Go Home', hard rockin' 'Jerusalem on the Jukebox' and trad folk'y 'Waltzing's for Dreamers'.
7The Church
Gold Afternoon Fix

4. Gold Afternoon Fix (1990) [3.5/5] - ah, the unfortunate 'transitional' album, but one that grew on me sufficiently to earn a solid 'excellent' 3.5 on the doof quality scale. What holds it back, other than being stuck slap bang between the jangle past and the jammy psychedelic future? First, there's no drop dead classic tracks - and second, there are a few 'just average' tunes this time ('You're Still Beautiful', 'Fading Away', 'Monday Morning'). 'Metropolis' and 'Russian Autumn Heart' are fine if typical jangle numbers but it's the more trippy offerings that stand out here, like the 'Yerself is Steam'ish 'City' or mellow strung out moodiness of 'Disappointment'...so a transitional album that confirms the band are heading in the right direction at the right moment at least.
6Jackie Leven
Fairy Tales for Hard Men

3. Fairy Tales for Hard Men (1997) [4/5] - in what is a very manly discog this might be the menliest of the lot. A consistent and engaging set of tunes...but one I just bond with less than the two Leven albums I've already covered. More traditionally folk, but importantly it contains arguably his greatest traditional folk number in the form of 'Pourtoun' - "I come from Poor Town where the river Leven runs...my younger brother died from taking heroin...my mother takes pills to help her with the grieving...when people see me having trouble with the drink...like friends from childhood I feel my courage slowly sink...the mills are gone now....and I left Poor Town to live in sorrow on the road...". If this devastator doesn't snag you then Jackie's probably not your lad. That one song goes a long way to making sure I'll keep returning to the full album, but beyond that the rest of the first six tracks are particularly solid and well worth anyone's time.
5Richard Thompson
You? Me? Us?

3. You? Me? Us? (1996) [4/5] - somewhat of a forgotten album for Thompson but in truth it could have been as strong as its two predecessors with some editing, the 'one side electric/one side acoustic' format doesn't really add anything considering both halves have a few filler tracks. For the record on the 'electric' side tracks 6-8 could have been dropped, and from the acoustic side 'Cold Kisses', 'Sam Jones' and 'Baby Don't Know' would have made excellent additions to a single disc set. I still enjoy this album a lot, and though no songs rank as classics the pithy 'Put It There Pal', powerful 'Bank Vault in Heaven' and plaintive 'The Ghost of You Walks' all come mighty close.
4The Church
Magician Among the Spirits

3. Magician Among the Spirits (1996) [4/5] - a strange album all told, it starts off inauspiciously with a first track that feels more like an extended intro that becomes less interesting each time you play it and then has a lengthy third track cover ('The Ritz') that was dropped from the reissue and replaced with four other songs from the same era. So a messy start and the album is once again too long, but the 4 rating is cemented due to the best 45 minutes being very good indeed. The t/t reminds me a little of David Sylvian, 'Further Adventures' Prefab Sprout, 'Grandiose' Pink Floyd and 'Why Don't You Love Me' The Cure. Overall this has less of a unique personality and can feel like listening to 'any strung out on hallucinogenics experimental rock group' at times...but I still like it enough. Scaruffi has it down as their best work (of course) but...no no no, I'm not feeling that.
3Jackie Leven
Night Lilies

1. Night Lilies (1998) [5/5] - I tried his previous band Doll By Doll who made little impression (...but I'll return to one day) but I really dig this solo approach of celtic folk rock meets sophisti pop - I guess it might sound as indebted to the '80s as at home in the '90s? The sort of 'cheesy music' (it is, I hear that) that I can't resist.

2. Creature of Light and Darkness (2001) [4.5/5] - Guess what, another album that put a few hooks in about a year ago and here we are, in this case the first four (still the peak of the album). This was the first Leven I tried and if it wasn't for a slightly saggy middle (most guilty - the song about 'little fishes up my bum' etc) this could have been another classic. Hour long, should be 50 minutes.
2Richard Thompson
Mirror Blue

1. Mirror Blue (1994) [5/5] - Once again it was three songs that continued to intrigue and draw me back (Beeswing, The Way That It Shows, I Can't Wake Up to Save My Life), but also the ramshackle vibe and quirky production (that everyone seems to hate on RYM) left me wanting more. Think I've OWNED this album for two years but only now I have truly bonded with it. Impressive pop rock on par with Petty, etc.

2. Rumour and Sigh (1991) [4.5] - More mature than Mirror Blue strangely, and more focused on relationships throughout, but the lyrics are insanely good and very funny at times. Close to another classic.
1The Church
Sometime Anywhere

1. Sometime Anywhere (1994) [5/5] - So as is often the case this album I didn't quite 'get' at first but a few songs really intrigued me enough that I knew I'd return (Loveblind, The Maven, Authority) and probably about 12 or so months later it has clicked. A real pick n' mix of (woah '90s production) styles but it all holds together and doesn't get dull (some other Church material maybe ends up nice but dull, perhaps this opinion will shift?).

2. Priest = Aura (1992) [4.5] - This has also grown on me, I respect the runtime suits the majestic feel of the music and cover art...but it could still shed 10 minutes quite happily. Almost another classic though, a sort of bedfellow to The Cure’s ‘Disintegration’ even.

EDIT: my opinion has shifted, 'Priest' has grown into the 5.0, 'Sometime' down to a 4.5.
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