All The Records I've Ever Owned

Year Released: 1997 Label: Food Year Bought: 2012 AND WHEN SHE LETS ME SLIP AWAY.... The opening track of Blur's fifth album is undoubtedly one of their best. I remember when "Beetlebum" came out that it felt like a gear shift from the band. Later in the same year, Radiohead did the same with 'Paranoid Android'. Oasis's big comeback single in 1997, "D'You Know What I Mean" didn't have the same vibes. Anyway, the self-titled album from Blur sees the band pretty much withdrawing from the Britpop battle. The chopping guitar of "Beetlebum" in many ways tells you everything you need to know about the record. Lo-fi, rough, a bit aggressive, the album sees Graham Coxon's love of US alt-rock, particularly Beck, dominating the sound. Take "You're So Great", a Coxon penned and performed tune that sounds like it was recorded on an old tape player. This is no "Country House". "Country Sad Ballad Man" sounds...

Year Released: 2004 Label: Reprise Year Bought: 2012 Yes it's been a while but fear not, I am back on my odyssey to listen to all the records I own. Today it's a hit of emo from one of the titans of the genre. 'Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge' is the second album by My Chemical Romance, and reached my ears when it was released via my younger sister, who was massively into all this. Back in 2004 I acted all aloof about this whole genre, which seemed to me to be the aural equivalent of throwing a teenager tantrum after your mum had told you to clean your room. Yet there were some good tunes. 'I'm Not OK (I Promise)' was the big radio/video hit, and I did like it even back then — even if I kept that to myself. I really got into MCR when they released the follow-up to this - 'The Black Parade' - but never got round to getting this album until 2012. It kicks off with 'Helena', which is an absolutely rollocking, ridiculous, over-the-top start to an ...

Year Released: 2012 Label: Cooking Vinyl, eOne Music Year Bought: 2012 Coming onto the scene at the end of the 00s indie boom, the Enemy quickly turned into a critical punching bag.  I always felt that was a bit unfair, as I thought their 2007 debut album was pretty great for what it was – straight down the line kitchen sink dramas told through boisterous melodies supported by no-frills indie-rock guitars. I bought this album in 2012 from a market stall, but never actually listened to it. For years I thought it was their second album, but that was a record called 'Music For The People' which completely passed me by. Anyway, this album sets off at a breakneck pace and pretty much stays there.  Whereas the first album seemed to have something to say, this just feels like a not-as-good retread of the same territory. It is a bit full on. All the guitars sound the same, which are often too Bonehead and not enough Noel, and it's all very one tempo. As a result, the songs all mesh...

Released: 1977 Label:  Elektra When I Bought: 2012