Category: Albums

Is This It by The Strokes

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Is This It by The Strokes

For our latest Album Of The Week we take a look back at one of the most acclaimed records of the 21st century so far and one of rock music’s great debuts. The history of debut lp’s in rock music is a chequered one. Some bands – many in fact – take a few years and albums to really get in to their stride, something much more common in the pre-21st century age when major labels showed a greater degree of patience with new artists, allowing them time to grow and flourish artistically. Think of the likes of, say, U2, Read more »

Kind of Blue by Miles Davis

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Kind of Blue by Miles Davis

Considered by many critics the greatest jazz record ever, Miles Davis “Kind Of Blue” has influenced jazz, rock and classical music. It is also the greatest selling jazz album of all time. “It must have been made in heaven.” Jimmy Cobb So What – Miles Davis Masterpiece is a common word used to describe this revolutionary album released in 1959. Miles Davis breaks from ordinary chord progressions and starts using modal scales in his composition and improvisation. That is for the musicians who read us, but to me, the album is about setting a mood, an atmosphere, a vibe I have Read more »

Back In Black by AC/DC

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Back In Black by AC/DC

We celebrate an album that has become a supreme heavy rock classic and one of the biggest selling albums of all time. Whilst we certainly will be getting to more obscure and less lauded albums as this new feature grows and grows there are certain albums that are too big to ignore, too gargantuan even such is the sheer weight of their presence in contemporary culture. Back In Black is one of them, and its particular presence in my life runs long and deep. When I was about 10 years old I was going along happily enough with music I Read more »

Double Fantasy by John Lennon & Yoko Ono

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Double Fantasy by John Lennon & Yoko Ono

On October 9th John Lennon would have turned 75 years old. We look at the Album that would be his last. Writing about this album is bitter-sweet. Especially around important dates in John´s life. So without further ado, one of the greatest albums of the eighties, Double Fantasy. As many of you know, we here at MVD are Beatles fans. I personally think there is music and then, in another category, there is The Beatles and Nina Simone. But first and foremost there the Fab four. If there were to be an apocalypse and all music would be gone and Read more »

Meat Is Murder by The Smiths

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Meat Is Murder by The Smiths

This week we take a look back at the powerful second studio album by Manchester’s indie legends The Smiths. The received wisdom regarding The Smiths is that The Queen Is Dead is *the one* when it comes to their four studio albums. Indeed, it’s a fine album and a wonderful achievement and there was a time when I would have agreed. As I’ve gotten older though it’s Meat Is Murder I find myself going back to more and more. Released in 1985, it saw Morrissey and Johnny Marr assume production duties after the dissapointing outcome of their work with John Read more »

Off The Wall by Michael Jackson

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Off The Wall by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson´s legendary album, one of the best selling albums of all time and which made Jackson the first solo artist to have four singles from the same album on the Billboard Hot 100. Kicking of the album is the grooviest of songs. Yes. THE GROOVIEST EVER. “Dont Stop ´Til You Get Enough”. Michael wrote and sang ahd it was the first time Micheal had creative control which of course brought this party anthem to life (I know I sound like an aunt praising the man but then again, I am an aunt and I am praising him). Don’t Stop Read more »

Dummy by Portishead

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Dummy by Portishead

This week we look at a band that combined hip-hop, jazz, and devastating torch songs to stunning effect to create one of the most original albums of the 90’s and one that defined the Bristol trip-hop scene. Like any serious music lover I have a list of favourite albums too long to compile, and too ever-changing to put in to any kind of order. Throughout the course of my life so many brilliant albums have come and gone that simply remembering them all is an impossible task. However, ask me which albums have had the greatest impact on me and Read more »

Back to Black by Amy Winehouse

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Back to Black by Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse´s confessional, soulful, intimate and heartbreak anthem album that is “Back to Black”. Amy Winehouse´s second and final studio album gives us a glimpse into the short life and brilliant musician and sensitive soul that she was. Back To Black – Amy Winehouse   Amy Jade was an English singer and songwriter, sadly now a part of the 27 Club.  Since her debut album “Frank” she gained  critical success with her music showing influences of soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues. Amy was also known for her struggles with alcohol and drug abuse, bulimia, mental health issues and sometimes violent behavior. Read more »

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

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Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

An album which stayed in the Billboard 200 chart for 31 non-consecutive weeks, got to number one, was recorded while the band members were breaking up and hooking up with each other, got critical acclaim, commercial success and is still one of the best albums  ever to be released. “Rumours” is about heartbreak (good starting point for good art) and it was recorded, written and interpreted by 2 couples breaking up: Stevie Nicks (writer, vocalist) and Lindsey Buckingham (electric and acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies) and then the other couple were John McVie (Bassit) and  Christine McVie (Fender Rhodes electric piano, Read more »

What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye

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What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye

MVD presents The Albums, a whole new section which we are launching with a look at Marvin Gaye’s classic ‘What’s Going On’ lp. So, we here at MVD have been doing ‘The Singles’ for a while now, a category that basically allows us to cover the good, the bad, the ugly, the old, the new, the borrowed, the blue etc… in a completely random manner that looks like some kind of agenda or plan. Now we love singles, 3 or 4 minutes of pure musical nirvana, but we are also both of an age where as we were growing up Read more »