2016: Albums & Conclusion

Originally posted March 2026

THE GWIM PROJECT 2016 PART 2 OF 2 – THE ALBUMS

Note: as mentioned in a previous post – I have slightly reduced the amount of listening I have to do, and significantly reduced the amount I’m writing (and you have to read through). I’m only writing up on the albums if I give them a mark of 8 and above or 2 and below. I may drop short comments on others. Otherwise I will simply state my mark.

Albums:

Marking key at the bottom.

Little Mix “Glory Days” 7

Mitski “Puberty 2” 7

Beyonce “Lemonade” 7

I’ll say a little something. Its possibly her most talk about album – a ‘concept album’ that addresses the experience of black woman living in the USA, structured using the 5 stages of grief. It draws upon an array of musical styles and influences, moves away from conventional pop/R&B song structures, and is even a little experimental in places. Its a striking and very interesting listen. This interest comes mainly from the musical arrangements, compositional structures, and production. So, the main downfall is that the ‘songs’ (so to speak) are not particularly brilliant. What is being done with them inside the studio saves them..... and then some.

Anenon “Petrol” 7

Olly Murs “24 Hours” 6

Alex Izenberg “Harlequin” 8

Very back to basics sound and production that draws on traditional folk-like pop leanings but with an experimental (almost avant-garde in places) edge. At one moment seeming very traditional, very Simon & Garfunkel if you like, but the next subtly and eloquently throwing us off the scent. The instrumentation is largely vocals and strings, but this is decorated with piano, light percussion, acoustic guitar, and there is a little brass in one track. The strings perform a great trick of sounding somehow together, yet not. Its as if everyone is playing the same music but are doing it from different rooms. I’m not sure if there are multiple backing singers or if its multi-tracked. If it is a choir of people, in one track they manage to perform the near impossible task of singing very slightly off-key yet in exact harmony. Impressive. I really love this.

Sia “This Is Acting” 6

Mark Pritchard “Under The Sun” 7

Emeli Sandé “Long Live The Angels” 6

Ulrika Spacek “The Album Paranoia” 6

Albums I knew already:

Radiohead “A Moon Shaped Pool” 8

Madness “Can’t Touch Us Now” 4

Marking key (in a nutshell)

10 – Perfect (only 3 albums in history)

9 – Basically 10/10 (I just don’t quite view them in the same way as the 3 albums)

8 – Outstanding (possible nit-picking criticisms)

7 – Brilliant

6 – Good

5 – Average

4 – Has potential but below average

3 – Some good points but not very good overall

2 – Poor (possibly a few good points)

1 – Abysmal