Accelerate - R.E.M. (2008)

When you're sure you've lost your way, just throw your hand.   Not a quality R.E.M. record at all.  6/10.

New Adventures in Hi-Fi - R.E.M. (1996)

Take one world dominating band and watch them throw it all away.  Nice contribution from Patti though.  6/10.

Monster - R.E.M. (1994)

This is the sound of sex and anger.  True rock n'  roll.  9/10.

Automatic for the People - R.E.M. (1992)

Musical pinnacle, not just for R.E.M., but for popular music as a whole.  Peerless.  10/10.

Green - R.E.M. (1988)

Stadiums conquered worldwide - aye sir, aye sir - they're coming!  9/10.

Document - R.E.M. (1987)

Four heroes hit rich vein of form and finally find public desperate for them.   9/10.

Dead Letter Office - R.E.M. (1987)

Poorly performed drunken covers coupled with early and rather classy Chronic Town EP - just about works.  6/10.

Fables of the Reconstruction - R.E.M. (1985)

Divisive album amongst devotees, for me, it's a key stage in R.E.M.s growing adroitness.  8/10.

Mumur - R.E.M. (1983)

Freaky mumbling from the left field captivates listeners with sheer southern charm.  8/10.

It's R.E.M. day!

The singer, he had long hair
And the drummer, he knew restraint
And the bass man, he had all the right moves
And the guitar player was no saint....

MTV Unplugged - 10,000 Maniacs (1993)

Some fine twee ditties can't disguise the fact that this format rarely worked all that well.  4/10.

What's Going On - Marvin Gaye (1971)

Yes, it's clever, well written and commendably socially concious, but I just don't see that it's aged all that well.  7/10.

Grinderman 2 - Grinderman (2010)

Talented old farts remind us that age hasn't diminished their libido or sense of humour.  8/10.

Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain - Pavement (1994)

Kick-ass lo-fi mastery, often copied, rarely bettered.  9/10.

The Stooges - Iggy and The Stooges (1969)

The eternal sound of being a raucous and randy 22.  Deservedly influential.  9/10.

At Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash (1968)

If there was ever any doubt that Cash was the real deal, this opus quashed that uncertainty very quickly.  What balls.  9/10.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - The Smashing Pumpkins (1995)

Pretentious twat strikes lucky and captures the human condition with some verve.  8/10.

Definitely Maybe - Oasis (1994)

Great British music, but just not original enough.  7/10.

Bleach - Nirvana (1989)

Often overlooked, but should not be underestimated, a truer picture of Kurt emerges here.  9/10.

Tuesday Night Music Club - Sheryl Crow (1993)

She may be a half-wit, but she sure writes some classy tunes, or somebody does at any rate.  8/10.

Surfacing - Sarah McLachlan (1997)

If you don't have an emotional response listening to this, go see a shrink ASAP.  7/10.

Nirvana (the Best of) - Nirvana (2002)

Just buy the albums instead, OK?  There's only 3 main ones after all.   6/10.

Travelling Without Moving - Jamiroquai (1996)

Buying this pays for Jay Kay's Ferraris.  Don't, he's got enough now.  5/10.

1 - The Beatles (2000)

An unsatisfying compilation (as they often are), only saved by coming from the very gods of pop.  8/10.

Keep The Faith - Bon Jovi (1992)

Former hair metalers find some credibility, but only a little.  6/10.

This Is Hope - Mull Historical Society (2004)

Quirky multi-instrumentalist wires directly to your brain.  Resistance is futile.  8/10.

Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkle (1970)

Just goes to show what Paul Simon can do when he forgets about being so short for a while.  10/10.

Lust for Life - Iggy Pop (1977)

No wonder he was grinning, post drug fest masterpiece.  10/10.

Greendale - Neil Young and Crazy Horse (2003)

Neil's pet hates of Terran abuse and media savagery forms a concept album that should sound trite but he somehow actually pulls it off.  8/10.

Sleeps With Angels - Neil Young and Crazy Horse (1994)

Neil's perfect eulogy to Kurt crowns a supreme Horse collaboration.  Rated good by most, but better than that.  10/10.

Ragged Glory - Neil Young and Crazy Horse (1990)

Hippie bullshit meets Crazy Horse excess in ear drum annihilation - a hoot.  9/10.

Everybody's Rockin' - Neil Young and The Shocking Pinks (1983)

Neil's little joke at Geffen's expense.  Shame we had to listen to it too.  3/10.

Rust Never Sleeps - Neil Young and Crazy Horse (1979)

Most live albums suck, but not this barely controlled cacophonous monster.  9/10.

American Stars 'N Bars - Neil Young (1977)

Gets extra points for the up skirt shot, but mostly mediocre, Hurricane the exception.  6/10.

Time Fades Away - Neil Young and The Stray Gators (1973)

Object lesson in how to infuriate audience expectations, but actually quite good - if you can find a copy.  6/10.

Harvest - Neil Young and The Stray Gators (1972)

Neil finds Country and with it, huge commercial success, ironically not best work of the period.  7/10.

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere - Neil Young and Crazy Horse (1969)

First coming together with Crazy Horse perfected now familiar jams on first attempt.  9/10.

It's Neil Young Day!

Grizzled rock veteran's prolificy deserves attention...

Gold: Greatest Hits - Abba (1992)

Swedes show that although they haven't quite mastered building cars or furniture, they can make phenomenal pop music.  10/10.

Doppelgänger - Curve (1992)

Feisty genre mixer gets to second base and then some.  7/10.

Greatest Hits - ZZ Top (1992)

Two fine (but dated) rockers does not a greatest hits make.  5/10.

Licensed to Ill - Beastie Boys (1986)

Everything is wrong about this record, and that's why it works so fucking well.  9/10.

A Girl Like Me - Emma Bunton (2001)

Former Spice Girl finds that being blonde and having one fair single is just not good enough, duh.  2/10.

Exodus - Bob Marley (1977)

Overrated mush that requires you to be stoned to appreciate it at all.  4/10.

Dummy - Portishead (1994)

Trip-hop masters' finest audiorama sure to make ends of hair tingle most prominently.   8/10.

Bakesale - Sebadoh (1994)

Lo-fi spontaneity somehow becomes polished by relatively unknown and underrated pioneers - cracking stuff.  7/10.

Them Crooked Vultures (2009)

Borderline misogynistic, macho, and downright dirty - rock royalty super-group rises to the hype.   8/10.

Pinkerton - Weezer (1996)

Ascetic experiences catharsis on record, embarrassed for years, but worth it.  8/10.

The ArchAndroid - Janelle Monáe (2010)

Pompadoured Wizard of Oz fan creates a magical world of her own, encompassing just about every genre worth doing.  8/10.

Different Class - Pulp (1995)

Lanky intellectual spends one night with a pad of paper and a bottle of whiskey and perfectly embodies the working class in less than 60 minutes, marvellous.  9/10.