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Peter Steward's Web Pages |
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Rating music is a difficult science - open to abuse. How for example do I rate albums by artists that I don't like? Perhaps that's why I often shy away from these. Bob Dylan is a perfect example. I appreciate what the man has achieved, appreciate his writing, but really have never been able to come to terms with his voice. On the other hand I love Tom Waits who has arguably got "a much worse voice" than Dylan. And how can you rate an album released a month or so ago and which you have heard just two or three times against a 40 year old album that you have heard hundreds of times? So all I have tried to do here is give an indication. It is quite likely that some of the newer albums will be re-rated in the future as they become part of the music psyche rather than something bright and new. It is probably more interesting to compare the individual output of artists. This at least will give you an idea of my favourite works by individual artists and groups. Otherwise you might go slightly mad trying to work out how I can give a new artist a higher mark than say a classic Beatles album. Low marks don't necessarily make bad albums either. Anything over 5 is worth a listen. There is a tendency when you start something like this to concentrate on favourite albums which means plenty of high marks. As I work through these and turn to "lesser albums" the marks will correspondingly drop and a lower level of acceptability will be met. In general terms anything getting a mark of 10 is to me a classic album - relevant to a specific time in my life. Albums that evoke a time and place and albums I would have hated to have seen changed in any way. Anything over eight is verging on a Steward classic.
Below are listed the ratings.
10
Once Again - Barclay James Harvest Hunky Dory - David Bowie Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - David Bowie
9.5
Aladdin Sane - David Bowie Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield
9
America - America Barclay James Harvest and Other Short Stories - Barclay James Harvest The Innocent Age - Dan Fogelberg Grave New World - The Strawbs Every Picture Tells A Story - Rod Stewart After The Goldrush - Neil Young
8.5
Short Stories - Harry Chapin Man who Sold the World - David Bowie
8
Heads and Tales - Harry Chapin Sniper and Other Love Songs - Harry Chapin Fin de Siecle - Divine Comedy The Webb Sessions - Richard Harris Barclay James Harvest - Barclay James Harvest Closing Time - Tom Waits Bridge Over Troubled Waters - Simon and Garfunkel Harvest - Neil Young Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Emerson, Lake and Palmer
7.5
Band on the Run - Paul McCartney and Wings America V - A Hundred Highways - Johnny Cash Portrait Gallery - Harry Chapin Stones in the Road - Mary Chapin Carpenter Absent Friends - Divine Comedy Everyone is Everybody Else - Barclay James Harvest Octoberon - Barclay James Harvest Space Oddity - David Bowie East of Angel Town - Peter Cincotti Imagination - Brian Wlson
7
Flaming Pie - Paul McCartney Days of Future Passed - Moody Blues Deltics - Chris Rea Verities and Balderdash - Harry Chapin Pilgrim - Eric Clapton Time Honoured Ghosts - Barclay James Harvest Gone to Earth - Barclay James Harvest XII - Barclay James Harvest Welcome to the Show - Barclay James Harvest Caught in the Light - Barclay James Harvest Nexus - Barclay James Harvest Station to Station - David Bowie 20 Essential Tracks from Box Set - The Byrds The Very Best of - The Byrds Stardom Road - Marc Almond Live and At Large in the UK - Jimmy Webb Skybound - Tom Baxter Bookends - Simon and Garfunkel Queen II - Queen
6.5
McCartney - Paul McCartney Memory Almost Full - Paul McCartney Baby James Harvest - Barclay James Harvest Earthling - David Bowie Hergest Ridge - Mike Oldfield Do You Like Rock Music? - British Sea Power NY75 - The Strawbs Wednesday Morning 3 a.m - Simon and Garfunkel The Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme - Simon and Garfunkel
6
A Tribute to Cole Porter - Various Artists Double Fantasy - John Lennon The Collection - John Lennon Ram - Paul McCartney Red Rose Speedway - Paul McCartney Gone Again - Patti Smith A Few Small Repairs - Shawn Colvin Deja Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Eyes of the Universe - Barclay James Harvest Victims of Circumstance - Barclay James Harvest River of Dreams - Barclay James Harvest Ommadawn - Mike Oldfield Chrome Dreams II - Neil Young Gasoline Alley - Rod Stewart Never A Dull Moment - Rod Stewart Twelve Stops and Home - The Feeling Join With us - The Feeling
5.5
Tug of War - Paul McCartney Diamond Dogs - David Bowie Young Americans - David Bowie Queen - Queen That Lucky Old Sun - Brian Wilson
5
In My Life - Various Artists Holiday - America Liverpool 8 - Ringo Starr From the Witchwood - The Strawbs An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down - Rod Stewart Turn of the Tide - Barclay James Harvest
4.5
Ring of Changes - Barclay James Harvest Neil Young - Neil Young
4
This is Hardcore - Pulp Face to Face - Barclay James Harvest A Major Fancy - John Lees Ring Them Bells - Joan Baez Shine - Joni Mitchell Reason to Believe - Aled Jones Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall - Rufus Wainwright Watershed - kd Lang The Gift - Sons and Daughters
3.5 Everybody Knows This is Nowhere - Neil Young
3
Tonight - David Bowie
2.5
2
McCartney II - Paul McCartney Incantations - Mike Oldfield
1.5
Spirit - Leona Lewis
1
Standing Stone - Paul McCartney |