After the record company pulled the plug on Chris Rea's 1983 album, Water Sign was released with songs that had only been intended as demos. However, one chance circumstance led to this album being an unlikely turning point for Rea's career. In this video, I discuss my thoughts on the album.

00:00 My story

02:18 Context behind the album

05:51 Song-by-song review

19:42 Non-album tracks reviewed

22:43 Summary

The Best Years Of Our Lives, Neil Diamond's final 1980s studio effort, moves in a different direction from the last album, Headed For The Future, a direction which resembles the classic Neil Diamond sound - arguably - more than any of the previous albums from the decade. In this video, I'll be giving my take on this album.

00:00 My story

03:24 Context behind the album

10:03 Song-by-song review

26:36 Summary

Long Distance Voyager, the first 1980s outing from The Moody Blues, features a new keyboard player, Patrick Moraz, for the outgoing Mike Pinder, as well as a break from long-time producer Tony Clarke, with Pip Williams, having previously worked with Status Quo, on production. In this video, I reflect on my thoughts on this post-classic era album from the Moodies, and whether it can provide an enjoyable listening experience.

00:00 Introduction00:42 My story09:20 Context behind the album14:10 Song-by-song review27:57 Summary

Despite hearing Carly Simon's music in such varied areas as a James Bond theme, a greatest hits set, and even from Piglet's Big Movie... until now, I haven't listened to a Carly Simon album in full.

In this video, I talk about my first impressions of Simon's 1972 album, No Secrets.

00:00 Introduction

02:14 My story - how did I discover this album?

09:12 First impressions

09:46 Song-by-song review

20:46 Summary

Chris Rea's fourth album, a self-titled release from 1982, was released after a potential fourth album titled One Fine Day was shelved. Three of those songs survive in re-recorded form alongside eight other tracks.

In this video, I'll be discussing where this album fits within the Chris Rea catalogue, particularly in relation to previous albums, Tennis and Deltics.

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Context behind the album

02:31 One Fine Day - the unreleased album

04:38 The players - Naisbitt, Hutchinson, Watson are OUT

07:28 Song-by-song review

19:08 Non-album B-sides: Let Me Be The One, Don't Look Back

22:40 Summary

Headed For The Future, Neil Diamond's fourth studio effort of the 1980s, was released in 1986. Featuring 'The Story of My Life', a record was planned to be released under this name until Neil's record label rejected it. This was an album inspired by the sad passing of Neil's father in 1985, with the songs very personal and dark. This album brings in several contemporary songwriters to give the album more commercial appeal. In this video, I'll be discussing how effective this approach is to my listening ears.

00:00 Introduction

00:29 Context of the record

04:40 The album cover & the vinyl

06:34 Who is involved in this album? Lots of people!

09:59 Live performances

12:57 Song-by-song review

27:12 Summary

Every Good Boy Deserves Favour was one of the earliest Moody Blues records that I listened to, and I still thoroughly enjoy it to this day. Although I don't rank it as my favourite Moodies effort, one of its songs gives me goosebumps every time I hear it... Watch the video to find out which.

00:00 How I discovered this album

05:14 Song-by-song review

16:18 Summary

In Bruce Springsteen's autobiography, he writes that Wrecking Ball was one of his best, most contemporary and accessible albums since Born In The USA, and that the album was received with a lot less fanfare than he thought it would be. In this video, I revisit the Wrecking Ball album through this lens.

00:00 Intro

00:49 First impressions of the album

01:33 Is this as accessible as Born In The USA?

03:15 Getting more from Wrecking Ball by revisiting it

04:58 Song-by-song review

09:39 Summary

Chris Rea's second album, Deltics, features some promising numbers which overall culminate in a further step towards the Chris Rea sound of the mid to late 1980s. In this video, I discuss how I've revisited Deltics recently and what I've taken away from my latest listens.

00:00 Context of my previous listens

05:22 Song-by-song review

14:21 The non-album B-side: Cleveland Calling

17:03 Summary

Born To Run, Bruce Springsteen's autobiography, released in 2016, is a compelling read, which shows Springsteen typically as the man that sits within many of his songs; a refreshingly honest, reflective soul with a love for the art of rock and roll.

Is this book worth reading for Springsteen fans, hardcore, casual and all? In this video, I give my thoughts on this book.