The Court of Requests, Oldbury by Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Readers often request reviews of albums they like, and I’ve finally decided to provide you with a one-stop shop to make your suggestions (and make it easier for me to track them). All you have to do is scroll down to the Comments section and make your request.
Please note that I do not review any album until three years after its release. There are also certain artists, countries, and genres I will not cover:
- Artists: You can find my no-fly list in the post “The Truth About Beets.”
- Countries: I will not review the music of any country run by a right-wing government that demonizes immigrants, people of color, women, or LGBTQ folks. This includes the United States (except for African-American artists). Unfortunately, there are too many countries that fall into this category for me to list them all.
- Genres: I don’t review rap, hip-hop, or their variations.
My 2026 schedule is now full, so any new requests will be placed in my list of possibilities for 2027.
After the first flood of requests, I decided it would be helpful to share the albums that are already scheduled for 2026:
- The Tragically Hip (all thirteen studio albums)
- Rush: Moving Pictures
- Midnight Oil: Red Sails in the Sunset, Diesel and Dust and Blue Sky Mining
- The Go-Betweens: 16 Lovers Lane
- The Chills: Submarine Bells
- The Guess Who: Greatest Hits
- Tim Maia: Nobody Can Live Forever
- Kraftwerk: Trans-Europe Express
- Kirsty MacColl: Tropical Brainstorm
- Charles Mingus: The Black Saint and Sinner Lady
- Leonard Cohen: Songs from a Room and Songs of Love and Hate
- Thin Lizzy: Live and Dangerous
- Shihad: Old Gods
- A Woman’s Heart
- Tangerine Dream: Phaedra
- Hoodoo Gurus: Mars Needs Guitars
- Big Bill Broonzy: Trouble In Mind
- Michael Kiwanuka: Love and Hate
- David Bowie: Diamond Dogs
You can also use this space to report any website issues, such as broken links.
Cheers!
I’ve been following your reviews over the past few years and I always find things that pique my interest and, when I know the album, a view or two of yours that I don’t chime with. And plenty that I absolutely agree with. Music eh? – that’s the glory of it.
I know that you’re reluctant to include more Canadian artists but can you please add just one more – Allison Russell’s Outside Child. It’s a stunning, moving and, in places, elegiac album.
Many thanks
Allison is on my list of possibilities but the 2026 schedule is full (thanks to the Hip).
I second that New Zealand fellow’s recommendation of Split Enz. The American version of their 2nd release produced by Manzanera is an all time fave. Also would love the ARC treatment applied to “John Barleycorn Must Die.” I looked for Traffic on your list, and only found Low Spark.
The link to my review of John Barleycorn is down near the bottom the 70’s page, but I’ll save you the trip: https://altrockchick.com/2018/08/09/traffic-john-bar…sic-music-review/
Hope you don’t mind a bit of a list.
• Cowboy Junkies (Canada) – The Trinity Session (1988)
• Deep Purple (UK) – Self Titled (1969)
• Fotheringay (UK) – Self Titled (1970)
• Garbage (Scotland) – Self Titled (1995)
• Gentle Giant (UK) – Octopus (1972)
• Harry Nilsson (UK) – A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night (1973)
• Kirsty MacColl (UK) – Titanic Days (1994)
• Taste (Ireland) – Self Titled (Rory Gallagher’s first and rawest album) (1969)
• Sinéad Lohan (Ireland) – No Mermaid (1998)
• Squeeze (UK) – East Side Story (1981)
• Thea Gilmore (UK) – Recorded Delivery (A live album, but a great introduction to this fantastic British singer-songwriter) (2009)
Thanks.
Would love for you to review the self-titled 1974 album by an English band called Beckett.
As an American, I don’t blame you for being furious, I am too. And embarrassed and devastated. But to refuse to review artists who have nothing to do with what’s going on right now, or who may despise it just as much, or may have been born or even died well-before this time is, I think, unwarranted.
If Americans want to relive their glorious past, I would point out that I have not removed the 216 reviews of American artists on this site, covering the years from 1920 to 2022, which obviously includes plenty of artists who were born before Trump or died well before this time.
The Beckett album isn’t easy to find, but I did listen to the full album on YouTube and immediately added it to my list of possibilities. The schedule for 2026 is full, so it may be a while.
I’ve read many of those 216 reviews, and your commentary on your Dad’s 45’s, and all of that is glorious and insightful. You dad and I could have spent hours together talking about girls and records.
I get the moral instinct, but that stance flattens entire countries into their governments and ignores that artists are often the ones resisting or complicating those very systems. Once you make exceptions, it also exposes how inconsistent the rule is. In practice, it ends up narrowing your world and sidelining voices that might actually align with your values, rather than engaging them with discernment.
What a challenge! So many great albums to choose from, even with your exclusions.
Don McGlashen: Warm Hand
The Front Lawn: Songs From the Front Lawn
Steve Mason: Monkey Minds in the Devil’s Time
Vanishing Twin: Pensiero Magico
Djessie: Vols 1-4 (any of them!)
I’d love to read your review on the album Cargo from the Dutch group Cargo with the same name (1972). It’s the only album of the band featuring the recently deceased Dutch star guitarist Jan de Hont. Only 1500 copies were made from the original album which is obviously pretty rare now. Here’s the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wOFT5aiJ0c
Greetings from The Netherlands, Koen
I am confident you’d be intrigued with Michael Kiwanuka. Try his second album (Love & Hate)
Scheduled for late July!
Would love to read your review on the Stranglers debut album ‘Rattus Norvegicus ‘ would be awesome!
Cheers
Robbie
Thank you for issuing this clarion call.
Taking your criteria into consideration, this is the album I’d like you to review:
Harmonium – Si on avait besoin d’une cinquième saison
Harmonium was a progressive folk-rock band from Quebec led by Serge Fiori (who sadly passed away last year on St. Jean Baptiste Day – the Quebec equivalent of Canada Day). They recorded three studio albums and one live album during the 1970s. Si on avait besoin d’une cinquième was their second album which was released in 1975.
Given your intimate knowledge of French and love of prog rock, I believe Harmonium, and this album in particular, would be up your alley. Indeed, I came across this blog through your review of Françoise Hardy’s “La Question”. So, I think a review of an album by a French-Canadian group is in order.
Obviously, you have a lot of albums to consider. I hope this makes the cut.
If it does make the cut, I know it will be a while before you get to it. Good things come to those who wait.
I see that you have some New Zealand LPs coming up, though I think Shihad are actually metal in sound, if not in look. Do you like Tim and Neil Finn? Some of us think Split Enz are still the best. Their first two 70s’ LPs contain the same songs basically, Mental Notes was recorded in Australia, but Second Thoughts was produced by Phil Manzanera in London.
I’m married to a metal fan who has been bugging me to do at least one metal album this year, and this one is quite relevant in today’s world. Split Enz is on my possibles list; I just have to decide which album to review.
I’d love to see you review some Robyn Hitchcock/ Soft Boys!
Hooray for taking on so much Midnight Oil! They’re one of my favorite three bands from when I was younger and still a favorite. Would you consider reviewing EPs? Species Deceases is brilliant and fiery—and right in the middle of the other four albums you’re covering. It could potentially give you an easier week if you need it, since it’s just four songs long.
Please, PLEASE review Hozier! Andrew Hozier-Byrne is an Irish folk songwriter and singer I adore, with this gospel-infused folk sound I can’t get enough of. “Wasteland, Baby!” (2019) is probably his best effort so far, so check that one out if you have the time (and I think you’d really agree with the messages of “Be” and “Nina Cried Power”), but his self-titled debut in 2014 has a lot of his most popular work. I hope to hear what you think of him one day.
Thank you! I have avoided most contemporary music because most of it sucks, so I rely on people like you to tell me if there’s anything worth listening to. I did a quick check of his background during the boring meeting which is still dragging on as I write this, and I am intrigued. I noticed that both Pitchfork and Rolling Stone weren’t impressed by Hozier, which makes me even more interested because those guys rarely get it right. I have placed him in my list of possibles and will explore his offerings when I have time.
I’m very glad to see The Guess Who on there and “Greatest Hits” is definitely the place to start.
Signed, A Grateful Canuck.
Good Afternoon ~ The selection of the albums you review is outstanding. I probably own somewhere around 90% of them, and trying to read ALL your reviews, listen to all the albums afterward, and then digest it all is a goal I’ll probably never reach. That doesn’t mean I won’t try though, because I love every minute of it. After reading the Grand Hotel review, Exotic Birds And Fruit might be nice, but whatever you decide is more than fine by me! Thanks for all you do…
Thin Lizzy – Jailbreak
After going through their discography, I’ve decided that they’re a better live band than a studio band, so my one-and-only Thin Lizzy review will be Live and Dangerous
“Live and Dangerous” is killer. That would have been my next choice.
Keep up the great work here and in your day job.
I have an idea of a review that would pay tribute to some of the great early black male singers who are more or less lost in history. People like:
Tommy Edwards
Clyde McPhatter
Billy Ward (Dominoes)
Maurice Williams (Zodiacs) Stay
Fred Parris (Five Satins) in the Still of the Night
There are also these others who attained celebrity who aren’t really lost to history but may be an important part of the story.
Ray Charles
Sam Cooke
Fats Domino
Jackie Williams
Nat King Cole
Chuck Berry
BB King
Johnny Mathis
It’s not really a review of any particular album or song, but a look at some of the seminal voices in R&R history that might have gotten lost because they were black.
I like the “lost in history” idea, and will research the possibilities. I’ve already done extensive reviews of Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino and Chuck Berry and wouldn’t want to repeat myself.
Hard Nose The Highway-Van Morrison
Run With The Pack-Bad Company
Big Star-#1 Record
Chet Baker-Chet
Chet and Big Star are out due to my American Boycott. I’ll put the other two in my list of possibles. Thanks!
Van Morrison’s live album “It’s Too Late to Stop Now” is fantastic.
Robin Trower – Bridge of Sighs
Rory Gallagher – Irish Tour ’74
Midnight Oil – Diesel and Dust
Bruce Cockburn – Stealing Fire
Diesel and Dust is already on the schedule. Trower is unlikely because I can’t stand the singer. I have too many Canadians on this year’s schedule, so Bruce will have to weight. I haven’t heard Irish Tour, so I’ll check it out when I have time. Thanks!
Cork’s finest: Microdisney.
I would love to see more reviews of Leonard Cohen, his evolution, and interpretation of his lyrics.
Songs From a Room and Songs of Love and Hate are on the schedule for later this year. Thanks!
Scott 1-Scott 4 , Scott was a naturalised Brit so qualifies. Further to the Steve McQueen request-I Trawl the Megahertz worth a review given it is his key work IMHO.Cheers.
I think you are so brilliant. I stumbled onto your site one day when I was looking for info on a traffic album and was immediately crushed to hear you were pulling the plug on your site before I had time to listen and read more of your work. Imagine how thrilling to then receive your news that you would carry on!
Please consider David Bowies Diamond Dogs. There is a great story there with not getting the George Orwell rights and having to turn it into something else and the experimentation with the sounds etc. it is quite a journey start to finish. Thank you so much for making the music I listen to more amazing and even more for giving me direction to discovering new music.
Cara Clark
Thank you! I will definitely consider Diamond Dogs, as it seems to fit the times.
Unhalfbricking and Liege & Lief by Fairport Convention 👍
I’ve already done Liege & Lief (see UK Folk). I’ll put Unhalfbricking on my list of possibilities.
Why not review 16 Lovers Lane by Go-Betweens
Coming soon!
Good Morning,
Damn, some day – when the Prince of Darkness is gone for good – I would love to read a review of your preferred album by Low, or another Neko Case or Cat Power, or Nina Nastasia…
But for now what about “Steve McQueen” by Prefab Sprout? Or some Go-Betweens?
Cheers from Germany,
Karsten
The Go-Betweens are coming up, Prefab is awaiting a spot.