I recall being utterly disappointed in this album on release, but after revisiting it a few years later, I was actually quite drawn to it. And I think it has aged better than Born to Die, perhaps? There is a slightly different vibe, without being as boring and vapid as Honeymoon, and without making me actually listen to the album by choice on any given day...
Highlights: West Coast, Cruel World, Money Power Glory, Black Beauty
6.5/10
Under Construction - Missy Elliott
All the talking explaining the tracks is such a... choice. Sometimes pretty hilarious, but also breaks up the flow at times. But the bounce! Timbaland brought DA BOUNCE! And Missy's rhymes are all sorts of clever and engaging.
Highlights: Gossip Folks, Work It, Bring the Pain, Can You Hear Me
7.5/10
Under Pressure - The Used & My Chemical Romance
There was a live version of this that was quite fun... in 2005, when I was mid-20s emo LOGMAN. Now I am mid-40s cool as a cucumber LOGMAN and I can still appreciate it somewhat, while also acknowledging that it is hilariously inferior to the original and should be deleted from existence.
4/10
Under Rug Swept - Alanis Morissette
I do wonder how this album could have ended up if Alanis had continued to collaborate with Glen Ballard; would he have helped to force more hooks? Or would he have upped the energy somewhat? Because this album is more relaxed than even MTV Unplugged and is more focused on what she wants to say than making hit songs.
Highlights: Surrendering, Narcissus, Hands Clean, Precious Illusions
7/10
Under the Iron Sea - Keane
Classic example of a band getting famous making sad music, but the follow-up music is suddenly much happier. So clearly being rich and famous suddenly improved their life. Fair enough!
Highlights: Is It Any Wonder?, A Bad Dream
6/10
The Understanding - Memphis Bleek
I only have the song Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses), because it features Jay-Z and Missy and when they performed it at Jay-Z's "retirement" shows, I thought it was pretty killer. Still do!
8/10
Undertow - Tool
There are so many cool riffs on this album - I wonder if I can remember how to play them? I might have to test that some day. Nineties Tool is the best Tool.
Highlights: 4 Degrees, Crawl Away, Bottom, Flood
8/10
Undiscovered - James Morrison
This album is surpisingly enjoyable; I was expecting something along the lines of Jamie Cullum, but instead Morrison's voice is very soulful and his lyrics decent. Adult jazz pop, but not so... white?
Highlights: Undiscovered, Better Man, One Last Chance
7/10
Unfinished Business - Jay-Z & R. Kelly
Outtakes from their misjudged collaboration. The funniest part is R. Kelly singing about their "world tour", like he was not expecting it to get cancelled halfway through. There is nothing here that is even close to being as offensive as found on their first album, so this may actually be better!
Highlights: We Got Em Goin', Mo' Money, Don't Let Me Die
5.5/10
The Unforgettables E.P. - MONOEYES
No lie - I was both excited and disappointed when this was released. Dude said he was writing The End of Yesterday like it would be his last album, and then five years later he was like 'Oh, I guess maybe I just meant with my best band - I will still make music with these inferior ones!'. And the whole EP rocks hard, so in my face, I guess...
Highlights: Ladybird, Atmosphere, The Unforgettables, Adrenaline
9/10
Unmasked - Kiss
Kiss turn into a cheesy 80s pop rock band and I love it for them. And then they needed Bryan Adams to come and make them rock harder. Make it make sense.
Highlights: Shandi, Tomorrow, Talk to Me, Two Sides of the Coin
8/10
Up All Night - Razorlight
This is the sound of a hungry, young indie band putting it all out there and capturing a sound and vibe they will never be able to repeat.
Highlights: Don't Go Back to Dalston, To the Sea, Rock'n Roll Lies, Rip It Up
7.5/10
Up the Bracket - The Libertines
Peter Doherty delivers his vocals likes he been up all night on coke and chugging a bottle of whiskey between takes. Electric guitars so raw and sloppy it sounds like he is on the verge of passing out. Acoustic guitar sounds like he is using some half broken piece of junk from a local secondhand store. Super solid drumming that somehow holds them all together. This album really captures that early-00s UK indie punk rock perfectly!
Highlights: Death on the Stairs, I Get Along, Up the Bracket, The Boy Looked at Johnny
8/10
UP to ME - BiSH
Just another average heavy idol single from the BiSH is OVER run. Genuinely nothing to write home about... so I will just keep it in the BLog.
Highlights: YOUTH, UP to ME
6.5/10
"Albums" listened to so far: 1770
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