So just before Christmas “Love Actually” came on the tele as it does every year, and as I said to Mrs M “I’d rather watch Frozen for the eleventy billionth fucking time than sit through that again” and I absented myself to do the dishes and wrap presents or something. But a bit later I was standing at the sink and the dulcet tones of “Jump (For My Love)” by the Pointer Sisters made their way to my ears and I had to admit to Mrs M that any movie that includes a Pointer Sisters track can’t be all bad. However I also pointed out that “Beverley Hills Cop” was not only a better movie but included a better cut (Neutron Dance).

Anyway this led me to download “Break Out” the album including both of the above tracks and in point of fact the first album I ever saved up my pocket money to buy. However I haven’t listened to it for years, having access to none of the original vinyl, a turntable, the TDK cassette it was taped on (B side – Tina Turner: Private Dancer), or my old Walkman.

Despite the nostalgia of all this, I fully expected it to be the hits and a load of filler. Something about the era and the genre I just thought the songwriters would knock out a couple of hits and then just paint by numbers to make an album. Imagine my pleasant surprise when my fond memories of this album were fully vindicated with 10 great tracks. “Dance Electric”, “Telegraph your love”, “Baby come and get it” and all those tracks that I didn’t have the benefit of hearing from time to time over the years have stood the test of time really well. Of course it’s tinny 80s R&B/pop but it’s really great tinny R&B/pop.

Anyway, this got me thinking, what about albums that are just complete filler? And one name immediately leapt to mind: The Wombats. I saw this at the library, I have no idea what the album was called, but I was expecting some sort of Australian folk-rock crossover judging by the name of the band. But it turns out they are not even Australian and they created one of the most boring, forgettable albums of all time. I listened to it a few times just to see if I could get anything from it, but nothing. Every track blended in to the next in a really bad way. I couldn’t work out which songs would be the singles. Just completely unappealing. Funny thing was after returning it to the library, I would suddenly hear their name on the radio from time to time, but I could never identify which song I was hearing. But they must have had some sort of success or exposure I suppose to get played on the radio.

Anyway hit me up with some other albums that are just complete filler. Or I suppose you could tell me of something that is all killer, doubt it will beat The Pointer Sisters though.