848
Albums Rated
3.71
Average Rating
78%
Complete
241 albums remaining
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Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Singer-songwriter
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other
Top Origin
Generous
Rater Style
115
5-Star Albums
1
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
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Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
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Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| m b v | 5 | 2.71 | +2.29 |
| Phaedra | 5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
| Arise | 5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
| Alien Lanes | 5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
| I Am a Bird Now | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| New Wave | 5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| Fly Or Die | 5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| E.V.O.L. | 5 | 2.89 | +2.11 |
| Rip It Up | 5 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
| Want One | 5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Love Supreme | 2 | 3.63 | -1.63 |
| Ramones | 2 | 3.58 | -1.58 |
| Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 2 | 3.51 | -1.51 |
| James Brown Live At The Apollo | 2 | 3.46 | -1.46 |
| The Chronic | 2 | 3.33 | -1.33 |
| The Slim Shady LP | 2 | 3.29 | -1.29 |
| The Predator | 2 | 3.26 | -1.26 |
| American Beauty | 2 | 3.24 | -1.24 |
| Bluesbreakers | 2 | 3.16 | -1.16 |
| Le Tigre | 2 | 3.13 | -1.13 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 6 | 4.67 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 7 | 4.29 |
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 4.5 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 3 | 4.67 |
| Paul Simon | 3 | 4.67 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.67 |
| Pet Shop Boys | 3 | 4.67 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 3 | 4.67 |
| Neil Young | 3 | 4.67 |
| Joni Mitchell | 3 | 4.67 |
| David Bowie | 7 | 4.14 |
| Cocteau Twins | 2 | 5 |
| Coldplay | 2 | 5 |
| ABBA | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.25 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4.25 |
| Sonic Youth | 4 | 4.25 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 4.33 |
| U2 | 3 | 4.33 |
| Björk | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Kinks | 3 | 4.33 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Albums | Variance |
|---|---|---|
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 1.12 |
5-Star Albums (115)
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Popular Reviews
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
My dad passed away when I was four years old. He liked to play the guitar and was a particular fan of '60s folk, S&G being no exception. He had a red book of chords and lyrics written down to remember. Scarborough Fair/Canticle was one of them. I will always cherish the fact that my father's love for music shaped my childhood, and as a result, my whole life. This entire record moves me.
55 likes
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
If you have a headache and would like to worsen your headache, this is the perfect album for you.
Let's just say...interesting does not equal listenable.
46 likes
Cream
4/5
I can't believe I hadn't heard this album before. Sunshine of Your Love didn't even sound all that familiar to me.
Anyway, this was bluesy and psychedelic in perfect amounts. It worked well.
I hate Eric Clapton.
42 likes
Björk
5/5
This is a surprising one for me. I knew of her most popular songs, but never checked out a whole record. This was enchanting and made me want to become a fairy in the forest. Which is impressive considering I was actually suffering in rush hour traffic and sweating like a pig.
27 likes
Miles Davis
4/5
This was chill, but not too chill. Jazz fusion wasn't as bad as I expected, and the brass instruments really shone through without having an irritating timbre. Also, the cat really liked it. Curled up like the roundest little cinnamon roll.
25 likes
1-Star Albums (1)
All Ratings
Fleet Foxes
5/5
Excellent album, had already loved this record for years.
Eagles
4/5
Pretty good solid album. I had heard a few songs before but it was nice to hear the whole thing.
Elvis Costello
5/5
I really liked this album. Such a good debut record!!
Cypress Hill
3/5
Not what I usually listen to, but I'd give it another try. I liked the use of instrumentation alongside the rap!
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
A great introduction to a band I've heard of, but never actually heard.
Kate Bush
3/5
Interesting. Innovative. Not sure how I feel about it?
Johnny Cash
4/5
Definitely a slow burn album. Some duds here and there, but it grew on me.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Really up my alley, don't know why I hadn't jumped into Bob Dylan's discography. That guitar strumming, that lyricism. His voice is full of emotion and carries the words so well. BUT? He sounds nasally as FUCK. An acquired taste that I have not entirely acquired.
The Band
3/5
This was fine. I think I expected more, so they seemed like an Eagles-lite but without the pizazz.
Queen
4/5
Pretty good, better than I expected but you know what? Bohemian Rhapsody is overrated. There. I said it.
3/5
It was okay. The album was definitely consistent, but nothing amazing.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
A very interesting record. I have not listened to much Malian before.
Killing Joke
3/5
This is more of a 3.5 than a 3. Some songs were just listenable, but others were quite nice. Reminds me of middle school and discovering the Cure, the Smiths, and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
This was fine. I preferred the other rap-rock album from before. Some good songs, most were meh.
Tricky
2/5
I should have liked this a lot more than I did.
The Police
4/5
What a beautiful album! Not quite A or S tier for me yet.
Daft Punk
3/5
This got repetitive really fast.
Slint
4/5
Yo, I quite enjoyed this. I don't know if I'd listen to this when I'm not working, but it was interesting.
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
This is not what I expected. I kind of liked it. Some tracks were GORGEOUS. 3.5/5.0
Ramones
2/5
Hating Blitzkrieg Bop did not help. The album was a little dull, but at least the songs are short little ditties.
Joy Division
4/5
Really quite nice. I should have known I would enjoy this.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Not bad. A bit more avant garde than I expected, considering what I've heard from them.
Laibach
2/5
2.5 stars. Slightly unsettling, but makes for good-ish exercise music.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
This was absolutely hauntingly gorgeous. Cohen's voice is incredibly emotive, and the often bare-bones instrumentation really brought that out.
Paul Weller
3/5
Roxy Music
3/5
This was fine. Not quite my style, and the songs didn't really stand out to me.
Ryan Adams
4/5
This is really my lane. Gritty vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and folky instrumentation.
Sucks that Ryan Adams is such a piece of shit.
Peter Tosh
3/5
Not bad. Reggae in general isn't my cup of tea, but I liked some of the melodies in the album quite a bit. A good chill record. 3.5
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
This is really really beautiful. I felt super connected to this record in an almost unexplainable way.
The Byrds
4/5
A nice album. Nothing of a surprise, given what I've heard of them, but this was pleasant to listen to.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
A little quirky at times, but mostly enjoyable to listen to.
The Zombies
4/5
This was not bad. Makes for good background music while assembling Halloween goodie bags.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
This sounded a bit calculated, which makes sense for prog rock. I think I liked it?
Suede
4/5
I actually really enjoyed this? Not a single song I disliked on the record, but not quite hitting the 5-star mark YET.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Pleasant to the ears, sometimes repetitive.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
Oh my God. Who let this be such utter perfection? This was really really really good. Wow. The atmosphere. The vocals. 10/10.
Patti Smith
3/5
It was fine. Some parts were enjoyable to listen to. Understandably innovative and pioneering.
Blondie
4/5
Got better as the album went on. Some really good melodies in there.
The Smiths
4/5
I have heard the entire discography, and I really like it. Not love, but it's close.
Coldplay
5/5
A stunning debut! Very calming for the soul. I had already heard this previously.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
Pleasantly enjoyable. Like a fusion between ELO and post-AM Arctic Monkeys.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
This did not grow on me over time. The funk-inspired instrumentals were cool, though.
Spiritualized
3/5
Hm. Quite the atmosphere. For the most part, I enjoyed this album. 3.5
Brian Eno
3/5
Good background music for work. Quite unique.
Beatles
5/5
A virtually flawless album that I've adored for years. That medley at the end tho >>>
Ray Charles
4/5
A lot better than expected. I went into this with some preconceived notions, unfortunately, but I still enjoyed most of the album. The ballads are definitely better than the uptempo.
Queen
4/5
Is it sacrilegious to say this is better than "Night at the Opera"? Probably. But it is.
PJ Harvey
3/5
I kind of liked it, but overall I'd have to give it another listen 3.5
The Undertones
3/5
Enthusiasm. Attitude. What an energetic listen! 3.5
The Lemonheads
4/5
Honestly, a lot better than expected. I liked most of the songs.
CHIC
3/5
Brightened up the workday! Not sure if I really enjoyed it from beginning to end, but some songs were nice.
The Jam
4/5
Honestly? Pretty darn good. I liked it.
Nirvana
4/5
A little chaotic at times, but I suppose that was intentional. Unfortunately it did not help my headache. Kurt Cobain really is something unique, though. 3.5
Devendra Banhart
4/5
Absolutely gorgeous. I only wish it was longer. Not quite 5 stars, but a well-deserved 4.
Oasis
4/5
Honestly liked this more than I thought I would! Nice to recognize a few songs as well.
Van Halen
3/5
This was energetic and bold. I don't know if I liked that, though.
Depeche Mode
4/5
This was a fun listen! Recognized a few songs, too.
Orbital
3/5
Good background music if I'm at work. If I'm trying to read something, then no.
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
I liked some songs a lot. But most of it was not for me.
Van Morrison
3/5
Hm. Hmmm??? It was fine, not sure if I'd listen again.
The Afghan Whigs
4/5
Enjoyed for the most part. Songs didn't really stand out from one another, but they sounded good.
David Bowie
4/5
My first full album by Bowie was not a disappointment. More artsy than expected. Pretty good.
Spiritualized
3/5
I liked it. I respected it. I don't remember many songs standing out, though. 3.5?
Genesis
4/5
Hey, this was actually quite nice! Thought I would find it dull, but I really enjoyed the melodic lines for most of the songs.
Boards of Canada
4/5
Surprisingly good. Not too busy. Good for background.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Yay, another one I've already listened to! Love this album very much. :)
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I think I enjoyed it, but not as much as some of their contemporaries.
Ministry
2/5
I put this on while studying, so I wasn't paying full attention. It sounded chaotic AF.
Shuggie Otis
4/5
A nice relaxing album. Surprisingly pleasant. 3.5
Yes
4/5
It was nice to hear Roundabout in its entirety. More than just a meme band, I say.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
I actually really liked to work to this. Lots of character in his playing.
Charles Mingus
3/5
Unfortunately did not enjoy this one as much as the previous, but it was still interesting to listen to.
The Cure
4/5
Have listened to this tons already during high school! Love this record. :)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
This album was excellent. Not a single bad song on the record and I honestly liked how it made me feel.
Al Green
3/5
I enjoyed this. A few songs were standouts, but overall it was pleasant. 3.5
Various Artists
4/5
Very 60s-ish. A good thing to listen to on Christmas morning.
Iron Maiden
3/5
It was okay. I liked some of the guitar work on the longer songs. 3.5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
I thought some of the songs would drag on but they didn't. Nice musicianship.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Got better as it went along. 3.5
The Sonics
3/5
Garage rock, but super super early.
Kanye West
4/5
Honestly, quite enjoyed this. I liked hearing some songs I hadn't heard in a while, and the style was pleasant to listen to. Lyrical content comes with the rap genre territory.
Prince
3/5
Appreciated the artistry, but unfortunately did not enjoy it too much, except for a few songs.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
An interesting fusion of punk and blues. 3.5
Van Morrison
4/5
I liked it, but it kind of started to blur together at times.
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
It was an album. I didn't much enjoy it, but it kept me awake so there's that! 2.5
Iggy Pop
3/5
Couldn't get into the lyricism. The songs were fine. 3....ish.
Public Enemy
3/5
Those lyrics were deep. The sounds were chaotic at times. 2.5
Portishead
4/5
Better than expected. A pleasant surprise with the vocals. Those melodies were cool.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Not a bad album. I wouldn't recommend for all occasions, but it's fascinating hearing the start of heavy metal.
Simply Red
3/5
This was okay to listen to. Only a couple of songs were standouts.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Very lovely. That's all I can say, really. I appreciated the atmosphere. 4.5, not quite 5 though.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Nice to recognize a couple of songs. It was a pretty good album. 3.5?
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I didn't hear too much that was groundbreaking. Maybe I expected too much? Still, I enjoyed it. 3.5, not yet a 4.
The Temptations
3/5
Not bad but not really my style. Mildly enjoyable.
Fairport Convention
5/5
Actually quite enjoyed this style. Would love to explore more of this British folk rock.
Le Tigre
2/5
Oh man. I really wanted to like this, but it was chaotic and it gave me a headache. Punk is a genre that I still have not really gotten into, I guess.
The Young Rascals
3/5
Truly a solid record, but nothing groundbreaking. Not quite sure how this group stands out to the rest of the similar sounding bands of the era. 3.5.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
Quite liked this one! A lot of the songs sounded similar to one another, but the album was energetic and put me in a good mood, so I'll let that slide.
Goldie
2/5
This was a bit difficult to get through. Drum and bass just isn't really my thing.
Saint Etienne
5/5
Felt like a mix of Massive Attack and Cocteau Twins. So basically I'm in love. Good to drive to btw.
The Verve
4/5
This was such a breezy listen. Such good driving music, too. Also I don't hate Bittersweet Symphony as much now, so there's that.
Pulp
4/5
This was nice. The music was mellow and melodious and it brought me into a good headspace.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
This was a pleasant surprise. I thought I would find it too jazzy for my taste, since I find standards to be a bit bland at times, but Sinatra has an excellent voice and that did save things.
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
Honestly way way better than expected. Groovy licks and energetic vocal delivery put me in a good mood.
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
I didn't really like this. Sometimes the guitar was nice, but it was odd. And uncomfortable for me.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Super good. The songs put me in a good mood and I really like the instruments.
R.E.M.
4/5
Nice and chill rock music for the working student.
The Electric Prunes
4/5
I really enjoyed this one. It was like... a darker version of the Beatles and the Beach Boys, kinda the way the Wiki page described.
Frank Ocean
4/5
This was chill and moody and perfectly alternative RnB. I really liked it.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Pretty groovy. It was an interesting delve into Afrobeat, which I don't have much experience with. 3.5
Aerosmith
4/5
Maybe I went into this judging too much. It was a good combination of rock and blues without being overboard. Still not a huge fan of Walk This Way, though.
Miles Davis
4/5
This was chill, but not too chill. Jazz fusion wasn't as bad as I expected, and the brass instruments really shone through without having an irritating timbre. Also, the cat really liked it. Curled up like the roundest little cinnamon roll.
Beth Orton
4/5
I really liked it. Early folktronica has a bit of nostalgia feel to it, and the songwriting itself was quite good.
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
A good combination of energy and just general moodiness. I liked it. Good for exercise too.
Dirty Projectors
3/5
This is more of a 3.5 than a 3. Some really beautiful moments here, but sometimes a little too chaotic for my taste. Still, I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed it considering the fact that I got a free song from this album back in 2010/2011 and I didn't like it back then. We love to see the evolution of music taste! Growth!!
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Okay, honestly? This was absolutely gorgeous. One of the 5 star surprises of this whole listening process. I expected to be turned off, since Leonard Cohen's voice is an acquired taste in my opinion, but this was melodically so beautiful. Like, it was an EXPERIENCE.
System Of A Down
4/5
Pretty good. Serj Tankian is a very theatrical singer, but it didn't annoy me.
Prince
4/5
This was a lot better than the other record I listened to by Prince. I am getting a clearer understanding of why he is so highly regarded. The songs on here just made me feel happy. 3.5, but I'll give it 4 stars.
The Stranglers
4/5
This was oddly enjoyable. '70s punk has a totally different feel, yet is somewhat familiar to bands like the Ramones. I liked how melodic everything felt. A bit too much organ at times, but maybe that's just my preference. 4 stars.
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
Look, this was a tough listen. Sometimes the instrumentals were cool, but ultimately, grime just isn't it for me.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Better than expected yet somehow still a bit disappointing. 4 stars, though.
Sex Pistols
3/5
It was alright. Nothing super amazing or standout here, in my opinion.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Honestly? Decadent. I liked the theme that this album had going for it, and given everything I've heard about Nick Cave's voice being polarizing, I thought he sounded great! 4 stars.
5/5
A classic. Definitely in the top half of the Beatles albums for me, and a long-time favorite of mine.
Supertramp
4/5
This was pretty solid. I had been wanting to get into Supertramp for ages, but now I have a reason to!
David Crosby
4/5
Pretty relaxing and lowkey. I liked biking to this one. 3.5 --> 4
Stevie Wonder
4/5
This was a long listen, but very worthwhile. I liked the complexity of it at times.
The Byrds
4/5
Extremely pleasant to listen to. I like folk in general, and this is no exception. Nearly perfection.
Os Mutantes
3/5
Unique and flavorful, if not a bit chaotic at times. 3.5, not quite a 4 yet.
Fred Neil
3/5
I know he's one of the pioneers of folk, but it just didn't really stand out to me. Nevertheless, it was pleasant to listen to and I liked the blues influence at times.
4/5
A classic I feel glad to have listened to. What a nostalgic sound that I really enjoy.
MGMT
4/5
I liked this a lot more than I expected. First half is stronger than the second. Other than "Pieces of What", this album has solid offerings.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Hm...this is a tough one. I enjoyed it for the most part, but nothing really stood out. I'd have to give a second listen, but would be welcome to check out the rest of their discography since "Just Like Honey" caught my ears first. 3.5?
Beastie Boys
3/5
Not bad, not bad at all. Some songs I really enjoyed, but not too many standouts. I'd say that's a 3.5?
John Grant
4/5
Lush and made me feel at peace. The lyrics threw me off half the time, but the instrumentation, musical arrangement, and vocal delivery saved it every time. So close to being a 5-star album but not quite there.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
This was an alright listen. Quick and easy to digest, but nothing special for me.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Honestly, I loved this. It wasn't a perfect 5 stars, but the sound and Billy Corgan's vocals are still excellent and I'd definitely listen again. Solid 4.
Elvis Costello
3/5
This was not bad, but didn't live up to my previous expectations of Elvis.
Femi Kuti
3/5
This was energetic and I wasn't too bothered with the longer song lengths.
The Cure
3/5
Vaguely unsettling at times, but very deeply impactful. 3.5, leaning towards 4.
Small Faces
3/5
Quite an interesting record. The first song really captivated me, and I liked that the band decided to really tell a story throughout the album. However, towards the end, I wasn't into it sonically...as much anyway. 3.5.
Common
3/5
I liked it, but it wasn't groundbreaking. A few songs stood out, though.
Santana
4/5
Chill and vibrant, with many colors. Good background, didn't pay enough attention to songs with lyrics unfortunately.
The Damned
3/5
Unfortunately I wasn't a huge fan. But ultimately this was fine, if a bit forgettable.
Miriam Makeba
4/5
Fresh. No skips but some I’d return to.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
This is hard to evaluate. I cannot relate to the subject matter, and the content was indeed extremely heavy. At times I was overwhelmed, but I think that this was incredibly well-done and told a story. Plus, the beats and the vocals (sometimes) were excellent. 3.5?
Talking Heads
3/5
This was unfortunately more mediocre than I expected. However, I still liked listening to it on the second half. First half was lacking.
Napalm Death
2/5
Not nearly as horrible as expected, given the fact that it's one of the ten lowest rated records. That being said, I mostly enjoyed the instrumentals. Sometimes they were too gritty, but that's nothing compared to the vocals.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Not sure how I feel about it, so it gets a 3.
Syd Barrett
3/5
This was pleasant, but other than "Golden Hair" not much stood out. 3.5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This may be sacrilegious to say but this was just an okay album for me. None of the songs really stood out, except for a couple of the tracks were incessantly long.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
This was full of attitude and I loved hearing some familiar songs. Excellent!!!!
Donald Fagen
3/5
This was a pleasant listen. Not what I expected but I still enjoyed it - 3.5
Sonic Youth
3/5
Pretty solid album with some standouts but not enjoyable enough for 4.
A record I've listened to before. Really quite spectacular. Almost at the Joshua Tree level.
Sigur Rós
4/5
Ooh, this was honestly the definition of atmospheric. Made me feel at peace. Singer is brilliant. 4.
Louis Prima
3/5
This was nifty and energetic, and also a bit goofy. Definitely an interesting listen.
3/5
Nifty tunes. I liked the guitar work and the casual feel of it all. 3.5
Solange
3/5
Soulful and understated. Not up my alley, but could easily listen again. 3.5
New Order
4/5
Really liked this one! I don’t remember any specific songs actually but I remember really vibing LOL
Randy Newman
4/5
This was really good. I liked the style he was going for, and the songs were pleasant to the ears.
John Coltrane
2/5
I am still trying to get more into jazz. This was an okay listen, and it wasn't necessarily difficult to get through but I'm not sure if I enjoyed it. Still, I appreciate the talent here.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Nothing to write home about, but nothing to whine about necessarily. I don't think this is his greatest work. However, I still found it enjoyable. 3.5 but I'll give it a 4.
Mylo
3/5
This was a grower. I started off not really feeling it, but towards the end, either the songs got better or I got more into the zone. I especially liked the last three tracks. Still, not quite sure if it gets a 4 from me. 3.5.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I am a bit embarrassed that this was my first listen to the whole record. That said, I had extremely high expectations for this album. I am not "blown away" but can definitely understand and appreciate the artistry, and can say I mostly enjoyed listening.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
This was quite unique. I am still not sure how I feel about it, but can definitely appreciate the artistry that went into making it.
Aerosmith
3/5
I liked the guitars but the songwriting itself was just okay for me.
Turbonegro
4/5
I liked it more than I thought I would. A few songs I'd come back to, but I would definitely give the whole album another listen.
Nick Drake
5/5
I've adored this album for a while, and this listen was no different. Nick Drake is really on a whole 'nother level.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This was really nice. I'm still getting used to Leonard Cohen's tone, but I quite enjoyed each and every song.
Living Colour
4/5
This was really quite good! Not nearly as heavy as I was expecting, given the Wiki article, but still a good combination of different genres imo.
OutKast
4/5
First time listening to this in full, and I understand why this is on the list. It sounded fresh and interesting, but I wasn't really into the interludes. Still, a solid record for sure, and I'd listen to it again!
M.I.A.
3/5
Decent tracks, albeit a bit too repetitive for my liking at times. An interesting atmosphere compared to what I typically listen to, though.
Parliament
4/5
Enjoyable!!! Very funky and fresh and it put me in a good mood.
Nina Simone
5/5
This was honestly gorgeous. A surprising new discovery even though I had heard of Nina Simone. Every song on the record captivated me.
CHIC
4/5
Some really lush tracks on this album, that's the best way I can describe it. I liked it a lot more than the other CHIC album I listened to.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Marvin Gaye's tone is unmatchable. Not quite a 5 for me personally, but you can't deny the grooviness.
Madness
4/5
So that's where the coffee commercial got it. Anyway, this was a pretty cool album. I enjoyed every single song and would re-visit.
The Streets
3/5
I allllmost want to give this a 4, but maybe that's just the fact that I typically don't enjoy this genre. I think last time I listened to UK rap/garage/grime, I was extremely turned off and only found little value/appeal in it. However, this was slightly melodic and the conversational style of rap-sing actually worked for me.
Tom Waits
4/5
I saw the word "experimental" on the Wikipedia page and got a bit of a preconceived notion about the album, but you know what? I really really enjoyed this. The melodies, the delivery, the instrumental arrangements. SO CLOSE to a 5 for me, but I'll definitely re-visit and check out more of Tom Waits!
Beatles
5/5
This was excellent to re-visit, as I was an avid fan of the Beatles in middle through high school. Having heard everything at least 5 times already, it was lovely noticing all the little details (usually instrumental licks or riffs here and there) I've missed before.
Paul Simon
5/5
Groovy, eclectic, and rich. Not much else I could wish for here.
Death In Vegas
3/5
I liked it, but I didn't love it. It wasn't as heavy-hitting as I expected at times, but quite an alright listen.
Liz Phair
4/5
All I had heard was "Why Can't I?" but I knew she was a staple of the 90s when it came to rocker females. And rock she did.
Leftfield
4/5
I really liked this one! Electronic albums aren't always my thing, but I appreciated the musical influences here, specifically the rock sounds throughout the record. I think I was initially thrown off a bit by the vocals, but it grew on me.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
5/5
Beautiful! I really enjoyed this one, and will definitely check out more OMD. It's not enough just having "If You Leave" in my music library.
Stan Getz
4/5
I saw "Jazz Samba" and was intimidated, as I typically do not seek out jazz or samba. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this. Great work/walk/chill music.
The Clash
4/5
So glad I got to finally listen to the whole thing! It did not disappoint, and I will add it to my library. Very energetic.
Hole
4/5
I know the drama with Courtney, but not info to have a real opinion on that so putting aside personal stuff, I have to say I liked this album. Some of the songs blended together for me, but I'd listen again, so I have to give it a solid 4.
The Jam
4/5
Nifty record! I didn't make the connection with Paul Weller and feel incredibly stupid, but good album overall.
Steely Dan
3/5
Well produced, well played, just not my cup of tea. It was pleasantly listenable, but that's about it.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
I was only really familiar with "Little Wing" for the most part, but this was a darn good record. Guitar work was (obviously) very strong, but I did like the songs as a whole.
Incubus
4/5
I've heard this many times before, and it doesn't really get old. In fact, I get to notice little details. That being said, I was a little surprised this was on the list! Not that it's undeserving necessarily. Early Incubus is still great.
Talvin Singh
3/5
Let me start by saying I totally understand why this album was on the list. However, I wasn't always grooving with the songs. This is not a fault of the artist, but just the fact that I probably need more exposure. I really appreciate the fusion of genres here and wish I enjoyed it more. 3.5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
It was alright. I can understand why it's on the list, but I liked some of Neil Young's other work more. Still, it was a nice enough listen.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Repetition, but make it beautiful and captivating. I really enjoyed this record.
N.W.A.
4/5
Ooh, I like these beats! Nice to also hear the entirety of this album instead of just the hits. This kept me going at the end of my work shift.
The Undertones
4/5
Really had a fun time listening, but need to revisit to distinguish more songs since the sound was so cohesive it all blended together.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Yep. Enjoyed this one a lot, too. There's a specific kind of '80s pop I am into.
Green Day
4/5
It was great when I first listened about a decade ago and it's still great now.
It's not my favorite GD record, but the feeling I get from listening is still unmatchable. The energy is ridiculous.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
I feel like this should have been my introduction to jazz. It was cool, it was funky, and it was easy to listen to.
Röyksopp
4/5
I had heard of this artist before but had never listened to anything of theirs (except maybe snippets). Still pleasantly surprised. This was chill work music, and I did enjoy it.
Tom Waits
3/5
I don't think I'll adjust to Tom Waits' voice anytime soon, but it's growing on me. Musically, it was pretty great. The vocals did throw me off, though.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Unfortunately wasn't a huge fan of the last song, but the rest was good. I can always throw some love for solid guitar work. Overall I enjoyed it and understand why it made the list.
Dr. Octagon
2/5
This gets points for trying out a theme and for having semi-interesting (at times) beats/hooks. Lyrically, I wasn't into it and the skits were honestly giving me secondhand embarrassment.
Gene Clark
3/5
A good balance of genres here. I enjoyed listening, but nothing really stood out to me. I'll give it a 3.5, leaning towards a 3.
TV On The Radio
4/5
Wow! This was excellent. I really liked their style, and will definitely check out more from them.
David Bowie
4/5
There is something powerful about an artist's last record - especially when it is released so close to their final moments. This album is no exception. I really really liked this. Bowie is an artist.
The Human League
4/5
Synths. Synths everywhere. And I loved it. The Sound of the Crowd is SO SO good - I could have that on repeat for hours.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Very peaceful and melodic without being overwhelming. "Stars Twinkling Within" is ethereal and I would like to live in that track if possible.
Scott Walker
4/5
First half was stronger than the second half, but I would definitely give this one another listen. The record was lush and Scott's voice was super pleasant.
Fugazi
3/5
Fun embarrassing fact: when I was 6 years old I thought the Fugees and Fugazi were the same artist.
Anyway, musically I guess enjoyed it enough. The energy was seeping through the songs. But nothing stood out to me. Lyrically, I'm pretty ambivalent. Not sure if I'd be enthusiastic for a re-listen. It was fine.
Björk
5/5
This is a surprising one for me. I knew of her most popular songs, but never checked out a whole record. This was enchanting and made me want to become a fairy in the forest. Which is impressive considering I was actually suffering in rush hour traffic and sweating like a pig.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Not bad, not bad at all. "Come On Eileen" is a classic, and the rest (for the most part) blended together - but into an enjoyable mash. Would revisit.
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
These rockers are full of vigor, and I cannot relate, for I am merely a sentient blob wasting away into nothingness over time.
Seriously, though, this was riot grrrl all the way. Having always had a tough time getting into punk (not into such brash vocals for any gender at all), I actually enjoyed this? Sometimes I liked being able to focus on the instrumentals a bit more, but I think that's just my musician bias showing. A 3.5 that's getting pushed into 4 territory.
Stephen Stills
3/5
This was alright, nothing too amazing. A good chill listen, but that's about it.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
A classic! Glad I got to discover more than just the hits here. I understand why my dad loved them so much.
OutKast
4/5
Speakerboxx was better than The Love Below but overall this was funky and fresh and I loved the vibes. Would revisit.
Slipknot
4/5
Accessible for metal which isn’t a bad thing. I liked what I heard and Snuff was excellent in particular. Some filler I could have done without but overall good.
Queen
4/5
I had only heard the final song before listening to this album. FOR SHAME tbh, but I am very glad I am getting to discover Queen's discography. Some real gems in here.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Musicality was present throughout. Sitting by the pool on a warm summer night in the dim light and enjoying some scotch atmosphere, but also reading a large book in the comfort of your living room atmosphere.
The Waterboys
3/5
I honestly kept on changing my mind about how I felt throughout listening to this album. I liked the traditional Celtic sound towards the end, but the record dragged for me as a whole. This is a bit too weak for me to give it a 4, so I'll give it 3 stars but it is more like a 3.5 than a 3.0.
The Who
5/5
A classic!! I think I first heard this sometime in high school. "Going Mobile" is really really good in particular - that one always stood out to me, even more so than "Behind Blue Eyes" or "Won't Get Fooled Again". As someone who has listened to the Who's entire discography, this is without a doubt one of the strongest points.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
I prefer their sophomore album a bit more. This didn't have the same oomph/wow factor for me personally. I think I just don't like brass too much haha.
Dolly Parton
4/5
A great album. I've heard Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, I Will Always Love You, and a couple other songs from Dolly, but never a whole record. This was beautiful and enjoyable and felt like it should have been longer.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This was great. I haven't been disappointed by a Cohen record so far. Lyrically, sonically, it just worked for me.
Ice Cube
3/5
I love the sociopolitical focus. I am not a fan of the misogyny. I really found myself grooving along to the beats and samples. 3.5, almost 4.
Eminem
4/5
I have to give this a 4, even though this album was hard for me to listen through, and some songs (Kim jfc) were honestly almost too violent for me. I'm not into the humor or the not-even-close-to-politically-correct landscape, but I have to admit this record is significant.
Meat Loaf
5/5
This is...not what I expected from Meat Loaf. Having only heard Paradise by the Dashboard Light, this album really surprised me in such a fantastic way. It felt like it was too much at all times, but I was having such a great time listening so I can't complain.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
Surprised that I enjoyed as much as I did. The saxophone was SICK. This record basically begged me to have a good time, and although I'd typically roll my eyes, I couldn't resist.
4/5
Thoroughly liked this one. I love turn of the century alt rock, and this is no exception.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Some songs didn't really stick with me, but for the most part this was a great album. Very very solid. I can't give it anything below a 4.
The Pogues
3/5
This was...alright. I honestly didn't dislike it or like it. Some parts were enjoyable. I tend to like Celtic influences [see: Dropkick Murphys], but I'm still not sold on earlier Celtic punk apparently.
Morrissey
3/5
3.
I love the Smiths, but Morrissey as a person? A bit difficult for me not to think of that while listening.
Slightly uninspired sounding and seemed to drone on at times. It's fine, but nothing special for me, which was disappointing. I was waiting for a spark or a song that really stood out, but it just didn't happen.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
This is by no means a bad album, but it felt like it dragged on a bit. This is a 3.5 because I understand why it's on the list, but for me it started to get bloated about halfway through.
Motörhead
4/5
Nice! This was full of energy and kept me going during busy times. I didn't have many standouts in particular, and couldn't be bothered to listened to the bonus tracks (version on Spotify is hella long) but still a good album.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
I thank this project for introducing me to Cocteau Twins. I have now listened to the entire discography and am left in awe of every record, this is no exception. Beautiful.
Culture Club
3/5
Not bad, but way way way too much filler. This could have been 10/11 tracks. Towards the end the songs all blended together as one.
Richard Thompson
4/5
Didn't stick the way Fairport Convention did, but I'd be willing to give it another try to see if anything does. It still sounded very pleasant.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
Wow. Much better than I expected. I was not sold on Janis Joplin until now. What a voice. Honestly mesmerizing. The instrumentals were neat, too. ;)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Ah. A little disappointed with this one, unfortunately. Maybe I came in with high hopes, but this didn't live up to expectations. A few standouts (I Want You, Blue Chair) but overall a little forgettable and sounded uninspired/clunky/meh.
Sparks
3/5
I get where they were going here, but I wasn't having a great time listening to this one. A couple of songs were cool, and I liked the energy, but it was exhausting.
Talking Heads
4/5
There wasn't much I disliked about this album, although not many songs I can list off the top of my head. The overall vibe was something I'd check out again. Very versatile.
Sugar
4/5
This grew on me. It sounded a bit bland at first, but then I think it just clicked for me. A solid album.
The Stooges
3/5
Initially, I thought this resembled a half baked pastry. Reading the Wikipedia article helped put things into context a little, but I'd have to give this one another listen to get a bit more out of it.
Funkadelic
4/5
I honestly didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Funk and rock fused into something wonderful. Energetic and kept me going throughout the work day.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
This has been one of my favorites for quite some time now. And that's saying a lot since I was about 11 when it came out. Giving it another listen, I don't really feel that different. It's fresh, full of emotion, raw, and honest. And I couldn't ask for more.
The Strokes
5/5
One of the easiest 5s on the entire list. I love everything about this, especially the way it makes me feel.
Ash
4/5
Ooh. Grungy britpop. This works for me. I really liked it overall, and though I don't really have any songs that stood out to me, I think the general vibe and atmosphere that was created was pretty neat.
Elvis Presley
3/5
I know this is a classic, but I couldn't really get into it as much as I had hoped for. That being said, it's a quick listen and not one song lasted too long. A very distinctive style here. 3.5 not quite a 4 yet for me, but I definitely understand why it's on the list.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
This made me feel fancier than I looked.
Anyway, jazz is a sore spot for me. Her voice was smooth and the instrumentals were overall pretty solid, but the vocalizations and improvisation and general melodic makeup of the tracks - I'm still lost on how to truly enjoy those.
Roxy Music
3/5
Interesting. Everything started to blur together towards the end, but the energy was pretty good.
LL Cool J
4/5
Some songs I wasn't a big fan of, but overall this is solid '90s hip-hop. I will say I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I feel like I'm saying that about a lot of albums here, but preconceived notions are TOUGH to overcome!
Crowded House
4/5
Almost a 5 for me. This is a very very good listen. I didn't really dislike any song, and most of them I would re-visit in a heartbeat.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
Really quite good. I'm already pretty into this sort of music anyway, as folk/rock/indie tend to be some of my favorite genres. I know this might seem boring to a lot of people, but eh, it worked for me, so that must count for something!
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Such a great album. Better than the Holy Bible (which I don't remember too much of at this point). '90s Britpop with a bit of a rock lean is a perfect combination for my ears.
Weather Report
3/5
This was a nice, chill listen. Some funky beats and enjoyable melodies, but I don't know if I would listen to this for anything but background music. I would definitely have to re-visit, though.
PJ Harvey
3/5
This is raw and powerful, and I get why it's on the list. Unfortunately I just flat-out didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Aside from Our Lips Are Sealed and We Got The Beat, I don't think I'm too familiar with the Go-Go's. What a shame, because this album was fun and full of sunshine - with the occasional moment that made my heart ache for some reason. Very very nice.
Raekwon
4/5
A lot better than expected! Again, I do have...opinions when it comes to rap and hip-hop, but I like to think my tastes are malleable and not super stagnant. Anyway, I could not get over how much I loved the hooks and the beats. I wasn't paying that much attention to the lyrics, I'll admit that.
Rush
3/5
I wish this wasn't my introduction to Rush. I really want to like them. On paper, I should be into them. This album dragged a tiny bit for me. It was pleasant and interesting enough, but this just didn't click for me? A high 3, but not yet a 4.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Started getting a bit samey towards the end, but still quite good musicianship. I felt as though the band were really a band, if that makes any sense. I enjoyed it for the most part.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Not really my favorite offering from Missy Elliott, but not bad considering this was earlier in her career. I really liked the beats, but the lyrics...could have been better.
Primal Scream
4/5
Nice! I was worried I wasn't going to like this one based on the Wikipedia description but was pleasantly surprised by the level of musicianship and atmosphere creation going on here.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I was initially quite captivated, but that gradually decreased by the end of the album. That being said, I still would give another listen. The vibes were interesting here, and this was my first try at LCD Soundsystem (after hearing SO much about them).
Grizzly Bear
4/5
True fact - I have wanted to listen to this album in full for almost a decade, but never got around to it. I am glad I finally got to take a listen. Totally worth it, totally up my alley. A few duds here and there so it's not quite a 5, though.
Iggy Pop
3/5
I'd have to give this another listen, but based on first impressions I'm very...underwhelmed. I'm not huge on Iggy Pop's vocals and the rest is just...fine? IDK, normally I have some sort of opinion on albums but I'm just drawing a blank here.
Pentangle
4/5
This one grew on me. I'm a sucker for certain types of melodies in folk music, and they were so beautiful I could not stop myself from getting lost in them.
Pere Ubu
3/5
Was this eclectic and fascinating? Yes. Was this (likely) a pioneer for the genre it belongs to? Yes. Did I enjoy this? At times. It gets a 3.
Radiohead
5/5
I don’t think I can honestly give this anything lower than a 5. It was an atmospheric, melodic experience that I got lost in and didn’t want to find my way out of.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
This is very solid, but I'm trying not to let my nostalgia factor (Dad LOVED '60s and '70s music) affect the score. I enjoyed every track - some more than others - and think this deserves its place on the list.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
The songs I already knew didn't stand out so much to me, but the newer ones sounded so refreshing to me. The energy was through the roof and I couldn't help but have a good time.
The Incredible String Band
3/5
This is closer to a high 2 just based on enjoyability. However, the group really tried to use exotic instruments and maintain their folk roots, which I have to appreciate. I remember it took me AGES to get into some of the Beatles' psychedelic offerings, and I figure this is similar, albeit a bit worse in its execution.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Lyricism was not the strongest point of the album - the early fusion of rock and rap, paired with the fresh production, is. At some point I stopped paying attention to the words as much because they were quite repetitive, but other than that, a solid offering to the list.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
That first track did nothing for me. Fortunately, the record got better as it went on, and I left feeling like it was a worthwhile experience. I liked the overall vibe and would need to revisit again. This is a "light" 4, but still definitely a 4.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
My dad passed away when I was four years old. He liked to play the guitar and was a particular fan of '60s folk, S&G being no exception. He had a red book of chords and lyrics written down to remember. Scarborough Fair/Canticle was one of them. I will always cherish the fact that my father's love for music shaped my childhood, and as a result, my whole life. This entire record moves me.
Billy Bragg
3/5
My problem is that it felt very...underwhelming. It didn't sound like it was any different from the other records in the genre. When the songs were great, they were GREAT. But some I would not voluntarily re-visit.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Honestly, this was very close to being a sonic masterpiece for me, but there were moments that took me out of the listening experience here and there. I think I will definitely re-visit this one and can easily see it becoming one of my favorites. From the instruments to the lyricism to the overall atmosphere, I'm pretty much sold.
Buzzcocks
4/5
An undeniable energy ran through this album. Songs started to blend together in my brain towards the end. They sounded pretty good, though.
Elliott Smith
5/5
A masterpiece. I feel every word in my bones every time I hear this album, and it's been a special one to me for a few years now.
The Clash
4/5
By the end, it felt longer than it actually was. However, still a good album and the first half was really melodically catchy.
Beatles
4/5
I hate to not give a 5 to a Beatles album, but this was one of their earlier works where they were still doing some covers and it shows. While I find this record to be short and sweet, there are a few songs that I could do without. Nothing is "bad", but a few songs are skippable if they come on during shuffle mode.
Magazine
4/5
I really liked this one. I think every song took me on a little bit of a journey, which I appreciated. Didn't hurt that the musical style / vocals / lyrics are something I'd typically enjoy.
Brian Eno
4/5
Went very quickly from "What...is this" to "Yeah I can dig it." Super creative, musically enjoyable, and the details are amazing when you notice them. I'd definitely give this another listen to see what else I pick up on.
David Bowie
5/5
The best way to describe this listening experience is that it was incredibly smooth. I'd listen to this again and again and again and again.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
I had a great time with this one! Knowing the background of Eric Clapton (+George Harrison), I had very complex feelings going into this listen. That being said, the blues rock eventually worked on me. At first I did feel like I wasn't "absorbing" anything, though.
U2
4/5
I don't like Bono.
Anyway, having said that, this is a pretty good album. As much as I hate to admit it, this is one of U2's better offerings. I thoroughly enjoy most of the songs but this is not at 5-star status.
Steely Dan
4/5
Pretty good. Even better when I make the connection with Donald Fagen - nifty! Every song was good, although Barrytown gave me major Beatles vibes. Inspiration is inspiration, though, and I don't think that takes away from anything.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Alright. So. Having delved into artists like Devendra Banhart (thanks to this project!!), this kind of folk didn't surprise me too much. It oscillated between "what's happening" and "ah, yes" for me. It's getting a 3, but I want to give it another listen when I'm in a different headspace.
Tangerine Dream
5/5
When the first track started, I was reading some of the background information on Wikipedia. I saw the reviews and thought, no way. As a classical music lover, this both is and isn't my type of music. However, by the second track, I was hooked. And man, that second track was ethereal and gorgeous and captivating. I would not only work to this, but literally just sit in silence to this. Pleasantly surprised.
Björk
4/5
Ooh! Was a bit nervous for this one (despite really liking Vespertine) but was digging most of the tracks. I didn't really know she had a bit of a dance/electropop feel. I honestly can't find a particular "fault" with this album, but I also can't quite give it a 5 just based on enjoyment / merit. Regardless, this is a pretty damn good first album.
The Kinks
4/5
Solid. Didn't dislike any song. In the same vein, didn't LOVE any song except maybe Rainy Day in June, Sunny Afternoon (which I had already known and adored), and Most Exclusive Residence for Sale. Still a good overall album, but I'm sure they have better.
David Bowie
3/5
Maybe I was expecting too much, but this album was very middle-of-the-road for me. I felt ambivalent about nearly every track here, despite the fact that I could tell there was effort going into constructing this record.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Pleasant. Even after hearing "Without You" at least a thousand times.
The Youngbloods
4/5
I would listen to this again in a heartbeat, and it is getting saved in my library. Not every song is a masterpiece, but that's okay. I also started to get the vibe that some tracks sound like they could have been made yesterday, which is GREAT. I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it sure is mine!
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
This put me in a pretty good mood. Helped create a chill & relaxed atmosphere, while maintaining an insane amount of musical energy.
Mj Cole
2/5
Having read the reviews, I was a bit worried. Ultimately, this grew on me. It is repetitive, but part of me feels like that's just the nature of the genre. Regardless, some tracks are really smooth and I'd put them on, not just for background music/study but also to relax. But for the most part, I was very "aware" of the fact that I was listening. I don't always get lost in an album, of course, but I usually don't have the opposite experience of being hyper-aware that I'm listening to an album intentionally. It felt weird. Anyway, this gets a 2. There were moments where I thought it would get a 3, but it's not quite there yet.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Melodically, I was super into this. Lyrically, it was pretty solid but I have to admit I wasn't paying as much attention because the music sometimes captivated me so much. A few songs here and there that didn't stick for me, but I'm sure a re-listen will do just that.
Kanye West
4/5
Really really great record here. Lyrically, there were moments that I enjoyed. Musically, from the beats to the production, this was solid AF. Not quite at the 5 star mark for me yet, but this was better than College Dropout (the only other Kanye album I've heard).
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
I acknowledge that this was solid more than I enjoyed it. Some songs were a bit much for me personally. However, their stuff tends to grow on me, so I'm sure I will appreciate it more with time!
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Dreamy. So so dreamy. I think I need to pay more attention next time, but I got utterly lost in it all.
Madonna
4/5
At first, I was not really into it. But then the album picked up for me after a few tracks. Skin & Sky Fits Heaven are beautiful. Pleasantly surprised, as this is my first ever listen to a whole Madonna album.
Neil Young
5/5
Heart of Gold has always been one of my favorite songs, so I'm happy about finally listening to the whole album. A Man Needs A Maid will...take some getting used to. But everything else was solid, from the instrumentation to the vocal delivery. This is more a 4.5 than a 5, but I can't NOT give it a 5.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
This was fine. Certain tracks just dragged for me, but overall it was an okay listen and I think I'll have to accept that soul is still a rough genre for me to really get into. Ah. Some day.
The Stooges
4/5
"Raw Power" is aptly named. I could not turn away from this while listening. I am anything but ambivalent when it comes to this type of music. Fortunately, this was a good one.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
I digged this. It was chaotic and all over the place yet I liked every moment? Yep.
The Auteurs
5/5
"How Could I Be Wrong" came in and slapped me in the face for some reason. The whole album was really great. I didn't want to stop listening. I think this type of music is one of my favorite sounds of this project, to be honest.
ZZ Top
4/5
Rock. On.
This was energetic as all hell and I am totally here for it. Lyrically, it was not life-changing, but that is fine. I was head-banging anyway.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
I don't know if it was the mood I was in, but this album was absolutely amazing. The attitude, the guitars, the drums, the lyrics. All of it just really spoke to me. Yes x5000.
Cat Stevens
5/5
I remember discovering Cat Stevens as a high schooler. Best decision I ever made. This has been, and still remains, one of my favorite albums to put on when I'm having a bad day.
Van Halen
4/5
Not a single bad song on the record. I don't think I can give this a 5 yet, but I was really digging the sound here. Much better than my initial dive into Van Halen (1984).
Roxy Music
4/5
I wasn't really feeling much until the second half of the album, which was very strong IMO. It wasn't so bad that I was going to try to stop listening (I haven't gotten to that point with that many albums yet) but I felt so-so until a few songs in. Sometimes, that's all you need.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
This was decent. 3.5, not yet a 4, so I'll go with 3 for now. I'm not sure if I would put this on if I wasn't working/doing errands/chilling. But I definitely recognize what they were going for and can respect that. It just didn't click for me much.
Boston
4/5
Every song held its own, and I no longer hate More Than a Feeling. So that's a plus.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
This was a pretty damn good album. I'm still learning to appreciate reggae more, and Bob Marley makes it super accessible, so I can dig it.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I should like this a whole lot more than I do. Bare bones instrumentation. Storytelling. Melodically, I wasn't totally captivated, though. Some songs hit me in the chest while others were a bit of a slog to get through. 3.5, but I'll definitely add to my library for future listens.
Tim Buckley
3/5
I went from indifference to not enjoying it to weirdly vibing with it. Lots of interesting musicianship - I'm just not sure if I was into it. It's a 3 that could potentially turn into a 4 with several more listens.
Doves
4/5
Mellow. Grunge. A touch of nostalgia despite the fact that I'm a very young millennial and hadn't heard of this group before. Love it.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I swear I will come across a 5-star Bob Dylan album one day. This came pretty damn close but it didn't hit me just yet.
David Bowie
5/5
Classic. Nothing much else I could say, really. Every song on this record was phenomenal. Probably my favorite Bowie album.
The Only Ones
3/5
This was fine. After Hunky Dory, I was honestly let down, unfortunately! However, this is perfectly okay background music and was pleasant enough for a single listen. I don't think any songs really stood out to me.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
5/5
I enjoyed every single song on the album, but none of them are giving me strong emotions just yet. I don't think this will ever reach 5 territory, but it is so solid I can't give it anything below a 4.
Fugees
4/5
Lyrically, this was clever as hell and I loved all the cultural references. Hill's delivery was dope and stood out tons.
The beats were neat to listen to, and the samples held up throughout the years.
A very solid record that I would gladly re-visit. Nearly 5 for me.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
I don't know what to make of this. It was interesting and pleasant enough, but I don't know if I would enjoy this so much as tolerate it if someone just had it on in the background. Will have to try again sometime in the future.
Venom
2/5
There is good metal out there, and this didn't sound like it. Genuinely a slog to get through, from the bad production to the lead's vocals. The music itself was uninspired and bland at times, but ultimately the best part of the album. The music + the influence keeps me from giving this a 1. Like, I *get* why this is on the list, but really? Y'all couldn't pick a better representation?
Also I turned on the lyrics because I was having a difficult time understanding and tbh I wish I hadn't done that.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
A classic. There were a couple of songs I recognized, but for the most part this album was new to me. This is right up my alley, and while some songs didn't quite "click" upon first listen, I enjoyed it overall.
John Martyn
4/5
This is the kind of jazz influence I can dig. I'm a fan of folk/singer-songwriter in general, and this album really hit the spot for me personally.
Hawkwind
3/5
Throughout this bloated record, I had moments of "oh yeah, I'm digging this guitar, I can totally headbang", but for the most part I felt like the only thing this album did was make my dishwashing slightly less dull. Pleasant enough of a listen (minus the spoken word...I personally wasn't into that) and at times unique. I might re-visit some songs or try this again at another time in my life.
The Temptations
4/5
A timeless sound. "Mother Nature" is really really good, as is "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". Would re-visit.
The Specials
3/5
First half > second half. Like, I had a very fun time listening to the first half. I wish I felt the same about the whole album, but it was still a pleasant enough listen. I can't quite give it a 4, but it's a 3.75 in my mind so it's VERY close!
Cream
4/5
I can't believe I hadn't heard this album before. Sunshine of Your Love didn't even sound all that familiar to me.
Anyway, this was bluesy and psychedelic in perfect amounts. It worked well.
I hate Eric Clapton.
Keith Jarrett
5/5
I am a little biased because I play piano and love it so much. But this jazz improvisation was absolutely gorgeous and I have heard so much of Jarrett before that I was worried my expectations wouldn't be met. They were surpassed. Lovely.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
This was okay? Just okay for me, really. I think a couple songs were pretty neat, but the rest I'm not sure I'd revisit. The overall vibe was fine but nothing extraordinary here.
Otis Redding
4/5
This was smooth and soulful and exactly what I needed today. I can see this being on regular rotation.
Joy Division
3/5
Unfortunately not my favorite Joy Division record. I wanted to enjoy this much more than I did, but still found it pleasantly haunting and wouldn't mind giving it a re-visit somewhere down the line.
Christine and the Queens
4/5
Every song here was a hit. Sometimes I preferred the French versions, sometimes I preferred the English versions. But I could put this on repeat and not tire of it. Sounds super fresh.
Queen Latifah
3/5
I guess I'm a sucker for '80s/'90s beats when they're done well. This was a pretty good one. 3.5
Rahul Dev Burman
4/5
I thought I wasn't going to like this, but the energy sold me. I couldn't get over how vibrant and melodic this was, even if the vocals were sometimes "not my style".
Mike Oldfield
4/5
Instrumentally, this was fascinating and pleasant. I'd like to have this on in the background at all times if it weren't for the vocal interruptions.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Lots of good renditions here. I really like the sound of Johnny's voice in this record. While it's nice to sometimes make a cover sound true to the original, I like that authentic feel of switching it up every now and then.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
So I read about how influential this was. I struggled to have any thoughts during listening other than "Hm. Those vocals are a bit too unpolished for me. Guitars are cool, though." I feel like I *should* enjoy this more considering its role in history, but proto-punk (dare I say punk in general?) is a weak spot of mine. I wouldn't turn it off but I'd have to cherry pick certain songs to re-visit unless I were doing some chores where it fades a bit more into the background.
James Brown
2/5
I just finished listening and the whole time I felt like I should have enjoyed it more than I did. Live albums can be hit or miss, and unfortunately, despite his energy, the quality and the audience (plus my general feelings about the music itself), this wasn't great for me.
Beatles
5/5
"Eleanor Rigby" was one of the first Beatles songs I heard. "She Said She Said" and "Here, There, and Everywhere" are two of my top favorite Beatles songs of all time. The sounds here are just the perfect blend of innovative and familiar. I get a sense of nostalgia listening to this record even though I was born in the 1990s. :)
The White Stripes
4/5
I want to give this album the praise it deserves but am at a loss for words. This was a really enjoyable and unique listen. Seven Nation Army, while definitely good, is sitting among the greats with these other songs. There's nothing here that I would skip, but might need another run through before I declare it a 5.
Metallica
4/5
Metallica is extremely accessible to me, and I have mixed emotions about metal half the time. But this was perfectly intense and melodic. I have to admit I wasn't paying too much attention to lyrics, but that'll be on the agenda during the next listen. :)
Pet Shop Boys
5/5
"What Have I Done to Deserve This?" is a pop masterpiece.
Overall, the synths were immaculate, and this is the peak of '80s dance-pop. What a catchy, poignant and ridiculously calming (for the soul) record. Except "Shopping". That was not the greatest thing.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Some really sweet harmonies, even if tonally it wasn't always pleasant. Guitar work and mandolin work were quite lovely. I'm a sucker for murder ballads. Recording quality was hit or miss. 3.5, but closer to 3 than a 4. Not sure if I'd revisit, but if it comes on shuffle I'll listen.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Ridiculously energetic, to the point it's downright infectious. This is much better than his regular albums. I would have loved to be at this concert.
Unfortunately, I was born in the '90s, and Jerry Lee Lewis is an utter creep. So there's that.
Beatles
4/5
I have a soft spot for this album because I watched this movie so many times at the height of my "Beatlemania" (hey, we were all cringy high schoolers once). That opening chord on "A Hard Day's Night" is legendary. However, for the album as a whole, its weak points are just a tad bit too skippable and uninspired ("You Can't Do That" being one of my least favorite Beatles songs). That being said, "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You" and "If I Fell" are absolutely stunning and some of my favorite tracks.
Arrested Development
3/5
Interesting beats. Melodically, it was a hit or miss. Lyrically creative. I'm not sure if this was my taste entirely, but I found myself fascinated to see what came next.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
Modern pop country at its finest. Comforting and warm but never sleepy. Sticks with you for quite a while.
George Michael
4/5
What an important album from the 80s. I can't believe I had only heard two (2!!) songs by George Michael before this. Anyway, a couple songs were meh, but the overall consensus from my brain was that this was a pretty good listen.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I had a difficult time rating this one. Honestly, this was a solid offering and I was aware that the music was "good" enough, but I simply couldn't enjoy it for some reason.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
I found this quite beautiful. Reggae is a genre I don't have much experience with, but Bob Marley has always been pretty darn good to me. Very accessible and very enjoyable.
Michael Jackson
4/5
A couple of duds, but overall a very good album. The production is very clearly '80s, but it sounded pretty solid to me. Note: I am somewhat ambivalent towards Michael Jackson but have been on both ends of the spectrum.
The B-52's
3/5
The whole album was extremely energetic, but while some songs were catchy and groovy, others sounded a bit like a middle school talent show act that everyone uncomfortably claps for. Will have to try this one again. 2.5, but I'll give it a 3.
Dr. John
4/5
Very very interesting. As a listener, I couldn't always predict what was coming next, but it always made sense. 3.5, but close enough to a 4.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
I really enjoyed what I heard here, but especially "Down To You" - God, what a gorgeous track. Overall, combines folk/rock/jazz in a great way. Jazzy enough to make it interesting, but not too jazzy that I lose interest (I am still trying to appreciate jazz more but I can only digest it in small doses for the most part).
ABBA
5/5
Pop perfection. I simply did not want this album to end. I'm a sucker for a good melody, and boy did this record deliver that in spades.
5/5
Ah, U2. Such an interesting discography, and yet this album is probably still my favorite. Fun fact, I used to hate "With or Without You".
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
Before this listen, I knew him as the guy who sang "Hallelujah" on the Shrek soundtrack.
I gotta say, I'm impressed. I feel like he's probably a bit polarizing, but I enjoyed what I heard. Sometimes it dragged, but for the most part it tugged at my heart strings. The opening track is probably my favorite.
Neneh Cherry
4/5
This one caught me by surprise. I loved the '80s pop that slipped into the hip-hop. The songs were catchy as hell.
Manu Chao
4/5
The reggae-influenced stuff tends to be hit or miss for me, but this was definitely a hit. I found myself shamelessly vibing to (nearly) every track and could see myself listening to this entire thing without stopping.
Kraftwerk
4/5
A nice one! Better than I expected. This kind of genre is one that I appreciate but often have difficulty enjoying. However, the melodies here really worked for my ears.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I hate to rate this so low, since Elvis Costello has other records I absolutely adore, but this...was not great. It was dull for me, and for once I found myself annoyed at his vocals. Other than a few tracks, I wouldn't revisit.
UB40
3/5
Not too bad. Reggae is meh for me right now, but the instrumentals were cool. Wasn't a huge fan of the vocals personally.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
This music transported me to an earlier time.
I think I do have a preconceived notion with this type of music genre (big band/jazz...even blues/swing/etc...not sure if it's an anti-brass sentiment in my brain lol). However, this was truly quite enjoyable.
Aphex Twin
4/5
I am SO glad this popped up because I've been meaning to listen to Aphex Twin for the longest time, but I didn't really know where to start. Most of this was repetitive - ambient seems to be that. However, what really shined through were the moments where it didn't FEEL repetitive and it felt like getting lost in space. Now that was pretty neat.
The Soft Boys
3/5
First half was better, but overall an enjoyable listen. I think it hasn't really "clicked" for me yet, but I'd give it another try for sure. 3.5 overall, but I will give it a 3.
4/5
I really wanted to enjoy this more than I did. It still stands that Bob Dylan is an excellent storyteller, and a fantastic songwriter, but his vocal tones are borderline unpleasant at times.
The War On Drugs
5/5
I listened to this album as I went for a walk. As the last song ended, the sun was setting. It was beautiful. This type of music is right up my alley, and I was not at all disappointed.
Massive Attack
4/5
I loved loved loved the production and instrumentals here. If you want a chill, cool, yet moody atmosphere, this is it.
Chicago
4/5
Sometimes the feeling of appreciation reigned over the feeling of enjoyment. Overall, I liked the jazz/rock fusion that they had going on. I still am not into horns.
Highlights: Beginnings, Questions 67 and 68, Someday.
Stereolab
3/5
Eclectic. Interesting. I don't know if I liked it. There were some tracks I would come back to, but as a whole? Maybe I'll try that again sometime in the distant future. Maybe.
The Band
4/5
A solid offering of bluesy folk rock. Not quite a 5 for me, but it's still up there.
Personal Favorites: Up On Cripple Creek, Whispering Pines, Jawbone
Eurythmics
4/5
A pretty decent record. I like Annie Lennox's vocals a ton, so that swayed my vote a little bit. Some songs I could do without (This Is The House, I'm looking at you) but overall I enjoyed this. This is a 3.5 for me but gets pushed to a 4.
Favorites: I Could Give You (A Mirror), Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), Jennifer
10cc
3/5
So, this was an interesting offering. Did I like it? I...don't know? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Neil Young
4/5
Oh, you have no idea how much I'm a sucker for electric pianos.
Anyway, I really digged this album. Neil Young's sound is growing on me a lot. A couple songs dragged for me, but even the worst tracks here are still pretty damn good.
Paul Simon
5/5
Such a classic album. I'm glad I finally got to listen to every single track because I'm so in love with this sound.
The National
5/5
It's a little hard for me to explain why I liked this so much. Upon first listen, I spent some time paying attention to lyrics, but for the most part my ears focused on the music and the vocals - and those were just very very pleasant for me to hear. This has a TON of potential to become one of my favorite albums, and I'll definitely check out more of the National...it's something I've been putting off for a while.
Prince
4/5
God, I'm such a prude. Felt a little uncomfy with how Prince was singing to me LOL.
Standout tracks: Little Red Corvette & Something In The Water (Does Not Computer)
Sepultura
3/5
This was a somewhat enjoyable listen for me, which is saying a lot considering my general feelings regarding metal. Vocals aside (I'm not into them and the lyrics aren't much better), the guitars were rad. Especially on the tracks that weren't as...heavy.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I love harmonies. The end.
Silver Jews
4/5
Vocals were not entirely to my taste. Lyrics were sometimes okay - I liked the occasional storyteller feel. It was a little bland at times, but overall I enjoyed the sound and just felt like something was missing? Normally I'd give this a 3, but there were so many moments I fell in love with musically that it gets pushed to a 4 even though it's more like a 3.5.
Morrissey
4/5
Yeah, I liked most tracks. Since this was his debut record, it was very reminiscent of The Smiths. The guitar work here is really pleasant. Still don't like Morrissey, though.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Very upbeat, sonically a bit different from what I would typically enjoy. The listen-through went by without too much thought, but it wasn't bad.
Adele
4/5
"All I Ask" is so hauntingly gorgeous. Glad I got to re-visit this album again! As much as I love 21, this record's definitely up there as well.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Really enjoyed this listen for the most part. Will I ever not knock a point off for Dylan's vocal tones? Maybe. But today is not that day.
Moby Grape
3/5
This didn't quite click with me. I didn't mind it, but most of the songs passed without notice until the album had finished. Will try again sometime in the future, though.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Her voice is so incredibly emotive and powerful that I would listen to her sing nearly anything. I still hate "Chain of Fools", though. 4.5/5 --> 5.
Metallica
4/5
I don't really like Nothing Else Matters, and it was a little - dare I say it - boring at times. However, this album was overall pretty catchy, even if not super groundbreaking, and I'd listen to this in my spare time if I were cleaning or something.
Kate Bush
5/5
Kate Bush is a phenomenon. I am in love with every second of this album, and it's near impossible to explain how I felt after listening. The atmosphere that was created is absolutely stunning and I have literally zero hesitation about giving this a 5.
Yes
3/5
3.5, and I really was on the fence between 3 and 4.
The problem with this album was, even though I enjoyed The Clap, most tracks I found myself enjoying little moments instead of the overall sound. It was interesting, sure, but that unfortunately doesn't always translate to enjoyment.
I would definitely use this as background music but would need to listen more carefully if I wanted to appreciate it more.
Randy Newman
3/5
My millenial ass (born in mid '90s) did a fucking double take with those lyrics on track one. What a way to start the record.
Other than that, it was musically fine, if a bit borderline...boring, almost? I don't know if there really wasn't that much to offer or if I just need to try this one again.
Lou Reed
4/5
Some parts were coffee by the fireplace, while other parts were strolling down the street in studded leather. A good balance, I'd say.
Tears For Fears
4/5
When I was little, I hated "Head Over Heels" for some reason. I think it was the introduction to it.
Now, though? I love that song and really enjoy driving to this whole album. Pretty close to pop perfection.
Justice
4/5
Despite 'D.A.N.C.E' being a pretty big hit, my 12-year-old self must not have heard it that often because I barely recognized it. Funny thing, though - it definitely wasn't my favorite track on the album but it was the one that was stuck in my head for hours after listening.
I enjoyed the instrumentals more overall - I actually found the songs with lyrics to be ironically lacking. Newjack in particular was IMMACULATE. I'll definitely put this on repeat.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
My initial reaction to this album is "Wow". I know this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the way Joni sang every word had me convinced. Plus, the musical arrangements were just absolutely lovely. I could sink into this album for hours on end.
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
Belle & Sebastian just don't miss. A superb little album that is cozy as hell. Good for your rainy day needs. Or for any day really.
3/5
That Rolling Stones cover was a waste of time on an otherwise (fairly) enjoyable listen. This album did not change my life, and there were times I wondered "do I actually enjoy this or am I just listening?"
Maybe I'm overthinking and this album had its moments but I ultimately just thought it was fine overall.
Happy Mondays
4/5
I really liked Brain Dead and Do It Better. The album was pleasant to listen to, and not much "bothered me" but not too much stood out. A 3.5 is really more accurate than a 3 or a 4 here, but since that isn't an option and I'm having a good day, it's a 4.
Jean-Michel Jarre
5/5
I feel like I'm playing Stellaris, and I mean that in the best way possible.
This kind of music keeps my brain active but I also feel very at peace.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Sometimes, when I'm listening to entire albums, I might take a break in between songs if I'm busy or need a drink or whatever other reason. This is a record where I felt like I literally could not do that. Not by law or anything like that, but just that it didn't feel right to interrupt this musical thought process.
Previously, I had only heard Time and Money, so I was a little surprised by the nature of this record - more progressive rock, more experimental, more psychedelic than I expected. But everything was sonically pleasing (at least to my ears) and that production was super crisp and clear. Also, it was not entirely predictable - and I don't mean that as an insult to songs that are predictable, as that can be comforting in itself, but there is something oddly pleasant about not being able to always predict the next line in the melody. Almost like a hand stroking your back or a first sip of a good wine. Some cool choices made here and there which kept my interest. No song overstayed its welcome and it all had a nice flow.
No doubt a 5/5 for me.
Air
3/5
Overall, this was a good album for focus. Not excellent by any means, but it does the job (while you do your job). I didn't really have any moments of "wow, this is really nice!" but felt fine the whole time so it's getting a 3. The most 3-ish of the 3s I've given, I think.
The Who
3/5
I like the Who, but this live album was a little middling.
If I happened to be at the concert, it would probably be a different feeling, but live albums usually don't do it for me.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
This was a pleasant surprise. There's not much to say but I quite enjoyed this listen. I'm sure the words might come to me later, but for now - solid record.
Highlights: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1, In the Morning of the Magicians.
Hüsker Dü
3/5
I've heard SO much about this band that I maybe went in with super high expectations. Therefore, I was a little disappointed. That being said, this was a decent album - it just didn't have very many standout moments to me.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Aretha is as soulful as you can get. For enjoyment purposes, this would probably just get a 4 for me (this isn't an album I would put on repeat necessarily and it doesn't emotionally change me too much), but because of the significance of the artist / record, it gets pushed to a 5.
4/5
Quite a good listen for me personally. Supermassive Black Hole will always be baseball from Twilight, but Starlight was one of my favorite songs growing up.
Everything else was new to me. Melodically, it gets a little bit predictive, but nonetheless pleasant. I also really like the rock instrumentals going on.
Moby
3/5
This was...fine overall. I was a fan of the samples used, but not so much of the production Moby put over it. That being said, I was enjoying the strictly instrumental stuff? Some kinds of blending of genres isn't my thing, I guess.
Astor Piazzolla
4/5
This one was a pleasant surprise. Tango is super nice to work to, and I really love the vibraphone so that helped!!
Loved the classical influence as well.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
A little long for my personal taste, but a fairly exquisite listen. I wish I enjoyed it a bit more. Still, it was overall a solid offering.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Solid moody folk. Not my favorite from Smith, but it's definitely up there in terms of quality. I think this is my rainy day music, where I'm curling up with a good book and a huge cup of tea, and my cat is next to me.
Wilco
3/5
A few good songs don't outweigh the overwhelming feeling of being underwhelmed. It was alright, though.
Miles Davis
3/5
Was this interesting? Sure. Did it merit a place on the list? Yeah. Did I enjoy it? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Either this was an extremely slow burn, or I really did enjoy the second half of the album a lot more than the first.
The soundscape was a little overwhelming initially, but then I started to notice the tiny details in the instrumentals. That's when the enjoyment started to kick in.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Honestly enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would.
I respect Johnny Cash and admire his influence, but in general wouldn't voluntarily listen to much of his music. It's not really my cup of tea, even if I enjoy a lot of the country music today that was inspired by this sort of thing. That being said, the atmosphere created (singing about crime in a prison to a pretty engaged audience, in a pretty engaging way) was remarkable.
I teetered for a bit...4 or 5? But by the end I was sold.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
I don't think I've really ever been "disappointed" by a Fleetwood Mac album yet. This album wasn't as familiar to me as Rumours, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. Still very much a pop record, but with some pretty creative decisions being made. All welcome to my ears. I can see this becoming one of my favorites.
Jeff Beck
3/5
Nice cover of "Greensleeves". Other than that, I was completely and totally underwhelmed. The musicianship saved the album for sure.
Donovan
5/5
This is right up my alley. This kind of folk music just feels so genuinely unpretentious to me. From the harpsichord to the sitar to all the other instruments, I loved listening carefully to this record.
An album I can get lost in.
B.B. King
4/5
So for me. Live albums are a hit or miss. Blues is a hit or miss.
This was pretty good, though. I'd put it on while cooking or something.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Maybe I'm a prude. Maybe I had a headache. Maybe it was just an off day.
Or maybe...just maybe...I don't like Tim Buckley all that much. Happy Sad was a little better.
The Cardigans
4/5
I think I was so used to "Lovefool" that I thought all their songs would sound like that.
But I was pleasantly surprised! I know I say that a lot on these reviews, but I really did like what I was hearing here. Loved the production and instrumentals. Lyrically, it was a hit or miss, and some songs didn't quite click with me. Overall, though, would definitely listen again!
The Black Crowes
3/5
Not bad at all but about half the songs didn't stand out to me. I'm not a huge fan of this style (I think - maybe it was just my feelings during this listen) so that didn't do it any favors.
That being said, it was a perfectly serviceable album.
The Offspring
4/5
I don't know if it's a feeling I get at the end of a long and stressful work week, but this really matched my energy.
I wish I had been born when this was released. That would have been rad to experience listening to this during that time.
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
I couldn't help but love this. Ella's voice is so smooth, and the music itself was so lush. I have to admit that melodically, this wouldn't normally be my thing. However, Ella's vocal delivery sold me and I was happily whisked away to another time and place.
Nightmares On Wax
4/5
I was not a fan of track #2, but other than that, this is excellent background music for working (depending on how much focus is required) and just vibing online. I don't know what other moods this album would fit but I know I will be adding this to my library. :)
Beck
3/5
This is...more "Beck" than I was expecting. I really loved the creativity and appreciated the sounds, but I don't know if I'd voluntarily put on more than about half of the songs here. There were lots of little details I absolutely adored, though.
3.5.
Radiohead
5/5
When I was younger, I would hear a Radiohead song here and there, but I wouldn't say I was super familiar with them. However, I recently listened to their entire discography and was blown away.
I love the soundscapes so so much. Every time I listen to Radiohead (at least most of their songs) I feel like I discover something new to enjoy. This album is excellent.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
If you have a headache and would like to worsen your headache, this is the perfect album for you.
Let's just say...interesting does not equal listenable.
KISS
3/5
The middle of the album was especially rough and tacky. I would not voluntarily listen to "Great Expectations" again.
The rest of it wasn't too bad. This kind of music isn't necessarily the music you put on when you want to think deeply, and that's okay.
Scott Walker
4/5
I liked it better than Scott 4, the previous album I heard on this project. The baroque pop stuff is always solid in my book, even if it's a little kitschy.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Oh this was good. This was real good.
Lyrics were...alright, but the guitar work was mesmerizing. Missing a bit of oomph to push it to a 5.
Lou Reed
3/5
This story is depressing as hell, but I do love a good story.
I'd revisit about half of the album just based on musicality, so not too bad.
Here's where I wish 3.5 was a thing because 3 isn't right but 4 isn't either.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
I don't listen to reggae much. This album is helping me appreciate the genre more. I honestly liked every single song, which is not something I'd ever expect myself to say about reggae. Favorites are probably So Jah S'eh, Bend Down Low, and Talkin' Blues.
The xx
4/5
I like the xx, so this album was a re-visit for me. This isn't an earth-shattering record or anything, but it's nice and pleasant for my ears. I particularly enjoy writing to this one.
ABBA
5/5
Pop perfection. I love ballads and harmonies, and sometimes I want to dance. There was not a single song here I disliked, although some were apparent standouts. :)
The Smiths
4/5
The album largely sounds the same throughout, but for some reason, I quite enjoy this sound. I do have to be in a specific mood to enjoy the whole thing in one go, though. Despite that, I got into the Smiths as a pouty teenager and even Morrissey's dickishness can't ruin this record for me. His solo stuff on the other hand...
Public Enemy
3/5
Energy was great, samples ranged from good to hmm to unpleasant, and the lyricism was definitely meaningful when it wanted to be. I don't know how much I enjoyed it, though. The second half was definitely better than the first, I think.
Lies somewhere in between a 2 and a 3, but considering I actually saved a few songs to my library, I'll go with a 3.
John Prine
4/5
Yes. Solid vocals, storytelling lyrics, and soundscapes that will melt your sorrows. I do love acoustic guitar tons, so that helps. Yeah, it's pretty country, but it's also pretty lovely.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
This was a bit dull, honestly. I liked a couple of tracks, but that wasn't enough to save the rest of the album.
Faust
3/5
Giggy Smile will haunt me in my nightmares.
Other than that, I liked this album. Interesting from a musical standpoint, but mostly pleasing to the ears. Haven't really listened to this kind of music before. 3.5ish.
Dead Kennedys
4/5
Oh, that voice was really...something haha.
Anyway, I love how unapologetic this record is. What I found interesting was that my enjoyment of the song greatly depended on how I felt about the opening guitar hooks. While I didn't feel strongly about many individual songs (either way), I would put this album on as an overall atmosphere/vibe.
3.5ish but closer to 4.
Bon Jovi
4/5
I can enjoy this for what it is, and what it is is often cheesy, always catchy, pop rock/hair metal.
Is it great? Not necessarily. But it's nice to listen to. Maybe it helps that I was born in the mid 90s and wasn't really ever subjected to hearing this kind of music at its peak.
Mott The Hoople
4/5
Glam rock is just really fun, you know? It's not necessarily deep, but it's a good time.
Also, this was my first time listening to Mott the Hoople. Color me impressed.
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
I am not sure how groundbreaking this is, considering the other records on the list that kind of fill the same void.
I definitely enjoyed it more in the second half, though. Some genuinely catchy melodies there.
Antony and the Johnsons
5/5
I don't think I ever truly enjoyed the (main) vocals 100% but I sure as hell could appreciate it. It's quite emotive, and while the vibrato is a bit quicker than I usually prefer, it worked for the music. And the music? Beautiful. It's a very tough call to make because the vocals were still my least favorite part of it all, but I have to give this a 5 because of all the parts coming together perfectly.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Other than "Long Promised Road", which I could not enjoy for some reason, I really liked this album, more so than I expected.
I love a record that's not afraid to talk about more important things, and the lush harmonies I've adored were still present.
Alice In Chains
4/5
This is the kind of music I can't listen to for too long. Musically and lyrically...it's intense. But it should be heard.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Oh wow. Now that's how you tell a story and create an atmosphere. I was transported to a time when I hadn't been born yet, sitting in a quiet cafe and sipping some coffee.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
The first song didn't really capture me, but this album was a slow burn and by the end, I was utterly captivated. Love the soundscapes and even though it's not my favorite record from My Bloody Valentine, it's a hell of a strong debut!
Q-Tip
3/5
This was pretty chill. I got lost in some of the songs and didn't remember to pay attention to the lyrics. Would revisit most of the album! 3.5, closer to 3 but 3.5 is definitely more accurate.
The White Stripes
3/5
This wasn't a bad album, but it's the worst album I've heard by the White Stripes. Every song was listenable, but only a few I really liked.
Frank Zappa
4/5
The vocals were definitely the low point here LOL.
But the instrumentals? Groovy and fun and here for a good time.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Musically, I was into this. I could even dig Costello's voice at times, which is an accomplishment!
But lyrically? Eh...throwing around slurs has not been, is not, and will never be, cool.
Pantera
3/5
This wasn't too bad of a metal album for me. Would I revisit this whole thing? Maybe not, but if some songs came on shuffle I wouldn't mind.
That being said, I made the grave mistake of doing a deep dive of the band and its members, and let's just say I'm a little turned off by it.
3.5...maybe a 4 on a good day. Today's not a good day.
3/5
Well, I made it through the whole thing! I skimmed some of the reviews beforehand and was understandably apprehensive haha.
At first, I found it a little too chaotic for my liking. The energy was always super intense. The album grew on me, though. Either that or the second half of the record is actually more digestible to the average listener.
"Good Old Days" and "The Disguise" were really great. So was "Feet Music". The rest I'd either actively avoid or just wouldn't go out of my way to listen to, but this is far from the worst album on this project.
David Bowie
4/5
Nice! My husband and I listened to this one together while chilling in the office, and it was just the right amount of dramatic flair, lyricism, and energy. Some of the tracks were not as enjoyable, but overall I'd give this a listen again.
Traffic
3/5
This was a pleasant surprise! Some folk, some blues, some rock. Some songs are not as memorable as others. Still definitely worth a listen.
3.5, close to 4 but not quite there yet.
The Killers
4/5
This album aged pretty well. It's definitely not my favorite from the Killers, but all the tracks are catchy and do a good job of transporting me to a different place.
I definitely remember all the kids singing Somebody Told Me during recess and that song was stuck in my head for weeks.
Spacemen 3
3/5
Some songs I dug. But the majority of the album just felt like "oh I guess it's better than not having music on?" so I don't know if I can say I necessarily enjoyed it.
This is definitely a 2.5, but given the way I nearly hated all my 2 ratings, it's getting a 3.
MC Solaar
4/5
The last time I listened to MC Solaar was when I was in French class in high school and we were discussing French music.
Very happy I got to listen to this! I love the production and am pleasantly surprised that I could understand some of the lyrics after all these years haha.
Finley Quaye
2/5
Reggae is...already a tough genre for me to enjoy. Bob Marley can make it listenable, nice even. Finley Quaye cannot.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Soul is hit or miss for me, but this was fine in the background. Nothing earth-shattering or anything.
+1 point just because my husband loved it so much. He said: "You never put on music like this! It's just sad folk music, classical piano, and k-pop with you."
Neu!
4/5
My husband described it as golfing music. I hate golfing.
Still oddly pleasant to listen to this, though.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
A nearly flawless record. Yeah, a few songs just weren't my cup of tea even though I could recognize the sheer talent and creativity oozing from them. But this can't NOT get a 5.
The Style Council
4/5
Instrumentals are A+. I don't mind the vocals too much, but that rapping was uhhh...not the greatest. 4/5 since I still enjoyed most of what I heard.
New Order
4/5
'80s synth-pop really makes my day. Sonically, it's just so appealing to my ears. Gorgeous, emotive, and hella catchy. I REALLY want to give this a 5 but it's not quite there yet.
4.5 though for sure.
Radiohead
5/5
Yes. Just. Yes.
Lorde
5/5
As a someone who barely makes the cut to be a Millenial, this album is fantastic. The production threw me for a loop when I first heard it back in 2017 and holds up pretty well. Lorde's lyrics really encapsulated how I felt during my college years.
Steely Dan
3/5
Sometimes the jazz feel helped. Other times, it felt like nothing of value was added. Definitely more than tolerable, not always quite so enjoyable. This would be somewhere between a 3 and a 4, depending on my mood.
Gotan Project
4/5
I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected, but wouldn't listen to this unless I was in a specific mood.
Tori Amos
5/5
Absolutely stunning. I need to listen to more by her.
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
This record isn't life-changing, but it is still a very neat album. I honestly like this more than the space rock stuff AM is doing now.
The Kinks
5/5
*chef's kiss*
The Pogues
4/5
This album was quite great. Often times the Celtic instrumentals are too intense for me to enjoy for long periods of time, but I was in the UK while listening to it, so it only enhanced the vibes that the Pogues were trying to convey, and I say this with a positive tone.
I would have to be in a very specific mood to listen to the entire album again, but it's definitely gone into my library and I think I liked almost every song I heard.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Liked the instrumentals more than the rap (what else is new?). After a while I zoned out and wasn't paying too much attention lyrically. Solid. I get why it's on this list.
Jurassic 5
3/5
This one was an interesting one. I think I enjoyed the jazz/rock beats more than the rapping itself, but that tends to happen with me and rap. I consider myself pretty open minded, so while this won't be in my rotation, I've added most of the songs to my library.
Definitely worth hearing just once, and not bad by any means.
Portishead
5/5
Beautiful. If I was on the fence before about liking trip hop, this sealed the deal.
The Who
4/5
"I Can See For Miles" and "Sunrise" are in my top 10 songs by the Who. The rest of album? Eh, it's alright. Decent even. Nothing amazing considering the other records they've released.
Willie Nelson
4/5
I always like listening to covers because it's interesting to see how an artist puts their own spin on the original. Willie Nelson isn't necessarily a singer I would usually go out of my way to put on, but this is just undeniably a dang good listen.
Little Simz
3/5
I don't listen to much British hip hop at all, so this was definitely an interesting experience. I really liked the production/beats/samples, and the lyrics were not too bad, even if they felt "fake deep" at times. This is rated 3 but it is a 3.5 more than anything.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
This is one of those "I'm driving down the highway" albums and I love it. Bruce Springsteen really captures that '80s sound that is so comforting and relaxing while still having tons of energy when it's needed.
fIREHOSE
3/5
I didn't dislike listening to this but couldn't really see what was so special about it. Guess it didn't click for me.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Really great album. Solid tunes I could listen to on repeat.
Win Butler sucks, though.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Undeniably good. If you need a mood booster this is it.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Sooo...I still don't like "Son of a Preacher Man", but wow. I guess I wasn't paying enough attention when I heard Dusty Springfield songs when I was younger because that voice is pure magic to my ears and this record, although not perfect, is like a warm hug from an old friend.
Favorites: Just a Little Lovin', So Much Love, The Windmills of Your Mind
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
A couple of tracks didn't really do anything for me (see: Welfare Mothers & Sedan Delivery), but I largely enjoyed this. The acoustic sound is just super lovely to me, but I like Neil Young's vocals and storytelling in general, so this was a good one.
Erykah Badu
3/5
What a voice. I don't know if I like it 100% of the time, but I really liked the general vibes of this album. Sometimes the instrumentals didn't quite hit for me. 3.5, closer to a 3 though personally.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
I have to admit I listened to this one a few tracks at a time as opposed to all in one sitting. I think that may have made it drag a little bit less than expected. However much I adore instrumental covers, I was a little underwhelmed by them this time. Overall, the non-covers were more refreshing but the sitar I can only take so much of, personally.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
God, I really wanted to like this. But I just found it extremely dull.
Def Leppard
4/5
Funny enough, Pour Some Sugar On Me is the song I disliked the most.
Regardless, this is super accessible glam metal and I can't really fault it too much.
Fela Kuti
3/5
This isn't my cup of tea, but I really appreciated how energetic it was. Definitely an interesting listen. My husband personally loved the instrumentals!
Megadeth
4/5
Energetic AF. I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics because the electric guitars stole the show.
Don McLean
4/5
American Pie is iconic. Vincent is gorgeous. First half was absolutely captivating and it went downhill a bit after that, but it was still listenable for sure just a little repetitive for my ears.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
I had heard "Heads Will Roll" before but not much else by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The vocals were incredibly emotive, the lyrics fell somewhere in between predictable and meaningful depending on the song, and the instrumentals pretty captivating. That's a yes for me.
Metallica
4/5
The guitar work is amazing. I honestly don't remember much else. I wouldn't put this on in every situation, but it's a good album to pump you up...or wake you up.
George Jones
3/5
Felt like "this is nice...I guess?" the whole time. I get the older country vibes, and I do like it, but I'm not sure if I like an album full of it. Definitely don't love it lyrically, as it made me too sad. On VALENTINE'S DAY.
Pixies
3/5
Not really my cup of tea. I get it, but at the same time it just didn't click for me. However, the 4 songs I liked, man I really liked them so much.
Nick Drake
5/5
Oh, I love Nick Drake. All of these albums give me a feeling of nostalgia even though I was born in the 1990s. This particular one isn't my very favorite, but it is still very very solid in my opinion.
4/5
An album with meaning. And great songs. What more do you really need?
Fishbone
3/5
An interesting combination of genres. Unfortunately, mostly genres I do not tend to enjoy. It was cool to give it a try, but I'll only be adding a few songs to my library.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Sometimes the vocals were a *bit* too much for me. However, it is really really difficult to not like this record.
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Was a bit nervous about this one, but was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. It got a little long for my taste towards the end. However, I'd gladly add this to my library. I'm honestly taken aback by how much the instrumentals got me.
George Michael
5/5
I don't know why it took me until now to realize how much I ADORE George Michael's voice.
His vocals, plus the instrumentals, lyrics, and general song composition, made for a great album. For some reason, I don't like Freedom! (yeah I know) but the rest of it was exquisite.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Maps was not as great as I was expecting, but there are some true gems on this record. Overall I would say I enjoyed this in general.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Ooh. Much better than expected! I could probably have the instrumental tracks of Come Clean on loop - it's so sonically pleasing.
Lyrically/vocally, I'm not the biggest fan of rap, but IMO it was pretty decent and some interesting themes here.
Pink Floyd
4/5
So uh. I am a little underwhelmed. It's not bad by any means, but I wasn't super emotionally affected by anything. Maybe I expect too much from certain groups after hearing all the hype. I hear "Wish You Were Here" a lot on classic rock radio so I'm a little sick of it - sorry! Still, I really dug the guitar work on Shine On You Crazy Diamonds (Pts. 1-5), and Have a Cigar was pretty neat as well! It wasn't super duper amazing to me, but maybe it just needs another listen. Definitely a solid album everyone indeed must hear at least once, though.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Those jangly guitars got me, man.
Suede
4/5
I like the Smiths (despite Morrissey) and the Cure, and this is like their modern lovechild. So naturally I was into this.
The La's
4/5
Today I discovered jangle pop. And boy is it amazing.
The Beatles' influence is all over this record, especially on "Feelin". I literally did a mental double take when I heard that one.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I had already heard quite a few tracks on this album but was enjoying myself nonetheless. Bruce Springsteen is the 80s for me (among others of course). New favorites are Cover Me and No Surrender.
Deep Purple
3/5
This might make some people mad, but I flip-flopped between being slightly intrigued, being utterly bored to death, and being extremely agitated by this album. Maybe I'm missing something?
Solomon Burke
4/5
Good voice and full of soul, but I think I'd get a little bored of it after a while. Lyrically not too complex, but it wasn't too distracting.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
I enjoyed more than half of this, which was surprising. However, since it was really long that means I didn't enjoy about 20 minutes of the music. Still worth trying, of course. I don't think I'd normally put anything like this on.
More a 3.5 than a 3, but since we don't have that, it gets a 3.
Def Leppard
3/5
Extremely accessible, somewhat mindless, quite energizing.
R.E.M.
5/5
Liked every single song on this record. A strong album overall, and probably the best I've heard from them.
Beach House
4/5
Perfect balance of energizing (but like a slow release as opposed to a fast punch) and dreamy (because I truly feel like I could get lost in this album).
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Am I being too generous with my 5 star ratings lately? Maybe. But this is Stevie Freaking Wonder.
When he sings "smile please", I actually want to smile.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
"Mrs. Robinson" is an instant classic, and "A Hazy Shade of Winter" gets stuck in my head constantly. But this album is so much more than that.
Music at its most poetic and creative. A worthwhile listen for all.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Oh good God not this again. Similarly to last time, while there is certainly stuff going on in this album, I was BORED out of my mind. However, this is slightly better than the other one (A Short Album About Love) because there were times I found the songs pleasant and relaxing.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
Stunning. Absolutely stunning. I don't think I've ever listened to his version of "Hallelujah" this intensely, but the entire album was a masterpiece and I felt changed. I cannot explain how much I love his voice.
Cornershop
3/5
It started off oddly enjoyable, got interesting (read: unenjoyable) in the middle and ended okay enough.
Props for doing something that sounds unique. That doesn't mean it's for the masses (or for me), which is fine! I added half of the album to my library, so it's not all bad.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
This was warm and cozy. For some reason, even though "Our House" normally annoys me, it nearly made me weep this time. However, I still don't like "Teach Your Children."
The Who
4/5
Definitely a classic, even though it is not my favorite album from The Who. The Kids Are Alright is one of my favorite songs, though. In general, I like the sounds here. So even though there isn't really much emotional connection for me, it's a solid 4.
The United States Of America
3/5
Interesting. Very very interesting. Was never bored. Was mostly having a good time. Here's where a 3.5 rating would be absolutely accurate.
ZZ Top
4/5
I don't know how to say this, but this is exactly the kind of music I expect when I think of ZZ Top. And I say that having never heard a single song from this album before (unless I heard La Grange at one point and erased it from my memory).
I wasn't a huge fan of "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers" and "Master of Sparks" but other than that liked the album. I like bluesy guitar in moderation, so I wouldn't listen to this every day. Still pretty solid overall with over half the record being cool/interesting/enjoyable.
Depeche Mode
5/5
We've got splashy synths, and we've got plaintive piano.
Yup. I'm sold.
Thundercat
3/5
It's alright. I like what they were going for here, but the execution was a little subpar at times. Still, this was pleasant to listen to.
David Bowie
4/5
I adore "Across the Universe" in its very many forms by the Beatles, but I have to admit this version took a bit for me to get used to. I think Bowie's vocals are just so distinct that they don't always work super well with everything.
Regardless, this album was pretty damn good. The instrumentals were extremely solid and I enjoyed the listen.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Classic and fresh at the same time, with just the right amount of quirky artistry to make things stand out.
Gang Starr
3/5
A few tracks I could do without, but in general this was easy to groove to, and I appreciated the cleverness and poignancy of the poetry. Sometimes the lyrics and delivery could have been better, but it was a perfectly okay listen.
Janelle Monáe
5/5
Creative, funky, and downright refreshing. Sticking to one genre? Nah.
God, I really really loved listening to this.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Instant classic. You can't not enjoy it***
My favorite tracks were Tombstone Shadow, Sinister Purpose, and Broken Spoke Shuffle.
***Unless you hate fun ;)
John Martyn
3/5
One day, I won't be bored by a John Martyn song. Today is not that day.
Robbie Williams
3/5
One of the most aggressively British albums I've ever heard.
I didn't mind any song, but I also wasn't moved by anything.
Anthrax
3/5
This is not the type of thing I'd always be in the mood for, but it was certainly an energy booster first thing in the morning. I wasn't paying much attention to the lyrics, as the guitars and drums overpowered throughout. Overall, the songs didn't captivate me much, but every once in a while, I'd be like "oh that's a neat riff" or something like that.
Cheap Trick
2/5
I haven't heard much of Cheap Trick's non-live stuff, other than their biggest hits, so I went in with a pretty clean slate. I'm not sure why this is supposed to be groundbreaking, as some other live records are stunning in comparison (see: Johnny Cash). It was fine but just that. Vocals were a little messy. Then again, I haven't heard these songs recorded, so uh...it's possible it's supposed to sound messy? Hm. Thought of the day.
Deep Purple
4/5
Smoke On the Water is overplayed, but the album as a whole was pretty good. A nice surprise after Cheap Trick. No offense Cheap Trick. Actually, some offense.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
This is not an album that fits every occasion and mood, and you know what? That's perfectly okay. This will become my "early morning energy supplier" and "hardcore cardio" album. This was a surprisingly good listen, despite not being my "typical" genre. A few songs I wasn't a huge fan of.
I'm giving this a 3, but if a 3.5 existed that would be the perfect fit. It doesn't feel right to give this a 3 based on my initial listen, but a 4 doesn't fit either.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Somehow this was filled with energy but I wasn't enjoying it haha. The first half of the album was stronger than the rest.
3/5
Mediocre nu-metal with a lead vocalist I do not like. It woke me up, at least.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Nothing that unique, but also nothing musically assaulting. It was a perfectly fine listen.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
So, "Stormy Weather" has the most listens on Spotify but I really could not get into that track at all.
The rest of it was perfectly serviceable for a live album but not something I would listen to straight. There are times where live albums beat out regular recorded albums for me, but this wasn't one of them.
Travis
4/5
Oasis-lite. I say that with as much positivity as I can muster, though. It's nothing groundbreaking, but I'm a sucker for pleasant vocals and jangly guitars. Didn't pay much attention to lyrics but they seemed a little basic.
One thing I learned about myself during this listening project is that I actually do love Britpop. Huh.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
It was a pleasant listen. So pleasant I fell asleep. Oops.
Laura Nyro
3/5
Oh, this is pretty pleasant, I should save this song to my music libr- wait no, that's just annoying. Oh wait no that sounds kinda nice...never mind...
And repeat.
Overall an interesting album.
Kanye West
2/5
Pros: alternative/industrial sounds are kinda neat, as well as the samples used
Cons: lyrics, the fact that I've grown to dislike Kanye's voice, the fact that I've grown to dislike Kanye as a person
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
A solid offering from Paul McCartney's solo career, albeit not my absolute favorite. Still, this was my introduction to his music post-Beatles, and I'll always appreciate that.
The Stooges
3/5
Wasn't a fan of "T.V. Eye", like, at all, but otherwise this was a pretty good time. Considering the vocals, I'm surprised I enjoyed it this much. Wouldn't voluntarily listen to it (especially since there is SO MUCH music out there to hear!!) but wouldn't necessarily skip it if it popped up on shuffle.
Digital Underground
3/5
Fuck, I am such a prude.
Dolly Parton
4/5
A warm mug of your favorite hot beverage. Very very cozy.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
I had heard so much of this album, but I tried to go in without reading the Wikipedia as I usually do. I...don't really know what was happening and I feel like I forgot who I was by the end of it.
But! Did I enjoy it? Not really. I did at 5 songs to my library (out of 18), so uh. Could have been worse, I suppose.
Beyoncé
4/5
I hadn't listened to this once in a few years, so this was nice to revisit. "Pretty Hurts" and "XO" still remain my favorites from this album, although "Drunk in Love" is melodically so so catchy. I don't know if I necessarily enjoy this album more than her earlier works, but it's solid considering I don't listen to this type of rnb-tinged pop too often.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Repetitive but with some meaning. There's a time and place for this, for sure.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
This was extremely lush (I almost said velvet-y god DAMN IT). Lovely in almost every way.
Butthole Surfers
3/5
Not nearly as bad as I was expecting. Hated a couple of songs, but was generally vibing to the rest (to a certain point).
Aerosmith
2/5
We get it, you're horny. No need to make an album so chock-full of sex lyrics that it makes people uncomfortable.
Anyway, a few songs were okay, so it escapes the 1 star rating. Besides, even if the lyrics were laughably bad, the music was fine.
Korn
3/5
When I was about 11, my friends and I thought we were so cool for listening to "Freak on a Leash" and "Here to Stay". We were not, but we had a good time anyway.
Not nearly as good as I remembered, but not nearly as bad as I expected.
Pixies
4/5
The growth from Surfer Rosa to Doolittle is incredible.
I had a blast listening to this.
2/5
I wasn't repulsed by this, but I also wasn't enjoying myself. Props for having...energy, I guess?
Duke Ellington
4/5
Historically, I don't love jazz. But this was classy as hell and such a smooth thing to have in the background. I haven't gotten to the point where I listen to much jazz voluntarily, but this is possibly the most enjoyment I've gotten out of it.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Yeah, these lyrics are not it. The beats are cool, and I saved about half the songs, but the rest I can't listen to without physically recoiling.
The Pharcyde
3/5
Instrumentals are really pretty great, I can't lie about that. Having been born in 1995, I was not really old enough to enjoy '90s hip-hop at its peak, so this genre isn't one I visit too often. Lyrics still catch me off guard sometimes. This is a higher 3 than Snoop Dogg's Doggstyle (wow this project is giving me SO MANY hip-hop albums this week), but I can't give it a 4.
William Orbit
4/5
Made my work day 1000x more bearable, but I do think I'd still enjoy this in the background if I weren't working or studying.
It's good for what it is.
Brian Eno
4/5
Oooh very nice. Kept me on my toes and was mostly enjoyable to listen to. I think there were 2 or 3 songs I wasn't vibing with, but the rest are stunningly creative.
Bert Jansch
5/5
Soft guitar and earnest vocals. Will always love that combo.
N.E.R.D
5/5
Almost jumping into guilty pleasure territory, but you know what? Guilty pleasures shouldn't exist. Enjoy what you enjoy. I enjoyed the hell out of this. It's a mix of a few different genres, and it was GREAT.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
This would be better if a different person sang it because
1) I do not like Cee Lo Green (vocals).
2) I do not like Cee Lo Green (person).
Norah Jones
3/5
I remember listening to this album for the first time a few years back and thinking, wow...this is incredibly underwhelming. Nothing about it is necessarily bad, just very...meh?
Machito
4/5
A fun little listen. Not something for every day, but it definitely creates a mood.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Lyrically, I wasn't 100% into this. However, musically? I'm all in. I'm a sucker for unique vocals (to an extent) and piano-focused ballads.
Metallica
4/5
I uh...may have enjoyed the orchestra more than Metallica. Surprisingly, this worked for me. The album ran a bit long, but I listened to it while killing a shit ton of enemies in an FPS game, so.
Can
3/5
I am so so sorry if this offends anyone, but this album (for me) is the definitely of background music. Even with the vocals. Not bad or anything like that, but I can't see myself putting this on in normal circumstances.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
I kept on thinking, am I supposed to like this? Yeah, yeah, I liked this. Pop perfection. Lyrically, sonically, production-wise.
Does this sound like it was made in the '80s? Sure. It's a good thing I like that '80s sound, though.
Sidenote: at times I was reminded of Paul Simon, which was pretty neat.
Bill Callahan
3/5
A little bland and sleep-inducing, but never unpleasant.
Billie Holiday
3/5
I like the lush instrumentation, but it becomes a bit overwhelming and tiring. Billie's voice has an interesting timbre, but I unfortunately don't think this kind of music is all that enjoyable for me. It isn't the "sleepiness" necessarily but the fact that the way scales are used and the melodic lines don't sound "nice" to me.
Can you tell I'm still trying to warm up to jazz as a genre?
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Side 2 was far too thirsty for me, it was actually distracting. I'd probably revisit the first four songs, though.
R.E.M.
4/5
My least favorite songs were still listenable, which is more than I can say for some of the other albums I've heard through the 1000 albums generator.
In general, I enjoy the type of pop-rock that R.E.M. does, so while this album wasn't the strongest I've heard from them, it's still pretty good.
Janet Jackson
4/5
I see some complaints here and there in the album reviews, but I heard what I heard: good music. Not quite pushing into a 5 star for me. That's still pretty damn great.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Oh look, another jazz album both my husband and I can agree on.
Morrissey
4/5
Eh. Lots of things here that I enjoy, slightly ruined by things I don't enjoy. Musically, I think this is a bit above average for me.
Sonic Youth
5/5
I was fairly ambivalent about the other Sonic Youth album I heard (Sister), but this? I would inject this directly into my veins. Too dramatic? Perhaps. My statement still stands.
The Birthday Party
2/5
I added six songs to my library. The rest was rather unpleasant. But hey, gotta give it to The Birthday Party for giving energy. Even if it wasn't an energy I really liked.
The Slits
3/5
At first, I was not sure how I felt. Somehow, somewhere in the middle of the album, it almost clicked? And I was almost having a good time! So that's something.
Maxwell
3/5
Very smooth. Sooooo smooooooth.
Goldfrapp
4/5
Honestly, I really liked how atmospheric this felt. I wouldn't put this album on if I needed a musical jolt to wake me up, but it's perfect if I wanted something soothing with a bit of electronic life.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
Huh. I had always heard of Joanna Newsom being a bit polarizing, but this was my first time listening to her music. I can hear the Regina Spektor/Tori Amos influence, both types of artists that took a while to grow on me. Sometimes the vocals were a bit quirky? But for the most part, I enjoyed the picturesque, descriptive lyrics and I'm a sucker for harp, even if it reminds me of my fifth-grade Medieval Day celebration a bit too much. Or that Encarta game, Mindmaze.
Thankfully, IMO, the first song is the worst, so it only got better from there.
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
I didn't care much for the shorter songs (not really substantial, which makes sense), and the vocals could drone on and on - you know which singer I'm talking about. But honestly? This made for pretty good background music. I don't mean to be judgmental, but sometimes music doesn't have to be super serious. That being said, entire parody albums still don't do it for me.
Anyway, if it helps at all, I listened to this album over 3 listening sessions and not all at once.
Supergrass
4/5
My first listen to Supergrass! And probably not my last. I loved their energy here. The guitar work is really insanely catchy and punchy, and the vocals are just the right amount of unpolished (I genuinely mean this as a compliment).
Richard Hawley
4/5
I was enjoying the first two-thirds of this album, and then it just lost my interest. I'm not sure if it's because it started sounding uninspired, or if I wasn't a fan of the compositional style at that point. All I know was that at one point, his voice started droning to me. Normally I like the "sleepy" folk stuff, but the last few tracks were not it.
The first 7 or 8 songs, though - those were really nice and added to my library.
The Cure
4/5
Not the greatest album from the Cure. Still pretty great, though.
Waylon Jennings
3/5
As a millennial born to Asian immigrants growing up in an upper middle class area in the USA, these lyrics are almost complete unrelatable to me. Putting that aside, the music was...fine? It's honestly what I expected from early outlaw country, but I don't think I like Waylon Jennings' vocals as much as Johnny Cash's.
Kid Rock
2/5
How was this simultaneously better and worse than I expected? I had a LOT of thoughts going through my head before listening to this album because I checked the global stats and saw this one had some...pretty low reviews.
I'm a fan of rock, not so much a fan of country (save for a few albums or artists, namely modern Americana/folk or even roots music) or rap (except maybe Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, and the rap-rock stylings of Linkin Park). I do admit I tend to vibe to the samples used in rap, though - lots of unique choices everywhere that can work really well. Combining all three of the above genres, though? It has mixed results.
Often times I didn't enjoy the licks/riffs/little musical throwaway bars, like the honky-tonk piano sounding bit around 2:25 of Cowboy. For me, it straddled the line between pleasantly unexpected and overly gimmicky.
More often, I didn't think the lyrics were relatable, substantive, or genuine (for someone like Kid Rock). I'm the furthest thing from his intended demographic, as an Asian-American female who is pretty close to being straight-edge and probably considered a prude. But I do still really hate when artists try to sound tougher than they actually are.
I did give this album as much of a chance as I could, considering that I don't enjoy Kid Rock's music regularly (for the record - I only have his song "Picture" with Sheryl in my library), and I seriously do not like him as a person. So far, and I'm almost 600 albums through this album generator, I have listened to every album all the way through (although sometimes in 2-3 listening sessions if the album is longer). And so I did that for this album as well. I will admit the musical production and composition were decently pretty solid, other than some of the transitions that could have been cleaned up a bit better, or some little sections that could be removed. I can maybe see myself listening to a version of this album that was just instrumentals if I were doing some repetitive work or studying. But I don't think Kid Rock's vocals are nice, and the lyrics are worse.
So...2 stars because it was listenable, even earworm-y at times. The music carried him more than he carried it.
Top Tracks (aka the songs that made it to my library!): Bawitdaba (it was honestly catchy), I Am the Bullgod (I can't place my finger on why the guitar works for me but it just does), Wasting Time (don't care for the rapping at this point but I can see myself listening to this at a BBQ and not hating it because the ~ambiance~ just fits and that hook is smooth and inoffensive), Fist of Rage (would listen to while playing an FPS game)
Worst Tracks: Only God Knows Why (Does God know why the vocals were processed like this? It ruined the song for me, which might have been fine otherwise, albeit annoyingly preachy and fake in an entirely non-Kid Rock kinda way) & Black Chick, White Guy / I Am the Bullgod (yeah maybe I AM a snowflake because this made me uncomfortable)
The Byrds
3/5
I listened to this album when I was having a panic attack due to aggressive drivers around me on the highway. It was soothing. I listened to this album again sitting in front of my computer. It was aggravating.
Definitely not my favorite from the Byrds. I normally like most of their music, but I think I've had enough of the country influence for a bit. Less than half of it was enjoyable (8 out of 19 is close, I'll give them that).
Scissor Sisters
4/5
I discovered Scissor Sisters after my Whovian friend listened to "I Can't Decide" a lot in high school. I vaguely remember checking out one of their albums, but given the fact that most of this record didn't sound familiar, I think it was Ta Dah that I previously heard.
Anyway, this was just plain FUN. A bit campy, but I think it's nice when it's done well. 13-year-old me would find this utterly cringy and overly positive. 27-year-old me loves this (there are two tracks that I think are pretty weak but the rest of the album makes up for it). Reminds me of early MIKA (I love early MIKA)!
a-ha
4/5
Take On Me is hard to follow, but the rest of the songs are still pretty darn good. New wave is so fun to listen to.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
I was very sleep-deprived when I listened to this, and the album made me feel like dozing off, but the moments I heard were sweet and calming. In fairness, I can see myself putting this on as chill background music.
Alice Cooper
4/5
It's an interesting enough take on "classic" rock that it kept my ears perked. Gutter Cat vs. The Jets caught me off guard at first, but I got into it by the end.
k.d. lang
5/5
Wow. A lot better than I thought it would be. Every song is solid.
Favorites: Save Me, Miss Chatelaine, Wash Me Clean, Still Thrives This Love, and (of course) Constant Craving
Gorillaz
4/5
I only knew "Clint Eastwood" and even that sounded better than I remembered. Anyway, while I am aware of the cultural status that this record has, I wasn't really old enough to appreciate it as I was in kindergarten at the time. So I was going into this with pretty fresh ears.
While the album started dragging a little towards the end, I did enjoy the overall groove.
Madonna
5/5
This album is a breath of fresh air. I'm not saying that to discredit other music, but it just feels like a breath of fresh air. When you step outside, a warm, gentle breeze hits you and the smell of the trees surrounds you. That's what this album feels like.
The production holds up pretty well even today, but maybe I'm just a sucker for that '80s pop sound.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
I enjoyed everything I heard. It was really smooth and funky - probably the best I've heard of this type of music, but I wouldn't want to hear it all the time. Salsa is something I have to be in the mood for, I think.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
I don't think I'll ever really "dislike" this kind of music, and this album isn't the exception. However, it'll take another listen for certain songs to sink in.
DJ Shadow
4/5
Pretty good for background and/or focus. Wouldn't necessarily put this on just for fun, though.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Nice! I really enjoyed the way this album played with genres, and even though I didn't LOVE every song, I can see myself re-visiting all of them. Michael Kiwanuka is an artist I hadn't heard too much (other than "Home Again") so this was neat to discover.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
I thought this was aggressively mediocre. But hey, I can say I've heard this album now!
Sabu
2/5
My husband: "Is this nothing but fucking drums?"
Well no, but actually yes.
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
I don't know how to feel.
The Roots
3/5
I like many things about this album, but I don't feel like I like it as a whole. I would still give it a listen every once in a while, but I've got to be in a specific mood.
The Young Gods
4/5
Those vocals are eerie as fuck, but it REALLY works with the instrumentals? Perfect for the start of autumn. Depending on what kind of autumn you wanna have.
The Black Keys
3/5
I think I've heard a couple songs by The Black Keys, but I honestly couldn't tell you what they were. They're a lot bluesier than I remembered, but I don't enjoy this the same way I enjoy typical blues music. It's fine, I guess, just not the kind of album I can enjoy "on its own", if that makes any sense.
Klaxons
4/5
Maybe this album got me at the right time, because I was fully DIGGING this. Reminds me of a lot of the UK indie rock I loved (and still love) to this day.
Pixies
4/5
Aw, this was a neat one. Pixies are growing on me!!
Tom Waits
4/5
Excellent. Would be even more excellent if someone else was singing.
Baaba Maal
4/5
Once the album hit the 50-minute mark, I was getting a little tired. But the first half was ethereal, and the second half brought a ton of energy. And I can't give anything below a 4 to an album that I would inject half of into my soul.
Big Star
4/5
I quite liked this one, but I didn't really LOVE it the way I love a lot of artists that are similar.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
I can't believe the first time I heard of Ladysmith Black Mambazo it was because they were mentioned in Mean Girls.
I didn't have a huge preference for any particular song. I just love vocal harmonies in general.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Smooth, but I think I liked the instrumentals more than the vocals.
The White Stripes
5/5
I was very deeply into this record. From the more headbanger-ish tracks to the more acoustic tracks.
Tom Waits
5/5
TWO Tom Waits albums in one month? Wow. Not even enough time to let that other one simmer.
Anyway, it's kinda shocking how if I am focused enough on a task, this music just blends right into the background. Tom Waits is an acquired taste for sure. I think his vocals work for spooky season. Not that he needs my approval or anything, but yeah I liked this one quite a bit.
Elton John
4/5
Very theatrical, but I love the piano so much that it saves (nearly) anything for me. I liked the general vibes of the music here, and I'd need to give it more listens to maybe "connect" more with the songs. However, I liked what I heard on 1st listen.
Christina Aguilera
4/5
A lot better than I expected. I remember really hating on Ain't No Other Man & Candyman when they came out. 10-year-old me had particular tastes when it came to music. Anyway, this kind of pop record really shows that Christina is more than whatever the media thought she was. Back to Basics is a great album and almost a "re-branding" of sorts. It seems a bit long, but the songs go by quicker than you think.
Sidenote: I really liked "Oh Mother" as a HUGE fan of Bruno Coulais' work on Les Choristes.
The Doors
4/5
So I can't exactly recall listening to this whole album at any point in time, but every single song sounded familiar. Huh.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this one. And to learn that it's their DEBUT album? Wow. Way to hit the music scene absolutely swinging.
Skepta
3/5
I really liked the production on this one, and thought the samples/beat were cool, but I guess I haven't gotten over my "British rap sounds cringy because of the accent" phase. The lyrics did not help with this.
Grateful Dead
3/5
It was alright as chill background music, but I really didn't need the last two tracks.
Lucinda Williams
4/5
This album grew on me. At first, I found it a bit underwhelming. Almost like, why is this even on the list? It's inoffensive, sure, but I'm just bored. By the end, I was enjoying it more. For some reason the first three tracks didn't really hit me. Still a solid album overall.
TLC
4/5
Lots of personality, lots of smooth grooves. I am honestly a bit of a prude (and ace), so sometimes I felt like I was intruding on something private haha. But sonically, this was pretty cool. 3.5, bumping it to a 4 because I am in a good mood today.
CHVRCHES
5/5
These synths were fucking inspirational.
Van Morrison
3/5
*separates the art from the artist*
This was okay for a live album. Decent for a Van Morrison album. Nothing really stood out to me in a good or bad way. Influential? Maybe. Too long? Yeah.
Taylor Swift
5/5
Yeah, okay. I'm a pretty big fan of Taylor Swift, and 1989 is quite honestly (almost) pure pop perfection. The production is really solid, the songs are catchy as hell, and Taylor's vocals are awesome. I know she's not technically an amazing vocalist, but she sounds so relatable and believable.
Favorites: Blank Space, Wildest Dreams, This Love, I Know Places, Clean
The Hives
4/5
I didn't have any knowledge on the Hives minus "Tick Tick Boom", so this was solid.
Prefab Sprout
5/5
Wait a minute. I actually love this.
The Gun Club
4/5
Rockabilly is still so annoying to me for some reason, but I like the spin that they put on it. The gothic vibes were pretty immaculate. I think I listened to a slightly longer version because Wiki says it's 40 min, but mine was 53 minutes. Didn't really mind it, though!
Sepultura
5/5
This is the album that reminded me (not that I ever need to remember this) that electric guitar goes hard as fuck.
Dr. Dre
2/5
I am not the target demographic for this. Beats were solid, if a bit outdated. Lyrics...let's not talk about them. A few neat tracks here and there, which I've saved to my library.
Joe Ely
3/5
This was...alright. Not my first choice of music, but wasn't necessarily bad. I am also not sure why this is significant enough to be on the list?
The The
4/5
Yes yes to The The.
The Prodigy
3/5
Good for work, and light gaming, but I'm not sure I'd just put this on anytime.
Pet Shop Boys
5/5
Yeah, now I'm sure. I like Pet Shop Boys. A lot.
Robert Wyatt
4/5
This album grew on me. The first track was surprising (in a good way), but the second and third ones didn't quite hit the mark. However, by the end of my listen, I was entranced. Will revisit.
The Saints
3/5
Started off pretty decent and then kinda fell off for me personally. Full of energy, though, so points for that.
Minor Threat
4/5
You want punk? You got it.
Ute Lemper
4/5
Damn. What a voice. I listened to a lot of musical theatre stuff as a kid, so this didn't put me off the album. The orchestration was so gorgeous, and melodically, it was interesting. This album isn't just for any occasion, but that's okay. A worthwhile listen for sure!
Jane Weaver
4/5
Yep, another album where I add nearly every song to my liked songs on Spotify, despite the various reviews stating it is simply too mediocre for the listener. I guess I like a lot of music. /shrug/
George Harrison
4/5
Ah, my favorite Beatle. This album can seem like a lot to get through, but I think it's so good that I can look past that. A few filler tracks here and there, but still a solid record if you like that soft rock sound.
Can
3/5
Yes, Aumgn and Peking O are about as weird as you expect. Everything else is pretty okay background music, depending on what kind of social gathering you're at.
Elastica
4/5
I enjoyed this more than expected.
I guess I gotta check out Wire (no clue who they are, as I am not well-versed in the punk genre), then.
R.E.M.
4/5
This was a treat to listen to. At one point, I kind of zoned out and was pleasantly surprised that I was listening to R.E.M. I don't think it's my favorite from them, but I do enjoy their sounds in general.
Nick Drake
5/5
Oh, another record I've adored for years. It was lovely to get to re-visit this one! It makes me feel all cozy inside.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Other than "Cry On My Shoulder" and "Real Man", this album wasn't too bad. Would I always be in the mood to hear it? Nah, but most of the songs are okay enough. I guess being born in the mid 90s and not hearing any Bonnie Raitt (except for "I Can't Make You Love Me") means I'm not overexposed to her stuff.
Bad Company
3/5
It wasn't bad, just...generic-sounding? I prefer other bands from around the same era, I guess. But I won't necessarily turn any of this stuff down.
Alice Cooper
4/5
A few songs weren't for me, but in general I liked the guitar sounds a lot. Also, vocals? YES.
Pavement
4/5
Cool cool cool. I definitely should have been born to hear this upon release. This was a rad album.
AC/DC
4/5
I'd listen to those lead vocals sing anything. Normally not something I'd love, but the vocals sold me. I don't think I'd wanna check out more of AC/DC if their lyrics are all the same, though.
Beck
5/5
I cannot believe I loved it that much. I've always recognized this album cover, but I wasn't that interested in Beck at age 6. Now, though? Hell yes.
Basement Jaxx
3/5
I was four years old when this album came out, so I don't think this was really on my radar. A good amount of tracks are fine, if you're into this kind of chill-ish club music that (admittedly) sounds a bit dated. I am not necessarily into it, but a few standouts left a good impression. Especially Bingo Bango. Bingo Bango is a fucking BANGER.
Rod Stewart
3/5
I had a visceral reaction to tracks 2 and 3 for some reason, but the rest of the album was pleasant enough that I almost forgot how much I despised Rod Stewart's voice.
T. Rex
4/5
I enjoyed this one but preferred the first half of the record to the second. Regardless, I liked the energy of all the songs even if I didn't love the vocals.
Lambchop
4/5
Kinda lost some steam at the end, which was interesting because it was musically more exciting. I liked the soothing feel of the record in general and found it to be a good combination of genres that I may not necessarily enjoy all the time.
Dion
3/5
This wasn't bad, and I saved most of the tracks, but I was a little bored and not sure why this was put on the list?
Mudhoney
4/5
Based on just the original release, I'd say this is slightly above average for me. I tend to struggle with punk, but I like grunge. Not sure how weird that is. Regardless, I was jamming along for most of it.
So then I listened to a few extra tracks that were on the deluxe edition on Spotify and I started digging it a bit more. Perhaps repeated exposure does the trick?
Sonic Youth
5/5
I absolutely adored this. Sometimes that wall of sound is overwhelming and sometimes you just want to sink into it.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Wow. I knew Jimi Hendrix was a strong guitarist, but...can we talk about that voice? Powerful stuff.
3/5
I don't know if I enjoyed this or not? I guess in a "this is alright to listen to" way, I enjoyed it. But I was constantly feeling some sort of musical whiplash.
I think I need to listen to this one again.
The Police
4/5
I really appreciate this project for letting me fully discover artists' works, because prior to this album, I only knew "Message in a Bottle". For something that has such a reggae-inspired flavor, I'm surprised I liked it that much.
GZA
4/5
I really really enjoyed the samples and beats here. Could honestly vibe to them alone, but the rapping had intent and purpose, and only enhanced the instrumentals.
Underworld
4/5
Oh, this was excellent for work. Could also be in the background if you're just chilling or reading.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
This is...for lack of a better term, "a vibe". I really love Astrud's vocals, and the orchestral notes in the back really transport me to another place and time, but if I haven't had caffeine I'm dozing off.
The Doors
4/5
So, I'd only ever heard Riders on the Storm, which is still one of my favorites off of L.A. Woman, but this whole album was pretty solid. I expected nothing less from The Doors.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Fiona Apple's voice has so much character in it, and I do like piano-based soft rock. I really like the little chamber pop flavor as well. "Criminal" was not one of the strongest songs on the record, but I'm still glad I got to hear it with context.
Bobby Womack
4/5
I have been getting consistently good albums lately and this one is no exception. Smooth AF.
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Not bad if I'm looking for relaxing beach vibes, but it does get old after a few songs.
Also, I unfortunately have a guilty conscience after reading the Wiki because I don't exactly know how to "separate the art from the artist" when my opinion of the artist is already kinda meh to begin with.
Pearl Jam
4/5
Man. Eddie Vedder's voice is really something. Added an extra layer to the already-great songs.
The Byrds
3/5
Another album I've already heard! I gave it a second listen, though. I don't think many songs stood out, but I also didn't really dislike any songs. In general, the Byrds are pretty good even if this particular record doesn't have that many shining star songs. High 3.
The Pretty Things
3/5
I think if this happened to be the first rock opera/thematic records I'd ever heard, it would have had more of a lasting impact on me. I can see how this would be influential, but for me personally it was just kinda...meh?
Violent Femmes
4/5
Lack of polish adds charm and character. This is the exact kind of music I would have hated ten years ago. Glad I'm over that.
Willie Nelson
4/5
So far I really like Willie Nelson's stuff. It seems a lot more poignant than even some other older country that I'm not a huge fan of.
Traffic
3/5
Enjoyed it until the end, then realized I was technically listening to the reissue tracks. Yeah, those I can do without.
The original album was pretty decent, but it does start sounding a little monotonous so I don't know if I'd listen to only Traffic for a day.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I think I'm pretty incapable of actually disliking Bruce Springsteen, but this is definitely not one of his stronger works.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
It's definitely a strong album, but a couple songs didn't have that spark for me. I would still listen to it again for sure, though.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Bob Dylan is an excellent songwriter. I was willing to overlook his slightly grating vocal tone and enjoy this record wholeheartedly.
Slayer
3/5
Musically and lyrically, I must be in a specific mood for this. And right after K-pop while sipping a cup of hot tea isn't it unless you want some form of musical whiplash? I wouldn't turn it down, but I wouldn't necessarily seek it out. The guitar work was cool, though.
Khaled
4/5
Yeah, I quite enjoyed this. Some songs I could do without, but on the whole, this was a mood booster. I don't think I'd listen to this kind of music all the time, but it's good to try new things sometimes.
Public Enemy
3/5
Aged like milk.
A few songs are memorable, but the rest doesn't stand out and when it does, it doesn't stand out in a great way. It's always interesting to get to listen to parts of music history I wouldn't have listened to on my own, though. 2.5ish?
The Triffids
4/5
I'd never heard of the Triffids. Turns out, I love the Triffids.
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Mmm cozy warm musical blanket.
The Darkness
4/5
Campy as fuck. Somehow I enjoyed this. It may not look like it, since I listened to the whole thing with a straight face, but I was ~internally~ vibing, so that must count for something.
Cowboy Junkies
4/5
This was really pretty, but I'd suggest not listening to this if you are on the verge of falling asleep.
David Gray
3/5
It was nice. "Babylon" is by far the worst track.
Janis Joplin
5/5
So, I don't know how I've managed to never hear "Me and Bobby McGee" but I've heard "Cry Baby" a million times.
That voice is really something, and this album is perfect as is.
Dennis Wilson
4/5
It was pleasant but almost (almost!) forgettable at times. Rounding up to a 4 because the soundscapes were really nice for some tracks.
SAULT
5/5
Genuinely an honest, beautiful album. Pleasantly surprised.
4/5
Not sure if I'd listen to this in every situation, but it's great for focus and relaxation. Pleasantly surprised.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Love it. El Condor Pasa is a personal fave, but really every song here shines.
Judas Priest
4/5
There were some moments that were a little too repetitive for my taste, and the vocals were hit-or-miss. But overall it was catchy and the guitar work was incredible (I feel like I say that for nearly every metal record haha).
Neil Young
5/5
Goddamn. That's some stellar songwriting.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Oh God, maybe I take things too seriously, but I could not enjoy this. A couple songs were alright, so it's definitely not *bad*, but I don't think it's for me.
Eminem
2/5
"Oh what a nice beat...Good Lord, those lyrics are a fucking dumpster fire. Clever sometimes, but Jesus Christ on a wheat cracker they are really something."
Carpenters
4/5
Very lush. I loved the vocal harmonies, and just Karen Carpenter's voice in general. I wasn't in love with a couple tracks, but this is a really pleasant listen overall.
Coldcut
4/5
Oh this is groovy. And I'm not the kind of person who calls things groovy.
Orange Juice
5/5
I love this album so much, and that was without even paying much attention to the lyrics. I feel like this is gonna end up in my library and on constant rotation like Prefab Sprout.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Beautiful. Everyone in the house loved it - me, my husband, and our eighteen-year-old tabby cat.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Dusty sings well enough, but there were a couple songs where her vocals couldn't save it for me, like "Do Re Mi" and "Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa". The songs are sometimes a little unremarkable, but then again, not all covers are created equal. Still worth a listen.
Grateful Dead
2/5
I liked this, but I just wasn't in love with this. Maybe I had super high expectations. It's the kind of album I wouldn't skip on shuffle but wouldn't seek out voluntarily. If a 2.5 rating existed, that's what it would get. I don't feel like it's a 3 (because I gave Dusty Springfield that when I genuinely enjoyed most of the album) but I don't feel like it's a 2 (because I gave Eminem a 2 solely for the nice beats). Welp.
Favorites: Operator, Till the Morning Comes
The xx
4/5
Top reviews say it's a bit boring. I guess I'm a boring person.
Deerhunter
5/5
This is very indie pop/rock. With a little bit of flair/artistry sprinkled in. Which is to say, I loved it.
Doves
4/5
That is one hell of a debut album. Had to listen to it in two sessions. Boy do I love that musical texture, though. I'll have to revisit sometime.
Pere Ubu
3/5
"Laughing" and "Chinese Radiation" weren't really my jam, but the other songs were fun and quirky. Almost taken aback by my enjoyment(?) at sometimes. A high 3/5.
Cheers to getting musical whiplash when this kind of stuff pops up on shuffle!
Justin Timberlake
3/5
The production, while solid, ages the record quite a bit, and I think FutureSex/LoveSounds was a much stronger album melodically. Justified blends together a little, except for the singles, which I don't know if they stand out because I've heard them so much or because they're more upbeat. I don't think I'd pay much attention if I heard this at a party or something, but listening to it alone at home while working is...a weird experience getting to notice all the details lol.
The Vines
3/5
I don't know if it's really all that unique, but I had a (pretty) good time listening. It might blend together a bit, but that's okay.
Black Flag
4/5
This gave me more energy than a couple shots of espresso. There are a few songs I wasn't a huge fan of, but ultimately it's a pretty solid record. Even if I didn't know what they were singing half the time.
The Cars
5/5
When I was in high school, I was a hugeeee fan of the Beatles. Still am, but my music taste has expanded a little bit. One of my friends suggested listening to the Cars because it was "right up my alley". They were correct.
Let the good times roll indeed.
Nirvana
5/5
This album definitely deserves a place on this list. It's melodic, emotive, and noisy in the best way. I really love Kurt's vocals. Based on my own enjoyment, it's probably a 4, but because I can understand its significance - 5.
Simple Minds
3/5
Oh God. I wanted so badly to like this one, but I genuinely can't remember anything that stood out. I am a sucker for synths, so it definitely wasn't unpleasant at all, but. Meh....
Britney Spears
4/5
Ooh, this is a familiar one. I think I last re-listened a few months ago. Anyway, while Britney's vocals are admittedly pretty nasal, the pop production and catchiness cannot be denied.
Pavement
4/5
Ooh I like this. It sounds a bit less polished than Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain but it's still got quite a bit of charm. Will definitely have to revisit.
Kelela
4/5
Yes to the vocals. Yes to the lush soundscapes. Yes to the pretty melodies!!
The Fall
4/5
Eclectic and energetic, with vocals that wouldn't work with most other bands.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
I don't know enough about country to say whether this is groundbreaking for the genre or not, but it was pleasant. Nanci's voice is quite nice to listen to. I do have to be in a specific mood for this, though.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
Before this album: I don't really like RHCP based on their radio singles, but I'll give it a shot.
After this album: I don't really like RHCP.
Note: A few songs were alright. I quite enjoyed "Breaking the Girl" and "I Could Have Lied".
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I...I get it. But I'm still not impressed.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
I have never heard a single song from this album, so I went in completely blind. I didn't mind this, but it didn't feel that cohesive. Sometimes I was bored, and sometimes I was jamming, but mostly just a little underwhelmed?
Robert Wyatt
4/5
I don't know why I was mentally preparing myself for a disaster album. Other than a couple of oddballs, I thought this album was dreamy and electic.
Fairport Convention
4/5
There were two tracks I absolutely could not stand. However, the rest was lovely.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
Eric Clapton + "blues" = ew?
Screaming Trees
4/5
I knew absolutely nothing about this band going in, and I will happily check out the rest of their music. Was this life changing? Not really. Did I enjoy it? Hell yeah.
Steely Dan
4/5
No complaints here. This was nice. I feel like a middle aged white man.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
Was it bad? No. Was it good? Also no.
I appreciate the attempt, though. Could be background music I guess.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
This is cozy and feels almost like a casual conversation. I wouldn't pick this over other folk singers from that era, but it's nice enough.
Stan Getz
4/5
Oooh. Smooth.
Never fails to make me feel fancier than I actually am.
Rod Stewart
3/5
"Oh, this is nice."
*Rod Stewart starts to sing*
"Goddamnit."
---
Okay in small doses. I don't know why other "unpleasant" voices sound unique and interesting, but this just sounds annoying.
Coldplay
5/5
I will never not love this. Fun fact: "Clocks" is one of the only songs my elderly mother will sing along to in the car.
4/5
Yes, please. I will take all the snappy drums, splashy synths, and electric keys you have.
Peter Frampton
4/5
Baby, I Love Your Way was the worst part of the album. I can dig it, though.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
I am not sure if this was the best album to pick to represent John Lee Hooker (based on my research and also my listen), but I understand why it's on the list.
Blues is...an iffy genre for me. I respect and appreciate the music, but my enjoyment level can vary.
Sheryl Crow
4/5
I never really disliked Sheryl Crow, but at the height of her popularity, I was pretty young. In fact, when this particular album was released, I wasn't even born. So I never really had the itch to check out more than just radio singles.
But you know what? I'm pleasantly surprised. This is just...nice music! My words are failing me, but I can imagine driving down a scenic road to these songs.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
This was really quite good. A nice little 80s-flavored musical mixed bag. I can see myself listening to this one again, but it's missing that extra "je ne sais quoi" for me to give it a 5.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
4/5
Really fascinating. I feel like I have to study this one the next time I listen, but at least it's not dull!
Throbbing Gristle
3/5
Oh my GOD. What a fascinating academic listening exercise. Did I like all of it? No. Did I respect/appreciate all of it? Yeah. Worth a listen, just to have that experience.
Meat Puppets
4/5
Thought I wouldn't like it, but I listened twice in a row. Not bad. I like the guitars here.
k.d. lang
4/5
This kind of music is hit or miss for me, and I have to be in a specific mood to voluntarily put it on. But the vocals are absolutely insane. Ethereal and dreamy.
The Thrills
4/5
Really pretty. I enjoyed this record quite a bit. Not 100% sure how it got on the list, but I'm not complaining.
Bee Gees
3/5
Nice and pleasant. Almost boring.
Meh?
The Isley Brothers
3/5
I can appreciate this on a certain level, but this wouldn't be my go-to kind of music. Still, there's not much I can actually find fault with, it's just that I don't get a whole lot of enjoyment from it.
Teenage Fanclub
5/5
Dude. I loved this so much and I will not apologize for it.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
This was a solid blues rock album. While I wasn't always into the songs with the slower breakdowns, it was still fascinating to listen to the guitar work. It's not an album I would put on regularly, but I also wouldn't turn it down if someone were playing it.
The Boo Radleys
4/5
Honestly? Some of the reviews got me super worried, but this was actually pretty rad. It was not nearly the most eclectic or off-putting album on the list.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
yyyyeeeeeeesssssssss.
YYYYYYEEEEESSSSSSS.
Talking Heads
5/5
Talking Heads - one of the groups I dived into because of this project. This is an effortlessly good album.
Hookworms
4/5
Music was pretty neat. I like this kind of rock.
Do not look the band up if you can't separate the art from the artist.
The Fall
3/5
I didn't enjoy this one as much as 'This Nation's Saving Grace', but it was still not too bad. Just a little less memorable in my opinion.
Rush
4/5
So...I don't feel like this album changed my life or anything. But hearing everything after only knowing "Tom Sawyer" put things in perspective. Rush is...pretty solid.
TV On The Radio
4/5
This album took me by surprise. I remember listening to Dear Science earlier when I got it for the album generator and having...mixed opinions. But this was genuinely really good. I liked the darkness, the soundscapes, the quirkiness.
The Beta Band
4/5
For some reason, the vocals were slightly intolerable for me. Despite that, I enjoyed the album for the overall sounds.
Bad Brains
4/5
WOW. I did not expect to like this as much as I did. Maybe I can thank the album generator for expanding my musical horizons lol.
Garbage
5/5
Yes to Garbage.
Brian Wilson
4/5
I don't think I'd be capable of disliking this one even if I tried. Is it a perfect record? No. But it doesn't need to be.
3/5
Not nearly as horrific as I was expecting, but...also...not that great?
With almost every song, I found myself enjoying it until either some musical choice or some stupid lyric threw me off.
An interesting listen, though. 3.5...ish?
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Interesting messages here. I enjoyed the album less and less as it went on, but I'd still give most of it a second listen, personally.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Wouldn't put it on all the time, but it's really nice to hear in the background when I need to focus. Added a point because my husband adored it.
Django Django
4/5
Hm. Pleasantly surprised by this one! I'll definitely check out the rest of their work. This was just...easy to listen to. No other way for me to describe it.
Elton John
4/5
I still don't like Bennie and the Jets, sorry.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
4/5
I mean, I didn't mind it. And it was a pretty quick, nice listen. /shrug
Sade
4/5
I only knew "Smooth Operator" (and I thought I hated that song when I was fifteen). But after listening to Diamond Life, I think I'd listen to Sade sing the damn phone book.
It wasn't a perfect album, but I enjoyed it WAY more than I thought I would.
Songhoy Blues
5/5
Didn't understand a word. Didn't need to. This was awesome.
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
Need to listen to this one a second time, most likely. I really like a lot of the tracks, but the ones I don't like, I can't stand. So close to 5 stars. So close!
Billy Bragg
4/5
I was expecting his voice to be so much worse based on the reviews hahaha.
Anyway, uh...I loved this?
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Words cannot express how much I adored this album.
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
Oh yes. A thousand times yes.
The Smiths
4/5
I used to really like The Smiths when I was younger. This is still a pretty decent album, even if Morrissey isn't a decent person.
Gillian Welch
5/5
Damn near perfection in 51 minutes of alt-country/acoustic bluegrass. Love love love her voice.
Love
4/5
I genuinely don't know how groundbreaking it is, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.
Gram Parsons
3/5
A lot of albums that sound like this end up in the 'I don't mind it, ooh that part sounded nice...but would I voluntarily listen to this? Not sure'.
4/5
I feel like from an objective standpoint, I should have enjoyed this, but it just...didn't do all that much for me. A second listen did help a little. I think I can definitely say I appreciate this.
Mudhoney
3/5
It wasn't bad. A lot of songs didn't stand out upon first listen, but I'm sure a second listen will help with that. And this is something that I wouldn't mind giving a second listen to.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
I don't think I'd choose this over an orchestra (or a solo pianist) playing Mussorgsky. However, I always appreciate how much goes into reimagining classical like this. It was fascinating seeing how they changed up pieces I've heard for years. I'd say this definitely deserves a place on this list.
Stephen Stills
3/5
If beige were an album.
Ian Dury
2/5
Tell me why industrial music was easier to listen to than this.
All very *interesting* songs, but only a few I actively enjoyed without cringing the whole time.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
This was incredibly smooth. I don't think I could really dislike it, per se. But Frank Sinatra doesn't quite work, and when it does, someone else does it much better, so. Meh.
Anita Baker
3/5
I mean...this wasn't bad. I enjoyed the guitars in 'Caught in the Rapture', but for the most part, I wasn't really too musically captivated or emotionally moved.
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
Not sure if I'd listen to this for anything but background music. However, this is very smooth, very nice background music.
To quote my husband, "This jazz is...jazzy."
Mike Ladd
3/5
Liked some songs, didn't like others. My favorite was The Animist.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Eh? It was alright, I guess. Gives me a similar feeling to Please Please Me, except this one had more covers.
Shack
4/5
Aw, I really liked this one. Moved a bit sluggishly at first, but it grew on me by the end.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
This wasn't completely for me, and that's fine. I hadn't really heard anything from Kendrick other than 'Humble' and 'Swimming Pools (Drank)' so this was interesting. I saved about half the songs to my library. Usually because of a combination of samples and production.
The lyrics weren't always...an easy listen, I'll admit that. I'm not sure if this is THE most accessible rap album ever made, but it's worth a try, just once.
Guided By Voices
5/5
Excuse me. This was brilliant. No further notes.
Aimee Mann
4/5
Solid! I hadn't heard of Aimee Mann's stuff before, but now that I have, I'll definitely check out more of her work. I'm a huge fan of that female singer-songwriter sound from the 90s - Belle and Sebastian, Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Liz Phair, etc.
The Prodigy
3/5
Yeah, that's a no for the first track. The rest of the album makes alright background noise if you need to kill a bunch of things in video games.
Shoutout to Jimmy Eat World for having an awesome cover of "Firestarter" btw.
Bebel Gilberto
4/5
Incredibly chill and relaxing, save for the tracks at the start that were so damn energetic I could barely keep up with everything happening. Will definitely give another listen!
John Cale
3/5
Eh? It was pretty decent, but nothing amazing. I really liked "The Endless Plain of Fortune" and "Antarctica Starts Here".
Sebadoh
4/5
I feel like when I started the 1001 albums generator, I would have hated this. Or maybe felt nothing towards it. But now? I was really into this. From the quieter moments to the louder moments, from the clear to the fuzzy. This album was really genuinely an enjoyable listen for me.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Genuinely one of the best surprises this album generator has provided. Jazz music and world music are both genres I tend to struggle with (although I appreciate them on an academic level - acknowledging the effort and technique involved). But here? They marry each other beautifully.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Tell me how only two songs on the entire record compelled me.
As Metric once sang, "Who would you rather be? The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?"
Answer: The Beatles
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
Ok...?
Look, maybe it's not for me. But I seemed to go back and forth between "this is a nothing burger" and "this is an ANNOYING nothing burger".
Wire
3/5
Energetic. Eccentric. Electric.
Green Day
5/5
This album came out when I was eight years old. I wasn't really paying much attention to...what was going on in the world at the time. Sure, I had a basic idea, but my main focus (as a child) was, you know, on making it through elementary school!
Now, though? I'm nearing 30. I'm in the US. This album is so damn relevant it's ridiculous. On a musical note, I prefer this over Dookie - I'm a big fan of long-ass rock songs, so I get the complaints from some people, but for me, this is a solid record and still one of my favorites in Green Day's discography.
Elis Regina
3/5
This wasn't bad. I didn't dislike any songs, it just wasn't my flavor of bossa nova. And bossa nova isn't my flavor of choice in general. Would still put on in the background if I wanted some chill vibes, though.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
I am so sorry. Emmylou sounded lovely, but I was very very bored with half the album.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Tracy's voice is everything. And "Fast Car" is somehow even better than I remembered, which is saying something since I hear it on the radio pretty constantly.
The Libertines
4/5
Very Arctic Monkeys-esque. I dig it.
Gary Numan
4/5
The robot within is satisfied.
Deep Purple
5/5
Guitar was so epic I didn't even notice the album starting playing again until I was halfway through my (unintentional) second listen.
Merle Haggard
3/5
I have a love-hate relationship with steel guitar.
Funnily enough, I enjoyed every other song on the record. The rest of it didn't do much for me. I guess this specific kind of country (the older country that people tell you to listen to if you 'don't like country') isn't always for me.
Adam & The Ants
4/5
I seriously do not understand. But I really enjoyed it. It was weird, but...in a fun way?
Japan
4/5
Life changing? Perhaps not. Enjoyable and influential? Perhaps yes.
The Who
3/5
In general, I really like the Who. And in general, I really like concept albums.
This one, while decent, just doesn't..."click" for me.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
It wasn't bad by any means, but for some reason I got tired of it towards the end. Normally I'm into this kind of music, though.
The Mars Volta
4/5
Very cool. Also very pretentious. Like. I get it!! But still.
Björk
4/5
Hell yeah~! More Björk.
This is nowhere near unlistenable to me, but I guess tastes differ haha.
Drive-By Truckers
2/5
Ah. That was...not my thing.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Liked it and then got very bored, but then my attention was captured in the end again. Eh??
White Denim
4/5
So. I listened to this a month ago. Forgot about it. Had to revisit.
Definitely worth a second listen! This will go in my regular rotation.
808 State
3/5
It was fine. Literally. It was fine.
Ice Cube
2/5
I tried. Gave it a listen. But the lyrical content often made me uneasy. I still would revisit a few songs here and there, though.
Black Sabbath
4/5
4 for Vol. 4. Cool-sounding, but not life-changing.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
Respect. I'm not sure how much I enjoyed this (not as much as I should have), but I wouldn't skip this if it popped up on shuffle.
Foo Fighters
3/5
I’ve heard this one before. Better than I expected but my expectations were low.
Wouldn’t say many songs stuck out to me but it was an okay listen overall. Not my favorite from them.
Joan Baez
4/5
Ethereal voice + soft instrumentals = instant love.
Sonic Youth
4/5
I really liked this album. The frenetic energy was infectious, but the quiet moments were so impactful as well.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
This was a pretty good one. I didn't expect to enjoy it that much. Maybe I had really bad preconceived notions about Jane's Addiction for some reason.
Animal Collective
3/5
This is the most 3.5-ish album I've listened to in a while. For the most part, I was grooving. But every few minutes, I'd be like, "...hm...it got...unenjoyably weird for a second".
The Verve
3/5
Oh my God. It finally happened. I listened to Britpop and didn’t love it.
Throwing Muses
4/5
I have to admit I wasn't fully paying attention to lyrics here, but musically, this was pretty rad. I'm a big fan of alt rock, especially when it's not totally uninspired.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Wow. WOW. This took two listens. But by the second time, pretty much every single song captivated me. I really like the tone of Fiona's vocals and the lyrics, the composition, etc. it all came together really well.
Tortoise
3/5
I...think I enjoyed this? I don't know why I'm so unsure. Parts of it can be a bit irritating, but overall the ambient-ish vibes are appreciated.
LTJ Bukem
2/5
Oh God. I wanted to like this so badly, but I was just so fucking bored. I'm so sorry.
Mekons
3/5
Started off fun and quirky and somehow went downhill. Maybe it was my mood. Maybe it was the music.
Primal Scream
4/5
One thing I’ve had to learn over the course of this listening project? The difference between “this is inoffensive/I appreciate the effort” and “I genuinely would enjoy listening to this in my free time”. I get the appeal of this but there were a couple of songs (Don’t Fight It, Feel It and I’m Comin’ Down) where the sounds just…did whatever the opposite of scratching the itch in my brain is. I’d be vibing and then it would immediately stop haha.
Still. I enjoyed most of this one! The tracks I saved I REALLY liked, especially Higher Than the Sun.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Solid, didn't feel like it dragged on too long - which I was genuinely worried about, given my love-hate relationship with Dylan's voice.
Faith No More
3/5
I mean. It was good. Other than the vocals getting agitating.
The Dictators
2/5
This was the most album of all time. I don't have many thoughts. Positive or negative.
Ghostface Killah
3/5
I remember vibing to this moderately. Not too intensely. 3.5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I don’t like “Whole Lotta Lovin”. There. I said it. The rest of the album was pretty rad.
Rufus Wainwright
5/5
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Jesus, this man’s voice is beautiful and I’m a sucker for schmaltz.
James Taylor
4/5
It's about as chill as I expected, but the vocals are very, very pleasant to listen to.
Gang Of Four
3/5
This grew on me. Like a 3.5 if we're being accurate. A couple of songs just...rubbed me the wrong way? For some reason? But yeah, most of the album was neat.
Skunk Anansie
5/5
Oh my God. I am so into this. You have no idea. I will definitely check out more Skunk Anansie.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Oh hell yes. I don't know if I'd put it over Yoshimi but it's just as good.
Madonna
3/5
I liked the more acoustic songs. I get that Madonna might have wanted to do something different. I wish she would have done something good.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Oh God. I wanted to like this so badly. And I was grooving with the soft guitars and ballads but the middle of the album was such a slog to get through for some reason.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
I liked Emmylou's voice across the whole album, but didn't necessarily like every single song. Some of them just didn't click and that's okay.
Paul Simon
4/5
Listened to half the album then realized it was accidentally on shuffle. Listened to it in order again and managed to still enjoy the whole thing. Nice.
Blur
4/5
Woohoo.
Frank Black
4/5
Falls under 'not necessarily memorable' upon first listen, but I still really enjoyed it?
Love
2/5
Uh. No thank you?
Kate Bush
4/5
Ethereal. Really enjoyed the musical layers here.