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View User Albums Summary1089
Albums Rated
3.44
Average Rating
100%
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Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
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1950s
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Top Origin
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120
5-Star Albums
26
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Third
Soft Machine
|
5 | 2.43 | +2.57 |
|
American Gothic
David Ackles
|
5 | 2.48 | +2.52 |
|
Back to Mystery City
Hanoi Rocks
|
5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
|
Heaux Tales
Jazmine Sullivan
|
5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
|
Yank Crime
Drive Like Jehu
|
5 | 2.7 | +2.3 |
|
Atomizer
Big Black
|
5 | 2.72 | +2.28 |
|
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
|
5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
|
Night Life
Ray Price
|
5 | 2.81 | +2.19 |
|
I Am a Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
|
5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
|
Music Has The Right To Children
Boards of Canada
|
5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Live At Leeds
The Who
|
1 | 3.33 | -2.33 |
|
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
|
1 | 3.27 | -2.27 |
|
It's Too Late to Stop Now
Van Morrison
|
1 | 3.25 | -2.25 |
|
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
|
1 | 3.15 | -2.15 |
|
Hot Shots II
The Beta Band
|
1 | 3.01 | -2.01 |
|
Let Love Rule
Lenny Kravitz
|
1 | 3 | -2 |
|
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby
Terence Trent D'Arby
|
1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
|
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
|
2 | 3.96 | -1.96 |
|
Who's Next
The Who
|
2 | 3.91 | -1.91 |
|
Physical Graffiti
Led Zeppelin
|
2 | 3.91 | -1.91 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4.5 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 4.5 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.67 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.67 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 | 5 |
| Supergrass | 2 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 6 | 4.17 |
| David Bowie | 9 | 4 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 5 | 4.2 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 4.25 |
| Beatles | 7 | 4 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.33 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 4.33 |
| Yes | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Cure | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Public Image Ltd. | 2 | 1 |
| Van Morrison | 3 | 1.67 |
| John Martyn | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Beta Band | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Who | 5 | 2.2 |
| Tim Buckley | 3 | 2 |
| Kings of Leon | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| PJ Harvey | 2, 3, 5, 5 |
| The Velvet Underground | 4, 1, 2 |
| Dexys Midnight Runners | 4, 3, 1 |
| Peter Gabriel | 4, 2, 5 |
5-Star Albums (120)
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Popular Reviews
Talking Heads
5/5
Kind of makes me see why some people call Talking Heads a "punk" band, though this feels like it has more in debt to reggae and world music. Fast, crazy fun, weird music to dance to. Talking Heads are awesome. Favorite tracks: "Crosseyed and Painless", "The Great Curve", "Once in a Lifetime"
36 likes
Rush
5/5
It's fucking Rush. Favorite tracks: "YYZ", "Limelight", "Witch Hunt"
36 likes
Dead Kennedys
5/5
I think what makes the Dead Kennedys one of my favorite punk bands is multifaceted, but a major point of that is that it's not just angry-three-chords. There's elements of surf rock and even some early horror stuff on this record. East Bay Ray is a fantastic guitarist and second to maybe only Joe Strummer. Jello Biafria's lyrics, sarcastic-yet-serious delivery really seals the deal as well. Favorite tracks: "California Uber Alles", "Kill the Poor", "Holiday In Cambodia", "Let's Lynch the Landlord"
29 likes
The Police
3/5
The adoration for The Police continues to elude me. They're great musicians (and I'm not even counting out Sting himself here), but the record has occasional flits of greatness (seriously, even I enjoy "Message In a Bottle"), but never really nails it: some songs feel half-finished, and it switches between serious and almost-Offspring-level of jokey ("On Any Other Day"). I will say, I never noticed their post-punk tracks before, but those aren't the ones that usually play. Favorite tracks: "Message In a Bottle", "Deathwish", "No Time This Time"
21 likes
B.B. King
5/5
One where I think crowd noise really helps. Not that this album isn't fantastic, but the crowd is hyped up to see BB and it really makes the record that much more fun. BB was a phenomenal showman, and this album showcases it very well. Favorite tracks: "How Blue Can You Get?", "You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now"
19 likes
1-Star Albums (26)
All Ratings
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Lush, gorgeous. Like a giant blanket. Seems like a great album to get high to. Reminds me of MBV. Favorite tracks are "Pitch the Baby" and "Frou frou Foxes in Midsumner Fires".
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
I feel like this is an album I "get" more than I truly enjoy. Made me wanna put on eyeliner and wear all black clothing. A song like "Hong Kong Garden" has NOT aged well, even if it means well. The Beatles cover is so on-brand for what I expected this to be: dramatic, over-the-top, artsy. Favorite tracks: "Jigsaw Feeling", "Carcass", "Suburban Relapse".
Beatles
5/5
I feel like this is an album I "get" more than I truly enjoy. Made me wanna put on eyeliner and wear all black clothing. A song like "Hong Kong Garden" has NOT aged well, even if it means well. The Beatles cover is so on-brand for what I expected this to be: dramatic, over-the-top, artsy. Favorite tracks: "Jigsaw Feeling", "Carcass", "Suburban Relapse".
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
There's a passion and an energy to this, which I can understand why it was such a craze. A lot of the songs do come across as formulaic, but it's fun, just gets old after a little. It'a definitely the proper length, at 22min. I also didn't realize Jerry Lee Lewis was responsible for more than "Great Balls of Fire". Favorite tracks: "High School Confidential", "Money"
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
I called this album, "the album that launched every indie band in Washington state," and I think I stand by that. It wasn't bad, just wasn't super memorable to me. Could see why people like it and wouldn't be opposed to listening to another by them. Favorite tracks: "Electronic Renaissance", "She's Losing It"
Muddy Waters
5/5
Slint
3/5
Another album I "get" more than anything. Does a great job of creating a listless mood. The drumming is impressive. Favorite tracks: "Nosferatau Man" and "Good Morning, Captain".
Steve Winwood
4/5
So 80s it hurts my teeth. Some great tunes on here. More impressive when you find out her played every instrument himself. A few songs last a little longer than they should, and we could've skipped "Dust" all together. Also, "Spanish Dancer" legitimately sounds like a song from the Spyro soundtrack. Favorite tracks: "When You See a Chance", "Spanish Dancer"
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
Makes me want to dress in all black and go to a rave. Or at least play Vampires: The Masquerade. Lead singer reminds me of Peter Steele from Type O Negative. Favorite tracks: "Dominion/Mother Russia", "This Corrosion"
Goldie
2/5
I'm sorry, I get drum and bass but it's just not for me. I really don't want to rate this one star because it's good, I'm just not the person who would enjoy 2 hours of this. Unless I was on something.
Tina Turner
3/5
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
What on God's polluted earth was this? Weird fun to listen to. Somewhere between a plunderphonics, lo-fi chill beats to relax to 24/7, and a compilation album. Last track is the fucking weirdest. Favorite tracks: "Double Dutch", "World's Famous"
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
Pure Chili Peppers. Nearly every song is a hit. Flea is an absolute mammoth, Fruscinte is amazing, and even Keidis is great minus his weird white-boy rapping. Chad Smith's snare is god tier. Favorite tracks: "Parallel Universe", "I Like Dirt", "Californication"
Nine Inch Nails
5/5
Younger me loved this record. Still think Johnny's version of "Hurt" beats this one, but Trent Reznor agrees so it's cool. Favorite tracks: "March of the Pigs", "Heresy"
Circle Jerks
5/5
In, punk, out. Love Keith Morris and Off! especially. Favorite tracks: "Group Sex", "Deny Everything", "Paid Vacation"
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Sounds like an album that would be playing over the speakers as I shopped for records. Most of the songs blend together and while I appreciate the energy on the tracks, it's just kind of dull overall. Favorite tracks: "Do It Clean" "Happy Death Man"
Blue Cheer
3/5
Kind of the missing link between Cream and Black Sabbath. Raw recording, love the imperfections. Favorite tracks: "Summertime Blues", "Rock Me Baby"
The Who
3/5
Never been big on the Who, but I did enjoy this one. More of a 3.5ish. Love the idea of a rock opera, it just stretches a bit long. Keith Moon and John Entwistle steal the show on quite a few tracks, but then again, they always did. Favorite tracks: "Eyesight to the Blind", "Go to the Mirror!"
Motörhead
5/5
True Rock n' roll. Long live Lemmy. Favorite tracks: "Ace of Spades", "Love Me Like a Reptile", "The Hammer"
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
It's alright. Kind of zoned me out for a while in the middle. Could imagine hanging in a Seattle coffee shop or record shop while this record played over the speakers. Favorite track: "The Concept", "Is This Music?"
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Think it's fair to say classic rock radio has burned a good majority of this record into my brain. It's still tasty, and the production on this remaster I'm listening to is fantastic, especially the bass. Favorite tracks: "Bring It on Home", "Ramble On"
R.E.M.
5/5
Athens' finest. Been a big fan of REM thru my dad. First time I've sat down and listened to Document though. Lot of great ideas on here that make for a truly monumental alternative rock record. Favorites tracks: "Exhuming McCarthy", "Strange", "Finest Worksong"
Supergrass
5/5
Actually really good! I kind of guessed it would be a 90s power pop/alt rock scenario, but I didn't expect that I would like it so much. Fuzzy, and feels like it's wearing a massive grin the entire time. Favorite tracks: "Lose It", "Time", "Sofa of My Lethargy"
Deerhunter
3/5
Reminds me of a softer Interpol in some spaces. I like when it gets weird with it (some weird sound effects, a really great saxophone solo), but other than that it feels very calm and timid. Favorite tracks: "Earthquake", "Desire Lines", "Coranado"
Elvis Presley
3/5
Between the weirdly chaste songs (maybe excluding "Tutti Fruiti") and Elvis occasionally trying to sing like someone else, it's a weird one. Feels like the label didn't know what to make of rock n roll, or Elvis, yet. Still dorky and kind of fun in spots. Favorite tracks: "Blue Suede Shoes", " Trying to Get to You"
Dusty Springfield
3/5
It's fine. Dusty has a nice voice but at certain points this record just turns into so much wallpaper for me. Favorite tracks: "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore", "No Easy Way Down"
The Stone Roses
2/5
I don't understand the AllMusic review calling this a "dance" album. It just kind of sounds like another britpop record to me. I do like how "I Am the Resurrection" gets pretty interesting near the end, but I didn't really see the hype behind this. Favorite tracks: "(Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister", "I Am the Resurrection"
James Taylor
5/5
I've owned this album since I was an early teen and don't remember ever listening to it all the way through. I was obsessed with "Sweet Baby James" and "Fire and Rain" as a young kid, think the latter is one of my earliest memories of songs I've heard on the radio. The record is an impressive blend of country, folk, and blues. Bummer I've waited this long to listen all the way through. Favorite tracks: "Fire and Rain", "Steamroller Blues", "Country Road"
Weather Report
3/5
The musicians are phenomenal, but I feel like years of my father watching the Weather Channel have ruined me, preventing me from seeing this as anything but smooth background music. Again, well crafted, I just can't help my brain. Favorite tracks: "Birdland", "Teen Town"
The Monks
5/5
Fuck yes. Stooges, eat your heart out. Awesome proto-punk that I literally never knew about prior. Demented, fun, and way ahead of it's time. Favorite tracks: "I Hate You", "Higgle-Dy Piggle-Dy", "Monk Time"
Goldfrapp
4/5
Interesting, a mix of Massive Attack-like electronic and lounge, jazz vocals. Blends really well and I can't help but wonder if they've ever done a theme to a Bond movie. "Oompah Radar" is a total miss though. Favorite tracks: "Human", "Utopia", "Felt Mountain"
Janis Joplin
4/5
Joplin's distinct voice really makes this record. It's fun, exuberant, and loaded with some phenomenal instrumentals (see opener "Move Over"). Shame we lost her so young, seems like she'd be a lot of fun to see live. Favorite tracks: "Move Over", "Cry Baby"
Bad Brains
4/5
Only ever listened to "Pay to Cum", so it's fun listening to this because I can hear how it influenced other bands I like (Faith No More and Deftones, for sure). It's extremely unique, with some crazy vocals. I'm not a huge reggae guy, but I love the little splashes thrown on this record. Favorite tracks: "Secret 77", "Re-Ignition"
Arcade Fire
3/5
Theatrical. It's not bad and I like the unique instrumentation that pops up but holy hell is it long. I imagine it's telling a story but I zoned out here and there. At least I have a reason to be so lukewarm on Arcade Fire now. Favorite tracks: "The Suburbs", "Deep Blue"
The Black Keys
4/5
I think this is the album before they lost the plot. Lot of fun bluesy, funky tracks on this one. Favorite tracks: "Next Girl", "Sinister Kid"
Massive Attack
4/5
More of a 3.5. The instrumentals are great throughout but occasionally I dislike the vocalists (the "Light My Fire" cover is particularly bad). Love the Tracey Thorne cut, and didn't realize a band I liked had sampled from "Sly" (Does It Offend You, Yeah?'s "Wondering"). Favorite tracks: "Protection", "Weather Storm"
The Offspring
5/5
I've heard this album 100s of times. One of my best friends wore out 3 copies on CD when we were younger. Still great. Favorite tracks: "Bad Habit", "Killboy Powerhead", "Self Esteem"
Patti Smith
3/5
I liked it but probably not enough for regular listens. I really like it when she gets into a story or a long-form song (like "Birdland"). Super unique voice. Somewhere between Siouxsie Sioux and Bob Dylan. Favorite tracks: "Gloria: In Excelsis Deo", "Land"
4/5
Oh Miss Loretta, you make me want to sit in a bar, drink whiskey, and cry. Great voice and phenomenal country record. Favorite tracks: "I Really Don't Want to Know", "Saint to a Sinner"
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Interesting, super jazzy. Not something I'd listen to a lot but glad to have heard it. Favorite tracks: "The Hissing of Summer Lawns", "Harry's House/Centerpiece"
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Excellent blend of metal, rap, and hardcore. Not that foreign today but ground-breaking in its time. It's also aged very well and is still as relevant and heavy today. Favorite tracks: "Bombtrack", "Wake Up"
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
The guest list. The beats. Kendrick. The message.. Everything about this album is absolutely unreal and it's so hard to pick favorites. Favorite tracks: "For Free?", "Alright", "King Kunta", "The Blacker the Berry", "Wesley's Theory"
Pavement
4/5
I partially love this because I feel like I can hear the bands this inspired, and partially because it's a fun record. Jangly, lackadaisical, makes me want to smoke and lay in the sun. And dance like the singer from Cage the Elephant. Favorite tracks: "Unfair", "Gold Soundz"
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Amazing with so much internal drama they were able to write a record with so many fucking incredible songs. "The Chain" is one of the best rock songs ever written. Favorite tracks: "The Chain", "Gold Dust Woman"
Koffi Olomide
2/5
Maybe I'm just super uncultured but I'd never heard of Soukus music (I even spelled it wrong just there). It's fine, seems like a lot of fun to dance to, but holy hell an hour of this was a lot. Especially for something so seemingly formulaic. Favorite track: "Papa bonheur"
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Leonard's writing is great in places but kind of bad in others (e.g. "Jazz Police" is ridiculous but "Tower of Song" gets humble-braggy really fast). The instrumentals and production sound dated in a way only the late 80s truly can. Not for me. Favorite tracks: "Jazz Police", "Everybody Knows"
Pixies
5/5
"Deranged" in only a way the Pixies have ever really managed. Super ahead of the times. Frank Black really sounds like he's only just holding the shreds of his sanity, and this album is the cathartic breakdown. Favorite tracks: "Tony's Theme", "Oh My Golly!", "Vamos"
Portishead
2/5
There's not a lot of vocal dynamics and a lot of this album is just so much wallpaper. I got halfway through before I found a song I could remember, let alone could say I enjoyed. Really like it when it gets noisy and dissonant. Favorite tracks: "We Carry On", "Magic Doors"
Beatles
5/5
A bridge between the rock n roll of the early Beatles, and the psychedelia they would be dipping their toes into just one album later. Favorite tracks: "All My Life", "I'm Looking Through You", "Drive My Car"
Scott Walker
4/5
Love the anti-war tracks. Love the sweeping, western orchestral instrumentals. Can dip into early 60s ballad territory a little hard sometimes. Favorite tracks: "Hero of the War", "The Seventh Seal", "Boy Child"
Tito Puente
5/5
Really hard not to smile while listening to Señor Tito and his orchestra. Perfect for cooking or, really, anything. Favorite tracks: "Complicación", "Llego Mijan"
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
A very interesting take on a live album in the fact that, while raw, it doesn't really sound like a live album. Still great rock n' roll, with a lot of fantastic distortion. Favorite tracks: "Welfare Mothers", "Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)"
k.d. lang
3/5
Lovely little blend of a multitude of genres (folk, country, pop, jazz, etc). Feels like it's best enjoyed with tea on a rainy day. Great harmonies, too Favorite tracks: "Constant Craving", "Season of Hollow Soul"
4/5
Bounces between Ramones style bouncy punk to leaning slightly more hardcore. I'd say it's a proto-pop-punk record. Lot of fun, and the dual vocalists definitely help break it up here and there. Favorite tracks: "Universal Corner", "Back 2 the Base"
k.d. lang
4/5
I like this more than "Ingenue". It's more of a cut-and-dry country record, with a chorus of all-stars at the end, and some interesting choices of instruments (don't remember much saxophone on other country records). Still not really for me, but I can kind of see the reverence around it. 3.5 stars. Favorite tracks: "Black Coffee", "Down to My Last Cigarette"
Louis Prima
5/5
I bet you this would've been super fun to see live. New Orleans truly has a fantastic music scene, and Mr. Prima must've been the absolute king. Love the sense of humor and the lively brass. Favorite tracks: "Buono Sera", "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead", "Jump Jive an' Wail"
PJ Harvey
2/5
Eh. I wasn't really crazy about it. Appreciate the anti-war lyrical content (at least that's what I got from my gleening), but the rest of the music doesn't really do much for me. Favorite tracks: "Bitter Branches", "The Glorious Land"
The Stooges
5/5
Iggy Pop and the Stooges are awesome. This album just cements that. Favorite tracks: "Search and Destroy", "I Need Somebody"
Primal Scream
2/5
The album does a good job of presenting itself as it lives: a drug-fueled haze. Initial impression was "bad U2 rip-off", but after the first song I was more into it. But it's pretty repetitive (by design, I imagine), and I'm just not the right person to completely enjoy this. If I was high and felt like dancing, I'd be all about it.. Favorite track: "Don't Fight It, Feel It"
The Incredible String Band
3/5
Can't say I've heard anything quite like it. Violently 60s. Somewhere between hymnal and Renaissance music, with some added eastern flair. Can't say I'll listen again, but it's cool to know this exists. Favorite track: "The Minotaur's Song"
Beastie Boys
4/5
Fun and loose. Showcases the Beastie's hardcore punk roots more than I'm familiar with. End of the album is kind of a drag. Favorite tracks: "Get It Together", "Do It", "Sabotoge"
Eric Clapton
3/5
I'm at odds with Clapton. On one hand, inspired me to pick up guitar. On the other, notorious piece of shit. Sleepy album for him, seems really laid back and relaxed. The Marley cover is passable. Favorite tracks: "Motherless Child", "Steady Rollin' Man"
Television
4/5
Fun, jazzy, angular, theatrical. Your favorite band's favorite album. Paved the way for a lot of great music. Favorite tracks: "Friction", "Marquee Moon", "Elevation", "See No Evil"
Common
4/5
Common is skilled, but a huge part of this album being as good as it is owes itself to Kanye's gorgeous production. Love the actual Chapelle's Show rip on "The Food". Album slows down from "Testify" to "Love Is...". Favorite tracks: "The Food", "Go!", "
Mudhoney
3/5
Grungy, scuzzy, blues. Sometimes out of its goddamn mind, but overall a pretty cool look as to what was going on in 91. Favorite tracks: "Shoot the Moon", "Love Gun 91", "Check-out Time"
Judas Priest
3/5
Weirdly patriotic in spots. Has some classic songs, but I still prefer "Screaming for Vengance" over this, since this is not as heavy. Favorite tracks: "Breaking the Law", "Steeler", "Living After Midnight"
James Brown
3/5
Sounds like a fun concert. James leans a little more towards Sam Cooke than I expected him to. He really knows how to work a crowd. The medleys are great. Favorite tracks: "I'll Go Crazy", "Please Please Please"
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Love Aretha. Love the Sam Cooke tributes on here. "Good Times" was a great choice and her version of "A Change is Gonna Come" is fantastic, soulful, and spiritual. Favorite tracks: "Respect", "A Change is Gonna Come", "Drown in My Own Tears"
Lou Reed
3/5
Never really got into Lou Reed, this doesn't change much. It's got a certain lackadaisical personality to it, and I like the wide array of instruments. But it doesn't really do much for me. Favorite tracks: "Satellite of Love", "Walk on The Wild Side", "I'm So Free"
Duran Duran
4/5
80s to the core. Still, weirdly doesn't sound super dated like some late 80s stuff does. Pretty fun, the songs can be a bit long though. Favorite tracks: "Hold Back the Rain", "Rio", "Save a Prayer"
Various Artists
4/5
The production is impeccable. Wish I knew about this before Christmas, definitely perfect for the holidays. Special shoutout to the Ronettes. Favorite track: "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", "Winter Wonderland"
Janelle Monáe
5/5
One of those albums I've been meaning to check out forever, but never did. Always knew Janelle had a big Prince influence, but I think it's unfair to just stop there. OutKast, Disney movies... feel like I can gleen a LOT from this album. Only one song I feel like doesn't fit ("Make the Bus", which is a shame, cos I enjoy Of Montreal), but other than that, the album flows at a relentless and wonderful pace. Amazing piece of art. Favorite tracks: "Wondaland", "Say You'll Go", "Dance or Die"
Public Enemy
4/5
I've seen Public Enemy and always thought of them as slightly preachy. This album makes me think less "preachy", more "passionate". At certain points, the songs can run kind of long, but the instrumentals are fucking awesome and the energy truly never dies. Favorite tracks: "Fear of a Black Planet", "Burn Hollywood Burn", "911 Is a Joke"
Ravi Shankar
2/5
Not really my cup of tea. I like how he breaks down the various theory of what he's playing, but an hour of this is a lot.
David Bowie
3/5
Never been crazy about Bowie. Feels sacrilegious. Didn't expect half of this album to be instrumental. Seems a bit out-there at certain parts. "Heroes" is still a wonderfully classic track. Favorite tracks: "Heroes", "Blackout"
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
CCR is classic and have never put out a bad album. (We don't talk about 'Mardi Gras'.) Favorite tracks: "Travelin' Band", "Heard It Thru the Grapevine", "Before You Accuse Me"
Genesis
3/5
I'm only really familiar with Phil Collins-led Genesis (mom likes "A Trick of the Tail"). It's amazing to see they started as an extremely proggy-Rush-ish band and went into 80s pop later. It's not bad, just a little pretentious and not for me that much. Favorite tracks: "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight", "The Battle of Epping Forest"
Madonna
3/5
Part white lady spiritual, part trip hop. Way too long. I enjoyed it at first but an hour is way too much of this. Favorite tracks: "Candy Perfume Girl", "Skin"
The Charlatans
3/5
The Oasis comparison hit me from the first chord. It's not bad, I just couldn't really escape that initial impression. Favorite tracks: "Get On It", "One to Another"
Mike Oldfield
3/5
Interesting, love the different instruments used. Prefer the second part of the movement when everything comes together and kicks in. Theme is good too.
Pretenders
3/5
Very new wave. Chrissie Hynde has a very unique voice. Nothing super crazy for me here. Favorite tracks: "Mystery Achievement", "Brass in Pocket"
Elton John
4/5
Contains two of Elton's best songs. Not sure the "Indian Sunset" message holds up, but everything on here is still super solid. Favorite tracks: "Tiny Dancer", "Levon"
Cypress Hill
4/5
Unique flow, super fun record. Gives you a lean in your step. Figured that the delivery would get old after a little, but it never really did. Favorite tracks: "Stoned Is the Way of the Walk", "How I Could Just Kill a Man"
Kanye West
5/5
One of the first rap albums I've ever owned, and an album that showed me that rap wasn't all singles and materialism. The skits are great, the songs are better, and I still maintain "All Falls Down" is one of the best rap songs ever recorded. Production is Kanye classic... I could go on and on. Favorite tracks: "All Falls Down", "Family Business", "We Don't Care", "Never Let Me Down"
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Some of the song material is very specific. For example, not sure how I feel about the procreation anthem of "The Future Generation". Still, it's got great energy and Neneh shows she can hold her own lyrically. Does sound pretty dated though (I can pinpoint what year this was made, same with "Pretty Hate Machine"). Favorite tracks: "Buffalo Stance", "Inna City Mama"
Beach House
3/5
Sleepy, probably best enjoyed being played on vinyl, with a joint or tea. Songs can be a little long, but it was never unpleasant. I dislike using the word "hypnotic" but it probably fits in this case. Favorite tracks: "Real Love", "Walk in the Park"
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I've listened to a bunch of LCD before but never actually sat down with this album. I think it loses steam somewhere near the end; especially on the last two tracks, which are a combined 25 minutes. It's not bad, just maybe trimming the fat would have made this a great album. Favorite tracks: "how do you sleep?", "other voices", "tonite"
Oasis
4/5
Yep, that's Oasis. Always manages to reflect their obvious Beatles influence with a way more sardonic twist. Never actually listened to this (Just (WTS)MG), but it's probably just as good as that record. Favorite tracks: "Live Forever", "Supersonic", "Married With Children"
Stan Getz
4/5
Super mood music. Makes me want to order a Manhattan in a dark, fancy bar. Love the Latin influences, gets a little dancing out of me. Favorite tracks: "Simba De Uma Nota So", "Desafinado"
The Smiths
4/5
Morrissey is an ass but man is this a great album. I'm jokingly calling it "the godfather of Emo". Love Johnny Marr's guitar playing, never takes center stage but always creating an atmosphere that is distinctly his. Favorite tracks: "I Want the One I Can't Have", "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"
Talking Heads
5/5
Kind of makes me see why some people call Talking Heads a "punk" band, though this feels like it has more in debt to reggae and world music. Fast, crazy fun, weird music to dance to. Talking Heads are awesome. Favorite tracks: "Crosseyed and Painless", "The Great Curve", "Once in a Lifetime"
The Pogues
4/5
I've seen Flogging Molly a bunch but never listened to the Pogues. Can see the evolution. Good stuff, sounds like it would be fun drunk, disappointed I got this in dry January. Favorite tracks: "Fairytale of New York", "Thousands are Sailing", "Medley: The Recruiting Sergeant"
Happy Mondays
2/5
Got the same thing out of this album that I got out of Primal Scream's record. Whatever these people were on in Madchester, must've been good. It's fine. Just too long and kind of hazy after a while. Favorite tracks: "God's Cop", "Donovan"
The Jam
2/5
A perfectly fine rock record with my only question being, "Why is this here?" It's alright, but I don't see any reason this should be on here. It's Stones-esque, Who-esque at certain points, but it's just pretty boring, if competent. Favorite tracks: "But I'm Different Now", "Set the House Ablaze"
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Never been a huge VU fan because my only point of entry was Lou Reed's solo stuff, and my one coworker who only played their live stuff. I like this quite a bit. "The Murder Mystery" is an absolute mess, but I really enjoyed the rest of it. Lackadaisical, subdued, easy listening. Favorite tracks: "Candy Says", "What Goes On", "Beginning to See the Light"
The Band
4/5
Honestly mostly avoided The Band because they were Dead-adjacent (a bunch of my hippie coworkers like TGD and these guys, so scared me off). There's a lot more pulse here, as opposed to TDG, so I don't feel the comparison is *that* just. Good blend of blues, folk, rock, and maybe a little bit of southern rock and creole. Favorite tracks: "Jemima Surrender", "Up On Cripple Creek", "Rag Mama Rag"
Bob Dylan
4/5
Yep, that's Bob Dylan alright. Normally, I'd say a record like this felt long, but once I got into it, I was really enjoying it and not worrying about the time. Nothing I could imagine trimming, either. Good mix of folk and blues. Favorite tracks: "Visions of Johanna", "Just Like a Woman", "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands"
Missy Elliott
4/5
This is a Missy Elliot Exclusive. I like how personal this album feels. Missy has always been one of the best flows in the game, but I never knew she had such a good singing voice. Great beats. Favorite tracks: "Work It", "Pussycat", "Nothing Out There for Me"
5/5
FINALLY! Holy heck is this a great album, and now I can see what people get out of David Bowie. Always knew it was me. It's like every favorite track I've ever had from Bowie just happens to be on this record. Favorite tracks: "Starman", "Moonage Daydream", "Five Years"
4/5
Never listened to Blur saved for a few songs, knew they were more than "Song 2" (which was a parody anyway). This is some damn good britpop. Damon Albarn really knows how to craft a catch tune. Favorite tracks: "For Tomorrow", "Oily Water", "Villa Roise"
Sister Sledge
4/5
Lush, fun, and joyful. Maybe a touch repetitive, but doesn't really detract from the experience all that much. Favorite tracks: "He's the Greatest Dancer", "We Are Family"
Metallica
3/5
A few things keep this from being way more awesome than it is: a) I feel like Metallica kept all of their songs as close to the same as possible, which just makes this Metallica with a symphony layered over it. b) Hetfield's voice is clearly doctored up a little. c) It's pretty chaotic at points, which works for some songs, but not so much for others. Either way, pretty awesome and must have been absolutely nuts live. Gives a new meaning to the "symphonic metal" genre. Favorite tracks: "One", "Devil's Dance"
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Long, needs a bit of a fat trim. Seems kind of unfocused. When it hits, I like it, but when it doesn't, grows stale very quickly. Favorite tracks: "Think About Me", "That's All for Everyone", "Tusk", "Angel"
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Somewhere between ska, new wave, and the Dead Kennedys. Poly Styrene's vocals take some getting used to, but I eventually got it. The saxophone, however, is a novelty that wears off. Announcing the song title at the beginning of the song does as well. Favorite tracks: "Identity", "Plastic Bag"
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
I kind of assumed it wouldn't be some boring gift shop music and boy was I right. I like the subversive name and cover, and really enjoy the minimalism. Good background music. Favorite tracks: "Surface Tension", "Milk"
M.I.A.
3/5
Simultaneously futuristic and tribal. I like the little flairs of disco, Madonna, and Pixies (??) here and there. M.I.A. isn't a super electric performer and I think that the legacy of this album subsists on the music. A lot of it is very cool and I haven't heard anything like it prior. "Paper Planes" is still a good track but I could go a little without hearing it again. Favorite tracks: "Bamboo Banga", "Mango Pickle Down River", "Come Around"
The Coral
3/5
Kind of a neat record with a wide variety of instruments. "Dreaming of You" is one of those songs you've heard a hundred times without knowing the origin. Lots of pulse to this one. Favorite tracks: "Waiting for the Heartaches", "Bad Man"
The Verve
2/5
Has some shoegaze notes but feel like this is more a product of something related to Madchester. A little bit long and pretty hazy. Never really been a big fan of The Verve, this isn't really changing anything. Favorite tracks: "A Northern Soul", "Life's an Ocean"
Rush
5/5
It's fucking Rush. Favorite tracks: "YYZ", "Limelight", "Witch Hunt"
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Ella had a wonderful voice. The arrangements are sparse, probably to show her off. Nice snow day music. Favorite tracks: "Maybe", "Soon", "But Not for Me"
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
I can't say I'm too huge a fan of the production on this, but the songs are great. I know Sly/The Family for more the upbeat songs, but this definitely has a darker edge. Favorite tracks: "Africa Talks to You", "Family Affair", "Smilin'"
Bad Company
2/5
Just... super boring. I've only ever heard Bad Company on the radio and nothing ever made me want to listen to a full album. I can only imagine the people who are super, super into this. Possible progenitor of butt rock. Favorite track: "Don't Let Me Down"
Brian Eno
4/5
Somewhere between the Beatles and new wave lies this. Also get a lot of Talking Heads out of it, which makes sense since Eno and David Byrne have been working together forever now. Loses steam a little near the end. Favorite tracks: "Blackwater", "King's Lead Hat", "By This River"
OutKast
4/5
Speakerboxxx is packed with great guests, awesome beats that still sound fresh, and Big Boi throwing his all into it. It's a 5/5. The Love Below is interesting and the one word I keep coming back to is "indulgent". It's a low 3. Pretty long project overall, but pretty worth it. Favorite tracks (Speakerboxxx): "The Rooster", "GhettoMusick", "The Way You Move", "Church" // Favorite tracks (The Love Below): "Roses", "My Favorite Things", "A Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre"
Faith No More
4/5
Pretty nuts that this was released in 89, feel like this record inspired a lot of bands. I remember reading Slash's autobiography and he said this album was the shit when it came out. A cavalcade of genres blended expertly, with one of the wildest vocalists. Only complaint is the keyboards sound dated as hell. Favorite tracks: "Surprise! You're Dead!", "Zombie Eaters"
Grateful Dead
4/5
I knew this would come up eventually. I feel like I've been held hostage by recordings of live shows for the Grateful Dead so much, I have a soft spot in my heart for them. At the same time, I could go the rest of my life not hearing another. Gorgeous harmonies, and I can enjoy this when I know the songs aren't 20 minutes long for no reason. Favorite tracks: "Ripple", "Box of Rain", "Truckin'"
Johnny Cash
4/5
Johnny's got great banter in between songs, something missing from Folsom, if I remember right. He seems really at ease and funny. Songs are great too, but it's Cash; we knew that already. Favorite tracks: "Starkville County Jail", "Boy Named Sue", "Peace in the Valley"
XTC
5/5
An old friend of mine and his father were into XTC, but I never listened to them. Let me say: what a fucking album. It flows together incredibly, the sound is somewhere between Genesis, The Beatles, and Duran Duran, and this thing has hooks for days. Blown away, really. Favorite tracks: "That's Really Super, Supergirl", "Ballet for a Rainy Day", "Earn Enough for Us"
The Divine Comedy
4/5
An oddball record to be sure. Theatrical, excessively so. Bet it would be fun seeing with a full orchestra. Sometimes the lyrics are eh, and I feel like that's the foundation of the song. Can't say I didn't enjoy it though. Favorite tracks: "Through a Long and Sleepless Night", "The Frog Princess", "Becoming More Like Alfie"
Waylon Jennings
3/5
Short, pretty uniform throughout. Good example of the "outlaw country" that Waylon helped popularize. It's fine, I just don't have any strong feelings about it. Favorite tracks: "Omaha", "Ain't No God in Mexico"
Eagles
4/5
Amazing what adding a member can do. Way more rock than previous efforts, but still pretty ballad heavy. Gorgeous harmonies, as always. Last track ("The Last Resort") could have been left off the record; it's a little preachy. Favorite tracks: "Hotel California", "Wasted Time", "Try and Love Again"
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I'm from Jersey, so I'm legally obligated to give this a 5. (Kidding.) Aside from the somewhat cheesy, dated production, this is a great batch of songs. Tracks like "No Surrender" and "Dancing In the Dark" are classics, and even got me singing along. Favorite tracks: "No Surrender", "Bobby Jean", "Glory Days"
3/5
Sparse, very 2000s. I like Thom Yorke's appearance. I also like this record a ton more than "Let England Shake". A little bit more rock foward, with some slow spots here and there. Favorite tracks: "Big Exit", "One Line", "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore"
Slipknot
3/5
Little groovy, mixed in with some hardcore, metal, and radio-friendly rock elements. A little cringey at times, especially lyrically. I think if I had listened to this when it had originally come out (I was 16), I would've been really about this. I'm more of a fan of Volume 3, though. Favorite tracks: "Psychosocial", "All Hope is Gone", "Dead Memories"
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Hit after hit after hit. Practically a greatest hits record. Soul, funk, rock, it's got it all. Just a tad bit long. Favorite tracks: "I Wish", "As", "Black Man", "Isn't She Lovely"
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Fred Armisen has a great bit on when your mind starts to drift while listening to jazz. While I enjoyed this, it was mostly background music while I was working and working on my Vietnamese. Favorite track: "My Man's Gone Now"
Machito
3/5
Frantic and fun. Not sure how I'd be able to dance to some of these songs without absolutely destroying my hips. Trumpet is definitely the star here. Favorite tracks: "Wild Jungle", "Kenya", "Cannonology"
CHIC
3/5
Fun, sticky melodies. Songs can be a little long and a little repetitive. But the instrumentals are lush and fun. 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Good Times", "What About Me", "Will You Cry When You Hear This Song"
Morrissey
4/5
Was surprised how rock-focused this is. Some songs are still reminiscent of the Smiths, but others go for some straight-forward rock. It's nice. Lyrics are still on-point. Favorite tracks: "The National Front Disco", "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful"
Bob Dylan
4/5
A classic. Sparse, full of Dylan's wit, and contains what I consider some of his best songs. Favorite tracks: "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright", "Masters of War", "Girl From the North Country"
Blur
3/5
It's not bad, but I feel like quite a few of the songs are parodies or just ripping off other genres. This can be successful (they're great anytime they try grunge) or less than successful ("Country Ballad Sad Man"). It's not bad, I just preferred MLIR. Favorite tracks: "M.O.R.", "Chinese Bombs", "Strange News from Another Star"
The Cardigans
4/5
An album that I'm kind of surprised to see here (The Cardigans are considered a one-hit wonder, after all). Went into it thinking my mind wouldn't be changed, but this is a great pop/rock record with some fun disco and grunge influences. The "Iron Man" cover is super fun, too. Favorite tracks: "Been It", "Lovefool", "Happy Meal II"
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Full-on space wizard stuff. Schizophrenic at times. A fun listen, but it does drag on a bit near the end. The medleys are super nice, and I appreciate that it gets noisy occasionally. Favorite tracks: "Zen Archer", "You Need Your Head", "Medley: I'm So Proud"
2/5
Feels heavily indebted to Bowie and Duran Duran. The songs are fine, but blend together after a while. Bass player puts in work, though. Favorite tracks: "Show Me", "Many Happy Returns"
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I feel bad not giving this a 5 or anything, but it's a good, solid, blues rock record. A little slower in spots, and a few songs feel kind of formulaic for the Stones. Also, the less said about the lyrics to "Brown Sugar", the better. Still a killer song. Favorite tracks: "Brown Sugar", "Bitch", "Can't You Hear Me Knocking"
Van Morrison
3/5
It's fine. Maybe a little one note, or maybe Van Morrison's voice is so distinct that it feels one note due to that. "Moondance" is still a killer song. Shame VM is a shithead in real life. Favorite tracks: "Moondance", "And It Stoned Me"
The Doors
4/5
Say what you will about Morrison being a bit pretentious, he and the other fine gentlemen of The Doors knew how to write a song. Fantastic blues rock with a very energetic performance. Two songs ("Indian Summer", "Queen of the Highway") feel superfluous. Favorite tracks: "Roadhouse Blues", "Peace Frog", "The Spy", "Maggie M'Gill"
Paul Simon
3/5
I mostly avoided this album because I've never been a huge fan of "You Can Call Me Al". It's a fine record with some of the problems I have with that song being carried over here (some instruments sound dated as heck). Not really my favorite, but I can see people enjoying it. Favorite tracks: "Homeless", "Gumboots", "I Know What I Want"
Ash
3/5
Somewhere between Warped Tour and Nirvana. Took me a few listens to get through, can be a little whiny. Still, I enjoy the vibe of ordering a fancy coffee in a hipster cofffeeshop in Seattle while this blares over the speakers. Favorite tracks: "I'd Give You Anything", "Innocent Smile"
Paul Simon
3/5
A little less world music than Graceland, but I enjoy it slightly more. Still not a huge fan, but some great guitar work on here. Favorite tracks: "Think Too Much (a)", "Train In the Distance"
Bobby Womack
3/5
Good solid modern soul. Think the shiny production gets in my way of enjoying it more. Favorite tracks: "Secrets", "If You Think You're Lonely Now"
The White Stripes
4/5
Good, solid, bluesy garage rock. No real frills about it. I don't think there's a bad song on here, but they do all kind of blend together after a while. I did listen thru it at least twice. Favorite tracks: "I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman", "Fell In Love With a Girl", "We're Going to be Friends"
Bloated and shiny. There are some interesting musical ideas here from the band, I just can't get past Bono and his weird lyricism on this. Never was a big U2 fan, so sue me. Favorite tracks: "Beautiful Day", "Walk On"
Bee Gees
2/5
Heavily, heavily indebted to The Beatles and what sounds like late 60s early 70s pop music (lush strings, etc). Opening track has a hint of prog-rock, but it's not really shown the rest of the album. Not the Bee Gees I'm familiar with, and I prefer the Bee Gees I'm familiar with. Favorite tracks: "Marley Purt Drive", "Lamplight"
The Louvin Brothers
4/5
Lovely Americana. Great harmonies, love the mandolin. Knew them from "Satan is Real", glad it's a bit less religious. Interesting rendition of "In the Pines" Favorite tracks: "Kentucky", "Knoxville Girl"
Carpenters
3/5
It's not bad it's just very... safe. Dull, edgeless, kind of boring. I can't say I dislike it (cos the harmonies are gorgeous), but I can't say I remember a whole lot from it either. Favorite tracks: "Help", "(They Long to Be) Close to You", "Another Song"
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Pretty long (it is a double album). Love the choral elements, Nick's voice works wonderfully with the sound of a full choir. Can be a little repetitive, but gives me the feeling of gospel music at times. 3.5 stars. Favorite tracks: "Hiding All Away", "Supernaturally", "Carry Me", "O Children"
Ramones
4/5
All killer, mostly no filler. Four men, one drum beat, three chords. I could go on but I really do enjoy this record. Ramones are the influence for a large part of my adolescent favorites. So I definitely owe Joey and the group. Favorite tracks: "Let's Dance", "Beat on the Brat", "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"
5/5
I've only ever listened to Fragile but damn did I love this one. The first track may have been 19min, but it did not feel like it at all. Great prog with a lot of fun influences. Favorite track: "Close to the Edge"
Eminem
5/5
An extremely in-depth, personal record on Marshall's thoughts about his sudden fame, the pop landscape; all told through the scope of his classic horrorcore rap style. Nuts, and at certain points still fucking terrifying. Still making waves today, too. Favorite tracks: "Kill You", "Remember Me?" "Stan"
Crowded House
4/5
After two listens, it finally clicked that this band has a very R.E.M. feel to them. I really enjoyed it, even if at times the instruments sound like they're from the Spyro video game series. Great album from front to back. Favorite tracks: "Tall Trees", "Weather With You", "It's Only Natural"
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Nice, dancey. Very on-par with Depeche Mode without being as dark. Love the Dusty Springfield duet. Favorite tracks: "I Want to Wake Up", "What Have I Done to Deserve This?", "It's a Sin"
Happy Mondays
3/5
I kind of like this one a *little* more than the previous one I listened to, but it's still a hazy ... something. The drugs in Manchester must have been great. Favorite tracks: "Mad Cyril", "Fat Lady Wrestlers", "Brain Dead"
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Singer songwriter mixed with a little 90s grunge. I own "One Plus One is One" but never looked past that. This is great (closer to a 3.5) but there's some fat that could've been trimmed. Favorite tracks: "Fall in a River", "Another Pearl", "Disillusion"
Buck Owens
3/5
Pretty stock standard country/western. One or two songs are indistinguishable from a few others, and there's one track that really feels like a Sam Cooke track. Not bad, just a few tracks I really remember. Favorite tracks: "If You Fall Out of Love With Me", "Act Naturally"
The Streets
2/5
The story is kind of interesting, but the beats are very quiet and the rapping is very stilted. I could tell it was self-produced before looking it up. Overall very eh. Favorite track: "Fit But You Know It"
Q-Tip
4/5
Q-Tip is still one of the best MCs to ever grace the mic. It's a solid record with some good beats and bars. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Gettin Up", "WeFight/WeLove", "Shaka"
Country Joe & The Fish
4/5
Fuzzy, loosey goosey blues and psych. A pleasant surprise, but I feel like it loses the plot near the end. I like how, at one point, they drop all pretense and just whisper the letters "LSD". Favorite tracks: "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine", "Love"
OutKast
3/5
Long and a little bloated. When this album hits, it really hits though. Favorite tracks: "Bombs Over Baghdad", "We Luv Deez Hoez", "Snappin' and Trappin'"
Beck
3/5
A few of my favorite Beck songs are on here. While I appreciate him bringing a huge variety of influences to the record (hip hop, noise, folk), it does take a minute to actually get to a point where I like it. Favorite tracks: "Sissyneck", "Derelict", "The New Pollution"
Gotan Project
3/5
Nice for a little, just (as my main complaint with most of the albums on here), it's pretty dang long. Nice ambient music. Cool concept, as well. Favorite tracks: "Queremos Paz", "Vuelvo Al Sur"
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
A little rave in my pocket. Engaging enough to be entertaining, passive enough to make work go a little smoother today. The year this was released makes me feel like this was a massive influence in the early 00s, I can point out a lot of movies that kept the same gritty hard bass sound. Favorite tracks: "Elektrobank", "It Doesn't Matter"
Spiritualized
4/5
I'll admit, I really got into this. It's good background music, but I occasionally tuned in and enjoyed what I was listening to. Can't name many specific tracks, but loved the vibe and will probably be back. Very spacey. Favorite track: "Home of the Brave"
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Fun, party music. Whoever the drummer is on this, he is putting in WORK. Weirdly I feel like Maiden fans might enjoy "Pitche Me". Favorite track: "Pitche Me"
Metallica
5/5
I feel like I can understand people who don't like metal, but I really enjoy it. Metallica, especially, has a lot of symphonic and classical influences apparent in their music. Just look at a song like "Battery", or pretty much anything on this record. I'm not Metallica's biggest fan, but damn does this record rip. Favorite tracks: "Battery", "The Thing That Should Not Be", "Sanitarium"
Bob Dylan
3/5
A very bluesy Dylan. Reminds me a lot of Clapton's solo material. I like the full band feel, but I feel like there's been too much reverb on Dylan's voice. A pleasant listen, but I did drift in and out a little. Favorite tracks: "Dirt Road Blues", "Million Miles"
New Order
3/5
Dancey. I kind of preferred them when they had a more post-punk influence. Still, this is inoffensive and catchy. Favorite track: "The Perfect Kiss"
Supergrass
5/5
First band I'm giving back-to-back 5 star ratings for (nearly 200 days in!). Crazy fun, super catchy, fuzzy power pop. Really enjoyed this and "I Should Coco". Favorite tracks: "G Song", "Richard III", "Hollow Little Reign"
System Of A Down
4/5
Been a fan of SOAD for a while so I'm biased. Feel like this album gets lumped into nu metal a lot, but I feel like it contains a lot more thrash and hardcore influence. Unhinged. Really great, high energy stuff. Favorite tracks: "Know", "Soil", "War?"
The Jam
3/5
I enjoyed this a little more than the previous Jam album, but still very "eh" overall. I enjoyed the more lively performance on this record. Favorite tracks: "David Watt", "Billy Hunt", "In the Crowd"
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Pleasant, lounge, lightly funky vibes. Good sitting-in-the-sun music. I liked the instrumentals. Favorite tracks: "Rainy Day", "XL 30", "Island Letter"
Neil Young
4/5
Pleasant even if it is an album about grief. As you'd expect from Mr. Young, a good blend of folk, blues, and outright rock n' roll. Can't say I'm a huge Neil Young fan, but I do enjoy his work quite a bit. Favorite tracks: "World on a String", "Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown", "Albuquerque"
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
4/5
I've been waiting to get this album since I saw it was in the bottom ten of the entire book for a while. Not trying to be contrarian, but I really enjoyed this. This album is some dirty blues. I can see how it would be abrassive to some, especially on the first few tracks, but once you get into the madness, it's easy to get lost in. Favorite tracks: "Chicken Dog", "Hot Shit", "R.L. Got Soul"
Suede
5/5
Honestly didn't know what to expect but walked away really enjoying this. Very Bowie, very early-era R.E.M., pretty gorgeous in places. Dramatic, but has the chops to back it up. Favorite tracks: "Heroine", "This Hollywood Life", "The Asphalt World"
Fever Ray
3/5
Little out there. Primal, tribal, very sparse. Creepy at times. The phrase "witch house" keeps popping in my head no matter how many times I try to stop it. Favorite tracks: "Seven", "Concrete Walls"
The Pogues
3/5
Think I enjoyed the other Pogues record a little more. Once this one settles into a groove, it doesn't change it up too much. I still enjoyed it. Favorite tracks: "Wild Cats of Kilkenny", "The Gentleman Soldier", "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda"
Michael Jackson
4/5
It feels sacrilegious to give this album a 4, when so many songs are not only imprinted in the human mind but even human DNA. However, Christ, can I not stand "The Girl is Mine". I haven't heard it in a while, so I almost came around to it before that talking part in the middle. Christ. Still a damn near flawless record from one of pop culture's most troublesome idols. Favorite tracks: "P.Y.T.", "Baby Be Mine", "Beat It", "Billie Jean"
Steely Dan
4/5
A very tight set of songs. Reminds me of Weather Report, but slightly more accessible. My former boss is a huge fan, and while it's not totally for me, I see the appeal. Favorite tracks: "Deacon Blues", "Peg"
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Can never say no to a CCR record. The fact that they were able to record so many classics in such a short amount of time is staggering, especially when you consider Fogerty was doing all of the writing. Favorite tracks: "Lodi", "Commotion"
The Saints
4/5
Love the different choices of instrumentation, love the horns (and the fact that it doesn't sound like ska). Think it really sets it apart from the crowd. Youthful, snotty, fun, punk. Favorite tracks: "No, Your Product", "(I'm) Misunderstood"
The Beach Boys
4/5
The Beach Boys have always had gorgeous, sweeping harmonies, and I feel like they truly shine here. Weirdly, I really enjoy the studio noise at the very end of the record. A lot of beautiful sounds on this record. Favorite tracks: "Help Me Rhonda", "In The Back of My Mind"
Fats Domino
4/5
Seems like there's a decent amount of jazz influence in this rock n' roll. Fats is a classic. If this site had half stars, it'd be closer to 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Blue Monday", "Reelin' and Rockin'"
Bob Dylan
4/5
Very Bob Dylan (obviously). I enjoyed this about as much as I enjoyed "Blond on Blond". Dylan's storytelling is always engaging, and this record felt a little more cohesive and overall enjoyable to listen to. Favorite tracks: "Like a Rolling Stone", "Highway 61 Revisited", "Tombstone Blues"
Foo Fighters
4/5
I've mostly listened to the singles from this record before, glad I sat down and listened to it. Love the emo influences on here (wonder if there are any Jawbreaker records on this list?). Makes sense he would take some members of Sunny Day Real Estate for the next record. I enjoy the grittiness of this, especially seeing how polished the future records would become. Foos also put on a hell of a show. Favorite Tracks: "Good Grief", "Big Me", "For All the Cows"
Tom Waits
4/5
The first words to pop into my head were "voodoo blues". A bunch of my favorite artists love Waits, so naturally I enjoyed this. Waits sounds like a man possessed or heavily intoxicated. Very apocalyptic. Favorite tracks: "Jesus Gonna Be Here", "Goin' Out West", "Murder In the Red Barn"
Pink Floyd
2/5
Very all-over-the-place. Not really a showing of what they would become. I've listened to it prior, and didn't remember much, and for probably good reason. Very acid-folk, loose, weird. Favorite track: "Take Up They Stethoscope and Walk"
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
A classic. The beats are still just as fresh as they were on release. Always makes me laugh how a bunch of kung-fu nerds redefined an entire genre. ODB forever. Favorite tracks: "Method Man", "C.R.E.A.M.", "Protect Ya Neck", "Can't It All Be So Simple"
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
I've probably described albums as "theatrical" but this album feels like a better example than most. The storytelling with lush orchestral arrangements really does make this feel ready for the stage. I enjoyed it, but don't know if I'll listen again. Favorite tracks: "The Art Teacher", "Crumb by Crumb"
The Verve
2/5
"Bittersweet Symphony" has always been... not my favorite song, but I tried to shed that bias and listen with fresh ears. Still not doing much for me. It's a really long record, doesn't really do anything for me. And I like shoegaze, which this album has in spades. Nah. Favorite track: "Catching the Butterfly"
The La's
3/5
Jangly. It's fun reading the Wikipedia page and learning the band disowned it because it didn't fit their "vision". Curious what that was. Kind of a pretty standard pop-rock record. Favorite tracks: "Timeless Melody", "Way Out"
Al Green
3/5
Soulful and sensual. Pleasant, but not really my everyday jam. Love the lush instruments, and Green's voice is wonderful. Favorite tracks: "It Ain't No Fun to Me", "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Not bad. I'm sure the Simpsons has been referenced in this section before so I'll skip it. The title track is impressive, but certain parts can be cut probably. It's kind of a stock-standard, freak-out, psychedelic record. Favorite tracks: "My Mirage", "Are You Happy"
Björk
3/5
I feel like calling this "unique" is dismissing it a little, but that's the word that comes to mind. Bjork has a very powerful, versatile voice, and the production in spots is still fresh. Very trip-hop. Kind of loses mean in the later half of the album. Favorite tracks: "Crying", "There's More to Life Than This"
Spacemen 3
2/5
Mellow. Reminds me of Spirtualized, which I'm pretty sure is connected to this band. I enjoyed the Spiritualized album a bit more, this one was a little too much wallpaper. Favorite tracks: "Revolution", "Suicide"
The Stooges
3/5
I remember a buddy of mine telling me this record was made after the Stooges had "1969" and "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and at certain points, it makes sense. I enjoyed "We Will Fall", but don't know if I need to hear it again. Raggedy, loose fun. Prefer "Raw Power" to this, however. Favorite tracks: "1969" "No Fun"
ZZ Top
3/5
80s excess drenched in some classic, southern fried blues. The riffs are great, might be a little fat to trim. Some, dare I say, interesting song topic choices (I'm looking at you "TV Dinners"). "Sharp Dressed Man" plays in everyone's head when they put on a suit. Favorite tracks: "Dirty Dog", "Gimme All Your Lovin'"
Fleet Foxes
3/5
Kind of makes me think if the Grateful Dead were really into choral and hymnal music. Peaceful. Great harmonies. Not really my style. Favorite tracks: "Ragged Wood", "Your Protector"
The Prodigy
3/5
Good background music for work. Never been a huge rave guy, so this was just ... fine, I guess. Love the energy, but it all kind of bled together after a while. Favorite tracks: "Breathe", "Climbatize"
Small Faces
3/5
Psychedelic, poppy, very whimsical. Not really a strong opinion on this one other than "it was fine". The skits in between were a little weird, but I didn't hate them. Favorite tracks: "HappyDaysToyTown", "Rollin' Over"
Incubus
4/5
I've owned this album forever and only listened to bits and pieces of it. I came in with a mild bias, thanks to the jerks at Clear Channel, who only played singles from this record. It was nice to hear the likes of "Stellar", "Drive", and "Pardon Me" on my terms, but I can't say I really missed them. Weird sentence, but I can definitely get a heavier Chili Peppers vibe from this record. Lots of funk influences, mixed with some metal, and some "rapping", though I'll say Brandon Boyd has a better singing voice than Anthony Keidis (maybe). Favorite tracks: "Privilege", "Nowhere Fast", "Battlestar Scratchlactica"
Pulp
2/5
Didn't do a lot for me, unfortunately. It's a fine album, I just found myself relatively uninterested. Jarvis Cocker's delivery ranges from fine, to weirdly seductive to me. Songs are fine. Guess I'm more of a Blur fan. Favorite track: "Disco 2000"
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Groovy, despite being over 30 years old the beats are still choice. If I have one complaint, this album is very, very Q-Tip heavy (think Phife only got like 2 verses?). It inspired a lot of my favorite rappers, it's nice to hear this album still held up. Favorite tracks: "Can I Kick It?", "Luck of Lucien"
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Gorgeously textured, so much so that I can almost taste them. A warm, enveloping blanket. Wonderful music to smoke to, if it isn't obvious. Favorite tracks: "Only Shallow", "When You Sleep", "Soon"
New York Dolls
3/5
Loose, like the Stones but more punk. Love the vocal performances throughout the record, love the extension of the syllables. More of a Stooges fan when it comes to proto-punk, but this is still tasty. Favorite tracks: "Personality Crisis", "Pills", "Vietnamese Baby"
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Subdued. Reminds me of background music that would play in a more upscale restaurant. Good, but nothing that cuts through. Favorite track: "Minor Chant"
David Bowie
4/5
Theatrical in a way that only Bowie could really do. Favorite tracks: "Life on Mars?", "Queen Bitch"
Tom Waits
4/5
Local man possessed by the spirit of creole jazz, more at 11. The more I reflect on this record, the more I really like it. Tom Waits is an insane man, and it translates heavily into his music. Love the marimba and the unusual... everything about this album. Favorite tracks: "Jockey Full of Bourbon", "Big Black Mariah", "Union Square"
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
Dizzee's energy and skills are to be commended heavily here. My only complaints are that a) some of the beats haven't aged super well and b) this project is at least 15 minutes too long. Solid 3.5 star. Favorite tracks: "Fix Up, Look Sharp", "Hold Ya Mouf", "I Luv U"
The Temptations
4/5
I feel the only weak spot here is their version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Rest of the album is some classic soul and funk, along with some excellent story telling. Favorite tracks: "Runaway Child, Running Wild", "Don't Let Him Take Your Loving From Me"
Astrud Gilberto
4/5
Relaxing, very aptly named. Heavy bossa nova vibes. Ms. Gilberto's voice is very relaxed and relaxing, and I think I could throw this on while cooking or hanging out somewhere. It's very pleasant. Favorite tracks: "The Face I Love", "Misty Roses", "I Think of You"
Boards of Canada
5/5
I hear things that I feel would later go on to influence other bands and artists I like (Trent Reznor in his later years, Burial), so I'm digging this album. Breakbeat background sounds, fades a little too far into the background at points, but wonderful if you're paying attention. Don't think I've liked an electronic track on first listen as much as I vibed with "Turquoise Hexagon Sun". Favorite tracks: "Turquoise Hexagon Sun", "Telephasic Workshop"
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
I'm at odds here. This is one of the first albums I remember owning, and Franz Ferdinand is one of the first bands I remember really liking. That being said, I'm trying to figure out whether I didn't like this album as much is due to changing musical tastes, or just the fact that I burned out a lot of these songs a long time ago. Still have an appreciation for a few, maybe I like their newer albums more? Weird. Favorite tracks: "Jacqueline", "The Dark of the Matinee", "Michael"
ZZ Top
3/5
Bluesy. Had me in the first half, but aside from "La Grange", it just kind of tappers off for me. Solid licks as always. Favorite tracks: "Waitin' For the Bus", "Jesus Just Left Chicago"
Fairport Convention
2/5
I like the Celtic influences, but man does this entire thing feel very bland and one-note. Zoned out kind of hard, despite trying to keep with it. Favorite tracks: "Come All Ye", "Matty Groves"
The Prodigy
2/5
Holy Christ is this project loooooooong. Nearly 80 minutes. It's good background music, but when I focus on it, I get bored super quickly. I ended up scanning through the last three songs. I like the industrial vibe it gives, but I just didn't like this record that much. Favorite tracks: "Poison", "3 Kilos"
Portishead
4/5
I remember getting "Three" a while back and being kind of "meh" about it. I enjoyed this record quite a bit more. Reminds me of being in a smoky, sophisticated cocktail bar while a singer in a gorgeous dress preforms. Favorite tracks: "Strangers", "Wandering Star"
Sade
3/5
Subdued bossa nova. Pleasant enough while it's on, just very... wallpaper, and all the songs are very, very similar. Favorite track: "Smooth Operator"
Raekwon
3/5
Love the mood and the energy. Feel it's a bit long, and it took a few tracks before I found anything I really enjoyed. Goes hard though. Favorite tracks: "Can It All Be So Simple", "Spot Rusherz"
UB40
2/5
I went into this kind of dreading it. I hate "Red Red Wine", so I was expecting more of the same. While I did get a bunch of it, I did also get some interesting dub parts. Inoffensive enough background music, not for me. Favorite track: "Burden of Shame"
The Beach Boys
2/5
A weirdly, subtly sinister Beach Boys record. The songs are, I hesitate to use the word but, solid, just weird in certain spots ("Student Demonstration Day" sticks out the most, super cheery but very, very dark). Not a record I plan on really revisiting. Favorite track: "Disney Girls"
Boston
5/5
Practically a greatest hits record, one of the strongest debuts of any band. Every song is an instant classic, and I don't think there's a wasted second on the record. Brad Delp's voice is wonderfully joyous throughout the entire record, backed by some excellent roaring guitars. Favorite tracks: "Foreplay/Long Time", "Rock and Roll Band", "Peace of Mind"
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
God, I am so not sure why this album didn't click with me *at all*. I like the jazzy flourishes, I really like Costello's lyrics, I just didn't really enjoy this album all that well. It was so weirdly flavorless. Feel bad giving it this rating, but there's no song on here I really, thoroughly enjoyed. Favorite Track: "Man Out of Time"
Cocteau Twins
3/5
223 albums later, here we are. "Heaven or Las Vegas" was the first record I got on this site, and I feel like that is a better, more evolved record. I like the ethereality (is that a word?) and choral elements of this record, I just don't think the group hit their stride until later. Still a nice, relaxing offering. Favorite tracks: "Lorelei", "Ivo", "Aloycius"
The Modern Lovers
2/5
Kind of bland, very indebted to The Velvet Underground. It's not bad, I'm just not really sure why it's here. Nothing really stuck out to me too boldly. Favorite track: "Modern World"
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
A fun, high-energy record. Feel like if the Clash brought in a horn section. Theatrical, though not in a crazy, unbearable way. Favorite tracks: "Seven Days Too Long", "Tell Me When My Light Turns Green"
Bon Jovi
4/5
Flashy, big hooks, fun. Think the keyboards sound dated but even I, a somewhat jaded music nerd who never really cared for Bon Jovi, have to admit a large majority of songs on this record absolutely still kick ass. "Social Disease", which sounds like Huey Lewis trying to go glam, is the only real miss here. Favorite tracks: "I'd Die for You", "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' on a Prayer"
Violent Femmes
4/5
I have a lot of thoughts on this record. The first time I found out it was from the early 80s, I was shocked. This feels like a crazy, weird, experimental record that felt like prime mid-90s territory, among the likes of Beck, Cake, etc. This record feels so ahead of its time it's insane to me. Wikipedia describes this as a "folk punk" record and, while I can kind of see that, the folk punk I'm more familiar with is like... early Against Me!, as well as a bunch of smaller, local bands from my basement show days. Plus, this record has a lot of influences from blues and maybe even bluegrass. Total blast, super fun. Favorite tracks: "Add It Up", "Gone Daddy Gone"
George Michael
4/5
Normally I dislike late 80s synth sounds, but I feel like they fit weirdly well on this record. A lot, lot of bangers on this record. I just feel like two songs ("Monkey", "Look At Your Hands") pale a little bit when compared to the rest of the record, despite the fact that they've got pretty strong hooks. Favorite tracks: "Father Figure", "Faith", "Kissing a Fool", "One More Try"
Santana
3/5
A neat blend of psychedelic blues rock and latin jazz. The Tito Puente cover was nice, and I never realized "Black Magic Woman" wasn't originally a Santana song (it was originally a Fleetwood Mac song). Makes me envision The Allman Brothers getting lost in the desert and doing some peyote. Favorite tracks: "Incident at Neshabur", "Mother's Daughter"
Black Sabbath
4/5
Sabbath rules. I still feel like "Changes" is a weird song in the midst of all of the other heavy, psychedelic offerings here. Still, Sabbath during their prime and just about as heavy as it gets. A lot of the music I listen to today is deeply indebted to Sabbath, and thus so I am. Favorite tracks: "Supernaut", "Cornucopia", "Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes"
Black Sabbath
5/5
Only thing to really say is, "Sabbath fucking rules." A record that, even over 50 years ago, everyone is trying to clone and improve upon. Delightfully occult, heavy, and just makes you want to headbang. Contains my favorite Sabbath song: "N.I.B.", once described as "the raucous defiling of Cream", a better description I cannot supply. Favorite tracks: "Black Sabbath", "Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B."
AC/DC
3/5
I feel like classic rock radio has ruined AC/DC for me. I'm very aware of all of the songs that get played on the radio, and while they're "fine" and I have no problem with them, they never really made me want to seek out their albums. It's fine, good, sexually-charged rockin'. Favorite tracks: "Girl's Got Rhythm", "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)"
Pavement
4/5
I got "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" earlier in this list, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed this one as well, but it feels like a way more stripped back, loose version (makes sense since it's the debut). I like the jangly, almost off-the-cuff-sounding nature of it. I can understand why people wouldn't like it, but it clicks with me. To paraphrase a favorite video game reviewer: it takes a lot of effort to look this effortless. Favorite tracks: "Here", "In The Mouth A Desert"
Elbow
4/5
True story: I've owned this record forever, just never actually listened to anything aside from "Grounds for Divorce". I'm very surprised how much I enjoyed this record. It's indie rock with a lot of interesting instruments, structures, and vocal performances. I think it hits a lull mid-album that only really recovers at "Some Riot", but I think the 4-song run of "The Bones of You" through "An Audience With the Pope" is just perfect. Favorite tracks: "Mirrorball", "Grounds for Divorce", "The Bones of You", "An Audience With the Pope"
Joni Mitchell
3/5
A little less jazzy (aside from "Twisted") than the other album I've received from her so far ("The Hissing of Summer Lawns"). Still an enjoyable enough listen, just didn't really click with me to where I'm overly fanatical about it. Favorite tracks: "Car on a Hill", "Down to You"
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
Love the flows, love the instrument diversity. Based on the name, I was expecting some 80s new wave and was pleasantly surprised. Lot of sticky hooks on this record. Little long. Favorite tracks: "Scooby Snacks" ,"Crime and Punishment"
Brian Eno
2/5
Glam but with a heavy dose of experimentation. A little up-its-own-butt throughout the majority of the record. When it focuses on writing a good pop tune, it nails it. It just doesn't focus that often. Favorite tracks: "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch", "Blank Frank"
Dire Straits
3/5
No doubt Mark Knopfler is a fantastic guitarist, but at certain points it can be a bit distracting. This is especially true, in my opinion, on a few of the opening cuts of the record. It's a nice, relaxing blues rock record. Favorite tracks: "Sultans of Swing", "Six Blade Knife", "Wild West End"
Carole King
5/5
I feel like I use, "an impressive blend of [insert genres here]," whenever I'm praising an album, but I think this album is a great mix of a number of genres I wasn't really expecting. Rock, folk, blues, gospel... I can see James Taylor's influence on this record (and he also plays on it, so that makes sense), as well as a song I could see Creedence Clearwater Revival doing ("Smackwater Jack"). I can see all of the praise for this record: I don't think I can find a bad song. King is a phenomenal songwriter and it shines through on this record. Definitely gonna give this record a spin when it gets cooler out; a very fall/winter-mood record. Favorite tracks: "So Far Away", "Home Again", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"
David Bowie
4/5
A lot of the tracks on here give me the same vibe of The Mars Volta. Frantic rock and jazz. The horn player especially reminds me of Isaiah Owens from TMV (RIP). A fitting swan song, I think. Favorite tracks: "Lazarus", "Sue (In a Season of Crime)"
David Gray
3/5
Pretty standard singer/songwriter stuff with some nice drum machine flourishes here and there. The songs are well written, if a little forgettable. Gray clearly has some Bob Dylan influences. Not bad, more of a 3.25/3.5. Favorite tracks: "White Ladder", "We're Not Right", "Nightblindness"
The Young Rascals
2/5
Pleasant enough. Soulful. Fine when it's on, just forgettable when it's off. Some of the worst album art I've seen. Favorite tracks: "Groovin'", "You Better Run"
The Police
2/5
Whew. To admit bias, I've never been a huge fan of Sting. However, I tried to go into this record without letting that affect my judgement. It's difficult when the first few tracks are pretty experimental, "Mother" especially (what the actual hell *was* that song, anyway?). The record hits a stride midway at "Synchronicity II", and kind of fluctuates from there. I haven't listened to "Every Breath You Take" independently in years, and it was surprisingly nice to hear in the context of the record. Still, the stride is short lived, and most of the tracks feel like... somewhere between "experimental" and "whatever, that's close enough to a song". Favorite tracks: "Synchronicity II", "King of Pain"
Manu Chao
4/5
Manu's grasp on languages and genres is impressive. You never really know what you're going to get on each song. I feel like a lot of the record is influenced by early hip-hop (including the two rapped tracks earlier in the track list). A solid 3.5 from me. Favorite tracks: "Luna y Sol", "Mentira"
The Byrds
3/5
Peaceful and relaxing. Kind of reminds me of the Monkees, if the Monkees got super into psychedelics and Cream. A few songs left an impression, the rest kind of floated by. Favorite tracks: "Tribal Gathering", "Change is Now"
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
A lot more straightforward blues than blues rock. Lot of tracks where they just jam on it. Some noticeable jazz influence as well. Good stuff, just maybe a tad long? Eh. 4.5 stars. Has some absolute Hendrix classics on it. Favorite tracks: "Crosstown Traffic", "Voodoo Chile", "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)", "All Along the Watchtower"
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
Never went out of my way to listen to much bluegrass. I've said records are long on this project, but my goodness is this thing loooong. I still made it through it all, so I probably enjoyed some of it. I do really love the fact that there's studio noise in between some of the songs, really gives the impression that these songs were just off-the-cuff jam sessions. Favorite tracks: "Will the Circle Be Unbroken", "Tennessee Stud", "Keep on The Sunny Side"
Aerosmith
3/5
Not bad. Never been super into Aerosmith, but never hated them before. The title track from this record is one of my favorites. Solid rock record. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Round and Round", "Toys in the Attic"
David Crosby
3/5
Mood music. Very mellow. Jammy. I like it as background music, but when I focus on it, I seem to lose focus quickly. It's pleasant enough. Favorite tracks: "Cowboy Movies", "Song With No Words"
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Peaceful. As always, jazz puts me in a fall and winter mood. Some impressive trumpeting on here. Favorite track: "Inner Crisis"
Lou Reed
3/5
Weird, strange, and offbeat in a way that only Lou Reed truly ever was. Unfortunately, he never really clicked with me, and this album is no different. It's fine, and I enjoy it in spots, just not as a whole. Favorite tracks: "Caroline Says I", "How Do You Think It Feels"
Fairport Convention
3/5
I enjoyed it more than I did the previous recommendation ("Liege and Lief"), a lot less straight up folk. It's not bad, just not anything impressive to me. Favorite tracks: "A Sailor's Life", "Million Dollar Bash"
Isaac Hayes
4/5
I, like much of my generation, really only knew Isaac Hayes from South Park. Glad to have gotten this and checked out the record. Tight, funky, soulful music that's engaging to listen to despite it being background music for a film score. Favorite tracks: "Ellie's Love Theme", "No Name Bar", "Do Your Thing"
Buzzcocks
4/5
As somebody who listens to a lot of punk with a pop edge, I know how important Buzzcocks are to a lot of my favorite bands. Great album. Favorite tracks: "Fiction Romance", "Sixteen", "Fast Cars"
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Just a solid rock album. Elements of country and blues interspersed throughout. More than a little horn. Favorite tracks: "Country Honk", "Live With Me", "Midnight Rambler"
Herbie Hancock
5/5
An insane, electrifying album from front to back. Incredible performances, engaging music. Can't speak any more highly of this one. Favorite tracks: "Chameleon", "Watermelon Man"
Nick Drake
3/5
Peaceful. I like Drake's voice. Pleasant enough, I like the string sections. Didn't have a big impact on me. Favorite tracks: "River Man", "Saturday Sun"
Sepultura
4/5
The first few songs sound like a pretty basic hardcore/thrash record, but it does get a little more experimental as it progresses. It's enough to separate it from the big four. Favorite tracks: "Altered State", "Subtraction", "Under Seige"
Grizzly Bear
2/5
A few bright spots in an otherwise long album. Each song really feels like it could've chopped at least a minute off of it, sometimes more. Very sleepy, sedate. Favorite tracks: "While You Wait for The Others", "Fine For Now"
Liz Phair
3/5
Loose, sparse. Seems fitting that I listened to this in the Seattle area (even though Liz was based in Chicago): very riot grrl, lo-fi, grungy. Certain points I was into, certain points not so much. Eighteen songs is a bit long. Favorite tracks: "Fuck and Run", "Divorce Song", "Soap Star Joe", "Shatter"
John Martyn
2/5
Somewhere between jazz fusion and folk. Little blues thrown in there as well. Inoffensive. Kind of boring. Favorite track: "May You Never"
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Kind of hard to hate Aretha, right? The more I listened, the more I realized I couldn't really find any flaws in it. Smooth soul and gospel backing a one-of-a-kind voice. Favorite tracks: "Money Won't Change You", "Since You've Been Gone", "Ain't No Way"
The Clash
3/5
A pretty straightforward punk record with a few dub/reggae influences sprinkled along a few tracks. A good start, great harmonies, just overshadowed by later works. Favorite tracks: "I'm So Bored With the USA", "Career Opportunities"
Marvin Gaye
4/5
I've known the story behind this album for quite a while but never actually sat down to listen to it. It's very, very bitter. Still maintains a solid groove, and once you get past the first two songs and understand what you're in for, it's really a great album. Favorite tracks: "Anger", "Is That Enough", "You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You"
Gene Clark
2/5
A resounding "meh" from me. It gets better when it brings in a full band, but I still can't shake the Dylan comparison. Fine enough, just nothing Earth-shattering. Favorite track: "With Tomorrow"
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Am album I feel like I could sit down with, and contemplate everything. Cohen's lyrics are simple, sometimes to the point of either brilliance or inanity. Love the feeling of the record, somewhere between hymnal and drunk older man singing at a dead bar. Favorite tracks: "You Want It Darker", "Leaving the Table", "Traveling Light"
Rod Stewart
2/5
This sounds less like a cohesive album, and more like Rod Stewart throwing various songs and genres at the wall to see what sticks. I've never been a huge fan of Rod Stewart, this isn't doing much to change that. Favorite track: "You're My Girl"
Pink Floyd
4/5
An album I feel like I've heard a ton despite never actually sitting down with it. It's nice to hear a lot of the songs in context, though I think I'm permanently tired of "Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2". Some of the most exquisite guitar playing you'll ever hear. Favorite tracks: "Young Lust", "Comfortably Numb"
The Flaming Lips
5/5
A surprisingly beautiful album. A rare album that I threw back on immediately after listening to it. It's weird, but also has some wonderfully sticky hooks in it, as well as some varied instrumentation and some interesting noise influences here and there. Could imagine enjoying a relaxing evening flying among the stars to this record. Favorite tracks: "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton", "Waitin' on a Superman", "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate"
Sex Pistols
3/5
An album I feel like I would've loved if I found it before all the other punk music I got into prior. Don't get me wrong, I know how influential this record is, but I personally can't give it a five. Rotten's snarl/sneer vocals get tired after a while, and a lot of the songs begin to blend together. Still an important record. Favorite tracks: "Pretty Vacant", "Problems"
Jurassic 5
4/5
At a certain point, the boom-bap beats start to wear on you. There are also a few cuts near the end that drag the record down a little. However, the flows are technical and tight, and this is still an enjoyable listen. Favorite tracks: "Freedom", "What's Golden"
John Grant
4/5
I'm at odds. I like this weird little album, it seems extremely personal and goes between folk and bombast. While I think it's good, I'm not sure it should be here? It's a solid 3.5 from me. Favorite tracks: "Marz", "It's Easier", "Queen of Denmark", "Jesus Hates Faggots"
Green Day
4/5
The album that launched a thousand bands. Being a big pop punk guy, it's weird I never sat down with this, but the radio did kill a few of these. Still a tight effort. Favorite tracks: "Longview", "Pulling Teeth", "She"
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Peaceful, relaxing. I really enjoyed the second side of this record (and their Dylan pastiche). First half, minus "Scarborough Fair", somewhat forgettable. Gorgeous harmonies. Favorite tracks: "A Poem on the Underground Wall", "Flowers Never Bend With the Rainfall"
DJ Shadow
5/5
Big beats. Good background music that frequently demands your attention. Very relaxing, could smoke to this. Favorite tracks: "Midnight in a Perfect World", "Changeling / Transmission", "Building Steam With a Grain of Salt"
Venom
2/5
Even as a metal head this was kind of a tough listen. The production is bad (something the genre it would inspire would take to heart), and the songs blend together pretty hard after a while. "Teacher's Pet" is... just a weird addition here, as well. Favorite track: "Don't Burn the Witch"
Talvin Singh
3/5
Meditative. Extremely unique; can't say I've listened to Indian electronic music before. The vocals can get a little hit and miss, and the writing/lyrics on this can occasionally be pretentious. Still, didn't hate it. Favorite track: "OK"
The Who
3/5
Never been a big Who fan. Some songs stick out, while others sound like generic rock n' roll tunes that could've been any faceless band. Meh. Favorite tracks: "Out in the Street", "I Don't Mind", "My Generation"
Femi Kuti
4/5
The energy never dies. A frantic, funky record. Only one real slow spot, the rest of it has me moving. Favorite track: "Nawa"
Milton Nascimento
4/5
An impressive spread of genres ranging from blues to psychedelic to folk, without ever really feeling unfocused. Loses me a little during the middle, but gains my attention back by the end. Favorite tracks: "Trem De Doido", "Lilia", "Un Girassol Da Cor Do Seu Cabelo"
Gang Starr
3/5
Some classic beats here. Guru's flow can occasionally be a little simplistic and one note, but I enjoyed it more often than not. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Check The Technique", "Take A Rest"
ABBA
3/5
Some certified bangers on here, but eventually I zoned out a little. Very pleasant vocals, shimmering instrumentals, nice production that doesn't sound dated at all. Favorite tracks: "Dancing Queen", "Dum Dum Diddle", "Knowing Me, Knowing You"
The Rolling Stones
4/5
It's the Stones. For a double album, it flows by relatively quickly. Not sure what else can be said about this record aside from, "I enjoyed it." Favorite tracks: "Tumbling Dice", "Ventilator Blues"
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
Just some extremely solid, country-fried rock and roll. No real misses on this record. "Simple Man" is one of the best ballads ever written, and despite the pseudo-meme status of "Free Bird", it still kicks so much ass. Favorite tracks: "Simple Man", "Free Bird", "I Ain't the One"
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Fine for a bar band, but for this list? Nah. Some of the most basic lyrics I've ever heard. One or two songs prevent this from being a total one star. I did like the violin flourishes though. Favorite tracks: "Was There Anything I Could Do?" "I'm All Right"
Eels
3/5
Very quintessential 90s with some interesting sampling, but not overdone. Reminds me of Beck, if he was a little more focused. The lyrics occasionally paint a great scene. Favorite tracks: "Susan's House", "Mental", "Your Lucky Day In Hell"
Pink Floyd
4/5
My earliest memory listening to this was in my freshman year science class through a headphone I was hiding. A gorgeous, layered album. Still a bigger fan of "Wish You Were Here". Favorite tracks: "Breathe", "Time", "Eclipse"
Iggy Pop
4/5
Not my favorite Iggy Pop project but still a good album. Hearing Bowie play on here is cool as well. Favorite tracks: "The Passenger", "Success"
Nina Simone
4/5
Nina's control over her voice and ability to push emotion is amazing. The arrangements behind her only compliment the songs. Favorite tracks: "Four Women", "Why Keep On Breaking My Heart", "If I Should Lose You"
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Sleepy, sparse, and subdued. Short, I was surprised when it was over. Has that 80s/90s production that I hate, where everything sounds like it was recorded in a tunnel. I like the ideas, but there's nothing I'm crazy about here. Favorite tracks: "Nine Million Rainy Days", "Fall"
Nick Drake
3/5
A pleasant-enough folk-rock record. I had received another Drake record previously, and I feel about the same about this record. It's peaceful, nice, good arrangements, just nothing I'm crazy about. Favorite tracks: "Hazey Jane II", "Hazey Jane I", "Poor Boy"
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Raw. An incredibly performed record. No notes. Favorite tracks: "Mary Jane", "Ironic", "All I Really Want", "Hand In My Pocket"
Willie Nelson
3/5
Real tears-in-my-beer stuff. I feel it. Willie knows how to sell it, with his plain-spoken singing. For a short album, it drags on a little long. Favorite tracks: "Blue Eyes Crying in The Rain", "Remember Me"
The Cure
5/5
Dark, swirling madness. Normally I dislike the 80s tunnel production, but I think it really adds to the vibe the record is going for. Really enjoyed the atmosphere. Looking for reasons to not give this a five, and I couldn't find any. Favorite tracks: "One Hundred Years", "Pornography", "Siamese Twins"
The Clash
4/5
Definitely a lot more of a reggae influence on this record. Surprisingly, I think it goes well (not a huge reggae fan). Also, for a double album, it goes by very quickly. Love a lot of little touches on this album, from the piano and horn sections to the gritty punk sections. Favorite tracks: "Spanish Bombs", "Wrong 'Em Boyo", "Rudie Can't Fail", "Brand New Cadillac"
Aerosmith
4/5
Just a solid rock record. I enjoyed this one more than "Toys in The Attic". I feel like you can trace the lineage from Led Zepplin to Guns 'n' Roses through this record. Favorite tracks: "Back In The Saddle", "Last Child", "Rats In The Cellar", "Home Tonight"
Arcade Fire
3/5
I feel as if, no matter how I approach this album, I'll always be biased against it. Everyone was so quick to absolutely tongue-bathe this record that, now that I check it out? It's fine. Just fine. "Wake Up" sounds like the literal definition of the commercialization of indie rock, or some sixteen-year-old trying acid for the first time. This is my second Arcade Fire record that I've received and my patience grows thin. Favorite tracks: "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)", "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)"
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
"Green Onions" is still a phenomenal instrumental, but this album feels like the product of a record thrown together after an unexpected hit single. Everything here is fine, but it's all just wallpaper, or at least interesting if you recognize the song. There's even an attempt at a second lightning strike with "Mo' Onions". It's... fine. Probably wouldn't have thrown it on this list. Favorite tracks: "Green Onions", "I Got A Woman"
Bob Dylan
3/5
I feel like this album showcases Dylan's voice, sometimes to a negative effect. Sometimes he hits highs, and it can be very grating. The instrumentals are standard Dylan, sparse and stripped back. I do enjoy the storytelling aspects. Not my favorite project of his. Favorite tracks: "Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts", "Shelter From the Storm"
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Not trying to be rude here, but Grace Slick is the real star here. She gets to belt on two tracks, and they're the biggest hits. The rest of the record is pretty stock-standard acid folk. Favorite tracks: "White Rabbit", "Plastic Fantastic Lover", "Somebody To Love"
Billy Joel
4/5
I'm from Jersey and my local soft rock station played half this album to death, but I'm surprised just how into it I am. Billy Joel is a dork. At certain points, he tries to portray himself as a tough guy (notably on "Only The Good Die Young"), but he's tough in the way that anyone who has ever portrayed a gang member in West Side Story is tough. I still can't help but really appreciate this album, despite the cheese. Favorite tracks: "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant", "Only The Good Die Young"
Pixies
4/5
The same twisted, dissonant, weird surf-rock that the Pixies served up on "Doolittle". I still enjoy it, though it's not as front-to-back tight as "Doolittle" was. Favorite tracks: "Rock Music", "Velouria"
Public Enemy
3/5
The sample choices are awesome (loved the Slayer pull). I enjoyed it, but it can be intense in a tiring way at certain points. The energy never really dies, even when Flav has his own song. Chuck D's rhymes can be basic, but also great at certain points. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Cold Lampin' With Flavor", "Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos"
Elliott Smith
3/5
Very lo-fi, subdued. Weird sentence but I feel like this record and Liz Phair's "Exile In Guyville" are two sides of the same coin: very singer-songwriter, earnest. I liked a lot of the recording tricks found on here, all seem very made-with-love, for lack of a better phrase. Favorite tracks: "Rose Parade", "Cupids Trick", "2:45 AM"
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
Blistering acid rock. Janis Joplin absolutely steals the show with her insane yowl. I could take or leave some of the jamming, but overall I enjoyed this quite a bit. Good highway music. Favorite tracks: "I Need a Man to Love", "Piece of My Heart", "Ball and Chain"
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Sarah has wonderful control of her voice. I enjoyed it quite a bit when she messed up and was able to throw it into the song without really interrupting the flow at all. Pretty. Favorite track: "Willow Weep For Me"
The Beau Brummels
2/5
First off: weird album cover. Second, the singer's voice reminds me a lot of Bob Dylan, but somehow quite worse. Nothing really stuck with me on this album, save for maybe one or two tracks. Favorite track: "Magic Hollow"
Peter Frampton
4/5
Just an extremely tight set. After reviewing Bob Dylan's "At Royal Albert Hall" immediately before this, this is a breath of fresh air. The crowd is super into it, and Frampton brings across a super bubbly, buoyant, and fun set. It doesn't break the mold or anything, just wonderful rock n' roll. Favorite tracks: "Show Me the Way", "All I Want to Be", "Baby, I Love Your Way"
Eurythmics
3/5
I'm surprised that I didn't enjoy this album as much. It's got some noisy elements I wasn't expecting and didn't really care for. I enjoyed parts of songs, but didn't find a song I enjoyed until almost halfway. Favorite tracks: "Sweet Dreams", "Jennifer"
Fela Kuti
4/5
Ginger Baker is a monster of a drummer and he really gets to flex both his fills and his pocket presence on this record. Admittedly, this record didn't have my full attention, but it's got just enough jazzy funk to draw me back in quite frequently. Favorite track: "Black Man's Cry"
B.B. King
5/5
One where I think crowd noise really helps. Not that this album isn't fantastic, but the crowd is hyped up to see BB and it really makes the record that much more fun. BB was a phenomenal showman, and this album showcases it very well. Favorite tracks: "How Blue Can You Get?", "You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now"
Wire
4/5
Super fun record somewhere between punk and post-punk. Just a tight set of songs, in, punk, out. Favorite tracks: "Three Girl Rhumba", "Ex Lion Tamer", "Lowdown", "Strange"
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Call this one a *hard* 4.5 because man, I was vibing hard to this record until "Coconut" brought it to a screeching halt. "Coconut" feels like a novelty song mixed in with some absolute, genuinely wonderful pop music. The rest of the album? Flawless. Just drop "Coconut". Favorite tracks: "Gotta Get Up", "Down", "Without You", "Jump Into the Fire"
2/5
A rare time I looked up the public reviews on this site, and I'm glad it seems a lot of people are whelmed as hell with this record. I like Bob Dylan, but aside from some energetic strumming, the first side is extremely, extremely, *extremely* long. The second disc has more of a pulse, but I feel like the damage has been done by that point. I'm somewhat amazed I made it through this entire thing. Favorite tracks: "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues", "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat"
Jean-Michel Jarre
4/5
Gets my vote for "pretty cool". A smidge dated in spots, but it made my night flight to Nashville a bit more entertaining and, in spots, spooky. Held my attention while not being the center. Really enjoyed this one. Favorite tracks: "Pt. 1", "Pt. 2"
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Solid, but not super mind blowing, 90s rock. Seems to share some space with the likes of Blur. I liked parts but I don't think I'll really be revisiting it. Favorite tracks: "Kevin Carter", "Enola / Alone"
Nick Drake
2/5
Pleasant enough, nice guitar work. A little one note, similar tones of voice through the entire thing. Favorite track: "Place to Be"
John Lee Hooker
2/5
A classic blues musician held back by 80s production that I dislike so much. The guest list also feels like a slight vanity project, or similar to how Santana was in the mid 00s (convenient he's on here too). Favorite track: "Rockin' Chair"
Radiohead
5/5
I'm not sure what to say that hasn't already been said. Personally, this was my introduction to Radiohead, as I was intrigued by the pay-what-you-want model they were offering. It's a gorgeous album with tight performances, especially on the layered "Videotape". Favorite tracks: "15 Step", "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi", "Videotape", "Jigsaw Falling Into Place"
Massive Attack
3/5
I remember enjoying "Protection" a bit more. Think the music and beats are fine, think the weakness lies in the guest vocalists. Favorite track: "Lately"
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
An odds n' ends record that somehow comes together and feels cohesive. The personnel list on this record is insane, and the record itself runs the gambit of the various incarnations of the blues, even including a Hendrix cover in the mix. That being said, the project runs a little long and some fat could've been trimmed here. Oh, also, Clapton is still a massive dickhead. Favorite tracks: "Bell Bottom Blues", "Layla", "Key to the Highway"
Madonna
4/5
Honestly this record had a lot going against it: the style of 80s production I dislike, and the fact that I'm not a super huge Madonna fan. Still, it eventually won me over, partly due to Price (whose fingerprints are all over this), and partly due to the introspective and personal songwriting. Favorite tracks: "Like a Prayer", "Till Death Do Us Part"
Wilco
5/5
A rare album in this list that I've listened to a few times, and held off on rating for quite a while. I was familiar with this album prior, but never listened to it (aside from one attempt where I stopped after "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"). Feels very... fall-into-winter. Each song is varied, with a wide array of instruments, and some noise elements thrown in between. Great segues into each song... I fought myself, but I feel like this is a record that I'll revisit every once in a while, maybe sit down and have a drink with. I'm glad I gave it some time. Some surface listens didn't do it justice. Favorite tracks: "Radio Cure", "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", "War on War", "Jesus, Etc.", "Pot Kettle Black"
Queen
3/5
A bit of a mixed bag. Queen has always been a singles band to me, not meaning that as any shade (cos their singles are great). A few hits, but the songs that flow together do so in such a jumpy, weird way that it's somewhere between glam camp and a poorly-run stage show. Also, if Freddie Mercury is your lead vocalist, you let Freddie Mercury do lead vocals. No one else. Favorite tracks: "Stone Cold Crazy", "Dear Friends", "Killer Queen", "In The Lap Of the Gods (Revisited)"
Turbonegro
4/5
Fun, kind of brainless (by design) rock 'n' roll. Kind of lost me near the end, but the energy carries it far. My first thought was, "they seem serious about not being serious." Favorite tracks: "Zillion Dollar Sadist", "Prince of the Rodeo", "Selfdestruco Bust"
Yes
4/5
Quite the blend of genres: jazz, hard rock, progressive rock... I feel like there are echoes of what would become post-punk in certain spots? I was obsessed with this album in high school (yep, nerdy, I'm aware), but I'm glad it still holds up. The bass playing is insanely impressive. Favorite tracks: "Roundabout", "We Have Heaven", "South Side of the Sky"
KISS
2/5
I'm not a Kiss hater. Honestly, going into this record having never sat down and listened to it, I assumed that it would probably end up in the 3.5 to 4 range for me. It's just a shame I find there to be more outright stinkers on here than actual quality tracks. Costumes aside, rabid fans aside, Kiss don't make bad music. But if this is their peak, maybe I overestimated them. Favorite tracks: "Detroit Rock City", "Shout It Out Loud"
Radiohead
5/5
In my review of "In Rainbows", I wrote that IR was my introduction to Radiohead. This album actually shook something loose in my brain, and reminded me I was familiar with (of all things) "Karma Police" prior to that record. I haven't listened to this album front-to-back in a minute, but it's still just as good. It's a grand shift from what Radiohead was (a decent alternative rock band) into what they would become. This album shows the beginning flirtations of their electronic side (which they'd get more into on their next record), while still being accessible enough for their older audience. It's impressive, in its scale. One of those records I feel like I could discuss with the right people for quite a while. Favorite tracks: "Karma Police", "Paranoid Android", "No Surprises", "Climbing Up the Walls"
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
One of those albums that's insanely important for moving the genre forward, but hasn't aged all that well. Certain songs (the entirely voice-boxed "Scorpio") are total misses, while certain songs (the title track) are just awesome, and still have a very important message (heh.) With context, good. If you weren't super into rap and didn't realize what the genre owed this record, pretty bad. Favorite tracks: "The Message", "You Are"
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Mood music to the highest caliber. Wistful, melancholy. Makes me want to smoke a cigarette under an awning in the rain, glass of whiskey-on-the-rocks conveniently in the other hand as a compliment. Sinatra has a very powerful voice, you can tell when he hits those big notes, and when he brings it down to an almost stare-out-the-window-dreaming whisper. I appreciated when the band behind him broke into some jazzy numbers to break up the big band music. Favorite tracks: "Can't We Be Friends?", "This Love of Mine"
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
My one negative takeaway from this song is the borderline nice-guy-ish "Da Bitchez". It's a shame, cos it's a super catchy song, just feel like the message hasn't aged super well. Aside from that, the flows are tight, the lyrics flit between conscious hip-hop and classic, and the beats are great, occasionally showing some dissonance and noisiness. I got Gang Starr earlier in the list, and I still love the beats DJ Premier puts out. Also, massive, massive shoutout to Jeru for making cool little gifs that go along with each song on Spotify. Wasn't expecting that, and it's fun as fuck. Favorite tracks: "Come Clean", "Brooklyn Took It", "Ain't The Devil Happy"
Gillian Welch
5/5
An unexpected delight. Sparse, but doesn't really need much. Feels like am intimate back porch jam. Blends bluegrass, country, and folk expertly. Vocally reminds me of Bonnie Raitt. Didn't expect to give this a 5, but here we are. Favorite tracks: "April the 14th", "Elvis Presley Blues", "Everything Is Free"
Travis
3/5
Fine, pleasant, subdued. I imagine this is one of those records that was huge overseas but never really got as big in the states. I liked some songs, but I'm a little hesitant to say this belongs on this list. Favorite tracks: "Writing to Reach You", "Turn"
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
True story: I'm from Jersey and never bothered to look into who Count Basie was. A great record of uptempo swing and big band. Think more should be added to the list, but this is a good start. The album cover, by modern standards, looks very... my first MSPaint. Favorite tracks: "Duet", "Flight of the Foo Birds"
Tangerine Dream
2/5
I don't mind instrumental music, and I don't mind angular, noisy stuff, but the first movement of this really set my expectations low. Rest of it is pleasant-enough background music. Just didn't do much for me. Favorite track: "Mysterious Semblance At the Strand of Nightmares"
Stephen Stills
4/5
I like that the double album is divided up into similar sounding sections. Wikipedia says the first section is supposed to have a latin feel, which I don't really see. I still enjoyed that side, and felt like I enjoyed the country side the most (side B). Favorite tracks: "Fallen Eagle", "The Treasure", "Colorado"
T. Rex
3/5
Glam rock has never really been my thing, but I did enjoy this. Certain slower parts felt very Velvet Underground. There are some serious grooves on this. Favorite tracks: "Chariot Choogle", "Telegram Sam", "Baby Boomerang"
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
In terms of rap music, as a whole, I genuinely don't think it gets much better than this. A step up from their debut, the beats are just as fresh as the day this came out. The rhymes are great, lyrics great. Thirty years later, and it's still amazing. "Check the Rhime" is still one of the best rap songs ever released. Favorite tracks: "Check the Rhime", "Buggin' Out", "Jazz (We've Got)"
T. Rex
3/5
Much more subdued than "The Slider", which I got earlier in the list. Reminds me of Bowie and the Velvet Underground, maybe a little more rambunctious. Some good tracks, but neutral feelings overall. Favorite tracks: "Get It On", "The Motivator", "Jeepster"
Coldplay
3/5
I'm sure this album's inclusion is going to stimulate some good debate. As a card carrying member of the sad white boy club, I've enjoyed some singles from Coldplay (as members are required to do), but I've never sat down with one of their albums from front to back. It's subdued, and seems like it owes equal measures to U2 and dream pop. Has some ethereal qualities to it, as well as being a little simple. Did I enjoy it? Somewhat, the middle feels a little barren until it hits the last two songs. Does it deserve to be on this list? Possibly. Coldplay has been a cultural force for a quite a while, insomuch that their most recent record was still generating significant buzz. I've seen another reviewer call this "lowest common denomenator", which I agree with, but it's at least good enough to truly appeal to that wide a swath. It does feel genuine. I personally somewhat enjoyed it, but might just stick to the singles. Favorite tracks: "Amsterdam", "The Scientist", "Clocks"
4/5
Dark, smokey, sultry. Rainy, late night mood music. Reminds me of Burial, and some of the darker, more ambient projects that came out of vaporwave (see 2 8 1 4). Favorite tracks: "Sereia", "Antropofagos"
Prince
4/5
Funky. Calling this record "horny" is a gross understatement. A little indulgent in certain spots, but if you get caught into the groove, it's tough to shake it. Favorite tracks: "Little Red Corvette", "Delerious", "Let's Pretend We're Married"
Pink Floyd
5/5
One of the albums I'm most familiar with on this list. "Wish You Were Here" is one of the first things I learned to play on guitar, so this album has a special place in my heart. All killer, no filler. Still sounds crisp and gorgeous. RIP Bob. Favorite tracks: "Have a Cigar", "Wish You Were Here"
The Hives
3/5
Blink and you'll miss it. Not totally sure how it manages to keep up the energy through the whole record, but you can never say it got boring. I can say that singer Pelle Almqvist's voice got a little irritating on certain tracks. Still, felt like running cheetah-speed through multiple brick walls. Call it a solid, solid 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Die, All Right!", "Untutored Youth"
Beck
5/5
Much like everyone listening to this record for the first time, I was expecting Beck's jokey, white-boy self. I was not expecting a genuine and deeply personal-sounding record. A similar vibe, in my mind, to "You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen: a record that I don't feel like I'm getting everything on first listen, and really want to sit down with and explore the layers. If I ever get my heart broken again, think this is the first record I'll look for. Favorite tracks: "Guess I'm Doing Fine", "Sunday Sun", "End Of the Day"
Beyoncé
4/5
It's an impressive pop album, pulling from an extremely wide range of genres including vocal music, trap, 90s R&B... Both very horny and very jealous. Takes a lot of risks while maintaining a poppy catchiness. Beyonce is, obviously, an impressive vocalist, though I don't know if I really like the guest voices here (I typically like Frank Ocean and Jay-Z, never been a big Drake fan). Favorite tracks: "Mine", "Pretty Hurts", "Drunk In Love", "Heaven", "***Flawless"
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
I think my favorite thing about this record is how every song on here feels like it begins with one instrument, and then slowly builds until it's a massive dance party. "North American Scum" is playing through my head whenever I travel abroad, and "All My Friends" is still one of my go-to depressed songs, even if it's somewhat about touring life. I fought against giving this a 5, but I don't really think I have any complaints, so a 5 it gets. Favorite tracks: "Get Innocuous!", "North American Scum", "Someone Great", "All My Friends"
Nas
4/5
Nas is an insane lyricist. This album also serves as a who's who, featuring members of Gang Starr and Tribe all over the record. Still insane all these years later. Plus, front-loaded with some of the best rap tracks ever. Favorite tracks: "New York State of Mind", "The World is Yours", "Memory Lane"
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Where to begin? I have nothing personal against Costello, he seems like a fine guy. His voice can be grating at times, though I did appreciate the variety it provides due to various inflections, etc. I like certain parts of songs, but never the whole song. Just never really clicks with me. Favorite tracks: "Moods for Moderns", "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding"
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Crosby, Stills, and Nash really nailed something by adding Neil Young to their lineup. He not only brings some extra great harmonies, I just love it when they cut loose and really rock out. The mellow songs are relaxing and gorgeously arranged, with some of the harmonies giving genuine chills. Just a tight set of songs. As a total aside, I would get this record the day Neil Young pulled his catalog from Spotify (fuck 'em, though, Neil is right). Favorite tracks: "Woodstock", "Country Girl", "Almost Cut My Hair", "Carry On"
Ali Farka Touré
2/5
It's an interesting take on some classic blues, but I have to admit I zoned out quite hard a few times. Just didn't super interest me. Favorite track: "Beto"
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Pleasant, 60s pop music. Dusty has a nice voice, but occasionally can be a little faceless. Favorite tracks: "When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa"
Norah Jones
2/5
Pleasant enough but nothing earth shattering. Norah Jones has a very nice, smoky quality to her voice, but it never really shifts from that. Reminds me of Borders bookstores and Starbucks. Favorite tracks: "Don't Know Why", "Shoot The Moon"
Justice
4/5
Feel like this will get a lot of comparisons to Daft Punk but I hear more Ratatat and Swedish House Mafia. Big, rubbery base tones. Lotta glitchiness. Basically a self-contained rave. Favorite tracks: "Genesis", "D.A.N.C.E.", "Waters of Nazareth", "One Minute to Midnight"
3/5
Anthemic and epic in scascale. Very Queen, if Queen had written a space western opera. The few times it slams the breaks really break up the flow. When it's going fast, it's killer. Favorite tracks: "Assassin", "Supermassive Black Hole", "Starlight"
Arrested Development
1/5
Whew. I've got a lot of complaints about this. I'd say most songs on this record last at least one, sometimes two, minutes too long. Most of the time, it's a verse, repetitive chorus, then vibing to the beat for an additional minute. The DJ can be a little overbearing, sometimes scratching til that's all that's left of the beat. I appreciate the sentiments in some of the songs, but most of the time they're presented in some pretentious, preachy tones. Also, where a group like Tribe can have beats that sound like they're from a certain time but still be fresh, these beats sound dated and are, again, sometimes ruined by an over-ambitious scratch session. I found two tracks I enjoyed, but if I'm being honest, I would've turn the record off much earlier before I found em. Best left to the past. Favorite tracks: "Dawn of the Dreads", "Tennesse"
Black Flag
4/5
Introduced the world to the madman known as Henry Rollins. A lot of noisy punk, with some sludgey riffs happening later in the track list. I think the recording holds back just how truly chaotic this must've been to hear live. Favorite tracks: "Gimme Gimme Gimme", "Six Pack", "Damaged I", "Padded Cell"
U2
2/5
Never been a big U2 fan. Enjoyed the Edge's playing, but never the group as a whole. This record, at certain points, sounds very loose, like a jam session that happens to be going well. Bono has a lot of effects on his voice but none make me enjoy it anymore. Hard zone out on a good portion of this record. Favorite tracks: "One", "Ultra Violet"
The Kinks
3/5
Short, snacky songs. Has some mild psychedelic tones to it, reminding me of a lighter Sgt. Pepper's. The songs are pleasant enough but I didn't walk away from this one changed, or anything. Strong songwriting throughout. Favorite tracks: "Picture Book", "Wicked Annabella"
Lightning Bolt
3/5
Was not expecting to see Lightning Bolt, of all bands, on this list. Occasionally locks into a groove that doesn't really go anywhere. It's like if Death From Above 1979 decided to go as un-commercial as possible. When it hits, it's a massive burst of energy in static colors. Favorite tracks: "Dracula Mountain", "Crown of Storms"
The Yardbirds
3/5
Blues rock with a giant slice of psychedelia. I don't think Jeff Beck gets enough room to flex his muscles here. Never knew the Pussycat Dolls of all people sampled from this record. Middle gets a little lost, but finishes strong. Call it 3.5. Favorite tracks: "He's Always There", "Turn Into Earth"
Kate Bush
3/5
I had absolutely no idea what I was in for. To say this was a challenging listen is putting it mildly. Kate's voice has such a range, and it can jump from the low-end to the psychotic high-end faster than my mother reading my report card. Some interesting musical influences here, classical, opera, theater... some celtic influences as well. I was ready to turn it off after one track, but I gave it a few more and walked away feeling better for the experience. Definitely wasn't expecting anything like this. Favorite tracks: "Pull Out the Pin", "Get Out of My House"
Stevie Wonder
4/5
The fact that Stevie performed six of these songs himself is insane. I've seen commercials with "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" in it and would've expected that would've ruined it for me, but I still enjoyed it, especially with the added latin flair throughout the song. Strong funk, soul, gospel record. Favorite tracks: "Living for the City", "Jesus Children of America"
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
The bridging link between AYE and EL. Some songs play like basic psychedelic rock, others play like the heavy rock and blues influenced EL. I'm more partial to the latter, but the whole record is pretty nice, with some relaxing moods and heavy tracks. Favorite tracks: "Spanish Castle Magic", "Little Wing", "Ain't No Telling"
Joni Mitchell
4/5
One of the rare albums where I really paid attention to the lyrics on the first listen. Granted, the musical accompaniment is sparse and kind of forces you to. Occasionally, Joni's falsetto got a little grating, but never enough to where I wanted to shut the record off. The lyrics are great, and some even really hit home for me. Favorite tracks: "River", "Blue", "California"
Pere Ubu
2/5
Like a somehow-more feral Talking Heads. A record that would be playing while you were shopping, bleary-eyed, for records. Part of me, for some reason, enjoys this, but "Codex" knocked it down from a 3 to a 2. Though I'm sure the haunting, "I think about you all the time..." will visit me in my sleep tonight. Favorite track: "Caligari's Mirror"
Everything But The Girl
2/5
I was hoping this album would be a little bit more influenced by trip-hop, based on their song "Missing". It's a lot more jazz, lounge influenced. It's pleasant, and Tracey Thorn has a really nice voice, but it ended up being more background than anything. Favorite tracks: "Goodbye Sunday", "Lonesome For a Place I Know"
Neu!
4/5
Spacey, psychedelic. I dislike using the word "hypnotic", but "Leb' Wohl" has beach sounds, a man speaking softly, and what sounds like a steady metronome... so... A bit repetitive, but that definitely feels like it's by design. It's pleasant background music that I feel like I could dig into a bit more, or just enjoy it passively. Favorite tracks: "Seeland", "E-Musik"
David Bowie
4/5
Quite a unique album. Kind of an intersection of funk and krautrock? Like if you taught a robot the basics of funk, or something. A record that, on first surface listen, I enjoyed, but feel like I could listen to a few more times and dig further and further. Favorite tracks: "Golden Years", "Stay"
Basement Jaxx
2/5
Is it weird to say this record feels... sloppy? The first few tracks are painful, with difficult grooves and a kind of maximalist approach where everything and the kitchen sink got thrown it. The middle of the record gets good, but the ending tracks fall to the same issues. I can hear the influence this record had on UK Garage and even Dubstep (both the Skirllex and Burial kind), but overall I'm just unsatisfied. Favorite tracks: "Bingo Bango", "Red Alert"
Super Furry Animals
4/5
Out there, maaaaaan. Reminds me of Pulp, the Beatles, and the Flaming Lips in distinct parts. Very trippy. Slightly overstays its welcome, but still a pretty neat listen. Favorite tracks: "A Touch Sensitive", "Subway Serfer Girl"
Ryan Adams
4/5
Heartland rock, very Bob Dylan influenced. A lot more harmonica than I was expecting. Ballad heavy. Drunken bar singer going through a bad breakup. It's good, maybe could've cut one or two, but overall a good, dour record. Favorite tracks: "Come Pick Me Up", "In My Time of Need"
Frank Sinatra
4/5
I'm from New Jersey. My wedding was catered by a man who had more pictures of Sinatra in his store, than I have of my own mother in my house. I've been to more weddings where the first dance song was Sinatra than all other songs combined. Sinatra is so much background to my youth and growing up, that I simultaneously enjoy him, and tune him out. My personal bias aside, it's nice to see him included in this list. I still enjoyed it, even the "kids these days are degenerates" anthem "Anything Goes". Favorite tracks: "Anything Goes", "I Thought of You", "You Make Me Feel So Young"
Dolly Parton
4/5
Ms. Dolly has quite the way of selling heartbreak. The few times the songs weren't about romance, I felt I didn't enjoy as much. "The Mystery of The Mystery" felt jarring in the middle of the other songs, and "Early Morning Breeze" felt more folk-pop than anything. Still, the rest of the songs are great and Ms. Dolly is a national treasure. Favorite tracks: "Coat of Many Colors", "Here I Am"
Suede
4/5
Big, anthemic, aims for the cheap seats and successfully nails them. I've never been a big "britpop" guy but Suede is convincing me otherwise (between this and the other album I've gotten from them on here, "Dog Man Star"). The Bowie inspiration is obvious, and I can definitely see The Smiths in this as well. Don't think the production is that great. Favorite tracks: "The Next Life", "So Young", "The Drowners"
Elliott Smith
4/5
Subdued. I got "Either/Or" previously, and found myself enjoying this one a bit more. I like it when the full band comes onto a track. At certain points, a little bland. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Son of Sam", "L.A.", "Happiness", "Can't Make A Sound"
Air
3/5
Weirdly, I've seen this movie before. I was young, had access to Netflix (the movie-mail version), and heard this movie was good? I remember nothing about it, aside from... just about everything going over my head. I do remember finding out about it through Air doing the soundtrack, which was a band I did (not) listen to at the time. So... yeah, I was a weird kid. This record is nice, but I think the problem is that it's supposed to compliment scenes in films. While it's good, it's background music. It's very Pink Floyd in their "Dark Side of the Moon" era-influenced. Favorite track: "The Word Hurricane"
Neil Young
5/5
Neil does a fantastic job conveying the moods he feels on the songs on this record. This record feels sad, drained, and worn down, all while being a wonderfully cohesive set of songs. Favorite tracks: "On the Beach", "Vampire Blues", "Revolution Blues"
Fiona Apple
3/5
Piano-driven, lyrically charged and focused. Tight performances. One of those "this record doesn't interest me much, but I definitely see why it's on this list" records. Favorite tracks: "Sleep to Dream", "Sullen Girl", "Criminal"
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Soulful, spiritual. Feels very mature, laid back, but tightly controlled. I'm not particularly spiritual, so I could do without "Jesus", but it's still a great album overall. Favorite tracks: "Love to the People", "Hard Times"
Thin Lizzy
4/5
A solid show, even if it's a few shows stitched together. I knew about Thin Lizzy before, but had never listened to what I heard past the songs on the radio. Excited to get one of their records on this list. The transition from "Cowboy Song" to "The Boys Are Back In Town" is fantastic. Favorite tracks: "Don't Believe A Word", "Dancing In the Moonlight", "Still In Love With You"
The Roots
4/5
South Philly's finest. Black Thought is still one of the most underrated MCs in the game. The beats on this thing at certain points make me think of the best block party ever. A little long. Favorite tracks: "Thought @ Work", "The Seed"
Black Sabbath
5/5
Anthony, Andrew, and I took some mushrooms and tripped hard to an early Sabbath concert where Ozzy still had youth in his face that he hadn't destroyed with drugs yet. Then we turned on a Tom Jones record, and watched a industrial crusher destroy a bunch of toys on YouTube. We laughed our heads off.
This record is still one of the most imitated, but never duplicated. Lightning stuck hard with this one. Favorite tracks: "Iron Man", "Faeries Wear Boots", "Electric Funeral"
The Smiths
4/5
The original kings of emo. Morrissey can be a little melodramatic, from envisioning himself being buried in a grave, to wanting to be involved in a fatal car accident, but his voice and Johnny Marr's reverb-drenched guitars add a certain morbid romance to the whole thing. Shame Morrissey's a massive cunt! Favorite tracks: "The Queen is Dead", "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out", "Bigmouth Strikes Again"
Brian Wilson
3/5
I think a lot of people are familiar with the "lost album" this album shares it's name, as well as possibly knowing the story about how it drove Brian Wilson mad. I can somewhat see why. I think "ambitious" isn't an ambitious enough word to describe the undertaking here. Each song changes phase so frequently it's tough to keep track of them. It's well arranged and flows well together, just maybe a little insane. Favorite tracks: "Heroes and Villans", "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
On one hand, I'm gonna be nice to this album, because it's one of my mom's favorites and I grew up on Ms. Bonnie Raitt. On another hand, this is the same time of corporate blues-rock that Clapton was putting out in the mid-eighties. It's boring, somewhat uninspired. Bonnie is a fantastic guitarist, and this record doesn't really do much to showcase it. Still, it gets a bonus, for my mom. Favorite tracks: "Nick of Time", "Cry On My Shoulder"
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Where as "Actually" sounded very advanced and ahead of it's time, "Behavior" sounds a bit dated. I blame the late 80s/early 90s style of production I despise. I like the lyrical messages and choices on this record, just not the fake keyboard orchestra stabs. Favorite tracks: "Being Boring", "This Must Be the Place I Waited to Leave"
Depeche Mode
5/5
Just a solid album front to back. Despite being in the early nineties, this record sounds ahead of its time, as well as being a culmination of all of the darker synth-pop that had been released up to this point. Real vampire rave music. Plus, the album versions of "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy the Silence" are fantastic. Favorite tracks: "Personal Jesus", "Policy of Truth", "Enjoy the Silence"
Sonic Youth
3/5
A building block to modern alternative rock. Noisy. I feel like this, and Sonic Youth in general, are more of a "vibe" band, to use a more modern description. It's great in the background, and Kim Gordon's voice is the definition of "cool", but I can only really appreciate what it helped to inspire. Favorite tracks: "Kool Thing", "Titanium Exposure"
Deee-Lite
4/5
A dance party that still sounds just as crazy and futuristic today. Fun, with quite an impressive guest list for a group making their debut. At times a little cheesy. Something that only really could have come out in the early 90s and gained traction. Favorite tracks: "Deee-Lite Theme", "Groove Is In the Heart"
The Slits
3/5
Somewhere between root reggae and post-punk. Usually not for me, but I was enjoying the vibe. Favorite track: "Instant Hit"
Charles Mingus
4/5
Frantic. A very dark, cacophonous record. I appreciate the one brief reprieve of the flutes, but the addition of the flamenco guitar was a little jarring. Intense. Favorite track: "Group Dancers"
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Dark, frantic, vibrant. Vocally very interesting. Very "cool". Driving music. I'd say the only downside is that it sounds a little hollow, needs more bass. Drums are great though. Favorite tracks: "Spellbound", "Halloween"
Tears For Fears
5/5
I'm about 400 albums into this list, and there's a lot of 80s pop. A lot. Ironically, despite being on this list, a lot of it is a little dime-a-dozen. This record, however, is pretty goddamn close to flawless. A solid range of sounds and moods, while remaining cohesive and extremely catchy. If there were more narrow ratings, I'd probably give this a 4.5, but I feel it's close enough to warrant the 5. Favorite tracks: "Head Over Heels", "Shout", "The Working Hour"
Doves
3/5
Without attempting to be too dismissive, it's kind of a dime-a-dozen indie rock band from the 00s. It's a little earlier, so it's possible it helped to inspire the wave, but all I'm really getting out of this is pleasant-enough U2 influence. Favorite tracks: "M62 Song", "Satelittes"
Korn
3/5
It's fine. In my early teens I really liked Korn but never listened to a full album, and eventually moved on to Deftones (the best band to ever, at one point, wear the "nu-metal" tag). It's a rough, full listen. I love the bass playing, and the singles, but it really starts to blend together after a while. Ice Cube really sounds like he phoned in his verse (his ad-libs are fun, though), and "All In the Family" is...uh... "dated". Favorite tracks: "Got the Life", "Freak on a Leash"
Nanci Griffith
4/5
I'm either getting old, or this list is making me more of a country fan. A solid set of songs from front to back, and doesn't overstay its welcome at all. Favorite tracks: "The Last of the True Believers", "Love At the Five and Dime", "Fly By Night", "Lookin' For the Time"
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Looking down the barrel of a 28-song record, I was surprised that it wasn't that hard to get through. I had a break at one point, but did still enjoy the record, despite the fact that there's some fat to trim here. The range of influences is nice, from the psychedelic-shoegaze of the Pumpkins' early careers, to some Spiritualized-esque near-ambient music, and even some dabbling in country, of all genres. That being said, the record can be a little schizophrenic, jumping from some extremely heavy songs to some very hushed, light songs with reckless abandon (see "Bodies" to "Thirty Three"). Favorite tracks: "X.Y.U.", "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans", "Bodies", "Zero"
Goldfrapp
3/5
Mellow, pleasant. A lot less electronic-heavy than the last album I got ("Felt Mountain"), though the influences are still there. A little sleepy, though I personally enjoyed the album's ending. Favorite tracks: "Caravan Girl", "Monster Love"
Talking Heads
4/5
A strong debut. Don't think it's as solid-gold as the records later in the catalogue, but hints at the greatness to come. Favorite tracks: "The Book I Read", "Psycho Killer", "Pulled Up", "No Compassion"
Devendra Banhart
4/5
An album that I could kind of tell what it sounded like, but not how much I would enjoy it. It's a little trippy, little weird. The first track had me worried I'd hate it, but the record really grew on me. For some reason, paints a vivid picture of hanging on someone's outdoor porch in the dead of summer: it's hot, sticky, warm, but the conversation is too interesting to really care. Favorite tracks: "The Body Breaks", "Will Is My Friend", "Fall"
The Who
2/5
As I've mentioned in my reviews of the other Who albums, never been a big fan. At least those albums ("Tommy" and "My Generation") I wasn't as familiar with. This record is not so lucky. Classic rock radio has beaten at least four of these to absolute death, so much so that when I saw the last two songs were "Behind Blue Eyes" and "Won't Get Fooled Again", I decided to spare myself. If I had known "Bargain" by the title, I would've skipped that one as well. Two of these songs both have similar enough melodies, albeit differing intensities, and to have them back to back is just poor design ("The Song is Over" and "Getting In Tune"). The other three songs are absolutely forgettable. The Who are a classic rock band that I've never understood why every radio station in America is required to play their music. I just wish they'd go away. Favorite track: "Won't Get Fooled Again"
Amy Winehouse
3/5
I'm at odds with this record. Amy manages to blend a classic, 50s/60s girl group style vocal with blunt, vulgar, sometimes gaudy lyrics well. There's almost a fun shock when you get to a song like "Fuck Me Pumps". However, the backing instrumentals attempt to do something in the same vein to less success. The background instrumentals attempt to conjure images of those classic numbers, big band, and 90s/00s R&B, but it manages to sound poorly produced and heavily dated. Favorite tracks: "You Sent Me Flying/Cherry", "October Song"
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
I know this probably isn't everyone's bag, but I was raised on the Allman Brothers. This is probably the pinnacle of southern blues-rock. I'm not typically one for the long, drawn-out solos, but they all seem to work here. And "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is one of the best modern instrumentals ever. Favorite tracks: "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed", "Whipping Post"
Sabu
4/5
I'm a sucker for Latin jazz. Love the tracks with call-and-response hooks. Lot of energy. Wish it continued through the whole thing, but the bongo-solo song kind of lost me. Favorite tracks: "Billumba-Palo Congo", "Choferito-Plana"
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
1/5
I think from the moment "Perfect Skin" concluded I wasn't going to enjoy this record. As always, I finish each record on this, and this isn't any different. That time gave me a chance to distill what I didn't like about this record. This record sounds like it's full of songs that are destined to be TV theme songs (see: the "Friends" intro song). Lloyd Cole attempts a voice that I can only assume was supposed to be "seductive", but manages to be able as "seductive" as wallpaper paste. Lyrically, there are plenty of lyrics that felt like he went with the first idea that came to head and called it "good enough". When I was on the Wikipedia page for this record, the first thing you see is a quote from Lloyd Cole essentially insinuating that "Perfect Skin" is him trying to be Bob Dylan, and hinting that, "Dylan would've written it quicker". I'm not even a huge fan of Dylan, and I'm insulted on his behalf. I normally end each review with a "Favorite tracks", but gracefully all of these have slipped out of my mind. It's somewhere between yacht-ish yuppie rock, and the type of watered-down, corporate blues that Clapton was making in the 80s. No. No. Absolutely not.
Dead Kennedys
5/5
I think what makes the Dead Kennedys one of my favorite punk bands is multifaceted, but a major point of that is that it's not just angry-three-chords. There's elements of surf rock and even some early horror stuff on this record. East Bay Ray is a fantastic guitarist and second to maybe only Joe Strummer. Jello Biafria's lyrics, sarcastic-yet-serious delivery really seals the deal as well. Favorite tracks: "California Uber Alles", "Kill the Poor", "Holiday In Cambodia", "Let's Lynch the Landlord"
The Smiths
3/5
Not my favorite Smiths record, despite having one of my favorite songs ("Stop Me"). Weirdly, I feel like Johnny Marr's presence is subdued a little here, and the addition of synths has made it sound a little dated. Favorite tracks: "Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before", "Girlfriend In a Coma"
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Hard, fast. An album that flows well, almost a little too well. It's easy to get lost in the groove and not realize what track you're on. Think it finishes a bit weak, as well. Favorite tracks: "Chico's Groove", "One Too Many Mornings"
Yes
4/5
Just a solid set of progressive rock. The vocal harmonies are tight, the bass playing in particular is incredibly impressive. Each song moves in such a way that feels natural, but keeps you engaged. Favorite tracks: "Yours Is No Disgrace", "Starship Trooper"
Beatles
3/5
I think we can all agree the Beatles are one of the greatest bands of all time, right? Then we can agree this album doesn't stand up compared to their older stuff. It should probably be on here, but it's not their best by a long shot: the songs are all variations of "I love my baby" or "I miss my baby", with some descriptions of very chaste romance. Compared to their later stuff, this is child's play. Favorite tracks: "A Hard Day's Night", "Can't Buy Me Love"
The Pretty Things
2/5
Heavily indebted to the Beatles and Beach Boys. With all due respect, I think if this didn't have the claim of "first ever rock opera", it wouldn't have made the list. Favorite tracks: "Balloon Burning", "I See You"
Frank Zappa
4/5
Just a blistering combination of jazz and rock. Sounds spontaneous yet controlled and methodical. The instrumentation is insane. Only one song on here I didn't particularly enjoy, luckily it's the shortest here ("Little Umbrellas"). Favorite tracks: "Willie the Pimp", "The Gumbo Variations"
Led Zeppelin
3/5
This is definitely a rating about my own personal enjoyment of this record. There's no doubt it needs to be here. However, I personally find this album a bit bloated and indulgent. It's got hits, but leaves a lot more to be desired for me. Favorite tracks: "Baby I'm Gonna Leave You", "How Many More Times"
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Peaceful, relaxing, meditative. Can't say I'm super familiar with this form of classical music, so I don't feel I can fairly critique it, but I enjoyed listening to it while it was on. Favorite track: "Bhoop"
a-ha
4/5
Just a solid set of synthetic pop with an incredible voice and some 80s keyboard cheese. Think the front half is much stronger than the second half. Fantastic hooks. Favorite tracks: "The Sun Always Shines on TV", "Train of Thought", "Take On Me", "And You Tell Me"
Sonic Youth
3/5
The opposite of "groovy". Cool. I enjoyed it more than "Goo", but it's still not driving me crazy. At certain points, unbelievably pretentious. Favorite tracks: "Tom Violence", "Death to Our Friends"
Otis Redding
3/5
Love Otis. Think the song choices here are good, just for the most part I appreciate the versions I'm more familiar with. I like the three Cooke choices, but it's really hard to top the king, yeah? Meanwhile, on the Rolling Stones choice, I love the energy and the passion thrown behind the song. Think it tops their version. Favorite tracks: "Satisfaction", "I've Been Loving You Too Long"
Pulp
3/5
On one hand, I enjoy a lot of the lyrics and think a lot of the songwriting is top-notch. That being said, there are certain points where this album drags pretty hard. Most of the songs are lengthy when they don't really need to be. Still, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, especially after my lukewarm feelings on "Common People". Favorite tracks: "Like A Friend", "Seductive Barry", "The Fear"
Lorde
4/5
I think it was midway through the second song that I realized that Jack Antinoff definitely had something to do with this. I wasn't a fan of the first song, but the rest of the album slowly won me over (save for maybe the two reprises). Reminds me of the shift Nelly Furtado made back in the mid 00s. Lorde is really the star here: her voice is great and the lyrics are, at the same time, personal yet totally relatable. Favorite tracks: "Perfect Places", "Sober", "Homemade Dynamite", "Liability"
Ray Charles
4/5
What a gorgeous album. To say my usual of, "it blends [x] genres well," would be doing a disservice. It's amazing what Ray Charles is able to do here, between picking some real country weepers, changing them entirely, and keeping the soul of the songs. My only nitpick is the chorus: they're a little bland and sometimes bring down a song pretty heavily. Favorite tracks: "Half As Much", "Just a Little Lovin'", "Careless Love"
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Incredible performance. I do believe that all of this was improvisational, as Jarrett's occasional whoops sound like he's even impressing himself. The valleys give way to amazing peaks.
Elton John
4/5
When I was a kid, one of my go-to karaoke songs was "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road". I never sat down to listen to the album proper, and honestly forgot about that until I did today. The record does a fantastic job of playing everything from shirt-rending wails of grief ballads, to drunken-knock-down-fight party songs. There's surprisingly little fat to trim here. It's also an impressive move to open a pop album with an 11 minute prog-ish song, and having it pay off is just another point in Elton John's favor. Favorite tracks: "Bennie And The Jets", "I've Seen That Movie Too", "Saturday Night's Alright", "Social Disease", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
Genesis
2/5
Admittedly, pretty exhausting. The synth sounds range from "interesting" to "that hasn't aged well *at all*". Also contains one of the least sensual songs on sex I've ever heard. I can hear Rush being inspired by this. I feel like it'd make an interesting stage show, though. Favorite tracks: "In the Cage"
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
The first track is a little slow and seem like they don't actually want to start. Meditative, reflective. I like the use of dissonance during the whole thing, "Vibraphonissimo"
Joy Division
4/5
It's tough to describe why I enjoy this album. Listening to it, I realize that it's definitely not going to be for everyone, but it strikes a chord with me, having grown up on emo and screamo. I love the atmosphere, which the sparse instrumentation and Curtis' deep, macabre voice lends to. It's a downward spiral, it's depressing. I can understand where he's coming from, I think. Favorite tracks: "Heart and Soul", "Isolation"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
I got this record after Joy Division's "Closer", and I feel like this record might have been pretty influenced by Joy Division's catalogue. It's post-punky, sparse. Still knows how to cut loose and turn up the volume, and having Karen O as a front woman never hurts. That being said, even as a passing fan of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, I'm a little surprised to see this record here. It's not bad, a little front loaded maybe, but I'm not particularly sure it's something I needed to hear. I appreciate the songwriting here, just didn't click with me as much as their debut did. Favorite tracks: "Heads Will Roll", "Soft Shock", "Skeletons"
Kate Bush
2/5
It's fun getting this now when "Running Up That Hill" is surging up the charts again. That being said, this album goes way over my head. I zoned out a little in a few spots, and while I "appreciate" this album, I probably won't be listening again. Favorite tracks: "Running Up That Hill", "Under Ice"
Little Richard
4/5
Loud, boisterous, fun. Can be a little formulaic, but the formula seemed to work just fine, and the songs are short enough to where it isn't much of a drag. Favorite tracks: "Tutti Fruiti", "Rip It Up"
Bauhaus
4/5
I like this record more when it's energy levels are higher. The varied instrumentation, including saxophone and piano, are nice. The slower, darker moments are also nice, though my attention is held more during the livelier tracks. Favorite tracks: "Of Lillies and Remains", "Dancing", "The Man With X-Ray Eyes"
Gary Numan
3/5
Retro futuristic. I understand the impact this had on mainstream music, but Gary's voice can kind of start to get grating. Still, fun to dance the robot to. Favorite track: "Cars"
Burning Spear
4/5
Normally not a reggae guy, but I really enjoyed this record. The vibe was great, I enjoyed the political angles of it, and the more laid-back angles too. Loved the inclusion of the flute, and loved the unique vocals (see "Tradition") Guess I should check some more real roots reggae. Favorite tracks: "Marcus Garvey", "Slavery Days", "Live Good"
JAY Z
4/5
An incredibly strong offering. Hate him or love him, Kanye West's fingerprints are all over this thing, and it only makes Jay Z stronger. His flows complimented with Kanye's "chipmunk soul" style beats is a deadly combination. The only time Jay shares the spotlight, I think it's stolen from him, especially since the beat on Renegades compliments Eminem's style a bit more than it does Jay Z (both put in fantastic verses, though). "Takeover" is an absolutely vicious diss. Favorite tracks: "Takeover", "Izzo", "Heart of the City"
Roxy Music
3/5
Somewhere in the same velocity of Bowie and Sparks (and T. Rex). Where Bowie went weird and spacey with it, these guys seemed to keep it tight. The production on this thing is cacophonous, feeling like you can actively hear every single instrument used. Favorite tracks: "Out of the Blue", "Casanova"
Donald Fagen
4/5
Had no idea who this was until he started singing, then I realized he's one half of Steely Dan. A tight set of jazzy numbers, very lively. The almost bossa nova of "The Goodbye Look" is a little jarring. A little yuppie-ish, though I think I'll have the melody from "I.G.Y." stuck in my head for a while. Favorite tracks: "I.G.Y.", "New Frontier"
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
I was really big into that first Arctic Monkeys record, so I was familiar with the name of the Last Shadow Puppets, just not what they sounded like. Turns out: eh, not for me. It's almost like a classic western score, with the singer from AM on vocals. Just didn't do much for me. Favorite track: "The Chamber"
Hanoi Rocks
5/5
Long time music listener, first time glam rock enjoyer. Seriously, the 80s form of glam rock has never really jelled with me, but *man* did I enjoy this album. Sounds like it was made for huge stages and big festivals, insert your own crowd chanting while listening. I'm not sure if it's the use of the name "Rosalita" and the killer saxophone solo in "Ice Cream Summer", but man, it sounds just like Springsteen went glam. Early on in the record, I thought, "this isn't bad," and near the end I was super into it. Fuck it. I'm feeling generous tonight. Favorite tracks: "Mental Beat", "Tooting Bec Wreck", "Beating Gets Faster", "Ice Cream Summer"
The Specials
3/5
Never been a big ska fan, so while I found this pleasant while it was on, I probably won't revisit it. Favorite tracks: "A Message To You Rudy", "Monkey Man"
David Bowie
4/5
Bowie ups the glam, also keeps some classic rock and roll in here. Massive shout outs to the backing vocalists and pianist, who put in some dazzling work on this record. Favorite tracks: "The Jean Genie", "Let's Spend the Night Together"
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Raw, very cut loose but tight performances. Lovely harmonies throughout. Not my favorite of Neil Young's, but the spirit is there. Favorite tracks: "Love to Burn", "Mansion on the Hill"
Dr. Dre
5/5
It's rare you can find an album that captures two moods so well: there's a certain revelatory nature of the whole record; the beats are huge and have aged like fine wine while still capturing a time and place. At the same time, this record isn't as lackadaisical as it seems on the surface: there are plenty of shots to other rappers ("Come over here and let me suck your dick!") and just talks of hard living. G-funk is still a fantastic genre that only Dr. Dre seems to fully understand, and Snoop is in prime form on this record. Favorite tracks: "Lyrical Gangbang", "A Nigga Witta Gun", "The Next Episode"
Aerosmith
4/5
Aerosmith is one of those bands that I feel like most people, when pressed, will admit that they don't mind them. It's fun, somewhat generic rock and roll that feels like it could've come out from any point after Led Zepplin took the stage. I went into this fully expecting to give it a middle-of-the-road score, but came away realizing I knew (and enjoyed) more songs on it, from the whooping "Love in an Elevator" to the weird ... keyboards? ... of "Janie's Got a Gun". Even recorded, Steven Tyler is an electric performer. Favorite tracks: "Love in an Elevator", "What It Takes", "The Other Side"
Jane Weaver
4/5
Ethereal. I've never really heard anything labeled "folktronica" before, but I enjoyed the vibe. Very peaceful. Feels like some fae creature singing to you in the middle of a clearing in the forest. Favorite tracks: "Modern Kosmology", "The Architect", "Valley"
Marty Robbins
3/5
I think I remember reading a review for a Little Richard album, saying that it was unfair to judge the album since Little Richard existed before the concept of an "album artist" was established. I feel the same for this. The songs were looking to fill a niche and weren't designed to be listened to back-to-back like this. If I were judging it that way, I'd say the songs get a bit repetitive (he mentions "20 notches in a pistol" in three songs I can remember), but he has a wonderful voice and paints a vivid picture. Favorite tracks: "Big Iron", "Saddle Tramp"
Green Day
4/5
Say what you want about about this record, and the memeification of some of the songs, but man does this record hold up. Some of Green Day's strongest songcrafting, a huge step up in maturity while still managing to keep the sound and the fury. The types of rock here on display (classic pop-punk, emo punk, etc) keep each song feeling fresh, which helps especially when two songs have multiple movements inside of them. Favorite tracks: "Holiday", "Whatsername", "St. Jimmy"
The Damned
4/5
You can really hear shades of what would come in the emo and pop-punk scenes throughout this record. There's a ton of flavors and different types of punk throughout this record, the only misstep being the sad-clown-anthem "These Hands". Favorite tracks: "Noise, Noise, Noise", "I Just Can't Be Happy Today"
Hookworms
2/5
Kind of reminds me of Phoenix or LCD Soundsystem if both bands weren't as... good. Let's call it what it is, this record feels very inconsequential. Overall forgettable. Favorite tracks: "Ullswater" "Boxing Day"
Daft Punk
3/5
I think I can sat I enjoyed it, but it wasn't entirely for me. The production is immaculate, even today sounds great coming out of speakers. Just runs a little long for my taste. Favorite tracks: "Da Funk", "Around the World", "Alive"
Steely Dan
3/5
Steely Dan goes pop. I can't say I've ever been a massive Steely Dan fan, but I preferred "Aja" to this. Still, the harmonies are great, the musicianship tight. Favorite tracks: "Night by Night", "With a Gun"
Metallica
4/5
It's really hard to find a bad song or record through Metallica's first four. Loud, heavy, but absolutely gorgeous in spots when they peel away the overdrive and delve into more the classical pieces. Favorite tracks: "...And Justice for All", "One", "To Live is To Die"
Taylor Swift
3/5
I feel like the weakest part of the album are the instrumentals. They're all pretty, but sometimes they don't match up with Taylor's voice, creating something that just doesn't blend well together. The guests on here all do well, and Taylor's voice and lyrics range from passible to good. My favorite parts are where she dips into her country music roots. Favorite tracks: "No Body, No Crime", "Ivy", "Gold Rush"
Ray Price
5/5
The introduction really set the tone by making the album feel more personal. Can't think of a record that starts with one, but I love it here. This is some real tears-in-your-beer kind of music, but I am here for it. Lyrically, it's great, and vocally, it's superb. Ray Price is a hell of a singer, and really conveys those emotions directly into me. Also, holy hell, Willie Nelson on bass and backing vocals? Neat. Favorite tracks: "Night Life", "Sittin' and Thinkin'", "There's No Fool Like a Young Fool"
Adele
4/5
I was conscious of Adele and her meteoric rise, but never listened to anything I didn't glean from osmosis, like hearing "Rolling In the Deep" in several commercials. Gotta admit, she's good. Great voice control, very emotive. You can almost hear her smirk on "Rumour Has It". Good mix of styles of music (man, that bossa nova cover of "Lovesong" works pretty well), so much so that the one song that's country-esque makes me think she might've had something in that genre if she came up in the 70s. And in America. Favorite tracks: "Lovesong", "Rumour Has It", "Set Fire to the Rain"
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
It's a neat novelty idea, but that's all it really is: a novelty. Most of the tracks on here are covers, and while I can see where they were used in later rap, but anything other than that, it's unessential. Favorite track: "Last Bongo in Belgium"
Jamiroquai
2/5
Very future funk. I feel like the influence (Stevie Wonder) is so obvious you'd be forgiven from considering this a pastiche. It's good, talented, the whole record is just a little samey and not for me. Favorite track: "Hooked Up"
Ian Dury
4/5
I think during the first song, I was confused as to what I was listening to, but it won me over by the second song. Some phrases that kept echoing through my head were: "Anti-David Bowie", "funk with no charisma"... It's weird, but it's like if Bowie was creating outsider music, almost. Favorite tracks: "Blockheads", "I'm Partial to Your Abracadabra"
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
I remember there being a book of bass tablature in the guitar shop I got lessons from that was strictly for this album. Naive, 12-year-old me flipped through it one day landing on "Sir Psycho Sexy" (of course, the tab book had lyrics). Years later, I finally got around to listening to the record, and it became my favorite RHCP record of their entire discography. Love them or hate them, this is RHCP firing on all cylinders, a well-oiled machine of funk rock, somewhere they would never really touch again. Flea absolutely puts work into this record, and John Frusciante creates wonderful soundscapes for Anthony Keidis to go into full white-boy-rock-funk mode. It's, in my opinion, a great album, the right combination of youth, drugs, and just fucking going for it. There's plenty of vulnerability on here too, with "Under the Bridge" remaining a very important track to me. A few songs could be described "misses" on this project, but they'd be the best songs on a lesser album, so they get a pass. Favorite tracks: "Sir Psycho Sexy", "The Power of Equality", "Under the Bridge", "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", "Suck My Kiss"
Kraftwerk
3/5
Pleasant, calm, hypnotic. Something I appreciate more than I truly "enjoy": it's fine, it just doesn't really do much for me. Favorite tracks: "Mitternacht", "Autobahn"
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
Man, there is just something with Paul Simon that doesn't agree with me at all. The record is fine, it's pretty, and the lyrics are very well written it's just so... chaste. Just not my thing. Favorite tracks: "Cecilia", "Baby Driver"
Paul Weller
4/5
Imagine my surprise when I enjoyed the first few tracks of this record, and found out it was one of the members of the Jam, a band I've gotten two albums from on this list. I've been extremely whelmed by the Jam's 60s pastiche, but for some reason, Weller's solo Clapton (and occasional Dylan) pastiche is really working for me. The album is a little bloated, and the old man "Maybe the world will fix itself" ("Moon in your Pyjamas"), first-attempt-at-writing-a-meanful-song lyricisim can grate a little. But it's overall solid. Favorite tracks: "5th Season", "Sunflower", "All The Pictures on The Wall"
Talk Talk
4/5
The moments this album loses me are the slower ones. It's already a very relaxed album, so the slower moments ("April 5th", "Chameleon Day") are so slow they border on catatonic. Still, despite the semi-yuppieness of this record, it's a fun, textured, catchy listen that I'll come back to. Favorite tracks: "Happiness Is Easy", "Life's What Your Make It", "I Don't Believe In You", "Give It Up"
Killing Joke
5/5
Heavy, industrial, feel like there are also some dub influences here. Surprised I'd never heard of this before; feel like a band like Big Black or Failure would have worn copies of this record. Favorite tracks: "Wardance", "The Wait", "S.O.36"
Fiona Apple
4/5
Two things work really in favor of this album: the absolute cacophony of drums and Fiona's impassioned performance. I'm usually skeptical of recent albums on this list, but this record is just objectively good. Love the lyrics, really love the energy and intensity of this record. Favorite tracks: "Shameika", "Relay", "Heavy Balloon", "Drumset"
Metallica
3/5
The infamous Black Album. Never been a huge fan of this one. Funnily enough, the ballads I like, I think my problem overall is this album just feels like it lost a little something. The tunes can be heavy, but they don't feel as crushing as the classic four do, and while lyrics were never the strong suit of Metallica, the lyrics here feel especially glaring. Also, a personal bias: I am sick to death of "Enter Sandman". "Sad But True" still gets a pass. Favorite tracks: "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Sad But True"
Barry Adamson
3/5
It had me and lost me a few times. I like it when the album gets darker and a bit experimental, kind of reminds me of what Burial or Four Tet would be doing a decade later. Otherwise, it's occasionally pleasing-enough background music. It just never really feels cohesive, bouncing from sound palette to sound palette. Favorite tracks: "Something Wicked This Way Comes", "It's Business As Usual", "Dirty Barry"
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Costello has always been a singles artist to me: I usually like one or two songs, but never really the whole album. This is the third Costello album I've gotten, and that hasn't really changed. He's fine, he knows how to write a hook, he just never keeps me for the full record. All that aside, the bass performance on this record is absolutely insane. Fucking gymnastics through this whole thing. Anyway, call this record a 3.5, it's my favorite Costello so far but not changing my overall opinion. Favorite tracks: "Lip Service", "Pump It Up"
Wilco
4/5
It's a solid country-ish record with some nice psychedelic elements. Definitely feel the spirit of CSNY in certain spots. 75 minutes is a lot for any album, though. Favorite tracks: "Forget the Flowers", "Hotel Arizona", "Sunken Treasure"
The Doors
4/5
I know people can see Jim Morrison as pretentious, and he is, but he does have the charisma to back it up. That charisma *bleeds* through this record, backed up by absolute powerhouses of musicians. This is their last record with Morrison before he passed, and it's a solid note to go out on. Bluesy, gruff, only one real dud ("L'America"). Favorite tracks: "L.A. Woman", "Love Her Madly", "Riders On the Storm", "Been Down So Long"
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
For someone who's become a big Neil Young fan through this, this record didn't do much for me. I liked it when it cut loose, but other than that it's a good example of acid folk with some heavier tendencies. Just didn't grab me. Favorite tracks: "Expecting to Fly", "Rock and Roll Woman"
Guns N' Roses
4/5
The 80s were draped in excess, and no band really indulged quite the way that Guns N' Roses did. For fucks sake, there's a woman being fucked on the bridge of one of these songs ("Rocket Queen"). It can be a bit formulaic (aside from the ballads), but it's still just as adrenaline-surging as always. There's a reason Axl Rose is such a known figure, and why Slash has launched so many kids to check their local Guitar Center. Favorite tracks: "It's So Easy", "Sweet Child O' Mine", "My Michelle", "Nighttrain"
SAULT
4/5
Subdued, yet celebratory. Love the influences on this thing, and the production is crisp and nice. Think it gets a smidgen navel-gazey at times, but otherwise it's solid. Favorite tracks: "Bow", "Stop Dem", "Miracles"
The United States Of America
3/5
Far out, man. It's fine enough when it's on, the use of synthesizer is a pretty big step forward. Aside from that, most of the record is in the vein of Jefferson Airplane, the Beatles, or the Doors (the last song of which is so Doors it hurts my teeth). Favorite tracks: "The Garden of Earthly Delights", "Where is Yesterday", "Stranded In Time"
4/5
My old boss used to say that, if the Kinks hadn't been banned in America, they would've been as big as the Beatles. I think this album does a good job backing that claim up. Hooks for days. Maybe not as progressive as the Beatles were at the time, but you can tell there's a non-zero chance that they could find their way there. Favorite tracks: "Yes Sir, No Sir", "Brainwashed", "Young And Innocent Days"
Led Zeppelin
2/5
My god, this thing is sooooo looooong. I have a bias coming into this record about being lukewarm on Zeppelin, but man is 80min of Zeppelin *a lot* for me. Most of the songs, they find one or two grooves and latch on for sometimes 11 minutes(!!). I'm also not entirely convinced that Robert Plant is singing, mostly just moaning sexually. And hey, I don't really mind if stuff gets sexual, but Christ do I not like Plant on this record. Luckily, a few songs later in the album prevent this from being a one-star, but man, was it close. Favorite tracks: "Ten Years Gone", "The Wanton Song"
Kate Bush
3/5
This is the third Kate Bush album I've gotten on here and I've grown to appreciate her. I'm not a huge fan or anything, but you have to admit that she's incredibly unique in both instruments, vocals, and lyrics. I really enjoyed the chorus of backing vocals on two of the tracks. Favorite tracks: "Love and Anger", "Deeper Understanding"
Jane's Addiction
5/5
I've seen most people think Nirvana killed glam, but this seems like the more obvious link to me. It's got the tones and fun of glam, but it's much more... dangerous. There's like a druggy, unnerving edge to this. Dave Navarro's guitars are great, the rhythm section puts in so much work, and Perry Farrell makes for an electrifying performer. It's like glam metal meets Aerosmith, with the heroin sensibilities of grunge. Favorite tracks: "Ted, Just Admit It...", "Mountain Song", "Jane Says", "Oceansize"
The Go-Go's
4/5
Lots of fun. Super bouncy and driving, love the bass and surf-guitar. Think it's a little front-loaded, but not enough to not enjoy. Favorite tracks: "Our Lips Are Sealed", "This Town", "Tonite"
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Love the stripped back instrumentation. Adds just enough body, but still leaves the focus on Gil's poetry. Think it all works really well together. Favorite tracks: "H2O Gate Blues", "Your Daddy Loves You", "The Bottle"
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Another great record from CCR. I think my biggest complaint, is that CCR is more of a singles band. That being said, the jams on here are tasty. Favorite tracks: "Born on the Bayou", "Proud Mary", "Penthouse Pauper"
Leftfield
4/5
A pleasant surprise. The first few tracks I wasn't super into, but once the album really kicked in, I was totally into it. Very retro-futuristic. Not sure how much I enjoyed John Lydon's performance, but enjoyed the other performance. Favorite tracks: "Melt", "Song of Life", "Space Shanty", "Storm 3000"
Mike Ladd
3/5
Nice, relaxing. Even if it was released over twenty years ago, it still has certain elements that make it sound futuristic. Think I appreciate the instrumentals more than I do the tracks with a guest rapper on them. It's good mood music, with the mood being "walking around in a light drizzle while stoned". Favorite tracks: "Bladerunners", "To the Moon's Contractor"
Sepultura
4/5
Abso-fucking-lutely. Just a great, strong, heavy album. I am totally in love with the plethora of percussion instruments on this record; the breakdown for "Breed Apart" did NOT need to go that heavy, but I'm glad it did. Praise aside, it's a bit of a long one, and while there are flourishes of texture, it can be a little repetitive at times. Still, phenomenal album. Favorite tracks: "Breed Apart", "Ratamahatta", "Roots Bloody Roots", "Itsari"
Michael Jackson
4/5
All horrific accusations aside (yes, I know, bad start)... this album is just tight. Shouts out to Louis Johnson, who played bass on this record, for putting the entire thing on his whole back. Jesus Christ, just listen to the bass line in "Get On the Floor" and tell me that's not magic. The whole album is a bit frontloaded with the party jams, but the wide variety of genres is refreshing. Favorite tracks: "Get On the Floor", "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", "Off the Wall"
Elastica
4/5
Pleasantly surprised: I don't normally enjoy britpop, but I love the punk edge put on this record. Think the front half is a lot stronger than the second half, and it seems to run out of steam near the end, but love the occasional noise and the occasional pop-punk sounds on this one. Favorite tracks: "Line Up", "Annie", "Connection", "Waking Up", "S.O.F.T."
Kid Rock
2/5
It's not hard to see why Kid Rock was such a cultural force during the late 90s/early 2000s. There's a ton of charisma on this record, mixed with Kid Rock's "redneck pimp" character. There's a large swath of genres blended here, though country and country rock blends with metal and rap more often than not. Kid Rock is fine enough on the mic, though he is absolutely blown out of the water by the best white MC to ever grace the game on "Fuck Off". It's more a time capsule than anything: where I appreciate that it's here in order to tell the story of nu-metal in the late 90s, I think there are better examples of the genre. Also, how the fuck does Holland-Dozier-Holland have a writing credit on this record? Did they come up with the "blow bubbles up your asshole" line, or the "your girl is sucking my cock while I'm taping it" one? Favorite tracks: "Cowboy", "Bawitdaba", "Wastin' Time"
The Fall
2/5
Very, very raw. There are some spirited performances on here, but I feel like I'd probably not want to see this if it were at a bar. Favorite track: "Rebellious Jukebox"
The Velvet Underground
1/5
Listen, I don't mind a jam session. I'm not *that* huge into the Grateful Dead, but I can appreciate them. There's elements of noise rock and psychedelic here, but man, they find one chord progression and beat it into a grave, don't they? Yes, yes, the lyrical topics were extremely progressive for their time, but there's got to be more than that, especially when the vocals are buried beneath everything else. I thought this album would escape my one-star graveyard, but then "Sister Ray" started to drag on and I realized, with growing horror, that it was going to go on forever. This is just my purgatory, I guess. "Suckin' on his ding-dong," eh, Lou?
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Sparse, but works really well. Springsteen's lyrics do a wonderful job of painting pictures of various characters, which might be lost with a full band performance. Favorite tracks: "Atlantic City", "Jonny 99", "Open All Night"
Nirvana
5/5
Nirvana's "Nevermind" were famously produced "like pop songs". "In Utero" clearly aims to not be that. While the production on here is still great, the rhythm section is wielded as a cudgel, while Kurt creates a one-man wrecking crew of noise and abrasion. Even the most "poppy" song on here is not-safe-for-radio, the harshly named "Rape Me". Favorite tracks: "Tourette's", "Serve the Servents", "Milk It", "Dumb"
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Very psychedelic. I like the flourishes of other music, as well. It's a quick album, captures the era, just didn't really do much for me one way or the other. Favorite tracks: "Onde Andaras", "Soy Loco Por Ti America"
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
The instrumentation is sparse, and it's been years since I spent time on Duolingo French, so this album doesn't really do much for me. It's not offensive, by any means, but if the focus of this record is going to be the story and lyrics, I need to be able to understand it. Favorite tracks: "Ah Melody"
George Jones
4/5
A solid set of pretty well-worn country ballads, and some more uptempo numbers as well. The last song ("Private Lives"), I more enjoyed for the unorthodox subject matter, don't think I've heard a "gossip column" teardown song before. Favorite tracks: "Borrowed Angel", "Mary Don't Go Round", "The Grand Tour"
The Stranglers
3/5
It's not bad, early pop-punkish right there with the likes of Buzzcocks. The singer's voice, to someone who is usually good at not being "annoyed" by singing styles, can get a little irritating due to how "snotty" it is. I like it when he gets pretty guttural on "Ugly". Also, they typically find one chord progression and beat it to the ground. It caused me to zone out a bit. None of this is offensive, and I like the multi-part closing track, but none of this is... super memorable. "Peaches" is a weird track, too. A punk-rock ass-anthem. Strange. Favorite tracks: "Princess of the Pack", "London Lady", "Down In the Sewer"
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
The concept is neat. The instrumentation is sparse, but it's not the main point: the lyrics, tied with Nick Cave's frightening baritone is. It's a solid album that (aside from all the murder) swaps up the music enough to stay interesting. Favorite tracks: "Where the Wild Roses Grow", "The Curse of Millhaven"
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Very R.E.M., if R.E.M. had a lot more punk backbone. It's a long album, and the songs don't really shift up from point A to point B, so it gets tiring to listen to. There's also really no connecting thread through the record, so it's just a bunch of songs together. None of this makes it terrible, but it doesn't make me want to revisit anything aside from the tracks I liked. Favorite tracks: "Ice Cold Ice", "Friend, You've Got to Fall", "Tell You Why Tomorrow"
Elvis Presley
3/5
I like Elvis, just seems like a pretty tight concert to me. Didn't do much more for me than that. Favorite tracks: "I'll Hold You In My Heart", "Any Day Now"
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
It demands too much presence to be "ambient", while the songs find one progression they like and continue to beat it into the ground for six, sometimes seven whole minutes. I like a lot of electronica, but it's the first record I've received in a while where I was pretty desperate to stop listening to it.
The Strokes
3/5
Let me get my snarky, probably-not-original joke out of the way real quick: "Is This It?" Yeah, I guess it is. Anyway, I recently finished "Meet Me In the Bathroom" by Elizabeth Goodman recently (fantastic, by the way), and it's a great oral history of the period of rock-music-history that helped to create this record. People were *hyped* for this thing, and it ended up getting a lot of other NYC based bands signed as well. As for my personal opinions? It's fine. The guitars on the record are great, but for an album surrounded by such rock mythos, apparently created while the members were living the true rock-and-roll lifestyle, it's actually kind of subdued. It gets some more pulse later in the record, but that's on the very last track. I've never really seen what the deal is about the Strokes, and this hasn't done all that much to change my mind. Favorite track: "Hard To Explain"
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
5/5
I'm tough on the Clapton records on this list; a lot of his solo records on this list border on his yuppie 80s rock. This, however, is just a solid blues record. Love the horns, love the organ, and Clapton is absolutely ripping through this album. If I had one minor complaint, it's that John Mayall's voice is a little weaker than needed for some of the notes, but it's never so bad it's offensive. Favorite tracks: "Hideaway", "What'd I Say", "Have You Heard"
Peter Tosh
3/5
I enjoyed it. Reggae is one of those genres I never seek out, but enjoy enough when it's on. It's good background music, but never really does much more for me. Still, solid. Favorite tracks: "Why Must I Cry", "Ketchy Shuby", "Till Your Well Runs Dry"
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Lively performances, makes for good background or tea/coffee music. It's solid, just nothing I think I'll revisit. Favorite tracks: "Water From An Ancient Well", "Sameeda"
Björk
3/5
Björk continues to elude me. I like the concepts, I like the atmosphere, but she makes albums that seem to demand multiple listens to unlock everything, and I'm just not that deep into it. I do love the choral vocals and the various flavors of electronic music on here, however. Favorite tracks: "It's Not Up to You", "Aurora"
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
It's a solid album. Of course the harmonies are gorgeous. I don't think CSN really hit their apex until they added Y, but that doesn't mean this isn't worth a gander, either. Favorite tracks: "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", "Wooden Ships", "49 Bye-Byes"
The War On Drugs
3/5
The Springsteen influence is palpable, but I don't really think it holds up to that comparison. Springsteen, even during his ballads, has a lot more energy. There's also some notes of Arcade Fire in here, as well. That being said, the production is nice, and I like some of the soundscapes throughout the record. Favorite track: "An Ocean In Between the Waves"
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
A gorgeous indie album that doesn't sound like it's trying to sell me clothing (a rarity in the 00s indie scene). There's a wide swath of instruments on here, and it almost makes it feel like it's a stage play. It also sounds like it'd be a wonderful road trip record. That being said, it loses a little steam at the end and could've made due with some fat-trimming. Favorite tracks: "Casimir Pulaski Day", "Chicago", "Jacksonville", "John Wayne Gacy, Jr."
Depeche Mode
4/5
Moody, dark, yet somehow still very catchy and weirdly sexy (just me?). I don't think this is their apex, I think they hit that with "Violator", but this is still just a solid record. Love the use of sampling throughout, as well as the atmosphere. Favorite tracks: "Never Let Me Down Again", "To Have and To Hold", "Behind the Wheel"
Miles Davis
4/5
There really is only one word to describe it, and that's "cool". It's just a solid record, and I love the constant use of dissonance throughout. Favorite tracks: "Moon Dream", "Boplicity"
The Flaming Lips
3/5
I gave "The Soft Bulletin" a 5 star but this one didn't click with me like that one did. It's a little more left-field. The production is great, but sometimes works against the songs with how kitchen-sink it can be. Favorite track: "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1"
Ray Charles
4/5
Just a solid collection of soulful, big band and jazz adjacent music. Favorite tracks: "Deed I Do", "Just For a Thrill", "It Had to Be You"
Radiohead
3/5
Radiohead start to shake off the 90s grunge/alternative with this one. It's not bad, has a few duds, but for some bands, this might be a peak. For Radiohead, this is only the beginning. Favorite tracks: "High and Dry", "Fake Plastic Trees", "Just"
The xx
2/5
I don't mind music that's sparse, music that leaves a lot of space for your mind to fill in. The only way I can describe this record is like eating a fistful of CBD with no THC: all the couch lock laziness with none of the fun "seeing colors" stuff. It's sleepy, lazy (but purposely so), but I can't say I loathe it. It's definitely not for me. It's definitely for someone who writes at Pitchfork. To me, there's way too much space between everything and I just can't get behind it. Favorite track: "Intro", "Basic Space"
Amy Winehouse
4/5
I definitely enjoyed this record more than "Frank". The production on this record is a lot better, with Amy's voice always at the center and in hard focus. The instruments have a bit more of a modern flair to them, while still managing to invoke the girl groups of the Motown era, mixed with the hedonistic lyrics of later rock and roll (the Stones come to mind). Favorite tracks: "You Know I'm No Good", "Back To Black", "Tears Dry On Their Own"
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Yeah something about Neil Young just clicks with me super well. It's not my favorite project from him, but call it a solid 4.5. Favorite tracks: "Down By the River", "Cinnamon Girl"
The B-52's
4/5
Bizarre and kitschy in all the right ways. Not sure what's in the drinking water in Athens, Georgia, but it makes some truly fun music. Favorite tracks: "52 Girls", "Rock Lobster"
Soundgarden
5/5
It's difficult to describe how important this record was to a 15-year-old me. The angular rhythms, Chris Cornell's growl-into-a-wail, it all just made sense to me. Still does. I haven't listened to this record in years, but man, these tracks still kill. I'd say I'm biased based on my youth, but I revisited another album that was important to me when I was younger (Franz Ferdinand's self titled), and that one didn't hold up. Everything about this one still works for me. Favorite tracks: "Limo Wreck", "The Day I Tried to Live", "My Wave", "4th of July"
Megadeth
5/5
Ridiculous, mind-bending riffs that border on orchestral at certain points. An incredible thrash record. Favorite tracks: "Tornado of Souls", "Five Magicks"
Miles Davis
4/5
Crazy dark, lots of space left on this record. Very eerie and jagged. Favorite track: "Bitches Brew"
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Jangly rock n roll. Always been more of a Beatles guy, myself. Favorite tracks: "Sympathy for the Devil", "Parachute Woman"
Kacey Musgraves
5/5
A solid country record with some modern (and retro) twists. The influences range from Dusty Springfield to what sounds like Daft Punk? Pretty nuts and caught me totally by surprise. Favorite tracks: "Slow Burn", "Butterflies", "Space Cowboy", "High Horse"
Finley Quaye
1/5
I'm writing this about ten minutes after listening to this record, and I can't say I remember much. I remember some reggae and dub influences, mixed with some modern-ish techniques. Honestly, the whole package was a little bit yacht-rock-ish to me. The performances are listless, just very wallpaper. I think I can say I enjoyed "Supreme I Preme", because it was a least a little bit interesting. But the more I thought about it, the more I began to feel that there's no way this album should be here.
Can
4/5
I feel pretentious by enjoying this record, but it's got a good, solid groove throughout. It's like progressive rock, with a heavy jazz influence thrown in. I can see why people might not enjoy it, but I enjoyed how mellow it was. The instruments build particularly well throughout the whole thing, though they may get a little lost in the weeds on "Bel Air". Favorite track: "Future Days"
Minor Threat
4/5
Just a solid punk record. Doesn't stay longer than it needs to. Plus, Ian MacKaye gets a thumbs up from me in every form. Favorite tracks: "Sob Story", "It Follows"
Roxy Music
2/5
Somewhere between Bowie and Talking Heads. Notes of post-punk too. Just didn't grab me at all. Favorite track: "Re-Make/Re-Model"
Elvis Costello
3/5
This is the third or fourth Costello record I've gotten and I'm starting to feel bad. He really should click with me, but I can't get anything below the surface level with him. It's pleasant enough when it's on, just nothing I enjoy enough to go out of my way to listen on my own. Favorite tracks: "Allison", "Blame It On Cain", "I'm Not Angry"
The Byrds
2/5
Adding David Crosby didn't do much here, except turn the Byrds into a poor man's CSNY. The most interesting part of the Byrds was how they always seemed to get incredible members and make boring music. Favorite track: "What's Happening?!?!?"
R.E.M.
4/5
Genuinely surprised how much this reminds me of The Smiths. It's good, just think R.E.M. would hit their stride on later albums. Favorite tracks: "Radio Free Europe", "Laughing", "Sitting Still"
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Gorgeous, heavy blistering shoegaze-y noise with just a pinch of psychedelia. It's a bit long, and I think the record could've ended after "Spaceboy", but it's still a solid album throughout. Call it 4.5 stars. Favorite tracks: "Hummer", "Disarm", "Soma"
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
Really just doesn't get much better than this, when it comes to gansta rap. I'm biased, because my youth was spent running around shouting the lyrics to "Gimme the Loot". But the beats are still incredibly fresh, and Big's rhyming and flow are still unmatched. Favorite tracks: "Gimme the Loot", "Machine Gun Funk", "Juicy", "Suicidal Thoughts"
Muddy Waters
4/5
Just a solid blues album. I always enjoy when you can hear the crowd, especially in blues recordings. Super fun. Favorite tracks: "Got My Mojo Working Part 1", "Baby, Please Don't Go"
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Cheesey in certain spots, but it'd be difficult to deny this still goes surprisingly hard. The lyrics can be a little basic, but they get a pass for the amount of passion and energy put into them. Favorite tracks: "30 Days", "It's Like That", "Hard Times"
Big Black
5/5
Just a solid, noisy, angry punk record. Shades of everything from Judas Priest to Ministry. Think it loses a little steam near the end, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed the whole thing. Favorite tracks: "Bad Houses", "Stinking Drunk", "Fists of Love"
Throbbing Gristle
3/5
I think this album broke me similar to how "Everywhere At the End of Time" did. I think it's akin to watching a horror movie on acid. I'm not going to pretend I enjoyed it, or even liked it, but it made me feeling something. Mounting dread. Horror. But that's what it's going for, isn't it? Favorite(?) track: "E-Coli"
Lana Del Rey
3/5
Shimmery, sparse. Early on into the record, I came to the conclusion that this is music you listen to, wine-drunk, in the bathtub, while slipping under the water. It's depressing, but quietly so. I enjoyed it quite a bit more than I thought I would, but it's not anything I plan to revisit. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Tulsa Jesus Freak", "Not All Who Wander Are Lost", "Dark But Just A Game"
Beatles
4/5
It's fun to trace a path from Rubber Soul to Sgt. Pepper's. There's still a twee-ness about certain aspects of this record, but the experimental side (be it the psychedelic aspects, or Harrison's flirtation with Asian/Indian music) is really just something to behold. The straightforward tracks are still good, the experimental ones are just super fun. Favorite tracks: "Taxman", "I'm Only Sleeping", "And Your Bird Can Sing", "Tomorrow Never Knows"
Def Leppard
2/5
This thing has hooks for days, but often they're kind of "annoying earworm" type hooks. Very AC/DC, Aerosmith. Very, very shiny. I went into it with an open mind: I love "Photograph", but *loathe* "Pour Some Sugar On Me". Unfortunately, this record is more the latter. Aims for the cheap seats, and every track is way, way too long. Am I excited? Nah, not really. Favorite track: "Armageddon It"
The Kinks
4/5
Just a solid pop record. Good melodies. My one coworker says The Kinks would've been bigger than the Beatles in America had they not been banned. I've always been skeptical, still am, but I can see this record being big. Favorite tracks: "Waterloo Sunset", "Harry Rag", Afternoon Tea", "Tin Soldier Man"
Ozomatli
3/5
Fun, lively. I thought the album was great when it leaned heavily into the latin feel, and I wasn't as thrilled with the rapping. Felt a little cheesy. Favorite tracks: "Nadie Te Tira", "Believe"
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Smooth, soulful. Easy to get caught up in the groove. I think the earlier part of "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" is a little boring, personally, but once it kicks in it's more pleasant. Favorite track: "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic"
Alice Cooper
3/5
Glammy, rambunctious. I liked the summation of turkey finale. Just not my cup of tea. Favorite track: "School's Out"
Cee Lo Green
2/5
I kind of came into consciousness around this time, and I vaguely remember seeing this artwork. I also remember this was the time when albums were *packed*. I'm not sure if it was an effort to pack them so they had a better shot at a hit, but man, this thing could easily be cut in half and be a much, much better record. There's so much stuff on here that just... doesn't need to be. The first few tracks are good. The production is good. But man, is this thing bloated. Favorite tracks: "The Art of Noise", "Livin' Again"
Meat Loaf
5/5
Of course I've heard this album before. Each song on this thing has been played at different points in my life. It's not my favorite album, but I think it's difficult to deny just how fucking awesome this thing is. Favorite tracks: "Bat Out of Hell", "Paradise By the Dashboard Light", "Two Outta Three Ain't Bad"
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Pleasant enough, just didn't really do much for me. Favorite track: "Pacific Ocean Blue"
The Waterboys
3/5
Kind of reminds me of Springsteen, weirdly. Heavy on the traditional folkiness, but I enjoy it when it's more upbeat, even if those moments run on a little long. Favorite track: "We Will Not Be Lovers"
Led Zeppelin
4/5
If you've turned on classic rock radio ever, you know at least three-fourths of this album. It's an album that's permeated the cultural knowledge so thoroughly, I don't think anyone could ever provide an objective review. I'm not huge into Zeppelin, but even I know these songs kick major ass. My spicy take, however, is that "Battle of Evermore" keeps this one from being perfect, at least in my book. Favorite tracks: "Stairway to Heaven", "When The Levee Breaks", "Four Sticks"
Minutemen
4/5
Simultaneously blink-and-you'll-miss-it and just... a lot. The songs are short, but about 30 into this 45-song project, and you've got a great idea of the Minutemen sound and vibe. It's jokey, yet sometimes serious, and overall pretty fun. Just also overall pretty long. Definitely a "pick your favorites and move on" type of record. Favorite tracks: "Corona", "Viet Nam", "History Lesson Part 2", "It's Expected I'm Gone", "This Ain't No Picnic"
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Fun, lively, huge beats. Fades into the background a little at times. Favorite tracks: "The Rockafeller Skank", "Kalifornia", "Praise You"
The Blue Nile
2/5
Most of the pretension of U2, maybe about half the atmosphere. Whenever the bass was the focal point, it very rarely felt like it was playing along to the same song. Didn't hate it, just won't revisit. Favorite track: "Tinseltown In the Rain"
Billy Bragg
5/5
I remember when looking at the Wikipedia for this book, I was surprised at how Woody Guthrie didn't have an album on here (he does have music recorded, after all). If this is as close as it'll get, I don't mind. I previously got "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" on here and discovered I really enjoyed it, but I'm not as familiar with Billy Bragg. I think the idea is great and it's executed well. Despite the fact that Guthrie has been dead nearly 100 years, he can still connect. Even being... let's say agnostic, I enjoyed the pro-Jesus anti-politician "Christ For President". My, how times have changed, eh? Favorite tracks: "Way Over Yonder In a Minor Key", "At My Window Sad and Lonely", "I Guess I Planted", "Christ For President"
It's fun to hear Rod Stewart front a heavier band than I'm used to hearing. Reminds me of Aerosmith a little. Still, very middle of the road for me. Favorite tracks: "Memphis", "Miss Judy's Farm"
PJ Harvey
5/5
Album #3 from PJ Harvey for me and... yeah, it kicks so much ass. Surprising, seeing as how her other entries on this list haven't been anywhere near as memorable (to me, at least). Raw, incredible use of dynamics... Just blown away, really. Favorite tracks: "Rid of Me", "Missed", "Rub 'Til It Bleeds", "50ft Queenie"
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
1/5
I kind of realized I was in for something when I saw the band name is "Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart". I was, however, expecting some roots reggae, not... this. I guess my one thought is, who is this for? It's a hodgepodge of various "world" sounding music, some occasional speak-singing by a guy who is absolutely Pretentious with a capital "P". "The word 'fun' was invented by soft drink companies"... my god, if my eyes could roll any harder, I'd be fucking blind. The only person I can imagine this "influenced" might be Sting, since I can draw a parallel between this and "Desert Rose" of vague/pseudo-deep-sounding ""world"" music. It doesn't deserve to be anywhere near this list. It's infuriating. It's beige wallpaper trying to pass itself off as a mosaic.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Middle of the road for me. Quite the mood. Nick consistently has a wonderful voice, but this album is so subdued it sometimes fades too far into the background. I think it's pretty good overall, for what it's worth. Favorite tracks: "Into My Arms", "Brompton Oratory"
Paul Simon
4/5
Hey, a Paul Simon record I actually somewhat enjoyed. I feel like it's got enough flirtations with world music to be interesting, but not over-the-top. The production is also pretty nice, very warm. Seeing as how this is my fourth Paul Simon record on the list so far, maybe he's breaking me, or maybe this is just the only one I enjoyed. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Duncan", "Papa Hobo"
Talking Heads
4/5
If David Bowie was playing a character from Mars, Talking Heads are playing characters (and music) from planets that haven't received actual names yet. Super fun, weirdly, oddly funky. Favorite tracks: "Life During Wartime", "Heaven", "Animals"
The Fall
3/5
When it locks into a good groove, it's great. Can get a little bit lost in the weeds, though. Favorite tracks: "Bombast", "Paintwork", "Cruiser's Creek"
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
Mildly pretentious, though as much as I found the protest song a little full of itself, I still think it had a catchy melody. The vocals alternated between annoying me and genuinely enjoying them. Very 90s. Don't think I'll be revisiting it. Favorite tracks: "You Just Have to Be Crazy", "The Shining Hour"
Moby Grape
3/5
It's pretty cool that everyone on here is a singer and songwriter, though it does make it feel slightly less cohesive. Nice heavy blues and psychedelic notes. Favorite tracks: "Changes", "Omaha", "Fall on You"
George Harrison
4/5
I've been getting a lot of records lately that I couldn't possibly be biased on. This is one of my dad's favorites, so much so that I have quite a few memories of listening to this in the car when the remaster came out. It's a solid record, very spiritual, with a huge cast of fantastic backing musicians. "Epic" is probably a strong word but it's what I'd use to describe the scope. Maybe somewhere on the same level as "Pet Sounds", just not as well remembered. Could it have done with some trimming? Sure. But man, it's a solid record even without that. Favorite tracks: "All Things Must Pass", "Wah-Wah", "My Sweet Lord", "I Dig Love"
Bob Dylan
4/5
I enjoyed the first half of this album a bit more than the second half. Dylan tends to go long whenever it's just him and a guitar, plus he sounds so much livelier when he's backed up by a band. Still, all solid. Favorite tracks: "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream", "Outlaw Blues", "Maggie's Farm"
LL Cool J
3/5
LL Cool J has charisma in droves. He's got some weird song topic choices here ("Milky Cereal"), and the beats are sometimes sparse, but his ability carries it. Favorite tracks: "Mama Said Knock You Out", "Around The Way Girl", "To Da Break of Dawn"
MGMT
3/5
I think anyone my age or a little older will remember this album was *everywhere*. Hell, I still hear the main three songs ("Kids", "Electric Feel", "Time to Pretend") pretty consistently. Do I like it? ...Eh. It tries stuff. A few of the songs attempt having multiple parts instead of the standard verse-chorus arrangement. But sometimes they succeed ("Of Moons, Birds, and Monsters") and sometimes they don't ("The Handshake"). It's fun, synth-driven psychedelia. That being said, I could easily go the rest of my days without hearing "Time to Pretend" again. Favorite tracks: "Electric Feel", "Of Moons, Birds, and Monsters"
The Beach Boys
4/5
If you listen to anything earlier from the Beach Boys, I think it'll just show the distance they went from there til here. Insanely lush, gorgeous, and dynamic. Favorite tracks: "God Only Knows", "Sloop John B", "Don't Talk"
Don McLean
3/5
The album doesn't really meet the high that the title track gives. A lot more of solo singer songwriter stuff than I was anticipating. Favorite tracks: "American Pie", "Babylon"
Gene Clark
4/5
Initial reactions thought it would be more country heavy, but it's actually a gorgeous mix of country, folk, psychedelia, and what would later be termed "yacht rock". It's just all around pretty, reminds me of a trippier John Denver or Beach Boys. Favorite tracks: "Silver Raven", "No Other", "Some Misunderstanding"
The Cramps
3/5
I really like the style and vibe, and I'm sure it's been said before, but I really miss the bass guitar. Feels a bit hollow without it. Also, the production on the remastered version of this is... not great. Favorite tracks: "Garbageman", "Mystery Plane"
Tim Buckley
1/5
God I hate giving this album a one but it's just so... all over the place. It meanders constantly. The jazziness is definitely noticeable, but it doesn't save the record from getting super boring. The songs are long, and it all just feels like a marimba-heavy jam session that got recorded and Tim Buckley said, "Yeah, good enough, send it." Just... not for me, I guess.
Janet Jackson
5/5
So I usually joke about how I hate production from around this year for sounding too cheap and fake but maaaaaan. What a fucking record. The production sounds of-its-time but it only makes the record stronger. Pretty much every song is a bop. Also, I'm not usually one for slow, sex jams, but "Someday Is Tonight" is making me feel some sort of way. Shout out to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Holy shit. Favorite tracks: "Rhythm Nation", "Someday Is Tonight", "Black Cat", "Love Will Never Do"
Tori Amos
3/5
The Kate Bush influence is very apparent, in a sense blending her avant-garde style with more alternative rock leanings. I love how forward the piano is in the mix, I think it adds a lot to the music. It's very 90s, lots of angst, very heavy, both topically and musically. Favorite tracks: "Precious Things", "Mother", "Leather"
Johnny Cash
4/5
This is a record I feel like I can't possibly separate my biases from. I've read "Johnny Cash: A Life" and the story behind this record is really interesting, and the music is great as well. Ruminations on life from a man not long for this world. Very powerful. If I could make one complaint, I don't think the guest vocalists were necessary. They're all solid vocalists, but would've probably been better just being Johnny's album. Favorite tracks: "Hurt", "In My Life", "We'll Meet Again"
Radiohead
5/5
Listen, I've seen Radiohead live. I ate an edible, they played "How to Disappear Completely", and it broke me a little. No way I can be objective here. It's a good album. It's "experimental" in the way that word should convey, instead of "this is noise we are passing off as music". It definitely shouldn't be anyone's first foray into Radiohead, but overall it's a gorgeous, detached, depressed album. Favorite tracks: "How to Disappear Completely", "Treefingers", "Everything In Its Right Place", "Motion Picture Soundtrack"
The Doors
4/5
Say what you will about Jim Morrison and the Doors, the man truly performs like a man possessed. Pretentious lyrics aside, he had "it", whatever that is. Also, the Doors had a sound that I don't think many bands have ever been able to truly match. The organ-heavy sound has been copied multiple times, but I don't think they ever come close to what the Doors were doing. Favorite tracks: "Soul Kitchen", "Break on Through", "The End"
Antony and the Johnsons
5/5
Well, wasn't expecting that. Very sparse but with big performances, especially vocally. I don't think you can miss what the subject matter is, and I think vocally Anohni just nails the right mix of vulerable and strong. It may have not been created for me (as a straight cis guy), but I'm very happy it's here. Favorite tracks: "Bird Gehrl", "You Are My Sister", "Fistful of Love"
The Killers
4/5
It's a difficult album to describe because it may be one of those "you had to be there" moments in order to fully "get" it, without trying to sound too pretentious. When "Somebody Told Me" dropped, the Killers were everywhere overnight. I wasn't a crazy big fan, but I do remember enjoying that song. I actually found this record around college, and it clicked, "Oh, this was what all the hype was about." It's not anything mind-blowing, but all of the songs on here are solid songs, and there's plenty of variety to keep one interested: from the sleezy "On Top" to somber cuts including "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" and the classic bar-closing "Mr. Brightside". Again, it's nothing crazy, but it's just a solid batch of songs, and it was a moment. So in my mind, it deserves to be here. Favorite tracks: "Mr. Brightside", "Smile Like You Mean It", "All These Things I've Done", "Read Your Mind"
Prince
4/5
A slightly less-horny Prince that the first album I received, but he's still there. The man was crazy in the right ways and can just... write a banger of a tune. You can see that brilliance when he starts a song giving a gospel-style sermon about life and ending with a guitar solo so awesome, I'd be amazed if his guitar didn't spontaneously catch fire. Favorite tracks: "I Would Die 4 U", "Purple Rain", "When Doves Cry"
Prince
4/5
As always Prince delivers tight grooves that have the ability to stray out of the lines for either a ridiculous guitar solo or the horniest sexual yelping you've ever heard. Even the more serious tracks manage to land. Favorite tracks: "Housequake", "Strange Relationship", "I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man"
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Coworker and I were having a discussion on guitarists (as we semi-frequently do) and we had a few people whose riffs can be played by someone else, but won't have the same intensity and passion behind them. Hendrix was the first name that came up that inspired the discussion. I don't know how you can listen to any of this and not hear there being a genius at work behind the guitar. Incredible performance. Favorite tracks: "Fire", "Manic Depression", "Are You Experienced?"
The Who
2/5
Every time I listen to the Who, I swear I'm going insane. I can't see how a band that would earnestly write and practice a song like "Silas Stingy" could be this revered by history. Sure, they have one or two good songs, but man, have I never understood how this weak psych-rock band still merits plays on classic rock radio. One song keeps this from being a one star, but it seems I'll never understand where all the praise comes from (aside from the talent of the band, which doesn't count for too much). Favorite track: "I Can See For Miles"
Van Halen
4/5
Sometimes it sounds so loose, like they were just jamming and happened to come up with this awesome, tight sound. I'm not even a big Van Halen fan ("Jump" docks an automatic point from me), but all of this sounded killer as hell. Can see why they were such a huge deal. Favorite tracks: "Panama", "Drop Dead Legs", "Hot For Teacher"
Cream
5/5
I've been waiting to get this one. It's a record I couldn't possibly give a "first reaction" to. It's one of my dad's favorites and I've listened to it so much on my own, it's kind of become one of mine as well (though I admittedly think the follow-up "Wheels of Fire" is the stronger record). The vocal trade-offs are great, the playing is tight (especially the drums, beware Mr. Baker indeed). I don't know what someone hearing it for the first time might think but damnit, it's my list. Favorite tracks: "Outside Woman Blues", "Tales of Brave Ulysses", "She Walks Like A Bearded Rainbow"
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
It's Springsteen on a huge budget. Some of the songs work pretty well (the title track, opener "Lonesome Day"), but at times the record feels like they're throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks. There was a point where every aging rocker needed a vaguely Middle Eastern-sounding song on their album, and I just don't like it for the Boss. Coupled with the fact that it's followed by a sex(?) jam ("Let's Be Friends"), it makes for a weird one-two punch. It's an album that probably had too much money behind it, and way too long a tracklist. Even "My City of Ruins", a fantastic song, has waaay too much behind it to register the emotional hit it's aiming for. Favorite tracks: "The Rising", "Lonesome Day", "You're Missing"
Love
2/5
Seems like it has some flamenco influence, as well as being coated in strings. Nice enough when it's on, but not sure it's gonna be anything that sticks with me. Favorite tracks: "You Set the Scene", "A House Is Not a Motel"
Drive Like Jehu
5/5
It's like being in a drunken bar brawl. Noisy, abrasive. The members play as if they're all attempting to compete for your attention, somehow working against and with each other throughout the record. It's a record I know will have mixed reviews on here, but man, do I love it. From this record, we get the whole late 90s/early 00s emo boom. Favorite tracks: "Do You Compute?", "Here Come the Rome Plows", "Luau"
John Lennon
4/5
A lot more honky-tonk style country than I was anticipating. Sure, there's a pretension here, but the songs are overall solid. I'm also a sucker for a good diss track. Favorite tracks: "How Do You Sleep?", "Imagine", "Gimme Some Truth"
Iron Maiden
4/5
It's Maiden. I don't know how you can't enjoy it (though I'm sure some people don't). It's fun, campy, cheesy, but also requires full-throated singing. Favorite tracks: "Run To the Hills", "The Number of the Beast", "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
Tom Waits
3/5
Local drunk man with access to a marimba records album in secret. It's fun, very weird, almost vaudevillian, jumping genres between songs. It's quick and fun enough, but I think "vibe" alone is not enough for me to give this higher than, say, a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Franks Wild Years", "16 Shells From A 30.6"
The Adverts
3/5
Reminds me of the Buzzcocks. Some pop-punk, horror, and maybe a touch of psychedelic... It's fine, just nothing incredible to me. Favorite tracks: "Bored Teenagers", "Bombsite Boy"
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
Very fun classic skiffle/rock n rock. No real notes here. Favorite tracks: "Rock Me My Baby", "Not Fade Away", "Maybe Baby"
The Lemonheads
3/5
Owes a debt to Elvis Costello and punk bands like Husker Du and The Replacements. Ernest, jangly fun, but I feel like you understand what it's about by about halfway through. Favorite tracks: "It's A Shame About Ray", "My Drug Buddy", "Alison's Starting To Happen"
Rod Stewart
2/5
Near the end of the record, I realized that Rod Stewart reminds me of a lower-pitched Robert Plant. Never been the biggest Zeppelin fan, and never been the biggest Rod Stewart fan. Maybe it's all correlated. Not for me. Favorite tracks: "Maggie May", "(I Know) I'm Losing You"
Richard Thompson
5/5
Surprised to find this is from a former member of Fairport Convention, a band I've been lukewarm on through this list (being generous). I don't think these tracks do anything super new, but I do think they are super well written and just overall great tunea. Reminds me of Frightened Rabbit, a little, especially the wonderful downer of "The End Of The Rainbow". Favorite tracks: "When I Get To The Boarder", "The Calvary Cross", "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight", "The End Of The Rainbow"
Solange
4/5
Ethereal, anthemic. Production is gorgeous on this. Favorite tracks: "Don't You Wait", "Don't Wish Me Well"
Pantera
4/5
I don't think anyone can deny Dimebag Darrell's chops. I kept going back and forth between a three and a four on this album. I don't like the production (so high, so much gain), and the lead singer is a notorious shithead, but it is a fantastic metal record. Favorite tracks: "Fucking Hostile", "Mouth For War", "By Demons Be Driven"
Rush
4/5
It's Rush, so once you get past the dorkiness of it all, it's great. Geddy Lee uses his high voice a bit more than I can take on this one, but has fantastic performances from everyone (especially Alex Lifeson). Favorite tracks: "2112", "Something For Nothing"
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I'm actually surprised how much this reminds me of "Bat Out of Hell" by Meatloaf. Very theatric, feels like it tells a story. Favorite tracks: "Thunder Road", "Jungleland", "Born to Run", "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"
Iron Maiden
3/5
My rating is definitely colored being more familiar with the Dickinson era of Maiden. This record is solid, but having known and loved Maiden for a while, it just sounds like a band almost there. Instrumental work is solid, just missing something. Favorite tracks: "Prowler", "Transylvania"
Os Mutantes
5/5
Y'kno, I might just be tired enough to where this *really* clicked with me. It's fucking bizarre, isn't it? Sounds like a time capsule simultaneously from the past and future, or some sort of alien music (doesn't hurt I can't understand a word of Brazilian Portuguese). It's got pop hooks, it's got weirdness... like strange cousins of the Beatles, who got heavier into acid. Absolutely love it. Favorite tracks: "A Minha Menina", "Adeus Maria Fulô", Tempo No Tempo", "Baby"
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Post punky a la the Slits. Some new wave and blues influence here as well. Middle of the road for me. Favorite tracks: "Guilt", "Why D'ya Do It?"
Linkin Park
4/5
Huh, wasn't expecting to see this on here. I was more a fan of "Meteora", but this is still good. Is it cheesy at spots? Yeah, "Crawling" has been a meme for-fucking-ever for the "teenager's tear-stained diary" approach. But I think the songs are well-written, catchy, and I think Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda's trade-offs flow naturally and wonderfully. Also, Joe Hanh does fantastically on the turntable. I'm biased because I was a teenager when this was out, but I genuinely think it still holds up. Favorite tracks: "One Step Closer", "Pushing Me Away", "Cure For The Itch", "Points of Authority"
Taylor Swift
2/5
Not a Swiftie, but have enjoyed some of her songs, mainly through the osmosis of hearing them randomly. That being said... does this need to be here? It's a fine pop album, but I don't think it does anything super new or mind-blowing. Some of the songs I find somewhat irritating: if I can go without hearing "Shake It Off" again, with it's weird farting-tuba """"sick"""" beat and white-girl rapping. But other ones are pretty decent. I could weirdly pick out a track that I was pretty sure Jack Antinoff was on ("Out Of The Woods"). That being said, it's fine, nothing offensive, but an album I need to hear before I die? Nah, probably not. Favorite tracks: "Style", "Out Of The Woods"
The White Stripes
3/5
The White Stripes have never really done much for me. I appreciate Jack White as the strange, aloof musician he is, but it's never translated to me, music wise. It's fine, I like it when it gets super-heavy bluesy, but other than that I could take it or leave it. Favorite tracks: "Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine", "The Hardest Button to Button"
Missy Elliott
3/5
It's a lot more RnB focused than I'd expect a Missy album to be. Also didn't know Timbaland and Missy were in a group together prior to this. The beats are great, and while Missy isn't a bad singer, I just don't think this style suits her as much. Favorite tracks: "Beep Me 911", "The Rain", "Pass Da Blunt"
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Lush, gorgeous. Very bright and uplifting. Good in-between of funk and soul. Curtis really did have the cool, didn't he? Favorite tracks: "Superfly", "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead"
Beatles
4/5
What's there to say? It's a great record, even avoiding some of the more twee-ish songs. Favorite tracks: "I Want You", "The End"
The Sonics
3/5
It's technically solid, if a little one-note. It's fun, just maybe one the records on here that's weird to judge as an "album" when it was most likely firing off singles to see what sticks. Favorite tracks: "Strychnine", "The Witch"
Haircut 100
3/5
Dare I say a little yuppie-ish? It's new wave with some heavy jazz and disco influences. The horn section is nice, and the music is nice and bright, but admittedly, it's a little easy to let this fade into the background and zone out. Favorite tracks: "Calling Captain Autumn", "Kingsize"
The Stooges
4/5
Brutal, terrifying, but still weirdly fun? The record does a fantastic job of capturing what I imagine a Stooges-in-their-prime sounded like live. It wanes here and there, but it's still a massively good album. Call it a strong 4.5. Favorite tracks: "TV Eye", "Loose"
Aimee Mann
4/5
It's a little bit singer-songwriter, a little bit americana, all cloaked in the hue of the 90s, a little irony, a little alternative. Aimee's voice is very far up in the mix, but I think that's a good thing to focus on her writing, which is very strong, save a few spots. It's all very earnest, and I like it. Favorite tracks: "I Should've Known", "Say Anything", "I Could Hurt You Now"
Nirvana
5/5
I was a teenager after 1992, of course I'm going to give this a 5 star rating. What else could I add to a body of work that speaks for itself? Noisy, angsty, depressed... but catchy as all get-out. Favorite tracks: "Territorial Pissings", "Endless, Nameless", "Drain You"
Deep Purple
3/5
Wow, is this a long album. It also repeats the same song three times on side one... Or at least, the expanded edition does, for some reason. It's cool to get into a stellar groove, but much how I feel with most jammy music, the lulls can be very, very dull. Favorite tracks: "Smoke On the Water", "Space Truckin'"
The Dictators
3/5
It's like the strange lovechild of Meat Loaf and The Dead Milkmen. Almost Rocky Horror Picture Show-esque. Doesn't help that Handsome Dick on the cover looks like a fatter Frank-n-Furter (no offense). It's fine, the songs are just a bit longer than I'd like, they definitely overstay their welcome by about a minute each. Favorite tracks: "Master Race Rock", "California Sun"
Elvis Costello
2/5
I give the fuck up, Elvis. I've tried. I've gotten at least three of your records so far and they have all done absolutely nothing for me. For some reason, maybe just being tired of this or just not enjoying this record specifically, I found Costello's voice especially tiresome on this record. Constantly yelping out of nowhere... Just. I'm done. Please. No more. Favorite track: "13 Steps Lead Down"
Talking Heads
4/5
Robotic, alien funk. I think it'd be kind of hard for someone to be introduced to this as their first Talking Heads record, but as someone who's already very familiar, I love it. A few songs sound a little bit the same until it hits the fantastic "Take Me To The River" cover. Favorite tracks: "Take Me To The River", "Found A Job", "The Big Country"
The The
2/5
I just found it pretty difficult to get into this album. It sounds extremely dated in a way that I don't enjoy, and the singers voice can be... bothersome. The last two songs won me over, though, so it's not a total wash. Not something I'm going to revisit, I think. Favorite tracks: "Soul Mining", "Giant"
Public Enemy
2/5
It's a bit long. I appreciate when the bears switch up, but the boom-bap style eventually gets warn out. Hard to keep the energy up this long. Favorite track: "Nighttrain"
3/5
I've always enjoyed the Edge, but not Bono, so U2 has always been a bit of a blur to me. Listening to this album made me realize how deep their post-punk roots are. They just turned it up and made it a little more anthemic and inspiring. It's still just not for me. Favorite tracks: "Where The Streets Have No Name", "In God's Country"
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Having not listened to Jeff's stuff before, I was more expecting singer-songwriter stuff. There's a lot of backbone to this record. Despite a lull in the middle, the record explodes with the Jane's Addiction-esque "Eternal Life". Call it a solid 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Eternal Life", "Grace"
George Michael
4/5
I guess I never realized the impact George Michael had on modern music. You can hear shades of his theatrics in Lady Gaga and Sam Smith. Great mix of genres. Still, each song feels like it stretches on maybe a minute too long. Favorite tracks: "Freedom! 90", "Cowboys and Angels", "Heal the Pain"
Funkadelic
4/5
Bar none, some of the best guitar playing I've ever heard on a record. Just... shredding, incredible. Album loses a little steam near the end, but it's all fun, funky, and delightfully weird. Favorite tracks: "Maggot Brain", "Super Stupid"
Led Zeppelin
3/5
A lot folkier, more acoustic. Still has the bluesy feel. I'm still not the world's biggest fan of Robert Plant's horny yowl. Album is a little front-loaded, too. Favorite tracks: "Immigrant Song", "Celebration Day"
Dr. Octagon
4/5
Great beats, great scratching. Zany in a way that I don't think anyone else but Kool Keith could do. Sexual to a, frankly, mildly worrying degree. Favorite tracks: "Blue Flowers", "Halfsharkhalfalligatorhalfman", "Real Raw"
Morrissey
4/5
Yeah I think I just overall like Morrissey. He's a total shitbag, but he writes a solid tune, even if he never does a ton different. Favorite tracks: "Bengali In Platforms", "Late Night, Maudlin Street", "Break Up the Family", "Margaret On the Guillotine"
FKA twigs
3/5
Very... if aliens had listened to modern RnB and tried to recreate it. If La Roux made a collaborative album with Burial (which I'd throw some money at, now that I type it out). Weirdly horny. Do I like it? Eh. Do I hate it? Nah... "Indifferent" is not the right word. It's creative and I've never heard anything like it, but it might just be a little *too* weird. Favorite tracks: "Video Girl", "Lights On"
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
I looked back at my previous review for Dexys, and I compared them to The Clash but with an added horn section. This record feels a lot more indebted to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, with horns and a very active violin. More Celtic influence, as well. It's fun, but this record felt a little one-note to me. Once you heard a few songs, you got it. Favorite tracks: "Old", "Come On Eileen"
The Temptations
3/5
Solid album, but nothing really matches the centerpiece of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone". Once it hits that, it's more miss than hit. Favorite tracks: "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", "I Ain't Got Nothin'"
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
I was amazed to find this was Michael Franti. I thought it might be a supergroup featuring members of Public Enemy. It's a lot less militant, and probably just a little preachy. Like the in between of Arrested Development and Public Enemy. The beats, however, are fucking fire. Not a bad one in the bunch. Favorite tracks: "Satanic Reverses", "Socio Genetic Experiment"
The Pharcyde
4/5
Vibrant, fun, high energy. The flows and beats on this thing are constantly interesting and fun. Favorite tracks: "Pack The Pipe", "Passin' Me By", "Oh Shit"
Suzanne Vega
3/5
Very sparse, singer songwriter stuff. Fine but didn't do a hell of a lot for me. Favorite tracks: "Small Blue Thing", "Undertow"
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
I like the production on this one better than the previous record I got ("There's A Riot Goin' On"), but the song order choice can occasionally be schizophrenic, going from a deep-prog-funk groove to a more sunshine-y pop song. Still sounds like a house party I'd like to be at. Favorite tracks: "I Want To Take You Higher", "Sex Machine", "Everyday People"
Duke Ellington
5/5
I mean, shit, I don't think I've ever heard a solo on the level of the solo in "Dimineuendo And Crescendo In Blue". The energy here is unmatched, and you can tell the crowd was feeling it. Insane performance. Favorite tracks: "Dimineuendo And Crescendo In Blue", "Festival Junction"
John Prine
5/5
I had a boss who was really upset when John Prine died at the beginning of the pandemic, and now I know why. "Subversive" isn't really strong enough a word. To be playing songs like these in a country circle must've gotten him hell. Whip-smart, funny lyrics; great, catchy melodies. Favorite tracks: "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven", "Illegal Smile", "Flashback Blues"
ABBA
4/5
If I had a nickel for every time I wrote, "this is not what I was expecting," on this site I'd probably have enough for a soda. That being said, it's a darker record than I expected for ABBA, which maybe a touch more progressive pop. It's still just as grand as you'd come to expect, though hits a lull through the middle. Call it 3.5. Favorite tracks: "The Visitors", "Head Over Heels", "When All Is Said and Done"
Lauryn Hill
4/5
It's pretty easy to say that the 00s era of hip-hop and RnB don't exist without this record. Shame we'll never get another one. Favorite tracks: "Doo Wop", "Lost Ones", "Every Ghetto, Every City"
The Mars Volta
5/5
Christ, how do I even begin to review this one? I remember seeing "The Widow" video on TV and not liking it, but somehow finding myself listening to this album (which doesn't even have that song) and making myself a massive Mars Volta fan at age 14. I have worshiped at the altar of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. I was a massive participant on the Mars Volta thread on Ultimate-Guitar way back in the day. "Bias" doesn't even cover it. This was one of my first true introductions to the weirdness of prog-rock, along with Yes' "Fragile", though this record appealed to me more at the time since I came to this after listening to mostly Breaking Benjamin and Seether. Still not sure how I survived that jump. It's heavy, it's winding, and it's easy to get lost in the gorgeous soundscapes if you let yourself. Jon Theodore puts literally everything he has into the drums of this record, and he doesn't get enough credit. I can definitely see a lot of people calling this one "pretentious", and rightly so, but fuck that. I haven't heard anything that sounds quite like this ever, and I don't think anyone will ever get close to the absolute fever dream that this record is. Favorite tracks: "Drunkship of Lanterns", "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt", "Roulette Dares", "Cicatriz ESP"
The Cure
3/5
Having gotten "Pornography" earlier in the list (and absolutely loving it), I can sense a spark here, but it's not fully there yet. There's some atmosphere, the songwriting is mostly there, it just needs a little more time. It's a fine record, just not as good as what would come later. Favorite tracks: "A Forest", "Play For Today", "In Your House"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Sounds a lot bigger than the three people that made it. Karen O's personality translates well, and Nick Zinner's guitar creates a lot of atmosphere when needed. Crazed, fun. Favorite tracks: "Y Control", "Tick", "Date With The Night", "Maps"
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
I've listened to ELO here and there, but never really noticed their obvious Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys worship before actually sitting down with this album. Jeff Lynne can really write a tune, and while a few songs kind of feel same-y, there's enough here to break up the monotony. Favorite tracks: "Jungle", "Mr. Blue Sky", "Turn To Stone"
Fugazi
5/5
It's difficult to pin this down since, over 30 years later, "post hardcore" means something else entirely. Think this record does a great job of bringing fresh ideas to the table, and has wonderful dynamic and rhythm play. "Greed" has some excellent uses of this. There's a lot of intensity, but it's not all rage, rage. It's there, below the surface, slowly boiling over. Favorite tracks: "Repeater", "Styrofoam", "Merchandise"
Hole
3/5
I mistakenly listened to and reviewed "Live Through This" instead of this project, so this review is definitely going to be a little comparison heavy, but I definitely enjoyed LTT a bit more. This record is much shinier, with huge production and more straight-forward pop songwriting than the previous record. It's fine, but I find myself missing the grime, and found I enjoyed the blunt and honest songwriting of LTT. This record hits a lull in the middle that I don't think it ever really surmounts, too. Favorite tracks: "Celebrity Skin", "Reasons To Be Beautiful"
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
I got "Tigermilk" as my sixth album on this, and now at 639, I'll admit I don't really remember that record. Based on my review, this is pretty similar to that one, but I find myself enjoying this one a bit more than my rating would insinuate for that record (which received a 3). It's twee, subtle, but maybe the band came into their own, because after the first song, it won me over a bit. I don't think it's life changing, but it's certainly a solid record. Favorite tracks: "Me And the Major", "The Fox in the Snow", "If You're Feeling Sinister"
Ute Lemper
4/5
Hadn't heard of Ute Lemper before, but thoroughly enjoyed this. Sultry, dark, caberet. I appreciate that this list has albums like this on it. Suffers a little from early 00s super shiny production. Favorite tracks: "The Case Continues", "Streets of Berlin", "Tango Ballad"
The Human League
3/5
Strange synth pop made by synthetic, futuristic, robotic aliens. Stilted in such a way that I think is intentional. Straddles a line between too poppy for avant garde, but not weird enough. Fun enough. Favorite tracks: "The Thing Dreams Are Made Of", "Do Or Die", "Don't You Want Me"
Magazine
3/5
Post-punk with heavy leanings into punk and some goth sprinkled in. Not bad but nothing wowing me. Favorite track: "Recoil"
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
When this thing hits with hooks, it hits. It does fail to stick the landing a bit, in my opinion, as the album falls off in the latter half. Still, I'm not sure if there's anything as instantly catchy as half this record. It's fun, and for once, the production on it is very nice (for an 80s album, this is pretty rare). Favorite tracks: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "Time After Time", "Money Changes Everything"
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Fine, my Jersey roots continue to show in the fact that I genuinely love this album. Not even the Boss' weird yawlp a few times on earlier tracks could prevent that. Favorite tracks: "Racing In The Streets", "Streets of Fire", "Prove It All Night", "Darkness On the Edge of Town"
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Very sparse, skeletal album, where the focus is on the flamenco-esque guitar playing and Cohen's voice and lyrics. Nice, but didn't really wow me too much. Favorite tracks: "Avalanche", "Famous Blue Raincoat"
The Only Ones
3/5
An interesting one. Singer Peter Perrett's lackadaisical drawl occasionally works in the favor of this record, and occasionally against. There are some cool musical ideas here, especially the jazzy breakdown of "Breaking Down", but sometimes the songs get so close to something great and stop short, causing almost something akin to blue balls. I'm going to assume some members of The Strokes had this one on their record shelves. Favorite tracks: "The Beast", "City of Fun", "Breaking Down", "Another Girl, Another Planet"
Lenny Kravitz
1/5
Admittedly, I didn't like Lenny Kravitz on sight alone. I had never really listened to his music aside from the music I absorbed through osmosis, but something about him seemed... off. Which is a shame. He's clearly a talented guy, since Wikipedia notes he played most of the instruments on this himself. However, I think I finally have a spot to plant my flag: the lyrics. Kravitz's lyrics are first-draft, but he howls them with such confidence as to obfuscate that fact, or maybe because he feels like what he's saying is *that deep*. It's coffeeshop, "Why can't we all get along, racism is bad," type shit. I flipped between a two and a one on this project, mostly due to the hook and riff of "Fear", until I hit "Rosemary". It was a double whammy, honestly: the whiplash of the religiosity of, "He love you so much He gave His only son," with two lyrics later telling the titular five-year-old to "stay down on [her] knees." Obviously, he means prayer, but... did you run that one by anyone? Anyone? At all? Especially when the rest of the record is so, so, so very horny. Kravitz obviously enjoys Prince, but tries to blend that with a few Christian themes here and there (notably, "I Built This Garden For Us"), and the two just... don't particularly mix. It also doesn't help that Kravitz feels like a Prince the record industry tried to synthesize in a lab. I'm not heartless and can admit that there is some genuine (instrumental) talent on here, but it's nowhere near enough to save this project.
The Replacements
4/5
Very earnest hearland rock, punk. Kind of like a proto Gaslight Anthem to me. I'm not sure how I feel about the jokey songs being here, but it's hard to deny that they're still just as strong. Favorite tracks: "Androgenous", "Answering Machine", "Sixteen Blue", "Unsatisfied"
2Pac
3/5
I think I can hide behind the fact that I'm more of a Biggie fan to explain my rating. Pac has always been more of a singles artist to me, I think a full album might be a little much. Still, he has charisma, and these g-funk beats don't really get old. Favorite tracks: "Me Against The World", "Old School"
Anita Baker
5/5
Bright, joyful, super smooth. I've always had an appreciation for this type of RnB, the kind when the piano just glistens as the singer sings soulfully over it. Anita has a gorgeous voice, and it just plays against the instruments so well. So many wonderful melismatic runs, hooks for days. It might be a little cheesy, but I think it's aware of that, and plays into it. Favorite tracks: "Mystery", "Sweet Love", "Caught Up In The Rapture", "Same Ole Love"
Meat Puppets
3/5
Bizarre, genre-bending... somewhere between punk and country, like the country that likes driving in the desert looking for aliens. Obviously I'm familiar with this through Nirvana Unplugged, but I'll admit I like their version of "Plateau" better. Favorite tracks: "Plateau", "Aurora Borealis"
Underworld
3/5
I think you hear shades of the 00s EDM boom in this record. However, it definitely sounds a bit more of it's time: very late 90s/early 00s "futuristic" sounding music. Favorite tracks: "Air Towel", "Rowla"
The Police
3/5
The adoration for The Police continues to elude me. They're great musicians (and I'm not even counting out Sting himself here), but the record has occasional flits of greatness (seriously, even I enjoy "Message In a Bottle"), but never really nails it: some songs feel half-finished, and it switches between serious and almost-Offspring-level of jokey ("On Any Other Day"). I will say, I never noticed their post-punk tracks before, but those aren't the ones that usually play. Favorite tracks: "Message In a Bottle", "Deathwish", "No Time This Time"
The Byrds
3/5
Fine folk-rock with some psychedelic bits thrown in. Can be pleasant, can be annoying ("Mind Palace" sticks out). Very middle of the road, despite my usual enjoyment of David Crosby. Favorite tracks: "Thoughts and Words", "My Back Pages", "Why"
Sam Cooke
5/5
I rarely have such strong opinions when it comes to music, but honestly, if you don't like Sam Cooke, I absolutely do not understand you. This album is an absolute joy to hear, just a good-time party. It's the legend at his best. Favorite tracks: "Having A Party", "Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons", "Nothing Can Change This Love"
Mariah Carey
4/5
I think it's impressive how Mariah can adapt to basically any track. On another singer's record, the gamut of gospel, R&B, hip-hop, and pop might sound strange, but for the most part Mariah fits perfectly in. A few duds here, but otherwise solid album. Favorite tracks: "My All", "The Roof", "Breakdown"
Willie Nelson
3/5
It's a nice record of Willie Nelson doing some old classics. He does them well enough and even stretches his genre boundaries a lot here. Still, doesn't really wow me. Favorite tracks: "All Of Me", "Someone To Watch Over Me"
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
As I get older, I find myself softening on reggae. I still hold the same opinion on the likes of UB40, but I like this. I like the politically charged lyrics that convey agony and anger without it necessarily being a "heavy" song. Favorite tracks: "Them Belly Full", "Rebel Music", "Revolution"
Arcade Fire
2/5
Album 3 from Arcade Fire... and I think I kind of get it. Early on in this record, I mentally drew a comparison to U2's grandiosity. It's aiming for the cheap seats in the arena, and much like U2, I think it's all pomp and no circumstance, to turn a phrase. It's fine, and I appreciate the varied instrumentation on this record, but it's all just so... pretentious. Favorite tracks: "Black Wave / Bad Vibrations", "No Cars Go"
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
The varied instrumental styles allow Sinead to keep the record fresh, and her lyrics and vocal ability are unique and very good. Kind of hard not to respect, on some level, someone like her. Favorite tracks: "Black Boys On Mopeds", "Nothing Compares 2 U", "The Last Day of Our Acquaintance"
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
A beautiful blend of various genres, from rancheros to some ridiculously played latin jazz. It can be relaxing, it can make you want to dance... just super fun overall. Favorite tracks: "Dos Gardenias", "Buena Vista Social Club", "La Bayamesa"
Aphex Twin
3/5
I mean, it's what it says on the tin: ambient. There are some grooves on here, but I assume the author had heard Aphex Twin was an important figure and went with this record. It's not nearly as challenging as some of his later stuff, as someone who only knows him in passing, but it's pleasant enough when it's on. Spots sound a little dated, while other spots still sound fresh. Favorite tracks: "Tha", "Xtal"
Air
4/5
Retro-futuristic. Reminds me of what people in the 50s thought music the music of interstellar travel would be. I like it, it's relaxing but commands enough attention to not become background music. Favorite tracks: "La femme d'argent", "Remember", "New Star In The Sky"
Kraftwerk
4/5
Funky robots. There's not really much I can add that hasn't been said before. Kraftwerk is pretty ubiquitous in music nerd circles at this point. Favorite tracks: "Spacelab", "Neon Lights"
SZA
4/5
I enjoy the vibe of this record, it's relaxed, and somewhere between stoned and melancholy. The production is nice. It does somewhat just float on by, grabbing your attention every once in a while, but it's a nice way to float, I guess. Favorite tracks: "Doves In The Wind", "Broken Clocks"
Living Colour
3/5
A bit of a mixed bag. Absolutely no one can talk badly about the talent of each individual member, and when they come together to show off, it has the best results. However, when they tone down their ability and just play simple stuff, it's pretty boring and unmemorable. Favorite tracks: \"Cult Of Personality\", \"Open Letter\", \"Which Way To America\"
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
A bluesy take on a long-dead Russian composer's work... Yep, that's prog alright. As far as introductions to ELP, it's a strong choice, but I enjoyed it. It's played solidly, and it's fun to see which winding path it takes you down. Favorite tracks: "Blues Variation", "The Hut of Baba Yaga (Part 2)"
Kanye West
3/5
Leaving aside that Kanye has absolutely lost his mind on a public stage for the better part of the last, what, two years? It's a decent album. I was a big fan of Kanye's but fell off around "Graduation", so this is my first listen through of this. The production is, as always, immaculate, but certain parts can be pretty cheesy (let's just say the whole of "Blame Game", skit included). That being said, love or or hate her, this record introduced the world to Nicki Minaj, who absolutely slays a verse in a room full of heavy-hitters. This record has hits, just maybe some dead air in between. Favorite tracks: "Runaway", "Lost In the World", "Monster"
Stan Getz
3/5
I have no problem with bossa nova, but unfortunately my brain just processes it as pleasant background music most of the time. Favorite track: "Corcovado"
Madonna
2/5
Madonna tried trip hop. At certain points the glitchiness feels overwrought, and at certain points they don't feel like Madonna songs, but more songs featuring Madonna. Somewhere. There are a few genuinely good tracks, but I don't think this record needs to be here. Favorite tracks: "What It Feels Like For a Girl", "Runaway Lover", "I Deserve It"
Ice Cube
3/5
Ice Cube's talent is undeniable, but I've just never been a big fan. Long album, kind of gets same-y after a while. Very hard to keep up this intensity for long. Favorite track: "Rollin' Wit The Lench Mob"
Sonic Youth
3/5
Probably my favorite Sonic Youth album I've received on this list, but it's still... long. The noisiness gives almost a bludgeoning effect after a while, with the songs somewhat swirling together into one great big wall. It's good, just listening to the entire thing gets tiresome. Favorite tracks: "Teenage Riot", "'Cross The Breeze", "Hyperstation"
Fela Kuti
4/5
Just a good groove throughout. Favorite tracks: "Zombie", "Observation Is No Crime"
Joan Armatrading
4/5
Folk pop with some sick blues licks interspersed. I don't think it does anything to break any molds, but it's a solid record, regardless. Favorite tracks: "Tall In the Saddle", "Water With the Wine", "Help Yourself"
Radiohead
3/5
It's difficult, because I am a fan of Radiohead. However, I've always felt this album is... out of place. They really went for it on the last one and a half (since Amnesiac came from the same sessions as Kid A), but this record feels like them dialing it back all the experimentation a bit. It's still solid, just not my favorite, and in my opinion, not as memorable. Favorite tracks: "There, There", "2+2=5", "The Gloaming"
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
I have a feeling this record will be divisive, and all I can really say is, "Well, I like it." Nobody really does "freak out" like Zappa and co., where every song is about as tight as you can get it before bursting, while also seeming very free-wheeling and spur-of-the-moment. Favorite tracks: "Concentration Moon", "Flower Punk", "The Idiot Bastard Son", "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance"
TV On The Radio
4/5
Herky-jerky, electronic influenced indie/post-punk. It's, but a few of the lulls in the middle of the tracklist ("Stork and Owl", "Family Tree") kind of prevent this from being a stronger project. Favorite tracks: "DLZ", "Halfway Home", "Dancing Choose"
Christine and the Queens
3/5
Funky, disco-y. Very heavily indebted to the likes of Michael Jackson. Kind of loses steam about halfway through. Pretty cool that it has a version in the singer's native language of French. Favorite tracks: "Girlfriend", "The Walker"
Kings of Leon
2/5
Loose, raw, southern blues. That kind of rowdy and horny you can really only be if you're a guy from the ages of 16 to 21. It's fine, but does it need to be here? Favorite tracks: "Taper Jean Girl", "King of the Rodeo"
Baaba Maal
3/5
I think just calling this "worldbeat" (as Wikipedia does) is kind of a disservice. I feel like the prevailing sounds kind of point me towards blues, and maybe even some neoclassical stuff. That being said, once he finds a chord progression, it never seems to change too much, and these songs are waaaay too long just to have one chord progression. Makes the whole experience a bit meditative. Favorite track: "Djam Leelii"
Marvin Gaye
4/5
A solid groove with very politically conscious lyrics. Hard not to enjoy, even on a surface level. Favorite tracks: "What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me"
Tortoise
3/5
I typically like my post-rock to have a bit more edge to it, but this is nice. Relaxing. Very Kraftwerk. Bold choice to have the record open with a twenty-minute opus, bolder choice to have it find a groove then cut it off. Would've probably made Andy Kaufman proud. Favorite tracks: "Glass Museum", "A Survey"
Fishbone
4/5
This record is *insane*. You can never tell where it's going. Funk-metal cover of a Curtis Mayfield song to start, immediately goes into some breakneck ska. A song on this tracklist sounds like a piss take of the theme from "Rawhide", while another is a ridiculous take on Prince and the Minneapolis sound in general. It's getting 4 stars for the absolute audaciousness of it all. Favorite tracks: "Bonin' In the Boneyard", "Subliminal Fascism"
Moby
4/5
It's impressive how many different styles Moby can cover on the record, though it is a little long. The variation really helps. Feels kind of like a full DJ set put to record. Favorite tracks: "Bodyrock", "Machete"
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
I am so conflicted here. On one note, I feel like I've found a missing link. I can hear the Replacements, and even some 90s emo in here. I can also here where basically every post-grunge band got their sound from, and even The Gaslight Anthem, who are my absolute favorite band. That being said... I like emo, and I'm usually pretty talented at ignoring vocalists who just *go for it*. But this guy just *goes for it* so frequently, and... I really don't think he can sing. He's pitchy, and when he tries to hit those highs, he rarely comes close. The lyrics are another problem, I realized, when he bluntly said he had a dick instead of a brain. Just... very weird, overall. Favorite track: "Debonair"
Sonic Youth
4/5
I've gotten (I think) every other Sonic Youth record on here, and I want to say this one is my favorite. The songs are shorter and don't feel dragged out, (unlike "Daydream Nation"), and they're not going art over actually good music. I never realized, until this record that they're probably big Velvet Underground fans. I can hear the bridge between VU and (one of my favorites) Failure on this record. It hits a lull in the middle (especially the cover of "Hot Wire My Heart", which feels sooooo out of place), but closes out strong enough. Favorite tracks: "Hot Kross", "Tuff Gnarl", "Catholic Black"
John Martyn
1/5
I got John Martyn's album "Solid Air" several hundred albums ago, and I remember not really caring for it (I found it boring). This album is a bit more lively, but only in the yacht-yist of yacht rock ways. I think my whole problem here stems from... these tracks are fine, I guess. They don't leave any impression on me, aside from the fact I'm surprised there's a bossa nova track (though should I be?). I liked the relaxing sound collage/guitar of the final track "Small Hours", but... this album just didn't leave me feeling anything. It'd be fine being background music at a dinner, but this, to me, just sounds like music for people who don't have any opinion on music.
Mercury Rev
2/5
Kind of reminds me of a more twee Flaming Lips. Wikipedia says the bands have some history together, so it's not super surprising. I like the latter half of the album more, when it's more of a blend of rock and chamber pop, and less chamber pop. That's a personal preference, though. Favorite tracks: "The Funny Bird", "Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp"
Faust
3/5
Kind of a unique bridge between Krautrock and more widely listened to genres like jazz. Ambient, meditative, but occasionally catches a good groove. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Giggy Smile", "Run"
D'Angelo
3/5
Very smooth album. I like the nods to things like gospel, smooth jazz, and even a little trip-hop on the title track. It's crazy, even a song about beating up your lady's lover can be a smooth, chill song before you realize you're hearing lines about blood and handcuffs. Plus, the "Cruisin'" cover is pretty solid too. Favorite track: "Brown Sugar"
Traffic
5/5
Dad got me into Cream at a young age, as well as Clapton's various side projects, so I've always been a fan of Steve Winwood. Still never really checked out Traffic, and I'm pleasantly surprised at how strong an album this is. Everyone plays their heart out, and the music fits perfectly in my wheelhouse. Favorite tracks: "Glad", "Freedom Rider"
Orbital
4/5
Honestly, after I found the intro annoying, I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. Being released in 1993, I feel like you can hear the influence a record like this has on the late 90s/early 00s, in terms of the dark, bass-heavy music these guys were putting out. Favorite tracks: "Halcyon and On and On", "Walk Now..."
Skunk Anansie
4/5
On first glance, I figured it'd be some indie album. I'm really pleasantly surprised. Younger me would've been *all about* this shit, and older me still really enjoys it. It's something I signed up to find: a band I'd never heard of, that I immediately want to find more out about. I think the last three tracks cause the album to falter on the landing, but otherwise it's just a huge fucking record. Call it 4.5. Favorite tracks: "We Don't Need Who You Are", "The Skank Heads", "Tracy's Flaw"
New Order
3/5
I was surprised how much of a band like The Cure I can hear in this, especially since New Order are contemporaries. It's kind of like if you took that dour post-punk and mixed it in with some of the Madchester scene. It feels like it bridges a gap I didn't realize there was. Favorite tracks: "Mr. Disco", "Vanishing Point"
Method Man
4/5
Dark, great beats. Think it doesn't ever really pause to breathe, just keeps hitting you with one big beat track after another, but it's short enough to where it only started wearing on me near the end. Favorite tracks: "Meth vs. Chef", "All I Need", "What The Blood Clot"
Deep Purple
4/5
Solid 70s blues inspired hard rock. Kind of hits a lull in the middle and, as a guitarist, I've heard "Smoke On the Water" enough to fill several lifetimes. Still, it's impossible to deny how hard some of these tracks rip. Favorite tracks: "Highway Star", "Maybe I'm a Leo", "Space Truckin'"
Cornershop
4/5
The only thing you can be certain of is that you're never truly sure where it's going to go. It's great in spots, but fades into the background in others. Indie, trip-hop, and even some heavy Indian influences. Very cool. Favorite tracks: "Sleep On the Left Side", "We're In Yr Corner"
Brian Eno
2/5
I mean... it's ambient music. What am I supposed to say about it? It's pretty, but the whole purpose is to be calming background music. I listen to ambient stuff when I'm studying or just need something on in the background. Of course Brian Eno is the one who coined the term. But, on a list of 1001 albums I have to listen to, is this necessary?
Prefab Sprout
4/5
Surprisingly pleasant, very light, with a lot of great melodies. Toes the line between "light and interesting" and not, and occasionally trips over that line ("Horsin' Around" being the notable example). Favorite tracks: "Faron Young", "Appetite", "Desire As"
Frank Black
4/5
The length of this really works against it. Some fat trimming would have made this a 5 star, but some of the chaff gets through and weighs down the album a bit. Still, this list continues to swing me into being a fan of Pixies. Favorite tracks: "Whatever Happened to Pong?", "Calistan", "Ole Mulholland", "Fazer Eyes"
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Lively, angular. Just real pretty stuff. Favorite tracks: "Brilliant Corners", "Bemsha Swing"
The Crusaders
2/5
Well-executed, but bland. Lightly funky, bordering on yacht rock. Favorite track: "Carnival of the Night"
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
4/5
Listening to Mountain Stage the other night, I realize how limited my knowledge of traditional American music is (folk, blues, etc). Guess this is a good jumping off point. Very by the basics, but you see where American music gets the jumping off point from recordings like these. While I'm here, how is there no Woody Guthrie album on here? He has recordings. Favorite tracks: "Boll Weevil", "New York Town", "Dink's Song", "Salty Dog"
Stereo MC's
3/5
Kind of funky, the flute gives me a feeling of disco. The instrumentals here are the main focus, with the rapping feeling a bit placeholder-ish. It's mostly a vibe. Favorite tracks: "Sketch", "Fade Away"
Einstürzende Neubauten
2/5
I feel like calling this, "certainly something," makes me feel like a grandma whose grandson just arrived home with a pink mohawk. It's... abrasive. Noisy. But there's an energy to it. I don't feel right relegating this to my one-star graveyard, because those were albums I felt nothing for (or, in the case of Lenny Kravitz, an absolute disgust for). So I'll just stick with this and say, man, this is certainly something.
David Ackles
5/5
Never heard of him, but what a strong album. Baroque, theatrical. A little bit of Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Billy Joel all rolled into one. Spots of the Beach Boys at their "Pet Sounds"-iest too. Has a weak moment or two, but I don't think it's enough to detract from the score. Favorite tracks: "Love's Enough", "Another Friday Night", "Family Band"
The Undertones
3/5
A perfectly fine punk rock record, in the vein of the Buzzcocks or Ramones. Favorite tracks: "Male Model", "Teenage Kicks", "Here Comes The Summer"
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Very orchestral, feels very much like a broadway show. Sticking to one topic, especially one as broad and nebulous as "love", does get saccharine after a while. Favorite track: "I'm All You Need"
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
Post punk with a good amount of synth. Very Talking Heads adjacent. Seems like it would've been a big influence to the synth-pop revolution coming in just a few short years. Favorite tracks: "Sleeping Gas", "Went Crazy"
Rahul Dev Burman
4/5
A Bollywood soundtrack that reminds me of the "Shaft" soundtrack. Lightly funky, but with a lot more Indian flair. I like it. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Title Theme", "Naag Devta"
The Soft Boys
3/5
Punk-ish with some psychedelic influences. Not bad, just nothing crazy for me. Favorite tracks: "Old Pervert", "I Wanna Destroy You"
4/5
It's my list and I say this record isn't perfect. It's close. It inspired pretty much every record that ever came after it. But some of these songs don't land. Just ignore my scrub 4. Favorite tracks: "With a Little Help From My Friends", "When I'm 64", "A Day in the Life"
Le Tigre
3/5
Feels very loose and energetic. Dabbles in B52s-esque new wave, maybe a little light industrial (I got less noisy Big Black vibes on a few tracks), as well as some basic hip-hop. A fun, quick one. Favorite tracks: "Deceptacon", "Let's Run", "My My Metrocard"
Billy Bragg
3/5
Wikipedia lists this one as "folk punk", which I think is close, but not entirely accurate. It definitely has some folk, and maybe what I'd generously call "punk", but probably call either country or bluegrass, and maybe a little rockabilly. I like the sentiments on the record, but it didn't do too much more to wow me. Favorite tracks: "Honey, I'm A Big Boy Now", "There Is Power In a Union", "Help Save the Youth of America"
Julian Cope
1/5
I'm not sure where to start with this one. I guess to get the obvious out of the way, it's long. It seems a bit Madchester-adjacent, so it seems to lose itself in the groove more often than not, and at about the third track I realized it's extremely repetitive. I flitted between giving this a two and a one, but I think the length eventually chewed me down to a one. There were some decent grooves on here, but they are too few and far between, and I'd really rather listen to anything else. Maybe even Lenny Kravitz again. At least he knows brevity.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
A perfectly serviceable glam rock album, with shades of the Stones and Bowie. Nothing memorable. Favorite track: "Hymn For the Dudes"
Marilyn Manson
2/5
What *was* the deal with albums around this time trying to jam every song they had written onto a single CD? Nothing wrong with a tight 30 minute album. That being said, once you've heard about five songs, you get the gist: mechanical, pulsing drums, distorted compressed guitars, and Marilyn Manson either doing a strange dark/sexy/weird low guttural tone or shrieking until his voice gives out. Trent Reznor's fingerprints are all over this, and sometimes (most times, honestly), it's to the detriment of the record, making MM sound like someone merely imitating than someone who had a long history with Reznor. The man and his horrific proclivities aside, this record is just bloated and one note. Favorite track: "The Beautiful People"
The Birthday Party
2/5
Well, you can't say it's not energetically performed. It just happens to go off the rails very easily, and turns from music to just... background noise that might have a groove somewhere underneath it. Favorite track: "Dead Joe"
Germs
4/5
Raw. Fast. Darby Crash's voice takes a little to break into, but it really doesn't get more punk than this record. Favorite tracks: "Lexicon Devil", "What We Do Is Secret", "Media Blitz"
Grateful Dead
3/5
I mean, with all due respect, I couldn't possibly be unbiased to a Dead live album. I had a coworker who, when given control of the radio, would only play shit like this. So it's soaked into my conscious at this point. There was one time, he and I were speaking on hologram performers (a la Tupac). He said to me, "Y'know, if they did a one night only Jerry hologram... I might go." Brian, you would've killed someone for a ticket to that. Anyway. Favorite track: "Death Don't Have No Mercy"
Nirvana
3/5
I'm at odds here. I've never been crazy about this record, but I do love the fact that they shied away from the big hits and played some unknown covers, turning them into hits. They also transform some of their songs into nice acoustic versions. But there are lulls, and some songs don't particularly work. Favorite tracks: "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?", "All Apologies"
Roni Size
1/5
Christ, I don't know. I don't necessarily *want* to give this a one-star, since it wasn't particularly offensive. I already know I'm more of a casual DnB fan: if it's on, whatever, but I don't actively seek it out. However, this thing is getting close to two and a half hours long and that's... too much. I got distracted and, after giving it an earnest attempt, stopped trying. I feel like I understood it after the first three tracks. I like electronic music, but I also like it when it's a bit more... varied than this.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Simon and Garfunkel is usually a little too twee, a little too choir-boy for me. This album avoids that, for the most part, for me. The arrangements are interesting without being bogged down with too much, and the songwriting is, as always, solid. Probably my favorite S&G, both solo and as a duo. Favorite tracks: "Overs", "Mrs. Robinson", "A Hazy Shade of Winter"
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
4/5
Fun, lively. I'm not super informed about this genre, but I enjoyed it while it was on. The performances, especially vocally, are fun and engaging. Favorite tracks: "Haq Ali Ali Haq", "Yaad-e-Nabi Gulshan Mehka"
Megadeth
4/5
Riffs for days. A lot of classical influence thrown in here, just played at warp speed. It's a solid overall record, but the one thing that's kept me from being a huge Megadeth fan is Mustaine's voice. Nothing personal. Favorite tracks: "Bad Omen", "Peace Sells"
Shack
2/5
A perfectly fine brit-pop album in the vein of the many that came before it. Probably doesn't really need to be here. Favorite track: "Streets of Kenny"
Sugar
4/5
My only main complaint is the production is super muddy, but I'm familiar with Husker Du so it's not all that surprising. I can hear things in here that would be expanded on through the 90s, including Failure ("The Slim") and Harvey Danger's brand of sarcastic, skuzzy alt-rock ("A Good Idea"). There's even nods to Handel, I think ("Hoover Dam"). Call it a strong 3.5, light 4. Favorite tracks: "Fortune Teller", "Hoover Dam", "Changes", "Man On The Moon"
The National
4/5
This is a tough one. I've known about The National and would even say I really enjoy "Bloodbuzz Ohio" and "Exile Vilify". I'm also a card-carrying member of the sad white boy club, which this definitely aims for. It's moody. I feel it captures that "tears in your beer" feeling that classic country does, but maybe a little bit darker, like being around close to house-lights-on at a corner bar on a Tuesday. I was skeptical at the beginning, but it eventually won me over. When it misses, it feels saccharine and dull, but when it hits, man it hits. Favorite tracks: "Bloodbuzz Ohio", "Lemonworld", "England", "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks"
Michael Jackson
4/5
Leaving all of the personal drama aside... The hooks on this thing are sticky as all-get out. It's a little ballad heavy, but when it goes for the aggressive hit, it usually nails it. I will say, it's from that era of music where the synths sound terrible to me, but it still works on how good the songwriting is. Favorite tracks: "Bad", "Smooth Criminal", "Dirty Diana"
Baaba Maal
3/5
Pleasant, celebratory, finds a groove and sticks with it. I've gotten one of his albums before, and can't say I remember much of it, but this is fine enough when it's on. Favorite track: "Daniibe"
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Dissonant, proggy. I'm not particularly sure why I'm letting this escape my one star graveyard, but maybe a part of me likes it. It's weird. But I don't think I understand it, at all. Favorite track: "Alifie"
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
I know this is tied to Drive Like Jehu, which I love. Reminds me of Rancid, and maybe Trent Reznor (vocally, anyway). Seems to be very early rock-n-roll influenced, with a lot of Elvis Costello thrown in. It's fine. Has some sticky hooks and great tunes early, but doesn't really crest over that. Favorite tracks: "On A Rope", "Born In '69"
The Triffids
2/5
Sweeping, grand, orchestral. Somewhere between The Smiths, Modest Mouse, and Suede. Didn't really grip me. Favorite track: "Vagabond Holes"
Iggy Pop
5/5
I'm biased because a good friend of mine introduced this record to me a few years ago. According to the Wikipedia page, Iggy describes it as "Kraftwerk meets James Brown", and I think that's the most apt description there can be. There's a weird funk-ish, soul-ish undertone to all this, but it feels... sanitized and mechanical. Like it's mass produced (ba dum tish.) It also helps that I've been to Berlin, and I can feel the architecture of the city bleeding through this record. Again, it's biases all the way down. The songs feel somewhat like a session nightclubbing (I swear, I'll stop), maybe as the end of the night is starting to dawn on people, everyone's messed up and wanting another but probably not able to actually handle it. A lot of words, in a rambling order, to say I really enjoy this record. Maybe I should revisit "Low". Favorite tracks: "Sister Midnight", "Nightclubbing", "Mass Production", "Dum Dum Boys"
The Darkness
3/5
I'm not one for hair metal, so I'm probably in the wrong category for this. Technically speaking, it's impressive: Justin Hawkins' melismatic-slash-gymnastic runs sound difficult to pull off, and the backing music has some killer headbanging solos. That being said, I feel like I enjoyed parts of this album more than I enjoyed whole songs, and I'm not particularly sure why it's here. Didn't set off a huge hair metal revival or anything. Call it a generous 2.5. Favorite tracks: "I Believe In a Thing Called Love", "Growing On Me"
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Dinosaur Jr. feel like they're those guys who are secretly into the Grateful Dead, but also really like freaking out hippies when they get the chance. I love how this record shifts from psychedelic pop to pure, unabashed noise on a moment's notice. The tones on this thing are great as well. Favorite tracks: "Don't", "Badge", "Yeah We Know"
Hole
4/5
I really, really like the subject matters dealt with here and how brazen and bold they are. No mincing words. On first listen, I feel like I really pick up a heavy Sonic Youth influence, but heavier vocals. I enjoyed this, but I think it attempts to be a little harsh at the expense of either being a harsh record, or having songs that might be considered "poppier". Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Doll Skin", "She Walks On Me"
Flamin' Groovies
4/5
Stones-y, Elvis-y, loose, jangly garage rock. It's fun, and it's quick, couldn't really find a lot to fault this with. Favorite tracks: "Evil Hearted Ada", "Have You Seen My Baby?"
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
Sad honky-tonk. Very Johnny Cash inspired, with much more modern production. It's good, just not anything I'll proabably revisit. Favorite tracks: "What I Don't Know", "I Hear You Knockin'", "Streets Of Bakersfield"
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
Everything is performed super well, I just think the schizophrenic nature of the album really weakens it. When they're sticking to ridiculous prog instrumentals, sick. But they frequently jump around to... classic rock n' roll, and hymns? It's weird. I enjoyed it, but it's weird. Favorite tracks: "Tarkus", "Infinite Space"
The Byrds
3/5
A straight-forward country album by a British group. I appreciate the Louvlin Brothers track. All played competently, inoffensive when on, just... fine. Favorite tracks: "The Christian Life", "You're Still On My Mind"
Sebadoh
4/5
Lou Barlow being in Dinosaur Jr. really makes sense here. Well-crafted, grungy pop songs that turn into hippie freakout music really quickly. Can be a little schizo with three separate writers each creating separate tracks. Favorite tracks: "Think", "Elixir Is Zog", "Soul And Fire"
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
It's McCartney, so you know the songwriting is solid. It's impressive how many genres this album manages to bring together to make sound like one cohesive album. Blues, cod-reggae, and even something between a stadium singalong and a pirate shanty make it onto the album. It's all solid. Favorite tracks: "Band On the Run", "Bluebird", "Let Me Roll With It"
808 State
4/5
I had an epiphany while listening to this. Maybe I've been approaching dance albums on this all wrong. Maybe the purpose of things of this genre is losing yourself in the music like you would on a dance floor, and when you came to, you enjoyed what you were listening to. I think it's difficult to say whether that's right or wrong, but approaching this album like that, it definitely became my favorite dance-music album on the list. It's a little dated in spots, but you can see some of the influence it would have further down the line. Favorite tracks: "Donkey Doctor", "Pacific 202", "Sunrise"
The Everly Brothers
4/5
I am, admittedly, a sucker for this type of music. I do appreciate that this album feels like an album, as opposed to some of the older stuff on this list, where it feels more like, "We made a hit and now have to try to capitalize on that again." It's got roots in country, blues, and pop. It's pleasant. Favorite tracks: "Always It's You", "Love Hurts", "Lucille"
The Bees
3/5
Loose, like a record written after smoking a good bowl and kind of just... letting it out. There's a good mash-up of genres, with a wide variety of instruments thrown around. It's nice, but fails to capture my attention a ton. Favorite tracks: "Punchbag", "Lying In the Snow"
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
4/5
Violently horny. I mean, for fuck's sake, it has a song called "Gang Bang" on it. The performances are electric, and despite being a bit repetitive in spots, it just scratches that dumb-caveman glam rock itch really well. Favorite tracks: "Giddy Up A Ding Dong", "The Faith Healer"
N.W.A.
4/5
While some of the subject matters haven't aged well, some of them have, and almost all of the beats are still fresh as ever. Favorite tracks: "Fuck Tha Police", "Express Yourself", "Straight Outta Compton"
White Denim
3/5
Phish and Radiohead are obvious influences. Hoooooooooly fuck, is this thing busy. At certain points, I'm convinced they have two drummers just absolutely going at it. It can be a bit distracting, but when the members gel together, it can be great. A conflicting record. Favorite tracks: "Back At the Farm", "Bess St."
Animal Collective
3/5
Kind of makes me think of the natural conclusion of where Pet Sounds was driving. Also reminds me of the white boy "world music" of Paul Simon. It's an interesting listen, but I think it's probably best experienced not sober. Favorite tracks: "Daily Routine", "Lion In a Coma"
Wild Beasts
4/5
Without looking, I'm going to assume the vocals are a big problem for everyone. After a few tracks, I personally got used to them, and at certain points even liked them; however, I think the main attraction here is the gorgeous guitar work. It sounds like Johnny Marr is a big influence: something not flashy, just adding to the ambience while being quietly brilliant. The instrumentation throughout really brings a lot, it's lush, it's orchestral, it's very pretty. Favorite tracks: "We Still Got The Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues", "Two Dancers (i/ii)"
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Sure, it sounds a little dated, but this is one record that doesn't need to justify itself. The trade-off rhyme style is crazy fun, the energy is hype, and it's part of the reason that rap is so huge today. Favorite tracks: "It's Tricky", "Walk This Way", "Dumb Girl"
Gram Parsons
4/5
Great harmonies from Emmylou Harris, clean production. I'm a sucker for a slide guitar. Favorite tracks: "Return of the Grievous Angel", "I Can't Dance", "Medley Live from Nothern Quebec"
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
Feels a little pretentious. Starts a little noisy with synth-pop elements, but eventually drawls out to long, repetitive instrumentals. Kind of had me in the beginning, but eventually lost the flavor, and lost me as well. Favorite track: "She's Leaving"
Donovan
3/5
Pretty, very psych influenced. At certain points, leans into the psych a little too much to become dull and too spaced out. Solid songwriting otherwise. Favorite tracks: "Season Of the Witch", "Guinevere"
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
A total trip. Never super sure where it's going to go, but it's played incredibly, and it is indeed a freak out. Favorite tracks: "Help, I'm A Rock", "Motherly Love"
Paul McCartney
3/5
While it can be extremely interesting to hear, at the end of the day, it's an immediately-post-Beatles McCartney kind of aimlessly fucking around. Of course, he'd strike absolute gold on "Maybe I'm Amazed", but taken as a whole, the project feels just as aimless as McCartney must have. Favorite tracks: "Maybe I'm Amazed", "Every Night", "Momma Miss America"
The Youngbloods
4/5
Covers a pretty wide swath of genres. You get some southern rock, acid folk, even boogie. It's nice, if a little bit twee in spots. Favorite tracks: "Darkness, Darkness", "Trillium"
2/5
Surprisingly subdued for something like this. Dancey in spots, but mostly meanders and only has flashes of anything interesting. Favorite track: "They Don't Want Your Corn, They Want Your Children"
Jethro Tull
4/5
Just a solid rock album. Had me doing the stink face occasionally. You'd think the flute would be kind of prog-y pretentious, but man it hits so well in this album. Favorite tracks: "Aqualung", "Hymn 43", "Locomotive Breath"
Randy Newman
3/5
There's a feeling of comfort that comes with this, but I did grow up with the Toy Story movies... Parents were also a big fan of "Little Criminals", the album following this one. Gets a little samey throughout, but it's not enough to not enjoy it. Favorite tracks: "Birmingham", "Marie"
Funkadelic
4/5
I feel as if I've always been a mere observer of the funk. More Jane Goodall than Tarzan. Funk, to me, is like watching a vivid cartoon, where the episode involves a house party: it hits so hard, even the house itself is grooving along. It's an odd record, but if you surrender yourself, you can truly enjoy the wide palette that the record covers: doo-wop, reggae, and some absolutely shredding rock. Favorite tracks: "Groovallegiance", "Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?!"
TLC
5/5
Just a solid, fun album front to back. Pulls a few insane guests (Andre 3000? Busta?). The TLC story is extremely sad, but the music is so fantastic. Favorite tracks: "Waterfalls", "Switch", "Diggin' On You"
The Fall
2/5
The Fall flirt with industrial. I feel like the genre suits them well, with Mark E. Smith's flat delivery. The Fall, however, continue to elude me; some songs drag on a bit past their welcome, and when it's one repeated stanza over and over again, it grates. Favorite track: "Past Gone Mad"
GZA
4/5
Front to back, great album. Keeps a solid energy throughout, doesn't overstay its welcome. Dark, sinister beats mixed with tight lyrical ability and flow. Favorite tracks: "Gold", "Shadowboxin'", "Investigative Reports"
R.E.M.
4/5
"Green" finds R.E.M. in a transitional period, between the slightly more pop/folk direction they'd pursue, and the college rock past they had just come from. As a fan, it's not my favorite records, but there are some worse. I'm also just a sucker for Michael Stipe's lyrics and deadpan delivery. Call it a 3.5, bumped due to prior bias. Favorite tracks: "Pop Song 89", "You Are The Everything", "Orange Crush"
Dion
3/5
Phil Spector's trademark style meets the bluesy stylings of Dion. I typically like Spector's production style, but I think it can be a little smothering here. The songs also last a little too long, feeling quite longer than they actually are. Favorite track: "Only You Know"
PJ Harvey
5/5
I think getting the PJ Harvey albums backwards was the incorrect way to do things, because I was surprised by "Rid of Me", and I'm equally surprised and blown away by this one. It's got a swagger to it. I love the strange, jerky rhythms it works with. Maybe I'll give the newer records another try. Favorite tracks: "Water", "Dress", "Hair"
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
I'm a sucker for southern rock, but an hour and a half might be taking the piss a little much. I like the production, especially the guitars, and I like the singers changing out every few songs. Helps keep things fresh. Could probably do without the defense of George Wallace, even if it does seem to be coming from a good place (or maybe that's just me). Favorite tracks: "Ronnie and Neil", "Dead, Drunk and Naked", "Shut Up and Get On the Plane"
Leonard Cohen
3/5
My problem, as always, with Leonard Cohen, is how difficult it is to put instrumentals behind him. The sparser, the better, but still. They're not the main draw here: the words and Leonard's voice are. Favorite tracks: "Bird On the Wire", "The Partisan"
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
It's an ambitious album. It would quickly establish Kendrick as the rapper to emulate, turning him into one of the most important figures in the game. I think it slips up occasionally, and I think it's been surpassed, but I think it's still an incredible album that, for its few faults, is almost all positives. Favorite tracks: "Money Trees", "m.A.A.d. City", "Backseat Freestyle", "Swimming Pools"
Also, unrelated, but shoutout to the guy using 1001 who said this is "vile and disgusting" yet gave "The Marshall Mathers LP" by Eminem a 5. Like dude, what?
3/5
One of my favorite memories in the city of Baltimore, was hanging out at Max's doing karaoke. A guy, drunk beyond words, got up to do "Wonderwall" and... managed to be a full measure off. The song would play: "I said maybeeee" and by "may" he was coming in, full force, full throat, from the beginning of the line. It was fun, singing to the song in time, only to be interrupted by this drunk guy howling out the lyrics. So cheers to that guy and Baltimore. Hope the hangover wasn't bad. Favorite tracks: "Wonderwall", "Champagne Supernova", "She's Electric"
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Think this is my third (or so) Nick Cave record, and I find myself appreciating his showmanship more than the music. He knows how to carry a feeling, but none of these songs really stick with me. The storytelling, however, is great. Favorite track: "Straight To You"
The Zombies
3/5
I like the "colors" this album gives off. Very flower power, very of its time, but I enjoyed it. It probably won't be a repeated listen, but it was good while spinning. Favorite tracks: "This Will Be Our Year", "Time Of the Season"
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
Tears-in-my-beer country with an edge. Reminds me of the Allman Brothers Band, if they had steered a little more country than rock. I love the album cover, too. Favorite tracks: "Christine's Song", "Hot Burrito #2"
3/5
Has a heavy blues vibe in the vein of Deep Purple or Led Zepplin. Also has some nods to the prog-ishness of likes of Yes. It's cool at certain points, but I find the lyrics to be pretty repetitive and mostly chorus. Favorite tracks: "Nothin' To Hide", "Mr. Skin"
Justin Timberlake
2/5
I feel like this album is here as a time capsule to 00s pop music. Aside from two of the songs, the production is handled in turn by The Neptunes, or Timbaland with Scott Storch. I prefer the Neptunes tracks, typically (I'm not all for Storch's pseudo-Middle-East schtick), but most of the songs on the record drag out far too long, and some of the tracks wear their influences too close on the sleeve. Still, an interesting listen, if only for the glimpse into what pop would become. Favorite tracks: "Cry Me A River", "Like I Love You"
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
I've actually listened to the Dandys a bit before. Young me was huge into "Veronica Mars" and their excellent "We Used to Be Friends" served as the theme, causing me to dig into their "Welcome to The Monkey House". I never dug too far into their past catalogue, admittedly. This is definitely more of a drugged-out, stoner version of Blur and Oasis, capturing more of the feeling of being high on record than Oasis did. At times it lags, but it always manages to come back up: peaks and valleys, if you will. My bias seeps in a bit, but I enjoyed the drugged psych pop it was. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Minnesoter", "Not If You Were The Last Junkie on Earth", "Cool as Kim Deal"
David Bowie
4/5
Bowie apparently refers to this album as "plastic soul", and I think that's an apt description. There's a coldness to this, kind of like a lounge singer who has totally disassociated from his reality. It's kind of an interesting listen, and I correctly guessed that the album following this was "Station to Station", which keeps that coldness up to a shocking degree. It hits some slow points at times, and that Beatles cover is... something, but the roboticness of this won me over in the end, especially on closer "Fame". Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Fame", "Young Americans", Fascination"
Tim Buckley
3/5
The issues I had with "Happy/Sad" still persist here. "Focus" is the word of the day, and this record (much like "H/S") gets lost in the weeds a lot. Sometimes, it ends up well, and sometimes it just... doesn't ("Hong Kong Bar"). Still, a spirited performance and, despite my criticisms, a tighter set of songs than previous. Favorite tracks: "Move With Me", "Devil Eyes"
The KLF
3/5
Truth be told, I like the artist's story more than the music. It's good, it just all sounds dated in that way that anyone who even looked at a keyboard between 1988-1992 does. Has lulls, and also that dated way of "rapping" a lot of artists in this genre would use, but it's fine overall. Favorite track: "Last Train to Trancentral"
3/5
I fear I'm going to sound like I'm damning with faint praise here, but I'd most likely take this over another 60s/70s generic psych-pop album. It's got a fire under its ass, that's for certain. After the initial shock wears off, and you really pay attention, you can tell these songs are just... songs played at 3x the speed. Fast. Almost a reckless abandon to it all. It's cool, it's a total freak out. Favorite track: "Peace Warriors"
Christina Aguilera
3/5
I audibly groaned for two reasons before starting this record: one, it's in that time and place where 77 minutes was considered a reasonable run length, and two, Scott Storch handles a large portion of the production. As far as I'm aware, he's a Timbaland protegee with a penchant for throwing ""middle eastern"" sounding production onto everything he touches ("Baby Boy" by Sean Paul and Beyonce comes to mind). I guess he hadn't reached that place yet, since the production is more restrained and varied. Christina can fucking sing, and she's best when she's going for broke and absolutely belting, but I don't think there's enough of this. She does the soft, sensual singing well, but I just think her strengths lie elsewhere. Her abilities vocally push a song that might have some cheesy lyrics into something else, something meaningful. I can't imagine many other singers tackling "Beautiful" and coming out sounding anything less than sappy. This thing could've been trimmed and been more manageable, but we had to have twenty tracks. Call it a 2.5, but Christina's powerhouse vocals keep this from being lower. Favorite tracks: "Fighter", "Beautiful"
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
The use of unusual time signatures make this one a super fun, engaging listen. Favorite tracks: "Time Out", "Blue Rondo a la Turk", "Everybody's Jumpin'"
R.E.M.
5/5
I'm a fan of R.E.M. and I... just don't really like "Everybody Hurts". I have to be in the right mood for it, and that mood is *not* depressed. I don't know what mood that is. I find the track to be saccharine, with it's almost full-throated-yodel from Stipe. That being said, it does fit well in this record, and I forgot how much I love the caffeinated bounce of "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite". It's a gorgeously dark album with some light breaking through the clouds occasionally, and has some nice sound palettes, be they Zeppelin-esque ("Ignoreland") or doo-wop influences ("Star Me Kitten", "Man on the Moon"). Hard not to like the whole package, I guess. Favorite tracks: "Ignoreland", "Nightswimming", "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", "Find The River", "Man On the Moon"
Japan
2/5
Proto INXS and Duran Duran. Slow paced. At certain points (namely "In Vogue"), songs just feel repetitive and too long. Favorite track: "Halloween"
Napalm Death
3/5
Those who are not ready for grindcore will have a rough one of this. That being said, I hear elements of Motorhead in this, just way, way faster. I thought I didn't like the production on the first half of the record, but it ironically gets noticeably worse in the second half. Just happy to hear some more metal on this list, especially from a genre that you'd never actually expect. Favorite tracks: "Scum", "Siege of Power", "Control"
Queen
3/5
I feel weird giving Queen such a low rating, but they continue to be a singles band for me. This record is fucking all over the place, hitting Yes-style prog rock within one or two songs of something that sounds vaguely like a country standard. The arrangements, especially vocally, are something to behold, and of course the evergreen "Bohemian Rhapsody" is on here, which nails a freefall landing. Favorite tracks: "Bohemian Rhapsody", "The Prophet's Song"
Garbage
5/5
Feels like pop music put through a grunge or industrial filter. Works surprisingly well, but that's probably because it's carried hard by the gorgeous production and the absolutely phenomenal vocals. I'd probably call it a 4.5 if I was being nuanced, but I was surprised just how much I enjoyed this record. Favorite tracks: "Queer", "Only Happy When It Rains", "Not My Idea"
Earth, Wind & Fire
5/5
I mean, Earth, Wind, and Fire has always been that kind of music that makes the world a little brighter. In my opinion, it's hard to hate. Thing everything is performed wonderfully, the harmonies add a huge amount of warmth throughout. Favorite tracks: "Shining Star", "That's The Way of The World", "Yearnin' Learnin'"
Alice In Chains
5/5
Listening to the entire thing, it doesn't surprise me that Alice In Chains started as a glam band. I think it's all in the harmonies, they're a huge shining spot throughout. I also love the sludgy tones, but I've always loved that about this band. It's a little bloated and could use some fat trimming, but it's solid overall. Call it a 4.5. Favorite tracks: "Them Bones", "Rain When I Die", "Dirt", "Would?"
Kings of Leon
2/5
I remember the cycle around this album, the Kings of Leon "sellout" album. I remember a lot of press. I also remember hearing "Sex on Fire", what was (and still is) a decent song, and deciding not to check out the rest of the album. In retrospect, I think it's fine. The songs sometimes meander without ever getting to a destination. It certainly sounds big, but also kind of empty. Like a garage rock band attempting shoegaze. Favorite tracks: "Notion", "I Want You"
Love
3/5
I like this album when it's heavier, has a little blues to it. The bubblegum stuff just bounces right off of my brain. I feel like I can take or leave the last track, enjoying certain parts of it but maybe not a whole eighteen minutes. Favorite tracks: "Stephanie Knows Who", "Seven and Seven Is"
The Gun Club
3/5
A post-punk album with rockabilly sensibilities. A fresh take, but kind of drags on a little. Think it requires further study. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Cool Drink of Water", "She's Like Heroin To Me"
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
There's a joyousness to this record that is infectious, even if some of the subject matter can be dark (man, I love that twist in "The Theater"). It sounds like the Pet Shop Boys trying to be the missing link between disco, house, and the Madchester scene, and I'm really here for it. Favorite tracks: "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing", "A Different Point of View", "The Theater"
Heaven 17
1/5
The only strong suit I can see is that, if the instrumentals were improved, the hooks on this could be so much better. The sparse, plastic-sounding instrumentals bring it all the way down to the basement, exposing the flaws of the vocals. In a list cluttered with synth pop records, this one definitely didn't need to be here. Small concession: I do like how the final track cuts out midway through repeating "For a very long time!" Pretty funny.
Can
4/5
The first half of this album is super solid, with some experimentation mixed in for good measure. I think the second half of the record leans into the experimental side a little too much, but at certain points regroups to be more of an interesting listen. Fascinating, more than anything, with some tight grooves. Favorite tracks: "Paperhouse", "Halleluwah"
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
"Ambitious" is the word that most comes to mind with this. I'm not sure why the band thought we needed a mostly-straight cover of "Born to Run", as well as a few others, but they really bring the record down. The originals on here are solid, maybe drenched in a little 80s excess, but once they dig really into the covers, the record never really recovers. I like the production though, it's very big and "futuristic". Favorite tracks: "Welcome To the Pleasuredome", "Relax"
Digital Underground
4/5
On Prince levels of horny. The levity in the rhymes and vibe just really sell this thing, even if I think some of the tracks (and the album) drag in certain spots. The beats are still absolutely killer though. Also "The Humpty Dance" is an all-time classic, and if you disagree, I just can't be friends with you. Favorite tracks: "The Humpty Dance", "Doowutchyalike", "Underwater Rimes"
The Icarus Line
3/5
It's weird, I remember Googling Aaron North (the guitarist from Icarus Line) a while back because I remembered him from his time in Nine Inch Nails, and never knew Icarus Line was as big as it was. I can definitely see it: there's hints of glam with the sleaze turned up to ten, noise, all lead by someone doing their best Iggy Pop impersonation. Reminds me a little bit of the bass-heavy Death From Above (1979). It's easy to get lost in, like after a night out where you're drunk out of your mind and you're trying to piece it all together the next day. I like it, or maybe the idea of it. Favorite tracks: "Up Against the Wall, Motherfuckers", "Getting Bright At Night", "Big Sleep"
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
I was completely on board after the first track. Unfortunately, as the album drew on, it whittled away the great start it had. Some of the vocalists on here bring it down, especially the repetitive "Pilgrim", but any time there's an instrumental it's killer. Cool fusions of jazz, electronica, and what my limited knowledge will refer to as Indian music. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Broken Skin", "Tides", "The Conference"
Joe Ely
3/5
It's solid. Not really much more to say, just that I enjoyed it. "Fingernails" is a weird song topic though, right? Call it a 3.5, anyway. Favorite tracks: "Boxcars", "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown"
Super Furry Animals
4/5
Feel like I can trace the before and after of this band, with all the fuzzy-power-pop of The Cars and the Replacements, and on the other end you have the likes of Fountains of Wayne and The Dandy Warhols. I like it, I just don't think it keeps up the momentum throughout the whole thing. Favorite tracks: "God! Show Me Magic", "Something 4 The Weekend", "Frisbee"
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Quite the murderers row of people playing on this. Phil Collins, Robert Fripp, Kate Bush? Damn. I love some of the songs, but a few didn't feel anything for or found myself annoyed by (specifically the opener "Intruder"). Call it a 3.5 overall. Favorite tracks: "No Self Control", "I Don't Remember", "Lead A Normal Life"
Everything But The Girl
3/5
After the surprise success of "Missing", EBTG decided to shift away from their sophisti-pop stylings and lean way into modern electronic techniques. I like this one a lot better for it. Tracy Thorn's voice fits so, so well over these (for further proof, check out her appearing on the Massive Attack song "Protection"), but the problem I have is they're too cool and subtle. They make great music, but it never demands attention. It renders this record into pleasant, but unfortunate, background noise a lot. Favorite tracks: "Wrong", "Flipside"
Emmylou Harris
3/5
A little bluegrass, gospel influence. Incredibly powerful voice. Not entirely my cup of tea, but it was nice having on. Favorite tracks: "Boulder to Birmingham", "Bottle Let Me Down"
Alice Cooper
4/5
I feel like this is the right type of glam: something that goes so over-the-top that it turns out grimy and pushing the envelope. Like how "glam" fashion feels, in reality, like putting a lot of makeup on a pig. It's pretty, but underneath? Favorite tracks: "No More Mr. Nice Guy", "Elected"
Solomon Burke
4/5
I am a sucker for early 60s soul and rock songwriting, and this isn't any different. Didn't knock my socks off or anything, just overall solid, and a lot of passionate delivery. Favorite tracks: "Cry To Me", "If You Need Me"
Brian Eno
3/5
Noise/found sounds collage that flits between interesting, robotic funk, and something slightly above ambient. I appreciate the music it inspired, at the very least. Also, the bass playing on some of this is absolutely choice. Favorite tracks: "Regiment", "Very, Very Hungry"
Terence Trent D'Arby
1/5
Whoo boy, what to say about this one? Vocally, it's impressive. Terence goes out of his way to belt almost every note, aside from a few tracks where it goes, stylistically, more R&B. It wears on you after a while. The production is that late 80s/early 90s sound that I just never got in to, so another mark against it. I think this might escape my graveyard if it was shorter, and if the songs cut off after a little while, but it just wants to show off so. badly.
Hawkwind
2/5
Fun fact, the first song I ever played on stage was "Down Through the Night". Buddy of mine in high school was obsessed with Hawkwind, though I never listened to them. I like the groove and I imagine this is better enjoyed intoxicated, but for 90 minutes, it's basically a lot of the same. Very well recorded, though. Favorite tracks: "Down Through the Night", "Orgone Accumulator"
Cat Stevens
3/5
There's almost a childlike feel to this. It's simple, but effective. The arrangements are nice, but don't do more than allowing the vocals and story to be told. I enjoyed it, but don't think it's anything I'll come back to. Favorite tracks: "Longer Boats", "Wild World"
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
I had gotten a Rufus Wainwright album prior (the "sequel" to this one, "Want Two"), but admittedly didn't remember much of it. Without revisiting it, this sounds a bit like that one, but maybe less (as I described it) "theatrical". The impulses are still there, but they feel like they mix in to the straight-forward pop provided. Certain parts remind me a little of Rod Stewart, but with a nicer voice. It started losing me a little near the end, but call it a 3.5 cos it never truly lost me, just made me ready to move on to the next one. Favorite tracks: "Go Or Go Ahead", "14th Street", "11:11"
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
I remember getting "Herculean" as part of the free singles program on iTunes (throwback). It was nice and I enjoyed it, but it never left me wanting any more. I realize this is a supergroup, but it certainly plays kind of... plain. There are some nice dub influences sprinkled throughout, but it mostly ends with a dreary, kind of boring record that should justify why it's on this list aside from "the members are all in other, popular groups". Seriously, how did they waste a drummer from Fela Kuti's outfit? Favorite track: "Herculean"
Coldcut
4/5
I think something like this walked so someone like DJ Shadow could run. It's also an interesting note that Mark E. Smith and Queen Latifah were on the same fucking record. Back half is way stronger than the front. Favorite tracks: "Stop This Crazy Thing", "Smoke Dis One", "Not Paid Enough"
Hot Chip
5/5
I've listened to Hot Chip a little ("Ready For the Floor"'s cool video was on my iPod video back in the day), but never dove super deep in. It has always amazed me these five, accountant-looking British guys can make legitimately great dance music. I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this album; it sounds like a killer remix album for an already-killer pop album. I think it stumbles once or twice ("Now There Is Nothing", and how do you not use "Let Me Be Him" as the closer?), so I'd call this a 4.5. I'm rounding up due to the fact I threw it back on once I had finished, which hasn't happened frequently on this list. Favorite tracks: "These Chains", "Night And Day", "Flutes", "How Do You Do?"
The 13th Floor Elevators
5/5
Unhinged in a way that only someone truly unhinged could be. You can hear notes of psychobilly, punk, and country in here. It's fantastic and exactly why I started doing this thing, over 800 albums ago. Favorite tracks: "Reverberation", "Thru The Rhythm", "Monkey Island", "You're Gonna Miss Me"
Queen
3/5
Queen sounds an awful lot like Led Zeppelin here. As I've mentioned in a few other Queen reviews, they continue to be a singles band for me. Obviously, there are some fantastic musicians on this, but they don't always come together in ways that I love. Also, Christ, why is Freddie Mercury ever giving up the microphone? Favorite tracks: "Father To Son", "The March of The Black Queen"
4/5
Love the passion on this thing. You can hear it in the tight-yet-uncontrolled playing on all the instruments. Firing on all cylinders. It's what I imagine every blues-rock dad would want their live concert to sound like. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Kick Out the Jams", "Rocket Reducer No. 62"
Van Halen
4/5
I mean, what could I possibly say? I'm not a huge Van Halen fan, but even I acquiesce that this is essentially a "Greatest Hits" album. It fucking shreds. It's suuuuper horny. Grab a fucking forty and just chill to a tape of this. Favorite tracks: "Running With the Devil", "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", "On Fire"
Beatles
3/5
It's not that it's bad, it's just that, for The Beatles, it's unimpressive. It's a rock n' roll record of its time: some originals, a lot of covers. The Beatles do them well enough, on a sliding scale of "ehhhh" to "yeah that's good", but the Lennon-McCartney tracks are the main standouts. Favorite tracks: "It Won't Be Long", "Hold Me Tight"
Pere Ubu
3/5
It's like being in a drunken bar brawl with Talking Heads: you're never super sure where the next punch is going to come from. It misses more than it hits, but the hits feel solid enough. Call it a 2.5. Favorite tracks: "Life Stinks", "Street Waves"
LTJ Bukem
4/5
As with all of the dance records on here, this one feels better enjoyed not sober. But I will say, sober, that I could see myself really enjoying it. It's interesting that it's a compilation between a bunch of DJs, simply because it rolls together really well. I could find myself returning to it.
Randy Newman
4/5
I assume a lot of people will have issues with Randy Newman, but I've never been one to. I like his tongue-in-cheek songwriting, especially here, though I do find "You Can Leave Your Hat On" weird, even from his character-sketch perspective. Favorite tracks: "Dayton, Ohio 1903", "Memo To My Son", "Political Science"
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
What can I say, I'm out of my depth on acappella stuff. I enjoyed this, but it's something I don't think I'll be returning to. Admittedly, there were some techniques (mainly the "lip smacking" ones) that I disliked, but I hate it when people do that in general anyway. Favorite track: "Golgotha"
Kings of Leon
2/5
I continue to be amazed there are more KoL records on here. Surely I've hit the last one? This album is loose, in a "fuck around and expect nothing" sense. The vocal delivery, as a mouth filled with marbles, wore on me quite quickly, and the music wasn't really enough to make up for it. It escapes the graveyard because, as with the other releases, I've found one or two tracks that genuinely rock, but it was the closest one to death out of the three. Favorite track: "Molly's Chambers"
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
I think everything done is here is done well, talent-wise. There's a ton of influences pulled in and blended here, it's just... indulgent. Long. Pretentious. This is album #3 for Dexys, and it's just... you don't really need this one on here, I think. It's the lead singer going for broke after landing a fluke, extremely catchy hit, and him absolutely going broke.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
I'm over 800 albums in, and this isn't doing anything new for me. It's fine, just very much like the many acid rock records on here. Ending with "The Toonerville Trolley", which I found both mildly humorous and so twee it makes my teeth hurt, was certainly a choice though. Favorite tracks: "Onie", "Are You Lovin' Me More"
The Velvet Underground
2/5
The Velvet Underground continues to elude me. Acid, experimental folk made by a bunch of heroin-addicted art school kids. I've never understood the reverence. Favorite tracks: "I'm Waiting For the Man", "Venus In Furs", "Femme Fatale"
G. Love & Special Sauce
4/5
It sounds like a super fun bar band, one you're not expecting when you go out, but aren't upset about listening to while you're enjoying your time. It runs a bit long, but I enjoyed the loose, sounds-very-unpracticed-but-is-really-probably-super-practiced style. It runs a little long, but call it a 3.5, bumping up because Philly, baby. Favorite tracks: "She's Got Sauce", "Cold Beverage"
Stereolab
3/5
I appreciate how it takes the Kraftwerk idea of semi-robotic music, and throws a little more pop into it. I think the vocals can be a little same-y throughout, but overall it's a pleasant-enough record to throw on in the background. Favorite tracks: "Motoroller Scalatron", "Cybele's Reverie"
Jazmine Sullivan
5/5
I think the frank discussions of sexuality on this are great. Sex and sexuality can be a topic that comes off as cheesy or forced, but I think having mini-confessionals before the track that they inform is a clever tactic that works really well. I think a song like "Lost One" gets a heavier punch hearing the source, as it were. For the first time on this list, I think this album comes across a little, very little underbaked. Aforementioned "Lost Ones" is fantastic, but I think it doesn't know how to properly end so it just... cuts out. Also, when you look at it, half of this album is, technically, interludes. It's a short record, but I would've wanted so much more. Regardless, I enjoyed it enough to call it a 4.5, rounding up cos Jazmine is from Philly. Favorite tracks: "Put It Down", "Lost One", "On It"
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Dreary yet dreamy. New wave, but drenched with orchestra and atmosphere. Deserves further study. All I want to say is, "a proper goth record"? That's a compliment. Favorite tracks: "Thorn of Crowns", "The Killing Moon"
Beastie Boys
4/5
It's a record I don't think you can take in with just one listen. It's a full on assault, from the constantly switching samples, to the constantly rotating MC, hitting you with the enthusiasm of a child hopped up on a year's worth of pixie sticks. I've never actually noticed how much the Beastie Boys take from Run DMC, while adding a shit ton of energy. Favorite tracks: "Shake Your Rump", "Hey Ladies"
Orbital
2/5
As with many of the DnB and electronic records on this list, it's pretty long, but this one wore on me a bit quicker than some of the others. I think it's how dated it sounds: it's definitely easy to pinpoint when this came out. Allison Goldfrapp saves this from the one star graveyard. Favorite tracks: "Sad But True"
Ice Cube
3/5
For a lot of the gangsta rap records that are out there, at least this one tries to break it up with different songs as opposed to constantly hammering the tough-guy, hard-beat type. It's a secret shame of mine that I'm not that big a fan of "Today Was A Good Day"; Ice just sound stilted and I'd rather listen to "Between the Sheets" instead of the sampled version. Lyrically, it hasn't aged super well, but the energy is commendable. Favorite track: "Wicked"
Bert Jansch
3/5
Kinda bluesy, kinda Bob Dylan-esque rambly. I feel like, in Bert's mind, the lyrics are the main draw here, but it leaves the vocals kind of monotone, and during non-instrumental tracks, the guitar fades into the background. It's a lot more in the foreground during those instrumentals, though. Favorite tracks: "Needle Of Death", "Angie"
The Libertines
3/5
Y'know, I worry that the bias that everything from 20 years ago sounds kind of crummy, with regards to this list. It's also possible I just wasn't super into what was mainstream (boy, what a terrible sentence). This? This is fine. Feels like it carved the way for Arctic Monkeys. It definitely keeps the energy up, but I think that works against it in certain spots, because it can be hard to focus on a track-by-track basis when you're just getting hit by similar sounding track after similar sounding track. It's fine, but probably won't inherit any space in my brain. Favorite track: "The Man Who Would Be King"
Tricky
2/5
The trip-hop instrumentals are very unique. Vocally, I was surprised to find the male vocalist, who feels pushed to the background, is the titular artist. These songs feel longer than they are, and even for a short record, I don't think it's anything I'm going to revisit. Favorite tracks: "Brand New You're Retro"
3/5
I really like the songwriting here. I really started to enjoy it when I got "Skylarking" earlier in the list, I gave that record 5 stars. This record is... Busy. There's a lot of great writing buried underneath a Pet Sounds-amount of strings and orchestration, but it's a lot to take it and it takes away from the experience as a whole. Favorite tracks: "I Can't Own Her", "Harvest Festival"
Scritti Politti
1/5
Listen: this list has a lot of 80s synth pop. It's not my favorite genre, but there are certain exceptions to that. I can admit that "Small Talk" off this record is a bop, but the rest of the record? Someone on this site compared the singer to Michael Jackson, and while I agree slightly, I find these vocals much, much more annoying. Something snapped around the weird sex/sensuality song ("A Little Knowledge"), something that "Small Talk", far too early in the record, couldn't save. The instruments are dated, and it's constantly jump-scaring you with different parts randomly coming in. It almost escaped my graveyard, but fuck it, bury it.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
A perfectly serviceable acid folk record. Loses me in spots. The vocals can be a little too quiet at times. Favorite tracks: "War In Peace", "Little Hands"
Gang Of Four
5/5
Wasn't expecting much but got a fantastically groovy post-punk record with solid lyrics. Surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Favorite tracks: "Natural's Not In It", "Damaged Goods", "Glass"
The Monkees
3/5
It's pleasant and fine. Shades of the Beatles, vocally. It's nice to read that this is the first album they had some creative input in. It's good noise when it's on, but leaves the mind shortly after. Favorite tracks: "For Pete's Sake", "Randy Scouse Git"
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Smooth as fuck, with great melodies, harmonies, and performances spread through everything. The production is great as well. The Doobie Brothers cover is solid, but I somehow prefer the original. Favorite tracks: "That Lady", "You Walk Your Way", "The Highways Of My Life"
The White Stripes
3/5
Never got into the White Stripes aside from maybe the last album, but always semi-appreciated Jack White for the insane auteur he is. The album drags a little, and there are a few too many meandering blues jams on here, but it's overall pretty decent. I can understand why there are two White Stripes albums on here, but there are three Kings of Leon albums, which confounds me to no end. Favorite tracks: "The Denial Twist", "Instinct Blues", "As Ugly As I Seem"
American Music Club
3/5
Raw vocals. Some rootsier, southern rock bleeds through here occasionally, a la Allman Brothers, but overall ends up reminding me of proto-Counting Crows (not a knock, I like CC). I could imagine, with multiple listens, getting more into this record, but the first impression leaves me with just a "fine". Favorite tracks: "Pale and Skinny Girl", "Highway 5"
Lucinda Williams
4/5
A solid roots-country album with a lot of blues thrown in. It's well performed, in the fact that it has the right balance of tight and loose, if that makes sense. Nothing Earth-shattering to me, but solid. Favorite tracks: "Joy", "Drunken Angel", "Can't Let Go"
Röyksopp
4/5
A really nice, chill album with some occasional bounce and life. Worth revisiting next time I take an edible, I think. Favorite tracks: "Sparks", "Royksopp's Night Out"
Queen Latifah
4/5
My first experience with Queen Latifah was watching "Bringing Down the House" as a child. Didn't know she was a well-known rapper until much later, and hadn't really checked her out even then. The beats are a little stale, but Latifah genuinely hits on this one. Her flows are solid, she mixes stuff up, and the whole thing has good pacing. Solid overall. Favorite tracks: "Come Into My House", "A King and Queen Creation"
U2
3/5
Much like The Police, I guess I never realized how much post-punk influence (both from and on) that U2 had. I also never realized this record was from '83; I figured it was from the late eighties or early nineties. I think if there's anything I take away from this, it's that my admiration for The Edge is unfounded. Buried underneath the yawp of Bono, The Edge continues to weave a nice tapestry of atmosphere. Shame I just really can't get past Bono. Favorite tracks: "New Years Day", "Two Hearts Beat As One"
The Thrills
3/5
Wouldn't have pegged them for Irish. The Laurel Hill sound (CSNY, i.e.) is an obvious influence. The vocals even remind me of Neil Young, when he's hitting his higher register. It's pleasant enough when it's on, just nothing earth-shattering. Nicely produced, though. Favorite tracks: "Big Sur", "Hollywood Kids"
Spiritualized
3/5
I'm currently about 1000 albums in, and this album popped up as 853 for me. I've been waiting to review it because I've received a Spiritualized record in the past, and felt like the proper headspace for this was with a head of (at the *very least*) THC. But I'll admit, I want to check the box, and if a record needs drugs for it to work, maybe there's something wrong with that. I enjoyed the record, especially the crescendo near the end, but you can really be excused for not waiting to listen through a ton of ambient noise and murmured melodies to get to the last three tracks. The payoff is good, but maybe not that good. Favorite tracks: "Shine A Light", "Angel Sigh"
Simple Minds
2/5
No offense to Simple Minds, I like "Don't You (Forget About Me)", but this didn't really jazz my almonds in any way. Vocally, it reminds me of Depeche Mode, and there are some interesting bass riffs to listen to, but it struggles to keep my attention. Favorite track: "Promised You A Miracle"
Slipknot
3/5
I realize Slipknot will probably get clowned on here (pun not intentional), but I've always enjoyed a few songs here and there. My inner-angry-white-boy was ALL ABOUT the first few songs, but a full album of nothing but smash-and-bang rage gets tiring after a while. Corey Taylor's rapping is also dated as hell, though I will admit his flow is solid on one track (think it was "No Life"? The track near the end of the record). The production is raw, and I think the percussion is the main focal point here, with the marching snares and near-constant barrage of double bass pedal pulling a lot of work. Again, it lasts a little longer than I think it should, but it's overall solid. Favorite tracks: "(sic)", "Eyeless"
The Band
3/5
Music for the simple life, or at least, made me want to move to upstate New York and just chill. Some overlap with contemporaries The Grateful Dead, songs can feel a little samey, but they pull out enough ideas to mix it up here and there. Favorite tracks: "To Kingdom Come", "The Weight", "Chest Fever"
Mj Cole
3/5
As with many of the jungle/garage/electronic records on here, it's very, very long. Found myself tuning out here and there, but enjoying it when I started paying attention. Make of that what you will. Comes complete with the standard 90s "tell the world / stop the war" track in "Rough Out Here". "You're Mine" is a genuinely fantastic song, though. Favorite track: "You're Mine"
Mekons
2/5
Alt-country is, in my opinion, a very generous term for this. It's post-punk with some notes of Springsteen-style Americana. A lot of tracks on here remind me of your friend's bad art-rock project. It feels very chaotic, and kind of like it's hinting at something much better, but never really getting super close to it. One song really hits well, and honestly after some deliberation, causes it to escape the 1-star graveyard. But man, it was close. Favorite track: "Last Dance"
Peter Gabriel
2/5
This record sounds like Peter Gabriel trying to figure out which direction he wants to go in. There's some arena-style prog a la Queen ("Modern Love"), jazzy-blues epics ("Waiting for the Big One"), and whatever the fuck "Excuse Me" is. I liked 3 ("Melt") when I got it earlier in this list, this one didn't really click with me. Favorite track: "Modern Love"
Joy Division
5/5
For some reason, Ian Curtis' voice reminds me of a less-pretentious Jim Morrison. Luckily I like The Doors. The atmosphere on this record is one of my favorite points, conveying this bleak, depressed feeling throughout, even on the livelier tracks. I don't particularly know what else to say, it's a landmark album that inspired a generation for a reason. Favorite tracks: "Day Of the Lords", "New Dawn Fades", "I Remember Nothing"
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
*sigh* Ah, Christ, I've been dreading this day. What's there to say about one of the most controversial albums of all time? A coworker, who likes this record, said to me one time, "Just so you know, every note on that record is where it's supposed to be." And that's... fine, I guess? I keep going back to the definition of music as "something enjoyable to listen to", and this just felt like a slog. For the record: I listened to the entire fucking thing. It inspired some feelings, and had some jams, but it mostly sounds like a massively talented band cosplaying as people who had never seen an instrument nor heard of the concept of "music". It's... definitely something.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
It's a solid-enough late career comeback for Miss Harris. The songs all have a similar feel, so it gets samey at some points, though I like the "sway" that the album has throughout. It's loose, breezy. Nothing superbly memorable, though. Favorite track: "The Pearl"
Throwing Muses
3/5
Kind of makes me think of a missing link between 80s post-punk a la Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Cure, and the 90s alt-rock/ riot grrl scene (specifically Kathleen Hanna and Bikini Kill). Also reminds me of X-Ray Spex, whom I received a long time ago on this album. Makes total sense that this was a record released on 4AD. I really like the guitar work on this, super angular and weird, though admittedly nothing really stuck to me very hard on the first listen. Favorite track: "Hate My Way"
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Musically, reminds me quite a bit of Baaba Maal, in the way that it finds a chord progression and rarely breaks free from it. Love the heavier, bluesier tracks, but feel the album is a little front-loaded. Still, cool record. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Irganda", "Nick"
Mudhoney
5/5
Big, *dumb* riffs. But god, are they fucking good. You can easily hear what was emerging from the Pacific Northwest on this, especially shades of the likes of Soundgarden. I hesitate to use the word "bro-y", but I do get, for lack of better description, party vibes off this. It's the evolution of punk rock, *soaked* in beer. It's fun, it's dumb. Bang your head. Favorite tracks: "Mudride", "If I Think", "In 'n' Out of Grace"
Britney Spears
3/5
If you want to discuss cultural resets, there's really hard to deny just *how big* those first three piano chords are on "...Baby One More Time". We're still dealing with the Max Martin aftermath, especially considering Dr. Luke was one of his protegees. Britney can really belt, and is probably one of the more talented pop singers of the last few decades. That being said, there is a noticeable disparity when Martin isn't producing the track. 1The album doesn't feel as strong when he's at the helm, not to say Britney doesn't try, but some of these songs (notably the extremely dated "E-mail My Heart") just don't have the same evergreen feel that the first few do. Favorite tracks: "...Baby One More Time", "(You Drive Me) Crazy"
Ananda Shankar
3/5
It's an interesting idea to front-load an album of sitar music with covers of favorites, then transition to more standard sitar music. I got Ananda's father, Ravi Shankar, earlier in the list with a similar idea to introduce western audiences to the sitar (though his was more an explanation of what he was playing, which I found to be a great idea). It's fine, and I appreciate the use of western instruments throughout. Favorite tracks: "Metamorphosis", "Sagar (The Ocean)"
The Rolling Stones
3/5
It's interesting how a lot of bands just recorded other people's songs to start. Beatles did the same thing. This record is well performed and executed, but definitely seems juvenile in comparison to what the Stones would become later. Favorite tracks: "Route 66", "Carol"
The Residents
2/5
Initial thought: "weird music for weird people". As the record went on, I realized it was less "music" and maybe trying to be the opposite. It feels alien, very horror-movie-funhouse-mirror, with mad laughter echoing in the distance. I guess I appreciate it for what it's trying to be, but the nearest band to compare it to, I think, is Throbbing Gristle, and as much as I'm... not a fan of TG, they felt like they had a plan on what they were doing. This one feels like... trying to be weird for the sake of, "Yeah, this'll freak the normies out." Favorite tracks: "Constantinople", "Krafty Cheese"
The Cars
4/5
The album that launched a thousand others. This thing is packed with hooks, from the little rockabilly guitar riff after the chorus of "My Best Friend's Girl", to basically any gang vocal section. I like it when the record gets a bit prog-y near the tail end. Favorite tracks: "My Best Friend's Girl", "Moving In Stereo", "You're All I've Got Tonight"
Laibach
1/5
I think I'm mostly trying to figure out how tongue-in-cheek this is. I've listened to industrial a bunch before, but never so... heavily militaristic? Song one I enjoyed, but then the record even had an alternate version entirely in English... I think I should have been wary about the metal on this record when one of the first Maiden records was on here, as opposed to... not the first one. Also, holy shit, are the keyboards on this thing dated. Must've been the first synthesizer horns ever invented. The more I think of this one, the more I'd rather never listen to it again, and would kind of side-eye anyone who would want to.
Afrika Bambaataa
4/5
Big, big beats. The rapping is fun, but the beats don't switch up too much, leading to a little bit of fatigue. Still fun. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Looking For the Perfect Beat", "Who You Funkin' With?"
Bee Gees
2/5
Never been a big ballad fan. Can enjoy one or two on an album, but man this almost put me to sleep. You can see the lo-res TV spots of this, complete with shimmering jumpsuits. Just don't get Bee Gees pre-disco era. It sounds like weaker Elton John, or Beatles at their sappiest. Favorite track: "Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself"
Adele
4/5
It's probably the furthest thing from "cool" to like Adele, but so far the two albums I've received, I can understand the hype. If I had one minor complaint, it's that the album kind of falters after "Water Under the Bridge" and only regains footing near the end. That being said, she has a phenomenal voice, and I really like all of the production throughout. Favorite tracks: "Hello", "Remedy", "All I Ask"
Morrissey
3/5
Morrissey is a strange beast. On one hand, I can recognize just how *pretentious* this guy is, so convinced of his own intelligence. On the other, he does get some solid jabs put with his standard sad-boy affect on here. That being said, I think this record suffers from too much: one thing I loved about The Smiths and previous Morrissey records is they didn't feel so... full? This one just has so many various instruments, it screams "late-period comeback" for any musician, a good point of this being "I Like You", which has the kitchen sink thrown in there. That all being said, it's... good. He just sucks. But we knew that. Favorite tracks: "First Of the Gang To Die", "I'm Not Sorry"
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Bossa nova is a tough genre. It's pleasant and relaxing, but never commands a ton of attention. Sinatra over bossa nova is a natural fit, just like orchestral or big band, and his trade offs with Antonio Jobim are nice, but it kind of floats in and floats out. Favorite tracks: "Meditation"
Guided By Voices
4/5
Man, talk about throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks. I think the most disappointing thing about this record is that there are some songs on here that, if fleshed further out, would be absolutely A+ songs. Feels like a record where, the moment the writer hit a block, he moved on. Ends up that there are a lot more great songs on here than bad ones. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, looking at the track list length initially, but now what? Do I get further into this band? With that long a discography? Favorite tracks: "They're Not Witches", "Game Of Pricks", "Little Whirl"
Tracy Chapman
4/5
I've always maintained that "Fast Car" is a perfect song: great melody and lead from the guitar, fantastically depressing lyrics... Love it. Listening to the full album, it turns out that I prefer Tracy's story songs, as opposed to her bluntly political ones, even when they convey the same message. Everything here is solid, I love how sparse the arrangements can be, but there are one or two duds (the reggae-tinged "She's Got Her Ticket", in particular) that keep this from perfection. Still, it's an incredible album. Favorite tracks: "Fast Car", "Mountains O' Things"
Tom Tom Club
3/5
It's nice to know that Talking Heads was made up of freaks, entirely, and not just David Byrne. I appreciate the experiments happening on this record, but starting out with a rap song is something that certainly hasn't aged super well. It's fun, loose, and way out there, but doesn't really do much more for me than being just a curiosity. Favorite track: "Genius of Love"
Peter Gabriel
5/5
I've gotten a few Gabriel records before on this list. I remember liking "3", and being whelmed by his solo debut, but this one? Shockingly great. Feels like he's able to balance an experimental nature he's been digging, with pop sensebilities. The only song on here I wasn't thrilled to hear was "In Your Eyes", but admittedly, even on listening to that, I got further into it than I had before, and found a lot of instrumentation and textures I never noticed before. Fuck it. Give it its flowers. Favorite tracks: "Mercy Street", "We Do What We're Told", "Sledgehammer", "This Is The Picture"
The Specials
4/5
Oh Christ, did I just enjoy a ska record? What have I become? To be fair, the palette on this record is a lot more spread out that simple ska... There's some lounge-y-ness to it that I enjoy, with some solid dub reggae and a huge helping of soul thrown in. Seriously, loved the soul bits of this record. Favorite tracks: "Stereotype/Stereotype Pt. 2", Hey Little Rich Girl", "Do Nothing"
Soft Machine
5/5
On my current round of overnights, I've been revisiting random albums that pop into my head. One of those records is "The Apocalypse Inside of An Orange" by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, guitarist for the Mars Volta. I bought that record at age, like, 13, because I had randomly stumbled into being a fan of TMV and wanted to consume everything they made. I bring it up because, I think that record was severely inspired by this one. This record is drenched in psychedelia, acid, and even that kind of electronic that sounds "space age". I groaned when I saw that it was only four songs initially, but ended up walking away really loving it? It aged well, despite definitely sounding confined to the era in which it was birthed. I hesitate to give it a five here, all because of the vocals on "Moon In June". They aren't the strongest, the lyrics aren't great, and overall just feels like a throw-away. Other than that, I really love how weird this record gets, and found the 80 minutes (or so) pass by relatively quickly. Will definitely revisit. Favorite tracks: "Facelift", "Slightly All the Time"
CHIC
4/5
One thing I'd like to note right out of the gate is how nice this record is produced. At least through my headphones, the bass is some of the best I've heard. You can hear the spring of the strings clear as day. Gorgeous, and really adds a lot to the music. That being said, sometimes the tracks can drag a little, but I think they're mostly made to dance to, and not to be as focused, critically, as I am on them. A few are also slightly interchangeable, sound-wise. Still, good, funky, fun. Favorite tracks: "I Want Your Love", "Sometimes You Win", "(Funny) Bone"
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
I've never really delved into Marley, just heard a ton of stuff through osmosis. I enjoy the performances on this, the right blend of relaxed and tight. What else is there to say that hasn't been said before? Favorite tracks: "Jamming", "Exodus"
Neil Young
5/5
I think Neil Young is one of the few artists who has received consistent ratings from me throughout this project, and I mean, can you blame me? There's something to the frequency of his voice on "Birds", when his voice quivers on the final, "It's over," that just hits me. Nothing else really to say. Favorite tracks: "Birds", "When You Dance I Can Really Love", "Southern Man", "Don't Let It Bring You Down"
Dire Straits
3/5
I feel like Mark Knopfler's playing is a little subdued for the flashy synths on this one. Still, covers a good range, from their standard rockabilly to jazz. Favorite tracks: "Money For Nothing", "Brothers In On"
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Length works against this thing, something I find common with a lot of the hip-hop albums of the time. Definitely influenced by the "chipmunk soul" styling of Kanye West, but luckily these beats aged very well. Ghostface shows that he can float over any beat, and while his lyrical subjects can get tired at certain points, and this record could've had some fat trimmed, it's a solid listen. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "9 Milli Bros", "R.A.G.U.", "Be Easy"
Big Star
2/5
I think it starts strong, but really loses focus near the end. The Velvet Underground cover feels way too on-the-nose, since I find the latter half of the record to kind of sound like a drugged out stupor, akin to how I feel The Velvet Underground gets at times. I think if you're a big VU fan, this might be for you. Not so much for me. Favorite track: "Thank You Friends"
Steve Earle
4/5
I'm going to assume, without looking, this gets the "not country enough" badge on here. As a Springsteen apologist, I enjoyed this record more than I thought I would. There's also shades of John "Cougar" Mellencamp here, though if he was strictly from Nashville. I enjoyed the blend of country and rock here, with some really nice folk and Americana notes thrown in. I think the production might be a little too "bright", for lack of better descriptor, but it doesn't stop me from calling this one a 4.5. Favorite tracks: "Hillbilly Highway", "Good Ol' Boy", "Someday", "Down The Road"
Girls Against Boys
3/5
I was really about this for the first few tracks, then certain things started to grate a little. The vocals can at times feel effortlessly cool, but at certain points more... grunting. There are shades of Smashing Pumpkins and Failure on here, which I appreciate, as I also appreciate anything called "post hardcore" by Wikipedia being on here. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Rockets Are Red", "7 Seas"
Erykah Badu
4/5
Can't say I've heard anything like this before. Even for something released over twenty years ago, it still sounds fresh and vibrant. Love the dips into Parliament-style funk, and the vibe of classic jazz throughout. Only complaint is that it finds the lane it wants to be in, and rarely ever truly breaks free from that, leading to a record that might be a little easy to just vibe to and zone out a little. Favorite tracks: "Penitentiary Philosophy", "A.D. 2000", "Orange Moon"
Anthrax
4/5
It's got Maiden's dual-guitar threat, Megadeth's killing speed, and all of the mosh-ready aggression of hardcore punk. I think 50 minutes is a bit much, but I can't really find a track I didn't enjoy. Call it a 4.5. Favorite tracks: "Among The Living", "Caught In A Mosh", "Indians"
David Bowie
4/5
There have been a bunch of late-period come back albums on here, and I'm not sure I enjoyed one as much as this. It feels like it could have been slotted with some of his more experimental stuff, but it is still very listenable. Love all of the horns and woodwinds peppered throughout. Bowie sounds great on this, as well, though I'd admit I think the album trails off a little at the end. Favorite tracks: "Dirty Boys", "Set The World On Fire", "The Stars"
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Definitely an evolution from "Nothing's Shocking". I appreciate what they did with this record, but it's definitely one you have to sit with, especially the latter half of the record being very morbid. Plays like a heftier Chili Peppers or more rabid, psychedelic Zeppelin. Favorite tracks: "Stop!", "Then She Did...", "Of Course"
John Cale
3/5
It's alright. Feels very uptight. The latter half of the record is the best. Favorite tracks: "Macbeth", "Paris 1919"
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
A pretty bossa nova record with some very light, modern touches including trip hop and other "atmosphere". It's pretty enough, but it's not very memorable. Favorite track: "Alguem"
The Vines
2/5
Huh. I remember seeing the "Ride" video a bunch on MTV, and liking the concept a lot. Never expected them on here, and I'm sure they'll get a bunch of hate. They're kind of grunge ish, but paint with the psychedelic colors that the (obviously hugely influential) Beatles did. It's fine? Heavier Oasis. Just nothing I need to hear before I die, I think. Favorite track: "Get Free"
Mylo
4/5
Very uplifting, glowing dance stuff. Reminds me of Deadmau5 without the dubstep influences, and maybe what Hot Chip would be doing years later. Drags on near the end, but I feel like most of the dance-based records on here do. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Muscle Cars", "Drop The Pressure"
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
Shades of Neil Young, and the darker output of Leonard Cohen. The lyrics can be simplistic, but I think the mood is conveyed well through the sparseness of the music. Think it demands more than just one listen. Favorite tracks: "I See A Darkness", "Death To Everyone"
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
I looked at the track list and thought, "There's no way I listen to the entire thing." And then I did. Thanks overnight shift! Honestly, bloat aside, there's a lot of fantastically catchy pop songs here. Not everything is a hit (Christ, could you imagine?). They switch up singers and styles so frequently that listening isn't a full chore. Is it easy to zone out to? Sure. But I found myself listening more than I anticipated I would. For my money, I think section/disc/whatever 2 is the strongest, and while I appreciate that the band just fucking went for it, it's not anything I plan on revisiting in its entirety. Favorite tracks: "A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off", "The Book of Love", "No One Will Ever Love You", "Papa Was A Rodeo", "Busby Berkeley Dreams", "The Death of Ferdinand De Saussure"
De La Soul
3/5
Super jovial energy on this record, seems a little dorky (but I mean that as a compliment). It's fun, though admittedly, I find it to drag on a little. Favorite tracks: "Buddy", "Me, Myself, and I", "Potholes In My Lawn"
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Wikipedia tells me this is "desert blues". It definitely sounds like the Mississippi Delta's cousin from a different country. I enjoyed it. Feels like traveling music. Favorite tracks: "Ai Du", "Diaraby"
Stevie Wonder
4/5
I like the use of synthesizers throughout, sometimes they're the focus, other times just adding some atmosphere. At certain points, this dips into what I might refer to as "easy listening", but it's never not creative and impressive. Favorite tracks: "You And I", "Superstition"
Motörhead
4/5
It's Motorhead, so it's already got that in its favor. It's definitely one of the fastest live albums I've ever heard, seriously coming close to breaking the land speed record. I also think it sticks around just long enjoy it and not have it drag on. All of this is heavily dependant on whether you like or dislike Motorhead. In my opinion, they're one of the finest rock and roll bands to have ever existed. Favorite tracks: "Overkill", "Bomber", "We Are the Roadcrew", "Stay Clean"
Nico
2/5
Up front, still not the biggest Velvet Underground fan. However, after two songs, I found myself enjoying the sparse arrangements. I think Nico's voice is framed well with some lightly plucked guitar and strings. However, further into the record, I realized it doesn't get much further than that. The lyrics aren't bad, but I don't think they're anything special here. Also, most of these songs stick around a long time; I was enjoying "Chelsea Girls", until I zoned back in and realized I had another three minutes to go. Favorite tracks: "The Fairest Of Seasons", "These Days"
The Cult
2/5
Way earlier in this list, I gave Bad Company's "Bad Company" a one-star because I was pretty convinced that it would be my only one-star album through the project. Who could've predicted Lenny Kravitz would be on this list? Anyway. This record reminds me of that in heaps. Same yowl-y vocals, same solid guitar without ever really being groundbreaking... A Danzig song played immediately after this, and I realized *that* was what the vocals sounded like to me. I don't think this is a bad record (and for the record, if I could go back, I'd probably bump that Bad Company record up to a two), it just... doesn't feel essential. It's performed competently (aside from maybe the "Born To Be Wild" cover, and the last song, sheesh) but it's just generic cock rock at it's cockiest. Favorite tracks: "Love Removal Machine"
Morrissey
2/5
This one is a weird one, to me. For some reason, Morrissey's voice doesn't really fit over this music. The use of samples throughout is also an interesting choice. I didn't hate it, but it's definitely the weakest album of his (or The Smiths) I've received on this list. Favorite tracks: "The Lazy Sunbathers", "Hold On To Your Friends"
The Auteurs
2/5
What am I supposed to get from this? The lyrics are inane. The vocals annoy even me, which is difficult given my affinity for emo in all of its forms. There are one or two jams on here, but maybe not something I needed to hear. Call it a 1.5, and I'm feeling very generous. Favorite track: "How Could I Be Wrong"
The Boo Radleys
4/5
Absolutely chock full of surprises. Just when you feel like you've got it figured out, you really don't. Like a (somehow) more deranged Flaming Lips I don't think everything on here works, but when it clicks, I really enjoy it. Favorite tracks: "Wish I Was Skinny", "Barney", "The White Noise Revisited"
Little Simz
4/5
The flows on this thing are impressive. There's a lot of rage and range, from social commentary to personal struggles. Love the aggressive, jazzy instrumentals as well. Favorite tracks: "Boss", "Pressure"
William Orbit
3/5
Very heavy trance stuff. I like the rhythm lines most of all. Gets heavy into meditation-esque music at the end, causing me to lose focus pretty heavily. Still not into the 90s electronic music rapping, which gracefully only appears on one track. Favorite track: "The Monkey King"
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The Rolling Stones come into their own. It's bluesy, at certain points psychedelic, and there's a not-insignificant amount of fucking around on here (the 12 minute long "Going Home" sticks out). Still, it's a solid record and bridges into where the Stones become the huge band they were always destined to be. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Under My Thumb", "Mother's Little Helper"
Ice T
3/5
It can be a widely varied album, especially when it comes to flow. At one point, Ice is using a flow that reminded me of Biz Markie, and then later gave him a shoutout, so maybe it's not too far-fetched. The beats are still solid, but after everything, it's still jam-packed at 72 minutes. It can be a little hard to hear another song about guns and drugs, but luckily the lyrical content is also varied as well. I don't think I'd listen to this all the way through again, but it's at least solid. Favorite tracks: "Lifestyles Of the Rich And Infamous", "Straight Up Nigga", "New Jack Hustler"
Dr. John
4/5
Definitely unique. I feel like the one issue I have here is that it's at certain points more style than substance, but who am I to judge? It's weird, it's fun, it's mood music. If that mood is "taking an edible and wandering through a New Orleans swamp". Favorite tracks: "Danse Kalinda Da Boom", "Danse Fambeaux", "I Walk On Guided Splinters"
Joanna Newsom
3/5
It's a record very focused on the lyrics. The music itself is merely stage-dressing, though it does give the stories of the lyrics a very heavy "fantasy" feel. Do I like it? Eh. I think everything is overlong and I think the stories are... fine. I also really don't feel like I'm the target audience for it. Her Bjork-like voice fluctuates between me not enjoying it and me being fine with it. A very conflicting album. Favorite track: "Sawdust & Diamonds"
John Coltrane
4/5
Expertly played. Think it hits the peak with "Part 3", where the frantic energy is contagious. Favorite tracks: "Part 3: Pursuance"
Slayer
5/5
I feel a little hypocritical here, because I've definitely given records on here a note of "most of the songs feel the same" and listening with these ears, I feel the same on most of these. Thrashing, heaviness, an occasional Tom Araya scream, into a fast, harmonic-squealing solo. Unfortunately, i'm a hypocrite, and I love this record. I think one thing it has going for it, is that it's a tight, tight 30 minutes. That, and it's fucking Slayer. Favorite tracks: "Angel of Death", "Epidemic", "Raining Blood"
Dolly Parton
4/5
I think it hits on the "everyone harmonize" note a bit much, but I do like it when the ladies get individual songs. Lets them breathe a little. The production can be hit or miss, and it occasionally dips a little too far into Carpenter-style easy listening, but overall it's really hard to deny the star power on display. Favorite tracks: "Making Plans", "Hobo Meditation", "Wildflowers"
Scissor Sisters
4/5
I got this album from the library when I was 13, because I liked "Take Your Mama". I, sheltered as hell, did not pick up on any of the queer subtext until later. Impressive that I didn't, but I was extremely naive. Probably still am. Anyway, I appreciate any album that goes for it, in a way. Attempting a cover of fucking "Comfortably Numb"? Even if I don't particularly like the cover, I think it's bold, and I like it. The songs on here can be great or not, but when they hit, they are super catchy and fun, new-disco tinged rock. I'm mildly nostalgic for it, even if I only ever really listened to "Take Your Mama" and "Tits On The Radio" when I was younger. Favorite tracks: "Take Your Mama", "Laura"
Pearl Jam
5/5
The band that launched a thousand imitators. As a debut record, it's up there with Boston's self-titled in terms of impressiveness, front-to-back bangers. Having never actually sat down and listened to this thing, I already know (and enjoy) half the songs. I know Eddie Vedder's vocals are often lampooned, but man, they're distinctive, and no one can manage that vocal edge like he can. Favorite tracks: "Why Go", "Black", "Jeremy", "Even Flow"
Jeff Beck
2/5
The instrumentals on here are the best part, where you get to see Jeff Beck flex his muscles. Slightly convinced this might've been used to Trojan horse another Rod Stewart album into this list. Favorite tracks: "Beck's Bolero", "Blues Deluxe"
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Music to reflect to. I don't think it's perfect lyrically, but I do think it's compelling. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "The Stranger Song", "So Long, Marianne"
Roxy Music
3/5
Roxy Music continues to elude me. I think I like the idea of Brian Eno working for a glam band, but it comes out as sleazy yet sophisticated, and for some reason it just doesn't click for me. You can definitely here the directions he was moving in on this one, especially in his future working for Bowie and Iggy Pop. Favorite tracks: "Editions Of You", "The Bogus Man"
Todd Rundgren
4/5
I groaned when I noticed it was a double album, but I ended up enjoying how it was split up quite a bit. I will say the "heavy" side (side three) wasn't as heavy as I was hoping, but the rest of the songs do what they say on the tin. The "Intro" on side two makes me think Todd Rundgren is the type of person to be able to fuck around, and also just knows what the heck he's doing. Call it a 4.5. Favorite tracks: "I Saw The Light", "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference", "The Night The Carousel Burned Down", "I Went To The Mirror", "Piss Aaron", "Slut"
Cheap Trick
4/5
Just a solid, no frills live album. Front to back bangers. The "Ain't That A Shame" cover was a very unique choice. Favorite tracks: "Come On, Come On", "I Want You To Want Me"
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
My first point of comparison here is Lauryn Hill, mostly through the attempt to blend various genres. I think it's a little less successful here. There's some G-funk influence ("Sick N Tired"), some bling-era production, and the latter parts of the album seem to turn to ragga? It also seems to come from my least favorite era of rap, when they tried to throw every single song they recorded onto a CD. This thing could use some serious fat trimming, because I wasn't minding it at the beginning, but 17 songs is a lot to just be not minding it. Call it a 2.5, I guess. Favorite track: "It Takes More"
Giant Sand
1/5
I think this album is having an identity crisis. There's Lou Reed-esque vocals, a splash of psych rock here ("1972"), the overall feeling of country and folk, but with trip-hop drums occasionally tossed in there? I'm usually fine with the dry, listlessness of the Reed vocal style, but combined with the very laid-back feeling of the album overall, it just makes it feel like so much wallpaper. I can find a few tracks I don't mind, but overall the thought is, who is enjoying this? It's too boring to be anything to listen to actively, but it's not... anything-enough? to be something that you'd consider mood music. It's just got nothing for me.
Orange Juice
3/5
Post-punk in the Talking Heads vein. I can hear a band like Franz Ferdinand in this quite well. It's solid with a few cool sax solos, but doesn't really move the needle for me. Favorite track: "A Million Pleading Faces"
Ryan Adams
2/5
Starts off strong enough, but man is this thing long. Several songs could have been cut, especially in the super slow latter half of the record. Favorite tracks: "New York, New York", "Nobody Girl"
Adam & The Ants
3/5
I'm over 900 albums in, and this is definitely one of the strangest I've heard. It's so close to being a pop record, but whenever you think you know where it's going, it goes a completely different direction. It took a few tracks to fully adjust. Definitely one of the most "theatrical" vocals I've heard on this? It definitely feels like an album built around the drums, which feel primal and super important. I don't particularly think this is for me, but I do think it's probably something that should be here. Favorite tracks: "Ants Invasion", "Don't Be Square (Be There)"
Merle Haggard
4/5
The blueprint that everyone is trying to copy from. Some of the later country albums that appear on this list (looking at you, "Buenos Noches from a Lonely Room", or whatever you're called) are merely the palest imitation of Merle Haggard. Was surprised it wasn't all heartbreak and ballads on here, there's a few tracks that are just straight-up blues cuts on here. Great record. Favorite tracks: "Mixed Up Mess Of A Heart", "All of Me Belongs To You"
Klaxons
4/5
Hey, a dance punk record. "Klaxon" is a good word, as this definitely rests on the noisy side a lot. For my money, I would've loved to see Innerpartysystem or Does It Offend You, Yeah? make this list more. This record is fine, though. It seems obsessed with never staying in one lane and changes itself up often, feeling more like it's trying its best to be clever than... actually being clever. Feels like a dance party at ten minutes to the end of the world, where everyone is getting in their last moves, no matter how desperate. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Atlantis To Interzone", "Golden Skans"
Khaled
4/5
My familiarity with rai music is... limited (read: none), but I can kind of gleen that this may be a more updated, poppier version of it. Overall, it's pretty solid. The genres switch up quite a bit to where it's a surprise what the next song will sound like, because genres range from trip-hop to something with a cumbia beat? Very cool. There are a few missteps, mostly in the "Imagine" cover and the french-U2 "C'est la nuit". The length also works hard against it. Still, it's a fun listen, and I'd be interested to check out more of what Cheb Khaled has to offer. Favorite tracks: "Aâlach Tloumouni", "Trigue Lycee", "El Aâdyene"
Dinosaur Jr.
5/5
It's like being smothered by a blanket made of psychedelic concrete. I think my love for this album is multifaceted. Without this, we don't get My Bloody Valentine and shoegaze. We don't get a band like Nirvana, and most of the nineties more than likely. It's also just... beautifully noisy. It sounds so loose, but every note feels like it is where it needs to be. Bite me. I've seen Dinosaur Jr. before and enjoyed them, but man, maybe I should've just listened to them before. Favorite tracks: "Sludgefeast", "Tarpit"
Queens of the Stone Age
5/5
Quick story before my review: this album was once pretty hard to get a hold of, so I resorted to Limewire to get my tracks. I had trouble finding one track in particular, and only years later did I realize the site I was looking at had the title wrong. They had it as "You Can't Quit Mr Baby", which, I mean, isn't a crazy obvious misspelling.
Anyway. The birth of a band. It's not flawless, but it is, distinctly, Queens Of the Stone Age. I've been a fan since first hearing "Little Sister" and digging through their discography, so I'm definitely biased in this fact. It's a solid album with a lot of piss and vinegar to it. You can hear when Homme was attempting to make "robot rock", especially on tracks like "Mexicali" and "Walkin' On the Sidewalks". It's not their best, by a long shot (and I honestly couldn't tell you which I think it is, that changes frequently), but it's still an extremely solid showing for a debut. Granted, it loses steam a little near the end, mostly relying on jamming to fill the latter half. However, Homme had been around the block with Kyuss, but to still hear this and hear where they've gone since, it's impressive to hear the connections. And Christ, can Homme write a hook. Favorite tracks: "Avon", "If Only", "Mexicola", "Walkin' On the Sidewalks"
Simply Red
1/5
Maybe it's fatigue. I'm over 900 albums in, and the 80s are probably one of my least favorite eras for a few reason, chief of which being production techniques. I'll be honest, I started warming to this album slightly near the end, and "Holding Back the Years" is a pretty decent song? But I think this is just... nothing. There's a lot of grandiosity around the performances, especially vocally, but I don't think it really manages to back it up. It feels like aiming for huge, stadium-filling vocals but manages to just be caterwauling. I find it difficult to find the words for this one. I think, overall, the only way I can choose to describe it is, it's like that guy at the bar who thinks his game is immaculate but will be returning home by himself at the end of the night. It's a record that thinks that it fucks, but it just really... doesn't.
Stephen Stills
4/5
A brief look at my summary shows I'm a fan of CSNY, especially the "Y". Admittedly, never really dug into Stills' solo discography, though I've heard "Love The One You're With" through osmosis enough times. The first half of the record is great, but I feel like the back half hits poorly, for different reasons for each song. "To A Flame" is bordering on AM radio gold, easy listening type music. "Black Queen" feels like a jam that doesn't really go anywhere, content to be decent with diminishing returns as the song progresses. That being said, some of these songs really fucking nail it, blending good songwriting with genuine talent. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Love The One You're With", "Old Times Good Times", "Do For The Others"
Kelela
3/5
Subdued, sensual. I think a lot of these modern R&B albums have a similar sound palette, very stoned and relaxed. For what it's worth, I like the production a lot on this, but the songs never really get to a point where I'm asking to hear more. Favorite tracks: "Take Me Apart", "Enough", "Blue Light"
John Lennon
3/5
Y'know, listening to this record, I realize most people (at least, none that I've heard) refer to John Lennon as a "revolutionary". Sure, he tried and dressed up as one, but I think that was more self-serving than anything. This album gives a good peak into his psyche, especially on "God", when he punctuates a long set of things he doesn't believe in with, "I don't believe in Beatles," as if it's the most damning thing. It's a shame he's a decent writer, and a shame these songs are genuinely pretty good. If he really walked like he talked, it would almost definitely only add to the album, as opposed to subtract from it. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Hold On", "Working Class Hero"
Dagmar Krause
3/5
Once you get over the shock that you're listening to an avant-garde cabaret album, it's really not bad. Quite lively. An hour plus of this is taking the piss a bit much. But I've heard much worse on this thing. Favorite tracks: "The Ballad of the Sackslingers", "Song of a German Mother"
Pixies
5/5
Weirdly enough, it's probably the least "crazy" Pixies record, which is saying something when it starts with "Debaser" and "Tame". But it's an incredible record that would color the coming decade, and make Pixies one of those "your favorite band's favorite band"-type bands. There's so much texture in the chaos, it's really beautiful. Favorite tracks: "Debaser", "Tame", "Monkey Gone To Heaven", "I Bleed", "Gouge Away"
Beth Orton
3/5
A pleasant-enough folk album with electronic influences. I was interested at the beginning, but it kind of waned by the end. Reminds me of a lighter Portishead. Favorite tracks: "Stolen Car", "Stars All Seem To Weep"
Tom Waits
5/5
Tom Waits, patron saint of the gutter drunks. I've gotten a few on this list, but I think this my favorite of his. Probably has to be, being from Jersey. It flits between marimba-filled, drunk-for-24hrs madness, to tender ballads once you sober up and the hangover disappears. Favorite tracks: "Heartattack And Vine", "Mr. Siegal", "Jersey Girl"
Parliament
4/5
Parliament is a band entirely made up of aliens from the funkiest planet imaginable. They come in peace, and they come to funk your face off. It's a continuous groove that I think even the most stern person would get caught up in. Favorite tracks: "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs"
King Crimson
4/5
I think, at the end of the day, this record depends on your tolerance for prog. Cos this is about as proggy as it gets, with Robert Fripp leading the band. I don't mind it, but it does demand focus, which is rewarded at times. I like the instrumentals more than I do the songs with vocals. Also, the weird squishing at the beginning of "Easy Money" really fucked with my misophonia. Thanks. Favorite tracks: "Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Parts 1 and 2)"
Sparks
5/5
Huge glam notes, maybe a little splash of Cars-style power pop, all lead by a peacocking falsetto strutting through the speakers. I may sound like I dislike it, but it works. It's just fun music to listen to. Favorite tracks: "This Town Ain't Big Enough For the Both Of Us", "Amateur Hour", "Equator", "Talent Is an Asset"
Django Django
4/5
The vocals remind me of Beck, the instrumentals build like LCD Soundsystem constantly adding on, and a lot of the instrumentals kind of remind me of the white-boy-world-music of Paul Simon's "Graceland". Maybe the latter is why I'm not "in love" with this record (yeah, I'm not big on "Graceland", sue me), but this record is fascinating and interesting to listen to. On a list with so much forgettable synth pop, this is actually a record that's doing something that kind of sounds "fresh". Call it a 4.5. Favorite tracks: "Love's Dart", "Hail Bop", "Default"
Dirty Projectors
3/5
Feels weird to type, but I got "Stillness Is the Move" over a fucking decade ago through some promotional means (CD I got at a festival? iTunes free single? No idea). I always really liked that track, but never really dug further in, and maybe I saved myself some time. The pretentious part of me says this is fine, but the one looking for anything else isn't super satisfied. There's some great guitar work here, and at certain parts it feels like they're going for an orchestral movement rather than your traditional pop song, but at the end of the day, it just feels like Williamsburg's blog-indie response to Captain Beefheart. Favorite tracks: "Stillness Is the Move", "Useful Chamber"
Eagles
3/5
Without looking, I assume the top review of this album is a "Big Lebowski" reference. Anyway. I like the Eagles, typically. At least, I enjoyed their greatest hits record. This one? There's less memorable stuff on it. They have the vocal harmonies of the Beach Boys, or maybe a more apt comparison is CSNY. They seem more like a b-squad of that group on here. Favorite tracks: "Take It Easy", "Witchy Woman"
Eminem
3/5
I hadn't listened to this album in years (except for "My Fault", which I still find somewhat darkly funny). Honestly, if my mom had caught teenage me listening to this, she may have kicked my ass. As an adult, it's pretty crazy to think of the stuff that I occasionally rapped along to. Like Nirvana's "In Bloom", I mostly listened and sang along, but never really considered the deeper meaning. As many of the other reviews have pointed out, it's a deeeeeeply fucked up album. Rape, drugging, sex with minors, violence... All topics on multiple songs on this record. They don't call it "horrorcore" for nothing, I guess. It's an insanely uncomfortable listen now, especially "97 Bonnie and Clyde", which I did understand, but didn't think about how insanely screwed it is: a murder ballad sung like a children's song. Insanity. At the end of the day, it's a fucked up record by a fucked up, what, 18-year-old? You can do with that information what you will. The technical skill is insane on here, and the beats are still pretty solid (though some of the weaker ones haven't aged well), but if the subject matter makes you turn that off, I don't think anyone in their right mind would blame you. Favorite tracks: "My Fault", "Brain Damage", "My Name Is"
Joan Baez
2/5
Very traditionally-minded, but a bit one-note and after about halfway through I "got" it. Very powerful voice, but not much else to speak of. Favorite track: "House Of the Rising Sun"
4/5
Certainly a dour album, steeped heavily in blues with a dash of soul and funk. The long jams can get a bit slow and dry, but it's a cool enough album to pass the eye test. Favorite tracks: "The World Is a Ghetto", "The Cisco Kid"
King Crimson
4/5
If I have one major complaint of this record, it is pacing. It knows how to take a song that grooves super hard, and immediately superglue a brick to the brake. It's a very impressive record, aside from aforementioned pacing and the, dare I call it, "studio noise" during "Moonchild". But man, it really hits a lot of the right notes. Favorite tracks: "21st Century Schizoid Man", "I Talk to The Wind", "Epitaph"
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
I guess I might call it "blues from hell". There's a really sinister undertone to this record, not in the arrangements, but in the... aura? Maybe it's singer Don Van Vliet's delivery. It's definitely an easier listen than "Trout Mask Replica", but then again, most music is. I like the rootsy, folky undertones of this record. Think it requires further study. Favorite tracks: "Electricity", "Yellow Brick Road", "Abba Zabba"
Coldplay
3/5
Think the obvious point of comparison is Radiohead here, though there's obvious differences. Coldplay aren't as grandiose, especially here on their debut, and they wouldn't ever really land that further down the line either. The guitar work reminds me heavily of U2, where it works to be more of an aura or feeling than it does anything super present. Guess you could compare that to Johnny Marr as well, though significantly more demure. It's fine, it's pleasant, just a little boring, and I might even side with just sticking to "A Rush of Blood..." on this list. Favorite tracks: "Spies", "High Speed"
The xx
2/5
Very, very subdued. "Ambiance" might be a nice way to put it, but the ambiance is very dark beige, no fun lights or really anything to attach to this. In one ear and almost immediately out the other. Favorite tracks: "Dangerous", "I Dare You"
Doves
4/5
A nice record that gives me Radiohead-by-way-of-Coldplay vibes. There's atmosphere, but it may blend a little too much into the background at times to truly be an album that should be on here. I still enjoyed it. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "The Man Who Told Everything", "The Cedar Room"
Elis Regina
4/5
Lively with a wide net of genres. Has some bluesy, ballad elements, and some energetic vocal performances. Overall solid. Favorite tracks: "Vento De Maio", "Aprendendo Jugar"
Steely Dan
4/5
If the first song on your debut record is "Do It Again", you know you're doing something right. Steely Dan flits the line between technically impressive, and having an understanding of writing a damn good pop song. The second half of the record is weaker than the first, but it's still solid, and it's difficult to truly shake the desire to purchase a yacht after this record. Favorite tracks: "Do It Again", "Reelin' In the Years", "Midnite Cruiser"
Gorillaz
2/5
It's an interesting "proof of concept", though I don't find a lot of substance here. The virtual band idea is cool (and has clearly gotten Gorillaz somewhere), but this really feels like a guy fucking around with a few pieces of equipment, and two well done Del Tha Funky Homosapien verses. Favorite tracks: "Clint Eastwood", "19-2000"
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
An inoffensive and relatively standard rock n' roll album, with psych and blues influences, as well as a country ballad or two. It's fine, but it's funny that the two songs I consider best were written in the Brill Building. As I said, inoffensive, but you'd be fine missing it. Favorite tracks: "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone", "Kicks"
Maxwell
4/5
I've called Prince's albums "horny", but they're horny with reckless abandon, caught up in the moment. These songs sound like they're horny in the, "planning all day and waiting at home with roses, candles and a bath robe on" type way. It's great, it's smooth. I have one complaint that the guitars remind me of the muzak the Weather Channel would play, but I'm curious how much of that is just being exposed to that first than not. Still, anyone else want some champagne? Favorite tracks: "Dancewitme", "Lonely's The Only Company"
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
There's little more dangerous than someone convinced that they and they alone have uncovered a universal truth, and are able to speak it plainly for the people who wouldn't "get it". John Lydon has always struck that to me, juvenile but so convinced of his own intelligence (not by any phony god's blessing!) I like post-punk and I guess I can appreciate that people liked the formula here, or maybe just even the bare bones, but man, is this thing a full-on chore to listen to. It sounds loose, and I mean that derogatorily: three practices later, mostly made up of loose jamming, and they must have thought, "Yep, let's record it." It's long, and way too convinced it's "something". A big shout out to the terribly named Jah Wobble, who has the distinction of being the first artist on my list with two entries in the graveyard. You truly fucking earned it, maaaaan.
Blur
4/5
Britpop has never really been a preferred genre for me. Oasis is fine. I found from this list I surprisingly enjoy Suede. Blur, I've appreciated, but never really loved. I think I can see why this is the magnum opus for them: a wide swath of styles and genres, all feeling cohesive yet fresh. It's just a good album. Favorite tracks: "Parklife", "Clover Over Dover", "Magic America", "Girls & Boys"
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I think the most damning-with-faint-praise thing I can say about this record is that I see its potential. It's clearly deeply indebted to Joy Division, noting the slow, dour post-punk atmosphere with a surprisingly deep voice (well, maybe not as deep as Ian Curtis), but I think the atmosphere is where it falls short. I wasn't enjoying it a few songs in, but once I tried imagining the songs with a more modern production (or, initially, a live setting), where the atmosphere is heavier, dark, and more... full, I found myself enjoying it. Unfortunately, the record doesn't capture the songs the way my imagination does. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Porcupine", "Higher Hell", "Ripeness"
Culture Club
3/5
Synth pop with some blue eyed soul and funk. It's fine, it's very flamboyant, and contains plenty of 80s tropes. I really like the singer they got for a few songs to act as a foil to Boy George. I enjoyed it a lot more than most of the 80s stuff on this list, but it's still nothing insane. Favorite tracks: "Church Of the Poison Mind", "Victims", "Mister Man"
fIREHOSE
3/5
It's pretty obvious, even if you didn't know, that this band is related to the Minutemen. Scattershot of genres, songs that wind and twist in ways you wouldn't expect. I've never been huge on them, mostly interested in them in a passing curiousity sort of way, and it's no different here. Favorite track: "What Gets Heard"
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
Y'know, I've never really understood the hype for The Strokes. I've always felt it must be a "you had to be there" sort of thing, and I just wasn't. I was, however, there when the Arctic Monkeys released this album, and I remember really fucking loving it. I hadn't listened in a minute, and I've received one or two albums on this list that haven't held up (Franz Ferdinand's debut, for one), but this one held up. I think it's just what everyone thinks the Strokes are, but is. It's snotty, raw, garage-smash-and-bang. It has some British attitude. All of the songs feel like they could easily just bang the same chords out, but a lot of them transform throughout the song and make for some seriously enjoyable listening. Never really got into many Arctic Monkeys records after this, but this one is solid enough to sustain em. Favorite tracks: "From The Ritz To The Rubble", "You Probably Couldn't See For the Light...", "I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor"
Van Morrison
1/5
How much Van Morrison is too much Van Morrison? Based on the ratings for this one, I'm in the minority here. The album is tight and well-performed, but holy. Jesus. Christ. does Van Morrison vamp too much. Managing to take a Sam Cooke classic and drag it out to nearly 5 minutes is a lot. "Listen To the Lion" being nearly 8 minutes is taking the piss, and the last two tracks taking nearly 20 minutes combined? Oh my god. It's nice of him to shout out the musicians, but he takes his time to shout out the musicians during parts where it would've been nice to, y'know, hear them. It's just far too much for me.
Jacques Brel
4/5
I understand a little French, but I think I'm pretty out of my depth here. The performance on here is crazy, even if I'm a little uncomfortable in spots (specifically "Les bonbons", but is that by design? No idea). It does occasionally fade into the background, but it's a jaunty listen all the way through. It's always interesting learning about other country's national stars. Favorite tracks: "Amsterdam", "Au suivant"
The Avalanches
4/5
I've always thought "plunderphonics" was a cool genre name. I'm familiar with "Frontier Psychiatrist" but never really dug deeper. The record itself is a pleasing groove, floating through each track and leaving you wondering how far you've traveled to get here. It trails a little near the end, but it's solid enough to warrant further listens. Favorite tracks: "Frontier Psychiatrist", "A Different Feeling"
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
If Tom Petty's name wasn't attached to this, I'd call this a pretty boilerplate rock album with some southern sensibility and a good voice. I'm still going to do that, but this does have "Breakdown" and "American Girl" on it. "Luna" deserves a skip for the voice alone. Favorite tracks: "Breakdown", "American Girl"
AC/DC
4/5
Does it sound like a beer commercial? Is it stupidly horny? Is it just fun? Yeah to all. The band that sold a thousand SGs. It plays like a greatest hits, and the recording is fantastic. It might not be my cup of every day tea, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nodding my head. Favorite tracks: "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Hell's Bells", "Have A Drink On Me"
Def Leppard
4/5
It should surprise no one that Mutt Lange produced this record. He also produced "Back In Black" by AC/DC, which I ironically got yesterday. The guitar tone is on-point for Angus Young, mixed with the smoke-and-lasers of Van Halen, and the insane levels of horniness of both. You could be forgiven (maybe) for calling it "derevitive", but people overlook how difficult it is to write a good song, even if it isn't anything that breaks the mold. The songs last a bit long at time, and it might just barely outlast its welcome, but man, I am not strong enough to yell "I DON'T WANT YOUUUU" during "Photograph". Favorite tracks: "Photograph", "Stagefright"
Primal Scream
2/5
Wikipedia tells me it's going for krautrock, but the most I can see about this is IDM (a la Aphex Twin, and that's being generous) or ambient music. It's a tough line to walk. There are splashes of psychedelia and life here, but it is a mellow ride bordering on fully comatose. The Motorhead cover could have been much, much worse, though. Favorite tracks: "Medication", "Out Of this Void"
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
There's nothing offensive about this, it makes for pleasant-enough background music, but that's kind of all it is. Favorite track: "Rise"
Brian Eno
3/5
It's more a curiosity than an album I think needs to be heard. You can hear sounds of what would later become Bowie's Berlin period, and some minimalism and ambient textures that would later become Eno's "Music For Airports". The resulting work is... pleasant, but dull. Favorite tracks: "Becalmed", "Sombre Reptiles"
Joni Mitchell
4/5
It might be the headspace I'm in today, but sometimes albums just click with you. I've been feeling listless and lost, and I can feel that in the writing on this record. The free-jazz stylings of Jaco Pastorius really add to that sense as well, and just make for a beautiful compliment to the album. Favorite tracks: "Coyote", "A Strange Boy", "Song For Sharon"
MC Solaar
3/5
MC Solaar is quite impressive, though my French is elementary at best. The flows are solid and ever-changing, the beats still sound pretty fresh. Just don't know how fair a shot I can give to France's best lyricist without speaking the language. Favorite tracks: "A tiemps partial", "Matiere grasse contre matiere grise"
Chicago
3/5
Something about double albums as debuts, they're usually just too long. Did we really need 7 uninterrupted minutes of someone playing a guitar with what sounds like a screwdriver? The mixing is spotty in places, especially on the ham-fisted political "Someday". There are sparks of jazz and psych and blues influenced genius here, but it's buried. Favorite tracks: "Poem 58", "Southern California Purples"
5/5
I don't know, man, if you don't have the desire to pogo like a weird alien/robot, or twitch like it's day three of a meth bender, I just don't want to hang out with you. It's totally left field, weird. On the same vein as, say, Ian Dury, where you're not entirely certain the person you're listening to is human. It's just fun, and fun throughout. Favorite tracks: "Uncontrollable Urge", "Praying Hands", "Mongoloid"
Red Snapper
3/5
Honestly, when I started listening, I figured it was a DJ in the vein of DJ Shadow. I was surprised to find it was a whole acid jazz band. Makes for a more interesting listen knowing that, though I feel like the latter half of the album feels a bit more like that than a DJ. I don't think it's anything mind-blowing, but it's solid enough. Favorite tracks: "Belladonna", "Keeping Pigs Together", "They're Hanging Me Tonight"
Snoop Dogg
4/5
These beats are evergreen. No matter when you hear them, they still groove and start the party. It's impressive. Snoop's flows are also impressive, but what may have not aged as well is the lyric topics, especially "Ladi Dadi". Still, I'm probably the wrong person to be talking about this anyway. Favorite tracks: "Gz And Hustlas", "Gin And Juice", "Who Am I"
Björk
4/5
Only Björk, I guess. I think I pegged this for a strictly vocal album from track one, and I was curious what my reaction at the end of it was. In a word, "mixed". In several, it's a well executed record where the "instrumental" vocals occasionally come off somewhere between weird theater performance and crummy a capella group (looking at you, "Ancestors"), but at certain points make for genuinely cool, robotic-ish dance music. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Where Is The Line", "Desired Constellation", "Triumph Of A Heart"
Fred Neil
3/5
Competently sung and performed. Unfortunately, minus the nice baritone voice, it doesn't do a lot more to merit full focus. It's pleasant, but inoffensive. Favorite tracks: "The Dolphins", "Everybody's Talkin'"
Lambchop
2/5
Very golden oldies, with a light country feel. It's okay, I just feel like I understand it after two tracks, and it doesn't do much after that. Favorite track: "Up With People"
Laura Nyro
3/5
My initial, very catty response is, "Mom's gotten into the wine again," but that's way too dismissive, isn't it? It's not like it's poorly performed; Laura fucking goes for it at every opportunity. Unfortunately, that leads to some ear fatigue, as the extremely lively blend of pop, jazz, and soul is, well, *extremely* lively. At the beginning of the record, it reminded me of the Motown girl groups. At the end, it's just... Very theatrical and showtune-y. Favorite track: "Lonely Women"
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
A stepping stone, more than anything. There are shades of what MBV would become, but it can't shake the post-punk roots of shoegaze and fully become its own thing quite yet. Favorite track: "Lose My Breath"
Neil Young
4/5
If there's anything I've been taught by this list, it's that I'm a homer for Neil Young. It's an album that tries to balance grandiosity with the simple, rootsy rock that Young is known for, and ends up getting caught in the middle. It's still solid, and there are some insane players on this record (CSNY bandmates, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt...), but on first full listen it's not my favorite by him, despite having some of his best songs. Favorite tracks: "Heart Of Gold", "Old Man", "Words"
The Associates
3/5
They assured you that the party drugs were fun ones. I think the first half of this record is rough, but the last few songs save it and make it an entirely palatable experience. Lyrically, I like the record quite a bit, but at certain points it feels like the group messing around in the studio more than anything. Favorite tracks: "Party Fears Two", "Country Club"
Common
3/5
Common has always been an above-average (in terms of skill) rapper, and the soul and jazz influences on this one make the beats evergreen. Despite the leg up it gets, it takes an axe to the shin on the weird skits (the "pimps and hos" skit and song are... something), and the strange amount of homophobia. Favorite tracks: "Cold Blooded", "Funky For You"
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Is this some sort of pretentious trap? Does liking this album get me a job at Pitchfork? Because sign me up. The lack of drums on this record creates almost this unreal space, like Nick Cave is on a theater stage with a single light. I know this probably isn't going to be a hit with everyone, but this connected with me and warrants some further listening and study. Favorite tracks: "Galleon Ship", "Leviathan", "Fireflies"
Sigur Rós
4/5
Drifty. Kind of like if Spiritualized had a bigger Pink Floyd influence and wanted to up the intensity by 1. It's pleasant, but it's often easy to lose track of, but nice enough when you tune back in. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Svefn-g-englar", "Ny batteri", "Olsen olsen"
Madness
3/5
I've gotten a few Madness records on this list, and found their move from ska to ska-tinged pop (which, being honest, comes across more jazzy than anything) interesting. It's not music I enjoy, but it's not music I find offensive. The topics covered (and sounds) in this one even stretch this record to what someone might call an early brit-pop record, i.e. the monotony of suburban living. It's fine, nothing I'm over the moon about, however. Favorite tracks: "Tiptoes", "Calling Cards"
The Kinks
3/5
I have a coworker who claims that the Kinks would've been bigger than the Beatles had they not been banned from America... I have a hard time disagreeing. The music here is catchy, but I definitely think the psych-pop of the Beatles went a bit further, time wise, than the baroque stylings here. The music is well-written, but I'm still not fully won-over by the Kinks. Favorite tracks: "Holiday In Waikiki", "Sunny Afternoon"
The The
3/5
Reminds me a bit of INXS, if it replaced a little bit of the "horny" with... Crazy? Very of-its-time. Either way, didn't really change my life too much. Favorite tracks: "Slow Train To Dawn", "The Mercy Beat"
David Bowie
4/5
"Low", if I remember correctly, is Bowie's first album in his "Berlin" trilogy. An album made as he was getting sober, it has a lot of darkness below the surface. It manages to be pop with a lot of weird twists (thanks in no small part to Brian Eno), and the latter half of the record devolves into soundscapes with some occasional wordless undulating. It's fine? I have a lot of love for this record since I know it inspired the likes of Nine Inch Nails, however, I can't help but feel the latter half of the record is a slight cop out, even if it is a pretty set of soundscapes. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Always Crashing In the Same Car", "Subterraneans"
Butthole Surfers
3/5
This is bad-trip music. That's what it's going for, to be fair, and it really nails it. I'm more preferential to the Butthole Surfers singles, but I do have a small amount of respect for this. Favorite tracks: "Human Cannonball"
Death In Vegas
3/5
Electronic, industrial. The opening track really sets an incorrect tone for this record. You'd kind of expect the rest of the record to hold up to that strong of a track, but even with the guest vocalists (including a semi-creepy, semi-phoned-in Iggy Pop), this record coasts off vibes more than anything else. Favorite track: "Dirge"
Steely Dan
4/5
Funnily enough, I just bought my first pair of boat shoes today. Fully in the Steely Dan mood, and it's just another set of great tracks. There's a little more Genesis-style prog notes throughout, and maybe some signs of things to come: I definitely get some of what Foreigner and Journey were attempting to do on a few tracks. Favorite tracks: "Bohdisattva", "Your Gold Teeth"
50 Cent
4/5
I think this was one of the first rap albums I owned. Granted, it was edited. I was, what, 11 when it came out? That being said, I still think songs like "In Da Club" hold up. Fifty has an inescapable swagger, which helps cover for the fact that he doesn't have much variety in terms of flow. It's also a little bit long, at 16 songs, when some of it could've been trimmed and made a much tighter record. As always, anything Dr. Dre has a hand in still sounds fresh as hell. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "In Da Club", "What Up Gangsta", "If I Can't", "21 Questions"
Bill Callahan
4/5
A uniquely sparse album. I don't think there's a lot of fat that could be trimmed here, everything (aside from the weirdly spooky "Invocation of Ratiocination") does feel like it belongs. Reminds me a bit of Modest Mouse, or some long-forgotten folk album of the 70s. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast", "Jim Cain"
Frank Ocean
4/5
I hear a lot of Stevie Wonder influence in this record. I love the production on this, especially how crisp the drums sound throughout. My complaints register that there may be a few too many interludes throughout, and that the album just kind of... ends. The songs don't really have much in the way of evolving, and the subdued nature of the record works against it at some points. That being said, the vibes are solid. Favorite tracks: "Super Rich Kids", "Thinkin Bout You", "Pyramids"
Björk
3/5
The artsy, pretentious side of me wants to say that it's interesting (in a good way). There seems to be a lot of grief attached to this, as well as liking the production. The... not side of me wants to chastise it for being indulgent, wailing, and somewhat incomprehensible. Not sure who wins out here. Favorite track: "Black Lake"
Tim Buckley
2/5
This is, I believe, my third Tim Buckley record. I now feel pretty confident in saying... why? I'm not saying this is bad, by any stretch, but it's nothing fantastic. It takes some risks, shoots some shots, mostly wearing medieval clothing, but much like all of his other records, sounds very slapped-together and busy. It often sounds like they take a song, record a base, and then just start throwing whatever on top of it until it's smothering. I guess Buckley's music just isn't my cup of tea. Favorite track: "Pleasant Street"
The Undertones
4/5
Proto-pop-punk ala The Buzzcocks. Similar vocal stylings as well, with plenty of vibrato. Kind of juvenile, but the band at least seems self-aware (as the into track "More Songs About Chocolate and Girls" would lead to you believe). Solid, maybe a little long. Favorite tracks: "There Goes Norman", "Hard Luck", "Nine Times Out of Ten"
Thundercat
4/5
Thundercat's an interesting dude. Long term Suicidal Tendencies bassist pivots to a funk career with Stevie Wonder, P-Funk, and Michael Jackson influences. It's an absolutely great record, and I'd love to meet anyone who says different and ask them why. Favorite tracks: "Them Changes", "Lava Lamp"
Calexico
2/5
A very, very, very subdued record. Even with active listening, it kind of avoids fully "getting it". It's a little Texan, a little indie... I find myself even finding it difficult to feel all that strongly, negatively or positively, about it. Favorite tracks: "Sunken Waltz"
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
I've never really gotten into reggae; I enjoy it, I just don't fully "get" it. Maybe it's just being raised a punk. That said, I am softening towards the genre and it's a record like this that shows me why: solid playing, great lyrics, and good music. Hard to beat, I guess. Favorite tracks: "High Tide Or Low Tide", "Midnight Ravers"
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Husky voiced, plenty of sax. Kind of reminds me of a proto-U2. Has that "cool" factor but nothing really sticks out aside from the vibes. Favorite track: "Dumb Waiters"
Miles Davis
4/5
Subdued, extremely moody. I think what it lacks in bombast, it makes up in grace and just solid playing. Favorite track: "All Blues"
The Black Crowes
4/5
I feel like I could be dismissive and just call them a standard bar band, but I think there's more than that. It's Stones-y, Allman Brothers-y, with a healthy slab of the latter. I think the one thing that takes away from the experience is the super modern production. Everything on this record has a huge, huge shine to it, and I think it would do better with a little grit, especially with the, uh, dirtier tracks? It's still not bad. Didn't think I would've enjoyed it this much. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Sister Luck", "Jealous Again"
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I figured I was done with Costello, but at the beginning of the record I was questioning my feelings on him: was he that bad? The answer is no, but it's more like... he's a puzzle piece from a different box. He just doesn't click with me. I was initially swayed by the rawer production on this record, but it slowly lost it's luster. Still doesn't click, but I don't outright hate him, I guess. Favorite tracks: "Uncomplicated", "Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head"
Syd Barrett
4/5
I think if I were coming into this blind, my patience for this wouldn't be so solid. One of the few solo records from Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett before he left music altogether, it feels almost like it mirrors his life: a solid start, but as it progresses, it feels like it falls apart and results in only half-finished compositions. There's still a solid "something" to this, underneath. It's a little 60s pop, psychedelia, and I for one like the rawness. Meh. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Terrapin", "No Good Trying"
Traffic
3/5
A relatively solid blues rock record with some interesting flavor instruments (flute, timpani). Favorite tracks: "Pearly Queen", "Cryin' To Be Heard"
Kraftwerk
3/5
Kraftwerk is the ultimate music nerd band, right? It's music torn down to the studs, the most absolutely efficient music you could possibly get. I've never been too sure how to take them, because the idea that one day I'll throw on a full record of theirs (outside the scope of this project) doesn't sound like something I'd do. I find Kraftwerk to be more background music. Well-crafted background music, though it feels like something that might go in the background of a promotional video for, say, the Trans-Europe Express. This record kind of drifts hard in the second half, with the division between tracks blurring heavily and feeling more like one long track than five separate. I continue to be confused with what I should do with them, to be completely honest. Favorite tracks: "Showroom Dummies", "Metal On Metal"
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
Sometimes I'm curious if we're listening to the same record, people-of-the-generator. So many people complaining about this record, but if you think this is bad, wait til you get some of the other ones on this list. It might be shadowed coming off of Soul II Soul's "Club Classics", but this record is a breath of fresh air: some dirty bass, interesting rhythm choices, and do I hear some non-4/4 time signatures? My word. I appear to be alone in this, but I do indeed think this record fucks pretty hard. Also, shoutout to that album cover, an image I don't even think someone trying their hardest to capture the feeling of the late nineties could even dream up. Favorite tracks: "Soft Machine", "Jacques Your Body Makes Me Sweat", "Sometimes"
The Shamen
3/5
Very hippie, super positive stuff. As with all the dance records on this list, it's long, but I guess they never want the party to end, eh? Favorite tracks: "666 Edit"
Johnny Cash
5/5
I mean, what is there to say that hasn't already been said? The atmosphere is fantastic, the crowd in great form, and the little flubs Johnny Cash has as he's performing make it all the more endearing. Favorite tracks: "Jackson", "Give My Love To Rose", "Cocaine Blues"
Ride
5/5
I'm a sucker for shoegaze, which is funny, because if you were to look at my summary page, it's currently listed in the "worst genres" section for me. Strange how that works out. Now. Ride. Hmm. I'm not as familiar with them. This record is definitely an interesting proof-of-concept. It's not as immediate as My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless", however relying on the more "jangly" aspects, a lot more dream-pop and really showing the post-punk roots of shoegaze. I listened through it again, and it was a comfortable ride (fuck, no pun intended), but definitely not as powerful or changing as the first time I heard the opening riff from "Only Shallow" or, say, "Stars" by Hum. I *did* go back and listen to it again, and it grew on me pretty heavily, going from interesting to, "Oh, I genuinely enjoy this." Call it a 4.5 with room to grow. Favorite tracks: "Dreams Burn Down", "Vapour Trail", "In A Different Place"
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Solid beats, very conscious and sometimes African-centric rhymes. I can see how it would be a stepping stone for groups that came after, like Arrested Development and A Tribe Called Quest, but I feel it's been surpassed. Favorite tracks: "J. Beez Comin' Through", "What U Waitin' 4?"
Skepta
4/5
I think this all melds well together. Skepta's tough-guy persona is aided by the space that the very sparse instrumentals provide. Even on tracks I find cheesy (specifically "Ladies Hit Squad"), I walk away having the melody and instrumental stuck in my head. If you don't mind the semi-single-focus bars (aside from "Every Thug Needs A Lady"-style closer "Text Me Back"), I think there's enough here to call this one a solid 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Crime Riddim", "Numbers", "That's Not Me"
Miriam Makeba
4/5
What a gorgeous voice, able to absolutely belt to go low and really sell a ballad. I don't think I've ever heard anything quite like "The Click Song" (she's right, I couldn't pronounce that). The jazz and blues influences are seen throughout, and I can't help but love the last track (and the personality throughout), as a man has a laughing fit over the weirdly macabre lyrics. Favorite tracks: "The Click Song", "Lakutshn, Ilanga"
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Underneath the thick layer of vocal-pop bubblegum, there is some subversion, a la the free love anthem "Go Where You Wanna Go". Some tracks haven't aged all that well ("Spanish Harlem" feels... creepy?), and Cass Elliot is the clear star here. Favorite tracks: "California Dreamin'", "Somebody Groovy"
Sonic Youth
4/5
I've stated in my last few Sonic Youth reviews (on this site) that "this is probably my favorite so far, but..." I think there's a part of me that really wants to like Sonic Youth: they exude effortless cool (especially Kim Gordon), and a really big "I don't give a fuck" attitude. However, that attitude sometimes gets in the way. What is an incredibly strong start really hits ground hard the moment "Youth Against Fascism" starts up, wobbles to a stand a few times (namely "JC" and "On The Strip"), but lands with the blasé "Creme Brulée". It might be that this album had the producers behind "Nevermind" giving it a more favorable sheen, but it can't cover everything. Favorite tracks: "Sugar Kane", "Orange Rolls, Angel's Spit", "JC"
10cc
3/5
Bluesy pop-rock written by absolute dorks. You're never super sure what you're going to get on the next track, and the whole album suffers from this "what's next" feeling. You can tell all the musicians are fantastic, both writing and performing, but it just doesn't gel here. I do get some vibes of what would become Queen later. Favorite tracks: "The Wall Street Shuffle", "Silly Love"
Fatboy Slim
4/5
One thought I had about this is that it's almost like "punk" dance music: plenty of overdriven guitars, air raid sirens... It just feels like a party with huuuuge drum beats. As with all the dance albums on this list, it's easy to get lost in, but it does get me moving. Favorite track: "Give The Po' Man A Break"
Soul II Soul
1/5
The irony of this review, where I'm probably going to refer to the album as "forgettable" at least once, and yet clearly I'm going to have a lot of thoughts. The record straddles a line between 90s R&B, and early house music. It seems like, in the latter genre, lyrics aren't as huge a focal point as the groove. The record delivers on neither: the instrumentals are fine but forgettable (hey!), and the lyrics really just feel very, very, very off-the-cuff and "yeah that's fine man, sound". It feels like a record that got into this book on vibes alone, if the vibes are a middling club or party where people are having an alright time. I think you can sum the record up by looking at the last track: over a decent instrumental, the male vocalist discussing the future of the band spontaneously, as if anyone would fucking care the moment the record ended.
Elvis Presley
3/5
A little blues, a little rockabilly, it is unmistakably Elvis. It's fine. It's good. I feel like we, as a culture, have had such a heaping helping of Elvis in our collective conscious that even the songs that don't really hit make us pine for a ""simpler"" time. Call it 3.5. Peggy Lee's version of "Fever" is better, though I'm genuinely surprised at the amount of force Elvis puts behind it. Favorite tracks: "Fever", "The Girl of My Best Friend"
Christina Aguilera
3/5
It's weird having similar reactions for both (yep, there's two!) Christina Aguilera's albums on here: Christ, that's long. I've docked better albums for being double albums, and the other record (I think "Stripped"?) was over 70 minutes. That being said, I do like the "modern" (for the time) retro aesthetic. The 2010s graced us with a pop star trying a similar tactic (though more vocal pop than jazz era), and I dislike her immensely, but enjoy this quite a bit. Aguilera's range is, as always, impressive, but gets a little tiring on a double album. It is interesting, however, how disc two starts so *fucking horny* and follows it up with a track that asks Jesus for forgiveness. Rambling aside, it's fine. Nothing I think I'll ever get back into, but I've heard significantly worse. Favorite tracks: "Still Dirrty", "Mercy On Me"
Holger Czukay
1/5
Ohhh, this guy was a member of Can. That makes more sense. Listening to it, it has the air of "one take", just kind of messing around in the studio and stamping "good enough" on whatever parts sounded the best. I was wondering how this made it on here without a lot of name recognition. The songs rise and fall and then just kind of... end. It's kind of okay? But I think it fails the main criteria: I don't think I needed to hear a guy fucking around in the studio before I died.
TV On The Radio
2/5
I was going to give this a higher rating due to the fact that I am a casual fan of TV On The Radio; however, as the album dragged on, I realized that if I were coming into this without knowing their later albums, I would have been slightly bored. It's dour post-punk, minimalist as hell. The drum machine sounds don't work well with the recording. It only hints at what they would become, but if it were what I discovered them as, I probably would have given them a pass. Favorite tracks: "King Eternal", "Poppy"
Fugees
4/5
Fugees: one of the more interesting groups of the last century. When the least-in-trouble member of your group has committed tax fraud (and been to jail, if memory serves), it's crazy. But that's Fugees, lightning in a bottle. Some people have wanted another record since, but it just never seems like it's going to happen. Honestly, why should it? You make a statement like this, there's no need to make another. Favorite tracks: "The Mask", "The Beast", "Zealots"
The Cure
5/5
Based on the score from this site, what I'm about to say is uncontroversial, but if you don't enjoy this record, I just can't fuck with you. The guitar tones are gorgeous, they sound like they're glass, ready to break at any moment. When this album gets dark, it gets dark, but when it's a little lighter, it's almost wistfully romantic. It's just beautiful, really. Favorite tracks: "Pictures Of You", "Lovesong", "Lullaby", "Fascination Street"
Big Star
4/5
It's glam, but I was surprised that it was "more" than just glam. There's a clear indebtedness to 60s pop and psychedelia, mostly through ample use of a springy 12-string guitar and gorgeous, lush harmonies. I was caught off-guard at how much I ended up enjoying this one. It gets a little ballad heavy near the end, but it's not enough to dock it too much. Favorite tracks: "The Ballad Of El Goodo", "Thirteen", "The India Song"
Deep Purple
4/5
Deep Purple can be a little formulaic: yowling vocals, sick dual-guitar solos, screeching organs... But I mean, if the system works, why change it? I think this album is just long enough, long enough for me to realize how tropic it can be, but not overlong to where I stop enjoying it. Favorite tracks: "Child In Time", "Into The Fire"
Pentangle
3/5
Perfectly middle-of-the-road. Nice use of sitar and other unusual instruments, but doesn't move the needle in either direction for me. Favorite track: "Once I Had A Sweetheart"
CHVRCHES
2/5
I think ClearChannel ruined this album for me. I've heard "The Mother We Share" before, back when I lived in an area with one "alternative" station, and that song got played to death. It's an okay track, it never made me want to seek out more, so here we are. Unfortunately, a lot of the songs feel a little too close for comfort. The modern production on this makes the entire record feel pretty sanitary, though I will admit I do enjoy the atmosphere that blankets the record, and the Scottish vocals throughout. It's just not my thing. Favorite track: "Science/Visions"
David Holmes
4/5
The fact that I hadn't heard of David Holmes before, and the cover, led me to the conclusion that this would be some sort of electronica. I was right, but I was incorrect on how I'd feel: this might be one of the few electronica albums on the list that somewhat demands attention as opposed to fading gently in the background. I'm a big fan of the breakbeat drums, the varied influences, and the little tangents that the various citizens of New York City have to offer. Favorite tracks: "My Mate Paul", "Gritty Shaker", "Freaknik"
The Who
1/5
Honestly? "Who's Next" isn't a 1-star album. That's just me being sassy. By the time you read this, I may have already emailed in and asked to change it to a "2". It's fine. A lot of the songs have been beaten to death via classic rock radio, but I don't go into a frothing-mad rage when I hear it or anything. This one? This one pissed me off. You take your best song, which, without looking, is under 3 minutes, and drag it out to 17 minutes? You painstakingly explain the plot to a song that even a child could understand? The Who continue to evade me. Some of the best rock n roll musicians ever (Keith Moon, John Entwistle) play in a band together, and for some reason, they just never, ever gel with me. Different strokes, I guess.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
I'm pretty familiar with Carrie Brownstein via "Portlandia", but never took much time to dig into Sleater-Kinney. The lack of bass guitar on this record is really noticeable, making it sound a lot more raw, and leaves a lot of space. Brownstein's voice takes a minute to get used to, with a ton of vibrato, but the passion behind it wins out in the end. Not anything I'd personally revisit, but nothing I overall hated. The latter half of the record is much stronger than the first half. Favorite tracks: "Turn It On", "Dance Song 97", "Not What You Want"
Marvin Gaye
4/5
You're gonna see a lot of reviews making sex jokes and, I mean, rightfully so: the title track has essentially become an audio punchline for fucking. Which, I mean, there's a reason that is: it works. This is an album drenched in sweat, but still delicate and vulnerable. It's not full-speed-ahead fucking, it's "light the candles and spread some rose petals" fucking. And it even ends in tragedy! "Just To Keep You Satisfied" caught me completely off guard, having never heard the record before. If I have a few minor complaints, it is a little one vibe, and revisiting "Let's Get It On" with "Keep Gettin' It On" feels like dipping back into a dry well. But it's a fucking great album, anyway, and a great fucking album. Favorite tracks: "Please Don't Stay (Once You Go Away)", "Just To Keep You Satisfied"
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
It's probably dismissive to heavily compare this to Kanye West, but the points of comparison are there: Chicago-based conscious rapper in an era when gangsta rap was folding. West even has some hands on this project. All that being said, Fiasco holds his own: I had this record on my iPod back in the day and completely forgot how much I love the track "I Gotcha". The beats can be placed to a time and place, but still sound fresh even nearly twenty years later. I'm usually skeptical of an album that has a full reprise of the main single, but "Kick, Push II" has more than enough distinction, and it's a great track on its own. I'm calling this one a 3.5, with a round-up due to him sampling Far (insane pull!). Favorite tracks: "I Gotcha", "Kick, Push", "The Instrumental"
Tom Waits
3/5
Ostensibly, I like Tom Waits. His raving madman shtick does pretty well for me. This is a weird one, since it's a "studio" album, even if that album is being recorded in front of a live audience. The backing musicians are tight, and everything sounds great, it just runs pretty long and Waits can get pretty heavy on the ramble. Call it a 2.5. Favorite tracks: "Nobody", "Warm Beer and Cold Women"
Kanye West
3/5
This was an album I was only aware of cos it was everywhere. I was a huge Kanye West fan ("The College Dropout" being one of the first rap albums I remember loving), but by this point I remember having fallen off of him. On reflection, I found this record "interesting", but "interesting" does not necessarily mean "good". I love the dark, industrial production on this thing, but it does mean that most of the guests Kanye gets (Beenie Man and Assassin, to point to two specifically) don't fit well on the album and sound... outmatched by the beats. I'd argue the second half of the record is entirely not great, aside from *maybe* "Bound 2". "Blood On the Leaves" is, in my opinion, two samples trying to blend together (Nina Simone's "Strange Fruit" and an EDM sample from a group called TNGHT) that just never makes any sense. Kanye's lyrical ability is also the weakest to an album thus far; he is *obsessed* (and I mean *obsessed*) with sex on this one, so much so that, mixed with the grimy beats, almost feels violent. Near the end of the disc, he also tries to end the line with the same rhyme ("club" is one, and... "reputation", had to look it up) while changing up the interior rhyme and... it just doesn't work. It feels lazy. As I said at the top, it's an "interesting" album that I'm tempted to bump up an extra star, but just can't really bring myself to do that with so many missteps. Favorite tracks: "New Slaves", "Hold My Liquor"
The Beta Band
2/5
I'm normally one for self-depreciating jokes, but for some reason the fact that they named themselves The Beta Band and have an album called "Heroes To Zeros" rubbed me the wrong way. The music... doesn't do much for me. It's a little sad, maybe a little stoned. Wikipedia mentions that they blend trip-hop influences into this but man, I do not hear much of that. I think this may be the first album on here to get in because friends in higher places (i.e. Radiohead) vouched for it. Favorite tracks: "Space", "Lion Thief", "Simple"
Ministry
4/5
I happen to work in an industrial setting (production brewers what's up?), and I have to say that I fully enjoy industrial music. It's what happens around me all the time. I love the lo-fi edge, the speaker-peaking vocals throughout this thing. I think it trails off near the end, with the last two tracks feeling like an extended outro than anything, but it's overall a record I vibe with. Call it 3.5, rounded up. Favorite tracks: "NWO", "Just One Fix", "Scare Crow"
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
An album that encapsulates just how perfect "Loveless" was: "Isn't Anything" was too much in the post-punk vein, where the band hadn't fully fleshed their sound out. This record is too fleshed-out. The tones on here are gorgeous, but in crafting beautiful tones, they forgot to have songs that weren't just noise. It's pretty noise, for certain, and I'm the type to take an edible and enjoy the floating sensation this record will give, but it does end up being just... noise. Favorite tracks: "Who Sees You", "New You"
Blondie
4/5
One of those albums that's just present in the community unconscious. It's nice to hear one of the early new wave albums, where you can clearly hear the surf rock influence. The songwriting is sharp and inspired, a la the tempo change in "Heart of Glass" or the bridge in "One Way Or Another". Favorite tracks: "One Way Or Another", "Heart Of Glass", "Sunday Girl"
Robbie Williams
2/5
Whoever chose some of th we songs was not considering the person singing them. A song like "South Of the Border" is fine but Ribbit Williams singing it? I don't care if he's a rampaging coke fiend, it's just not believable. The ballads are fine, the lyrics occasionally come off cheesy. I didn't hate this, but I don't feel lik I needed to hear it at all. Favorite tracks: "Life Thru A Lens"
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
Not sure how you'd go about disliking this. Granted, I don't have the greatest knowledge of the genre, but I know enough to know that this is fun. I like the funk bass thrown in occasionally, and really like the strings on the last song. Favorite tracks: "Plastic", "Maria Lionza"
Van Morrison
1/5
Alright, if there's one negative thing this list has shown me, it's that I have a bone to pick with Van Morrison. Ignore the fact that he seems like a well-reported asshole, why is *this* such a popular record? Inoffensive instrumentals with fluttering flutes, playing underneath the absolute foghorn that is Van Morrison's voice. He's talented, but that escalating yawp he seems to hit every other line is just... it wears on you. Every song on here wanders aimlessly through the mist, with some tracks pushing ten fucking minutes? Nah. Just don't get it.
Screaming Trees
4/5
The Tom Petty influence I get from this is pretty strong. It's like someone took some southern rock, and added a little grunge and psychedelia. It's a dope record. "Gospel Plow" has a little bit of what I'd love about Queens Of the Stone Age in it, as well. Favorite tracks: "Sworn And Broken", "Dying Days", "Traveler", "Gospel Plow"
Radiohead
4/5
Radiohead at their most experimental. I think you'll find fans of the band who hesitate to go to bat for this one, even though I would a little bit. I like the big swing into weird genres like IDM (a la Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin) and the more krautrock-ish nature of this one. I don't think it's perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I do walk away liking it. It's fun to see a band that started out as just a guitar band try something wild and hit in a few spots. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Packt Like Sardines In a Crushd Tin Box", "Pyramid Song", "Like Spinning Plates"
Richard Hawley
4/5
It's like wandering into a bar in the southern US, and finding a sad, semi-pathetic looking man singing heartbreaking ballads. I am in the exact right headspace for this today, and would gladly pound whiskey and beer, and get teary-eyed listening to this man in that bar. It goes a little country on a few tunes, but remains pretty pop-ballad heavy. It's pretty. I think it can be described a bit as "one note" and occasionally takes some residency in the background, but I did enjoy it while I was here. Favorite tracks: "Darlin' Wait For Me", "The Ocean", "Last Orders"
Suicide
2/5
Snarky review: This is what The Doors sound like to someone who doesn't like The Doors. Real review: The drums pulse with such frequency that it reminds me of a pump cavitating. The lyrics seem meant to shock, but they kind of come off as grade school (a la "Frankie Teardrop"). It's interesting, in a way, but it's nothing I think I'll revisit. Favorite track: "Rocket USA"
The Zutons
3/5
Jangly, seemingly earnest. Rooted in blues, but has touches of psychedelia and old-fashioned rock'n'roll. Pleasant enough with sticky melodies. Favorite tracks: "Dirty Dancehall", "Pressure Point"
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
Hazy, stoned, very, very subdued. It's tough to describe, because it's mostly just blues, jazz, with some country flair. I like the idea of the band recording around one mic, but it does show in the final recording with just how quiet everything is. Favorite track: "Blue Moon Revisited"
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
I think I would've eventually been able to know Danger Mouse had something to do with this on vibes alone. Kiwanuka's writing allows for a lot of space that Danger Mouse seems to fill with atmosphere that reminds me of Shirley Basset's Bond themes, or the laid back likes of Röyksopp or Zero 7. It's nice mood music. Favorite tracks: "Solid Ground", "Living In Denial", "Hard To Say Goodbye"
The Beta Band
1/5
It feels late in the game, at album 1060, to be handing out one-star ratings. I had received the other Beta Band album (Heroes to Zeros) earlier and thought it inoffensive and dull. I find this one more of the same, but with a renewed question: why does this band have two records on here? Is it because Radiohead said a positive thing about them at one point (as noted by Wikipedia)? My one-star graveyard seems to be reserved, at the moment, for things I can't imagine being in this book at any point, and I can't think of a better example than the band that brought us the lyrics: "I don't want to be the type of guy / who lives alone, reading books, and never eats a pizza pie". Just really world-changing stuff, lads.
Beastie Boys
4/5
I mean, it's the Beastie Boys. It's kind of hard to not enjoy the anti-swagger that these dorks have. They're aping a bit from Run-DMC, but I think it just shows you how early in the game it was. It's fun, juvenile, and the beats are still great almost forty years later. Favorite tracks: "No Sleep Til Brooklyn", "You Gotta Fight", "License To Ill", "Paul Revere"
Supertramp
3/5
I wasn't expecting it to be so musical theater (not a negative thing, just an observation). It gives me heavy reminders of ELO with a little bit more prog thrown in. It's not bad, though when I stop focusing on it, it because too easy for it to be background music. Favorite tracks: "Bloody Well Right", "If Everyone Was Listening"
M.I.A.
3/5
I'm here for the beats: grimy, big, and difficult to pin down a country of origin. MIA's rapping flits between Madonna on "American Life" to earnest drunk girl at the party. The latter definitely works for the album, since this is definitely a mid-00s time capsule, when electroclash was more than a memory. "U.R.A.Q.T." is a complete swing and a miss, though, so hard that it took the batter out of their shoes. Favorite tracks: "Amazon", "10 Dollar"
Saint Etienne
3/5
Ethereal, light house music. Inoffensive enough, but does get a little boring. Favorite tracks: "Stoned To Say the Least"
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Of course Brian Eno had something to do with this. He either hits or misses, and man does he swing and miss here. This feels very 70s, and I was absolutely floored when I found out it came out in fucking 1997. I was interested and relatively on board after the first track, but he quickly wore away any goodwill he had earned. I somewhat enjoy the higher, semi-whimsical vocals but the instrumentals sound, mostly, like a group of people messing around to tape and calling it a day after a take or two. I was absolutely bewildered when I thought, "Alright, sounds like we're coming to a conclusion, can't be that much longer right?" at "Alien". Imagine my shock. Favorite track: "Heaps Of Sheeps"
Miles Davis
4/5
Features a cool blend of rock and jazz, where neither really feels like they're taking center stage. The musicians who played on this are an absolute murderer's row. I preferred side A to side B, but both were solid. Favorite track: "Shhh / Peaceful"
N.E.R.D
3/5
A weird one. Tries a lot of stuff, mostly trying to blend pop with a ton of other genres, to various successes. I remember "She Wants To Move" being on MTV a toooon back in the day. It's still probably my favorite song on here, but mostly because I didn't find many tracks I truly "loved", mostly just some I appreciated. Call it a 2.5. Favorite tracks: "She Wants To Move", "Thrasher"
Sheryl Crow
3/5
I think, like many people, I didn't fully know what to expect with this. I walk away with the impression of, "white woman with a surprisingly deep record collection". I've never had an anti-Sheryl Crow bias, but I've never really liked her either: I'd say "Soak Up The Sun" is a great track and I can leave it there. I was surprised that quite a few songs sound like they could be Tom Petty covers on here, and there are a few that even branch out into heavier country or blues leanings, and even one jazz-adjacent track. It's not bad, and it's definitely not entirely my thing, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I didn't enjoy it a little. Favorite tracks: "Can't Cry Anymore", "No One Said It Would Be Easy"
Jorge Ben Jor
5/5
It's like if Herbie Hancock got waylaid in Brazil for a little while. A song like "Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado" is akin to injecting caffeine straight into your veins: it just gets you moving. It's just fucking cool, and it's really unlike anything I've heard before, a beautiful blend of funk, afrobeat, and samba. Late in this list, it's nice to see that it can still completely catch me off-guard. Favorite tracks: "Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado", "Taj Mahal"
The Young Gods
3/5
The circus/carnival music is an interesting direction. It doesn't blend terribly well, though most of the time they keep the track either focused on industrial or carnival. It's solid-enough industrial when it's not, but it's nothing to write home about. There are much, much worse records on this list. Favorite tracks: "Longue Route", "L'amourir"
The Byrds
4/5
I've gotten a surprising amount of Byrds through this list. I guess it makes sense, with their membership through the years and the fact that Dylan wrote quite a few songs for this record. I find myself enjoying it, with all its bubblegum psych-pop. I can usually pick out the Dylan-written tracks, and find myself enjoying those more. It's a relaxing, unchallenging album, nothing wrong with that. Favorite tracks: "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better", "Chimes Of Freedom", "All I Really Wanna Do"
Stevie Wonder
4/5
A bit more ballad heavy than anything I've received from Wonder on this list, but man does he do a ballad well. I also really like a few of the weirder choices on here (specifically the strange vocals on "Bird Of Beauty"). I'd just find it hard to meet anyone who couldn't really find a lot to enjoy about this. Favorite tracks: "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away", "Bird Of Beauty", "Boogie On Reggae Woman"
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Kind of sounds like finding the missing link between Queen and My Chemical Romance (Christ, I'm going to be crucified for that take). A lot of punk and glam snot throughout. Hits a lull in the middle but manages to pick it back up. Strong lyrically. Favorite tracks: "Of Walking Abortion", "She Is Suffering", "The Intense Humming Of Evil", "PCP"
Scott Walker
4/5
In probably the longest time in-between I'll receive on the whole list, I received "Scott 4" on my fiftieth album, and this is 1074. It seems similar to Scott 4, though a little bit more toned down on the western songs (though their still present). The anti-war themes still seem pretty present, though maybe not as up-front about it. I still enjoyed this one as much as it seems I enjoyed "SW4". The vocals remind me of Tom Jones (in a good way) and Jacques Brel. There's a certain quality of magic to it, and it really nails me on a few tracks. Favorite tracks: "Jackie", "Wait Until Dark", "Come Next Spring"
Jack White
3/5
I was going to call this one of the newer records on the list, so imagine my shock it's 12 years old. My, how the time passes. The record contains a lot of what White was doing with the White Stripes, as well as flirting with some deeper blues, including certain tracks that sound almost vaudeville in nature. "Weep Themselves to Sleep" sounds like White doing his best impression of The Who, and closing track "Take Me With You When You Go" meanders and kind of just ends. I've never been anti-White Stripes, nor anti-Jack White, but this record continues my streak of, "Meh, he's/they're fine, I guess." Favorite tracks: "Missing Pieces", "Freedom At 21"
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
Am I done with John Lydon yet? Am I done with whatever the fuck a Jah Wobble is yet? I was very down on both Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart (JFC, what a band name) and the first PIL record, and unfortunately we're back for more. For the record: I like post-punk. I like post-punk where the artist sounds like they actually give a shit, instead of half-assing one take and calling it a day. Lydon moans over this record with lyrics that sound like they've been sketched on a napkin. The drummers are faceless. Wobble's bass is occasionally interesting, but more often than not sticks to a formula and doesn't break. The guitars? Man. The guitars are the worst of all. Whoever it was must've walked into the studio blind, tried their best at improv, and called it lunch. I genuinely believe they thought more about the album packaging (which was apparently a large, metal box, hence the name) than absolutely any note of music on this thing. Please. Please. No more.
Soft Cell
2/5
I was pretty whelmed, but open to being surprised, when I received this one. As anyone doing this list knows, it has a looooot of synth pop on it. I liked the fearlessness in going after certain seedier lyrical topics (as the name would imply), but I don't think they're handled well, and come off clunky and juvenile. The songs all kind of have the same flavor, which, with the very stiff drums, wears out quickly. It's not the worst example of synth pop I've heard, but it feels more primitive, and feels like it's been surpassed pretty hard. Favorite tracks: "Tainted Love", "Seedy Films"
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
I like the horn section here more than I do for, say, Chicago. Occasionally goes left with it, and dips into baroque and jazz. Mostly solid, but nothing I'm crazy about. Favorite tracks: "Sometimes In Winter"
Slade
4/5
There's been a lot of dumb, howling 70s rock on this list (maybe call it "jock 'n' roll"?) but man, this one takes the cake, in a great way. It's got some little glam flourishes that remind me of Faces (if they were good) or T. Rex. It's got the riffs and good-time atmosphere that an AC/DC record would have. It's just fun. Headbangable fun. Favorite tracks: "Look At Last Nite", "I Don't Mind"
Beck
4/5
Stunningly solid first half. Big beats, fun samples, and Beck's traditional lackidasical attitude. Second half slows considerably, especially after "Hell Yes", and flits with delta blues mixed with the aforementioned big beats. I could see myself going back to the second half, but after initial listen it just sucked the life out of me. Call it all a 3.5. Favorite Tracks: "Que Onda Guero", "E-Pro", "Black Tambourine"
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
I like it and the idea of it: extremely noisy pop songs. Execution? This record feels like it goes on forever, really dragging on "Something's Wrong". Fascinating, more than anything. Favorite track: "Inside Me"
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Post-punk in a way that's bordering on goth. Reminds me heavily of the Cure in certain spots. I like Bjork's voice throughout, her ability to just belt and hit some really sinister growls is crazy. You can pretty easily here where she would go from here. A little bit too "artsy" in spots. Favorite tracks: "Delicious Demon", "Mama", "Sick For Toys"
Barry Adamson
3/5
This one is difficult to quantify, seeing as how it's a soundtrack to a movie that doesn't exist. It's a cool take, and I think it hits successfully: you can tell there's a narrative running underneath. It does swing and miss occasionally; "Chocolate Milkshake" is weird, and the intro, while setting the scene, is a bizarre listen. Interesting, at the very least.
The Style Council
2/5
Oh, it's a super group of a member from The Jam and Dexy's Midnight Runners. I guess that makes some sense. I'm meh on Dexy's, and pretty cold on The Jam, and this doesn't move the needle much. It sounds like two talented dudes fucking around in the studio and trying different genres on for style. The hip-hop track is especially ill-advised. I never know why groups make one hip-hop track early on, and make it about how we need to come together, peace and love, rah rah shit. This record sounds like a homemade mixtape. Call it a 1.5. Favorite track: "Here's the One That Got Away"
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
Well that was something right? The band just riffed on "Who Do You Love". At first, I thought it was a cool outro. Then I thought it was one side. Then I realized it was both sides of the record. It's fine getting into a groove for a little, but I mean, was this entirely necessary? We are three albums away from the end, and I was hoping to end on more of a solid note than this. Favorite track: "Who Do You Love?"
Destiny's Child
2/5
I always associate Destiny's Child with bowling alleys. It's probably because I was a kid when they were popular and went bowling a lot. Still, I've never dug into them much past the singles, and I find myself with a surprising amount to talk about. The production is nice but nothing insane when it's good, and odd when it's bad. It's turn-of-the-millennium RnB production, which I typically like, but the odd choices include the weird, almost carnival-esque sounds on "Independent Woman Pt. II", to the weird, beat-that-doesn't-align stylings on the outro track. Speaking of that track, it's weird to know that DC kicked two of their members out and then recorded a "friends forever" outro on this one. It's also weird since, aside from a few spots, Beyonce takes the lead for, let's generously say, 95% of the album. Lyrically, the album is also bizarre, from the slut-shaming "Nasty Girl" (which feels weird for Beyonce to sing about, honestly), followed by the "I dislike you" anthem that is "Fancy". "Sexy Daddy" also feels weird, but that could just be my Catholic upbringing flaring up again. Long story short, I find the singles solid (I especially like the sample flip of "Edge of Seventeen" on, of all things, "Bootylicious"), but there's absolutely nothing to dig in to past them here. It barely avoids the 1-start graveyard. Favorite tracks: "Bootylicious", "Independent Woman, Pt. 1"
Silver Jews
4/5
I remember when David Berman passed away, I had never heard of Silver Jews. I honestly didn't take any time to listen to his music, but this album may have changed that. It's jangly, has some alt-country leanings, but if, say, Leonard Cohen did alt-country. There's a profound sadness through this that I can't help but connect to. It drags a bit (specifically, the singing gets a little tiring), and I'd argue "Tennessee" is way too saccharine, but I'd still call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Room Games and Diamond Rain", "Friday Night Fever"
2/5
There's a lot of things you can say about Limp Bizkit. It's pretty shocking how popular they were, looking back on their legacy and retrospective feelings on them. They caused a fucking RIOT at a few of their shows! As a certified, card-carrying member of the angsty white-boy club, I can say a few nice things about this: Wes Borland's guitar riffs continue to tap into the "rage" button that's in my brain, and the remainder of the musicians are solid enough. I really enjoy the drums too. Now, the main attraction (and detraction) is the incarnation of Jacksonville, FL himself: Fred Durst. Fred Durst comes across as corny, annoying, and juvenile, sometimes in the same breath. Look at the album title. Listen to "Hot Dog", how many times does the man drop the word "fuck"? How about the "I'm going to kill you, but peace and love" anthem of "Full Nelson"? Fred's rapping is somehow more competent than his singing. There's the "worst song Linkin Park never wrote" in "The One", which also has touches of, dare I say, Tears For Fears? I don't think anyone can deny Limp Bizkit an album on this list, but I think another one of them would've sufficed, not the one that has fucking "Rollin'". Favorite track: "The One"
Billie Holiday
4/5
And here it is, the last album on my list. Yesterday's was Limp Bizkit, so I think it just goes to show you what a wide variety the list has. Maybe too much 80s synth pop, but, y'know, whatever.
As for this, it's gorgeous, lush, beautiful. I don't know what else I could say about this that hasn't been said already: it's an album that you absolutely float around to. Favorite tracks: "For All We Know", "It's Easy To Remember"