302
Albums Rated
3.62
Average Rating
28%
Complete
787 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
51
5-Star Albums
2
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Suicide
Suicide
|
5 | 2.46 | +2.54 |
|
Alien Lanes
Guided By Voices
|
5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
|
White Ladder
David Gray
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
Another Green World
Brian Eno
|
5 | 3.12 | +1.88 |
|
Soul Mining
The The
|
5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
|
Actually
Pet Shop Boys
|
5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
|
Closer
Joy Division
|
5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
|
Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
|
5 | 3.23 | +1.77 |
|
Homework
Daft Punk
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
Horses
Patti Smith
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Pump
Aerosmith
|
1 | 3.11 | -2.11 |
|
A Grand Don't Come For Free
The Streets
|
1 | 2.67 | -1.67 |
|
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
|
2 | 3.53 | -1.53 |
|
Queen II
Queen
|
2 | 3.49 | -1.49 |
|
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
|
2 | 3.49 | -1.49 |
|
The Yes Album
Yes
|
2 | 3.31 | -1.31 |
|
Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
|
2 | 3.28 | -1.28 |
|
Risque
CHIC
|
2 | 3.27 | -1.27 |
|
Dry
PJ Harvey
|
2 | 3.24 | -1.24 |
|
Like A Prayer
Madonna
|
2 | 3.22 | -1.22 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 4 | 4.5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 3 | 4.67 |
| Led Zeppelin | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 5 |
5-Star Albums (51)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Lorde · 153 likes
5/5
Sorry Boomers/Gen X, I was like 20 when this came out so it's one of the best things to ever happen to me. Sorry it's not King Crimson or whatever.
Ian Dury · 39 likes
2/5
England what the fuck
Underworld · 38 likes
3/5
English electronic albums from the 90s be much shorter challenge
Metallica · 38 likes
5/5
My personal favorite Metallica album is still Ride the Lightning, but objectively this is probably their most cohesive work. Both are classics.
Nick Drake · 30 likes
5/5
I know it's ironic, considering what a troubled, tragic soul Nick Drake was, but this album has been a source of great comfort to me for years. Each song is a gentle lullaby, and if you ever need a soundtrack for a crisp autumn walk, this is it. That said, it's also perfect year round.
1-Star Albums (2)
All Ratings
Queens Of The Stone Age
3/5
It's funny, for how much I love "I Sat By the Ocean" and "My God is the Sun" I'd only listened to this in full the one time before. It's good!
Beastie Boys
4/5
This is somehow even better than I remember. The run from "Slow Ride" to "Slow and Low" is untouchable, and comprises most of the album. Amazing album with only a couple of okay-ish songs and odd production choices.
Van Morrison
5/5
Shame Van Morrison is a tool IRL, because this is one of the best albums ever.
Radiohead
3/5
Me listening to the first third of this album: "I don't get it, these are some of my favorite Radiohead songs ever, why do people constantly dunk on this album?"
Me listening to the rest of the album: "Oh."
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Every time I think "there's no way it's as good as I remember," and then it's even better.
Kanye West
5/5
What else can be said about it?
R.E.M.
3/5
I love REM songs (including a bunch from this one) but I can't really get into their whole albums as much as I should.
Mariah Carey
2/5
I know I'm supposed to like 90s RnB on the principle of being a music fan, but....
Tito Puente
4/5
How absurdly fun!
PJ Harvey
2/5
There's something about PJ Harvey's early work that I just....can't get into
a-ha
3/5
Fun synth-poppy new-wave. Good showing.
Suicide
5/5
Music That Makes You Feel Feral But In A Good Way
Kate Bush
2/5
Extra star for "Get Out of My House," a great way to end an album I otherwise don't really care for.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Not an album I come back to all that often, but I enjoy it so much whenever I do.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
An often good, occasionally great cross section of where indie rock was coming from and going at the turn of the millennium, featuring one of the best songs ever, "Once Around The Block," right smack dab in the middle.
Radiohead
4/5
No thoughts, head empty, only "How to Disappear Completely"
(This oscillates between being my second and third favorite Radiohead album. Currently I'd put it in third behind OKC and IR)
Steely Dan
3/5
On some level, starting this album with "Do It Again" feels like a bait and switch; nothing after can stand against it. But it's a decent album, like most Steely Dan albums
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Obviously her talent is now a part of American lore, but imagine being around in the 60s and hearing Aretha Franklin for the first time. I don't think I'd know what to do with myself.
Tom Waits
3/5
If I was at a show like this I would over the moon, but just hearing it on an album doesn't quite get me loving the thing. That said I liked this more as it went on, and I walk away happy that I checked it out.
The Cure
3/5
The jump from lofi goth to Moody New Wave excellence is under way, with this acting as an exciting meeting of those two sides of the band.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Dude can you imagine if Johnny Cash covered this whole thing
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I've given Elvis Costello's music so many chances with selections from across the decades, and no matter what I listen to I find his singing and songwriting to be absolutely insufferable.
Blur
3/5
Not bad! I've never listened to Blur for a whole album before, but this pretty good!
Le Tigre
4/5
I had always heard of Le Tigre but had never heard them. Great album! Very ahead of their time.
Violent Femmes
4/5
I think I would be hard pressed to find an album more ahead of its time than this. The fact that this came out before stuff like The Pixies, Nirvana, or basically any other altrock/indie band is unbelievable. And on top of that, it's a fantastic listen.
Peter Tosh
3/5
I'm by no means a reggae guy, but this one's fun.
The Damned
3/5
It's okay, hasn't held up incredibly well but is good for a fun listen.
Tangerine Dream
3/5
Not near the peaks reached by their work on the Risky Business soundtrack but still solid.
The Pogues
5/5
I'm obligated culturally to give this at least three stars, but the extra two stars are for its incredible quality as a piece of music.
The Kinks
4/5
If you don't like The Kinks you're a chump
The Doors
4/5
This album continues to be great despite the best efforts of Jim Morrison.
Nirvana
5/5
I can't be even close to objective about this one, it's too intrinsic to my tastes in music.
The Young Rascals
3/5
It feels weird to describe a Gold selling record with multiple Top 10 hits as a hidden gem, but that's what this is to me, having never heard of this before.
Pulp
3/5
I still don't think I *get* Pulp but this is pretty good.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Great performances and production, still weird he married is 13 year old cousin
Orbital
4/5
It’s a bit over reliant on the vocal samples when I think they’re not necessary, but the sound of this thing is great. Not too busy, but very energizing.
Kraftwerk
3/5
An album carried a bit by the quality of its first song, but it's so ahead of its time that you can't help but admire it.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Interesting to see the genesis of the band. It's okay.
The Strokes
5/5
Hard to think of many more influential albums of the past 20 years or so. Also, a personal favorite.
Nick Drake
4/5
I prefer the stripped back beauty of Pink Moon more, but this is still great.
The Cure
5/5
Goth rock with hints of pop softness, and I love it to pieces. Important to me at 17, important to me now.
Portishead
2/5
Yeah I don't know if I dig Portishead.
The White Stripes
5/5
Personally, a classic. So influential was this album to me in high school that Citizen Kane is full of references to The Union Forever, not the other way around.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Ain't that something. I'm actually surprised how popular this was considering how non-pop it is. Good!
The The
5/5
This is fantastic. How have I never heard this before? Incredible synth pop/new wave throughout.
k.d. lang
4/5
This type of country is squarely my shit. Not every song is perfect but what a lovely listen.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
Eh.
N.W.A.
4/5
The good tracks here are so goddamn good and frequent that they offset the repetitive or dated songs heavily.
Metallica
5/5
My personal favorite Metallica album is still Ride the Lightning, but objectively this is probably their most cohesive work. Both are classics.
The Byrds
3/5
Not my favorite Byrds album but you can't go wrong with their stuff around this time.
Louis Prima
2/5
Normally I like jazz but...not so much this one.
The Byrds
4/5
Exit pop stars The Byrds, enter psychedelic folk rock pioneers The Byrds. Very very good.
Public Enemy
3/5
This might actually be my favorite Public Enemy album? It's still super overwhelming and some of the lyrics haven't aged super well but I can dig it.
Tricky
2/5
I still don't love trip hop, and albums from the 90s are still too long.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
I love a good 70s singer/songwriter record, and this one's right up my alley.
Aerosmith
3/5
If it's 1975 and you want a rock album but you're too much of a fuckin' JOCK to listen to Physical Graffiti, Blood on the Tracks, Wish You Were Here, Born To Run, Horses, Young Americans, Fleetwood Mac, Another Green World, Mothership Connection, or Face the Music, this is the album for you and the boys as you cruise around town in a less interesting version of Dazed and Confused.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
The theme music of having a fun cool time in the 60s.
Fairport Convention
4/5
Ooh this is very nice. Beautiful folk stylings with just a touch of rock. Odd pacing at times but great overall.
Neil Young
4/5
Not my favorite Neil Young album but you can't go wrong with the stuff from around this time of his career.
The Prodigy
3/5
In small doses this is cool, but for over an hour? Without drugs, that's a tall order.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
The peak of the Stones at their bluesiest, but honestly this thing gets 3 of these stars just for Gimme Shelter.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Really the only thing holding this album back from the likes of Physical Graffiti and LZIV is a comparative lack of ambition, but the classics on here are still primo classics.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
I've been meaning to listen to this for a while, and it turns out that about half of it are some of the most played radio hits of my childhood. All those songs are fantastic, and the deep cuts are good too.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Eh
Parliament
4/5
It's like the sound of a sexy-ass party beamed straight into my head and it's dope as hell
Tori Amos
4/5
At first I wasn't wild about this one, but I ended up loving its songwriting, performances, and production.
Goldfrapp
4/5
I actually really like this! Some very interesting combinations of sounds that come together in a way that's ahead of its time.
Marilyn Manson
3/5
Oh to have heard this when I was 12 years old, when this wasn't overly edgy and Manson himself wasn't known to be a fucking creep.
Brian Eno
5/5
Such an important album to me, really opened doors in terms of teaching me to appreciate new forms of electronic/ambient music. Without this I don't *get* The Talking Heads or Bowie. And on its own, it's so emotionally potent; The Big Ship and Zawinul/Lava can, under the right circumstances, make me tear up.
Missy Elliott
3/5
90s albums please be shorter I'm begging you
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
One of the small blessings of lockdown is that it's randomly made me learn more about the Pet Shop Boys, and boy am I glad for it.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Zappa plus ELO. Cool!
Missy Elliott
4/5
Such great focus, production, and performances. Not wild about every song but this is my favorite Missy album for sure.
Marty Robbins
4/5
Wild an album like this used to be pop music.
Morrissey
2/5
This is okay but Morrissey loses points for being a fascist
Love
4/5
Occasionally dips into generic folk pop, but overall very enjoyable. Love the dark edge a couple of the songs have, it's something that sets this apart from, for example, The Byrds.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Not my favorite Flaming Lips record, but it's up there. Listening to Race for the Prize is pure indie pop bliss.
Queen
2/5
Not the biggest fan of Queen even at their poppiest, and this is....less good than that.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
I say this is in the nicest way possible: this sounds like a CD my parents would randomly own in the early 2000s that they'd play for us while on road trips because of its somewhat jazzy and folky stylings remind them of Celtic music they enjoyed, and it would become a part of my subconscious moving forward without me ever knowing what it was. Really good!
Pink Floyd
5/5
I don't think it's as high level conceptually as The Wall or even Dark Side, but as an enjoyable collection of tracks it's hard to beat this in Pink Floyd's discography.
Machito
4/5
Fun listen. Afro-Cuban jazz like this will always put a smile on my face.
Guided By Voices
5/5
A songwriting expo if there ever was one. I love this lofi 90s rock sound and this album gives me a lot of it. Works better as a whole album listen versus just hearing individual tracks, given the short length of the songs. "Motor Away" fills me with an odd bliss every time I hear it.
The Pretty Things
3/5
"Mom can we get some Tommy?"
"We have Tommy at home."
Tommy at home:
[Yes I know this came out first, I still prefer Tommy]
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Some of the songs sound okay and then the big blaring horns come in and ruin them. Some of the songs don't even sounds okay before the big blaring horns come in and ruin them.
Richard Thompson
4/5
I've listened to and enjoyed this before, so falling asleep to it after a day where I was feeling anxious for no reason is actually a huge compliment imo. Plus the title track is an all time classic.
Garbage
3/5
This is just okay for me. I prefer the grungier side of the 90s over the industrial/alternative side of it. But there are a few quality tunes.
Pixies
3/5
I really love Dolittle, and Dolittle this ain't. Not that it's bad, but almost every song feels a *bit* too long, and the vocal mixes can be a little off too.
Foo Fighters
3/5
This is okay. Much rawer than a lot of their later work, but I think the songwriting is also a bit primordial. Not bad though.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I'm usually not an Elvis Costello guy but this okay because it reminds me of a fusion of Springsteen and Bowie. I still don't love his vocals but the album isn't bad
David Holmes
3/5
The good tracks here are absolute killers. But it suffers from incohesive voice sampling and This-90s-Album-is-too-long-itis, so it's not something I'm likely to come back to in full anytime soon. That James Bond song is fantastic though.
Steely Dan
2/5
I'm lukewarm towards Steely Dan even on their best albums, and this didn't feel like one of their best albums. Pretty sleepy at points, and while it's admirable they try different sounds in a few songs, overall this thing feels inessential to me.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Typically classic blues stuff doesn't do it for me, but this one's pretty good. I like the different featured guests, so sometimes a little too much 80s glossy sheen creeps in.
Pink Floyd
5/5
When I was younger I thought Pink Floyd was the most overrated band in history. Then I actually listened to stuff like this and realized I was way off.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
Why would I need a Greatest Hits album? This exists. Only truly "weak" spot is "Poison Whiskey," but then "Freebird" comes right after that and southern rock nirvana is achieved, so it balances out.
Talk Talk
4/5
A very impressive piece of New Wave/art rock. It's a bit long winded but I really like it after my first listen.
Slipknot
3/5
This album's at its best when the songs are 75% hard as hell, 25% melodic and ready for rock radio. They achieve that perfect balance on enough songs (including GOAT track "Psychosocial") where this album is worth checking out if you're curious, but the songs that mess with the ratio too much might test your patience a bit.
Madonna
2/5
You would think a Prince duet and a fusing of baroque pop with the overwhelming shine and sheen of 80s pop would make this album a winner, but you'd be wrong. The title track will forever bang, and I like the closer too, but honestly after listening to this, I sympathized with late 80s adolescents, in that I was desperate to listen to some Nirvana.
Waylon Jennings
3/5
This is pleasant enough country music. Wish it had a bit more propulsion and a little less schmaltzy 70s production, but it's fine.
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
I'm not the biggest grime guy in the world, so I'm not over the moon for this. But there are some big tunes on here, and overall it's good.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Rating this higher than most other PJ Harvey records I've heard because I'm a sucker for this early 90s alternative/grunge sound. But I'm still not as in love with her sound as many others are.
U2
4/5
Usually I find U2 to be pretty overrated, but this album's really good. Very interesting sound to start the 90s with.
Joy Division
5/5
This album slaps, especially the guitar tracks.
Pavement
4/5
As I've aged I've grown to appreciate Pavement more and more. I still can't call this a total 5 star classic for me personally, but I'm much higher on it now than the last time I heard it.
Nick Drake
5/5
I know it's ironic, considering what a troubled, tragic soul Nick Drake was, but this album has been a source of great comfort to me for years. Each song is a gentle lullaby, and if you ever need a soundtrack for a crisp autumn walk, this is it. That said, it's also perfect year round.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sonic Youth is hit or miss for me. This one's on the better side in my opinion but suffers from being an hour long. Maybe cut it back a bit gang?
Michael Jackson
4/5
It seems like common consensus is that this is right on par with Thriller, but IMO it doesn't touch that earlier record. It's still good, but there are a few more head scratchers here than on Thriller. Still really good though.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Not my favorite Hendrix, but a damn good album regardless.
Elis Regina
4/5
What a mysterious album. Not on Spotify, not on Wikipedia, not by an artist I've ever heard of. Turns out it's a posthumous compilation, and she's a Brazilian legend. And let it be known, I'm floored. It's like proggy funky samba Amy Winehouse, but also there's disco and rock infusions too. I can't get over how good it is, especially on the back half. Only rating it 4 stars because I don't believe in the 5 Star Compilation, but this is up there, and definitely makes me want to check out her full albums.
Cornershop
3/5
This record starts off super strong, when it stays in a worldly indie rock lane that to me sounds like a proto Gorillaz. The album loses focus over time though, and while I wouldn't call it bad, I don't think it ever matches that opening stretch ever again.
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
Usually I can dig old folks rock like this, but not a lot of this stuck with me, and in fact some of it wasn't very good at all, like that weird James Brown pastiche.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
These 90s dance albums are always so good as individual songs, but they're always like an hour long, so that takes away from them in my eye
Paul Simon
4/5
Nowhere near the absolute peak of joy that is Graceland, but it's solid enough. An otherwise 3 star album elevated to 4 stars on the strength of one song (in this case, Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard)
Fred Neil
4/5
Pretty into this. Not a lot of Folk folks sounded like this in the 60s, and I can appreciate the psychedelic touches.
Def Leppard
4/5
Side one of this album is damn near untouchable. If they moved the title track to after "Gods of War" and then ended the album, it's a contender for 5 stars. But it's just too long, with few of the later songs not standing out too much. Overall though, very good.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
This has always been an album I wish I liked more than I did, given its historical significance and acclaim, but I dunno, it's never fully clicked with me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Get you a girl like Karen O, who can do "Tick" and "Maps" on the same album.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
There's some good production here, but I'm sorry, this is some of the corniest rapping I've ever heard. Maybe back in the day it was better received, but the years have made the lyrics really surface level. Maybe you had to be there.
The Gun Club
3/5
I'm generally not a fan of the rockabilly aesthetic (I find it a little cringy), but this is fun as a primordial source of it. The first track is incredible.
The Only Ones
3/5
There are just enough songs on here that are just a bit meh for me to give it 4 stars, but it's damn close. This is fun.
Billy Bragg
4/5
For years I've enjoyed the song "California Stars" without listening to this album or looking into its background. What a great listen this turned out to be though. I love this style of folky rock from the late 90s/early 00s. It's a bit long but I can't fault it too much for that.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
I gave this album my first listen back in high school, and I'll be honest, I didn't get it. The breadth of my musical knowledge wasn't as wide back then, and I couldn't appreciate the artsier sounds or the groundwork they laid for so many amazing bands and artists after. Now it's been a few years, and I hold some of those artists in my highest possible regard, artistically: Bowie, the Talking Heads, Joy Division/New Order, even more modern acts like LCD Soundsystem and the myriad post-punk outfits we have going today.
So if I still don't fully "get it," I at least now totally appreciate this album as the source of inspiration for music I love that also happens to have more than a few great tracks on it as well. I'm not at the point yet where I can give it a perfect score (the second half is noticeably more hit or miss than the first imo), but this is an album I think I'll only appreciate more with age.
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
I respect the craftsmanship here, especially for a band so indie and meager in its economics at the time of production. I just don't think I buy into the myth of southern rock enough for this to really click with me though. I'm also not sure about the idea of northerners only thinking the South is racist because of George Wallace, but on the other hand there's a song here about the devil welcoming a freshly dead Wallace to Hell, so it almost balances out.
The Streets
1/5
I've listened to The Streets before. I've listened to this The Streets album before. I tried listening to this The Streets album again. The result is always the same: this is some of the worst music I've ever heard.
Hole
4/5
Not quite Live Through This, but it's really quite good. I respect the ability of Love and company to read the room and do a tasteful pivot from grunge to late-90s alt rock in a way that maintains an edge. Some great hooks here too. Nice!
Fugazi
3/5
Fugazi's a band whose albums I have tough time getting into, even if they have great individual songs on them. That said, this is pretty good, def recommended if you're into punk at all.
The Go-Betweens
4/5
I had never heard of this band or album before, but this was quite nice! Twee indie rock that's quite a bit ahead of its time. Good stuff.
Underworld
3/5
English electronic albums from the 90s be much shorter challenge
Johnny Cash
4/5
Not on the level of At Folsom, but I'll always dig Cash in front of inmates.
Rod Stewart
4/5
Man, early Rod Stewart was so good! Not quite as good as his next album, but this is a really easy, fun listen
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Boy there sure were a lot of psychedelic folk bands in the mid to late 60s. This one's not bad!
Sonic Youth
4/5
This is my 3rd time listening to this album and it's finally clicked for me. Really good stuff here.
3/5
The title track’s a total banger, but past that? Eh.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
not sure why, but this didn't fully click for me. It's OK, but nothing spectacular to my ears.
David Gray
5/5
I can't be objective about this one, it was a road trip staple for my family when I was growing up. Even today, listening to sounds like watching a beautiful summer day or autumnal sunset pass by outside my car window.
Yes
2/5
Didn't love it. 70s prog rock always feels like they're trying to squeeze so many showy performances and studio tricks into a song they forget to write a compelling tune. This is a whole album of that.
The Young Gods
2/5
Wow those vocals! No thank you sir!
The Saints
4/5
Never heard of this album or band, but I'm impressed. A solid mix of classic punk with some forward thinking songwriting choices like the use of horns and acoustic guitars. Really enjoyed this!
Deep Purple
3/5
I generally like the Deep Purple sound, but it's a lot to take in on a whole album. Not bad at all though.
Frank Ocean
5/5
Listening to this brings me back to being 16. For some of us, this album was one of the biggest deals in all of high school. I first heard of Frank Ocean when my friends told me about this album and how it had dropped a week early. What an event this record turned out to be.
We all had our favorite songs off of it. I gravitated towards the Elton John sampling "Super Rich Kids" and it's narrative of decadent ennui, the epic "Pyramids," with it's multiple phases and fried-beyond-recognition John Mayer guitar solo, and the simple bliss of "Forrest Gump." And of course, "Thinkin About You." We all loved that song. It closed out prom that year.
I'll always be more of a Blonde guy if we're looking at complete albums, but Channel Orange, to this day, has some of my favorite songs ever on it. And, maybe more importantly, it's one of those albums that acts as a time machine for me, back to a time of halcyon togetherness. Can't be go lower than a 5.
The Birthday Party
3/5
Not everyone's cup of tea, and honestly I'm not sure if it's really mine! But it's invigorating and interesting, so props to Nick Cave and the boys.
Paul Weller
4/5
Good songwriting, great guitar work, what's not to like?
10cc
3/5
Production's immaculate, but the songs? Eh.
B.B. King
3/5
Not my favorite live BB King album, but you really can't go wrong with this kind of thing.
XTC
3/5
I dig how psychedelic this can get, but I don't love it. S'okay.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Normally I like this kind of stuff, but Sinatra doesn't sound as good on it as a Bossa Nova specialist. Still, relaxing and soft on the ears.
Motörhead
3/5
Nothing like listening to a bunch of Motorhead songs back to back to back to realize that while they sound good, they all kinda sound the same
Miles Davis
3/5
This is pretty primordial compared to the later Davis stuff that I like, but you can't really go wrong with it.
Anthrax
3/5
Everything about this is super cool and good except the vocals, which I do not dig at all.
Janelle Monáe
3/5
The music on this thing is very pretty, and well produced. But Monae isn't the songwriter here that she would become on something like Dirty Computer, which I prefer to this.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
This is just okay? I dunno, usually I dig fusions of psychedelic and other country's music, but this one fell a little flat for me.
Ray Price
3/5
This is fine. Love his voice.
John Martyn
4/5
Dangerous, psychedelic yacht rock that morphs into early post-rock by the end? I'm a fan.
Robbie Williams
3/5
Decent Brit Pop/Rock record. Evidently this guy's the biggest deal ever across the pond? Good for him!
Aretha Franklin
4/5
You cannot go wrong with 60s Aretha Franklin. Anyone who says otherwise is a total dope.
The Smiths
4/5
Hate that Morrisey's a total piece of garbage because this is really good. My favorite Smiths songs aren't on here but as a whole album it's probably my favorite of theirs.
Bob Dylan
5/5
I'll always be a Blood on the Tracks boy, but in terms of Dylan albums, this is probably second for me. He perfectly nails the moments of disenchantment in your early to mid 20s, with society or work or even just random jerks. But he also gets the fun stuff, the hopeful stuff. Life contains multitudes, and so does this album.
David Bowie
5/5
This album could just be the title track and "Fame" and it would be 5 stars. Everything else is just icing.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
I can dig this kind of music in moderation, but over an hour is a tough prospect, especially when there's a language barrier. Still, pleasant to listen to.
Megadeth
4/5
Megadeth never were and never will be even on the same level as Metallica for me, but this is a really good album.
The Temptations
4/5
Side A here absolutely crushes, including a contender for the best song ever, the full 12 minute version of Papa Was a Rollin Stone. The second half is noticeably a bit lighter and chintzier, though they do a respectable version of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Overall pretty good, but definitely lopsided in its quality
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
Normally I can dig classic garage rock, and I've been known to enjoy some psychedelic rock, but this combination of the two just did not click for me.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Just give me the title track (and Bell Bottom Blues, that's a good song). The world has moved past the need for Eric Clapton and his weird pining for George Harrison's wife.
New Order
4/5
Fuck yeah, New Order.
Randy Newman
3/5
I don't really love this. This style of songwriting reminds me of Elvis Costello and for some reason I can't jive with that. The last two songs are really good though, and I think musically this is nice, so those save it from two stars.
Merle Haggard
4/5
Really good timeless stuff.
CHIC
3/5
Eh, disco like this is pretty one note to my ear, so a whole album of it all blends together even if it's pretty good overall.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
This old rock n roll is just so fun. Not too deep, but really well constructed
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I don't know what to say if you can't appreciate how great this is. It's Bruce Springsteen doing dark lofi folk about nihilistic class struggle pulling inspiration from Suicide! That's just an incredible sentence by itself!
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Not my absolute favorite LZ album, but it's a close second. This thing rules man, and even though it's a long double album it doesn't overstay its welcome, due to the band mixing up the style of song so often. Fantastic classic rock record.
Bobby Womack
3/5
I feel bad but this style of R&B/Soul isn't really my thing. This is okay though.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Yeah, that's the good stuff.
Eminem
3/5
This is almost a 4 star, but it's just a bit too long with redundant songs that don't stand out so much. But the good songs are good.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
CCR rule, dude. As long as it's not called "Mardi Gras," you can be assured an album of theirs will be at least "Really Good." Like this one!
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Three songs in and I'm already pregnant.
Dennis Wilson
3/5
Reminds me of that first George Harrison solo record, though not as grand or ambitious. Still, pretty good.
Daft Punk
5/5
This is more like a 4.7 out of 5 but I'll round up. Not at Discovery levels yet but as a debut album this is up there with some of the best of all time. Da Funk is amazing song that I can listen to at any time and it's one of a few like that here.
Soundgarden
5/5
Possibly the second or third best grunge album of all time, depending on how I'm feeling about In Utero that day. Haters will say it's too long, and yeah they probably could have cut the song Half, but this is the rare hour-plus album I'll actively choose to listen to.
Spiritualized
4/5
I think this album unfairly gets called a one-song-album a lot, but there's a lot here beyond the title track. The first three songs (including that title track) are all fantastic, and there are some great deep cuts throughout. It's too long, and some of the songs also feel too long on their own, but this is brit-pop required listening to my ears.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
The hits here really hit, especially Paradise City. But the deep cuts really don't do it for me at all. Still, the singles and the overall production are enough to carry it to a 4/5 from me.
Hawkwind
3/5
Boy, it's a good thing that the actual performances on this thing are so good because the length and the spoken word bits really kill any other enjoyment I might have here
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
I think it's a shame that this album will always live in the shadow of the masterpiece that is If You're Feeling Sinister, because it's a great album on its own merits. It has a weak back half (at least until it gets to the wonderful "My Wandering Days are Over," then the final stretch is quite good), but overall it's an album all indie heads should listen to at least a couple of times.
Pixies
5/5
Let's be serious for a moment: there's a serious argument to be made that this is the best rock record of the 80s. Yes there were bigger sellers, and this isn't exactly adhering to any prominent "sound" of the decade, but for the level of influence this thing has had ON TOP of some of the best damn songs ever, you cant help but think, maybe. Probably, even!
The Jesus And Mary Chain
5/5
Part of me wonders why people are so quick to hype up Psychocandy as a total masterpiece when this follow-up is actually stronger in some areas. Less abrasive and groundbreaking, sure, but the production and song writing, especially on highlights like the title track, "April Skies," and "Only Happy When It Rains," are leagues above most of its predecessor.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
Normally this kind of stuff is right up my alley, but I've listened to this before and my thoughts are the same after listening again: it's pretty boring.
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
I think at its best this thing reminds me of a hip hop Graceland. But some of the skits are a bit redundant, and what the hell was that last song?
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The music is good, but the album is too long.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
The first two songs are absolute bangers. The rest of the album doesn't have the same quality of songwriting, but the sound is so good that it's mostly fine.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
There's a lot of schmaltzy 70s MOR rock here, but at least it's super well produced. The rockers here can really rock too, so all in all a worthwhile listen.
Michael Jackson
4/5
All the funky dance songs are some of the best tunes of all time. All of the melancholy ballads are embarrassing. Thankfully the balance is more towards the former, but the latter really take this thing down a bit.
Ian Dury
2/5
England what the fuck
Dolly Parton
5/5
Imagine not thinking that Dolly Parton is one of America's finest songwriters
Beatles
4/5
Not my favorite Beatles album, but it's a solid transition album from their early stuff to their later REALLY good stuff. "Norwegian Wood" and "Michelle" remain personal favorites.
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
I would like this album a lot more if it was much shorter. The musicianship and production are really good though.
Stereo MC's
4/5
Very very cool album. Ending's a bit weak but overall really good.
5/5
Objectively? Maybe Bowie's best album. I know that's saying a lot, given his ouvre, but hear me out: many of his great albums need a specific mindset to enjoy; I wouldn't feel like I could on something like Blackstar, Low, "Heroes," Station to Station, or even Young Americans all willy nilly. The only other excellent records of his that I could are Hunky Dory and Let's Dance, and this is better than both of those. Ergo, it's his best record.
Lorde
5/5
Sorry Boomers/Gen X, I was like 20 when this came out so it's one of the best things to ever happen to me. Sorry it's not King Crimson or whatever.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Really Good, the sound of this thing is incredible, like Midnight Mass in an ancient church
Heaven 17
4/5
This kind of early new wave/synthpop can be hit or miss due to it being so raw compared to what most people are familiar with, but I really enjoyed this album!
Marvin Gaye
4/5
It's a long bitter road, but one worth driving down.
Gang Of Four
4/5
Classic record that I think is a bit front loaded, but def a worthwhile listen if you have any interest at all in post-punk. "Natural's Not In It" is absolutely a banger.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
I was gonna give this only 4 stars but I don't think my mom would ever forgive me if she found out, so I'm rounding up.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Listen, the music here is objectively very good. But this collection asks you to listen to waaaaaaaay too much of it.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Pretty good! Like the songwriting, though I wish there was more percussion.
Jane Weaver
4/5
If the songwriting on here is just "pretty good" on average, it's the production that really elevates it to something special. Combining 2010s indie pop with psychedilia and driving programmed beats was the correct move, and it's engineered so effin' well.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
The best S&G album, which is fucking saying something.
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
If this album ended with "Big Poppa," this would be a 5 Star album with the caveat that it might be a bit long. But the tracks after that pad the length and aren't nearly as good what's in the first part of the record. Still, a very good classic.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I grew up with California radio so the singles from this are deeply ingrained in me, but boy most of the deep cuts don't work at all to my ears.
Beck
5/5
Congratulations Beck, you sad Scientologist son of a so-and-so, you made one of the best albums of the early 2000s.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Cash's late imperial phase is dominated by covers, yes, but so was most of his career. Anyway this album is fantastic, not a bad song here.
Bad Company
3/5
A whole album of solid if unmemorable bluesy/boogie/classic rock, the title track being a huge standout.
I actually really liked both that song and the Five Finger Death Punch cover when I was a kid, and after listening to this I went back and listened to that. Woof! That song sucks!
The Verve
5/5
Legitimately shocked how good this is. A lot of 90s albums are too long, and a lot of Britpop isn't produced super well, but while this is a bit long, it's engaging from start to finish. And the production is so clear and fulfilling! Great songwriting too, and the performances are wonderful! Wow!
Doves
4/5
Having never heard of this before, I'm really impressed. Nice middle ground between the outgoing Britpop and the oncoming indie rock boom of the early 2000s. Too long though.
Frank Black
2/5
I really like The Pixies, and I actually don't mind the general sound Black is going for here. But goddamn man, over an hour? Any enjoyment I was getting is gone before the halfway mark.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Man, this sure ain't Loveless.
Erykah Badu
3/5
I've said this a few times about albums from the 90s and early 2000s, but while the sound of this album is great, it's just so so so damn long.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Beyond it's obvious objective greatness, this is also a personally important album to me. When I first became a music nerd, this was the first contemporary album I listened to around the time it dropped, or at least it was the first major one. What a way to start! Hip hop perfection, through and through.
John Coltrane
4/5
This is, pun intended, supremely good jazz. Obviously the saxophone is incredible, but the keys and drumming are both top notch here as well.
Pet Shop Boys
5/5
Practically perfect synth pop. "It's A Sin" alone is worth price of admission, but everything else is so blissful and bouncy. Bravo!
The Dictators
2/5
If my research is right, this is one of the very first punk/proto-punk records. Very cool! Don't really love it, but that's cool!
The Cardigans
4/5
How fun! Obviously I've heard "Lovefool" many times on the radio, but I had no idea there was a worthwhile record behind it.
Adele
3/5
Part of me wishes I saw in this album what everyone else saw in it when it came out, and while it's good, it's not the genre-defining masterpiece others seem to regard it as. Decent tho!
Fleet Foxes
5/5
Think of the sheer STAGGERING quality of this band. This is probably only the second or third best Fleet Foxes record, and yet it's a nearly flawless 5 Star album. Most bands would be beyond lucky and happy to have a "White Winter Hymnal" or "Blue Ridge Mountains" as their opus. This band has BOTH of those, and they might not even be the best song from this era of the group! Incredible, incredible stuff.
The White Stripes
4/5
Not on the level of White Blood Cells, and I think it comes down to some pretty weak deep cuts. The hits really hit though, and not all the B-Sides are bad, so still worth a listen
The Auteurs
3/5
Usually an album with this sound would be right up my alley, but I dunno, I think it’s the vocals holding me back.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
I’ve given this album a few tries over the years, and I think this time it’s clicked with me the most. Still not the all time classic a lot people see it as, but there aren’t any duds on here, and actually a few amazing songs (like “Jane Says,” an all time great tune IMO)
The Byrds
4/5
Another solidly good album from the Byrds. Their consistency across the 60s is really something.
Aerosmith
1/5
The purest definition of Cock Rock you will ever find.
T. Rex
4/5
Damn good glam rock with a couple of amazing songs sprinkled throughout
New Order
4/5
Very very good stuff, as is to be expected from New Order in the 1980s
Joan Armatrading
4/5
Man, there are some fucking jams here man. And the slower cuts are good too! Great production and performances all around. This is a winner.
Patti Smith
5/5
The sheer greatness of the first track carries the rest of this thing when it occasionally gets a little too artsy for my tastes. Essential listening, IMO; even if you don’t love it, this is an important album.
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
Obviously I can’t understand the lyrics, but they’re delivered well and the music underneath them is great. Good stuff.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Very solid, very chill jazz record.
Bauhaus
3/5
I’ve never listened to Bauhaus before and I get the sense this probably shouldn’t have been my first taste of them. It’s okay, but maybe a bit melodramatic for my tastes.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
Pretty much flawless jazz funk. First half is definitely superior, but this entire thing is a staggering work in terms of quality
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Honestly, I wished I liked it more. I’m usually so into this sound, but there’s something keeping me from really sinking into this one. Still, worth a listen if you’re into folk of any kind.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Beautiful, incredibly written album that, in my opinion, goes on a bit long. But that’s just my opinion as someone who thinks most albums should be a max of 40 minutes.
Elastica
3/5
At times it sounds ahead of its time, predicting the sounds of acts like Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes years later, albeit with more of a punk edge. On the other hand, there are also tracks that sound very of their time, like “Connection” (not necessarily a complaint; that’s probably the best song on the record).
Overall I like it, don’t love it.
CHIC
2/5
“Good Times” is an all time banger. Everything else here is not essential in the slightest.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Firmly fine Britpop that lacks the ability to do anything but go all out at all times. Sometimes subtlety is nice!
3/5
I think I was indoctrinated to some of these songs at just the right time, because I still get a really strong hit of nostalgia when I hear “Starlight,” “Supermassive Blackhole,” and “Assassin.” And “Knights of Cydonia” remains an amazing closer. But man, the other songs on here really do nothing for me; some of them are actually quite bad. So it’s a shame, but I’ll stick to the songs I like and ditch the rest.
Traffic
3/5
Decent combo of folk and jazz. Not amazing, but pleasant enough.
GZA
4/5
Joe Biden was right, this thing slaps
Rocket From The Crypt
4/5
Having never heard of this band or album, I was pleasantly surprised! 90s punk with quality songwriting and great horns throughout. Bit too long for this type of sound, but fans of Fucked Up or Titus Andronicus should absolutely check this out
Common
2/5
I think for me Common is to rap what Elvis Costello is to rock: critically acclaimed and obviously talented but so not to my taste
Pixies
3/5
As a big breakthrough record with one amazing song on it, sure it’s fine. But boy does this not stack up against Dolittle.
Various Artists
4/5
Felt like an absolute psycho listening to this in September, but damn is it good. When it’s operating in peak form, the combination of Spector’s legendary production and the artists chosen for a given song create all-timer versions of these tunes. Not every song works, but it’s never bad, even when convicted murderer Phil Spector is talking directly to the listener on the final track. If I see a used copy of this on vinyl somewhere I’m definitely copping.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Fun! Lotta murder! Maybe a bit too long!
The Who
3/5
Title track is an all timer, but the rest of the album is too basic, too garagey compared to what The Who would do later. Big Sam Cooke influence in the vocals, more than I’ve heard on other albums by the band.
Green Day
4/5
First 75% of this is pretty untouchable, with some of the absolute best songs of the 90s. But the last chunk is pretty mediocre, with none of the iconic song writing or performances that are constant from the start of the album through “When I Come Around”. Still, really good overall.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Not fucking around, this has gotta be in the Top 10 albums of all time
Coldcut
4/5
English electronic producers in the 90s I am retroactively begging you to practice some restraint in your album lengths. I was enjoying this album a pretty good amount ("Stop This Crazy Thing" is awesome!), then I looked at the runtime and realized that, after listening for half an hour, I still had 40 minutes left to go! Point deducted for being too long, which is a shame because it's otherwise quite good.
SAULT
4/5
Kicking myself a bit for not listening to this sooner.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Saying this as someone who loves Siamese Dream and could pick a few songs off of this album as some of his favorites of all time: Jesus Fucking Christ Billy, I can’t listen to walls of guitars and your screeching voice for two goddamned hours with multiple 7+ minute tracks in the runtime. You’re lucky none of the actual songs here are bad, because I should probably be hitting you with a 2/5. But goddamnit, “1979” is really so goddamn beautiful.
Coldplay
4/5
Chris and the boys were really cooking with this one. Front to back might be my favorite Coldplay record. A bit too long but great stuff throughout, minus one or two Just OK songs
David Bowie
3/5
I like Bowie a lot but this has record has never really stood out to me much in his discography.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Objectively perhaps their best. I’m more likely to listen to Some Girls if both are in front of me, but I recognize that this album as a whole is better overall.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
An unbelievably beast record. Maybe a bit one note but I fucking adore that note.
Radiohead
4/5
This is my third or fourth time listening to this record. I’m not a Radiohead super duper fan but I’ve enjoyed a lot of their records for different reasons, and this one is no different. The instrumental pallets used through the album are surprisingly varied and even though this is just a lot of Kid A leftovers, they feel cohesive when placed together like this. Not my favorite album from the band, but Amnesiac is damn good.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Was originally listening to Taylor’s Version because that’s what the artist wants, but realized I think “Style” is better on the original. So I switched over to the original. Hate to give money to Scooter Braun, but I doubt Taylor is lacking in funds.
I find Swift albums are perfect for song by song write ups, even the bad ones (like Lover)
Welcome to New York: is Taylor known as an NYC artist? Sounds like a “Party in the USA” ripoff if I’m being honest
Blank Space: this has held up better than I would have thought. Some of the lyrical quirks are maybe a bit too quirky, but on average one of her better big hits from this period.
Style: that bubbling synth bass with the scratchy guitars on top! Taylor doing early The 1975 better than Healey and the boys. I think she projects just a bit too much on the chorus, but what a chorus it is to get lost in. This never topped the charts, which make it massively underrated in my eyes.
Out of the Woods: Honestly a bit annoying, far from the worst Swift song I’ve heard though.
All You Had to Do Was Stay: really hate the falsetto “Stay!” in the chorus. Rest of the song isn’t great enough to distract me from it.
Shake It Off: I still don’t love the bridge but as a constructed mainstream pop song this may otherwise be perfect
I Wish You Would: too many bells and whistles in the production, makes the whole experience too overwhelming for what’s supposed to be such a personal song
Bad Blood: YEESH
Wildest Dreams: Would legitimately kill to hear Beach House take a crack at this, great song
How You Get the Girl: Firmly ok
This Love: See above
I Know Places: “In the End” pianos and a drum line beat while Taylor digital stutters a backing vocal hook. That chord change from verse to hook should have gotten someone sent to jail.
Clean: Like the instrumental here, and Taylor’s vocal feels slightly less pushed up in the mix. Dig this one.
Overall not my favorite Swift album (that’s still Folklore), but a solid record and a firm declaration away from country, which is what she needed at the time. The big hits still hit (except for Bad Blood, which always missed), and none of the deep cuts are offensively bad. Good pop album!
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Jeez this kept on going. Decent Y2K pop with a couple of big hits. Xtina sure can sing her ass off
D'Angelo
4/5
Smooth as all hell. Some truly insane performances and production here.
Miles Davis
5/5
Legit one of my favorite jazz albums. So compelling to listen to all the way through. The tension on the title track to make you want these big drums to come in for over ten minutes before they finally do is just masterful.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
First half is incredible, but “Jesus” and onward is pretty bland, even if the production remains very solid throughout.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
I like this sound a lot generally so I’m into this even if not much of the album stood out to me overall.
Wilco
4/5
The most baffling part of my adolescence was my unwarranted hatred of Wilco. Don’t try to get me to explain it, I have no good excuse. This album is incredible.
Can
3/5
I think the first half of this album is some very interesting psychedelic jams with great performances all around. The trip goes bad in the second half though.
Santana
4/5
You can basically put on any early Santana record and hear some of the finest rock music of the late 60s, guaranteed.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Just a really solid collection of indie rock tunes with some very slick production. Fans of the band’s earlier, more raw sound may find themselves disappointed, but they can do that while I get down to “Heads Will Roll”.
Gene Clark
3/5
I like The Byrds and all but this is firmly whatever.
Sigur Rós
4/5
Just a stunning record, super easy to fully immerse yourself in the beautiful sounds that this band puts together. I don’t quite have the personal connection with it to give it 5 stars, but I could see myself getting there before too long.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
I’m a Kravitz defender because of a Best Of CD that I listened to a lot as a kid. But man, he’s really trying to be Prince early on, and I don’t think it’s his best work. The album is fine overall, but his jams would get more anthemic with time.
Hugh Masekela
5/5
Absolutely stunning piece of jazz. Invigorating as active listening, chill and a vibe in the background. Stellar performances all around, and I really enjoy the African influence in the rhythms and song styles.
David Bowie
5/5
Overall my second favorite from the Berlin Trilogy (“Low” remains GOATed), but this is a fantastic record. The title track is a serious contender for greatest single song ever written and recorded.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Yep, that’s some good stuff.
The Sonics
4/5
When I was 17, I was obsessed with LCD Soundsystem. This meant a lot of “Losing My Edge,” whose freakout bridge features James Murphy just listing out his own musical influence in an effort to assert his coolness (and both failing and succeeding). The name that stood out most to me was his repeated use of “THE SONICS.”
As a result, I found this album on Spotify and enjoyed it enough for it be one of the first vinyl records I ever purchased. To this day, “Strychnine,” “Money,” and “Have Love, Will Travel” are all time favorites for me. The rest of the album is also really good, but I’ll admit to some songs sounding overly familiar to each other. I’m a sucker for this rough garage sound, but your mileage may vary.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I got into LCD Soundsystem after their breakup. I fell in love with their unique fusion of dance music and indie rock, especially on Sound of Silver and This Is Happening. When they announced a reunion and, subsequently, a new record, I was estatic .
My first listen of American Dream in college was a massive disappointment. I was heartbroken to find that James Murphy and company had lost their special spark after their final concert at Madison Square Garden. It was a more annoying retread of This Is Happening without any of that record’s emotional potency.
After stewing with my negative feelings towards this album for years, I finally listen to it again for this project, and am sad to report that it’s a bit better than I remember. It’s not the disastrous dumpster fire that I had built it up to be in my head, but it still pales in comparison to the best of the group’s music from the decade before its release. With another LCD Soundsystem record finally on the way as I write this, I’m glad to have found some closure with American Dream. It remains skippable to me, but I don’t think it’s as legacy destroying as I once thought.
Metallica
4/5
Objectively a more commercial venture than their previous decade of work, but that doesn’t make it kick less ass. First 75% of this album is nothing but bangers, and though the quality wavers a bit with the last few songs, I think the experience of listening is absolutely worthwhile even if you don’t love metal.
Arcade Fire
4/5
There was a time where Arcade Fire was my absolute favorite band. They’re still up there, but I think their legacy has been tarnished by lackluster releases over the last decade and of course Win Butler, the center of the group, being outed as a creep at best and a sexual criminal at worst.
But I still hold so much love for the band’s first four albums (yes, I’m a Reflektor defender, there are dozens of us!), including Funeral. That said, I was never one to glaze this one like a lot of people do, probably because I got into AF with The Suburbs, a more ambitiously written and produced album that sounds about 10,000 times better than their debut. Does that make Funeral bad? No, but its production has aged noticeably worse than many other records that hold such acclaim.
That would be fine if all the songs were peak Butler songwriting, but I think he was still finding his groove. “In the Backseat,” “Crown of Love,” and maaaaaaybe “Neighborhood #4” are weak points in the band’s larger discography, even if I go through waves where I find them really good. No such waves today. But the good songs? Holy shit. The one two punch of “Haiti” into “Rebellion (Lies)” may still be the best sequencing in any AF record, and heavy hitters like “Neighborhood #1” and “Wake Up” still stir up some childlike wonder within me.
Arcade Fire started strong here, but don’t believe people when they say they peaked with Funeral. I’ll defend The Suburbs til I DIE, and Neon Bible is honestly underrated in the grand scheme of things. Still, really good album here.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Despite their Bowie connections, I’ve never been able to get into this band, and not just because of their terrible name.
The Slits
2/5
I’m really not a huge fan of this early artsy post punk. Good effort and creativity, just not for me.
The Black Keys
3/5
I have a weird relationship with this album. I was SO into the singles when I was in high school, but I found the record itself bloated and a bit boring. Nowadays, I don’t really get much out of “Howlin’ for You” or “Tighten Up,” but deeper cuts like “Sinister Kid” or “10 Cent Pistol” are total jams. It’s a decent album overall; I prefer El Camino if we’re looking at the commercial peak of the Black Keys, but it’s far better than anything they’ve put out since Turn Blue
Pearl Jam
4/5
As much as I love grunge, I’ve never fully clicked with this record as much as all the critics have. It’s not bad at all; in fact it’s great. The big singles still hit, and the rest of the deepcuts really nail that heavy early 90s sound with some great songwriting and production.
I still, however, find it to be a tier lower than Nevermind or Superunknown. Those albums mean a lot more to me personally while Ten has always just been the album that’s really good, nothing more and nothing less.
ZZ Top
3/5
Decently fun cock rock from the 80s. I still like “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs”, just not as much as I did as a kid.
Stan Getz
5/5
One of my favorite jazz albums of all time. Perfect to throw on at basically any time.
Gary Numan
4/5
Really cool bit of early synth pop here. I love how off kilter and frankly rough the tones are here. It’s like the garage rock of the genre, far less polished than what the later 80s would have.
Air
5/5
Absolutely stellar record. Could listen to this all day and not get tired of it. Neat and tidy length too! Not too long, which is rare for 90s electronic albums.
The Smiths
3/5
I wish I could get more into this album, because it has one of my favorite songs of all time on it (“Bigmouth Strikes Again”), but I generally find the record to be just fine. Morrisey occasionally has a great lyric, but just as often he sounds annoying and overly whiny.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Just an absolutely killer record. Some of the flows are a bit redundant, but the production might be the best of the whole decade.
Elvis Presley
4/5
I remember listening to this years ago, very early into my journey as a music nerd, and not really getting the hype. Believe it or not, after watching the batshit insane Austin Butler Elvis movie, I actually appreciate this album a lot more. Well, and also I loved the Memphis sounds of soul and early RnB that find themselves in the production. Legit pretty great record, an Elvis album I could put on without it feeling hokey or too rockabilly.
The Stooges
4/5
Pretty bold move to follow up the all time great opening salvo of “1969” and “I Wanna Be Your Dog” with the 10 minute meditative psychedelic ambient piece “We Will Fall.” It totally kills the momentum of an otherwise killer album. Iggy and the gang really should have stuck that one on at the end of Side B.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
“American Girl” is one of the most staggeringly perfect songs ever written that it makes up for a pretty mid album.
(Fine, “Breakdown” is pretty good too)
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
You really can’t go wrong with any CCR from this era. An 11 minute cover of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”? Love that shit.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Great record! Features a lot of the hits you’d expect from this band. Super fun, a bit thoughtful, funky as shit.
Barry Adamson
4/5
Was ready to give this three stars because of how jarring it was to hear “It’s Business as Usual,” but the more I thought about it, the more I had to be impressed with that song’s craft. It’s legitimately frightening, and I think that should be commended. The rest of the album is full of some sick beats, jazzy compositions and remixes, and a touching ballad or two. Into it!
Sabu
3/5
It’s interesting to hear a Latin jazz record that’s so percussion-forward. Not the most engaging listen, but s’fine.
Grateful Dead
3/5
It seems like every year, a peer I respect falls head over heels for the Grateful Dead. I’ve been trying their music for years and just do not get the hype. This is fine, solidly fine.
Eagles
4/5
I know the Eagles aren’t exactly the coolest band in the world, but I really dig this record.
The Doors
4/5
I generally find The Doors a bit overrated, but this is a really good time. Nice and bluesy, without too much strange abstract songwriting from Jim Morrison. And “Riders on the Storm” is an all-time jam.
Laibach
2/5
Listening to this felt like being cornered by the most self serious dude at an otherwise fun party.
Dr. Dre
4/5
This is my fourth or fifth time listening to this record in my life, and my thoughts on it haven’t changed much from listening to it the first time years ago: the good songs on here are excellent, and even some of the less memorable songs at least have killer production. But the skits and an overwhelming bitterness towards Eazy E drag the album down a bit.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
I’ve never been into this rockabilly freakout thing and I don’t think I ever will be.