Journey Complete!
Finisher #193 to complete the list
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3.7
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100%
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Ragged Glory
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1950s
Favorite Decade
Samba
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Cheerleader
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326
5-Star Albums
26
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
John Zorn
|
5 | 2.22 | +2.78 |
|
Dub Housing
Pere Ubu
|
5 | 2.35 | +2.65 |
|
Sincere
Mj Cole
|
5 | 2.38 | +2.62 |
|
The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
|
5 | 2.48 | +2.52 |
|
Penance Soiree
The Icarus Line
|
5 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
|
Now I Got Worry
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
|
5 | 2.52 | +2.48 |
|
Logical Progression
LTJ Bukem
|
5 | 2.52 | +2.48 |
|
Moss Side Story
Barry Adamson
|
5 | 2.53 | +2.47 |
|
Bummed
Happy Mondays
|
5 | 2.64 | +2.36 |
|
Pictures At An Exhibition
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
|
5 | 2.64 | +2.36 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
So
Peter Gabriel
|
1 | 3.55 | -2.55 |
|
Imagine
John Lennon
|
1 | 3.45 | -2.45 |
|
Peter Gabriel 3
Peter Gabriel
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
Smile
Brian Wilson
|
1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
|
Dare!
The Human League
|
1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
|
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
|
1 | 3.03 | -2.03 |
|
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
|
1 | 3.01 | -2.01 |
|
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
|
1 | 3.01 | -2.01 |
|
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby
Terence Trent D'Arby
|
1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
|
Copper Blue
Sugar
|
1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 9 | 4.67 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.6 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.75 |
| The White Stripes | 3 | 5 |
| Beatles | 7 | 4.29 |
| Radiohead | 6 | 4.33 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 4.5 |
| The Kinks | 4 | 4.5 |
| Joni Mitchell | 4 | 4.5 |
| Miles Davis | 4 | 4.5 |
| Blur | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kanye West | 3 | 4.67 |
| Elvis Presley | 3 | 4.67 |
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kings of Leon | 3 | 4.67 |
| Dire Straits | 2 | 5 |
| Coldplay | 2 | 5 |
| Pere Ubu | 2 | 5 |
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 5 |
| Eminem | 2 | 5 |
| Love | 2 | 5 |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 5 |
| OutKast | 2 | 5 |
| Green Day | 2 | 5 |
| Fatboy Slim | 2 | 5 |
| Willie Nelson | 2 | 5 |
| Barry Adamson | 2 | 5 |
| The Temptations | 2 | 5 |
| ABBA | 2 | 5 |
| Happy Mondays | 2 | 5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 6 | 4.17 |
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 4.25 |
| Metallica | 4 | 4.25 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.33 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.33 |
| Queen | 3 | 4.33 |
| Paul Simon | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 4.33 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 3 | 4.33 |
| Prince | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Who | 5 | 4 |
| Sonic Youth | 5 | 4 |
| Brian Eno | 5 | 4 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Gabriel | 3 | 1.67 |
| TV On The Radio | 2 | 1.5 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band | 5, 1 |
| John Lennon | 5, 1 |
| U2 | 2, 2, 5, 5 |
| Everything But The Girl | 2, 5 |
| XTC | 4, 1 |
5-Star Albums (326)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Einstürzende Neubauten
2/5
Not bad background music except for it feeling like I was being shouted at by Hitler the entire time
67 likes
Coldplay
5/5
Anyone who thinks Coldplay are a shit band is a fucking idiot. I would suggest they should go have a long hard look in the mirror. Yes their later more recent releases have been sub par but there are a thousand other bands who've milked it just the same (U2) without copping the hate that Coldplay have. This album is perfect. Shiver, Yellow, High Speed all obvious highlights. Everything's Not Lost is a killer closing track as well.
41 likes
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Wipe your feet really good on the rhythm rug. One of the greatest hip hop records of all time. Genius writing. Flawless delivery. Impeccable production value. Every song runs like honey and each interlude provides a perfectly paced breath to introduce the next chapter of the story. Packed with some of the greatest 90's hip hop tracks of all time, Can I Kick It being the obvious example. Description of a Fool is the progressive antithesis of the toxic behaviour glorified by so many of their peers at the time. Left My Wallet in El Segundo is a comedically leaning work of story telling perfection. Both Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts and Mr Muhammad even have elements of early 90's rave styles (it's a stooone groove, baby). Dropping a track purporting the benefits of a healthy diet in the middle of it all is a master stroke, not to mention hilarious. The near incoherent French over Lucien also falls into this category. One for the collection.
37 likes
Eminem
5/5
Full on. Loved it, hated it. The shock factor it holds is one of a kind.The opening skit was ridiculous, Kim was proper unsettling, Stan is an eternal classic, the hooks on Bitch Please II and Drug Ballad are sick. But the blatant and repeated homophobia and misogyny is pretty hard to get passed, even the product-of-its-time defense doesn't cut it on this one. Even so it still hits high on Albums of All Time lists (eg. 145 on Rolling Stone's 2020 top 500 of all time list). I'll stand by my rating system though, I can't deny that this album was a (at times hellish) thought provoking rollercoaster.
37 likes
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Howard: Never do that to a man in a jazz trance. I was deep in the juju then.
Vince: Science teachers and the mentally ill, that's all jazz is for.
Howard: Take that back you electro ponce.
Vince: I hate jazz
Howard: You fear jazz
36 likes
1-Star Albums (26)
All Ratings
The Smiths
4/5
Liked it
Black Sabbath
4/5
Intro to N.I.B is nuts
Janis Joplin
5/5
What a voice
The Clash
4/5
Jimmy Jazz isn't very punk
Definitely doesn't fit my definition of punk
Way more reggae than expected
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
Gimme the loot is an absolute track. From the BERETTA puttin' all the holes in ya sweater
Beatles
4/5
Beatles
3/5
Not my favourite Beatles album but Taxman is a track
Turbonegro
4/5
Ministry
4/5
Not my everyday cup of tea but gotta respect the skill required to pull that off
John Prine
4/5
Spanish Pipedream and Sam Stone are highlights
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
Full of big tunes and big horns
Plan B, Liars A to E and Dubious are highlights
Alice Cooper
3/5
Not what I expected, Blue Turk was nice.
Dire Straits
5/5
The album that our Amsterdam Air BnB host left in his record player
Haircut 100
3/5
Some kind of 80s new wave jungle jazz funk sax fusion abomination that I couldn't stop bopping to. I don't think it drops below 180bpm the entire album.
Bob Dylan
2/5
Pretty uninspired from the Dyl man
Genesis
4/5
Loved every minute, what a journey. So close to a five it's not funny
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Voice reminds me of Matt Costa a bit
Fox in the snow was nice and there's some big sax in Mayfly
The Cure
3/5
Claustrophobic and very goth, poor Robert Smith should've tried some mindfulness instead of subjecting me to that. Closing track is weird and disorientating. Didn't hate it
Joy Division
4/5
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
Dreamy magical fantasy PS Meant to rate Joy Division 3/5
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
Hell yeah. Certified back to back bangers from What's that Sound onward. What a synth lord. Big Sneaky Sound System and Early Calvin Harris styles. From:Disco To:Disco and Take a Little Time are highlights. Five stars if it started and finished stronger
Talking Heads
5/5
Beautiful, high energy without ever getting manic. Big sax in First Week/Last Week is so good. The mix on the acoustic version is sick too, his voice sounds unreal.
Parliament
4/5
Can hear heaps of Thunderfox in there, especially Unfunky UFO. Didn't like the fart synth in Night of the Thumpasorus, overpowered an otherwise sick closing track
David Bowie
4/5
So much range, he's got it all. Plenty of obvious hits but Looks is my highlight
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
Khaled
3/5
Silky smooth voice. Bit tacky at times, especially E'Dir E'Sseba.
Nirvana
5/5
Is this the best acoustic set ever played?
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Could've done with another 20 minutes of Heard it through the grapevine, what a jam
Leftfield
4/5
What a time to be alive, I imagine this was something like the rave generation's Revolver, except instead of the sitar it was ecstacy. Space Shanty is an absolute banger despite the tacky title track
Björk
4/5
Can hear so much Robyn, Rosin Murphy, Kimbra etc. Loved Crying and Play Dead is absolute perfect closing track - what a voice
Coldplay
5/5
Anyone who thinks Coldplay are a shit band is a fucking idiot. I would suggest they should go have a long hard look in the mirror. Yes their later more recent releases have been sub par but there are a thousand other bands who've milked it just the same (U2) without copping the hate that Coldplay have. This album is perfect. Shiver, Yellow, High Speed all obvious highlights. Everything's Not Lost is a killer closing track as well.
The Yardbirds
4/5
The wobble board sound in Hot House or Omagararshid is hilarious if you think about the dude playing it through the entire track. Jeff's Boogie is great, the stereo version of Turn Into Earth is psychedelic and very trippy with headphones on.
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Preeetttyy cheesy in parts, hopefully on purpose. "I'm turkey hungry, I'm chicken free." - wtf. "I'll be free as old confetti." - yowza. Hallelujah is super nice. Big harmonies in Desire As. Lots of Sex on Toast and Vaudeville Smash vibes.
4/5
Good solid UK alt rock. Resigned is beautiful, can hear the gorillaz in there heaps.
The Edge works hard to prop up Bono's totally uninspired writing. In A Little While is nice and Elevate is a classic but Peace on Earth is a sickening piece of music, shut up Bono.
Scott Walker
5/5
My favourite unheard album so far, it's very cool. Big baritone voice, flamenco guitar, strings, Gregorian chanting AND some scatting. The Old Man's Back Again is my highlight - the bass line is wild
Bee Gees
2/5
No disrespect to Redcliffe but this was average at best. Their harmonies sometimes sounds like Free Willy calling out for his mum when he was stuck in the fish tank. Suddenly and Whisper Whisper were good though.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
The outro to Satan is sick and I liked Sidewinder as well. Is This Music? is a great closing track too
The Coral
3/5
Tiny hint of Ska-ness that i didn't like but overall nice nice. Kind of psych in parts especially in Goodbye, Bad Man and Skeleton Key and he's got a bit of a Jim Morrison voice sometimes. Can here some Zutons in there as well.
The Pogues
3/5
My disdain for the fiddle and banjo wasnt cured but I did enjoy the story's in all the songs. The Band Played Waltzing Matilda was especially good. Also their Wikipedia page describes them as 'Folk Punk' which made me feel physically ill.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Super intense for a Wednesday morning, would probably enjoy it more in a different setting
Flamin' Groovies
4/5
Favourite band name so far. This was a big fat Jam loved it all, especially Doctor Boogie and Shakin All Over. Whiskey Woman was my highlight though - surprisingly beautiful. Also a great rendition of Louie Louie.
Louis Prima
5/5
Love hearing him tell his band to let it rip on their solos - SING UP. The call and response songs are great too, especially the Lip. Some of them are funny as well - Glad When You're Dead and the twist at the end of Banana Split is hilarious.
The Stooges
4/5
No Fun is my highlight
Beatles
3/5
Need to have another listen I think. All the jealousy and insecurity got a bit much at points - you blokes were the biggest band in the universe for goodness sakes
The Kinks
4/5
Rainy day in June and Sunny Afternoon are my two faves
Kate Bush
4/5
Fkn love this album, trippy and disorientating in all the right ways. Waking the Witch is straight up psychedelic
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
Sort of felt like I was waiting for my Burrito at Guzman to start with but it all came together at Pueblo Nuevo - I imagine Cat Empire would've listened to a lot of this kind of stuff.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Have been meaning to fill my Arcade Fire gap for a while but wasn't very impressed. Mediocre but will give it another crack to make sure
R.E.M.
4/5
Had lots of REM going on in the car with dad. Everybody Hurts and Man on the Moon are eternal classics but had never heard Ignoreland or Find the River which were also sick
Elastica
3/5
Didn't get much out of this kind of middle of the road alt rock. Connection would be my highlight though.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Ah ze Germans ya very fond of ze autobahn.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Kind of beautiful and kind of boring. Made me feel like a ciggie
Radiohead
4/5
Sick band sick album, bodysnatchers easy favourite. Weird Fishies and Faust Arp also great
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Bit of a Niel Young style to his voice. The Spiderbite song was weird but also seemed genuinely caring. The Gas was my highlight.
Pere Ubu
5/5
Weird, disorientating, talking heads on acid, on acid. Thriller! made me feel ill but somehow put a smile on my face. Actually the whole thing gave me a headache, does anyone have a Panadol? I imagine seeing them live would have been an absolute trip. Edit - just realised I accidentally listened to it on shuffle the first time. 2nd listen in sequence made a lot more sense but did not help the headache. Happy to discuss my five star rating with anyone who'll listen.
Kate Bush
4/5
Deeper understanding is a disturbingly accurate depiction of today. Rocket Tail is my highlight.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Loved Dusty ever since that scene in Pulp Fiction - Go make yourself a drink and I'll be down in two shakes of a lambs tail. Summer Is Over makes me feel like I'm riding off into a desert sunset after victory at a high noon duel.
Pavement
3/5
Nu Dad Rock
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Didn't give this as much time as it probably deserved
AC/DC
4/5
Long live pub rock
Billy Bragg
3/5
No songs sound the same but all equally beautiful
Elis Regina
5/5
Fuck yeah. O Medo De Amar O Medo De Ser Livre is an absolute tune and a half. Whole album 10/10 tight, funky, big lead breaks, huge voice and perfectly paced. Aprehendo a Jogar and Sai Dessa also biggies. I wish I spoke Portuguese
Alice In Chains
4/5
Perfect album to celebrate Fat Riff Friday
Led Zeppelin
4/5
More acoustic than I expected
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Nice harmonies but pretty insipid overall - A Song With No Words is a primo example. Too perfect, not very interesting. I liked Marrakesh Express and Pre-Road Downs though. Guinevere is pretty spooky too
Talking Heads
4/5
Short, sharp, tight funky. Take me to the river is an all time cover. Brian Eno is a genius
Nina Simone
3/5
I imagine Four Women would've hit pretty hard back then, sad that it is equally relevant today. Black is the colour of my true love's hair was great.
Paul Weller
5/5
[WHO IS THIS MAN? A perfect album. Not Crosby Stills and Nash perfect though. Perfect with an edge. So listenable] - This was my original review notes after first listen this morning. Listened again on the way home and still think it's great but not as great as that. Interesting how my first impression suffers from second listen scrutiny.
The Divine Comedy
5/5
Outrageously beautiful and beautifully outrageous (If... you were a horse I'd clean the crap out of your stable and never once complain). Orchestral and theatrical, first impression was Bowie but I think it's more Scott Walker. I assume Father John and Kirin J take a lot out of this kind of thing. Pretty impressive it was all recorded live as well.
The Soft Boys
4/5
Got a bit of a backlog to get through here since the weekend. Liked this, expected typical 80s synth pop but got rubber soul/revolver era Beatles instead
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
Very uninteresting and totally bland, feels very tacky. Whole album sounds like the theme song to I Dream Of Genie.
Maxwell
4/5
Lounge at its peak. Whole thing drips with sex and innuendo in a hilarious way. Would never get away with this on a first date.
The Doors
4/5
Goddamn Val Kilmer can sing (kidding). His voice sounds pretty different to later albums, loved how bluesy it is and how Riders on the Storm reminds me of Need For Speed Underground 2.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Rock solid breakdown at the end of Enola/Alone. Same as No Surface All Feeling. Nothing I haven't heard before but can't knock it.
John Martyn
4/5
Dreams by the Sea feels like I'm in the start of Dirty Harry. Dripping with 70s cop movie. Liked it way more on the second listen.
Black Sabbath
5/5
SHAAARRONNNN.
Three obvious big fat classic riffs in War Pigs, Paranoid and Iron Man but pretty sick how they can also pull off Planet Caravan in the middle of it all. I think Electric Funeral is my highlight though, can hear heaps of gizz and ORB.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Big RHCP vibes to start with. Absolute shredders especially on Obvious. Can hear where Slint got some style too I think. Been Caught Stealing is sick
Kanye West
5/5
Kanye and Coldplay I'll defend them both to death - possibly the most caucasian statement ever made but I stand by it. Yeezy is a genius. So many great moments - All of the Lights, Rick Ross' verse on Devil in a New Dress, every Pusha T verse, Chris Rock's skit at the end of Blame Game, Bon Ivor all over Lost in the World. Hell of a Life is my highlight though. YEEZY TAUGHT ME.
Massive Attack
4/5
Yeeeessssss liked it. Airport music in the best sense of the term. Still prefer Groove Armada but the hip hop all over this is better than GA pull off. Excellent cover of Be Thankful too - TUNE
The Cramps
2/5
I'm sure this would've been sick to see live but doesn't come across great in album format for me
Pearl Jam
4/5
Used to absolutely tear up Even Flow on Guitar Hero lll
D'Angelo
5/5
Better than Maxwell's Hang Suite, would get away with it on a first date.
Gene Clark
3/5
Eric Clapton with a banjo. Loved the big bass lines throughout, especially on No Other and Silver Phial.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Have loved this album for a fair while, highly recommend watching their Documentary. Would love to have experienced that Manchester scene
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
Radiohead with all of the pretension but none of the talent. Shitty lyrics, tacky song names, Dad Rock at its most uninteresting.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
It was okay, I'm a fan of the brass under otherwise pretty heavy rock but didnt grab me
Eminem
5/5
Full on. Loved it, hated it. The shock factor it holds is one of a kind.The opening skit was ridiculous, Kim was proper unsettling, Stan is an eternal classic, the hooks on Bitch Please II and Drug Ballad are sick. But the blatant and repeated homophobia and misogyny is pretty hard to get passed, even the product-of-its-time defense doesn't cut it on this one. Even so it still hits high on Albums of All Time lists (eg. 145 on Rolling Stone's 2020 top 500 of all time list). I'll stand by my rating system though, I can't deny that this album was a (at times hellish) thought provoking rollercoaster.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Had never dived this deep into LZ Addie from Kashmir. Watched an interview with Kevin Parker the other day talking about John Bonham's drumming so was focused mostly on that. Good cooking music.
U2
2/5
Sha la la shut up again Bono your songwriting is seriously cooked. A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. To be fair this was way better than All That You Can't Leave Behind. Still not great though.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
Wanted to hate it but didn't. Satan Lied To Me is my highlight, I'm a sucker for those spoken word bridges. Still fkn hate the banjo though.
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
Definite headphone album, love how forward the vocals and bass are. Wish I spoke french. Girl on the cover reminds me of Lor. Melody - Prise Complete is my highlight.
4/5
Great storytelling sick guitar. Loved the little piano/organ situation on a track I can't remember the name of and can always get around a Thom Yorke feature. Kamikaze is my highlight.
Cee Lo Green
4/5
Starting to notice that anything with the Pharrell touch is a good sign. Old school southern styles big Outkast vibes. Can also hear a bit of Anderson Paak as well. The One was my highlight, sick TI verse
Johnny Cash
4/5
Interested in the history of all these prison shows. Boy Named Sue is an all time classic
Beth Orton
3/5
Nothing ground breaking but nice enough. Couldn't cause me harm is my highlight
Eagles
3/5
Preface I love the Eagles a lot BUT..
Such a strong 3 track intro gets diluted into church cordial by the tepid harmony ballads that occupy the rest of the album. The banjo is only just acceptable on the end of Take It Easy but then they take the it way too far on the rest of the tracks. This would be a five star record if they maintainted the momentum of the first three, especially Witchy Woman.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
This is the easily the easiest 5 star album I've heard so far. 1hr 40 of absolute perfection. The 60s was the birth of ROCK but the 70s was where it all really came together for everything else. Too think this was released in the same era of so much 70s perfection and stand up and deliver a faultless record is unbelievable. I've got so much more to say and so many more listens of this to get through. Genuinely the first time in 99 days I've been legitimately blown away.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Beautiful. Wasn't a huge fan of the jazzier parts but very nice overall
Pantera
4/5
Fat fkn riffs. The way they manipulate the tempo is sick. Walk, This Love and Live in a Hole are my highlights.
Jacques Brel
2/5
Not for me thanks
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Tom Petty but not as good
The Pogues
3/5
Wasn't looking forward to it but again pleasantly surprised. Hasn't cured my aversion to fiddles or banjos but didn't hate it. Loved the Dubliners bits
Pet Shop Boys
5/5
Easy five. Possibly my favourite album so far. For some reason I was expecting hardcore gangster rap but what I got instead was way better. Biiig late MGMT vibes (almost questionably similar to Little Dark Age in places) and can hear where Client Liaison get some of their styles from too. This is a great album. No real highlights because there isn't a bad track on it but October Symphony was a stand out
Funkadelic
4/5
I remember not liking this for some reason the first time I heard it but I was all about it this time around. Loved the big wailing guitar, especially all over Super Stupid and the title track. Also the weird little triangle-on-acid thing on Back in Our Mind is sick. Definitely better than what I've heard from Parliament so far but still a 4.
Bee Gees
3/5
Started off way stronger than Odessa but they went back to they kind of lost me again about halfway through. Was hoping for some kind of big concept album about the battle of Trafalgar or something
Beck
5/5
Fuck yeah what a freaky little album beautiful sax flutters throughout (especially Where It's At) excellent outros on Hotwax and Novacane (and a Daft Punk sample?), all the weird little dial tones, big cuica time in the bridge of High 5 (sick track overall).. heaps of cool little moments that culminate in an overall excellent listening experience.
Aerosmith
3/5
A few undeniable fat riffs but nothing special overall. Steven Tyler gives me the creeps and I've also never been able to look at glam rock the same since watching the Decline of Western Civilization
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Perfect kitchen music
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Nothing special
5/5
This is where the Kinks start making all types of sense to me. A perfect definition of weird and wonderful. Loved all of it. Mr Churchill Says (absolutely cracking bridge), Nothing to Say and Plastic Man are the big highlights. His voice on Mindless Child of Motherhood is amazing.. Actually just his voice in general is crazy-weird-good-can't-explain-it at times. The Kazoo attack at the end of Hat Like is hilarious. Shangri-La, Yes Sir No Sir and Some Mother's Son are pretty sad. Some of the Stereo versions really bring them to life with headphones on, especially Plastic Man.
Queen
5/5
How can the album that bore Bohemian and Rhapsody not to be a five. Love the 70s shredding.
Venom
3/5
Another perfect album for Fat Riff Friday. The blues bridge on Teachers Pet was sick but Sacrifice is my highlight. Also Heavens on Fire sounds suspiciously similar to Ace of Spades
Gang Starr
3/5
That bell sound is back on Say Your Prayer, fucking love that little bell. This was a 3 until I read that all this is produced with two turntables. The production was getting a bit repetitive but if all they're working with is samples on a turntables then fair enough. His rhymes are a bit cheesy at times but all up pretty sick.
Primal Scream
3/5
Not a huge fan. Lots of the tracks were way too abstract to pull of the 6min+ run time.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Hard not to like all that sax but it did get a bit same same after a while.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Good try Welsh Blur, good try. (Furry = Blur-y?)
The Replacements
4/5
Eddie Vedder / Pearl Jam vibes all over it, especially on Sixteen Blue (also my highlight). Answering Machine and 20th Century Boy were also cool. I think I preferred all the outakes/demos over the final tracks, especially Answer Machine and Sixteen Blue.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
Beautiful stuff
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Real nice low fi dad rock, hits nice and hard at points. Verging on fat riffs if it wasn't for all the fuzz (not a bad thing). The Post is an absolute track but Don't can probably calm down a bit
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Aside from the fact it sounds like the soundtrack to every 90s teen drama ever made I absolutely loved it
Marvin Gaye
3/5
My man Marvin needs to sort out his love life, the first half of the album felt like he was just whinging about marriage. Second half was more fun and sax filled, loved the Funky Space Reincarnation. Album cover is pretty suspect too
The Doors
3/5
Way more psychedelic Vietnam war apocalypse now vibes compared to LA Woman. The End and Light My Fire are obvious classics but Alabama Song is straight up creepy
Talvin Singh
3/5
Surprisingly relaxing and surprisingly doof at points. Sutrix was my highlight
Sex Pistols
4/5
All time. How good are his rolling Rs. Anarchy in the UK obvious highlight (Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 anyone?)
Cypress Hill
4/5
5 out of 5 production - it is funky as fuck. The writing was pretty full on at times even by Biggie/Eminem standards but it didn't stop me nodding my head. Tres Equis and Latin Lingo are easy highlights (maybe because they're not in English - just kidding)
Fiona Apple
3/5
Mediocre
JAY Z
4/5
Can hear Kanye all over the production but my favourite was Timberland on Hola Hovita. Girls is a classic and Eminem's verse on renegade is unsettlingly good.
Jamiroquai
5/5
God dammnit this an incredible album. I really struggle to think of any other record that is this interesting AND funky. Out of control momentum that is impossible to stop moving to, I reckon you could power a small Dutch village with the energy this thing emits. Every single track is out of this world but my big highlights are Too Young to Die,and Revolution 1993 (Any track (in the demo) that includes "TAKE IT TO THE BRIDGE" is an obvious 5/5). Fricken sick lead break on Whatever It Is. There's even some bonus cuica in Music Of The Mind. Also my best friend the funky bell sound is back all over it but especially on the opening track and Too Young.
Suede
3/5
Bowie cover album, including the title
Common
2/5
Not super impressed, pretty cheesy and empty production
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
What a time to be alive
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Kind of middle of the road indie alt rock. I really liked the big Kinks vibe on the Dark Of the Matinee and also appreciated the self awareness but no other real standouts
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
I know this is a hot take but I've always thought Fleetwood Mac are overrated. I particularly disliked every single one of the Buckingham tracks - What Makes You Think You're the One is especially off putting. Did he have a four year old drumming for him? The fact that the $1million production cost makes it the most expensive album ever made makes it even worse and his attempt to channel David Byrne have fallen very very short. I get the valiant attempt of trying not to make a Rumores 2.0 but fkn hell go easy. McVie's weren't that much better. On the flip side, all the Stevie Nicks tracks are excellent. Sara and Storm were really really good and saved this album from the dreaded Vokes 2/5 rating.
Thundercat
3/5
Took a while to settle in but once I got in the groove it was good. There's funny and serious themes all overlayed on a weird funky bass line formula. Drink Dat is an excellent anti party lifestyle tune, Kendricks verse on Walk on By is obviously excellent and Tokyo is weird but good.
The Who
3/5
Need to listen again for the concept of it, nothing special from a surface listen
Sonic Youth
4/5
Moody, noisey and cool. Can hear where lots of bands have drawn influence like Slint, Pavement Car Seat Headrest etc. Seems like the very early days of dad rock without actually being dad rock. Highlights are The Sprawl (love the spoken word) and Eric's Trip.
The Avalanches
5/5
A big bright spring time party where all my mates are having a beautiful time. Complex and intricately layered without being hard to listen to. They somehow manage to capture a thousand textures and feelings in every song (eg Etoh). Love the foreshadowing of the horse neigh early on before it comes back on Frontier Psychiatrist (and all the reoccuring samples for that matter). Also love the vinyl crackle that permeates through the whole thing. And the intros and outros all seem to be incredibly well thought out and compliment the incoming tracks so well. They're all 5/5 songs but highlights have to be Radio, Two Hearts in 3/4 Time and Electricity (huge tune). Pablo's Cruise gets an honourable mention too, what a freaky track.
Also.. 𝖆𝖚𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖊 𝖕𝖗𝖎𝖉𝖊 𝖇𝖗𝖆
Public Enemy
3/5
Hard hitting production and Chuck D's socially relevant writing is kind of compromised by FLAVA FLAVS direct references to his own personal wife beating and (almost extreme) homophobic undertakings outlined in A Letter to The New York Post. Seems like this is FLAVA FLAV'S only real contribution to the record which totally decimates any sincere attempts at addressing broader social issues. I thought Chuck D's delivery was 5/5 though, there are a couple of songs where you can really prominently here is breathing techniques which was interesting. I'm conflicted on my rating, FLAVA FLAV deserves a 1/5 but Chuck deserves a 5 so I'm landing on 3.
T. Rex
4/5
Bowie in a good way
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Pretty ahead of its time for 2003. Maps is obviously a big tune.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
5/5
Perfect in its simplicity
Steve Winwood
2/5
Very average
Ute Lemper
3/5
Bit dramatic
Wire
4/5
Short fast loud and so good. Can hear this having so much influence on everything from Talking Heads to the Chats. Loved how the drums were mixed - the triplet cymbals in Lowdown got me good. Three Girl Rhumba and the title track were also great. Lowdown and Surgeon is my highlight.
Liz Phair
4/5
Great album, edgy Kate Bush that sounds like it's had a lot of influence on heaps of alt rock punk stuff around today especially in Aus. Dance of the Seven Veils, Mesmerising, Girls!.., Divorce Song all massive tunes.
Bob Dylan
5/5
I'm conscious of a certain pressure to "get" the Dyl man sometimes and at the start of this I just wasn't there. But after it settled in a really enjoyed it. Also been finding a new appreciation for the blues lately so this album was very relevant. Loved his response to Norwegian Wood as Fourth Time Round. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands was my easy highlight.
Fairport Convention
3/5
The dreaded folk rock banjo returns. Was prepared to hate this but was pleasantly surprised by a couple of songs. The Lark in the Morning was way too much though.
Os Mutantes
4/5
Weird and wonderful quirk factory. The Cuica is fast becoming one of my favourite instruments.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Bit over the top but I really liked Travelling Light.
Megadeth
3/5
Not a great example of a good Metal album
Talking Heads
5/5
If Sisyphus had this in his headphones there would be no fable to tell. Unrelenting and irreversible forward motion. The Great Curve's hypnotic cyclical rythhm draws you into a state of fevered delerium, with the only hints of sanity appearing in the form of the sporadic lead breaks. Seen and Not Seen follows a narrative that's beautifully relatable yet totally abstract. Listening Wind is deceptively heavy in its story and Overload feels very ominous and Floyd.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
First thoughts went to Radiohead but then all I could hear was Ball Park Music. Nothing bad but not great
Super Furry Animals
5/5
Genre bending prog that's full of surprises. His voice reminds me of Damon Albarn at points but really doesn't sound like anything I've heard before. Some of the songs are hilarious in both their writing and progression, like the industrial noise outro of No Sympathy that transitions into the lounge strings of Juxtaposed with U. Also loved the places that Receptacle for the Respectable took me. Presidential Suite also gets an honourable mention. Loved it all.
Elvis Costello
4/5
Big Billy Joel styles. Really liked it - wasn't expecting to but not sure why.
Tom Waits
2/5
Too long, didn't get it.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Bit tepid at points but it's a nice piece of late 60s American innocence
Al Green
4/5
Not as good as Al Green Explores Your Mind but still nice.
The Jam
4/5
Paul Weller is definitely my favourite discovery from this undertaking
Billie Holiday
4/5
Beautiful voice but it all started to sound very same same after a while. Just made it to a four.
Paul Simon
4/5
Enjoyed this way more than I expected. Lots of weird and wonderful moments
Sepultura
4/5
Perfect croissant making music
Neil Young
5/5
Loved every minute. Neil is the absolute man.
Wilco
3/5
Mediocre dad rock. Only just made the three star mark.
The Dictators
5/5
High energy and catchier then expected protopunk that doesn't take it's self too seriously. Hilarious cover of I Got You Babe. Also liked Cars and Girls. Lots of shredding scattered throughout as well. "I think Lou Reed is a creep." Also protopunk is fun to say. PROTOPUNK. I would buy this if I came across a hard copy so I'm giving it the big five.
Suede
4/5
This was pretty good despite his annoying Bowie voice imitations which was too much at points. The Drowners was an excellent tune. Sleeping Pills is comically dramatic. YOU'RE A WATERR SIGHN, AND I'M AN AYRE SIGHN/Too Siamese to catch the leaves from those trees/Sweet FA to do today. Lay off the valium matey. The horns in Breakdown were sick.
Love
5/5
Required a couple of listens but this was an excellent record that seems heaps far ahead of its time. Orange Skies is such a beautiful tune and easily my highlight, sounds like it could've been released yesterday. Revelation is a big old journey which I especially loved the last 8 minutes of, closing out a track with a drum solo is prime time.
5/5
While I don't absolutely love every single song on here I find myself going back and listening to it over and over again. It's hard not to imagine how mind blowing this must have sounded to a Beatles fan (and the rest of the world) post Beatlemania . Although they weren't the first to do it, the commercial implications it had for psych rock's emergence into the mainstream is worth five stars in itself. She's Leaving Home is probably my highlight, followed closely by With a Little Help and When I'm Sixty Four.
Neil Young
5/5
He really is one of the best. Something so mysterious and unconventional about his voice - seems like it should be grating and annoying but it never is. Vampire Blues is such an excellent song.
Paul Simon
4/5
I love his writing and storytelling but not a huge fan of some of the music - That Was Your Mother was particularly not good; I think the accordion is going in the shit instrument pile along with the banjo and fiddle. I did like the way he folded in some of the Africa influences though, especially at the start of Diamonds on Soles of Her Shoes. Obviously You Can Call Me Al is one of the all time great Ric's tunes, the bass breakdown deserves five stars alone. Four stars all things considered.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Middle of the road lounge tunes
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
I was about to berate them for sounding exactly do like The Stone Roses until I realised SR was five years behind this release. Regardless I'm not a huge fan, pretty uninspired writing and it was all a bit claustrophobic.
Bill Evans Trio
5/5
Unexpectedly easy listening, super accessible and engaging. The live format works well, love the chatter and glass clinking. Even though the band's namesake is on Piano I thought the bass was way more impressive. Has got to be the world's most undercover drummer; he's somehow always there but never there. Would definitely benefit from several more listens. All Of You is the highlight. Although lots of the stuff from this era is difficult to relate to and tempting to dismiss, this exercise has made interesting to imagine what it would've sounded like to me in the context of that time in space. Also have been dishing out lots of five stars lately.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
One of my favourite unheard hip hop albums so far. Doesn't sound like he takes himself too seriously but hits hard all the same. Lots of solid features but surprisingly the Ne Yo hook was my favourite - especially loved Kanye's verse on the remix. Can definitely hear where Action Bronson gets his style from. The Bad Mouth Kid skit was hilarious.
The Sonics
2/5
Thought this was pretty average even with my time and space context lens on. It's like a really shit version of everything that the Beatles and Kinks were already doing. Strychnine was kind of punk though. Also the cover photo makes them look like a bunch of college boy twats
Portishead
4/5
Real spooky, perfect for an overcast and moody Friday. Very mysterious. Deep down dark almost on the 90s rave spectrum somewhere but not really. Would need several listens to get the full experience, headphones are a must.
Massive Attack
2/5
Two '94 trip hop albums in a row. Much preferred portishead out of the two and it was no where near as good as Blue Lines. I do like how the album artwork is a burnt out version of the flammable sign on the first album cover.
New Order
3/5
Not a huge fan of this but want to dive into the Joy Division/New Order universe further as I know they've got a bit of a cult going on. Also love 24 Hour Party People which got pretty deep into the Manchester scene at the time, especially The Hacienda's influence on club life and partying. This one's not for me but am keen to here earlier stuff.
Bob Dylan
4/5
My favourite Dylan album as far as I've listened. Still got no idea what he's talking about but the cryptic style kind of lures you in after a while, almost to the point it makes you think you know what he's trying to say/tell you but then you think about it more and lose it again. I like the youthful/ earnest sound in his voice too. Desolation Row is such a great track and a perfect album closer.
Pulp
4/5
Very keen to dive deeper into these guys. Bowie like in its melodrama but hilarious and meta and not taking its self seriously at all.
James Brown
2/5
The band was probably a 4/5 and 50% of JB's singing was 3/5 but the other 50% was incoherent screaming that really didn't sit well with me. That coupled with the way too forward high pitched wailing of the girls was just all a total turn off. Close to a one for me but the band saved it.
Marianne Faithfull
5/5
This blew me away in a weirdly subtle and understated way. Wasn't really paying much attention to it until I noticed the steady increase in intensity that seems permeate the entire record but which sharply climbs from The Ballad of Lucy Jordan onward. Wide ranging social commentary on a number of issues and themes contribute to a very provocative and captivating listening experience. I love how strained her voice is especially when it breaks. Brain drain is a highlight and the synth/sax outro to Guilt is amazing. Also her dad was an M15 spy - how cool. Have already listened to her other stuff which is totally different but equally as good. Feeling some big Neil Young energy from her catalogue.
Madonna
2/5
Not for me thanks
Joan Baez
4/5
Beautiful in its simplicity is something I've said on previous albums but this is another perfect example. Folk that I can get behind. Nothing more beautiful than a person and their guitar. Great cover of House of the Rising Sun.
Peter Tosh
2/5
Totally down for the cause but pretty difficult to listen to
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Way way better than Born to Run but still struggle to see the mass appeal. Again it's probably because I'm not a blue jeans wearing factory worker from 1979 mid west America.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Excellent example of an effective motion picture soundtrack. Cafe Regio makes me feel like I'm at a late 60s Californian pool party.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Should give this more of a chance but gets a bit repetitive
Elvis Presley
4/5
Was expecting 45 minutes of jail house rock but was pleasantly to surprised to listen to a wonderfully varied mix of tunes that showcases the man's range perfectly
Incubus
3/5
Not a massive fan of the 90s nu metal situation but there's some undeniably fat riffs
The Who
4/5
Full bodied rock and roll. Much better than most of the studio records I've previously dived into to
Bob Dylan
5/5
Another one that has gotten me one or two steps closer to understanding the enigma that is the Dyl man. I think I said this about the last one but this one is my new fav. This is where he starts making sense. Highly emotive, not too abstract and very engaging storytelling.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Wipe your feet really good on the rhythm rug. One of the greatest hip hop records of all time. Genius writing. Flawless delivery. Impeccable production value. Every song runs like honey and each interlude provides a perfectly paced breath to introduce the next chapter of the story. Packed with some of the greatest 90's hip hop tracks of all time, Can I Kick It being the obvious example. Description of a Fool is the progressive antithesis of the toxic behaviour glorified by so many of their peers at the time. Left My Wallet in El Segundo is a comedically leaning work of story telling perfection. Both Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts and Mr Muhammad even have elements of early 90's rave styles (it's a stooone groove, baby). Dropping a track purporting the benefits of a healthy diet in the middle of it all is a master stroke, not to mention hilarious. The near incoherent French over Lucien also falls into this category. One for the collection.
Waylon Jennings
4/5
Country I can get around. Old Five and and Dimers, Black Rose and Slow Rollin' Low are my highlights. Dudes lived an interesting life, shared a house with Johnny Cash and gave up his seat on the flight that killed Buddy Holly.
808 State
4/5
I get around this energy. Pretty wild for pre 90s
Robert Wyatt
3/5
Had it on as background music but there was some freaky shit going on. It's AHRT ROCK man. Pretty amazing in the context of him becoming a paraplegic before writing/ recording.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Another background music, didn't hear anything to write home about.
Violent Femmes
3/5
Much better from what I remember seeing them at 2014 Falls but still so so. Kind of funny kind of creepy double entendre filled lyrics is weird
Frank Zappa
5/5
Holy fucken shit
The Waterboys
3/5
Look, it's fine but you all knowy feelings on the fiddle, banjo and folk music in general by now
Grizzly Bear
2/5
The album is fine but considering all the contemporary albums that didn't make the revised list I think I could've gone without listening to it before I depart. Two Weeks brings me back to the Childish Gambino remix he did
Queen
3/5
An edgier side of Queen that I didn't really know existed. Can hear a lot of Zep and Who. All feels a bit disjointed almost like it started as a concept album then decided against it half way through. March of the Black Queen is a huge tune. Some parts verge on glam metal which informs their future direction I guess.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
Weird, unsettling, fills me with an impending sense of pending doom. Much like the sting of an Irukandji. Some of it seems to fall into the realm of what Talking Heads were doing around the same time with the world music integration. I imagine I would've absolutely frothed how weird and abstract it was given the benefit of time, space and place but here and now it doesn't sit right at all. *shudders*
Pixies
4/5
Gave this a good couple of listens as I've been looking forward to landing on a pixies album in this little adventure. Have always wanted to do a deep dive on them but never got around to it. This is a solid album with a few 5 star songs. Overall 4 but keen to hear more from them.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Pusherman and Superfly are both obvious all time classics. Love the growling sax that makes itself known throughout. The percussion is also particularly good and stands out pretty strongly on all the tracks, who's in charge of those bongos? Some incredible instrumentals on here as well, especially Think. I now wish I had given Shaft five stars so I could justify five staring this too, but I rate them equally as good so they both get a very very strong 4
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
In line and time with what the Pixies were up to by the sound of it. Lots more fuzz and noise though. Feed Me With Your Kiss is sick tune. Nothing Much To Lose also a good one. 50 points for the all lowercase band name.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
Souvenir is big Pet Shop Boys and hence MGMT vibes. The percussive foundation of Sealife provides a rich textrual back drop... ahh nevermind. Early electronic can go one of two ways and this fell on the good side.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
5/5
A beautiful slow burn. Everything I love about the Eagles but with way more substance. Gram Parsons was an interesting character by all accounts.
The Modern Lovers
4/5
No Post Punk without Proto Punk. Can hear how much influence this has had.
Slayer
5/5
😲
Nirvana
4/5
Never fully understood how much Frogstomp took from this. Not necessarily a bad thing (especially considering they were able to do it at 15) but it's very same same. Still prefer Frogstomp but important to recognise influence.
MGMT
5/5
There is no question that Time to Pretend, Electric Feel and Kids are incredibly well written and perfectly executed pop masterpieces that embody the neon soaked electro stylings of the pre '10s Myspace era, but I couldn't help feeling a twinge of cringe when I heard Kids as a direct result of hearing it over and over and over for the past 15 years. When consideration is given to the entire album you realise that MGMT are a highly complex organism that are able to shift from bright accessible electronica into the realm of deep, dark psychedelia with very little warning. Everything from Fourth Dimensional Transition onwards (literal nod to the album's change of pace?) makes it seem as if as if Side 1 and Side 2 were written for completely different audiences. The Handshake is easily my highlight, would love to listen to it in a float tank. This album is clear proof that a band can be far more than their often flogged singles. Maybe the cringe was a result of my own ventures into hair straighteners and side fringes. In any case that time, space and place will live on forever in this album.
Eric Clapton
3/5
Bit tepid at times. WHERE'S THE SHRED ERIC?
Pink Floyd
5/5
Where on Earth (Moon?) do I start with this record. Listening to it with a more (or less?) conscious mind makes the pure unadulterated musical genius way more apparent. The beautiful sax lines layered throughout, the spoken word, the soulful/choral backing vocals, the ability to start a track deep in the psychedelic underworld and bring it out bursting forth into the clear light of a mid June afternoon in the middle of a botanical garden. Hair stands on end and my heart rate noticeably increases at the thought. Beautiful and intensely layered arrangements that never suffocate, always give you space to explore. A perfect soundtrack to the immense theatrics that only a cloudscape against a crisp winter sky can provide (The Great Gig In the Sky?). Enough allusions to experiences on the astral plain thinly veiled as questionable poetry, what a fkn incredible album.
Elbow
5/5
Holy shit this hit me like a tonne of bricks. What a beautiful record. It's what post X&Y Coldplay could've been but never were. Emotive, evocative, poetic observations of the examined life. "Straight to my head like the first cigarette of the day." " We kissed like we invited it" "Yes I'm asking you to invest in a horse that's only good for glue." Never tepid, every song has an edge layered somewhere within it that captivates eg the Alt J style dirty baseline in The Bones of You or the straight up foals style shred monster that is Grounds for Divorce - it's fucking orchestral. THIS is a contemporary record that deserves to be here.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Not an ideal Tuesday soundtrack but beautiful nonetheless
XTC
4/5
Slow to start but all comes together nicely post 1000 umbrellas. Ballet for a Rainy Day and The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul were my highlights. Also loved the string arrangement in 1000 umbrellas. Get around that Todd Rungren production.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Second time being disappointed by Tim Buckley. Absolutely no edge to it. Also lay off the vibraphone.
Portishead
4/5
Probably a bit too experimental for me to listen to again but appreciated how complex it is. So many sounds packed into one record and her voice is incredible. There were a couple of specific songs that stood out, namely Small and The Rip.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Noisy and low fi. Can hear it influencing plenty of other genres and bands
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Beautiful sunset album. Excellent harmonies
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Into my arms is obviously a beautiful tune but this didn't catch me like I thought it would.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Love a concept album but was hoping for more
Primal Scream
3/5
Weird 90s abstract trippy electronica that seems to appear a lot in this list fused with some classic Brit Pop (Medication) makes this an all up a nice time
Mylo
5/5
What an absolute fucking ripper. Have heard Drop the Pressure 1,000,000 times before on dance floors but so good to hear it in the context of its album. Has all the best elements of Sneaky Sound System, Pnau and Groove Armada. Improved my mood a lot after listening.
Nick Drake
5/5
The subtle imperfections of his perfect guitar playing gives the record soul and structure that makes the addition of any other instruments superfluous. His ability to create a soundscape with one instrument is raw talent.
Nightmares On Wax
4/5
So glad this wasn't a reggae album as I expected. Perfect example of airport music.
Orbital
5/5
I so wish that this kind of stuff was breaking when I turned 18. Trap and Dubstep will always have a special place but this is so much more interesting and mind blowing. Totally out of control soundscape that transports you to a different universe via an aural blackhole. This record is the 50m high solid gold gate that leads to the other astral dimensions we've been seeking since the beginning of time.
Nirvana
4/5
Angst ridden fat riffs perfect album for a Friday buzz. Milk it would be my highlight
Erykah Badu
4/5
Real solid and jazzy. Lots of smooth funky guitar and piano and her voice is mesmerising at times.
The Clash
4/5
Ridiculous amount of attitude. Joe Strummer is a cool character.
R.E.M.
4/5
Love the harmonies in End of the World and One I Love - listened to the those songs in particular a lot on road trips with dad. Also love how tink tink tink ride gets incorporated into a few of the songs. The drumming is actually sick across the whole record. Big Billy Joel sax on Fireplace. Oddfellows Local 151 is a amazingly spooky unsettling tune to close it all out. Always thought of them as early 90s dad rock, didn't realise they were so prolific from early 80s onward. Close to a five star but not quite
Gillian Welch
3/5
Pretty guitar, pretty voice, pretty boring.
Little Richard
4/5
I assume this would have been something never heard before which is pretty cool to think about.
The Cure
4/5
Wouldn't be the cure without being too long and too self-indulgent. That said this is my favourite Cure album so far
2/5
He's lost me again. Pacing was off, lots of songs started sounding like the last
The B-52's
3/5
Cool band, wanted it to go longer than it did.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Big Tom Petty vibes but not sure who came first.
Dr. Octagon
5/5
Flow's out of control, writing's weird as fuck but funny and pretty smart at times - did someone say non sequitur? Production is big trip hop/avalanches sound. Compellingly off putting, upsetting and unsettling. Can't stop listening. Have I been possessed? What a disturbingly intriguing experience. Don't mind me I'm diving in for a second listen, if I'm not back in 1hr 5min send a search party
The Black Keys
2/5
Could've gone without hearing this before meeting my maker
Lucinda Williams
2/5
Not a fan of this one either. The literals lyricism is way too literal.
Black Flag
5/5
In isolation the album is a solid 4 but she
consideration is given to the influence this has had on a lot of the music I love today it's easy to justify the big 5. Imagine the stares going on between the drums and bass during the intro of No More. Accidentally fucking listened to it in shuffle, only the second time I've done that in 243 albums which is a pretty good run. Hate doing that though.
Stephen Stills
4/5
There are so many five star songs on here but with the exception of Colorado, he really lost me in the mid section between Fallen Eagle and Johnny's Garden. Too much fiddle and slide guitar in this section detracted from an otherwise beautiful album. It finds its edge again real nice from Bound
to Fall, his vocal range is incredible. Move Around is a sick tune, his voice in this reminds me of someone that I can't put my finger on (maybe Neil Young which would make sense). The drumming across the whole record is out of control good.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
Not for me at all but I will say that I Could Be Dreaming is a pretty perfect indie pop/rock sound that has stuck around even today
Lambchop
3/5
Had potential to be a five star find a la Elbow but never quite got there
Adam & The Ants
4/5
Expected the usual 80s synth that seems to dominate anything from the 80s in this list but was pleasantly surprised. Almost verging in talking heads early Post Punk. Lots of kind of fat riffs in there too. Doesn't sound like anyone's taking them too seriously either which I love.
The La's
3/5
Scraped in at a 3 because of There She Goes
Supergrass
4/5
Sick album, didn't quite hit the 5 mark but very very close. Would've got there if they tightened up the run time a bit, loses its focus a bit in parts. Hollow Little Reign is the highlight, love the meandering psychadeliea.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Slow burn, verging on psychadelic. Love the (what I assume to be) wah wah voice throughout. In fact it does not psychadelic a lot at points - Exhibit A being 13 minutes of Sex Machine (the sax that breaks in at 11 minutes is straight up sexual)
Judas Priest
2/5
Mid to low range beer drinking stadium metal. Steeler was a tune but
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Hard not to give it a five based on Respect alone. Visionary, trail blazer, infinitely talented.
Sugar
1/5
No idea what NME were smoking when they voted this AOTY 1992 but it was probably meth.
Elvis Presley
5/5
Was not expecting this to be anywhere near as good as it was. Never really enjoyed the late 50s stuff which I find pretty corny, but this is on entirely different level which I think has a lot to do with the band behind him. Someone give that man on bass a medal. This is ultimate cool. Soul infused almost funk composition overlaid with perfectly delivered lyrics. The man's got a voice no doubt about it.
Nick Drake
4/5
This is very lounge, perfect dinner party music but still has enough of an edge to maintain my attention throughout. Beautiful understated guitar playing. BIG sax on Poor Boy, don't even realise it's there until the last 30 seconds. Love the weird abstract writing, get lots of Aldous Harding vibes over it all. Pretty sure I've come across another album of his so far and think I might've ripped into him a bit - if so he's redeemed himself here.
Hole
2/5
Solid but middle of the road, probably unnecessary for me to listen to prior to my ultimate demise.
Guided By Voices
3/5
What I imagine Rubber Soul era Beatles to have sounded like if they had formed a lowfi garage band in the mid 90s
The Go-Betweens
5/5
Fuck yeah BRISBANE. Very tempted to give it a 5 based on that alone but I shall remain impartial. I initially thought it started a bit slow but it actually paces nicely up to a big crescendo from Streets of Your Town onward. Clouds and Was There Anything I Could Do are both very very strong songs. Can hear heeaaapps of Rolling Blackouts coming out of this. I've always loved listening to Streets and imagining it was written only with Brisbane in mind (which I doubt it was, but still nice to think about). Anyway FIVE STARS.
George Michael
2/5
Not even sure if Faith is a good song
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Imagine it would've been huge in time and space
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
Tried starting and finishing this on 3 different occasions and was never in the right mood. Sounds like it's got some potential but not suitable for the times I listened
Van Halen
5/5
Way more complex than the straight up shred fest I was expecting. Still plenty of shred obviously but also some deeper cuts like little dreamer, what a voice (and love the bell smash). The doo wop harmonies into shred in I'm the one is hilariously good as well.
Steely Dan
2/5
Definitely no Aja
The Specials
2/5
Man have been having a rough time of it the last few albums
5/5
Not a bad song on there. Not my favourite Bowie but still incredible
Soundgarden
5/5
Wasn't expecting it to be as good as Badmotorfinger but it definitely is
Dire Straits
5/5
Easily in my Top 10 bands of all time and has a shit load of huge classics at the top but does lose a bit of its momentum at the back end. Five stars anyway for THE greatest intro of all time on Money For Nothing. Who comes up with that shit. Also never knew that it was Sting singing it.
Fats Domino
4/5
Short, sharp, fun and straight to the point
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Title track is a huge classic but also love Bluebird and Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five. Like how there's call backs to previous tracks scattered throughout, at some points it verges on psychadelic
Jazmine Sullivan
3/5
Socially relevant for 2021 and pretty funny at times but of all the releases in the past 12 months not sure why this one would make the cut.
John Cale
2/5
Boredom in a glass ready to be sipped like church cordial
Don McLean
3/5
Good old fashioned Americana
Bon Jovi
4/5
Iconic 80s guitar tone and a few anthemic masterpieces slightly spoiled by the indulgent run time
Blondie
3/5
Heart of Glass is an amazing tune but was hoping for more from the rest of the record
The Byrds
3/5
Not bad not great, liked the early psychedelic aspects
The Prodigy
3/5
Doesn't hold up as well compared to some of its contemporaries but from a time and space perspective it would've been absolutely mind blowing
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Big energy and all about the top gun reference
The Charlatans
3/5
I think this list is oversaturated with Brit Pop but this was pretty good. Especially liked the Area 51 instrumental
Tricky
3/5
I think this list is also oversaturated with Trip Hop but this was also pretty good, it not a bit unsettling
Pink Floyd
4/5
Sonic masterpiece
Baaba Maal
3/5
Didn't appreciate the preset drums and horns
Burning Spear
2/5
Reggae still not for me
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Not my favourite Neil but it definitely demonstrates what a freaky guitar player he is. Loved the transition to electric in Powderfinger, absolute best song on the album as well.
Air
4/5
Amazing airport music, sexy boy is a biiiig tune
The Kinks
4/5
Not as good as Arthur but Big Sky is easily my favourite Kinks song
Van Halen
4/5
The drums on this are out of this fucking world holey moley. I don't know what's happening on Hot For Teacher but it is some wild shit man. Not as good as their self titled and Jump is a radio friendly mess
Jimmy Smith
5/5
Very easy listening and made a day in and out of the car super enjoyable. Man knows how to make a sax sing.
Digital Underground
2/5
Humpty Dance is a strangely funky one, probably didn't give the rest of it enough of a chance
Brian Eno
4/5
Kind of beautiful
The Byrds
4/5
The genesis of jangle guitars that has influenced, directly or otherwise, basically every single indie band I love.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Powerful. Absolutely humongous sax on Live With Me. Everyone's playing like absolute demons for the entire 42 minutes. Love Mick's freaky shouts and screams especially in Monkey Man, can understand why some might have associated them with the satanic. Recently been lots of talk about how much of a monster Charlie Watts was and it all makes absolute sense when you listen out for him. What a genius, especially the total control he exercises over Midnight Rambler (also my album highlight).
Michael Jackson
4/5
So many big hits with a couple of tepid ballads interspersed throughout. PYT is an absolute tune and the McCartney duet is a masterpiece
Spacemen 3
1/5
If their intention was to make me feel physically ill for 1hr 59min then it's an easy five stars. Totally uninspired writing, taking themselves way too seriously and the fucking music itself is straight up headache inducing. Terrible album.
Tina Turner
3/5
Never diverges from total high energy which becomes monotonous after a while. Couple of big hits in there though
2Pac
3/5
Nothing on Biggie
Kraftwerk
5/5
I love zeez goddamn krazy Germans and zere krafty trailblazing of genrez various. Amazingly accessible avant garde krauty goodness, totally futuristic, forward thinking, look into the krystal ball, pioneering goodness. YA
Fugees
5/5
This is the exact definition of the style of hip hop that I love. Laid back, sonically interesting, writing that's both intelligent and funny, expertly crafted.
The Black Crowes
5/5
The Wolfmother paradox - the ability to imitate your influences with such perfection that the final product is devoid of any personality or imagination. What should be an oil painting becomes a blueprint. His mumbling and at times incoherent singing is actually kind of endearing to the point of hilarity, especially on Hard to Handle - so fun to sing along with. (also my album highlight, verging on perfect rock song). Five stars for making me think about it so much
Miles Davis
3/5
The birth of FUSION. Wasn't a huge fan but loved this from the Wikipedia page "Rock critics thought In a Silent Way sounded like rock, or at least thought Miles was nodding in their direction, and practically wet themselves with joy. Jazz critics, especially ones who didn't listen to much rock, thought it sounded like rock too, and they reacted less favorably"
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Loved the live recording, beautiful voice.
The Who
4/5
Still not totally a huge fan of The Who, but, some undeniable classics. Also, one of the best album closures of all time.
The Zombies
3/5
Very Beatles
Bauhaus
3/5
Couple of good ones
The xx
5/5
Alt J, The xx and London Grammar all very important in my formative years
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Wow. The first time I've ever really connected with him. Tastefully loud, full of energy perfectly arranged, beautiful harmonies, very weird but very cool lyrics. It's all beginning to make sense.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
Super weird
The Doors
5/5
One of the best blues albums I've come across. Not a bad song on there but special mention to Peace Frog and Queen of the Highway (obviously).
Deep Purple
5/5
Absolute monster shred fest. Super tight and tuned in. Love all the call and response solos. I think it might be too long for five stars but I'm giving it anyway cause of Smoke on the Water.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Not a huge fan
Basement Jaxx
4/5
Good soundtrack to a Lime scooter into the valley on a Thursday
Madonna
4/5
Not my cup of Yerba mate but understand the time and place (and now) appeal. Pop queen.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
Don't think it's aged very well, verging on tacky. Fast Car has always made me cringe a bit. Huge Mark Knopfler guitar sounds on She's Got Her Ticket.
Mike Oldfield
4/5
Would've been a big old shock to the system during its time in 1973's space. The Monster's demonic dialogue appearing 15 minutes into Pt II was hilarious, very Tenacious D styles.
Dirty Projectors
4/5
A defining sound of the late 00s, much like Vampire Weekend, Acade Fire etc
OutKast
5/5
Easy five. Never realised how much influence Childish Gambino takes from this, especially on Awaken My Love. Cee Lo has popped up as a feature on heaaapps of the hip hop albums on here, man was prolific. Killer Mike on Strappin & Trappin takes the feature crown on this one though. Humble Mumble is a huge track as well. Impossible not to mention Ms Jackson, up there with the greatest songs of all time.
Van Morrison
5/5
The horn accompaniment (and every other accompanying instrument) couldn't be a more perfect addition to his beautiful guitar playing and story telling. A perfect album to watch the world go by out the train window, especially after a big (one of the biggest) day at work. His voice is simultaneously velvet and gravel all the way through. Crazy that he's Northern Irish, would never have picked it. Aside from the two perfect tracks mentioned below, Caravan would have to be my highlight, amazing how well it controls the timing and pace of the entire record. Moondance is a 10/10 track but it invariably gives off Buble vibes (through no fault of the van man). Still a very rare perfect song. The Flute accompaniment on it is totally underrated, not to mention the piano solo. Crazy Love is even better though, what an incredibly moving and in no way tacky (ver rare) love song, the range he demonstrates on it is straight up tear inducing. Lots of my five out of fives aren't perfect, but this one most definitely is.
The Verve
3/5
This list definitely has an obsession with oft mediocre Brit Pop
Manu Chao
3/5
Fair
PJ Harvey
2/5
Bit much/not enough
Death In Vegas
5/5
Super trippy. Sounds like the soundtrack to Dr Who if he existed in the Matrix universe. Flying sounds exactly like the Mighty Boosh theme song. Big journey album, constantly throws something different at you to think about. Highlight is definitely Aisha, big sucker for the spoken word styles. AISHA, I'M VIBRATING. Aladdin's Story is a close second, very cruisey sax and vocals.
Green Day
5/5
A pretty perfect rock album, not a bad song on there. Verges on operatic in composition. St Jimmy, Give Me Novocaine, Homecoming, Whatsername all great but Jesus of Suburbia is the obvious classic - punk Bohemian Rhapsody
Janelle Monáe
2/5
Couple of solid tracks in isolation but as a whole it lacks direction
The Birthday Party
1/5
Atrocious. That tinnie 80s cymbal sound is worse than the banjo
Pretenders
4/5
A very very solid album, it's the sort of edge that I expected from Blondie but never got
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
An obvious five plus for me considering its my all time favourite album ever of all time. No bad songs. Could do a six paragraph op ed on the birth of the new frontier of indie guitar bands but will save it for another time
The Velvet Underground
3/5
A lot for a Monday morning. Totally manic, 13 minutes of Sister Ray sounds like two trains on the same track steaming toward a head on collision but never actually making contact. I feel bit ill.
Slipknot
4/5
Five star start that tapers out to a solid four by the end. Big fat fricken riffs at the start, wish they were maintained the whole way through. Pretty weak finish could've been 20 minutes shorter
Derek & The Dominos
5/5
Big fat Blues jam. Loved it all, especially Key to the Highway. Great omen to get this album right before baby Layla is due to enter the world.
k.d. lang
3/5
Mind blowingly beautiful voice let down by the incessant tacky love songs and faux noir laid out on a piano sultry sax numbers. Got super confusing jumping between full on noir piano, to honky tonk country then back again. ( I was trying to be funny saying honky tonk without realising that there's a whole closing track called Honky Tonk Medley. Good lord 🤦🤦🤦🤦. Sorry KD, I do not in fact love that two fiddle sound. The banjo can get fucked too.
The National
3/5
Sad white male
The Kinks
5/5
Love the Kinks more and more everytime I listen to them. Not a bad song on here.
Yes
4/5
Ridiculous Steely Dan sounds on track one (not sure who predates who). Amazing guitar on The Clap and hilarious song name
Various Artists
3/5
Didn't look at this until boxing day so not in a great place to give it my full attention. Also Phil Spector was an absolute nut case
Christine and the Queens
3/5
All a bit same same but love the Caroline Polacheck sounds
Ice Cube
3/5
Didn't get around it like I thought I would.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Too good to talk about
Brian Eno
4/5
Way cooler than I expected, gets pretty far out in places but all very interesting.
Iggy Pop
5/5
No surprises that Bowie produced this mater piece. Incredible album, perfectly weird without being totally inaccessible. Nightclubing and Dum Sum Boys arey highlights.
Hugh Masekela
3/5
A lot of Jazz
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Five stars right up until the fucking fiddle started on Running Dry goddamn it Neil why you gotta do me like that. Loved the guitar playing on Down by the River. Nah giving it five stars anyway
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Nothing special but only had it on as background music
Tangerine Dream
2/5
Spotify cut the first half of the album so not sure if I got the full experience, what I heard was more than enough though.
Travis
4/5
Verging on a five but never quiet got there, lots of Radiohead and Bowie influence
The Fall
4/5
Good solid punk, have been exposed to a bit of the Mark E Smith lore via Adam Buxton so was kind of familiar with the context.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Very smooth
New York Dolls
5/5
No punk without the Dolls. Not surprised to see Todd Rungrens name over this either, hes been a common denominator in a few 4 and 5 star albums lately
OutKast
5/5
What an incredible achievement. It's ridiculous that I Like the Way You Move isn't sampled from some soul hit of the 60s/70s, how the hell did they come up with that. Top 5 hooks of all time. Not to mention the bass line, goddamn that would destroy a circa 2009 subwoofer. How can you not love a Ludacris feature - "I'm with some nasty hoes, eating pistachios". Matter of fact the calibre of feature artists across the record demonstrates the status they held and continue to hold on the genre. Jay Z/ Killer Mike, Cee Lo (who is likely the most often featured artist in this whole list, the man was everywhere doing everything), even Lil Jon gets his 15 seconds of OH YAYAS. And all that before we even reach Andre's half of the album. Genius move with the swing jazz intro, signals the shift to his side perfectly. His call and response conversation with lady God interlude is hilarious - "Head don't count right? Aw thanks God." Big Boi might be technically better but Andre 3000 tells a waaayy better story. Where's my panties intro into Prototype is out of this world (Tame Impala's cover of Prototype has to be mentioned here also). He's actually a very sensitive individual talking on some pretty personal topics, but still maintaining an outrageous sense of humour about it all. I love that it wasnt ended with some bring back double track but instead closes on a real unsettling reflection on the mysteries of Erykah Badu.
Metallica
3/5
Technical ability 10/10 but wasn't for me. One is an obvious massive tune though.
Rod Stewart
2/5
This is really bad. Tacky faux blues, totally uninspired writing, fucking horrid mix. No thanks.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Had me tapping my foot for the entire 1hr 48min. Perfectly executed blues with just the right amount of horns scattered throughout, fair bit of Big Sax even. Plenty of shred from the master himself as well. A great album.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Huge Rolling Blackouts vibes from track one and then scattered throughout.
Blur
5/5
Really puts an end to the Oasis/Blur schism, Blur are without doubt the superior group. This record is a conceptually vibrant masterpiece full of well thought out narratives and perfectly executed rhythm. Parklife is easily my favourite ever Blur song.
Elton John
5/5
Beautifully cinematic, what a story teller. The man absolutely cains the ivory.
Eagles
5/5
This is what I'm fricken talking about.
KISS
2/5
My great expectations were shot down in a flaming ball of dog shit. What a terrible collection of sounds. Who mixed this? Listened to the entire thing in the hope it would redeem itself at some point without result. Verging on one star which is a rarity for me but 2 stars for their assumed impact on the forthcoming glam metal scene - the makeup was pretty good. Has absolutely nothing on The Dictators debut the year before.
Metallica
5/5
The five stars I wanted to give ...And Justice for All but couldn't. Might have something to say for listening to albums in order of release in cases where bands have more than entry in the book. This is the Metallica I expected and loved but I think I'm now far better equipped to dive back into Justice with this context behind me. What a massive fucking album though flipping heck.
Fatboy Slim
5/5
The undisputed Big Beat king and the epitome of bedroom production. Impossible to not dance to it. Too many classics to name.
The Offspring
3/5
Was hoping for so much more. Loved the intro tracks though can imagine that would've been a massive gee up to hear on first play in the stereo after purchase from Sanity.
Morrissey
4/5
The perfect definition of a solid four star album.
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
This one required a lot of focus on time and space. Without the context of what the hip hop scene looked like in 1984 it is very very hard to listen to. The finishing each others sentence bit was cute the first five times but fuck it got old very quickly. How was a song about a 30 day return policy considered hard core hip hop?
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Not as good as exile but loved the horn arrangements
Iron Maiden
4/5
Simple yet effective
The Prodigy
4/5
What a freaky state of affairs - *whispers* my mind is glowing. Who needs K when you've got this album. Unbelievable how many genres they can subtly explore under the guise of industrial tech.
Jorge Ben Jor
5/5
365 DAYS!!!!! And couldn't have landed on a better album for it. SAMBA FUNK. So much fun. You could play O Plebeu on repeat and just strut around town for probably 12 hours straight with out even a drink of water or muslie bar. Plus the drum fills in that song are absolute perfection. Also so happy that my 365th featured the Cuica so heavily, it's fast becoming my new favourite instrument, look out ride cymbal. Anyway just so stoked with this whole process at the one year mark, have discovered so so many five star albums. Looking forward to the next two and a bit years.
Nico
4/5
Very sparse, very pretty.
The Monkees
2/5
She hangs out has got some serioooouuss 60s creep vibes about it, no good.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Wtf were Run DMC doing in 84 if the Beastie Boys could release something of this incredible calibre only 2 years later. What an album.
David Bowie
4/5
Not really sure what to say about this one
The Incredible String Band
3/5
The Manson Family were definitely listening to this. Giving it an extra star for its presumed influence on psych and also the theatrical rock stylings of Led Zep et al
Duran Duran
4/5
Big Sparkes energy - expect to hear their influence all over the 80s now that I've watched the Edgar Wright doc.
Steely Dan
4/5
Tight ass bunch of studio musicians
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Listened twice through on a flight to Sydney - perfectly suited to the occasion.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Full on psychedelia, man.
Carpenters
4/5
Perfectly composed if not a bit sickly sweet
The Stooges
4/5
Short sharp high energy punchy insolence.
Lauryn Hill
5/5
Yet to come across anyone with such an innate ability to sing perfectly while also laying down? spitting? unleashing? tight af rhymes? lines? bars?
Mudhoney
4/5
The linear progression of punk to grunge and everything outside and in between is demonstrated well by this list
Black Sabbath
3/5
Not my favourite Sabbath
Van Morrison
3/5
No where near as good as Moondance, the symphonic additions were way too much. Incredible stereo mix though
Willie Nelson
5/5
Good grief this here is one heck of a beautiful album. The piano interlude on Just As I Am and Can I Sleep in Your Arms near blew me out of the dang water. Such a strutty little bass line on Remember Me. Outlaw country with a tender gentle heart.
Q-Tip
4/5
Very solid
Sigur Rós
3/5
Hjartað hamast is a five star song.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
The boss man has let me down again, sad face.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Summer Breeze - Another example of a five star song on a three star album. Rolling through the jasmine in my mind is one of the most evocativley beautiful lyrics I've come across in this list to date. Fricken excellent lead break too. Shame the rest of the album doesn't hold up.
Little Simz
5/5
2019 will go down as the best year of the decade without a doubt, wish I was across this in real time but listening to it in 2022 will have to do. There are some absolutely massive tracks on this.
Eurythmics
3/5
Ever since being indoctrinated into the lore of Sparkes I've never been able to hear 80s synth the same.
Billy Bragg
4/5
Solid
Cyndi Lauper
5/5
This is seriously out there and I love it. Took me a while to get past the immediate 'heard this a thousand times' reaction but Girls Just Wanna Have Fun would have meant a lot of things to a lot of people in '83. Fell down a Cindy YouTube rabbit hole and it seems like she was pretty radical even by early 80s standards; love the look, love the voice, love the attitude. Some of this stuff verges on Talking Heads/B52s styles - Yeah Yeah is an especially outrageous tune.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Didn't quite make the five stars but A Pleasing Smile is a great track.
Queen Latifah
3/5
Way more pop style production then I expected.
Drive-By Truckers
5/5
Have this a very solid two and a half listens through and can now safely say this is my new favourite alt country rock concept album about the rise and fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd. A very very solid album.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
😇😇
Loved Bottle Let Me Down and Coat of Many Colours
Iggy Pop
4/5
Love imaging him and Bowie have a grand old time together. Didn't quite hit five stars but The Passenger and Tonight are excellent tunes.
The Pretty Things
5/5
I wrote a very in depth review of this and forgot to save it. Psychedelic rock opera with a wild stereo mix
Frank Sinatra
5/5
Cigarette soaked voice over some Bosa Nova I'm all about it.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Howard: Never do that to a man in a jazz trance. I was deep in the juju then.
Vince: Science teachers and the mentally ill, that's all jazz is for.
Howard: Take that back you electro ponce.
Vince: I hate jazz
Howard: You fear jazz
3/5
I could've sworn I've had this one already
The Specials
4/5
The hint of ska at in the first 30 seconds made me want to immediately hate the entire thing but I couldn't bring myself to keep it up. Very sonically pleasing.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
I don't really like the mix on this, there's nothing natural about it. No doubt some of the effects they were using would've been revolutionary. Fond memories of Castles Made of Sand being played on road trips.
Faith No More
3/5
Loved the War Pigs cover. Can't take or leave the rest
Jane Weaver
4/5
Subtly complex and verging very close to five star territory.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
4 stars when the time and space lens is applied. Looking for Someone to Love had my toe tapping. A bit sickly sweet which is to be said of almost everything I've heard from white late 50s rock and roll. Some nice lead breaks scattered throughout out though. Get sick of the backing vocals pretty quickly.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
More Neil please
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Fuzzy but with unmistakable purpose
Thin Lizzy
4/5
Flows so well for a live album, impeccable guitar playing. Every second song sounds like they're about to break into Boys Are Back in Town at any moment but that doesn't bother me.
Rod Stewart
3/5
Second Rod album that's let me down. I blamed his writing the last time only to realise that 75% of that album was covers - this time I'll play it safe and blame it squarely on the fiddle that rears its mong head in Tomorrow is a Long Time. Ronnie Wood is walking all over that bass though I love it.
Barry Adamson
5/5
Verging on hints of The Avalanches, what would be perfectly acceptable background music to a moody train ride is elevated to a straight up five star rating purely due to the involvement of Dave Graney in writing the accompanying short story in the liner notes of the album. Hell yeah Dave so happy to see your new pop up in this list.
Mudhoney
4/5
Starts of pretty in the weeds but really opens up from Broken Hands onward. Fuzz Gun '91 is a no brainer addition to Fat Riff Friday.
Caetano Veloso
4/5
Beautiful kitchen music. No better way to incorporate some love into your Bolognese than to do a little salsa dance while stirring.
The Temptations
5/5
Another great discovery from this endeavour is that 1969 is most likely the greatest year in music to date. Perhaps common knowledge to some already. Fuck there was a lot of good music pumped out to see off the decade.
Garbage
4/5
Hard to fault and even harder to find a reason not to give it five stars but couldn't quite get there. Heard a lot of Kirin J Callinan guitar licks throughout
Blue Cheer
3/5
Solid blues
Depeche Mode
4/5
What every 80s synth driven band with should've sounded like. Verging on a masterpiece.
Carole King
5/5
Such beautiful textures out of both her voice and the piano make this an easy five stars. Maybe with another listen I could make this more to be a four star but if I leave it to the first and only listen it is a five star. a la janis it's rawness and intensity.
Cream
5/5
Big Kinks energy all over this but especially Blue Condition.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
No where near as good as Exile on Main St. Also left my phone in an uber while listening to this album which may have contributed to my ill feelings.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
My man, love this
Randy Newman
2/5
Not for me
System Of A Down
5/5
Easy five stars
Nick Drake
4/5
One of the most consistently excellent discoveries this list has offered. Amazing guitar playing with a tasteful amount of string accompaniment to round things out.
Adele
5/5
I'll be honest, I prematurely turned my nose up when I saw this was today's album but there are some fricken excellent tunes on here. The production is an easy five stars and her voice is near on perfect too. Obviously the subject matter doesn't resonate but that's on me. He Won't Go is a perfect song, all I could think about was watching a conductor lead a studio band through the arrangement, sounds so so tight. No surprises that Rick Rubin had a hand in this.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Not as bad as I expected it to be.
Public Enemy
4/5
Heavy hitting but flavour flav remains extraneous
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Beautiful voice and a couple of big tunes but ultimately nothing special
Big Black
2/5
Not sure if it's the YouTube quality but this sounds way more industrial than punk (to be fair I'm not schooled on the cross over there)
Marty Robbins
5/5
Pretty tempted to give this five stars as it seems like the epitome of wild west ballads. I'm sure there'll be a time and place where it's necessary to put this on as a soundtrack, not exactly sure when but when the time comes I'll know.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
Nothing special, had to listen via YouTube which is never a good experience
Ramones
4/5
The genesis of short fast loud
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
There's a couple of obvious big ones which saves it from my initial 2 star rating, but on the whole the boss continues to disappoint me.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Started strong but ultimately a three star record
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Someone should try having sex to this album - it's that good.
Willie Nelson
5/5
Willie continues to blow me away - an incredible voice with so much depth. Guitar playing doesn't even need to be talked about its that good.
George Michael
2/5
Nope
Sparks
5/5
If you haven't already seen the Edgar Wright documentary on Sparks make that your immediate priority. Impossible to overstate their immense diversity influence on tonnes of genres
Kanye West
5/5
"...dropped out of school quick. I always had a Ph.D: a pretty huge dick"
Have been a bit lazy with my five star ratings lately.
So many big tracks and even bigger features for a debut album.
Stan Getz
4/5
Foot on step, elbow on leg, clicking
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Never quite got to five star territory despite the classics on here
Roxy Music
4/5
Theatrical, orchestral, campy and nothing like what I expected from the album cover
Boston
4/5
Ridiculously tight guitar work
David Bowie
4/5
More of a dramatic cinematic soundtrack than album but not in a bad way. Again not my favourite Bowie but still incredible enough to justify his placement on the wall with the other gods of good tunes
TLC
3/5
Way darker production than I expected that would've been helped with se diversified subject matter. interesting to hear waterfalls in the broader context of the album though
William Orbit
5/5
Really good but he absolutely blue balled me with those first two songs, my expectations were set at Groove Armada style bang fest but it was more of a freaky experimental electronic exploration - not saying I didn't enjoy the journey but I think the first couple of songs would've been better placed dispersed throughout rather than as false expectation setters at the start. GIVE ME MORE BANGERS, WILLIAM
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
Wasn't in the right mood for this one
Aerosmith
3/5
Perfectly average
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
Interesting enough to keep me engaged the whole way through. Annalisa isy highlight.
Small Faces
5/5
So good, could've been released yesterday and I wouldn't have known the difference (except for the wild stereo mix which I love to hear in albums of this time). Heaps of comedic writing, doesn't take it's self too seriously and the loose concept is engaging.
Steely Dan
4/5
As soon as I start taking the Dan too seriously my rating goes down. The secret is to listen from the perspective of a good time which makes it all so much better. Tight as fuck bunch of studio musicians having fun with the idea of perfection.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
Some of the experimental songs are too experimental and some of the earnest songs are too earnest but on the whole an engaging listen
Barry Adamson
5/5
Way way way better than Moss Side Story, despite this one having now Dave Graney input. Can see a lot of these being perfect soundtrack tunes
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Pretty lackluster and uninteresting except the songs that sounded like REM, then they just sounded like REM (not a bad thing). Terrible mix too
Elton John
4/5
Lots of 10/10 tunes and a few duds makes this a perfect 4 star. Also one of the greatest intro tracks I've ever heard
Adele
2/5
Now you're pushing it
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
Nothing grabbed me
David Gray
2/5
Pretty weak
Goldfrapp
4/5
Very pretty, can hear lots of Alpine
Moby Grape
3/5
Nothing too groundbreaking
The Young Rascals
2/5
Lacks substance
Gary Numan
5/5
GOTH SYNTH
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Beautifully composed album that I wish I knew of before today. Even the banjo doesn't turn me off, there's definitely something to be said for tasteful banjoplucking as opposed to the usual disgusting twang *spits*. Love the Cure call backs and all of the beautifully arranged horn accompaniments. Fillled me with positivitand optimism.
UB40
3/5
Pretty well put together but that sax got a bit droning at times, hit the high note every once in a while son!
The Go-Go's
3/5
Liked the hea ier stuff like Automatic
Sonic Youth
5/5
Always love when I come across an album that has so obviously influenced a heap of my own favourite bands.
The Cure
4/5
This was way better than the one or two other Cure albums I've had so far - less depresso more espresso in terms of lyrical content and style. Also generally more aligned with my music taste
Ice Cube
5/5
This is my definition of perfect hip hop production. Punchy, funky to the point and very quick. Obligatory problematic content disclaimer that is common of (almost) all 90s releases.
Justice
3/5
Huge for its time but hasn't aged well, especially the last few tracks with vocals. Couple of undeniably big singles though.
Metallica
4/5
Kept getting distracted by the orchestra
Elliott Smith
5/5
Beautifully subtle, subtlety brilliant. Incredible indie guitar album with the perfect amount of edge. Can hear how this has influenced so many to go after him eg Andy Shauf, Matt Costa and Tiny Little Houses. Can even hear a bit of Paper Mache era Gizz in the first couple of tracks. Strong start but even stronger finish in Rose Parade and Angeles. No Name No. 5 is a perfectly composed track. He also sounds exactly like another more contemporary artist (especially in Angeles) that I can't put my finger on if my life depended on it. Hopefully it will come to me one day in a future relisten. Also 50 points for punching a dart on the album cover.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
Just nice
Tortoise
4/5
The post-rock pigeon hole makes it sound more pretentious than it is is. Experimental and much lighter than other post rock offerings like Slint (still love Slint though)
Terence Trent D'Arby
1/5
Lost me at the first MJ hee-hee
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Interesting to hear the genesis of Bjork, couple hints of B52s all up nothing special
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
5/5
What a fricken tone
Hawkwind
5/5
Fkn hell yeah this is what I'm talking about. A 2hr space prog odyssey with fat riffs and spoken word always has the potential to go very bad but this is perfect. Love the whovian drama in Sonic Attack that flows into the big foot-on-fold-back Time We Left This World Today. Excellent live recording too. Will need to spenore time with this, might put it on my ski trip playlist.
Tom Waits
4/5
Wasn't looking forward to this after my last Tom Waits experience but he is definitely suited to the live album and corresponding crowd work. Still don't like his voice but his banter is good and there are a couple of hear string pullers/laugh makers in there.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Never quite hits the five star despite a few stone cold classics
fIREHOSE
3/5
The intros to the first three tracks tease talking heads level post punk then descend into something very weird. It then kind of blooms in the last third
ABBA
5/5
Was sceptical about late model ABBA but this was an easy five stars. Would love to see a theatrical adaptation of this, seems very well suited to the stage. Moody and eccentric with some interesting song concepts
Sisters Of Mercy
2/5
Didn't do much for me
The Smiths
4/5
Some obviously massive tunes in Cemetery Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again and There is a Light which are kind of let down by some of the weaker tracks
Pentangle
4/5
There was some wild shit going around in 69 man
AC/DC
3/5
Couple of big ones but overall this was not the pub rock Mecca I was expecting/hoping for
The White Stripes
5/5
There's more than meets the eye in every aspect of this album - the cover art, the drumming, the writing, the pedal stomping riffs. It's all deceptively complex, thought provoking and face melting
Femi Kuti
5/5
Afrobeat perfection
George Jones
2/5
So glad my granddad didn't listen to this bloke.
Buzzcocks
4/5
Solid punk but prefer Pink Flag (probs no Pink Flag without Buzzcocks but whatever)
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Fast, loose and tight as fk. Can understand why Clapton was worried. Couple of road trip memories in here from Dad listneing the best of album
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Some all time classic fat riffs. Tom Morello is a god
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Eclectic but ultimately not for me
Crowded House
5/5
The first album I've come across that I would like to give more than five stars to. This is a perfect album for so many reasons, not least of which is the fact the Fall at Your Feet is one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Bit too 80s for what was coming out at the same time, seems like it wasn't keeping up with the impending rave styles
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
Wasn't in the right mood for all that social consciousness
David Bowie
5/5
Wasn't expecting contemporary Bowie to be this good, not sure why I'm surprised that it's on the verge of masterpiece territory
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Not sure when the right mood for this one is but it wasn't when I was listening
Mariah Carey
3/5
Vocal powerhouse
Minutemen
5/5
Yes please - post punk has such a rich history. Could easily have been released today and be very well received.
Deep Purple
4/5
Four star classic. Can hear lots of Zep in here.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Soundtrack to the counterculture but a bit too incohesive for me to fully immerse myself in
Saint Etienne
2/5
Kind of avalanches and hop hop sample vibes but not really for me
The Who
5/5
Annoyingly but probably unsurprisingly I let my momentum slip over the past couple of weeks which has resulted in me missing the opportunity to give my 500th Album the fanfare it truly deserves.
This journey has been truly joyous to date, and I've discovered some incredible music, genres and artists that I would never have paid attention to if it weren't for Mr Dimery and his list (not to mention the absolute genius who created and maintains this amazing website - for this I thank you dearly).
Listened to this on the plane back from Melbourne, and while not wholly overwhelmed I am happy that my halfway point was at least a band with some hefty 60/70s street cred.
Five stars for five hundred (obviously).
Miles Davis
5/5
Short, sharp and punchy as fuck. Listened to it twice through and loved every second.
The The
3/5
Not great
Lou Reed
4/5
Loved how the cripplingly depressing lyrical content was offset by the beautiful and mostly upbeat arrangements.
Happy Mondays
5/5
This was way better than I expected, despite the shitty prod and mix.
Jeff Beck
3/5
Thought this was a bit misguided and lacked direction. The blues can't save everything.
Steve Earle
5/5
Good ole boy country I can properly get behind. Sincerely written, masterfully played, limited references to his beer cans and maximum references to his highway chewing 8 cylinder and gheetar.
The Beau Brummels
4/5
Despite the banjo assault in the opening song I liked this more than I thought I would. The title track is a perfectly composed piece of music, love the bellowing brass mixed into the background. Very impressed.
5/5
😳
ZZ Top
3/5
Not a huge fan of 80s Top, mostly cause of the tacky slap bass that ruins Thug. Sharp Dressed Man is a killer tune though - highly recommend watching The Beards like a version.
Ian Dury
4/5
Sounds like he laid the foundations for the 90s Brit Pop scene, loved it.
The Jam
4/5
Not quite five stars on this but pretty close. Becoming a big fan of Paul Weller as a result of this list.
Deerhunter
5/5
A very lovely, beautifully intricate and well produced piece of contemporary indie/psych pop. Excellent cover art as well. Added to my snow playlist. Helicopter is an incredible tune.
Steely Dan
5/5
I've said it once already but god damn these guys are tight. A perfect album start to finish. Exceptional musicianship.
Pink Floyd
4/5
I wasn't totally convinced to start with but shit gets pretty psychedelic toward the back end of this thing.
Randy Newman
2/5
Getting pretty sick of all the Randy Newman at this point.
TV On The Radio
2/5
One of the most derivative albums I've ever heard. Very little thinking for self going on here
Sepultura
5/5
All the stars aligned to make this a perfect Monday morning album. Sounds counter intuitive but for some reason it all fell into place perfectly and set me up for a solid week.
Mekons
2/5
Irish folk post punk?,
Beatles
5/5
Tried to listen to this with Beatles bias removed and was still supremely impressed. Crazy to think this was released the year my dad was born (not sure why that seems so unbelievable, maybe because elements of the songs sound so contemporary even today).
Another example of how it's easy to see why they were such a big deal and how they've had such a lasting impact on the culture.
Solidified my strong preference for Paul's writing over John's although I assume a lot of it was collaborative - Paul's voice is way nicer. Till there was you absolutely blew me away - I haven't been that affected by a song in a long time and have listened to it at least 6 times since yesterday. What an incredibly beautiful tune.
In other parts of the album there is a certain lyrical sop factor (and at times creep factor *cough* John *cough* Little Child) common to the time/genre that is unfortunate but they at least have an edge over their contemporaries in the ad lib screaming and hooting in some of the songs - it does well to set them out from the pack. These boys were always destined for greatness.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
Promising start but slowed down a bit too much toward the end. Also no cuica 1/10.
Dr. Dre
2/5
Nothing hit home on this one
The Sabres Of Paradise
3/5
Excellent road trip music when you don't know what you feel like listening too.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Can't not love Johnny geeing up a room full of convicted felons but got a bit same same after a while.
Weather Report
2/5
Sounds like the top gun soundtrack but in a bad way.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
On the surface it seems saturated with cheese but it was actually a very enjoyable listen if you apply the trusty time, space and place lens
Obviously ground breaking stuff in terms of production methods.
Pleasantly surprised by the more soulful numbers, especially Dreamin'.
Hole
4/5
Hell yeah what a powerhouse. Loved the DIY sound.
Pixies
4/5
Side B far exceeds side A in terms of shred but all up an excellent listen
Magazine
5/5
Yes please. Love the Barry Adamson/Nick Cave/Dave Graney/Siouxsie and the Banshees thread that this has formed for me. Post punk has become one of my favourite genres and this all makes a lot of sense as part of the genesis of that whole scene. Post punk is the most intriguing genre in terms of its timelessness. This could have easily been released in 2022 and been very successful (with maybe some slightly less Buzzcocks vocal stylings). Very subtle and very not tacky pre 80s synthesisers which for me is a rarity. Solid amount of shred too.
The Mars Volta
5/5
They're definitely doing something. Not really sure what it is but it's not nothing. Something like the thing that Radiohead does but way less like that thing. It's definitely not nothing. Certainly made me think about what the thing is a lot. Still not sure. For the amount it's made me think I'm technically bound to give it a five star by my universal rating rationale but it doesn't feel like the right thing to do in this instance. Getting toward the end now, Cicatriz Esp starting to bring it together. Holy fuck what a bring back! Nah five stars.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Fitting that this has popped up so soon after the release of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. The most interesting thing is his various voices/personas that he employees throughout every song - at points sounds like you're listening to a totally different person.
Nas
5/5
Big Willy Styles.. Just shy of A Tribe Called Quest level perfection
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Loved the tone of the lead guitar and how it often seemed to come out of no where and serve you with a fat riff
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
Didn't give this as much attention as it probably deserved but wasn't that nice to listen to
Frank Ocean
4/5
Very smooth
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
Easy five. The king's of making me strut around the house. Suck My Kiss has been a favourite song of all time since I was a young bloke.
Talking Heads
4/5
Probably the TH record I'm least familiar with although have always loved cities. Heaven is an obvious five star tune too. Overall somewhat darker offering.
Neneh Cherry
5/5
English accents, string ballads, dj cuts, man children, questionable social commentary, raw sushi, talking spanish, prepubescent sexual tension, slutty locomotives, mixed metaphors, incoherent writing structure, what does getting shirty mean? The nonsensical nature of the writing kind of makes sense considering she's Swedish. Can't deny it's an interesting thing to listen to.
Prince
4/5
Peak 80s, incredible energy. Prince is a glaring black spot in my musical awareness
Pink Floyd
4/5
Fricken huge sax but ultimately not my favourite of their back catalogue
Heaven 17
2/5
Sparkes did it first and better
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Certified friggen rock dog. What an absolute demon guitar player. I love 90s Neil, he is the embodiment of looking good doing it. Crazy Horse can harmonize too. Also gotta mention the drummer absolutely riding that bell - can't help but air drum the fuck out of it.
Jurassic 5
5/5
Clean enough to eat my dinner off.
5/5
Five stars for how much I used to slay Knights of Cydonia on Guitar Hero
Donald Fagen
2/5
Mediocre at best. Bring back the Dan, man
Johnny Cash
5/5
Premium Johnny and an excellent late career move. Rock Rubin strikes again.
First Rod I've enjoyed since the start of the list. Some talented musicians all over this thing.
Supertramp
5/5
Absolute masterpiece in every sense of the word.
The Roots
3/5
Honestly think the Person L cover of Seed 2.0 on Punk Goes Crunk is better. Also saw them at Falls 2014 but don't remember much (not their fault)
The War On Drugs
5/5
Another perfect distillation of the defining sound of the mid 20s - it made us feel it all, in earnest. It's hard to know what a decade will sound like until you're well and truly planted in the next. I can tell you what the 80s sounded like, I can tell you what the 90s sounded like, and maybe this is what I'll tell you the 20s sounded like.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
No where near Behaviour level
Sonic Youth
3/5
Didn't give it as much attention as I probably should have. Sounded pretty noisy though
Arcade Fire
2/5
Never really understood the hype
Peter Frampton
2/5
These cunts are going absolutely bananas for some mediocre (at best) guitar playing.
Stereolab
5/5
Gave me some serious existential Tuesday think and loved every minute of it.
New Order
2/5
Some pretty abysmal singing and writing, one extra star for the instrumental track which was actually pretty good.
Brian Eno
5/5
Howard: I'll tell you how it works, right? I took a note, sawtooth wave, right off this pantomime four, ran it back here, re-jammed it through itself, looped it back, mixed it with the sound of this crab committing suicide, and let it stew in its own reverb for about three hours, right? And then I pump it all out through this shoe, to give it that oaky timbre.
Prince
4/5
Not as good as Sign O The Times but no doubt he was a master of pop
Einstürzende Neubauten
2/5
Not bad background music except for it feeling like I was being shouted at by Hitler the entire time
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Super laid back but still not a reggae fan
Cheap Trick
2/5
I'm beginning to think that there isn't a place for live albums on this list (bar a couple of exceptional exceptions to the rule).
Deep Purple
3/5
Nothing special but never a great experience listening through YouTube
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
I'll stick with Willie N thanks
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
He's got some pretty out their ideas
Miriam Makeba
5/5
Would never have a reason to come across this if not for the list. Loved it.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Honestly this was really really bad. Lay of the keyboard pls.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
4/5
Such a recognisable voice on him, liked the Public Image Limited stuff
Patti Smith
5/5
Fricken badass
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
5/5
So eclectic, at some points made me feel like I was in one of those dreams where you can't tell if it's a nightmare or not. Like any minute something will go wrong but it never quite does.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Not as goods Key of Life but still funky and thought provoking
Sonic Youth
4/5
As always seems the case with Sonic Youth, I'm scared and enthralled all at once
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Get me a beer and a swamp boat with one of them big fuck off propellers on the back STAT
Michael Jackson
4/5
The main knows how to change a key
Suzanne Vega
1/5
The fiddle in one of the closing tracks was the nail in the coffin for me
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Massive trip, a strong contender for the definition of cool conversation/argument
ABBA
5/5
Fond memories of mother dearest
Tori Amos
3/5
Better than expected
Otis Redding
4/5
Heaps of familiar tunes and had to double check if Satisfaction was actually a Stone's original. Who wrote/who covered what gets confusing around this period.
Solomon Burke
4/5
Varied enough to not sound same same like some of its contemporaries and retain my interest.
Kid Rock
1/5
My knowledge of Kid Rock extends to that episode of the Simpsons and his appearance at Woodstock'99 so this was a highly anticipated listen. "Set up an escort service (for all the right reasons)" has to be one of the best clarifying statements in music history.
There is so so much wrong with this yet I can't help but wiggle my finger over the five for reasons I can't explain. I think there are a few albums that fall into this category and at this point it's actually far rarer to get a one from me than it is to get a five.
Lou Reed
5/5
Incredible record
Incredible Bongo Band
5/5
Despite my initial fears of this having too much bongo to handle, I actually found myself wanting/needing more bongo from the Incredible Bongo Band. This is a 5/5 instrumental covers record on its own but the bongos really bring this into a whole new world. Most of this could easily be used as the soundtrack to a paradoy Tarantino film. I would also like to hear it substituted for the original Dirty Harry soundtrack - I reckon that would fit very well.
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
I'm sure I'd enjoy this in a live setting with a whiskey sour in hand but right now I'm mowing the yard and this is not getting me in the mower zone
Bebel Gilberto
4/5
Beautiful stuff, would love to hear Groove Armada get there hands on this a la At the River.
Chicago
3/5
Seems like they're stuck in limbo between an early and late 60s sound. Not all together bad but a bit confusing.
The Crusaders
5/5
Yeah MAMMA. This had the makings of a five star-er 30 seconds into the opening track. Immediate toe tapper. It's all happening; ride cymbal over piano solo, key changes, big sax, punchy horns. I expected way more vocals after the first track but that sax absolutely sings in its own right. 8 Counts for Rita is a certified screamer - would love to be standing in the front row aggressively pointing for more shred.
The Band
3/5
The song I loved most on this album was actually the Wilco song that auto played after the closing track.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Fricken Jeff Beck all over that solo in Lookin for Another Pure Love, gotdamn. Do it Jeff. Never has an instrument been played with more feel than that clav on superstition. He does love what ever it is that makes you sound like your in the opening sequence of an 80s family sitcom. Whatever he's doing with the timing on Blame it On the Sun makes me feel all types of things. Just realised I've been listening to it on shuffle, only the second time I've done it in almost 600 albums, not an ideal one to do it on though. This man IS music.
Love
5/5
Something weirdly moving about this. His voice is hypnotic. I loved his vocal accompaniment to the trumpet in Maybe the People. The little spurts/shreds/shouts/injections of electric guitar over the primarily acoustic is such an effective attention keeper. This feels like an album that's had some heavy influence on contemporary indie. Interesting point that they were one of the first racially diverse bands of the 60s. You can definitely see/hear it when you compare this release to their later work on Real to Real - Be Thankful for What You've Got has been a long time favourite song of mine and I had no idea that their earlier releases were so folk aligned.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Hard to get the flight of the Conchords episode out of my head when listening to this. Never has a glockenspiel been played more earnestly. I really like it but it seems to be the epitome of what post irony was challenging. I think post irony feeds into the definition of cool conversation. Let's talk more. Ultimately five stars for being one of my favourite album titles of all time.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Too much 80s for me thanks, terrible mix didn't help
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Youve really gotta be in the right mood for it
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Not gunna lie the Leonard Cohen/Nick Cave double up got pretty tough. Important for both to focus attention more on the story being told than the music being played.
Korn
1/5
The Woodstock 99 documentary has scarred me
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Still have trouble connecting with the boss man. He lost me when he started going world in World's Apart. Not for me. All starts sounding the same.
Green Day
5/5
https://youtu.be/_b8O_zfN_eE
Donovan
3/5
Very tidy but nothing mind blowing
Faust
5/5
Krautrock ya. Bloody all over the place in a good way. Giggy Smile was especially great, especially the way it stops dead into the next track - the talking actually scared the shit out of me. Some pretty out there sounds all over it.
The Stranglers
5/5
Sounds like a precursor to a lot of my favourite bands/genres. Strong lead guitar, campy vocals, absolute demon on the bass, solid spurts of organ. Verging on post punk I guess. A few allusion to what was to come from the 80s. Actually yeah very post punk. I'm super familiar with Peaches but I have no idea why - sounds so much like it could be a song by Shame. Bit of a powerhouse album as you get into the second half. Love the heavy guitar/bass being offset by the organ and sax - eg Down in the Sewer. Bit of a grower but it really winds out nicely. Fk me it just keeps getting stronger at Go Buddy Go.
Can
2/5
Got a bit lost in this one TBH, couldn't get a feel for where they were trying to takee
The Everly Brothers
2/5
Can't get past the sickly sweetness of pre 60s white person rock
The The
3/5
Potentially interesting but not enough to pay more attention to it
Simply Red
5/5
Everyone now and then I come across an album that has it, and this has got it. Not much more to be said aside from the fact that I loved the cover of Heaven especially the big sax. Jericho has got some serious attitude to it. A very good obviously 80s album that never gets "too" 80s (thanks to a very heavy soul or something influence). I also love that in this case I am absolutely zero influenced by prevailing opinion cause I've never even heard of him. I actively avoid preconceptions as a hard rule for all these albums but in reality they sneak in every now and then - here is a pure unadulterated love of a record.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Have always tried to get this album but have never been able to fully arrive at the place everyone else talks about. I just can't seem to connect with it like I feel like a should (which is most likely the issue in the first place)
B.B. King
3/5
Big jazz for a Sunday morning
Bad Brains
2/5
Not for me thanks
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
5/5
This needed a bit of time to settle in but holy moly it's worth preserving. Big Presidents of the US, Beck, kinda chaotic QOTSA, Dave Graney energy.
Ryan Adams
2/5
Boring, too long and just a bit shit
Beck
2/5
Less this more Odelay
Brian Eno
4/5
Does what it says on the label
The Temptations
5/5
Excellent timing for this considering I just bought a Best of Temptations album from a $2 record fair at a local classical radio station in Coorparoo.
Guns N' Roses
5/5
Immediate five stars for Paradise City alone as it's one of the great air steering wheel drum/air guitar/highway vocal tracks of all time. There is a looottt of dodgy filler in here though that would've hurt it otherwise.
MC Solaar
5/5
Strong Saturday arvo situation
Ravi Shankar
3/5
Started off interesting but was wishing for a swift end about halfway through.
Anthrax
2/5
Bit too much for me
Tom Waits
4/5
Pretty solid live album which is a rarity for this list. Still not a massive fan of his voive but the band carry him well here
Metallica
5/5
Five stars for the outro on My Friend If Misery, what a fricken heater.
Suicide
3/5
They claim to be the unrecognised forefathers of dark 80s synth pop but all I hear is Iggy. Still relatively interesting to listen to.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Never disappoints
Beach House
5/5
A perfectly constructed dream
Youssou N'Dour
5/5
Big beautiful groove
Charles Mingus
2/5
Pretty serious jazz over here mumma mia
The Auteurs
3/5
Had the makings of a five star somewhere in there but never found jt
Pixies
4/5
Such a fierce voice
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Not so my thing but nice enough to listen to
Mj Cole
5/5
Needs a very specific time and place but once you find the right mood it completely takes you over.
CHIC
5/5
Ultimate party album to keep things moving in the right direction. Don't even mind some of the long track run times
John Grant
2/5
Kind of interesting but absolutely no need for it to be on this list. Father John Misty vibe to it.
Keith Jarrett
5/5
Supreme cooking music
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
One of the great album titles. Music was a bit of a let down though I did love a few of the demo tracks.
Norah Jones
3/5
Beautiful voice but nothing musically mind blowing
M.I.A.
5/5
Watch her documentary
The Only Ones
5/5
Love this big sprawling guitar rock - one of my favourite genres/styles of all time. Something distinctly late 70s Australian sounding about them too, assume that The Saints et al were influenced by these blokes/this sound.
Sade
5/5
Wow. Can't believe I've never thought to listen to this album considering how much of a staple Smooth Operator is in Ric's. What a masterpiece. So much big sax.
R.E.M.
4/5
Another one of dads best of albums that got a lot of air time on road trips. Their debut didn't have any recognisable tracks but it was way more post punk than I've heard from the before.
Skunk Anansie
4/5
Another one whose rating I'm sure won't have faired well off first-track impressions. Also another one that has a lot to give if you let it settle in for a couple of tracks. Need to think of a term for these albums, have something about a troll at the bridge where riches abound if you get past him and to the other side. I'll get back to you.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Flipping heck this is like getting punched in the face by pop. The vocal ticks and staccato verge on the disturbing at some points. Whole thing was unnerving
The Undertones
2/5
Can't go wrong with a few power chords and a Ramonian twang. Can't do anything very interesting either though unfortunately.
Fela Kuti
5/5
Ginger Baker an absolute and literal (if the documentaries are to be believed) mad man. What a performance by both of them. Incredible live album and definitely one to listen to again.
Songhoy Blues
5/5
Saharan shredders unite.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
I believe we've come across the only artist on this list that I can say this for - I have been on stage and played a song from this album to an audience (in my grade nine Big Band). The song was Splanky and I even busted out a sax solo.
The Saints
5/5
An absurd proudness washes over me knowing that this was coming out of my river city homeland at such a pivotal moment in heavy guitar rock/punk history. Same when I think about what the Cosmic Psychos were doing. What an outrageously excellent album. No, Your Product sounds exactly like The Strokes could've released it on Room on Fire. I can see how the horns would not have been well received at the time but they hold up beautifully in the world of today's post punk
Soul II Soul
4/5
I was hoping for more tbh, the overall feel is there but doesn't hit the mark I wanted. Loved Ambition though
Destiny's Child
5/5
Feel like it gets a bit lost by the end but such a strong start with a LOT of big tunes.
Def Leppard
4/5
Is it just me or does it sound like the drumming is missing something?
Taylor Swift
2/5
Can't say I didn't try.
The Monks
1/5
Like a carnival ride that just keeps on spinning around and around and around and around and around and all you want to do is get off and so you try and make eye contact with the carnie but he's not looking and it just keeps going around and around and all the people around you look like they're having fun and you can't understand why and it keeps on going arou-
Radiohead
5/5
Listened three times over and still have no idea what to say or where to start.
Pulp
4/5
Sort of dissonant/dark britpop that I kind of like. A couple of big classics that bump it up to a 4/5.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Straight forward rock tunes that are elevated by some serious attitude and incredible voice.
Dolly Parton
5/5
Loved the twist in Travelling Man. Super entertaining and her voice is absolutely one of a kind. Also liked that it was short and sharp.
Paul Simon
5/5
Although possibly one of the worst openers in musical history, this wound out incredibly well. The mans love a walk up (and down) the fret board - outrageous guitar playing.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Anthony Bourdain music
Can
3/5
Bel Air was very very Radiohead.
The Hives
5/5
Fuck yes - big fat riffs, pedal boards the size of football fields and that weird mic distortion filter - the yard stick for the frenetic early 2000s indie rock golden years. Possibly the first recorded example of someone using the term "send it" in Die, All Right!. Also think this is the first compilation album I've come across - interesting distribution method to break into the market.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Sounds counter intuitive but it lacks a lot of the soul I was expecting. Kind of verging on soundtrack levels. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not what I was looking for.
Prince
5/5
Pop masterpiece. Love that it never floats into any of the tacky aspects of the 80s. His shredding gives it such a perfect edge (not mention some of the raunchy subject matter).
Spiritualized
5/5
Full of 70s era psychedelia without any of the elements of dissonance common for that time. It drives on and on but never ceases to be beautiful and uplifting. One criticism would be that there are quite a few parts that sound verrryy Stone Roses. Not necessarily a bad thing but I did have to check who came first (SR by a few years). They're a bloody consistent bunch too, have been steadily releasing for a solid 30 years now.
Sam Cooke
5/5
How about it for Sam Cook, ladies and gentlemen. A perfectly executed live album. although not the tightest musical performance in places, the control he exercises over the crowd and his bandmates is an absolute masterclass.
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
😳
Throwing in an extra star on the assumption that they pioneered something.
Aphex Twin
5/5
A good one to apply me newly developed ambient/psy/experimental electronica rating check which I formally dubbed the Doof Decision; that is, would I stop if I were to walk past this going off in the psy trance tent. Answer - yes. Result - 5 stars.
David Bowie
5/5
Most likely the strongest start to any album in history yet somehow it's not even close to the strongest track on the album, unbelievable. He wasn't necessarily doing anything new but holy molet he was doing everything right. Like a pure synthesis of every single genre that ever existed to that point reflected right back at us through some kind of beautiful perfection filter. Beautifully arranged, expertly mixed and mastered. Every song could have gone on for an extra 2 or 3mins on top of their already longer than usual run time and I wouldn't have cared. Too much more to be said. Five stars is the universe's most outrageous understatement.
The Smiths
5/5
Simultaneously dark, brooding and incredibly energetic. Another one that our Amsterdam Air BnB host had in the collection which was my first foray into the weirdly attractive complexity that is The Smiths. Fucken downer closing track but that's Morrissey for ya.
The Human League
1/5
A terriblely good example of how bad the 80s could get when it really tried. Less this and more Sparks please and thank you. Have come to the unfortunate realisation that Don't You Want Me Baby was a fluke, and on reflection (or at least in the context of it's album) not a very good song in the first place.
Janet Jackson
4/5
Definitely way more purposeful and sharp than I expected.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
The ultimate Saturday morning album
The Cardigans
5/5
Haha this was unexpectedly awesome. Very familiar with Lovefool as a go to party starter/catalyst but it was so good listening to it in the context of the album (also a bit of a depresso tune when you really listen). Super nice song structure, beautiful little guitar licks and the Black Sabbath cover was perfect little treat toward the end to keep things interesting. The transition from tune to tune was masterclass too. Based on the album radio would love to explore this little pocket of the late 90s way more.
5/5
I fear I may have been a little too harsh on Bono in my previous U2 reviews for 2 reasons 1) after listening to him on Smartless I realised that I have misjudged his character and 2) this album was very good. Bullet The Blue Sky was a massive tune.
Elvis Presley
5/5
Every time I get an Elvis album my expectations are always so much lower than they should be, to the point I almost dread listening. But then as soon as it comes on I'm absolutely blown away. The man was so incredibly talented. Only just recently watch the Baz Lurhman flick too which helps, I really hope his life wasn't as sad as it's made out to be and if it's to be believed I really wish we could've seen what Elvis was capable of creatively without the constraints of Vegas and his C word manager. Also Blue Moon is straight up psychedelic.
Pavement
5/5
Incredible sunday arvo nu dad rock. Loved the Dave Brubeck nod.
Merle Haggard
2/5
He's no Willie. Fricken excellent country music name though.. GOTDANG MURL I TOLD YE TO SHUT THE GOTDANG DOOR
Kraftwerk
5/5
Diese verrückten Deutschen sind wieder dabei, ja. Sie lieben die Synthesizer-Musik und sie lieben das gesprochene Wort über Euro Rail und Mirrors so sehr. Bringt mich dazu, mit meinen Händen vor meinem Gesicht abstrakt zu tanzen.
GZA
3/5
No doubt he's got incredible skills but fuck it's so dark. Way too dark for a Monday anyway.
James Taylor
3/5
I think I sometimes have trouble getting past things that are too earnest. No denying the incredible guitar playing and equally perfect voice. Does earnest = bland?
Ray Price
2/5
For such a strong and promising start to ultimately descend into the sonic hell scape that is honky tonk country is just such a travesty. God I fucking loathe the fiddle. All albums should start with a spoken introduction though.
Raekwon
2/5
Second wu tang/affiliate experience in as many weeks. Has the same dark energy issue I can't get around
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Nah
David Bowie
5/5
It's like the first few tracks are purposely there to challenge you - participants willing to navigate their way through the dense thicket of dissonance and buried-im-the-mix vocal tracks are supremely rewarded for their efforts from Drive In Saturday onward, as the undergrowth makes way for a beautifully complex, expansive, uplifting, funny, shred (and sax) filled savannah of joyousness. The energy he brings to some of these tracks is unbelievable, particularly Time and Let's spend the night together.
Queen
5/5
Fucking hell I love Brian May for this, absolute 100% glam shred perfection. Honourable mention to the one shot cowbell in Misfire. I've been pretty generous with the five stars lately but this is a no brainer
The Gun Club
4/5
Hillbilly Talking Heads
The Pharcyde
5/5
Scrappy but tight. Very little ego or need to prove anything to anyone, seems like they're all being pretty authentically themselves. Otha Fish is max relax, Quinton's on his way is the most feel good hip hop album skit of all time. Passing Me By is one of the all time great hip hop tracks. Pack the pipe got a bit dark but came straight back with Return of the B-Boy. Ya mamma's got a hairy tongue.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Goodness me another obvious and unavoidable five star. A thing of undisputed beauty.
Meat Puppets
3/5
Fairly underwhelming but was likely ahead of its time genre-wise.
The Byrds
4/5
Beautifully sprawling
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Can someone check on Trent please.
Slade
2/5
I'm sure there's something to be said about the foundations of glam but who really needed it anyway
LL Cool J
1/5
If GZA and Raekwon were too abrasive, LL Cool J is the polar opposite. This is boring as bat shit. Literally nothing of interest happened in the entire 1hr 6min (way too long also).
Beatles
5/5
I'm too under qualified to explain why this album is so good but one thing I do know is that Blackbird could be the best song ever written.
Yes
3/5
Roundabout is obviously a powerhouse of a tune. Rest of the album is a bit too much. Strong closing track though.
Deee-Lite
5/5
Bit sickly sweet but not as bad as LL Cool J. Fkn great example of my favourite bell sound in Smile On. WOAH alright came out of nowhere with the verging on 90s trance break, me likey. Ooft coming in real nice with Groove is in the Heart - one of the ultimate Rics tunes. Hard not to give it a five just because of that. Never fully appreciated Q Tip in it either, possibly a perfectly constructed song. Alright this went from what I thought was going to be all sickly sweet to deep, dark, dirty and weird ver quickly and I loved it. Build the Bridge is some real out there shit.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Enter through the gift shop styles, despite its flaws a scene and time I would love to have experienced. I'll have to be content in the fact that I at least got to edit the html of my 2007 MySpace page from a little Brisbane bedroom.
Common
3/5
Didn't realise the extent of Kanye's involvement in this. Also very obviously where 360, Pez, Seth etc jacked a lot of their style.
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
Hate his voice
The Young Gods
3/5
Kinda cool, weird, camp etc. If INXS are the my yardstick for the epitome of good 80s music then these guys get relatively close. Can hear some NIN and QOTSA too.
Tears For Fears
4/5
Shit, meant to use my INXS yardstick quip here instead of L'Eau Rouge. What ever I'll say it again: If INXS are the my yardstick for the epitome of good 80s music then these guys get relatively close. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is a cracking tune. Also not on this album but the video of Curt Smith doing Mad World with his daughter is one of the best things on the internet.
DJ Shadow
2/5
I was looking forward to this due to loving Koze, Avalanches etc but didn't really hit the spot.
ZZ Top
5/5
Get me a beer and a ciggie immediately. Such a perfectly simple but supremely cool album title to go with such simple and supremely cool set of songs. Love how loose the live version of La Grange is.
N.W.A.
5/5
Dre's funky verging on playful production juxtaposed with the abhorrently violent, at points hilarious, tighter than two coats of paint lyricism makes for one outrageously entertaining listen. I feel the fact that the National Library of Congress have deemed it culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant gives me brief licence to eschew (bless you) any misgivings regarding the violent sexism common of (almost) all hip hop of the day and fully appreciate it as probably one of the most entertaining hip hop albums of all time.
Def Leppard
2/5
An abomination of 80s pop/glam/metal not for me-ness
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
Honestly didn't get through all of this one due to the spitting the dummy with the YouTube ads. Bit too arty and shit for my liking though.
Foo Fighters
4/5
Although it didn't hit the full on fat riff Friday energy I expected/hoped for today this is still some seriously good straight up rock music. That guitar tone is soo so clean. Loses a star for getting a bit repetitive on side B. Needed way more All the Cows to keep things interesting. Watershed is a pretty powerhouse track, very derivative (in a good way), just in case you weren't sure if they tick the required rock boxes. Exhausted is an excellent closer and great example of the clean guitar tone, Good Grief was the other. On reflection it might now be repetitive as such, just includes a couple of filler tracks that ultimately disrupt the energy of it all.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Probably the best opening track of all time, imagine coming home with that record under your arm in 1968 and spinning it for the first time, yowza. Pretty much just a solid blues album at the end of the day though, certainly weren't doing anything new by that point. Loses a star for the fkn fiddle in Factory Girl and the tacky closing track
Elliott Smith
2/5
Definitely didn't hit me like the first album of his I heard from this list.
k.d. lang
2/5
Nah not for me
The Darkness
5/5
A surprisingly heart felt album when listened to in the right context
PJ Harvey
3/5
Pretty solid, didn't give star blow me away though.
Frank Black
4/5
Another one hanging around the five star mark but doesn't quite get there for me. Maybe a bit too long. Big fan of his style though and interesting cross over with my old mates/nemsises Pere Ubu on production.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
A more promising start than the last Run DMC album but quickly devolved into the same boring shit that infested it's predecessor. An extra star (or two) because Peter Piper and It's Tricky were actually massive tunes for me to discover in year 8.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Nice to listen to but overall a little bit tepid
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Bit sickly sweet at times and not enough Young for my liking
Oasis
3/5
Another one that didn't grab me as expected. Weirdly only just had a Blur vs Oasis discussion with someone on the weekend. They claimed that the first two Oasis albums top anything Blur ever put out which I think is total bullshit.
Brian Eno
3/5
Getting a few middle of the road ones lately, another one to not write home about
Spiritualized
4/5
Verging on masterpiece territory
The Damned
5/5
Fkn solid heavy guitar music right here
The Adverts
3/5
More early Brit punk, not as good as the dammned
Morrissey
4/5
Actually a really good example of a not-tacky 80s sound. A highly relaxing listen
The White Stripes
5/5
I think definitely the best White Stripes album of all time, perfect mixture of fat riffs and a little bit of tendernes. The man can fkn shred.
Björk
3/5
Nice to have on in the background while reading but that's about it
5/5
Biiig White Lotus theme energy on Antropofagos, me likey. This bloke died while trying to save newly recorded material from a fire in his studio, what a tragically incredible way for a musician to go.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Gimme it live please
The Police
4/5
Supremely cool album name but also equally hilarious when it essentially translates to "white boy reggae". Appropriation questions aside it all adds up to a pretty strong musical offering. Especially love the take no prisoners intro track, just bang straight into a sharp as shit (and pretty famous) riff. Minus one star for Sting calling himself Sting.. get it together GORDON.
The Stooges
4/5
Obviously seminal but he never never seems to hit the five star mark for me
The Slits
4/5
Real nice early post punk, stoked there are so many post punk trail blazers on this list to be exposed to
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Was interesting to start with but went on for a bit too long
Madness
5/5
Big bold sax, vaudeville, Pythonesque, campy in its own way. The musical embodiment of walking through a carnival hall of mirrors
The Verve
1/5
How is the fucking backing vocals in On Your Own hahaha wtf, first time I've ever laughed out loud at something terrible sounding in over 700 albums. What were they thinking. The whole thing is a big boring, way too long, overindulgent, swing and a miss attempt at some kind of rock ballad rip off that one hundred and fifty percent missed the mark. And the fucking delux version is 3 HOURS LONG. Absolute dog shit.
PS. The closing track sounds exactly like the Boosh episode where they try and find the New Sound in the desert (not in a good way).
Röyksopp
5/5
Hell yeah this my jam. Filed directly into the albums you could put on in any context or setting and have an excellent time (same draw where Groove Armada is filed). Poor Leno really drew me into the full experience. Only thing that could have made it even better would be some smoother track transitions but no biggie.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Their seventeenth album! Prolific bastards. Pretty good
Doves
4/5
A couple of very familiar tracks but can't say I've ever heard of them. Coldplay contemparies
Miles Davis
5/5
Man it takes a lot of effort to break through the first 20mins but spoils await those willing
The Libertines
5/5
A beautifully chaotic jangly heartfelt piece of work. Five stars for being a pretty clear Arctic Monkeys precursor that I wasn't previously aware of.
The United States Of America
3/5
Bit too all over the shop at points but they were certainly doing some interesting stuff
Booker T. & The MG's
5/5
Two things:
1) assume this kind of stuff heavily influenced the Beatles
2) an acknowledgement of how incredible the 60s were in terms of progression. From this to Sgt Peppers in the space of five years just seems so outrageous
3) You Can't Sit Down is a banger
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Have just embarked on the Ken Burns country music documentary in an attempt to resolve my deep seated hatred for the fiddle and banjo. Will report back in 16 hours.
David Ackles
3/5
Bit of Scott Walker and Neil Diamond energy but even after a couple of cracks couldn't get into the style of it all
Skepta
5/5
Fond memories of Chad putting this on at a veeeeeery deep point of the 2016 splendor session.
TRUST ME DADDY
Grateful Dead
4/5
Much much better than American Beauty. World's greatest jammers (King Gizz will take the crown eventually but they need the context of history behind them more)
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Solid blues rock
Japan
5/5
A big surprise, loved it a lot.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
Sounds like a bad Beatles cover album. More like John Lenny Paul McKravitz am i rite
Screaming Trees
5/5
Incredibly solid, verging on the definition of my favourite genre of music right here. Straight forward but with feeling. No surprise that Josh Homme was in/around these guys can hear how they influenced QOTSA big time
CHVRCHES
5/5
Some genuinely beautiful and uplifting synth pop. Brings back a huge flood of Laneway 2014 memories alongside Haim, Lorde, Run the Jewels and the Jezabels. Bonus points for little hint of Scottish lilt you hear every now and then.
Gang Of Four
4/5
It's a perfect amount of dissonant to make me want to hate it but ultimately needs to be loved. The timeless of Post Punk is something else.
The Icarus Line
5/5
First album in over 740 that I haven't been able to find any where. A pretty incredible feat all things considered. The fact that I've had immediate access to almost 750 albums spanning all the way back to the 1950s in my pocket is something we take way for granted. Undertaking a project like this even 15 years ago would have been a very different experience. For all it's short comings, Spotify is the one of the most important advancements in consumerism we've ever experienced
Tito Puente
3/5
Great to start with then became weirdly depressing to listen alone
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Fucking love that guitar tone
Led Zeppelin
5/5
The masters
Django Django
5/5
Another incredible early '10s throwback that brings a thousand memories of driving around in the Ashcroft Butchers ute pumping Triple J and listening to the likes of Zan Rowe and Lewi Mckirdy back announcing a heap of tracks of this album. Both Lewi and Zan were so so important in the development of my musical taste and proclivities, especially Mad Dog McKirdy
Snoop Dogg
4/5
G funk is undeniable
Daft Punk
4/5
Fuck me this is not Discovery. But too industrial for me but you gotta respect the range of these blokes.
Jungle Brothers
4/5
Pre 90s hip hop this good is a massive rarity for me. Very tight.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Why tf does busta get intro and outro rights on this
Roxy Music
5/5
Have been putting off reviewing this and have listened to it a few times to try and make sense of it. It's campy and a bit punk and I very interesting.
Shack
2/5
Hoping for sea shantys, was disappointed
Coldplay
5/5
Alright I'll be honest, I've backed myself into a corner after my Parachutes review but I shall stand firm. Granted this isn't quite as perfect as their debut but what more do you need than Clocks and God Put a Smile.
Iron Butterfly
5/5
100 % one of the best bring backs I've ever heard
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Was somewhat dreading this but it was no where as painful as I expected it to be
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Not a bad song in sight
Madonna
3/5
Year 2000 pop, nice to listen to but nothing mind blowing
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Nice enough but very little to write home about
Ride
2/5
Shoegaze pretty consistently lacks the energy
Fred Neil
3/5
Started off with some strong Scott Walker energy but descended into nothing much at all
Public Enemy
3/5
Flava flav was surprisingly bearable in this
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
An obvious five
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
Particularly bad despite Scooby snacks
Shivkumar Sharma
5/5
Really enjoyed this
Fugazi
2/5
Another one full of nothing special.
Mike Ladd
4/5
One of the takeaways from this exercise is that no matter how good some of the tracks are, anything with a run time over 50mins has to work veeeeeery hard to make it worthwhile. In saying that, Bladrunners is big track and the atmospheric breaks in The Moons Contractor etc were excellent
Bob Dylan
5/5
An easy five. BDs hit and miss for me but this is incredible
De La Soul
4/5
Reaaaaal nice
The Blue Nile
3/5
This was the one i meant to call LCD out on not throwing muses
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
Post rock bs
Throwing Muses
3/5
Kind of LCD SS vibes but didn't do that much for me
U2
5/5
Oh dear am I developing a soft spot for U2🤢
Buck Owens
2/5
Haven't made much progress with that Ken Burns documentary yet.
Silver Jews
2/5
Whiney bullshit
Dennis Wilson
5/5
This was a great surprise. Incredible arrangements and production value. 1hr 50 is too long for me though.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
First crack at this on a Tuesday morning I turned off within about 2 minutes with an audible NO. Had more luck second time round and even settled into it in a weird way, but still unsure if noise rock is for me.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
5/5
Wow dude. This is what I'm fucking talking ABOUT. Any hint of cheese that this might possess is instantly negated by the unflagging tightness prevalent across every single track. What an absolute ripper.
Christina Aguilera
5/5
There are so many bangers perfectly dispersed throughout this album that even though I initially shuddered at the 1hr 17min run time I ended up having a outrageously great time with it. Fighter, Beautiful, Dirrty (with two R's thank you very much) all fucking top top shelf pop songs. Beautiful in particular is an amazing song, would be a great Karaoke song if you can actually sing. Impossible is an excellent demonstration of her range too, big Amy Winehouse vibes.
Shuggie Otis
5/5
A very very strong five stars for this one. Never heard of him but obviously incredibly influential on a lot of people. Listened to it five or six times now and loved it more every time.
The Bees
5/5
Super eclectic and a super enjoyable listen
Duke Ellington
4/5
Let's be real, throughout this whole adventure I've held pretty fast to the principal of listening to every album the whole way through at least once. But I will admit that 2hrs of free form jazz was something I was unwilling to hold myself to. The 25mins I got through was ... pretty jazzy.
Peter Gabriel
1/5
I'd like to award five stars to the bloke on cowbell in Family Snapshot and one star to the rest of this utter atrocity of an album
4/5
Nice and punchy, kind of B52 vibes
Afrika Bambaataa
2/5
Obviously had significant influence on hip hop as we know it but the production is too spikey/aggressive/disjointed/erratic for my 21st century ears
Rush
3/5
Fair but going on here
David Crosby
4/5
Some pretty nice compositions but hard not imagine this would've sounded a bit pretentious even back in 71
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
Five stars for Starlight alone, what an incredible piece of music
Underworld
5/5
Perfect industrial ambiance with a nice nice sprinkle of DnB
The Byrds
2/5
Too much country for this guy
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Fuck she's good hey. Harry's House/Centrepiece is an incredible song. Fond memories of her voice accompanying me and Alexander on a drive through the Blue Mountains while visiting Charlotte. Double J were doing a deep dive on Blue.
Neu!
5/5
Five stars cause I fkn love saying KRAUTROK also the second half of this is much better than the first
Simple Minds
4/5
Kinda dark, kind of brooding, kinda camp almost
Justin Timberlake
5/5
THE best pop album of all time no arguments nothing further from the defence thanks your honour. I've said it a few times now during this exercise but Pharrell is absolutely everywhere on everything if you listen for him, absolute production genius. Sprinkle in some Dre with JT over the top and you've got a recipe for something very special.
a-ha
2/5
Nothing that I haven't heard a 1000 times before from 1000 other 80s bands. Take On Me fell particularly flat
3/5
Pretty voice, shame about the country accompaniment
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
Primo cooking tunes
Muddy Waters
4/5
Solid as a rock blues
John Martyn
4/5
Jangly and dreamy
Gotan Project
3/5
Interesting in an average way, definitely in a bit of an ebb album wise lately
Radiohead
3/5
Not my favourite radiohead
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
Tempting to give it five stars for Nothing Compares 2 U but I don't get the hype based on the other tracks
Iron Maiden
4/5
Probably been somewhat predisposed to this thought after reading the Wikipedia entry but the production does fall pretty flat. So much fat riff potential that feels lost in the mix somehow
Tim Buckley
2/5
Not pulling it off
Frank Sinatra
4/5
I mean not much to say aside from incredible voice, incredible band and incredibly 50s lyrics
Traffic
3/5
Middle of the road, totally inoffensive in a bad way
The KLF
5/5
Sweet sweet subversion
Ozomatli
1/5
A rare occasion where I couldn't track down the album anywhere. Listened to some of their KEXP set from 10ish years ago and wasn't impressed. I guess one star cause I couldn't find it?
John Lennon
5/5
Not sure if I'm relieved or disappointed in the lack of wailing. I've always sensed a bit of creepy energy from old John but the man can write a fucken song or two
Calexico
3/5
Early naughties soft boy indie
Beck
5/5
Always excited when a Beck album pops up and this didn't disappoint. The man is a musical genius and has an innate ability to keep things interesting. Pretty lazy review that doesn't do it justice but I really loved it.
Syd Barrett
4/5
Best thing about this was hearing the rhythm of the pick against the strings of his guitar. Real odd album in a good way, sounds like Bowie and Syd influenced each other a lot maybe
Stephen Stills
3/5
More soft boy Laurel Canyon output
Emmylou Harris
5/5
I cringed at every word contained within both the album title and artist name expecting to be assaulted by more country music but I was pleasantly surprised, not a banjo in sight. Today was a good day
David Bowie
5/5
Oddly enough Heroes is the weakest track on the album - not because it's a bad song (it's likely one of his best or at least most well known) but because it doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of such an incredibly diverse and engaging album. It's simultaneously exciting, refreshing and comforting.
Bert Jansch
4/5
Solid guitar playing my man
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
It sounded like this had potential to start with but it lost me pretty quickly
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Dazed and confused would have to be one of the most menacing tracks ever recorded - also the way it then opens up into complete rock mayhem is something to behold. I've said once and I'll say it a thousand more times, 1969 is the pinnacle of music. No idea why it isn't talked about more as such a historic year - maybe it has been and I just haven't noticed.
David Bowie
5/5
This is an easy surface listen five star but fuck it's got a lot more to give of you pay it some attention. The man knew what he was doing. The vampiric Thin White Duke allusions on Station to Station (with no disrespect to either, kind of sounds Rocky Horroresque). The absolute strut worthy funk of Golden Years. The organised chaos of TVC15, particularly the sax wail. The childlike piano tinkering on Word on a Wing. The beautiful understated shredding on Stay. The big vocal crescendo outro to Wild is the Wind. All to say really nothing of the incredible writing. Also who tf is drumming on this, they're all over it. Always think about hearing jonafan woss talking on a podcast about how Bowie was always able to execute nothing new with absolute perfection which really resonates.
Cowboy Junkies
5/5
Woah I think this is the first time I've ever been seduced by an album, mamma mia. This thing exudes sex appeal in all the right ways.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Listened three times now and for some reason still can't verbalise why this is so incredibly good (aside from smashing Sabotage on guitar hero 3 obviously). Start to finish perfection
Morrissey
2/5
Should've hung the pen up welllllll before this morrissey you poor poor misunderstood prison of complexity
Sabu
4/5
Primo cooking music muchahco
The Killers
5/5
The best British indie band to ever come out of the US. Seriously though, what a debut. Not quite Arctic Monkeys level debut but close to it. On Top verges on perfect song territory.
The White Stripes
5/5
The facial hair situation on this album freaks me out but it doesn't detracting from the quality tunes
Dusty Springfield
5/5
Another stunning example of perfection from the pure anomalous year that was 1969. Son of a Preacher Man was my first introduction to Dusty via Pulp Fiction The Windmills of Your Mind comes is also an incredible tune
John Coltrane
5/5
Now suffering from an acute case of CIP (Coltrane Induced Psychosis) as recognised in the DSM-V.
The Triffids
3/5
Another victim of the way to fucking long parade
Slipknot
4/5
I've always felt a sense of repulsion toward Slipknot. To me they seem to epitomise everything dirty and gross born out of the 90s nu metal scene even if they dispute that genre classification) - the closest thing I can materialise it to is the smell of dreadlocks.
Goldie
2/5
Not in the right headspace for this at the moment, verging on bad trip territory
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Yeah this is some real nice far riffage
Minor Threat
5/5
Hard to deny this is is excellent (despite not being able to trust Ian MacKaye, his goobolini or his innate ability to appear on literally every single music documentary I've ever seen). Perfect demonstration of short fast loud. There is beauty in simplicity.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Another good opportunity to mention The Sparks documentary. This isn't as good as Behaviour but I really enjoyed the song writing
The Divine Comedy
5/5
I'm pretty sure I'll say very similar things to the other Divine Comedy album in this list but I can't help but love this. The theatre of it all tickles me big time. The show tune voice, wacky but mysterious story lines. Some unexpected lapses into falsetto. He's definitely in on the joke (as proven by the closing credit track).
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Sunday mornings don't get much better
4/5
Great album but I still don't understand how anyone thinks they were (or are) better than Blur
Arcade Fire
3/5
The epitome of angsty end of the decade indie. A couple of good songs in isolation (the shared vocals on Empty Room were especially good) but on the whole too long and too average. Don't get the hype.
Queens of the Stone Age
5/5
Fucking good band my friends, fucking good band indeed.
Goldfrapp
4/5
Seductively cabaret - Just needs a high bar table, candle and negroni
Bob Dylan
3/5
I dunno man, me and the dyl man continue to struggle
The Zutons
5/5
Absolutely stoked this album is on here. As a 13-14 year alto sax player there was nothing more likely to get me in the mood to practice on a Sunday arvo then putting on The Zutons, she was my hero. I assume I discovered them on MySpace (and subsequently downloaded a mish mash of tracks off LimeWire) and was immediately enamored. In a time before the sax made its glorious indie rock comback circa 2012/13, these guys were some of the only contemporary acts shining the light bright for the horn (cf. The Cat Empire). If only I held onto it for a couple of extra years. Also don't forget these motherfuckers wrote THE ORIGINAL Valerie, gimme a break.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
I really dislike the composition of these songs, way too much going on and totally detracts from their vocal chemistry. Also hard to not think about the Flight of the Conchords episode where Brett and Jemaine become a Simon and Garfunkel tribute band.
Jemaine: You booked us a gig as a Simon and Garfunkel tribute act?
Bret: Murray, we don't sing other people's songs.
Murray Hewitt: Oh, I know, Bret. But here's the thing. I listened to some of their songs, and they're actually better than your songs.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Doesn't quite reach the heights of I'll communication but it's still incredible in its own way. Also B-boy Bouillabaisse is a 10/10 track title.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Way to many genres trying to be stuffed into this to be anywhere near enjoyable. Her voice is sick obviously but the production is a big no from me
Ash
4/5
Pretty sweet riffage
Hot Chip
5/5
So stoked this is on the list. One of the greatest albums of the 21st century. Fond memories of waking Mit around Norman Park on Friday arvo with a beer in hand and this on the iPod. Start to finish perfection.
Radiohead
5/5
Powerhouse of an album with not a bad track in sight. Such an anomalous band, nothing like them before or since in my book.
The Band
4/5
Some nice nice easy listening
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
Kind of mystical, I liked it
Girls Against Boys
3/5
Solid rock but nothing to write home about
Air
4/5
A lovely Tuesday morning listen
Björk
4/5
Not something I'd listen to every day but you can't deny the genius
Herbie Hancock
5/5
Expected this to be way more classic Jazz and way less psychedelic then it turned out to be - happy on both accounts. Chameleon starts and ends with the same bass line but everything in between that is straight jazz funk chaos (in the best possible way), so good how they sit you straight back down into the intro bass line (albeit now at a way faster tempo then where you started at 14 minutes ago) to see you out the door. Watermelon Man is particularly excellent, starts off with super dissonant and spooky pan flute (big White Lotus energy), drops in a sweet guitar lick, goes full cruise mode for a while then AGAIN brings you all the way back to the intro, as if the whole middle section's purpose was to explain why the pan flute was at the party in the first place.
Lana Del Rey
3/5
I would have put Norman Fucking Rockwell well ahead of this as an inclusion on the list.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
Late 60s country psych..?
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Even as a lover of the spoken word genre i can't get around this at all
Machito
5/5
Primo sausage making music
Dagmar Krause
2/5
So weird it made me feel a bit ill
Mercury Rev
4/5
Super dreamy with a kind of sufjan stevens feel to it.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Hints of greatness in Waiting for the Big One but all up squarely middle of the road
Boards of Canada
3/5
Suuuuper deep ambient and actually pretty intense in a not nice way
The Shamen
2/5
Not for me
Scissor Sisters
2/5
I think Ta Dah is a way better put together album. This feels all over the place. Doesn't hell that the cover of Comfortably Numb is absolutely wretched
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Got a weird urge to off the prime minister of Micronesia after listening to this
Giant Sand
3/5
A couple of isolated points of interest but overall more middle of the road alt countryish rock
Eels
4/5
Can hear a fair bit of car Seat Headrest in this. Didn't recognise the Shrek song.
Aimee Mann
2/5
Nope
Joy Division
3/5
I've honestly never really got this album. Maybe I'm missing the context of the gloomy twilight zone atmosphere of Manchester in the 80s or something. Sick movie about Ian Curtis that's worth watching though.
LTJ Bukem
5/5
A super nice little ambient/house rinse up to have on in the background. So weird that Lilly queued a track by him at pre drinks on the same day that I listened this album.
The Streets
3/5
Hoping this had Edge of a Cliff on it but was disappointed. I love the spoken word story telling aspect but it's not his strongest
Germs
4/5
Short fast loud
King Crimson
5/5
Kanye sample straight out the gate, it's cool how there's an immediate sense of recognition even though I'd never heard the song or album before. Has happened a few times with samples on these albums. As for the album itself I really enjoyed it.
Pere Ubu
5/5
Ahh my old pal/nemesis Pere Ubu - my first experience of what can only be described as headache inducing euphoric psychosis was back at the start of this project. This is slightly more accessible but still fucking way out there man. It's made me surprisingly tempted to go back and listen to Dub Housing again (a task I swore I would never willingly subject myself to after my first listen) to understand where the differences between the two lay. I think the accessibility of this one comes from the fact that although it's still rife with seemingly non-sensical horn and synth key bashing, each track ultimately opens up into pretty strong, pretty funky post punkesque riffs - something which I seem to remember Dub Housing definitely not doing. Okie dokie have just got to Life Stinks and they are back to their old tricks again and I love it. They are definitely going down as one of the most interesting finds within 1001 and I am super glad they snuck two albums in, have really enjoyed the point of comparison. I've mentioned before that Post Punk is my favourite genre and I think it could be argued that these guys (along with Talking Heads, Devo etc) are probably responsible for the genre as we know it. ALL HAIL PERE UBU
Roxy Music
2/5
Really dislike his voice
The Vines
5/5
Good clean aussie rock show
CHIC
3/5
A couple of obviously massive tunes but turned out to be a bit too sickly sweet for my liking
The Byrds
5/5
Five stars for the extraterrestrial message on C.T.A. - 102.
Jethro Tull
5/5
That guitar tone is so sweet
Ice T
4/5
This led me down a way deeper Ice T rabbit hole once I read that he also has a Metal band which is actually heavy as fuck. The man is a bit of an enigma
Radiohead
5/5
Fucking hell Coldplay really ripped off Radiohead in a way that somehow makes me respect them even more than I already do
The Fall
4/5
I'm familiar with the eccentricities of Mark E Smith via the stories Adam Buxton tells on his podcast. He definitely sounded like a bit of a character and I think that uniqueness shines pretty well through on this. Punk aligned but also a major divergence from anything I've heard before (which on reflection is probably the point of Punk in the first place).
Sleater-Kinney
2/5
Not a huge fan of this one, not sure what it is but there's something about her voice that puts me off.
Blur
5/5
I remember buying this from Sanity Cannon Hill after seeing it had Song 2 on it and then happily discovering that Beetlebum was an absolute tune as well - it verges on perfection as a car sing along.
Unfortunately I never really connected with the rest of the album and nothing changed after these most recent couple of listens. I also misjudged where this fell in their discography - I thought for sure it was one of their first releases so it was weird to hear that it's actually their fifth. To me it makes way more sense as pre-Parklife release. The Blur/Oasis rivalry is still such an interesting phenomenon - despite my lack of connection with these tracks I still find it difficult to fathom why or how anyone could claim Oasis as superior; at least Blur always kept things innovative (if somewhat challenging) and varied in sound and style. Five stars for Song 2.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
I think I already mentioned this on the last Joni album but very fond memories of driving around the Blue Mountains on a trip with Alexander listening to the J Files episode of this album
Megadeth
4/5
Good clean fat riffage, perfect juice up tunes.
The Fall
4/5
Two The Fall albums in one week! The eccentricities I mentioned previously are still apparent. Although still pretty dissonant it's also kind of poignant at times, especially I'm Going To Spain.
Neil Young
5/5
A fucking beautiful album that I need to get a physical copy of asap cause those youtube ads are an absolute killer
Ray Charles
2/5
Too long and we all by now my thoughts on Country.. it was destined to fail
Bad Company
4/5
Super easy listening with a nice little blues riff edge. Particularly liked the sax solo into guitar solo on song I can't remember the name of
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
5/5
It's rare to get an album in this exercise that you know will be a five start within the first 20 seconds of track one.
Fatboy Slim
5/5
Excellent little Tuesday morning rinse up. First Down gives me big Jungle Love 2017 feelings
The Youngbloods
5/5
Lovely jammy alt psych country rock situation with a little swizzle of big band jazz stylings to round it all out. Big fan.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Had somewhat of a cursory listen but didn't think this was anything special
R.E.M.
4/5
Good memories of the best of REM cd in dad's family road trip rotation, especially Stand (excellent key changes in that by the way).
Brian Wilson
1/5
Too weird and orchestral. Nothing worse than having an orchestra for orchestras sake
Van Morrison
4/5
A lovely little live album to have a Sunday arvo nap to.
Ananda Shankar
2/5
Can't say I'm a fan of this, would much prefer it in its natural form a la Ravi rather than a half assed cover of the doors
Anita Baker
2/5
A nice listen is about as much praise as I can give this one
N.E.R.D
2/5
I'm the first person to heap praise on Pharrell and his ability to be all over everything production wise (JT's debut being the obvious example) but wow was I disappointed by this album. So middle of the road and boring.
Richard Hawley
3/5
Easy listening, kind of hear some Cousin Tony's in his voice on some tracks
Björk
2/5
Happy to be schooled otherwise but this sounds exactly like what she was putting out in the 90s. Issue being it was at least interesting back then, now it's just a bit sad. Surely by now, Bjork, after 20+ years you've been able to figure out your unusual and abstract feelings
50 Cent
5/5
Ain't no business like ho business but there is something disconcertingly ungangsta about adding a soprano inflection to the end of gangSTA. Five stars for me being 8 or 9 years old and buying the P.I.M.P single from Big W, only to find that when played on the PC it had a bonus uncut X-rated DVD of the original P.I.M.P music video on it. Tits and ass absolutely everywhere, Grade 4 Will didn't know where the fuck to look. Other undeniable tracks include Many Men, In Da Club and 21 Questions.
Finley Quaye
3/5
Not as painful as I expected it to be based on my assumptions of track 1. Actually turned into a kind of psychedelic/jungle/dnb production for a bit which I enjoyed
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
5/5
Emerson, Lake, Palmer (nods sympathetically), thanks for coming in. I'm afraid this is an intervention.
Peter Gabriel
1/5
More boring 80s trash
PJ Harvey
5/5
Gave this a good few listens and enjoyed it more and more each time.
Happy Mondays
5/5
Heaps of fun, like a more intriguing version of the Stone Roses
Slint
5/5
These dudes captured something very special in this. No idea what it is but you find yourself somewhere in the realm of mystery, rawness, uneasiness, recognition and empathy. A perfect dichotomy of terror and comfort that keeps you coming back for more. I absolutely love the cover photo as well; on the surface it's four mates having a swim but there's something (maybe it being slightly out of focus) unsettling about it too, like a bunch of post-rock sirens beckoning you into the water, only to imprison you in their harmonically dissonant soundscape for eternity henceforth. Highly recommend watching the documentary about them making this album at some point.
Fishbone
2/5
I've got no idea what to make of this. Maybe on the right day I would've understood it better but as at today it's way too much. Genre bending in a bad way. Calm down pls. What really brings it down is the tacky 80s synth sounds that date it so easily. Maybe without it would've been a better experience.
The Thrills
1/5
This really isn't very good at all. Meek vocals, poor composition, tacky title tracks. Big no from me.
Klaxons
5/5
Oohh boy was I excited to see this pop up, what an absolute fucking cracker of a throwback to Year 8. There's also a certain apprehension present as it's been at least 15 or 16 years since I straightened my fringe and put this on. But yes mate it's lived up to the hype very well, break out the GHD.
I remember never having heard anything like Golden Skans before, one of the first times I felt physically transported to another dimension by vehicle of song alone. I think it was the Henry's that bought me the CD for my birthday that year (they were also responsible for Avril Lavigne's SK8er Boy single, both of which are still proudly on display in the cd collection. My (very brief) year 8 girlfriend Addy Whiton needs a shout out here too. Before we dated she got wind of me liking the Klaxons (probably from the "Listening Now" section on MSN Messenger). A few days later she had a friend deliver me a mix cd of Klaxons, Looks, Arctic Monkeys, The Hives etc along with a bright pink Klaxons poster that she had written a little note on the back of. I remember her waving to me as her bus went past Mater Hill. Still have the mix cd but regrettably I binned the poster in a misguided fit of emotional cleansing after we broke up a few weeks later.
Alright enough of that, now I'm at It's Not Over Yet (best track outside of Golden Skans and Gravitys Rainbow) and the album has most definitely held up far far better than I expected. It's actually to the point of it being better than I remember. Also interesting that I (kind of) understand the Pynchon reference now as well (at least the 25 pages I've managed to get through so far). Also had never got to the secret track on the end of Four Horsemen of 2012 before which was a nice treat to round out what has been my favourite album (and review) that's come up within at least the last couple of months.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Therrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre's a baboon on the right.
Soft Cell
5/5
Highlight - Sex Dwarf
1/5
Got as far as Your Dictionary and decided it wasn't worth having to cop YouTube ads before every track. What a horrid album.
The Magnetic Fields
4/5
Anything over 1hr 10 is going to be a slog and this is no exception at 2hrs 52. Had it on as background music while WFH and honestly it was no where near as painful as I expected it to be. There is no denying the man's got range - jazz, electronic, experimental, acoustic, bit of 15th century bard - it was all equally entertaining. Bringing on a female vocal counterpart was essential to me not turning it off half way through, kept things varied enough to be interesting for the full 3 hours.
Nanci Griffith
2/5
I audibly sighed after the first vocal twang. Her voice is incredible but country remains squarely not for me.
Le Tigre
4/5
This has got a real nice edge to it
The Beta Band
3/5
Can't stand his voice which is a shame because the band are tight as fuck. Great bridges and breakdowns
G. Love & Special Sauce
5/5
Oh hell yeah dog this is what I'm talking about. A great example of a band that make being tight as fuck seem laid back and effortless. His voice is something else too. The whole thing exudes cool. I'm always trying to figure out what my definition of cool is, and this fits what ever that definition is. It feels like they hit something very special that so many 90s bands either totally overshot or way undercooked. Other bands who hit the same mark: Sublime, President of the United States of America, Beastie Boys... I sense a playlist coming on.
Roni Size
4/5
Someone say Tuesday rinse up?
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
Challenging, dissonant and overwhelmingly unejoyable which I assume is exactly what he was going for
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Sound like big Crowded House contemporaries (or predecessors?). It was alright but didn't blow me away. Sounds like they were on the forefront of the 80s INXS sound
Orange Juice
4/5
Opening track sounded like every single brisbane indie band playing Foundry circa 2015 (not a bad thing) but it turned eclectic very quickly.
Kate Bush
2/5
What on earth is going on here
2/5
I had high hopes after track 1 and while seeming well intentioned it lost its way pretty quickly. Verging on self indulgent
American Music Club
5/5
Incredible album which sounds well ahead of its time (I'm starting to realise that my favourite 80s albums are ones that don't sound like they were released in the 80s). Seems like they've had far reaching and significant influence on everyone from Elbow to Brand New and Slint. Even a bit of REM (see Western Sky) but I suppose they lean more toward contemporaries. Strong blues attack mid album breakdown in Bad Liquor demonstrates solid range. Outstanding song writing goes without saying.
Talk Talk
2/5
Meandering 80s middle road stuff
Billy Joel
5/5
Man I though Glass Houses was my favourite BJ album until this came along this morning. What a cracker. The Stranger is a particularly outstanding track, would be an incredible addition to the Karaoke arsenal
Joanna Newsom
5/5
I think this will take another 20 listens to be sufficiently appreciated. First run through I couldn't help but think that while each and every part in isolation was sheer perfection (orchestral arrangement, voice, writing etc) it struggled to make sense to me when packaged up together. Second time it started making more sense and I think that incremental appreciation will continue as I listen more.
4/5
Couldn't have come across a better Friday afternoon gym album. What an absolute gee up. I could do without the serious/heartfeltish tracks though thanks.
Kings of Leon
5/5
Not much else to say but pre SOF King's of Leon put out some incredible tunes over those first three albums. Where Nobody Knows, Four Kicks and Taper Jeans Girl are the easy highlights. Nothing tops Charmer off the next album though.
Wilco
3/5
A little to diverse (or disparate) to form any kind of common thread. Not bad, not great either.
Rahul Dev Burman
4/5
Shaft - Bollywood style
Everything But The Girl
5/5
Was already somewhat familiar with this dudes from a song on Eden (I Must Confess) which appeared on my discover weekly at least 5 or 6 years ago and ended up in my Jangle playlist. Had no idea that album was all the way from 1984. Anyway, I'm glad I had that point of comparison because this album that came 10 years later demonstrates some serious range and ability to adapt - Walking Wounded sounds so so different but equally as good. This is like a full on triphop masterclass. Beautiful production, heartfelt writing. Very tidy stuff.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Time space and place lens very important for this one I assume. Pretty standard blues type arrangements that would've been pretty out there for 1960
The Residents
1/5
I listened to the first track, turned it off and proceeded to miss an entire fortnight of reviewing purely based on the torturous dread associated with having to go back and persevere with this. Second time round I got all the way through side one (the Duck Stab component) Then I looked at the 2hr run time, died a little inside and turned it off.
I attempted to access my deepest and darkest musical pretensions to identify some kind of redeeming feature related to its arthouse influence on the broader scene but didn't even get close.
I note the Spotify version is the "preserved edition" which I think just about the most unnecessary move in music history; this could very much do with whatever the opposite of being preserved is.
Rush
4/5
😳
Eminem
5/5
Definitely didn't have as visceral a reaction to this as compared with the Marshal Mathers LP that came 2 years later. This one seems to have more fun, takes itself less serious and is almost at times playful which is just about the complete opposite to MM
- interesting (but possibly not surprising) that he escalated things pretty significantly in the follow up. My Fault is particularly hilarious to the point I was laughing out loud at the gym as the story continued to escalate (not that it's conclusion wasn't dark af). Cum on Everybody is both a hilariously simple pun title and an almost a perfect reproduction of a JT song.
Culture Club
3/5
Too 80s for me thanks
Paul McCartney
5/5
Probably not as strong as the other McCartney's and can also understand how this may have had a less than favourable reception as his first post Beatles release but can't say the man hasn't done exactly what he wants, when he wants since day one. Interestingly I've been listening to a lot of Chuck Berry's San Francisco Dues at the same time as this and can hear a heaeeeaaapp of influence on McCartney's style.
Sebadoh
2/5
Started off promising but turned middle of the road pretty quickly
Elvis Costello
2/5
Not this time Elvis
FKA twigs
3/5
I think I gave this more of a cursory listen than it deserves but Two Weeks took me straight back to driving around in the Ashcroft truck with Triple J blaring. Ultimately a bit too atmospheric for me but definitely in the same universe as Alt J etc from that time.
Tom Tom Club
2/5
Wanted to love it based on Stop Making Sense but this really wasn't very good. Probably on purpose but it was way too cheesy for me.
The Style Council
2/5
Cool little recognition of the chick from Everything But the Girl but that's about where the enjoyment ended
Arrested Development
4/5
Couple of huge tunes in Mr Wendal and People Everyday but Tribe did it waayyy better.
Bobby Womack
3/5
Nothing hugely mindblowing but some funky guitar licks
Scott Walker
4/5
Can't deny his voice. Hard to top Scott 4 though.
Orbital
4/5
Some excellent as always white lotus style background music
Taylor Swift
2/5
I tried. I promise you I tried.
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
Yet another way too 80s album from the 80s.
Gram Parsons
5/5
Ken Burns seems to be doing his job as I appreciated this a lot more than I expected. The hoedown situation in the Medley was particularly enjoyable, sounds like a party I want to be at. Also had a thought that at it's happiest, country could be up there with the most unselfconsciously danceable music ever.
Coldcut
4/5
Real nice listen with some diverse and heavy hitting features. Big jump between Mark E Smith and Queen Latifah. What's That Noise was the only recognisable tune and also my highlight.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Glad I got 2 Costello albums in close succession to confirm that he is super lame.
Britney Spears
1/5
Possibly the worst album I've come across in 3 years of working through this list. An objectively terrible piece of art that lacks any of the special sauce that I know pop from this era is capable of a la JT's Justified or Christina Aguilera's Stripped. As a staunch advocate for the key change I also now know there is such a thing as too many key changes in one album. Would rate zero stars (if I could) for having zero redeeming features and almost turning me against my most cherished musical trope.
Dion
2/5
There's only room for one Van Morrison in this town, cowboy.
Todd Rundgren
5/5
So glad this found the weirdness from Intro onwards, he was starting to lose me a bit with all the love songs. Another example of fortune favouring the patient. I Saw the Light is up there with one of the strongest album openers in history, verging on perfect song territory. I've also dipped a little into his live performances on YouTube a few times, man was wild and probably informs why I was impatient for things to get weird. It all properly kicks off from Song of the Viking eg Black Maria, Some Folks, You Left Me Sore. A rare occasion where the over 1hr run time didn't bother me, would happily have sat with it for longer. Slut is an outrageous closer. Fucking loved this - enough to dive straight into a second listen.
Julian Cope
3/5
Safe surfer caught my attention pretty good, as well as the Dave Graney stylings but you're kidding if I'm ploughing through 2hrs 34min
Solange
4/5
I've likely missed the point entirely but nothing caught me aside from her obviously exceptional voice.
Doves
3/5
Nothing wrong with it I guess, kind of reminds me of a less good Elbow. Catch the Sun was very listenable.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Title certainly lives up to the psychedelic influence. Got a bit too much for me at the gym but overall not bad
4/5
Most familiar with the Presidents of the United States cover of Kick Out the Jams. Always a fan of the short fast loud.
X-Ray Spex
2/5
Less shouting pls
Fever Ray
3/5
Me listening to the first 3 minutes - "this sounds like, nah couldn't be, wait a minute, nah, yeah, nah, VIKINGS." Then spent the rest of the album thinking about how good Vikings is.
Morrissey
5/5
Stand by my belief that Morrissey gets way too much hate. This is a great album which is kind of comedic in both its candour and hyperbole.
Kings of Leon
4/5
As good as the Strokes in terms of clean consistency but never quite matches them in terms of style or substance. Side B is far stronger than A, no bad songs from Molly's Chambers onward which (almost) secured five star status
Method Man
3/5
Similar to a lot of heavy metal in that I can appreciate the technical ability but also feel that it's a bit too angry for me
White Denim
5/5
Oi by the way Back at the Farm might be one of the greatest songs I've heard out of this entire fucking list. COTDAM it's goin off on this uber home YAOW. Good lordy get lost that's a big tune.
T. Rex
5/5
Listened to this 3 or 4 times over on a Saturday arvo, they surely have to be up there with one of the world's most underrated bands.
Gene Clark
2/5
Have had three (four including Morrissey) solo male artists all of varying quality. Devendra Banhart was insufferable, Bill Callahan was a four star serenade and Gene Clark was nothing to right home about.
Bill Callahan
4/5
What shall be henceforth known as a four star serenade
Devendra Banhart
2/5
Insufferable cunt in both name and music
Beyoncé
5/5
Genius move by the list owner if he's fed me this in line with the release of Cowgirl Carter last week, cause I fucken loved that and was very happy to dive into this. Wishing I paid any attention at all to this in 2014. Interestingly triple j have evolved to playing Beyonce now but weren't at that point in 2014 (at that time triple j was my primary source of new music so this never came across my radar). To be fair 2014 me would've spat the dummy at jjj playing Beyonce anyway. Glad I (or at least my music taste) has got to a point where I can appreciate this without the "I hate all pop without exception" shtick because there honestly isn't a bad song on here. Partition holds up to any heavy hitters of its time (Rocky, Clipping etc), Blow is sexy af, the work on Rocket is perfection. I instinctively want to hate the Drake verse on Mine but even that's pretty good (especially the juxtaposition it brings). XO has got 2014 Kevin Parker/Tame written all over it too - based on this and Cowboy Carter she's a master at capturing the sound of the time and making it absolutely her own.
Jack White
5/5
A weirdly perfect album, not in that it has any big major stand out tracks, but that every track is perfect in an understated way. I've listened to it at least 4 times in the last 24 hours and it hasn't got old yet. Perfectly understated in that every time I listen to a song I hear another layer of complexity to either his writing, composition or both. I feel like I could (and should) do a track by track on this but highlights include the fat riffage on Sixteen Saltines, the masochistically beautiful poetry of Love Interruption and the Dave Brubeckness of Take Me with You When You Go which is easily my favourite track on the album - don't get me started on the fricken tone he puts out in that shred break halfway through, with a deliciously caustic harmony over the top of it. It's a genius closing track. Definitely one for the vinyl collection.
King Crimson
4/5
Far out comma man
Marilyn Manson
2/5
Not into it for multiple reasons
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Heaps of potential but feels like it's been too tightly squeezed and commercialised
The 13th Floor Elevators
4/5
Bit too much for a Monday morning but undeniable trailblazers of one of my all time favourite genres
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
Good background music but not going to keep me actively engaged for an hour 30
Motörhead
5/5
I first became aware of Motörhead from Ace of Spades appearance on the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 soundtrack. I remember it always having a peculiar and visceral effect on me every it came on and listening today was no different. This is a huge album that requires and deserves several more listens through and at least two additions to Fat Riff Friday.
The Who
4/5
He was obviously having a lot of fun with that vocoder (and who could blame him)
Circle Jerks
5/5
I live for lead breaks like the one in World Up My Ass
Ryan Adams
3/5
Not bad but wasn't this the cunt who almost broke up the strokes?
Neil Young
5/5
Strong start and then really opens up from Don't Let It Bring You Down onward. Started the year deep in Neil after reading his first book, he'd be very disappointed with my first listen being at streaming level quality
Ray Charles
5/5
This will require several further listens cause the first two were incredible. There's some serious Wizard of Oz fairytale dream sequence swooning twilight zone mystery going on throughout but especially from the second half onward. Am I Blue is a straight up beautiful piece of music. Also what are the chances of the last two albums in a row (this and the cars) both having the same title track.
The Cars
3/5
For some reason for which I can't remember I already had Just What I Needed saved in Own Personal Rics, it's got some classic late 70s into 80s glamish light rock going on. Aside from that the rest of the album was pretty trash.
Robbie Williams
5/5
Review pre me realising Let Me Entertain You is on this album:
Oh boy the Brit pop detractors will absolutely hate this. To be fair to them this is very bad. "Hide away in your ivory tower, and cover me in your golden shower" is a particularly early highlight of some generally horrific writing that permeates the whole thing so far. Can't deny Angels is a fucken good karaoke song though. It does also take me back to listening to mums best of Robbie CD in the study. Really can't tell if this is a one star or five star. Sounds like the bloke was having a few concurrent identity crisises throughout, some even mid-song (South of the Border is particularly wtf worthy). This is Robbie on a bad day.
Review post me realising Let Me Entertain You is on this album:
Oh fuck yeah Let Me Entertain You is on this album! Easy five.
The secret track also points toward my recent Discovery of Robbie's Instagram where he demonstrates some genuinely funny, macabre and existential thinking which for whatever reason I feel is important to flag here as well.
Funkadelic
5/5
In the words of my friend Kevin Freiberg - this is a righteous jam.
There really is nothing quiet like these dudes man, nothing at all. It feels like the shred could solve the riddle of perpetual motion; plug him in and switch off the reactor, that guitar could power the world for eternity. A righteous jam indeed.
Fried ice-cream IS a reality.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Heavy, dense while still being clean and listenable. The ol Butch Vig sound.
Red Snapper
4/5
The perfect soundtrack to observe and absorb the urban sprawl from the train window.
The Strokes
5/5
A top 5 album of all time for me so one that I've listened to more times than I could count. Gives you the opportunity to listen in a different way when thinking about how to review it. Some things I noticed for the first time or felt worth mentioning, in no particular order:
I always assumed that Someday was my favourite tune but today I realised that it could actually be Alone, Together. That lead break is something else.
Someday still being up there with best song ever recorded. So many powerfully simple lines - And now my fears, they come to me in threes;
The way every track seems to open up at some point, welcomes you in then wrap you back up into it (The Modern Age as a prime example).
The vocal effects maintain a sense that there's always two or three degrees seperation between him, the subject matter and me as the audience. But then at the same time it all seems deeply personal.
The double outro of Hard to Explain
The Pixies energy of Is This It
I'd never paid any attention to the bass line on Last Nite
ABH's ability to insert and assert himself on almost every track with out you even noticing.
Something about this being the strongest debut album ever made next to Arctic Monkeys but also recognising how much Arctic Monkeys owe to this album. Or put another way, how much I owe to The Strokes for paving the way of many of my all time favourite bands and genres.
The Cult
5/5
Fuck yes. If this were any further up my alley I'd be tasting it. Exactly what I think of when I try (and regularly fail) to explain what my favourite genre of music is. Just a straight up clean good time. I also firmly believe a well executed cover should be mandatory on all albums (insert a million qualifiers here but you get what I mean). OWWWW
Lorde
3/5
I went into this with the expectation of loving it based on how much influence she had during the 2012-2014 triple j days but it mostly reinforced my disinterest in anything atmospheric. It all sounds real messy. She's at her best on tracks like Liability where it's just her and a piano. Strip back the bullshit and let that voice shine. Her phrasing is wild on that track too. Realise now that this is from 2017, maybe Royals is better suited for this list.
Meat Loaf
4/5
I don't know how to feel about this. How can you not be into a rock opera. The second half of Paradise by the Dashboard Light is hilarious - the idea of agreeing to love someone to the end of time (after sleeping on the question and answering in the morning) then promptly praying for the end of time to hurry up and arrive is comedic gold.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
I find the times (great album name ps) I get a back log of albums is when I don't know what to do with one. This is one. Most of the time they end up being 3s and this is no exception. I held off though because it seemed so weird to get two seemingly rock operas (this and Bat Out of Hell) in a row that I felt there must have been something there. But there wasn't. This is a straight up three by anyone's (just my) standards.
Gorillaz
4/5
Suck on this Britpop detractors, Albarn's the king
The Undertones
4/5
This verges on five territory but never quiet gets there. I reckon you could draw a pretty clean line from them to AMs first album though - very similar energy, lyrical themes etc.
The Police
4/5
All in all a pretty weird one
Traffic
5/5
Traffic sound like one of those groups who split up then had seperate bouts of outrageous success. Not the case but this is a very tight album. Bloke got some serious soul in his voice. Trying to place this somewhere in the Country Music time line (I finished the Ken Burns doco btw the way - more on that later) but all I got to was r&b blues country psych rock
Dead Kennedys
5/5
Chemical Warfare is the epitome of short fast loud.
John Lennon
1/5
Good tunes but fuck he was a jaded cunt wasn't he. The writing ranges from mildly pessemsitic to straight up depressing with a good measure of problematic white boy energy sprinkled in for good measure (that last one is something I've noted as common in his Beatles songs as well). Also witnessed two super gross dog shit interactions while listening to this on the way to work, one where a bloke was catching the shit straight into the bag direct from ass, and another where a lady at the cafe had her dog drop a clean one straight onto her while she was carrying the dog inside. Felt that these interactions were well aligned and definitely worth mentioning here in gruesome detail. Also the bag to ass situation was to the chorus of Imagine which made me laugh pretty hard. Anyway back to the album. The Paul diss track is the dog shit flavoured icing on the cake for me, so petty and unnecessary. How dare you say those things about Paul, John, how dare you. ONE STAR.
The Lemonheads
2/5
This is another one where I find myself thinking what the hell is this on the list for until the one hit wonder comes on (in this case way too late in the tracklist). At best this was middle of the ground 90s alt. Can hear a lot of Elvis Costello and REM, maybe a bit of Hoodoo Gurus too. In any case I'd prefer to see a Gurus album on the list instead of this.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Had my hopes set higher than delivered here, nothing bad but nothing life changing either. California Dreamin' is a clear 10/10 song though
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Probably only needs to be one LCD album in the list but this has got a real nice build to it. call the police is a very good song. His ability to turn any uber ride through the city into a hell moody metropolis dream is pretty sweet. Also an opportunity to mention the LCD Sound System documentary, worth a watch. Side note I make a conscious effort to be grammatically correct with capital letters when referring to songs in all these reviews but considering theres no capitals on the track listing I shall true to the artist's intent.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
Had potential but never quite hit it full swing. Not an ideal gym soundtrack either.
SAULT
4/5
A worthy addition to the revised edition. Well produced and socially conscious in a way that engages and provokes thought
Holger Czukay
4/5
Rate it. Does make me want to soundtrack a movie
David Holmes
4/5
Two movie soundtrack aligned albums in a row and I'm not mad about it. Could say it goes on a bit but pretty well kept me engaged the whole time. I have definitely heard the spoken story at the start of Freaknik somewhere else before too. Freaknik also the highlight. Should start a movie soundtrack playlist.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Don't know how to feel about this one. Been waiting on it for so long that any expectations I may have had were never going to be met. Can't help but feel it's turned into that one record everyone who owns a Crossley suitcase has to have in their collection. Although NY's Harvest is on that list too and I fkn love that album. Cliches are cliches for a reason after all. Five stars for Dreams but Never Going Back Again is the actual highlight, incredible guitar playing.
Kanye West
4/5
I can do with our most of this album but can't help but admire the talent on Bound 2; seems like the culmination of his talent as well as the starting point of his descent into madness.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
1/5
I'll defend Brit Pop and it's fearsome leige Albarn the Conqueror until my last breath but this absolutely doesn't need to be on the list. Didn't hate it but one star as a nod to the BP detractors being right (this time)
Butthole Surfers
4/5
Sounds super progressive for early 80s punk. Not even sure if post-punk was a thing by that point but they certainly were on the vanguard.
Cornershop
5/5
Not sure where to start with this one but I absolutely loved it. In fact I think I may have fallen IN love with it. Quite likely the most unique album out of all 1013 I've listened to so far. It's easy to imagine Brimful of Asha as a typical 90s one hit wonder but that is absolutely not the case. An incredibly rich, intricate, diverse and perfectly composed record with Brimful as like some kind of lovely little cherry on top. Followed straight on by Butter for the Soul which is some straight up bottled funk. Same with Funky Days are Back Again which is a particularly good example of this album making me feel all types of weird and wonderful. Full of beauty creating dissocance and off tempo direction changes that leads you (and sometimes gently nudges you) down their garden path. Good ships is a perfect windows down track. Then followed on by Good to Be on the Road Back Home Again which (verified my foray into the Burns-ian Country music scene) is like a perfect country song. "Make way for a lady..." is big goosebump material. So much so I was convinced it must have been a cover of Acuff or Kristofferson - not the case. And then topped off with a Punjabi language Norwegian Wood. It really doesn't get much better than this and is especially reassuring to still be felling this type of thing so far into the journey,
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
A very pleasant listen, that's three in a pretty short timeframe that would fit very nicely into the movie soundtrack category
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Didn't like this, too earnest
Dr. John
4/5
Have to be one of the godfathers of funk
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Can hear Mark Knopfler influence from literally the first note
Santana
5/5
Had absolutely no idea Black Magic Woman was a cover. Can confirm this one is way better than the original. This is one of those records that needs to be in the collection for pure playability, it literally fits any time or mood and for that reason verges on perfection. How incredible is his voice too.
The Beta Band
3/5
Definitely grew on me after a few listens but nothing hugely life changing
The Associates
3/5
On the spectrum of tacky 80s pop this is on the good end, Club Country is particularly good.
Kacey Musgraves
5/5
I let out an audible HYB when I saw this pop up, a well deserved contemporary placing on the list. On reflection Side B probably lacks the same punch as the first half but it's still a great album. Her voice is outrageous and story telling is incredibly relatable
The Psychedelic Furs
2/5
Mmmmm nah new wave not for me
SZA
4/5
Outrageous production value, she's got lots to say and it's pretty funny at times as well
George Harrison
5/5
Been hanging out for this for at least half the list and was left kind of conflicted or at least a bit confused. Its good but soo layered it definitely calls for more than the 5 listens I've given it already this week. Five stars though due to George being the coolest Beatle still though no questions - that clip of him getting out of his rolls with the hat on in front of Abbey Road will go down in cool dude history.
Kelela
4/5
Another hot one from 2017 that is an excellent album but could also find 1000 (and 1..?) other revised edition additions
Television
5/5
Another one of those punk albums that's influenced a lot of my favourite music and more broadly favourite genres. Can hear plenty of Wire in here to the point it sounds like the same drummer. Talking Heads were for sure listening too. Don't get me started on who of my favourites it's touched but Parquet Courts is the clear call out here.
Beatles
5/5
My favourite Beatles album for a variety of reasons but mostly because it seems to me to signal their shift into the weird. Also a great excuse to use the term
proto-psychedelia. Norwegian Wood is John's Blackbird and is an obvious album highlight along with Nowhere Man. Strong George and Ringo showings too. Plenty more to say but will leave it at that. Wait don't forget about John's pained hssssssts in Girl - so good.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Not conviced their singing in a legit language. It's like that song from the 60s where that Italian bloke sang a song to sound like English but it was all just gibberish.
Killing Joke
5/5
Very strong especially toward the second half after a couple of listens. Yet another Punk building blocks situation that I love this list for exposing me to. I think Refused would have listened to a lot of this.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Unlike early Beatles this was waayy to cheesemo for me. Pleas Let Me Wonder is pretty wonderful though.
Stan Getz
5/5
Si. Mucho si. The way that sax is mixed almost got me pregnant.
Linkin Park
4/5
So frustrating how the whole thing is so consistently 4.4 stars. Never gets near enough the benefit of the doubt 5 star which can sometimes come with that level of consistency.
Sister Sledge
5/5
Some outrageously huge black bear ledge dancefloor energy all over this.
Grant Lee Buffalo
1/5
Get this off the list immediately
Dolly Parton
4/5
Super weird coincidence but Dolly popped into my head last night when thinking about potential topics for the PowerPoint party and how she would definitely fit my definition of what is considered cool.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Excellent guitar playing but it's way too long
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Way too sickly sweet. I also had What's Up? by 4 Non Blondes stuck in my head the entire time and kept getting annoyed it wasn't coming on.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Was expecting more country alignment but either way was better than anticipated, hilariously simple and effective album title too
The xx
3/5
Another middling addition from 2017 that took the spot of something more deserving. Hold On is an absolute banger though
Miles Davis
5/5
Just a few outrageously talented bros passing round the talking stick
Soft Machine
1/5
Was hoping this would be one of those "spoils await the victor who perseveres through the initial avant garde-ness" situations but after 14mins of perseverance you can only imagine my dismay upon realising I was still on track one.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
See! Not everything from the 80s has to be tacky and synth drenched. Some of it could be the soundtrack to Withnail and I. One of Those Things would've been better if they'd switched up with other familiar melodies. Reminiscence Pt. 2 was quite beautiful. Good exam of the list showing a deeper side to a previous surface level one hit wonder knowledge
2/5
If Why Can't We Be Friends was a five (which it is) then this is no where near it. Doesn't need to be here and detracts from their better work
Big Star
3/5
Started off strong but had a pretty serious St Peter-out toward the end. Extra star to me for recognising the That 70s show theme song but it not being called out on the Wikipedia page.
Scritti Politti
2/5
This was in 1 star territory for the first 10 seconds but to its credit opened up into something much harder to hate.
M.I.A.
2/5
I've no idea what to make of this
Moby
2/5
Such a strong start that made a quick descent into utter self indulgence
Joe Ely
2/5
Middling
The Last Shadow Puppets
5/5
Considering Arctic Monkeys are my favourite band of all time I embarrassingly have not given these guys as much attention as I should have. Excellent album with lots of hints to Josh Homme's influence and also the new sound of Tranquillity Base. Stands strong as not just a side project but a fully formed and seperate being.
Laibach
2/5
Was kind of into it for the first 30 minutes then it fully lost me. I wonder if King Gizzard took influence from the robot voice for Murder of the Universe
Living Colour
5/5
One of the best albums I've got in the past couple of months I'd say. Was familiar with Cult of Personality from tearing it up on Guitar Hero 4 but the rest of the album absolutely blew me away.
Tom Waits
2/5
Can confirm still not a fan.
Napalm Death
2/5
Fkn joises
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
5/5
I bet you're thinking - "oh dear, Will's going absolutely hate all these banjos and fiddles." But no, the Ken Burns documentary has paid dividends here in terms of me being able to appreciate this one as both the album and all the musicians on it were featured heavily in the series. There is some serious Country music royalty all over this. Seriously considering naming Will the Circle Be Unbroken as my funeral song. All the pre and post track talking and context setting is also pretty beautiful and a very lovely touch.
5/5
Poison Arrow has been a Own Personal Rics staple for as long as I can remember but I was pleasantly surprised with the rest of this album. Great range, kept things interesting, bit Bowie adjacent but that's not a bad thing
Kings of Leon
5/5
Sex on Fire suffers from the Somebody I Used to Know curse of being a great song that got overplayed until bloody and unrecognisable. This is a massive album.
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
That is not how I remember Fix Up, Look Sharp sounding. It's like a weirdo happy clappy indie rock beat.
Jeru The Damaja
5/5
Da Bichez is another classic example of 90s hip hop trying not to be disparaging and failing miserably. Don't worry guys it's not the queen's, sisters and young ladies you need to worry about, it's these vampryic bitches. In saying that, You Can't Stop The Prophet is another classic example of 90s hip hop bringing outrageous texture and nuance to some surprisingly deep subject matter. Personifing Ignorance with a posh English accent was a left field and kind of hilarious flourish, same with the overall character development, scene building and to be continued ending. All straight poetry. Product of it time defense plays five stars.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Fairly strong start but became too weird and too long. Huuuuge John Steele Singers influence alert.
Hookworms
2/5
Some nice moments in an overall nothing album
10cc
5/5
I wish more albums were as conceptual as this. Worst Band in the World is hilarious in its self awareness, especially him breaking down the fourth wall at the end talking from the piece of plastic with a little hole in the middle, asking/begging to be faded out. Great record.
Richard Thompson
5/5
Kind of hard to define it against any one genre. Some beautifully natural and in the pocket guitar playing that sounds like it's been played on a guitar that's been very well worn in. Some other crazy instrumentation scattered throughout, could've sworn I heard some (very tasteful) kazoo, or at least a kazoo synth-preset. Incredible chemistry between the male and female voicing. Melancholy but never truly sad stories, all in a wonderful Wednesday walk companion.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
I get the sense it takes its self too seriously, can't remember what my feelings about the other Dino Jr album were (I feel they were more complimentary) but this was too fuzzed out for my liking
Supergrass
4/5
Alright was an embarrassing ommision from Own Personal Rics until about 10 minutes ago. This has had a significant amount of influence on early 2000s era aus indie/rock, namely Jet, The Vines, The Androids. Then obvious ones outside of Aus like Fratellis, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand etc. The piano intro to Sitting Up Straight is SUPER nice.
Aerosmith
2/5
Stevie's still giving me the creeps man
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Take Five is the best jazz song ever written. An album so perfect and engrossing it takes you until the 7th listen to realise there's no singing
Genesis
2/5
Prog that's not for me. They song titles annoyed me too.
Tom Waits
2/5
Two Tom Waits albums in as many weeks is too Tom's too many thanks. Actually even one was over my limit. Two stars too.
Laura Nyro
4/5
Sounds like it could've been released yesterday, ultra timeless
Motörhead
4/5
Don't ask me why Lemmy gets a pass, he just does. The influence on King Gizz's Infest The Rats Nest is ridiculous.
Big Star
3/5
Slow start but picks up a bit toward the middle
Animal Collective
1/5
The absolute worst of late 2000s whinge pop
The Dandy Warhols
5/5
Subversive to the point of not being able to trust the pop aligned songs like Good Morning, something about that acoustic strumming feels like it's about to belt you at any moment. The Creep Out could well be the best album closer of all time. Fuck it's great. Especially when you realise it's just been him fucking around on a vocoder the entire time. Sounds like where Cousin Tony's yot the feel for Stratoblaster.
3/5
I knew we were in trouble when I thought the 16th minute of track one surely was the halfway mark of the whole album. Okay now at Siberian Khatru and thinking they just a very long to get into the swing of things. There's so fricken jazzy guitar playing going on here. Nope we're back to bad prog. Tantalisingly close to a great album but it never finds its course. The half star is a very rare move for me but would give 3.5 if i could
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
A couple of big tunes up front in Dy-Na-Mi-Tee and Put Him Out but ultimately way too much filler that succumbs to the tried and true over 45mins is way too long rule.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
Not my first listen of this but the only time in the history of the entire universe where I didn't immediately skip the YouTube ads. An extra star for them rehearsing this for 8 months before laying it all down in one 6-hour take. It's actually more impressive that they where somehow able to rehearse what ever this is. Back to one star actually what an absolute shit show.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
This must be the third or fourth of his album in the list and it still doesn't grab me. At least I can now say after a significant amount of research, consideration and soul searching, I am categorically not a Nick Cave fan.
Lupe Fiasco
5/5
Swanky. Five stars for Kick Push, strong contender for top five hip hop songs of all time. Not a nonstop hit machine but it maintains serious energy the entire time via his outrageous writing and delivery. Been in the iTunes library for a very long time and had forgotten how good He Say She Say is. The last 10 albums are delivering.
Stereo MC's
4/5
Kind of like if Stone Roses took meth and listened to heaps of reggae
2/5
So glad I wasn't aware of this while in Year 8. Bonus star for the song titles.
Fairport Convention
4/5
Super engaging album, amazing harmonies and interesting lyrical content. Kind of felt like I was at a renaissance fair doing that skirt holding, up and down bend at the knee dance (you know the one I'm talking about).
Cat Stevens
5/5
Packed full of emotion and beautiful guitar playing, had a very enjoyable Sunday morning double listen through. The Spotify radio it generates after is prime time too.
Wild Beasts
4/5
Unsurprising that this and Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow were released in close proximity to each other, definitely sounds like they influenced each other. in the same style (or in some cases precursor to) as the Hot Chip, Alt J, Everything Everything Everything sound that I love so much. Headphone listen is a must.
Alice Cooper
5/5
A sometimes fruity, sometimes progy and all the time campy vampryic opera for the damned. You can practically hear the eye liner.
Although not the amazingly mind-blowing life-changing will-never-hear music-the-same-again album to finish this project on, I'm very pleased to have finished on something interesting, engaging and perfectly listenable.
I decided to listen to album number 1084 on a Sunday walk through my local bushland and am now sitting on a bench reflecting on how incredible the last 3.5 years of eye opening musical exposure has been.
It has without doubt exponentially influenced my music taste and knowledge. It's also an incredible motivator to continue deep diving into the thousands of rich, complex and beautiful musical rabbit holes that exist throughout culture and history.
That's enough. Thank you Slidegunner for making this incredible website.
DONE.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
5/5
Oh fuck me, apparently there's 1089 albums now not 1084. All that pondering and reflection on the park bench yesterday for nothing. Ah well, the voyage continues for five more and I'm glad for it.
Regarding this album - Someone call Pingu cause this shit slaps.
The Eno special sauce might (or not) have something to do with it. The Sound of Someone You Love was particularly and surprisingly moving. Noot noot indeed.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Had given this a listen previously as a result of it being consistently high on best of 2020 lists. Throws a couple of pretty heavy lyrical punches throughout and features some incredibly impressive vocal range, phrasing and delivery. Opening track intro sounds like My Dick by Mickey Avalon which I can almost 100% guarantee was not the intention based on the themes across the album.
TV On The Radio
1/5
A desperately youth sapping album with zero redeeming features that made me thirsty for the blood of its creators. Seriously this sucked. And zero babes in sight.
Radiohead
4/5
As with most Radiohead albums, one that requires a few listens to get fully acquainted with but pays dividends with a bit of persistence.
John Lee Hooker
5/5
I don't care who you are, the title track is a certified tune... Heal me Carlos. No better way to grease the wheels of an evening walk through the city than with some straight up blues man. Makes every step feel three times lighter. Bonnie Raitt tears it up on the slide guitar too (and apparently said recording the song with him was the most erotic experience of her life).
Okay I think I'm actually done now. Everything I said in my false start celebration for album number 1084 stands for number 1088. What an incredible journey.
DONE (for real this time).