Obviously this album is hella long - no album should be 3 hours long - but I can't help but admire it despite that - even because of it. The humor, humanness of the songs is addictive. It wasn't completely exhausting, because it felt more like hanging out with friends. The spare musicality, and the variety of instruments used, different vocalists, all help the cause.

These songs are so stupid and I hate his voice. This is the pinnacle of annoying 80's rock. The only thing saving this from 1 star is that some of these songs might be tolerable with a different singer.

Vaguely familiar with this band. Did not like the album at first, but it grew on me and I kind of liked it by the end. There is a charm within the dourness.

I can hear in this album why some people appreciate this band so much. I don't have much history with them, other than being familiar with the hits. I like the driving beat that permeates many of the songs, it makes me feel like I'm on a journey, looking out the window of the Amtrak at the mountains or something. I also like that they become unhinged (for them) at certain moments, and showcase some messiness alongside the otherwise unobjectionable prettiness. The mix of vocalists works for me too because there is not one that I object to. All in all, a good album that I would listen to again.

Oh man I forgot how much I loved The Rockafeller Skank when it came out. Really feelin it still. OH SHIT I never heard that last 2 minutes, that wasn't on the radio! I am remembering that my mom did not let me get this cd because of the parental advisory, which I understand now after hearing "In Heaven." Some of these songs are kind of stupid, but they are all fun. I really liked "Praise You" back in the day as well.

I remember where I was on October 2nd, 2000 at midnight: buying this album in a record store on Massachusetts St. in Lawrence. Then back to my room mate Andrew's room to listen to the album 2 times in a row in total silence. My favorite track off this and perhaps my favorite Radiohead track of all time is The National Anthem. When that kicks in it's fucking go time.

I don't think I had actually listened to a Motorhead album before, they're so fun and so intense. I think I understand why people like to talk about Lemmy now.

Had not listened to the whole album before. Obviously the title track is a great song, but perhaps the album relies too much on that vibe, most clearly evidenced by the song "Keep Gettin' It On".

I like these guys. Had not listened to them in a long time, so excited to see them on the list. Really appreciate the tight hooky guitar riffs and basslines.

The songs are so friendly and approachable, then the lyrics bite at you. Really classic sounding, doesn't necessarily sound like an "80's album" which I tend to appreciate.

Really enjoyed part of this, other parts seemed like faux-mysticism, maybe trying too hard or something. Surprised to recognize some songs, most notably "Season of the Witch." Definitely some songs on here I will keep coming back to, the album as a whole dragged on a bit for me.

Fun album... not particularly grabbing for me though.

Ty Segall led me to T. Rex a while back and they quickly became one of my faves. I think this album is a gem.

These are fun songs, but I generally find live albums kind of lame and this is no exception. By the end I was thoroughly bored of it. Feels more like a "fan favorite" for hardcore Thin Lizzy fans than a true classic to me.

Never heard this before! First struck me as a precursor to Thievery Corporation. I was a little put off by the ridiculous canned drums and twerpy basslines, but I think the music got better as the album went on, and it also just grew on me.

Hard not to love Harry Nilsson, he is so playful and earnest. Quite a few good songs here and I think they hold together pretty well as an album too.

Reminds me of some similar sounding bands that I have never been able to get into, like Pearl Jam, and the Holdsteady. Wondering if their significance has something to do with the rise of grunge in the early 90's. I liked a couple of the songs toward the end of the album which pushed it to 3 stars for me instead of 2.

Could not get past the vocal delivery, so whiney and melodramatic. Also found the instrumentation rather irritating. Had to struggle through this one a bit.

Admittedly I am not a huge Prince fan but I certainly appreciate him, and I feel like this album exemplifies what is so endearing about him.

Surprised a little bit by these songs - many of them seem more "serious" straight-ahead punk, as opposed to most of their radio songs which seem more like joke songs. I definitely enjoyed it. Not sure it belongs with the greats though. The hidden track reminded me of the old days, listening to 6 minutes of silence to hear some weird little ditty.

I appreciate some Tracy Chapman songs but overall bored by the album.

Kind of liking this! I did not know they were the ones who did "The Killing Moon" but I really like that song. I like the unstable, on-the-edge feel they have going on in some of the songs. Solid!

This album is a doozie! Overall I appreciate the minimal/maximal approach they take, ebbing in and out of quiet understatement and overblown soundscapes. At a few moments some of the sexual aggression felt disturbing. Some excellent songs here though including some classics (Hurt, Closer), and a very good album.

Not terribly excited by this album. I imagine there will be other Lou Reed albums on the list that I will enjoy more. The tracks that most caught my attention were "The Kids" and "Sad Song."

Was not aware of this band so wasn't sure what to expect, but very pleasantly surprised.

I definitely bought this album on the day it came out - I was 16. I was riding in the back seat of my friend's car listening to "Holiday" - we had it cranked and he was driving too fast trying to take a turn off 18th Ave - into the ditch we went! A fond memory. I get why some people don't like Green Day but they were such a big part of my formative years and I come back to their music often enough. I think this is their best album. "Jesus of Suburbia" is epic, I love that song. Rounding up to a 5.

Anything I heard between ages 16-24 probably has an advantage over the others due to subconscious bias - this album included. With that caveat, I think this album is a stunner. It also is immortalized by her untimely death, and makes the songs that much more potent. And what a voice! Really love the instrumentation on the album too.

This was ok, didn't much for me. A bit turned off by the house music aspects of it.

I want to like this band, but I find myself irritated by what feels like thick layers of irony. I enjoyed some songs but mostly felt annoyed throughout.

Liking this more than the Thin Lizzy live album anyway. I have to say I do enjoy listening to this band, their sound is exciting and so consistently rock n roll. With two albums on the list though I kind of wish it was not a live album that included many of the songs on the other album. I enjoyed the Motorhead song, I think it's gutsy when bands write their own theme song, but I think this one works.

I had heard things about this album but had not listened to it. I actually thought it was older, like 60's. Can definitely hear the 80's in it though. It was a good listen, I liked a number of the songs. At times it felt disgustingly pleasant, a bit too much. I liked "Graceland" the most probably.

Really feeling this album. I like how you can hear all the distinct parts so clearly. The percussion feels like it's right there. Loved the guitar on "Rhapsodia Del Maravilloso."

I like this album, and I went through a "Blur phase" in probably late high school/ early college. I don't love all the songs on this album but some of them I really do, like "Beetlebum" "Song 2" "Killer for Your Love" and perhaps "Look Inside America" & "Strange News from Another Star." "Essex Dogs" too, I forgot about that song. This, as with all Blur albums, struggles as a whole for me. I prefer Damon Albarn's other projects more - Gorillaz, The Good The Bad and the Queen, and his solo stuff.

I have tried to get into ska in the past to no avail, and this album is not changing my mind. I find it kind of exhausting. I did find myself a little bit charmed by a couple of the songs, but those moments were rare.

Nina Simone has such an expressive voice and tells stories to powerfully. I was expecting a lot from this album, and was expecting more than I got somehow. But after listening to the album a couple times I realized that part of what makes these songs special is their depth - I could probably listen 100 times and still have something to learn from them.

I appreciate this album and the Beach Boys - they were a big part of my childhood listening. Where this one falls down some for me is in the dweeby, simplistic, overly emotional lyrics in many of the songs. But I can't deny the iconic sounds and the cultural weight that Pet Sounds carries.

This is a kind of hippies-taking-themselves-to-seriously brand of music that doesn't appeal to me. I was reading about them and their nickname was "The British Jefferson Airplane" - that kind of sums it up for me.

Not at all familiar with this band, but liking them a couple songs in. Yeah, definitely liking this. "Black or Blue" and "Still Life" stuck out on first listen. They have the emotional thing going on that some 80's bands have, but it seems darker and more unhinged. Finding the sound intriguing, and unique.

I knew the song Tom Sawyer but didn't know it was Rush. I appreciate the instrumentation but don't especially enjoy it. Not keen on the vocals, but found myself enjoying some of the jammy parts.

Solid album. Definitely hear why we often discuss TH as a reference point for our music. The end of "Mind" made me think of Open Door Policy. The repetition and winky-ness of the songs is very RCE. Not sure I had listened to this album before. Most familiar with "Heaven." Liked it even more upon second listen. They're like demented party jams.

This album sounds fresh, as if it could have been released yesterday. The themes and anxiety feel contemporary still, even apt for the current moment.

Very funky. I was interested in hearing more from this band - my first exposure to them was when my sister downloaded one of their songs when I was in middle school. I found their sound exciting. I asked her about it yesterday and she said she probably heard it in the movie Center Stage, which I never saw but is apparently about dancers. On this listen, for some reason I couldn't shake the perception that the singer was emulating Stevie Wonder, and that bothered me. A reference point that occurred to me, but didn't bother me, was KC and the Sunshine Band - another band I heard for the first time in middle school. Waffling between 3 and 4 on this one.

I appreciate this album in a conceptual way, but if I'm honest with myself I don't get that much out of the experience w of listening to it. I think it's a pleasant listen, and kind of funny, but the idea of it holds more weight for me than the execution.

After listening to this album my feelings about ABBA remain neutral.

I really enjoyed the first track and was hopeful, but recognized that it could go either way depending on what happened next. It had a potent mix of funky-as-hell, kind-of-cheesy, and that Kool and the Gang summertime vibe. I was disappointed that the subsequent tracks descended into the 90's idea of baby-making music. Kind of went gradually downhill throughout the album for me.

This album is very special to me - Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground was one of the first songs I learned on guitar. Little Room is one of my favorite songs ever, not just of the White Stripes. Tons of gems here Hotel Yorba, Fell in Love With a Girl, We're Going to Be Friends. There are a few songs I don't love here but I think it's a fantastic album that still sounds great 20 years in.

Solid album, still relevant, still sounds fresh.

Not familiar with Brian Eno's catalogue, as I presume you both are, and it started out funkier than I expected, more accessible that I thought it would be. Like the drums in "No One Recieving." "Backwater" sounds like the goofier side of the Beatles, like something Paul would write and make Ringo sing. "Kings Lead Hat" was a dead ringer for the Talking Heads, and I was not surprised to find out that it was intentional. "Julie With" and "Through Hollow Lands" and "Spider and I" as more along the lines of what I expected the album to be like. It was not a cohesive album, jumped around. After hearing this I wonder if that willingness to go all over the map musically is what made him a good producer. I liked the album, did not love it.

I have enjoyed the Bee Gees from time to time but largely I think of them as a band who has kind of a schtick for overly emotional songs and occasional disco party jams (Stayin Alive). This album felt slightly more sophisticated than my caricature at times, but at other times lived up to it. Some serious Beatles vibes at times. I get that it was in the air back then, but wow, dead ringer at certain moments. I kept finding myself thinking 'this is a kick ass song' and then the lyrics would all but ruin it for me.

I have listened to the Smith's some but don't know a ton about Morrissey (other than what I have heard from Jon) so I am coming to this more or less with fresh ears. I liked "Everyday is Like Sunday", so smooth and 80's in a good way. Like the spooky guitar work on "Late Night, Maudlin Street". I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would.

Neil Young is one of the greats that I wished I enjoyed more. A couple excellent songs, but most of them just floated by in the background for me.

Very strong start with "Don't Stop." Some work themes on this album, very RCE. Ended strong too, I liked that disco song. Overall a fun album, little to complain about.

Very excited by the intro. Yeah, really liking this. I can hear how influenced Ty Segall is by Black Sabbath in these songs. Each of these songs are just instantly likable. I don't love the vocals but they aren't unbearable and there are so many redeeming qualities to the music. I was of course aware of Black Sabbath but had never listened to a whole album. I think I'm a new fan. Wow, Wicked World almost sounds like a jazz tune at times. Yeah this album kicks ass. Love the way the songs mesh together. Liked it even better on the second listen, and was better able to appreciate the expressiveness and vulnerability in Ozzy's vocal delivery.

The Talking Heads do a thing and they do it well. I enjoyed many of these songs though none of them really knocked my socks off. Between a 3 and 4, will round up.

I didn't know much if anything about Steve Winwood and I decided to read about him before listening to the album. Kind of got my hopes up - child prodigy, playing in bands at 8, record deal at 14, played with Clapton, Hendrix, Muddy Waters, B.B. King... but all that lead up led to a big disappointment. The music is so soft rock, pale R&B, made for daytime radio. I kind of wanted to punch him during "Second-Hand Woman." His voice reminds me of - sorry for this Jon - Phil Collins, in a bad way. I did not like this album.

I came to Wilco later on in their career, and although I enjoy certain songs in their earlier catalogue, I struggle with the lethargic mood of much of it. It brings me down, I find it depressing and exhausting. "Sunken Treasure" is a good example of that. I like "Outtasite". Some really soft and beautiful songs too, like "The Lonely 1." They can get really heavy too (in a good way) like on "Misunderstood" which I think is a solid opening track. Overall a good album but not one I will likely come back to.

I was a little nervous when he started up with straight up Bob Marley, but it turned around immediately and I ended up liking the album. "Paranoia Blues" stuck out. Also "Everything Put Together Falls Apart" and "Run That Body Down" on second listen. Yeah I like this.

What a lovely, epic album. I listened to "Dark Side of the Moon" album a lot in high school but I don't know that I had listened to The Wall all the way through - more than happy to have a reason to. Can hear why it is so legendary. Goofy how it gets all play/musical at the end.

I know CeeLo mainly from Gnarls Barkley, not familiar with much from him earlier than that. I was expecting to like this more than I did. I liked a few of the songs but most of them I just found uninteresting. It was fun to see all the guest artists he had on the album though.

Had a hard time making sense of this one, especially after the first track was super 80's synthy and then the second track was jazz/big band. Overall I didn't like the album that much but it did make me curious about them. Loved their Talking Heads "Heaven" cover, it made me appreciate the lyrics in a way that I hadn't in the TH version.

Liking the straight-ahead indie punk thing they do. "The Sprawl" made me think of Parquet Courts, esp that talk-singy thing at the beginning. Started to get long and repetitive about halfway through. Getting worn down by the consistently dire vibe. Really starting to hate it toward the end - if it ended 5 songs ago I might have rated higher.

Liking this a song in - sample based? Sounds like it could be contemporary. Defies genre a bit, which I appreciate. 2hrs 20 minutes? Good Lord. Meant for hookah bars and Amsterdam coffee shops with that kind of length. Halfway through getting a better sense of the "genre." This is what 2am feels like when you're trying to rally but you know you're too damn tired. The first two tracks were great, the other 21 left me wanting.

I thought this was a very good album. Fun picking out Neil Young's voice singing harmony. I liked the simplicity of the acoustic guitar and almost tinny recording quality in some places. Was reading about him, did not realize he was in The Byrds, and interesting to hear about him hanging with Buffalo Springfield, sitting in for Neil Young at least once. Seems like there was a lot of intermingling between bands that resulted in a lot of music.

I have never been a big Elton John fan but it's impossible to deny the cultural force of songs like "Tiny Dancer," and I enjoyed hearing it in the album context. Some good oddballs here, like "Razor Face" - never heard it but it is a fun jam. "Rotten Peaches" sounds like a parody, like they took some words and put them in an "Elton John" style. I don't know... doesn't excite me but on par for Elton John.

These songs are ok but I'm not that into it, sounds like children's music to me.

Sonic Youth can be so consistently gloom-and-doom, it's hard for me to stomach for long periods of time, and this album did not provide much relief track to track. I was not compelled to listen to any of the bonus tracks, I was ready to move on.

Not bad but not that into it. I thought "Funny Vibes" was a disaster of a song until I looked them up and found out they are a group of all black men, then the lyrics made more sense. Got Huey Lewis and the News vibes at certain points, but Living Colour is more hardcore. The moments when they fused hip hop in were somewhat intreguing. Overall didn't do much for me, was tired of it by the end of the album.

Oh baby the album starts with that lick they used for Gettin Jiggy Wit It, now I know where it comes from! Of course "We Are Family" is a classic but I did not know who the artist was. This is really eye opening for me. Some of the songs and themes are just way too feel good earnest to even be enjoyable. Glad I heard this but probably won't seek it out in the future.

I looked into this band after we listened to Blur - they were in the Britpop "big four." I listened to Freaks (1987) at that time, and really liked some of it. This album not sticking out as much, I am underwhelmed. Hearing similarities to Blur in some of the instrumentation occasionally. Not really into the album.

I like Elliott Smith's voice, so unique and mysterious. I like the slow songs as well as the harder jams, I appreciate that he can navigate both. I thought this was a solid album with good songwriting and stayed interesting throughout.

I think it's a decent album, and I said this about the last Wilco album too, but despite being a Wilco fan this album doesn't get me particularly excited. I like some Billy Bragg too (thanks to Jon) but this album is just ok to my ear. Rounding up to 3 stars.

I can hear in this album why some people appreciate this band so much. I don't have much history with them, other than being familiar with the hits. I like the driving beat that permeates many of the songs, it makes me feel like I'm on a journey, looking out the window of the Amtrak at the mountains or something. I also like that they become unhinged (for them) at certain moments, and showcase some messiness alongside the otherwise unobjectionable prettiness. The mix of vocalists works for me too because there is not one that I object to. All in all, a good album that I would listen to again.

There were moments of this that I found compelling - the end of I've Lost the Reason, for example, when the distorted vocals kick in. Overall I found it dull. I liked the last couple songs. My mind could be changed about this album, but not a great first listen for me.

Found this repetitive and boring for the most part. I liked a couple songs, namely "Step It Up" and "Chicken Shake" but I was more than ready for the album to end.

Woe is the album that opens with a song as epic and legendary as American Pie. What do you follow it with? It's like they weren't even trying - mostly slow ballads that felt pale after the AP roller coaster. "Winterwood" caught my attention somewhat, and "Everybody Loves Me, Baby was fun but sounded like an attempt at AP part 2.

I know nothing about Gene Clark, going in cold. Loving the first song, such a warm groove. Halfway through, nothing has lived up to that first tune but generally liking it. Getting really sick of the harmonica, I feel this album could do without it or less of it. The bass is really plunky sounding, kind of getting on my nerves too - like I want to hear a stand up bass instead. Omg the Stand by Me cover is rough, we are going downhill. Overall not very impressed. Probably a 2.5, rounding down.

This band is funny in a Kraftwerk and Devo sort of way. Hard not to like it, it's weird and friendly. Oh, I actually know "Don't You Want Me", that was a surprise. I like that song. This was a good listen.

This is more along the lines of what I previously thought Brian Eno did - weird sprawling mostly instrumental stuff. Some of the songs I enjoyed ("In Dark Trees" especially - something about that echoey horn sound that gives me the shivers I'm a good way) but overall I thought it was just so so.

I appreciate the unique sound and experimental pop, though I don't particularly enjoy most of it. If I heard this without context and had to guess when this music was from I would have probably guessed much later than 1985, a testament to its progressive sounds and the influence it has had on other musicians.

The album did get long and sprawly and it wasn't all pure gold but I can't deny the sheer skill and vision that Jimi had, and the whole band plays very well together. Cool to hear some classics in album context, like "Crosstown Traffic" and "All Along the Watchtower."

I really enjoyed this and would listen to it again. TV on the Radio is a band I had occasionally heard a song or two from, and liked, but had never really sought out. I may be on the verge of fandom after this.

I think what I learned listening to this is that I thought I liked Led Zeppelin more than I do. Apparently I more like to hear some of their epic jams every once in a while. Listening to all this as a double album I really got bored before I was even halfway through. Some exciting moments here and there.

Solid Americana, exactly what I expect from The Boss.

Idk these all sound like 90s pump up jams. "Chico's Groove" was really the only one that caught my ear.

Album starts with a bang with "Lust for Life." Can it live up? Ooo, The Passenger, such a great song too. "Success" is great too. There's a playfulness and positivity to this music that I really appreciate. Good album!

I like how goofy this band is, and I like their surf rock sound. My dad used to play them for us kids sometimes. LOVE "Rock Lobster." I don't think they needed to include the cover of "Downtown", that track weakened a pretty good album.

Mixed feelings about this one. I really like 'Tainted Love' and maybe a couple other songs. I also like the musical aesthetic, how it treads this ground between dweeby and sophisticated. Struggled with some of the sadistic themes and lyrics. I was excited by the song 'Memorabilia' but then it went on about a minute and a half too long.

Snoozefest. Thin musically. Glad when over.

This is a contender for my favorite Blur album. The song "Parklife" was a favorite of my brother and me when I was in high school. The overtly British stuff is charming, like "Bank Holiday" and "London Loves." Several great songs on here and I think it covers a fair amount of ground while staying cohesive as an album throughout.

What a beautiful album. It's like a sea of friendly existential dread. Knew of this band but had not listened to them much if at all. Looking forward to exploring them more, and if this album is any indication I will be a new fan.

Funny how Frank's weird personality comes through even in instrumentals. Not surprised to read that Captain Beefheart was involved with this one. Could hear the Beefheart influence on Tom Waits especially in "Willie the Pimp." I enjoyed this album, but I do wonder given FZ's vast discography whether this deserved to be on the list. Still, 3.5 rounded to 4 for me.

Wow, kind of stunned by this. How have I never heard of this guy? Hearing Lemon Twigs in this, and Jack White. If this came out now it would still sound edgy. Getting really yacht rock with the Medley. Second half of the album sounds more dated but I still like it overall.

I have listened to a fair bit of Rufus Wainwright and this was consistent with what I think when I think of him. His voice is beautiful, the songs are thoughtfully constructed and embellished with strings. In the end though, the music is just so brooding that it brings the whole experience down for me.

I always liked Lovefool since I heard it on KROC in the 90's, but man this whole album was a knockout! Not a song I didn't enjoy. Love their warm, unpredictable chord changes. I really like Nina's voice and the band is stellar. Thought I was hearing Black Sabbath influence in one of the earlier songs but figured I was imagining it - then they did that incredible Iron Man cover. Risky move but I thought they pulled it off, reimagining it in their own distinctive style. Didn't realize they were from Sweden. 5 stars!

I like listening to the Pogues from time to time, and I thought this album was pretty solid. However I don't relate that much to the music and rarely go out of my way for it.

Some of these songs are idiotic I the best way, "Worst Band..." "Hotel". Some excellent guitar sounds. It sounds like they are having fun. I enjoyed it, and it made me curious to listen to more from these guys. From Wikipedia, sounds like they were really in stride for about 5 albums in the 70's.

These songs are so stupid and I hate his voice. This is the pinnacle of annoying 80's rock. The only thing saving this from 1 star is that some of these songs might be tolerable with a different singer.

Found this largely underwhelming.

Pleasantly surprised to see something so recent on here. Good album, a bit long and rambly for me though and I like some of his other albums more. King Kunta is a hell of a song.

Had not heard of this band but I think I liked them by the end. Where it got weird for me is when the onligitory 80's synths combined with the soulful reggae grooves.

I have not been a Bob Dylan fan but I have slowly warmed to him over the years. This album certainly pushes me toward fandom. It is easy to hear all the influence he has had on subsequent musicians listening to these songs. The lyrics are so interesting, and make me want to listen again. I was driving down to Rochester to get my vaccine for part of the album, and it's the perfect soundtrack for driving through the vast landscape.

This mag be unfair but these songs sound like they are trying to be deep and profound but it sounds insincere or inauthentic to me. Was surprised to find out they are American, they sounded super British to me. Given the timeframe they were ahead of their time in terms of the Britpop and Altrock stuff that became super prevalent in the 90's. Reading that this album was shelved due to its lack of commercial appeal and released years later makes me a little more sympathetic knowing they were underdogs.

Idk... finding this mildly amusing but I don't think I like it.

This was a good listen, pleasing sounds and more of them were familiar than I expected.

The Band is ok, they don't excite me very much. I enjoyed "Caledonia Mission." "The Weight" is iconic but I have heard it so many times and I don't like getting it stuck in my head.

Obviously this album is hella long - no album should be 3 hours long - but I can't help but admire it despite that - even because of it. The humor, humanness of the songs is addictive. It wasn't completely exhausting, because it felt more like hanging out with friends. The spare musicality, and the variety of instruments used, different vocalists, all help the cause.

Hot and cold throughout - I liked some of the more experimental moments, and some of the moments of head bobbing grooves. On the other hand there was quite a bit of that late 60s / early 70s idealism that can sound overly twerpy.

I found this to be a pleasant listen, despite the excessive run time. Took me a few sittings to get through it. Nothing mind blowing for me.

A great album, love the driving grunge, lyrics with vulnerability and aggression. Had listened only to their more recent album from 2019, which was also very good. Coincidentally I was recently listening to a This American Life episode from 1997 in which they featured "Words and Guitar," which made me like that song even more. I did not learn until after that there is no bass, which I was impressed with because they have achieved a full sound without it.

Oh man I forgot how much I loved The Rockafeller Skank when it came out. Really feelin it still. OH SHIT I never heard that last 2 minutes, that wasn't on the radio! I am remembering that my mom did not let me get this cd because of the parental advisory, which I understand now after hearing "In Heaven." Some of these songs are kind of stupid, but they are all fun. I really liked "Praise You" back in the day as well.

Great album, with some monster songs in terms of cultural presence, not the least of which "Take Five." I haven't said this about an album yet, but I actually wished it was longer. The band sounds great and it felt like they were just warming up.

Love this, excellent songs and kept my interest throughout. The three of them have a nice dynamic that keeps the songs moving. Lots of great samples. My only complaint is the bonus tracks, not needed.

Most of this was unobjectionable but not particularly captivating. Really disliked that song with Dave Matthews. Not super familiar with her work but I have to believe that in her vast catalogue there are better albums.

Never have really loved Simon & Garfunkel. Can appreciate their hits every once in a while. "Baby Driver" was the most enjoyable track for me this time around, for whatever reason.

Very enjoyable, some classic songs on here. Maybe only one dud toward the end of the album.

Coincidentally these guys just released a new album this week that I listened to. I liked this one more - it was a bit more raw. Some good moments, some smart lyrics, some tasty guitar licks, but overall a slog for me. It's a fairly consistent onslaught of a sound I don't appreciate that much.

I respect the devastatingly emotional cavern they have created, but I don't particularly enjoy it.

Fantastic album. Bowie was experimenting and keeping his sound fresh and relevant to the very end.

Was not expecting to recognize a song right of the bat - I think I actually know "Love Vigilantes" not from this original version but from the Iron & Wine cover. Found my head bobbing to "This Time of Night." Overall it was somewhat forgettable, one I likely won't come back to. But I liked it more than I thought I would.

I thought this was a fun listen - has some of that doe eyed earnestness of some of the music of 60's. Dipping their toes into phychadelic rock, which I could have used more of.

An excellent album and important transition in his career as he started collaborating with and being influenced by his wife Kathleen. She introduced him to Captain Beefheart who became a major influence, and you can hear that in this album. He started developing more voices and characters that continue to show up in later albums. I am reminded why I like his music so much listening to the first couple tracks - he creates such vivid scenes, you can imagine the loneliness, seediness and darkness of the places he inhabits. Sweet to hear a song about Kathleen (Johnsburg, Illinois). I think there are a number of masterpieces on the album - 16 Shells, Frank's Wild Years included. Other standouts for me are Swordfishtrombone, Down Down Down, and Gin Soaked Boy. Ultimately I find Rain Dogs to be a better album - certainly my favorite of the 80's trilogy and probably of all his albums - but for me it still deserves 5 stars.

Her voice is so unique, beautiful, expressive, haunting, warm, rich, textured - a real force, and showcased so well by these songs and the orchestral backdrop.

Had not heard of this band and after listening I am surprised they are not better known. A shimmering example of 90's grunge. Could hear bits and pieces that sounded like other bands - Weezer, Blur, Oasis, Black Sabbath, The Beatles - and anyone else hearing "Strangers in the Night" in "Lost in You"? Yet they still have their own unique sound.

First few times I heard Q-Tip was randomly on the radio, and each time I would be like WHO IS THIS?? It was not like anything else I had heard. Something about the combination of his unique voice and the jazz and funkiness of the samples keep his sound really tight and fresh, and is showcased well on this album.

I liked this more than I thought I would, liked the bright chippy guitar sounds and the vocals. Wasn't expecting to recognize any songs, but knew "Brass in Pocket," though I don't really like that song.

Very nostalgic hearing the song "Ray of Light" again, brought me back. Overall kind of a snoozer.

What a scorcher!

He paints a picture of a womanizing sleazeball. Found his voice rather annoying. I did enjoy the instrumentation and liveliness of the songs.

Thought this was a fun album and nice change of pace from the other albums we have heard so far. Unfortunately with this album not being on Spotify I listened on YouTube and it became a major distraction - the ads, a playlist with the tracks out of order, and skipping audio (at first I thought this was my wifi but upon further investigation it seemed to be the source files). In any case I enjoyed the singing, including the duets, and the music was lively and exciting. Would listen again if I find another way to listen and enjoy it more.

Thought it was ok, classic sounding. Could tell he was being experimental but it sounded tame, at least by today's standards. Definitely heard the Nick Drake influence at times. Underwhelming for me overall.

I want to like Kate Bush more than I do, and I have tried to get into her music in the past. It just doesn't stick to me, like I can't relate or something. I do appreciate the uniqueness of the music here though, the experimental nature of the vocals and instrumentation.

Some of the heavy metal guitar riffs are tasty but the screaming vocals are just a non starter for me - I don't relate to that aggressive intensity and it's not pleasing to my ear.

I was disappointed by this. He's such an incredible guitarist but it is not showcased much. The one I recognized most was I Shot The Sherriff, but it's a pretty straight cover and The Wailers did it better.

Interesting to know this is a concept album. Some good songs here and there, but I am having the same experience I have had previously with The Who, which is to say I just can't really get into them.

Maybe a bit boring for me, but I appreciate the humanity of the music - you can really hear a person in it. By chance, Lambchop happened to drop an album on the day I listened to this - 5/21/21, and the sound and feel are largely the same, except for his more recent embrace of auto tune.

A good live album in what sounds like a fairly intimate setting with an engaged audience. Not TW's best songwriting, but the album sets a nice nighthawk mood with the jazz and the iconic gravelly voice. My favorites are "Eggs and Sausage" "Better Off Without a Wife" and "Warm Beer Cold Women" because I feel they best capture what this album is about. "Nobody" is a gem too, and "Big Joe Phantom 309" is enjoyable when I'm in the right mood for it.

Love the sound of that santoor. Hard to know what to think about this in the context of the other albums, it is so different. I enjoyed it, and may come back to it.

It's easy to understand, listening to this, how they became influential in a short amount of time. Their sound is exciting, electric, captivating. My only previous exposure to this was RATM's cover of Kick Out the Jams, but I think I might be a new fan.

Oh yeah, strong start. Like a Tom Jones 007 feel. I like the spaghetti western sound of "The Old Man's Back Again". The only one I didn't like was "Boy Child". There's something about the way he sings that makes it difficult for me to take it totally serious, but I found it a fun and enjoyable listen.

I was hearing a lot of texture in the songs, lots of layers to listen to. I like the heavy rock n roll, and simultaneous sophistication he brings to it. I haven't listened to many Bowie records front to back, really enjoying it.

Since we just listened to Aladdin Sane, I find myself comparing the two albums, which is a random touchpoint, but in any case I liked AS better. This one was just not as compelling. The ambient tracks toward the end were interesting, but didn't feel cohesive with the rest of the album.

Got too "blue eyed soul" for me, but parts of it I liked. Impossible not to appreciate his guitar playing. Not sure what it means, if anything, but hearing strong similarities between this and Audioslave. For evidence, listen to "Sunflower" and "Dandelion" by Audioslave back to back. The similarities between the guitar playing and singing styles is striking.

Solid reggae sound throughout, happy to have heard this.

I did not enjoy this. It was a barage of unending dreary angst. Sure maybe that's the point, but it's not for me.

Idk... not that into the music and he keeps singing about things that make me think he's an asshole.

Pleasantly surprised by this, I thought there were some really good jams. Favorites are probably "Whole Lotta Love" "Lemon Song" and "Moby Dick". And "Ramble On." Hard to decide on favorites here, mark of a good album.

Not objectionable, but I don't love the showy guitar glam rock they do so well.

A well crafted album with lots of Donald Fagan charms, with his dry, witty, intelligent lyrics and expressive voice. Some nostalgic value for me too - this album slowly became a family favorite starting sometime in my teenage years.

Wish I liked this more, them being from Minneapolis and all, but I just don't find their music very interesting or exciting, in general or on this album.

I respect the heartfelt emotion and honesty but this is not something I would choose to listen to on my own.

I've listened to this album before but it had been a while, and I expected to like it more than I did. There something opaque about the Talking Heads, like you can tell there's a joke there but it's also serious, and what exactly is the joke? I continue to find myself impressed by the technical abilities of the band that sometimes get overshadowed by the strangeness and by David Byrne's singing style. For that reason I especially appreciated the instrumental "unfinished outtakes."

I listened to this twice and both times when I got to the end I was like, what even happened? It was pretty blah for me, which disappointed me because I usually like Waylon Jennings quite a bit, or at least I thought I did...

A solid Green Day album. There are some songs I don't care for on here but by and large good stuff. Longview is one of my favorite songs of theirs.

I found this... quaint? Idk, I didn't really enjoy it much.

Wow! They were not on my radar but I liked this quite a bit. I was hearing Blur in it, so interesting to find out that Justine Frischmann (lead singer) dated Damon Albarn for several years in the 90's. Found this very easy to listen to, makes me want to listen to their other stuff too.

Kind of goofy, moments of glory. I didn't love it but I sensed a depth to what felt like an art project.

I thought this was good, I would listen to it again, but not particularly mind blowing or anything.

I did not find this very interesting.

I thought this was excellent, I would like to come back to this one.

Props for finding a song and sticking to it, but unfortunately I got sick of it pretty fast and just wanted it to end about 20 minutes before it did. Makes me think of Pavement, I wonder if they were influencing each other.

I'm learning that Pulp is pretty hot and miss with me. Mostly misses here. I liked "Something Changed", felt that it brought together their unique cocktail of cynicism & earnestness nicely.

Pleasantly surprised - a lot heavier (in sound and lyrical content), more substantial, and more interesting than my perception of the Pixies, which was formed by hearing "Where Is My Mind" over and over again in various contexts over many years.

These songs are so bold and fearless, so exciting! I love this!

I approached this album with some preconcieved notions, even some trepidation, being an MN native and resident but not a huge Prince fan. I realized very quickly though that I had never listened to this album as a whole, and I really thought it was exceptional. The songs are well written, they hold together well, and his raw talent is showcased throughout, both his musicianship and his vocals. Purple Rain as the album finale is just epic.

Damn, these guitar sounds sound fresh. Love her expressive vocals. "11:59" sounded like a deleted scene from Grease. Largely really liked this - more than enough to make me want to listen to more Blondie. That alternate version of Heart of Glass (Once I Had Love) was freaking dope.

A lovely album. I can't put my finger on what is so unique about them, but they just seem to have a way of composing and writing that is unexpected, unusual, and appealing to me.

In a strange coincidence, before I knew this was the album today I was talking with my Dad about the very first albums he bought - one of them was this one! The songs are creative and interesting. Sometimes I find them impactful, other times I get a bit lost. Much of her craft seems to depend on the lyrics and if I'm not able to follow them I lose interest a little bit. That said, I think there is a lot to unpack here that can't be gleaned from a single listen, and I look forward to coming back to it.

This is fun and unexpected. How many times is Paul Weller going to show up on this list?? And quite differently each time. The album really goes downhill for me though as it fractures into different genres - was hoping it would stay in that strange clowny jazz realm they started in.

This is so freaking classic and so freaking good. I'll take more where that came from.

I thought this was good... Bowie's softer side. Not in love with it. If I am painfully honest, That 70's Show kind of ruined "Changes" for me, because they would often use it for melodrama.

This could either grow on me or become very annoying - not sure which yet.

Can't say I loved it, but it seemed unique, and I liked the deadpan moodiness of it, an entanglement of cynicism and beauty. Enough to pique my interest anyway.

I didn't care for Arcade Fire until I heard The Suburbs. This album does about the same for me as it did when I first heard it, which is to say, not much. I find it a bit exhausting.

I enjoy the Beastie Boys every once in a while and in small doses, but listening to each of these songs one after another made me focus on how silly and stupid their schtick is. The sampling is spot on though.

I thought it was nice, very earnest, so much so that at times I wanted to throw up in my mouth. The highlight for me was "Everybody's Talkin" and the lowlight was "Song with No Words."

I was starting to think I just don't like Morrissey, but I did enjoy this album. He's a crank but he has some good points. This may sound like a dig, but my favorite part of the album was the last minute of the last song, "You Know I Couldn't Last," when that cool bass line kicks in and they rock out to the finish line - I could listen to that on repeat for a while.

The scary thing is a lot of this could have been written yesterday, almost 30 years later. I enjoyed the intensity and clarity of purpose.

They surprised me a little in a good way - more experimentation than I am used to thinking of them. For example I was NOT expecting for that synth to drop in Save the Life of My Child. Of course Mrs Robinson is an absolute classic. The end seemed abrupt, the way the last words of the album were "at the zoo..."

This was new to me, and I really enjoyed it. I like when bands can navigate little experiments and moments of genre bending as seamlessly as they do. They really caught my attention at "[A] Touch Sensitive" and perhaps my favorite was "Juxtapozed with U."

I liked the jazziness of this record, I still just don't like his voice unfortunately.

Some of this I liked, the funkier moments. Ultimately too disco for me, and some songs were too long and repetitive.

I respect Oasis and I REALLY like some of their songs, but they produce a wall of impenetrable sound that has always been unappealing to me. That's what most of this album is like for me, but I do have a soft spot for "Supersonic." I also liked "Bring it on Down," don't really know that song well, same with "Cigarettes and Alcohol." I appreciate "Married with Children" as a song and as an anomaly on this album.

I like a couple of these songs but the album itself has never really grabbed me. Some of their albums are solid, for me this is not one of them.

I appreciate the skillful and soulful guitar work, the songs themselves don't do much for me.

I first heard this a long time ago after getting it from the Rochester Public Library - I was trying to learn more about Miles Davis at the time, and I wasn't ready for how vast and varied his catalog is. Maybe a decade later, I appreciate this album more.

A classic no doubt, though I like Frank's swinging stuff more, this was pretty downtempo.

Between 'Beautiful Day' and 'Elevation,' this quickly turns into a greatest hits of songs I hated as a teenager. I don't hate them anymore, but I don't like them either. Most of these songs make me cringe a little.

I have always found this band exhausting, so I was dismayed to find that it's 90 minutes of music. I did find the monologues quite compelling, which surprised me, usually that kind of thing doesn't work. But, more than ready for the album to be over by the end.

I found this fun, I liked that it's somewhat loose but also packs a punch.

What a legendary album. I just love his interactions with the inmates, it makes the music even more powerful. I don't remember hearing the announcements and chit chat at the end, I like that they didn't cut that off.

I don't really like the Smashing Pumpkins outside of a few songs, but I found this tolerable albiet boring.

These are fun songs. This is a nice way to listen to Rod Stewart, because although I like him, I tire of his voice but with Ronnie Wood alternating on lead vocals throughout the album, it creates a nice balance.

Was not aware of this band. Thought it was ok. Their guitar sounds made me think if the Raveonettes, the way they almost sound uplifting if they weren't soaked in reverb as if playing from a dark empty dungeon.

Didn't really enjoy this. It was like an excitable fever dream that you wake up from sweating and annoyed.

"Johnny's Garden" caught my attention, the rest sounding really blah to me. Lost points for album being too long, lost points for lame album cover.

I could see myself getting into this to some extent, but something about it feels, I don't know... empty?

Really like the funkiness of much of this album. Seems to meet into Halloween music later on. The story of this band and album is more interesting than the actual listening experience for me.

This sounds very stupid to me but it's also fun, and not a bad thing to listen to if you just feel like turning your brain off. No, I will not be listening to all the live tracks.

I thought this was ok... definitely could hear the influence it might have had on other singer songwriters of subsequent era. Nothing mind blowing.

Really promising opening sounds in terms of establishing a sound and a mood that I felt I could soak up for the duration of an album. Unfortunately, it plateaued after that, and sank into a wallowing sadness that I found less interesting.

A clear classic, though REM is not really my jam.

I have often relied on Bill Evan's music to relax. This album exemplifies what I like about his stuff - skillful yet low key, moody. The glasses clinking and occasional voices coming through really set the mood, you can imagine the setting.

I liked this, it's strange and goofy in all the right ways. I like the richness of his voice, it reminds me of Robert Pollard. A couple duds on the album but overall strong, and turned me on to a band I didn't know anything about before.

Really liking their sound. Some special songs here, "Dreaming of You," "Waiting for the Heartaches." Really strong album. It seems like they are super talented, they know who they are as a band, and they are just having fun with it.

Nice to hear, what a voice! Lots of good songs. Some of the content of his songs haven't aged very well but these are pretty good for the most part.

Bittersweet Symphony has always seemed ubiquitous to me. Nice to hear some of their other songs, I am liking this quite a bit.

I appreciate many of these songs but REM never gets me too excited.

Generally I respect what Pavement does, I thought this album was pretty good, though I do get exhausted of the "singing" after a few songs - better in small doses.

I have a soft spot for Jurassic 5 as I really enjoyed them when I was in high school. "What's Golden" was one of their songs that I listened to a lot. Some of their stuff sounds a little silly to me now, but their hooks and samples are undeniably catchy, and the varied voices of the rappers helps keep it interesting. I remember "Thin Line" now too.

Some really nice sounds, ultimately a bit too pretty for me but I do appreciate that this band and album helped shape rock n roll.

Epicly funky from the first second. This is a goddam masterpiece. Love the jazz fusion, love the balance of experimentation and improvisation against catchiness and hooks.

There's nothing wrong with this but I do not vibe with it.

Ute is new to me. Such a powerful voice, and I loved the orchestration. They kind of feel like Bond tunes, with how dark and grand many of them are. Pleased to hear a couple Tom Waits tunes on the album.

There were moments when they sounded pretty good, but overall finding this bland, which is generally my reaction to The Eagles.

I thought this was a great album with lots of good songs and lots of descriptive lyrics. One I would come back to.

Really admirable the way he storefronts his voice throughout the album. There's no hiding from your lyrics in this context, and the lyrics hold up. The electric guitar really holds its own too.

Hard to deny that this is good, but I just don't like JJ's music much. Part of it is her voice, and part of it is that it's the quintessential, I don't know, music to do cocaine to? Interested in seeing some live performance footage, I feel like I would appreciate her more that way.

Finding it difficult to dislike this, as stupid as it can be at times. Meets the definition of irrisistable rock n roll.

Most of these songs feel like unresolved experiments as opposed to releasable material. How these songs garnered mainstream attention is baffling to me. Even the songs I recognize like "Da Funk" and "Around the World" get too repetitive and annoying as whole songs to me. I suppose they work well in a club or live setting though and it sounds like they did a lot of promotion beforehand.

Good stuff, I can get into this. Have listened in the past but never has stuck to me. Interesting to read about this album and how it struck a chord with people and caught on in a big way.

Really tasty beats, good songs. Feel like it doesn't quite capture the quintessential Missy Elliot we would hear later on.

Love this! Glad Bowie encouraged them not to break up.

Fantastic album, love it! Shocking how small of a discography she has given the huge impact she has had on the world of music.

I listened to this very seldom in my Blur phase, and now I understand why I didn't remember it. The songs are bland. I feel they developed some of the ideas present here more effectively in later albums.

Before listening I wondered why this was on the list - Dylan's 30th studio album, well beyond his "prime." But I really appreciated the songwriting and heard greatness in it. Classic Dylan storytelling, and notewotlethy as a return to form after a long dry spell. You can hear him grappling with his age, and he sounds so old. Remarkable to realize that he is still releasing vital material now, more than 20 years after this album was released.

Thought this was really fun to listen to. Recognized more than I thought I would.

Absolute trail blazers - great stuff. Hip hop has come a long way and so my one knock is that this does sound a little basic 35 years later. No denying its importance and impact though.

A few of these I liked, mostly not my thing though. I sure they worked well in a 90's club. The first half of the album was boring to me. The first song that caught my attention was "What is Love." "Groove is in the Heart" has nostolgic value for me, but also I feel like it's genuinely a standout song. I also liked "Who Was That" and "Build the Bridge."

I liked roughly half the songs on this album. Felt like I enjoyed every other or so. They do the blues really well. I know they were pioneering Brisish psychadelic rock but their songs in thay realm don't grab me much. My favorite moment on the album is during The Nazz Are Blue when during the guitar solo (at 1:25) Jeff Beck umexpectedly holds a note and it turns into this monstrous feedback siren sound.

Good fun energy. Come on Eileen is an obvious classic. All sounds a bit dorky to me though.

Sounds of its time but still resonates today. Every once in a while I hear California Dreamin' used in a show or movie and it always hits super hard. Their harmonies are really powerful. Excellent album.

I think this is a pretty good album; has some nostalgic value for me because I was listening to some of these songs in high school. Still really like "Big Poppa" and a few others. Not sure that the album is aging super well overall though.

I have heard people talk about Roxy Music with great esteem, but I'm not sure I get it.

This rock n roll sound he has going really appeals to me - the dirty guitar driven hooky sound. The subject matter is adolescent and overtly strange, which is a bit eye rolly but also fun.

This is a good album, and I frequently come back to many of these songs, especially "Heartattack and Vine" "Downtown" "Mr Siegal" and "Ruby's Arms." As an album it's a little too divided between rippers and sweetness, and perhaps not his peak in terms of songwriting. "Jersey Girl" and "On the Nickel" are wonderful songs too but I don't crave listening to them like I do some of the other songs on this album, or some of the other albums in his discography.

Such a breeziness to these songs, you can almost smell the ocean air.

Strong album, I love their laid back style.

Really started appreciating this during "To Face the Truth." There's an earnest cheesiness to this that is appealing to me.

Strong start with "Dirge." Thought I was going to kike "Aisha" knowing Iggy Pop was on it, but I did not like it. Overall very hit and miss.

I liked the samples and the upbeat vibe, their willingness to just be loose and have fun. Disliked the basic themes, and the mysogeny, transphobia, homophobia, etc. Probably won't come back to this much.

Erykah Badu's reputation precedes her but I haden't listened to any of her albums. I was disappointed, I found that the songs were not holding my attention, but were fading into the background. Not too crazy about her voice either. Could grow on me.

Really enjoyed this, liked the short songs and the dirty guitars. My favorite tracks were "Pink Flag" and "Strange." Interested to hear more of this band now.

Nothing to complain about here - solid Basie album.

I thought this was good, punchy - it got old pretty fast for me though. Coincidentally I had just listened to a newly released album in 2021 right before this one that was strikingly similar - I think it was The Long and Short of It by quickly, quickly. Not sure if that means much, but it was intriuging to stumble upon that 21 year time warp.

Somewhat liked it but also kind of bored by it. New band to me. Makes sense that they toured with R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins - bands I feel similarly ambivalent about.

Vaguely familiar with this band. Did not like the album at first, but it grew on me and I kind of liked it by the end. There is a charm within the dourness.

I like the album cover and name, very architectural. I enjoyed the album. A bit hippie-ish for my taste, but certainly palettable.

I know Birdland and like that song but most of the others I find boring and kind of dweeby.

I liked Roadrunner and Astral Plane, but that was where the album peaked for me. Not much variation in themes, and the guy seems like an ass. Pablo Picasso was super dumb.

This is quite an album. It showcases songs that have become absolute cultural icons - Young American, Fame - and others I am not as familiar with but are very good. Did not realize John Lennon was on this album, and I was not familiar with the Across the Universe cover.

When I was younger I really didn't like Bruce Springsteen's music, but I think it has gotten through to me slowly over time, and these songs hit me pretty good now. Some heavy hitters here really - 10th Ave Freeze Out, Born to Run, Jungleland... The saxophone solos are one of the things that would have turned me off in the past, now I find them quaint.

These songs are fun, I used to like the song El Paso more, but as I have listened to it more closely, the story is really simple and kind of stupid. A good album for what it is, a collection of westerns.

Nice, quite calming and introspective. I prefer Nick Drake is small doses though, just find that I wallow in it after a while.

I enjoyed this, seems interesting and unique. Surprised it is so new. How objectively can we look at something 4 years old in the context of the last half century of music?

I find this extremely calming and beautiful. Wonderful that a group like this achieved international success.

I like this and appreciate it for the soulful blues that is is, but it doesn't excite me particularly.

Fantastic album, lots of great songs. In the opening track you canhear them struggling with pan effects, is it genuinely disorienting with headphones on. Great lyrics and Hendrix guitar playing.

Not a big fan of this. It sounds like a demented children's album.

This one surprised me. I was expecting not to like it based on the band name, album cover, year released, and opening sounds on the first track. But it quickly grew on me and I really liked it by the end. It's sharp, the sounds are pleasing, some of the lyrics are funny.

A fun listen, I especially like the classic samples. Although I know they were blazing a trail, I can't help but hear Lonely Island. I know L.I. sounds like the Beastie Boys but sometimes it sounds like the other way around, and hearing it that way accentuates the ridiculous juvenile content of the lyrics, making it harder for me to take seriously.

A great display of skill, but far too long. This feels like an album for fans only. Whipping Post made me uncomfortable.

A timeless sound, and lyrics that resonate.

This is a nice album, I like her voice and she is a great songwriter. Fun to hear her version of You've Got a Friend, I am mostly just familiar with James Taylor's version.

I like their clear, strong sound. The repetition in sound and themes got boring by the end though.

This album exemplifies Sonic Youth's barrage of nervous, negative energy, and I don’t like it. There were moments that I liked, but those moments were fewer than I hoped.

This is so intense, I cannot concentrate. I respect this but I don't enjoy it. Does make me want to explore his music more though.

Hard to find an album with a more monstrous reputation than this one. There are songs that I find more interesting and ones I find less interesting, but not a bad song on the album.

Timeless spirit of rock n roll in its early days. Legendary.

When I was a teenager I listened to a little bit of Korn and found it scary. Now, it sounds, not as scary, and maybe better than I thought it would sound. But I don't need to listen to Korn every day to say the least.

These are good songs and I think they are holding up well. Love the idea of this album being a song by song reply to Exile on Main Street. The stripped down sound is perfect. Didn't connect until this listen that "Shatter" is often used as background music for This American Life.

I was ready to give this 5 stars after the first three songs, but as the album went on a few of them let me down. What a classic, defining sound though!

Elvis Costello is typically hit and miss with me, but this album was mostly hit. Pleasantly surprised. I do like his version of Peace Love and Understanding.

I liked this, especially the first couple songs, but as a whole I found it underwhelming. As an aside, Steve Winwood sounds eerily like Nina Simone at times.

What a breath of fresh air, finding this really calming and lifting. Reading about her, she had quite a life.

Good stuff, they have a special place in my heart because my mom was a fan when I was young and would play them sometimes.

I think this album has been built up in my head and I was expecting more from it. A couple songs that knock me out, but by in large I didn't find the album that enjoyable.

In general Billy Joel's whole vibe kind of rubs me the wrong way, the kind of serious showiness he exudes. But in spite of myself I must admit that I really enjoyed listening to this.

Was not aware of this before but it sure has the sound of a classic. Loved it.

Great album. Some classics, and very strong all the way through. Uncomfortably topical for being almost 30 years old.

This is alright, generally there are a couple songs per album that I really like by Devendra, and the rest are a bit boring. This one perhaps slightly better than that. At times it feels like he's saying strange things just to be strange which irritates me. Could be convinced that this album is better, but middle of the road for me.

Plays like a weird dance mix with various artists, like one you found in a cereal box in the 90's. Sounded empty to me.

2pac is so ubiquitous but listening to this makes me realize how little I know his music. "Lord Knows" really caught my attention and I was fully invested from that point on. As an aside, he and Pop Smoke sound eerily similar.

Points for consistency. I feel like they both created grindcore and brought it to its logical conclusion. This is so fucking annoying to listen to by the end.

Really intriguing sound, I enjoyed all of these songs. Tragic that he died so young.

I think they have a great sound, still sounds good 50+ years later. I appreciate their political content. Catchy and poignant tunes.

This was a favorite of mine in high school and still holds up well. If anything I appreciate it more now. He is a master of seamlessly integrating disparate noises, sounds, screams, etc into songs in a way that feels effortless, and somehow correct.

This is hitting me just right. His voice is so sincere, so calming with tinges of melancholy, but a great sense of beauty and hope.

I enjoyed this, they're not my fave but good sometimes.

Good stuff, real classics. Did get long, didn't need the bonus tracks.

This is a near perfect album for me, and my favorite of the Black Keys albums. Not a single bad song here. I remember hearing Dan's falsetto for the first time on Everlasting light and just being amazed at what I was hearing.

I quite enjoyed this. Hearing their influence on Ty Segall, not sure if that is real or imagined on my part. Love the variety of instruments, the spirit of experimentation.

I enjoyed this! Rod seems to put a lot of heart into his singing. I used to not like his voice, but it has grown on me and I do like it now.

I consider myself a fan, but I must not be a true fan because I have to admit I started at Songs for the Deaf and never looked backward in their discography. This sounds fantastic. Weird to think that Josh Homme was only like, 25 when he made this. The QOTSA sound was already fully formed.

I really like this, it has hat crisp post punk sound with a sinister edge.

Liking this more than I thought I would. Cathartic to hear this kind of demented anger. This is another 90's album that I found scary when I first heard it as a young teen, and now it sounds kind of good and kind of stupid. But this beats Korn.

"I am Trying to Break Your Heart" is one of my favorite songs. There are a few songs I really don't like on this album, but a number of really great songs too. Not a masterpiece as an album, but an album with some masterpieces.

If this album were a pastrie I would say it wasn't worth the calories. Some of the songs are kinda cool, but then they just go on and on without much variation, and the album overall was the same way. Not for me.

Nothing I didn't like on this album, and some all time greats, namely "Perfect Day" and "Walk on the Wild Side."

It seemed like good quality and I should like it but it just didn't speak to me at best, and annoyed me at worst.

Great listen. Lenny Kravitz is another that I came to later in his career and never went back to explore his earlier stuff. Clearly very talented, an explosive debut.

I want to like Devo more than I do, I just have trouble getting into them.

I don't really enjoy this but I respect where she is coming from. Very 80's sound.

I found this charming overall. Was familiar with "Cars." Many of the songs sounded super similar to each other, which became a problem in combination with the album length.

Did not expect to hear that western theme at the beginning, or whatever that was. Overall, hard for me to get into this band, not much of this was holding my attention.

I like this stuff, I think it's interesting. Doesn't feel masterful yet, I think her best work it yet to come.

Love it when an album opens up with an absolute ripper. Still sounds fresh, quite a feat (except for some of those club beats maybe). Beautiful, powerful, creative songs an excellent album.

More ballady and polished than I expected. Didn't really speak to me.

Really satisfying sound, I am a sucker for country western when it's done well.

I like the general vibe, the basslines are tasty. I like the concept album format. The songs that veered into psychedelia were my favorite, in particular "The Journey."

The sound of this album is great, and holds up over time. Easy to hear why they kind of took over the world. On the other hand, there are 4 or 5 songs on this album that I really like, but all the others wear me down and are exhausting to get through.

His lyrics and storytelling are so well crafted, a pleasure to listen to. He takes us on a ride.

Better than I thought it would be. I always found "Blister in the Sun" annoying, but some of the other songs were good. Still, I don't really enjoy this band much.

A very good album, one I come back to frequently.

Remind me of Crowded House. Kind of blah, a good song here and there.

This album is so generous and heartfelt, I love it.

Am I glad I listened to this? I suppose. Did I enjoy it? Maybe. Will I come back to it? Doubtful.

Love that 12 string sound, and the songs are so earnest and soulful. Iconic.

Her voice is unique and strange. The songs are intense. I appreciate it. The Working Class Hero cover was ambitious, but I think she pulled it off.

Of it's time in the best way, that great late 60's political idealism mixed with psychedelia. Had never heard any of this before, but I may be a new fan.

Starts out with a bang with that killer rhythm in Sleep To Dream. Criminal is an impressive song that will continue to age impeccably. Unfortunately the album slows down in the second half for me, but still a remarkable debut.

"Waiting for a Superman" is very catchy, gets into my head. Weirdly, the "Mokran mix" is preferable to the original. "The Gash" has a great big sound, this is the side of Flaming Lips that I like the best. There are a lot of songs on this album that make me focus on how pitchy Wayne Coyne is. I do respect what they are doing though. Crazy that they were a band for 13 years before they struck gold with this album. Waffling between 3 and 4 stars.

Pretty consistently good. Killer Queen is a hell of a song. Noticing for the first time how similar Ratatat's guitar sound is similar to some of Brian May's sounds.

Could this have any less variety track to track?

I was surprised to find that many of these songs didn't hold my attention. Obviously some classics here, "You're My Best Friend" and "Bohemian Rhapsody." Easy to hear why the songs that Freddy's not lead on have receded over time.

Really solid, legendary album. Had not previously heard the story about the assassination attempt on his life just before he recorded this. Makes the songs even more powerful in that context.

Pretty darn solid, still sounds fresh to me.

A good album. You can hear elements that will become more resolved in later albums. This one doesn't approach the following albums in terms of greatness but it is still very quality, very Queen.

I think this is a bold change of pace for Beck, and I like the album. I don't love it, as there are a handful of weaker songs but it stands out in his discography as an outlier.

What's not to love? Scorching guitars, short songs, fast tempos, good album length, creation of a mf'n genre - it's perfect!

Sounds like wankery to me. I can tolerate it but I don't love it, or even like it that much.

Expected to not like it but actually liked it. Reminded me of some bands I liked in the early 2000's, like Fuel.

To be honest I was getting sick of this album, then Psycho Killer came on and I was like, O shit yea, the Pulled Up came on and OH HELL YES what a song!

Wow these songs are so powerful because of her honesty, emotion, storytelling, and voice. The band is great too. Makes me want to listen to the rest of her discography as well.

I like that something this unusual achieved such mainstream success. I enjoy thinking about 19 year old Mike recording this weird masterpiece not knowing it would soon give him international fame. There were parts I didn't like but by and large really enjoyed this musical adventure.

Small doses. They're fun, but... small doses.

Finding this rather exhausting. This is what Wilco would sound like if Wilco sucked. Thought Mrs. Robinson might make me like them more but that one annoyed me too.

Listening to this makes me feel like I'm in the hands of an expert I can trust. So good!

Surprised I hadn't heard this before, it sounds like something I would like, and I do like it. Reminds me if bands I was listening to in the mid 00's - Guster, Keane, Radiohead (The Bends specifically). At times it got too sappy for me, at other moments the grooves were just euphoric. Interested in learning more about these fellas.

She really commands a unique space of her own, I admire and respect that.

What a solid album. My dad would put this record on sometimes, and Do It Again & Dirty Work must have been his favorites because I don't remember the others as well. Amazing that this is their debut album, I think the songs exemplify what is so great about them - depth of songwriting paired with top notch musicianship.

Another rock sold album from SD. A handful of legendary classics. Love it when they veer into jazz like they do on a few tracks.

Seemed promising, but got less interesting to me as it went on.

I bought this album as a teenager and was actually very disappointed. I had heard 1979 on the radio and was hoping for more of that - but there is a significant range of sounds and styles on the record and none of the others contained the magic I felt from that song. I appreciate the album more now, decades later. That line in Bullet With Butterfly Wings is one for the ages, "despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage." The emotional range on the album is impressive, as is the genre shifting from one song to the next. I still don't love it but I respect it.

Of course Hallelujah is epic, and the definitive version of the song. I like the songs that skew toward that heartfelt mysticism, as opposed to the songs that skew toward throwaway 90's alt rock.

So good - this sound is not getting old for me. The coexistence of the aggressive yet precise guitar work alongside vulnerable, inward looking lyrics are a perfect match.

Utterly charming. Just the right amount of strange.

Damn what a trailblazer. Watched her Buffalo Stance performance she did on Top of the Pops while pregnant, what a badass.

Obviously legends and trend setters, influential giants. What struck me was how simple and spare everything is, some of the tracks were just a straightforward beat and rapping over the top. I found it refreshing.

What an absolute gem. His voice has the power of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. The songs are irrisistable.

Good tunes, reggae up there with the greats.

Some 60's psychedelia sounds top cheesy for me, but I like how this band does it. Too bad they only stuck around for 1 album. The experiments were promising. Worth investigating further.

Ok fine I'm a Bob Dylan fan, can't fight it anymore. Hearing Subterranean Homesick Blues conjures images of him with an electric guitar shocking America. Solid all the way through.

Not sure I quite get why this is on the list. Influential I suppose. It's good... it's a Christmas album.

I like this a lot, the grooves are really addicting and they work well with the Iggy Pop style vocal delivery. Unfortunately got sick of it about halfway through, wanted to hear some real singing. Was ready to give this 5 stars after the first couple songs but I got slowly worn down by the end.

Great stuff, I don't know his discography that well but he sounds at the top of his game here. I like that this was, in part, a response to being dissed by a bunch of other rappers. I think we know who got the last laugh.

I listened to this earlier this year and I didn't dislike it as much this time, but that's as far as I'm willing to go at this point.

So talented and soulful. There are so many weaker copies of SW out there, it's refreshing to hear the real thing.

Compelling range, and several great songs - Black Dog, Stairway to Heaven, Going to California, When the Levee Breaks. They avoid the trap that they seem to fall into on other albums, of just rocking out in a way that sounds cool but doesn't go very deep. Their best album?

Great songs, and high ratio of head bobbers. I forgot that "How I Could Just Kill a Man" was their song, since I heard the RATM version first. Not sure which one I like better. The beats are just insanely catchy.

They have a unique sound, I will give them that. It is just a bit blah as a whole though. Intrigued, but not yet impressed. Interested in their larger discography as it sounds like they made some significant shifts in their sound between albums.

I get why some people like this band. I have always wanted to like them, but it's just so melodramatic and it's too much after two or three songs.

Just listened to "Bringing It All Back Home" so I can't help but compare them, and although this is a good album it doesn't measure up. Obviously "Blowin in the Wind" is an undeniable classic and a powerful, timeless song. The album slows down immediately after that and becomes hit and miss throughout - just had trouble staying engaged with it because of its rambliness.

I find this album rather irritating, in a listening to R.E.M. kind of way.

Waffled between loving and hating this basically on a minute to minute basis throughout the album. The lyrics are so dumb but the concise punch-you-in-the-face punk sound is very appealing.

This being a live album biases me against it, but it has some good qualities. I think the quieter, more spare songs help give the album some relief, and you can hear in those songs the crowd's respect. The talk box stuff is fun. The Jumping Jack Flash cover is bad. The guitar work is pleasing, very skillful in the more uptempo songs. Mixed bag.

It amazes me how she creates this mystical world where she reigns supreme.

I am skeptical that we have the perspective to determine the greats just a year later, but if anyone deserves the distinction it's T Swift. She has really made herself into a legend at a young age and continues to prove it. This album showcases her ability to do indie just as effectively as she navigates country or pop. The collaborations with Haim and Bon Iver are excellent surprises. "Cowboy like me" has permanently wormed it's way into my brain since I heard it. "No body no crime" is a hell of a well crafted song. The album drags toward the end, I think they could have cut some songs (like "coney island" "happiness" "long story short" and "marjorie"). But ultimately, the album showcases Taylor's exceptional and consistent songwriting ability and staying power.

This album was a constant companion freshman year of college. It helped ease my angst especially with my shyness and awkwardness around cute girls. I could not get enough of "Fight Test" and "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell." Lots of other great songs here, "Yoshimi" (obviously), "Are You a Hypnotist", " Do You Realize"... This album is really a gem.

Sounds both of its era as well as ahead of it's time in some ways. Surprised I had not heard this one before.

A remarkable work of art with something to say and many layers to appreciate. Was new to me.

Really didn't grab me.

A while back I spent a lot of time trying to get a copy of this on vinyl because I had heard it was a great album. I finally got it and really enjoyed it, though something about it feels disjointed or incomplete. I really like the seedy mysticism that Dr John does so well here. Really feels different than much of the popular music of its day.

Was a fun listen, but didn't really capture my attention.

Album really jerks a person around, going from "Ramble Tamble's" unpredictable wankery to getting hit over the head with "Before You Accuse Me" then back to fun but contentless "Traveling Band" & "Oobie Doobie", then to the classic "Lookin Out My Back Door"... Given how productive they were in a few short years, makes me wonder if they weren't just letting things come out and not thinking about them too much - the hits came naturally alongside the misses. Many of these songs have become monstrous on the American consciousness and are inseparable from the era - can you listen to a song like "Run Through The Jungle" for example without scenes of the Vietnam war playing in your head?

Yeah, great jams all the way through.

Really, does it get much better than this?

I like the cheekiness of the lyrics and delivery style. Not blown away but interested to hear more.

Putting this in the "I respect it but I don't enjoy it" category. The story of this album is interesting, that they were struggling financially from waning ticket sales, and their label almost dropped them, but they decided to stay the course and continue to go in their own non-traditionally-commercial direction. Even with that knowledge though, I found listening to this album tedious.

He is so thoughtful, and continues to get better. Voice smooth as butter. A soft exterior with a razor sharp edge, sucks you in and then hits you with some truth.

Can really hear the DNA of rock n roll in this. One of the rare Beatles contemporaries who, despite being in the same space, sound different and unique. The first time I heard Act Nice and Gentle was as a Black Keys cover, and it took me a while to even figure out that it was a cover, but it goes to show how much they have influenced subsequent generations. Excellent album.

They seem to occupy their own genre, how do they do it?

Almost wrote this one off, not sure why it was even on the list. Reading about it, it was apparently critically acclaimed, nominated for a Mercury and such. Finding out that he wrote most of the songs made me warm up to it, at first I thought it was some guy singing standards. The fact that I thought they were standards is a testament to his writing ability I suppose. Gave it a couple listens, in the end coming down in the middle.

Enjoyed it, something different in this context of 1001. Didn't love it.

Chuck D is always on point, I enjoyed this album. Falls down a bit the 100th time Flavor Flav says "yea boy!" That is to say it could have been shorter.

Not that into it. This kind of earnest sameness blends into the background for me.

Really enjoyed this, lots of excellent grooves.

Could see this being fun at a party maybe, but I found it annoying and too repetitive. I did recognize and enjoy "Frontier Psychologist" but that was my only respite. More than ready to be through with this by the end.

Irresistable tunes.

Almost comical. Seems a lot longer than it is because it is so monotonously aggressive.

Was hooked when I heard "Human." Remind me of Portishead in their slow, deliberate, seriousness. Makes a person pay attention and groove along.

Thought this was great, Talking Heads vibes.

This one takes me back to high school, I had it on repeat for a minute there. I always preferred The Love Below to Speakerboxxx, and that's still the case, but there were some songs I appreciated this time that I didn't appreciate at the time - Bowtie sticks out in that regard. It is definitely an indulgent double album - did they need to include their version of My Favorite Things? No, but I am glad they did. There's some fat they could have cut, but very few duds. It makes me happy that the hits that took over the world - especially Hey Ya - emerged from this much larger showcase of excellent songs.

Made me feel like I was on the beach despite it being a frigid winter day. The quality was inconsistent, definitely some good ones and some not so good ones. Felt jerked around by the Sousa style march (Parade) and the lyrics in that one were bad. The child singing in You Didn't Have to Be So Nice was charming in a way, but also maybe a bad choice for the song. "Stay" was one of my favorites.

His infinite arrogance makes me want to hate him but his music and lyrics, I must admit, are fantastic.

It was good, but I expected to enjoy it more based solely on the fact that in general I like the Temprations. Not convinced that this so called psychedelic soul suits them so well.

A real masterpiece. She doesn't release albums often but when she does they hit hard. My favorite is probably "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" but no duds on this one. The lyrics are raw and honest, the instrumentation is spare and rich. This album was built to last.

Some good stuff here. I like the Roots but find that their albums as a whole tend to be too long and inconsistent. This would be a better album if they had cut it down to 35-40 minutes and cut some of the weaker tracks.

A real badass, great beats, really cooks all the way through.

Not displeasing but not exciting either. Typical REM.

Sometimes when I listen to Kraftwerk they sound to silly for me, and the album started that way, but they really had me in a trance by the end. The friendliest most seductive robots.

Heck of a debut.

A gorgeous album, though I would rank Parachutes higher. The pristineness of the music is a strength of their music but also is a bit distracting, like I want to hear some dissonance every once in a while.

I appreciate the earnestness and clarity of the music, but the 80's derpiness distracts me. I could see myself really liking it if I was in just the right head space when I heard it.

Good moments here and there, overall the energy of it was a bit much for me. "Ecstasy fueled" is not something I necessarily seek out in the music I choose to listen to.

Really charmed by this. There are occasional quiet moments that keep it from being just thrashing guitars the whole time - and those moments help us hear and appreciate the thrashing guitars. Interesting to know that Josh Homme toured with them for a couple years. You can really hear how it may have influenced him - I especially hear it in Mark Lanegan's singing style. And I'm sure the influence went both ways since Lanehan joined QOTSA.

This is exciting and unique, it's easy to understand why she's a star. It has pop hooks but it doesn't feel formulaic.

I can got down with this. Not their absolute best album in my opinion but definitely emblematic of their distinctive sound. Their music is like a cold dark cave, but from which you can look out and see the stars.

This album flew by, I actually wish it was longer. It was fun to hear the audience's participation, and even more fun to hear how tight the live band is. It sounds legendary.

I remembered more of these songs that I thought I would. I had been thinking of them as one hit wonders with Electric Feel but that is really not the case. They really have a great sound.

A few duds but overall pretty darn good including some real scorchers. "Key to the Highway" is my favorite, they play it on Jazz88's Bridge to the Blues show about once a month and it always knocks my socks off.

A very good album that captures Elvis's vitality and greatness. My only complaint is some of the songs just don't go anywhere.

Fantastically funky grooves. Does get a little ramble over the duration of the album.

Not familiar with this one, more familiar with Master of Puppets because that's what some of my older friends were listening to when I was in middle school. I have trouble taking this music seriously, it's mainly the vocal delivery and the extravagant guitar solos.

I am an Arctic Monkeys fan but somehow missed this project. They say supergroup, though I must confess the only one I'm familiar with is Alex Turner. This is enough to inspire me to look up the others though. It's like Arctic Monkeys with an orchestra. At times it sounds like a Bond soundtrack, especially "In My Room."

It's just too damn whiney. It's mostly the singing but the instrumentation contributes as well.

Really like his voice, the richness of the music. Can't shake the similarity to Father John Misty, that first Honeybear song put it in my head. Irony lurks around every corner.

I don't claim to be intimately familiar with his discography, but this seems like a master work. His poetry is so unique, and his voice is so dark and rich, the mood meets the words so well. A powerful listen.

Good and enjoyable? Certainly. Ingrained in my memory since childhood? Oh yes. One of the all time greatest albums? My modern ears can't hear it, I'll have to take their word for it. Certainly influential though, and apparently an early example of a concept album.

Mildly dark, strange, almost goofy. Hitting me just right today.

Solid, but not super exciting. Can appreciate the skillfulness of the guitar licks.

Really enjoyed this. Bjork is such a force here. Birthday is a real showpiece, just stunning.

Have not listened to much of her solo stuff. What stands out is her haunting voice, it adds a mystical quality to the music. Unfortunately the same voice that charms me, grates on me before the end of the album.

So energetic and vital, really lifted my spirits. More like this please.

This psychedelic rock has not aged well. The last song, The Toonerville Trolley, left a particularly bad taste in my mouth.

Good stuff, I feel like this was pretty hardcore for the early 90's.

Nothing bad about this, but it is somewhat boring.

Haunting, beautiful, but despite that I had some trouble getting into it. Could see it growing on me. Or not.

I listened to this one a lot in high school. Seems like there's a lot of urban legend around it, like the whole Wizard of Oz thing. It has never quite lived up to he hype for me, but I do enjoy it. My favorites are the instrumentals "Great Gig" and "Any Colour."

Took me 3 tries to get through this and it's not even a long album. I find it painful to listen to. It's so whiney.

They really have something unique and special. Not as good as Speakerboxx/The Live Below but close and still top notch.

Listening to this is like getting stuck in a fever dream - which makes sense knowing that it was created in the wake of an injury that left him paraplegic. The experience of listening to it was not enjoyable for me.

One of my go-to's in high school. Re-listening now, I remember there are a handful of songs I don't like as much, but overall it still holds up for me. "Make Yourself" really hit me pretty hard this time around.

Hooked me, lost me, hooked me, lost me. Overall charmed by it. Block Rockin Beats was one of my faves as a teen listening to Jock Jams in my room and tossing a football to myself as I made diving catches onto my bed. Never listened to this whole album before, but glad to have now.

I love that the songs feel almost put of control. Karen O's vocals really contribute to that feeling. I can understand why this would be great live.

I admit I was not expecting to like this but I enjoyed it quite a bit and recognized more than I thought I would. I didn't look at the year immediately, and thought it was from maybe 2006. Was shocked to see it was from 15 years prior.

I want to like this but it's just not pulling me in. Maybe it will grow on me.

Really like this, I enjoy the way country influence creeps in. Mick Jagger's singing is sometimes really distracting, but the majority of the time it works. I was driving along the Mississippi listening to this, and it was perfect for the drive and the scenery.

This is a ripper. If all the songs were like "Celebrity Skin" and "Reasons to be Beautiful" it would be a 5 hands down. Some of the songs drag for me, and I was sick of the album before it ended, unfortunately.

I like Pavement for short bursts, I can't listen to Stephen Malkmus for sustained periods of time. I like the punk rockiness of the we're dissonant and don't care what you think, but it's also just the thing that gets on my nerves. Certainly appreciate that this has influences many bands that I like more than them.

I just love this band, they have such a friendly sound that's so iconic and instantly recognizable. One of a handful of bands that I first heard by randomly pulling their CD at the library, then felt like I discovered a secret that no one else knew. At least my friends had not heard them at the time. I don't know their discography well enough to know how this stacks up, but it's certainly on par with the stuff I've heard, and seeing as this is likely their only album on the list, it's a solid 5-star for me.

The only song I new from this - Firestarter - was on Jock Rock 2000, which I listened to many times as a teen. What's so tiresome about this album is that every song is basically that same song in a slightly different form. Rounding up to 3 stars instead of down to 2, solely because of nostalgia.

What a breath of fresh air. It's easy to understand how this kind of thing could take over the world. I remember first hearing Air during the worst hangover I had in my life - new year's day after a night of too many different types of alcohol - beer, whiskey, wine, champagne, gin... I was debilitated, couldn't go out, couldn't move, and my friend put them on and it provided a nice cool atmosphere to make me feel, at least temporarily, a little less miserable. That memory aside, I found this album irresistible.

Ug. The cleverness - if you can call it that - and overt bravado of Neil Hannon turns me off.

I was peripherally aware of this band but had never listened to them. More butt-rocky than I thought it would be.

A good album, and I got the sense from listening to it that there's a lot to unpack and uncover. I have to admit it's hard to hear a white guy say the n word so many times in a song. Of course 50 years changes us, so benefit of the doubt. I first heard about "Rednecks" on Malcolm Gladwell's podcast, he does a good job explaining and analyzing the song (the episode of Revisionist History is called "Good Old Boys"). Besides getting a little hung up on that, I think there are some great songs here and an interesting concept for an album, the Johnny Cutler everyman southerner idea.

Forgive me music gods, I previously thought Dusty was a man, just from hearing the name here and there. Glad I heard this, these songs hit like a breezy summer Sunday morning.

Having grown up in the 90's, there's something about this particular brand of 80's music that just sounds silly to me, like a joke. "Take on Me" might as well be the flagship song for that. I'd like to think that I'm shaking that preconception, but listening to this album tells me that I haven't yet.

Throw it in the butt rock pile next to Jane's Addiction.

I recognized more of these than I expected to. "Can't Get Enough" is catchy, so is "Rock Steady" but there's a - I don't know - brainlessness to the music that grates on me. If it was on in the background I wouldn't mind but listening closely to it get irritating.

Jimi's talent is staggering, I'm taken aback every time I listen. This album is stacked with excellent songs. "Manic Depression" and "Hey Joe" are a couple of my all time favorites.

Strong start with "Who's that Lady" but the rest of the album was, dare I say, boring. Could see it hitting me different in another mood or context. The "Summer Breeze" cover was deeply inferior to the original and should have been left on the cutting room floor.

This album has a sound and a swagger that is rare and special. "Monsters" in particular is an amazing song.

Um, not my thing.

I like some of these songs. I want to like him more than I do, because he seems smart and funny and charming, but there seems to be an irony there that's not letting me in. Or he's just much smarter than me and I don't get it. I particularly liked "This is Hell" and am hearing what I interpret as a Beatles, or similar influence, in the use of background vocals which I find amusing.

I was expecting something from this album that was not delivered. A bit underwhelming. He must have better albums that this, right?

Yeah yeah yeah, you can play really fast and stuff. I remember hearing this in middle school and being kind of scared of it. 20 years later, it just sounds silly and annoying and I want it to stop.

Yeah... I can hear the influence this had on certain punk bands I was into for a short time in high school. So I can appreciate it, but mostly I find it irritating.

I thought I knew this band, but now I realize I did not. They have, for lack of a better word, a minimalism, that I really admire. I like how the drums are often really prominent in the mix, and there's a lot of space that makes me focus on the words, and what's happening in each individual part of the music. New fan?

The music is great, the samples are great. Just take out the vocals and I'm all in.

I'll take a lot more where that came from. What a bright spot! It seems to have an optimism that might have been more common a decade earlier, combined with that wonderful Indian sound that brings me right back to Jaipur.

It reminds me of stuff I listened to in the early 00's that must have been influenced by this (bands like Fuel), but this is better. Can also hear how a band like say, Tool, might have heard this and been influenced. I really feel like they nailed down a sound that would be hard to improve upon by subsequent bands that might be using it as a precedent. Maybe this is a 4-star album for me, but as I'm revisiting it I'm liking it better, so I'll bump it up to a 5 just for fun.

I like his other albums more, but I mean, come on, basically everything he recorded is legendary.

It's weird how much the lead singer sounds like Michael Stipe from REM... I wish I could put that aside but it's hard to. I can appreciate that this might have had a major influence because there is a LOT of stuff that came after it that sounds like it. In spite of that, I just don't like it.

Raw Power is right, holy shit. A diesel engine. I know this is an intense thing to say, but this sound is so damn good, it's almost like, how can anyone hope to top it?

It's good, it's somehow too understated and I think he's gotten better since this album. Love listening to the basslines. I feel like there are a lot of little jokes and intricacies in this album that I haven't fully grasped yet.

Come ON! Try to top it, what is sexier than this?

Damn, I knew her, kind of, but it hasn't really hit me until now how breathtaking her voice is. She really communicates a depth of emotion. I'm tempted to complain that she didn't write most of these songs, but in a way it's interesting that she does write some, yet chooses to record others' music. It's like admitting, there are songwriters as good or better than me, so why not sing their songs instead? And the one she wrote (Boulder to Birmingham) is a stunner.

I thought I was going to hate this more than I did. I wasn't starting with much preconception, other than knowing their name, but I did end up liking the sharp edge on the music which sounds like a precursor to a lot of stuff I like now (like Ty Segall, for example and any number of contemporary west coast "grunge" bands). There were moments that I hated, but the vast majority I was impressed with, especially for it being as early as 1987.

Such a vital energy in these songs. At times I get a little bored, but there's no denying Sly's influence. Sometimes I feel that they paved the way for things that wouldn't have been possible without them, but that I like a lot more than them. I appreciate the social commentary in the songs. I appreciate the songs more than I enjoy them, if that makes sense.

Such a poet. Something careful and precise about his music. Coincidentally I just heard "Bird on a Wire" on the radio and it filled me with hope and calm. His influence is obviously wide ranging but it made me think specifically of Walter Martin (listen to "Bird on a Wire" back to back with "Old as Hell" and I think you'll hear what I mean, if nothing else in the way he's singing).

There's something irresistible about ZZ Top, and this album exemplifies that special something.

Top notch 90's ear candy. Yum!

I often feel awkward rating albums by bands like the Rolling Stones, because while I acknowledge their towering legend and inescapable influence, sometimes I just personally find them a bit underwhelming.

New to me, and I'm impressed. It's catchy but at the same time has an ethereal quality to it, and a repetitiveness that is at times is almost trance inducing. I'll be back.

I forgot how much I listened to this in high school, I hadn't thought about these songs in a while but they came right back to me. I like the first half a lot, it gets hit or miss partway through. I think there are several songs that sound like b-sides and could have made way for a shorter, tighter album. I gravitate toward the funkier songs like "If You Have to Ask," "Funky Monks," "Blood Sugar Sex Magik," "Apache Rose Peacock." You can almost break the songs up into groups, there are a handful of more acoustic-based songs, chief of which for me is "Breaking the Girl," a really excellent song. There are some massive hits on this album, especially "Under the Bridge" which kind of lives on a stratosphere of its own. "Suck My Kiss" is great, "Give It Away" is great. I heard that story about Anthony Kiedis writing "Give It Away" after his girlfriend gave him a jacket of hers that he thought was cool back in high school, and it stuck with me. "Sir Psycho Sexy" is ridiculous but it's super funky, really memorable and musically it's a great listen. In summary, this is a really good album but the extra fat keeps it from being a 5 star album for me.