This is a strange collection of dissonant sounds, strange chords, screams, and stress. Every time i think i may appreciate a song it devolves into some incomprehensible chaos. Hard to tell if this is some sort of genius or crazy people that recently got instruments. I'm glad i made the journey, but i don't ever plan to go back.
Anyone who doesn't rate this a 5 doesn't know what they are talking about. This is a nearly perfect album. Epic.
I should have been listening to this in the late 70's, not the Village People and Donna Summer. The dark tone and intensity are great. Very enjoyable.
Damn awesome execution of this idea. Ray Charles voice is timeless, and though some of the strings and background vocals are a bit overdone, the blues approach to country/western is very cool.
Pleasant but very samey. I've listened to it multiple times, and though the sound is nicely atmospheric, i am not really drawn to any track in particular.
Okay, I'm ready. This is pretty easy to listen to... Lips ages really well... we got the beat, not as much. Some pretty strong songs mixed in, make this enjoyable.
A couple of known songs, but sounds very samesy and boring.
Super strong front half, essentially a greatest hits albums... an interesting tempo transition and the backside is probably a bit more experimental and has several zeppelin cover-band sounding songs.
i have no idea why i like "almost cut my hair" so much... maybe it is the "let my freak flag fly" lyric. though it is a bit dated, there is enough strong songs on the album, and no outright misses that make this an enjoyable listen.
it's hard to separate this album from the punk-ass bitch that axl is. welcome to the jungle was edgy and energetic in its time... i don't think i need to hear it again. brownstone, paradise, sweet child and rocket queen hold up better. interesting to read that it took this album over a year (june '87 to late '88) after release to find its popularity
This is a strange collection of dissonant sounds, strange chords, screams, and stress. Every time i think i may appreciate a song it devolves into some incomprehensible chaos. Hard to tell if this is some sort of genius or crazy people that recently got instruments. I'm glad i made the journey, but i don't ever plan to go back.
Kid Rock is on the same level as Fred Durst for me. The bravado borders more on pathetic, not cool. Fuck kid rock. Still, bullgod alone is worth 1 star, only god and the rest of the album gets one more star.
Enjoyable folk-country with a sometimes drunk sounding sheryl crow. Drunken Angel is a highlight.
Very interesting album that seemed to have the campy bombast of a british Rocky Horror Picture Show with the psychedelics turned up two notches and one dose of sex pistols. Reasonably fun listen.
Enjoyable, though probably 25% too much rap and creative background vocals. Still fun to listen to a dance/electronic album with a killer title track.
i know it's considered a classic. he was an undergrad in college at the time. but damn, to the beginner ear this sounds like the same layered mush song after song. and i don't think i've ever noticed someone just drag the last syllable of every line on for 3 seconds over and over again.... arrrrrghhhhh!!!! you're killing me nick.
This was way more exciting than expected. It's interesting that even though you can't understand a word, the epic and ethereal nature of the music is really enjoyable.
One star for sonic variety (though that is probably a result of having to listen to a Nick Drake album recently). One star for Disney girls. The rest seems held back by laughably clumsy and heavy handed lyrics. Definitely one strange album.
I feel cool just listening to this. Pretty frickin' fantastic start to finish.
Nope. Who thought any of these backing vocals were tolerable? EXP is also a really rough start. Little Wing carries a star... Bold as Love and One Rainy Wish helps. I can leave the rest.
I'm on board. An interesting listen that i will probably go back to.
Not as good as I thought it was going to be... still plenty of solid British pop. Angels is amazing.
i feel like i need to either go on a cuban vacation or be a contestant on the 1970's Dating Game.
Legendary
A great album by one of my favorite bands of all time. Extraordinarily British.
Fever is definitely a weird version... so sparse. But given all the other Elvis songs i hadn't heard before, this is a fun, solid list of tracks. Worth a listen.
Certainly straight outta compton and f* the police are all time classics. the rest of the album doesn't quite age as well... lots of horns, percussion, record scratching that reminds me of Run DMC. I'm not the 1 is awesome too, though predictably non-PC, like the whole album.
It definitely holds up... some exceptional songs and a surprisingly heavy sound. I think about Today as representative for Siamese Dream, but there are so many more aggressive songs.
Wasn't sure how much i was going to enjoy this as it's been forever since i listened to it. It is still amazing... even though "the end" gets up its own navel a bit. Love Crystal Ship.
Though i'm a huge paul weller fan and there is some cool, soulful lounge act music in here (with a few amazing songs)... there is also enough embarrassing lounge rap that it's hard to enjoy the whole album.
Solid rustic country folk rock... was hoping there were more standouts. Tears of rage and the weight were strong... interesting lyrics on long black veil. Enjoyable.
Some very interesting covers (and then there was 1984...). Seemed pretty uneven with just a couple of standout tracks.
Pretty diverse blues sound. Enjoyable.
Yes, she's angsty. But it's great writing, passionate songs. Really diverse and a great listen. I have to let my OCD relax listening to Ironic given that nearly all of her examples aren't really irony. Oi vey.
It is electronic. Nice to explore another genre, though admittedly it was pretty repetitive and i couldn't figure out what makes it compelling. Nothing too catchy or gets you moving. Still fine, nothing to push the listener away.
Anyone who doesn't rate this a 5 doesn't know what they are talking about. This is a nearly perfect album. Epic.
Just not very entertaining or catchy. A bit long and nothing i would really turn back to.
Definitely cool and seductive soul. Still enjoyable and worth revisiting.
It's epic Bowie. Glam and decadence. It's amazing how layered the rock sound is. Other than the strange Let's Spend the Night cover, it is solid and has several absolute classics.
Pretty diverse and funky world music, but i don't really love anything here. Brimful was a song i really didn't like in the late 90's and though it may be the catchiest song on this album, i'm still not a fan.
Love this album. Fun, creative, quirky.
I don't get it. I little weird alternative funk reggae. Nothing too unpleasant but nothing i really want to listen to again.
Solid album, bet given my newness to Jazz, i can't figure out what to love or hate about it. A fine listen.
It's like a collection of funky schoolhouse rock, or Hamilton if there were only a few catchy tracks. Props to Arrested Development for a meaningful albums, but most of the tracks are more interesting to listen to than enjoyable.
Welcome back to Disco! It seems sweet and light... like cotton candy. Nothing controversial...
i really like the noodling and atmosphere on small hours to finish the album. the rest is fine... seems like a sedated eric clapton or joe cocker.
I'm sorry. Bob might be great, and some of these songs classics, but his live recording really emphasize his end of phrase dylanesque up-talking. It's distracting. Nothing really amazing here.
Epic.
I should have been listening to this in the late 70's, not the Village People and Donna Summer. The dark tone and intensity are great. Very enjoyable.
solid album, a few enjoyable tracks. a bunch that are just okay
It's pretty solid. Definitely a folksy introspective Paul Simon vibe with clearly the focus on deeper than average lyrics. Though good, not something I'm likely to revisit.
There She Goes is amazing, though nothing else really comes that close on the album. It's all fine, but nothing very remarkable.
Had not heard this before, though reminds me a lot of Ned's Atomic Dustbin and God Fodder. I can better understand what shoegaze is after listening to this. Very enjoyable.
It really has an amazing selection of tracks from the era... but i went from appreciating it to not being able to listen to fogerty's voice a long time ago. It deserves better than this, but "rain" and "light" are the only bearable songs.
Indeed it is a soundtrack from the 70's. Theme from Shaft is the most entertaining... both lyrics and background vocals that chant "SHAFT!"
Damn. Aggressive as heck. It's like scentless apprentice, from start to finish. I think if i was in the mood i'd like this more and more. Still solid.
It is ridiculously amazing. It is helpful to have the context that the absurdity is tongue-in-cheek , and makes the album a bit more timeless than just a frat-bro album from the 80's. The rhymin' and energy are pure fun.
Solid album, start to finish. Not my favorite Dire Straits album, but enjoyable to listen to time after time.
Damn i LOVE that title track. okay, stolen child is really bad. rest of the album is actually pretty enjoyable.
sometime when the groove works, it really goes. then... most of the time... it's just a bunch of psychedelic noodling.
Though it definitely drops off on the last few songs, the first 7 are pretty impressive. Not a Cyndi Lauper fan, but a really good pop album.
there are some "3" songs on this album... just not enough of them. thought i'd like it more, but too much non-differentiated droning. so many folks say this is a 5... i tried again. i just don't get it.
Not the concept album i really needed. Certainly interesting.
Apparently 1965 was a little bit of a sexist time. Outside of that, How Blue Can You Get is awesome and the rest of the album definitely solid. I could go back and listen again.
Really well written and solid music. Best: Otha Fish, Worst: the Skits. The overall silliness is a bit too much... they think they are too funny, but you can certainly say it is very well put together.
This album is epic. I was originally into rush during their peak, but enjoyed some songs. This is really adventurous and ambitious. Will definitely be listening to this on occasion.
cheeky hippie folk music unmistakably from the early 70's. there are definitely some clever smiles generated, but it's hard to love it given that it is for a distant time and place.
It's just a fun, rambunctions rock record. The songs are pretty catchy, lyrics fun, energetic, with a few minor tempo changes. Very good.
Enjoyable and easy to listen to. Pretty close to 4, but I probably won’t really return to it.
It sounds a lot like a James Bond soundtrack. Enjoyable.
Very adventurous album, a bit challenging at times. Has two of my favorite Radiohead songs (All I Need and Reckoner). Very strong
Definitely enjoyable, but all the nuance in jazz is lost on me. Hard Bop tends to be most my space and i could listen to this again, but i'm sure i wouldn't recognize any of these pieces.
Solid fun album with lots of great songs in a live setting. A touch of sexism from a bygone era, but overall a really enjoyable listen.
Handful of excellent tracks; fun, experimental, electronic and catchy. This was the album that got me into MGMT, and remains their best release.
Amazing album. 5 star lock.
unexpected. this is like "music to die slowly to".. music for an old folks home. i feel like i'm getting older listening to it. some pat boone 50's thing going on here. pretty boring... born under a bad sign has some morrissey potential in it, but otherwise forgettable.
i love this album.
Totally fine and ordinary. I think i remember Step On from back in the day, but don't particularly like it. The rest of the tracks a de facto alternative pop. It could have been my jam back in the day, but doesn't hold up too well for the new listener. Fine.
I'm going to ignore the song Animals. The rest is the right amount of adventurous and fun. Funky and experimental, and just cool.
i shouldn't have to comment on this album. i've been regularly listening to it for 40 years. it's amazing.
so, i actually liked the music. had a good grove, cool bass and string instruments. the angel harmonies on cargo cult were a plus. i didn't need the beat-poet french william shatner talking over a bunch of songs, and the en melody female noises were a bit over the top. almost 3.
Last couple of tracks drag a bit long, but overall good electronic groove.
Not my cup of tea. Though i have fondness for the small faces (Ogden's Nut), it doesn't work as well for me here and the psychedelic era fuzzy guitar sound doesn't hold me.
An enjoyable album. Clearly band on the run is the shining star, but there's enough quirkiness and melody that carries through it to be a very fun listen.
What if radiohead was mediocre and generally uninteresting? Travis. She's So Strange and Rain On Me are strong, but the album doesn't carry enough passion and interest to raise it into a 4 or 5.
Unfortunately this was a bit boring. It is certainly a time from punks origins, but it sounds like a watered-down Sex Pistols and the songs aren't very interesting and the vocals aren't angry enough.
That was a very fun introduction to Tom Waits. I even liked the beat poet sections; the album was lyrically interesting and musically diverse without being too challenging. I would look forward to more Tom Waits.
Empty pages and barleycorn are really good. Though the psychedelic jazz and flute shenanigans are a bit too thick at times.
Definitely high energy, angry, loud and really solid record. The last two songs peter out and end up holding it back from a 4.
Strong. Great attitude and energy. Strong lyrical content and i'm into Nas' rapping style.
Can't do it. I recognize the lyrical effort but i cannot stand the underlying soft jazz beat music and the completely disconnected rap... there's no energy. Scenario is the only song that carries it.
It is interesting and unusual. Not necessarily too sonically creative in places (sparse electronic sound with repeating drumbeat)... but the crazy frankie teardrop has some wild swings. Giving them props.
I like Chuck D. This album is varied, strongly written, and is a blast to play loud. Flavor gets on my nerves a bit, but he lets it loose in the right places.
I enjoyed the groove/power of Isolation and Means to an End, but there was just a little too much that was pretty uninteresting.
It took a while to get through this. I've listened to Darklands a lot and enjoy it, though this is less moody and a lot more fuzz feedback. It it interesting to have it blended with pop harmonies, so I give them props even though it isn't an easy listen (i feels longer than 39 minutes).
I was already a giant R.E.M. fan when this came out... and this is clearly one of their best. A spectacular album.
For the first two songs, i was totally on board (awesome groove on supercalifragalistik... or whatever that was called). But then Isaac started talking too much. And i'm not really into his "man as a victim" garbage. I don't think i need to say much about song #4.
it the entire album was just papa was a rolling stone, it would get 4 stars... however, somewhere these are not the temptations i know, and somebody taught them the n word in song 2 that sounds out of place. really mediocre outside of one stellar song.
Damn awesome execution of this idea. Ray Charles voice is timeless, and though some of the strings and background vocals are a bit overdone, the blues approach to country/western is very cool.
Totally surprising. I thought it was going to be dumb Bang A Gong, but it was actually a pretty cool Bowie variant. Enjoyed.
CCR really grates on me, but there's no doubt it is solid and Wrote a Song was a cool surprise I didn't know. Still, John Fogerty's too drawlish voice isn't my thing, down 1 star.
The alternative side plays okay at times, but the psychedelic takes over a bit too much to want to listen to it again. Definitely takes a dive towards the end.
Hippie, soulful, that can definitely find it's groove and rock. It amazingly keeps interest up even though the tracks clock in at almost an hour.
So peaceful and soothing.
Killer Queen is clearly the standout, but the album has enough interesting bites to keep it interesting.
I unfortunately respect it more than i enjoy it. It has some very creative and experimental swings amidst a few wonderful songs.
Pretty mellow though it occasionally takes some weird/quirky turns. I am generally easy to onboard with some alternative/folk, but i'm not a big fan of the delivery/style here.
A bit of a challenging listen, but unique, energetic, and has enough engaging tracks to make it worth spinning.
Pleasant harmonies and easy to listen to. Unfortunately not much stands out and makes it memorable. I like it as a pretty unique sound.
I want to like this album... there's clearly a lot of meaningfuly perspective and involved lyrics, but the only song that i actually wanted to listen to over again was King Kunta. Give props due to complexity, though Kendrick's voice isn't my thing... give me Chuck D or Nas.
It's pretty cool and reminds me of a Flaming Lips type sounds. I particularly liked the aggressive noise of Funny Bird.
I enjoy Randy Newman's laid back style while mixing satire and cheeky commentary. Enjoyable album.
it is just too weird. this ska/reggae/rock with little melody and off-kilter vocals. probably an acquired taste.
I like the style and flow. Enjoyable hip-hop/r&b variant of rap, with creativity, color and an attitude.
Classic and essential. Intelligent, snarky punk.
I really like the UB40 vibe. There are some good songs in the mix, and the tail end of the album really fines a nice groove. In the middle there is a slight sameness... i'll still round up a little bit since i like the sound.
Man it was long. And the last 3 songs became irritating. At first it was colorful though the vocalizations are definitely not my thing... a little friendly sound at times. But it was pretty boring and a chore to get through.
Only non apple itunes one so far. The music was interesting, but never felt i was enjoying the groove from it. Pretty much all the up tempo tracks ruin the vibe for me, and not much worth revisiting here.
A couple way out there songs, but otherwise a strong alternative set. A bit less melodic, but still strongly written and interesting.
It is just too slow and uninteresting. Too much of it sounds the same and there's nothing that is particularly catchy or stands out.
Holy toledo. This is an entire career on a single album. Pretty damn impressive.
Definitely a bit long, and has a bit of a rockier echo & the bunnymen flair. If i grew up with them, i'd probably like it more. There are some odd ducks mixed in there as well.
The Thing that Should Not Be and Sanitarium are some of the best hard rock/metal tracks ever. Solid album, though slightly less interesting on the back half.
I don't get it. I'm not sure there's much enjoyable about this album and wtf on song 2. certainly not an album for people looking for hidden meaning in lyrics. outside of everyday people, this isn't worth listening to.
I did it! i made it through this album. Holy Jesus. I think Drink Dat is the only tolerable song, the rest is just not fun. Can't do it.
No idea what to expect. Bombastic rich lounge music? It kept my attention.
A really diverse and interesting album. Though there's only a couple of real highlights, nothing is really tragic... a lot in the middle of the road. It is a bit long though.
Yeah, smooth jazz. It certainly doesn't do anything really to offend, though it's a bit 70's boring and there is certainly nothing interesting lyrically going on. Meh.
I wanted to like it... i get the not exactly one genre thing going on... rock/folk/country. But the dolphins certainly didn't speak to me, and i'm not sure if anything else is interesting enough to listen to multiple times.
A classic that still rocks. Always enjoyable to revisit.
The music is the most interesting aspect of this, as i'm not a big fan of his delivery or lyrics; though they have a message, it isn't enough to hope my interest. Overstays its welcome and drags on.
I like the swagger and style. Most of it is pretty interesting, and there's a chance i could get more into it with more time. A high 3.
This had a great mood and drifted into an instrumental feel of yoshimi and the pink robots. i think i was 100% on board and into it and then the last song hit. though it adds depth/interest, i think all future listens will stop 1 track short.
i really like the the. soul mining is an amazing album... this one is good, but there's just not enough on it to push it into the 4 category. a very strong 3.
Incredible. Epic. Interesting. Lyrically diverse. An all time classic.
Just boring. Sure, it's folksy and unoffensive, lyrics are interesting... but 15 songs in 40 minutes of the same tones and finger picking. It just sounds the same. Blah.
I will never smoke enough dope or drop enough acid to make me want to listen to this again. Minstrels at a Renaissance fair.
Birdland is cool, and definitely a standout. Definitely reminiscent of a jazzy TV show intro. The rest is a bit blah techo jazzy that seems pretty dated.
It is certainly diverse and experimental... i think i like the ambient/instrumental pieces more than the lyrical ones (come running to tie your shoe?!?). They are creative, though doesn't fit as something i'll listen to more.
Easy to enjoy. River Song and Pacific Ocean Blues stand out for me, though there is little to not like. Cool soft rock vibe with a light Beach Boys influence.
A strong badass rap album. I'm better with his use of colorful language than Sly & the family stone. It has gut, authenticity and Dear Mama is a great song.
This is solid. Made me like Missy Elliott more than before i listened. Interesting extra messages from her, though why is everything an "EXCLUSIVE"? Good energy.
There are some all time greats, The Promised Land and Racing in the Streets. It's really close to a 5, but I don't think it quite to that level for me.
Pacific 202 and 808080808 are just banging, but the rest just get a head nod here and there. Solid, but nothing outstanding or timeless.
"Everybody Knows" says this album wants a 3+ rating. "Jazz Police" says it should be a 2.
These guys are way easier to appreciate than they are to enjoy. I generally enjoy the late 70's early 80's punk, and the minutemen showed an amazing diversity and experimental side across 40+ tracks. However, I'm not enough of a fan of D. Boon's voice and delivery which is too frequently passionless for punk. I'd much rather listen to Husker Du or Black Flag.
i wanted to like it more. a simple jazz sound with nice classic vocals. however, the vocals were clearly the focus, but didn't really hold any passion for me. it also seemed over vocalized and playful in a gimicky way. I honestly would have preferred David Lee Roth's version of Just a Gigolo.
She has passion and that blues energy. Credit there. And the story/feeling of the songs are fine. But i really find her voice repelling, and i just can't say that i want to listen to any of these songs ever again.
It is just plain strong. Beautiful voice, great beat, positive message. The title track is probably the least interesting, but the rest are easy to enjoy.
I'm back in. Life's Too Good is fun and varied. Energy and bjork's quirky singing bring it all together. OK, Dragon is a curveball, but overall, an enjoyable alt pop album.
It starts better than it finishes. I like the atmospheric electronic world music as it ebbs and flows, but by the time we get to O.K., they've let Yoko Ono loose on this album and the squeeling and high energy makes it interesting but not entertaining.
Clearly a couple of strong tracks on the album, but a lot of other "meh" tracks. Nothing too rough, but also nothing that begs for additional listens. Certainly better Tom Petty albums to listen to.
Good fortune is a great song and certainly evokes a Chrissie Hynde vibe. Album was quite varied with a cool Thom Yorke cameo. Enjoyable but i don't expect to listen to it again.
The music, rhythm and vibe is what makes this album excellent. Creative and energetic.
This starts a nicely melodic psychedelic folk country album with lots of creative songs. Then at about Afro/Grey is steers toward a much more random sequence of "songs". Takes a bit hit at the midway point.
Solid rock entry. Paranoid and War Pigs are standouts for me, though i don't think there's enough to hold my attention on lots of repeat listens. Definitely like Ozzy's voice.
Solid. You already know all the hits, though i was pleasantly surprised that the remaining tracks are also enjoyable continuing with the Boston sound.
A somewhat uneven album, that doesn't quite contain the passion/angst of live through this and adds a layer of polish that dilutes the predecessors energy. Awful and Celebrity Skin are highlights.
I'm on board. Ozzy is great. Snowblind is great. Though there were plenty of songs i didn't know, i thought they were solid, hard and would definitely listen again.
Suprisingly "out there", and hard not to compare to Ziggy Stardust, which came out at the same time and is epic experimental rock. This is pretty uneven, some interesting Bryan Ferry warbles, but the music doesn't hold my attention.
Back to back Roxy Music albums. This one is more approachable, still experimental, but ultimately successful. Though the warble goes a bit overboard, i like the emotion and delivery of Bryan Ferry.
A compelling Neil Young album; he's even able to pull off using "Albuquerque" in a lyric. The emotion is strong, and the lyrics are interesting, but the melodies/music don't have me wanting to come back too often.
I liked the slower portions, like Bhimpalasi, then the shred your face with Sitar sections... but still 50 minutes of any solo instrument is difficult to get anything besides "interesting". He demonstrates a crazy talent, but not sure when i'd ever want to put this on again.
I feel like this is the sweet spot for Depeche Mode's music. It is moving past the poppier sound and headed more towards brooding. An amazing album.
Emmylou has a nice voice, but this old style twangy saccharine heavily-god leaning country seems very disposable. Very dated. Hank and Lefty was OK.
Though twisted is a little out there, the album is sophisticated, engaging and very enjoyable to listen to. Help Me stands out, but i also liked the energy of raised on robbery and the mood of the same situation.
I'm not the biggest Jimi Hendrix fan, but there is no denying the power, originality and influence of this album. Amazing energy and holds up well.
The highs are really high on this album, and the effort is special, particularly for the time and where rap and hip-hop were. The talent is there, but there's just too much throw away that's not actually that enjoyable.
Though pretty dated and is clearly the showcase for black magic woman & oye como va, it is a solid and energetic, groove-infused album. Not a giant fan of the date electronic keyboards and percussion as the message, but still give props.
Enjoyable. Grounds for Divorce is stellar and the rest of the album has good layers and atmosphere.
I enjoy old-school socal hardcore punk. nothing nuanced about it. just a blast of energy. sadly there's nothing that's amazing about this, just solid attitude.
X sounds best when John and Exene are singing together. It's a little off kilter, but the energy is gives off is fantastic. Pretty consistently good album, though nothing that is amazing.
Much more enjoyable than my last Nick Drake experience. Pink Moon is amazing and the remaining tracks are a bit more engaging, memorable, and though not "pop hits", are more enjoyable.
I don't know if they invented a bunch of things or they sound like some weird amalgamation of a variety of 80's bands. Unfortunately they don't sound as good as a lot of their peers... maybe a mediocre Style Council.
Pleasant. I like the vocals and the soothing electronic vibe... when it's good it's really good. However, much of the album is just okay, not enough hooks to keep me coming back.
It has several enjoyable pieces, Chartered Flight, Giles Farnaby's Dream, but it also gets dissonant frequently and loses it's charm. An interesting listen.
A surprising amount of high pitched tinny electronic music. The Model is cool, but nothing here really excites me or makes me want to explore this style of electronic music.
i am surprised at how much i like this. the mellow saxophone and cool jazz vibe make it easy to appreciate and enjoy. it doesn't quite maintain that epic feel for the whole duration, but really solid.
WTF. this is one of the more unlistenable things we've come across. the jabberwocky lyrical content (i can't tell if they are lyrics or backward masked sounds most of the time), and the whole thing is psychedulic, dissonant mumbo jumbo.
Definitely like the delivery and seriousness. It paints an interesting picture of the era and the issues/concerns/challenges. It feels more like a story and though i give incredible props to the content, it's not something that i would gravitate to listening multiple times. Still impressive and enjoyable on the first listen.
Love House in Motion and Once in a Lifetime. It's such an interesting and unusual sound, and David Byrne's delivery fits perfectly. It's close to a 4, but a lot of the tracks aren't quite as memorable.
Surprisingly holds up well. Their folk/rock/pop sound is enjoyable with a tiny/acceptable amount of minstrel mixed in. I thought it was strong, but didn't really love any track... just pretty consistent and can be appreciated.
I'm mostly giving props for the energy and engaging sound. The cuban influence of lots of brass and brasher jazz limits how much i want to listen to it again, but overall the african-cuban jazz sound is pretty cool.
It's fine. Sweet Dreams and Love Is A Stranger stand out, the rest is fine but not catchy enough to excite. Nothing is really bad, but nothing really great.
The music is actually well done and I've definitely gotten into the groove on It's A Curse and Glam-Racket. Unfortunately i really don't like the lead singers mumble-talk delivery on these tracks. Not really that enjoyable.
It could potentially get 5 stars for Porcelain alone, but the album is also undeniably strong, innovative and enjoyable. Even the instrumentals like Everloving hold their own if a very long 18 track release. Fantastic.
Definitely a surprise. I like the dark electronic mood/sound and marc almond's voice. Say Hello, Secret Life and Sex Dwarf are great in addition to Tainted Love. Very enjoyable.
It grew on me pretty quick... I liked Expectations and The State I'm In the most, though the rest of the album was enjoyable as well (Electronic Renaissance probably the least). Mellow style and engaging lyrics.
I had a hard time initially getting Elliott Smith's wispy vocals and folk guitar sameness. After repeated listens, I really like the introspection in the lyrics, the subtle variety of additional instruments on some tracks and the melodic nature of the songs. It is really good. Big fan of Cupid's Trick, Angeles, and Alameda.
strong fun energetic album. even though there's not a word on it i understand, i enjoyed the cool brazilian sound. almost a 4, but i don't think i'll really return to this.
Mercifully it is only 32 minute long. I loathe this music. Psychedelic fuzz-box trashy blues with dumb lyrics and regularly finds ways to travel up its own butt with unlistenable noodling solos.
You can definitely give props for the rock opera attempt... it is interesting, and something that i amazingly love when it comes to quadrophenia. this album doesn't have any great songs (i'm free and pinball wizard are probably my least "favorite" popular who tracks). still originality and style shine through.
The is really a fabulous album. The gritty blues rock is so well done... every song seems to find a groove and warrants a repeat listen. Having a hard time deciding between a 4 and a 5, but I think it shines well enough for the 5. Awesome.
So, this is the definitive pop album of all time? There are clearly the bangers: sloop john b, wouldn't it be nice and god only knows that stand out. but honestly, that's really it. everything else seems nice, but not catchy. it's the equivalent if it was a song of verses, but no chorus. it sounds nice, but it doesn't really end up being very catchy for me.
Love R.E.M., though i think every album they released prior to this was better (recognizing this gave them a ton of radio play). Still some great songs... particularly like the peculiar Oddfellows Local.
You get a classic Bruce Springsteen album... heartfelt, meaningful and straight ahead rock. Though it runs a little long, pretty much everything is enjoyable from the louder more energetic Worlds Apart to the more wistful Nothing Man. Really good album.
A fabulous stand-in for a true Pixies album, though the double-album length certainly seems to wear a little thin towards the end (the last 2 songs seems throwaway). Still, enough angst and energy to thoroughly enjoy.
Though it has some less melodic and more interesting pieces... and there is probably a whole star removed for Mother being here... the album is still great to revisit with multiple exceptional songs... in addition to the bigger hits, I really enjoy Murder by Numbers.
holy crap. this album has serious highs and lows. i cannot stand the first two songs, "most likely..." and "obviously fine" ... it seems like they are cliches of bad blues music, but visions of Johanna and stuck inside are excellent. there's a lot to digest, but credit on the variety.
I still don't get jazz. Can 3 people seemingly be playing their own song at the same time and it not sound bad. I guess the answer is yes, but it also doesn't sound great either. There are a few times in Solar and All of You where i found that i was getting into the groove and it was working for me... but too often the bass line would go from "vibing" to "annoying" like a gnat constantly flying around my face. I'll give them credit for what they're doing, but it isn't something i'll return to. I definitely enjoy Bill Evans' piano work. Impressive.
It's all pretty good, solid enjoyable album. Kinda an gritty rock version of Garbage. I didn't find a lot of standouts however, no tracks that i would have to listen to again.
Certainly not an easy album to approach. Lots of spoken word... some strange bastard between a psychedelic Doors song and In Utero from Nirvana. It's best when it has it's dark noisy groove on... i particularly liked parts of Washer and the angry end of Good Morning, Captain.
Miriam has a rich voice and it definitely shares an interesting variety of songs... from the click song to the naughty little flea.. not sure what to make of one more dance. I like her take on House of the Rising Sun... overall the album is enjoyable, though not sure i would choose to listen to more from Miriam.
I am not sure what this was. The music is interesting and sweeping at times, though the vocals seems to alternate between a whispering falsetto and spoken word. I actually like the music, though the singing seems to detract from the vibe instead of enhancing it. Still, i don't actually dislike it, so a straight-up 3 seems to fit.
ELO seems to stand in a genre of their own... majestic orchestral rock. Jeff Lynne's songwriting is fantastic, the music is catchy, with a pretty impressive variety of approaches on the album. Even with 17 tracks... i can listen to this on repeat for an entire day. Love it.
This is not my music. It sounds like a lot of rock-blues musical cliches and the lyrics constantly bounce between stupid and misogynistic... doesn't really hold up over the years. Make It Right was slightly tolerable.
There are definitely times that the groove is infectious and you are thumping along with it, though it is strangely disappointing that the vocals are as uninteresting as they are. They seem to hold it back as opposed to elevating it. Overall an enjoyable listen.
Thought i would like this more as i like some later albums. Nothing was particularly noteworthy on the album, as i didn't find anything catchy... if anything, it just felt long and didn't hold my attention.
Absolutely stellar. The first half is exceptionally strong... passionate and catchy. Though it peters off a little bit, Van Morrison delivers an amazing album.
Wow surprising. I like the songs and his voice.... it gets a little too twangy at times, but this is solid from start to finish. Really enjoyed Fearless Heart.
Detestable. It's been a while... since the Incredible String Band that's i've actively disliked track after track. It is amazingly dated... and shouldn't have been allowed to escape the 80's. The electronic/synth sounds/beats are unpleasant. Nothing redeeming here.
Musically solid. The vibe, the beat... enjoyable and a good listen. I actually think the vocal style really detracts from it, however... in too many instances (male voice) it is too plain and uninteresting. I'd rather just have the groove.
4 really solid enjoyable songs. The remaining are probably great in a local live bar-band setting, as it is gritty bluesy rock with energy and passion. Unfortunately they are largely forgettable and aren't enough to come back to to warrant a 4 star rating. Still good.
Wow. I was looking forward to this. I clearly know the hits, and they still are amazing. What do the Carpenters sound like outside of the hits? It is unfortunate, they clearly depend on their harmonies to carry the tune, but it isn't enough over a couple of bad covers, and lyrically empty, candy-sweet, non-catchy pop-ish crooners. Thanks they give boy carpenter only one song to lead, and the experimental tail of the album only needs one listening. Stick to this hits, listeners, and you'll more likely appreciate the Carpenters more.
Significantly better than i expected, only because i have low low expectations from what i perceive as psychedelic fuzz rock. The obnoxious distortion wasn't really present and though there were some dated instruments, it wasn't distracting. The tracks were fine and even 17 minutes of in-a-gadda-da-vida were well measured.
Nothing else on the album nears the peak of "while you see a chance", but the album is largely enjoyable and though i'd skip second-hand woman if listening to it, and songs like night train find a great groove.
Definitely enjoyed the energy... it reminds me of Death Cab live when they become an unhinged noisy full bore rock band. I'm not as big of a fan of the mumble lyrics, which are solid when you read (or can understand them). There's not enough melody to hold me, but Raisans and Tarpit are strong. The angry Just Like Heaven cover is also highly entertaining.
Pretty fascinating. Though nothing matches "how can you men", the rest of the album is pretty solid. It has moments that evoke the beatles/john lennon and even david bowie. The music is albeit a little mellow/slow, though it still holds up today. If they had something else that was catchy on it, it would be a 4, but comes just a bit short in my book.
Though it fades a little bit on the back half, Tiny Dancer and Madman are exceptional, with several other solid pieces, including Holiday Inn and Levon. The music doesn't sound dated, and Elton John's voice is certainly amazing in this era.
Seems an interesting, diverse landscape of an album. "Rings around the world" and "it's not the end of the world" are a good part of a strong start. The instrumental experimentation is nice, though "no sympathy" was a little too off-kilter for my tastes. Nothing that really calls me back to listen to again, but a pleasant enjoyable album.
It's not quite as country twangy as where we started 26 years ago, but the music is still pretty boring. Pretty voice, but a slow pace and nothing particularly catchy to hang onto. Snooze-fest.
There are some enjoyable pop tracks in here, and some small gems (pray for spanish eyes), but there's just a lot that seems just "ok" and pretty forgettable. Still nicely varied.
The first three songs are great... really enjoy the groove of Billy Jack, but somewhere around Jesus, it gets a bit more ordinary. An enjoyable listen, but falls a step down from classic.
I guess you have to give him credit for sticking to a theme and carrying it all the way through. Definitely story-time song in the Nick Cave style about death. They range in gratuitousness, but are generally consistent and though the last song is probably weaker than the rest, they keep a steady balance through the album. if you're in the mood... this will do it.
Quite an impressive album. Though it has some pretty sparse, whispering type tracks... the meat of it: from emperor's new clothes all the way to last day of our acquaitance is quite enjoyable. The songs have meaning and passion.
holy crap. the only thing i can say is that it really is amazing that there is essentially something different to hate about every single song on this album. they are way too much up their own butt with psychedelic clown music.
Definitely a classic. It's easy to see the complexity of the music and the layers of sounds that still stays within a rock genre but adding ecletic funk and style. Really easy to appreciate this album.
Was expecting this to be a more challenging listen, but it is surprisingly consistent, and still has some unusual approaches without deviating too much from an alternative/punk/rock formula to not be easily appreciated. Solid.
Paper Planes is still dominant. And i definitely like the world flavor mixed with electronic music that really takes off at the start of the album. I don't think it holds enough all the way through, though there is a lot of creativity and depth in the music and lyrics.
Fine, pretty mellow entry. Wild World certainly stands higher than the rest. The rest is very listenable, but a bit forgettable.
It was curious... i almost can't stand Respect. Every time i hear it, i want to change the channel. So, even with that discount, this album is still amazing and soulful. Definitely enjoyable.
A little too mellow for me but I recognize that she has an amazing voice and carries these songs very well. A bit too much sameness and other than Son of a Preacher Man, not sure anything i'd listen to much.
I expected not to want to revisit this.. i don't have great recollections about Living Colour, but Cult of Personality was way better to listen to again than thinking about it. It holds up. Unfortunately, there's a lot of okay content and then the weird funny vibe. Open Letter is also strong and i give them props for what they were doing at the time.
Fire and Rain is amazing... and James Taylor's voice is generally soothing, though i could pass on the uptempo Straemroller and really only really enjoy country road. The rest is fine, but leaves it at a 3.
It is a long trek to the end, though the music is an interesting assembling of electronic, hip-hop and creating crafting. Nothing that left a permanent mark, but it was an enjoyable journey.
See No Evil is an absolute banger and this album (if you can vibe with Tom Verlaine's unusual voice) has a great energy and rawness that is enjoyable from start to finish.
There were a couple times during the album i noticed that i was able to enjoy it, but the spoken lyrics with an almost artificial sing-songy pacing were too distracting too much of the time. Layered frequently over minimal music, but the lyrics/stories seemed to be a strength.
Certainly an all time classic.
Sympathy for the Devil is one of the most amazing songs (fascinating music style/layering and great lyrics). In addition to street fighting man, there are quite a few other strong tracks i wasn't previously familiar with, jigsaw puzzle and stray cat blues. Very enjoyable.
The dirge was an interesting change of pace and it was interesting to see a broader world music flair, but there wasn't much i enjoyed here. I wasn't a particular fan of the vocal work (both male and female)... and the sound is definitely stuck in the 60's.
The album that got me into Radiohead. So many amazing songs, even deep into the album. I could listen to it every day.
Definitely an amazing rock and blues album. Brown Sugar and Wild Horses are clearly the staples, but Bitch, Sister Morphine and Dead Flowers are also fantastic tracks. A bit more bluesy than expected, but very enjoyable.
A solid punk/rock release that holds up. Plan 9 Channel 7 and Love Song are the strongest, though the others carry good energy throughout the album.
I like the music and voicework, and In It For the Money is a strong start, though i would say G-Song is probably my favorite. The album is fine though not too many standouts to lift it higher.
Though there is some adventure and grindiness in across the tracks, for the most part it is pretty listless and atmospheric without really sinking hooks into the listener. I think it is interesting, but not too engaging for me.
A great sound and ozzy's voice is absolutely perfect for this heavy sound. Though it struggles a bit when it hits Wicked World and the last track, the beginning of this album is amazing.
Wasn't sure what to expect. It was enjoyable in that the music was creative, with a very diverse set of instruments and rhythms. As it was senegalese, i didn't understand anything and the vocals were quite forward, i think detracting a bit for me.
This is fantastic. I've listened to Matthew Sweet and the dB's, which likely are closely related descendants. Til the End of the Day is wonderful blistering and the rest of the album is both strong lyrically and musically. Really enjoy the somewhat haphazard energy and delivery.
When Kanye is good, he's great. His lyrics are engaging and music is adventurous. He has a lot of cool/unique concepts that he is fitting into his hip-hop/rap. However, this does get a bit long, the skits get long in the tooth, and i have no idea why Last Call was a good idea to include on this.
This is the Day is one of my favorite alternative songs of all time. The album is pretty strong with a unique cool casual vibe. Definitely the peak of The The offerings.
If it weren't for Fitter Happier, this would probably be as close to a perfect album as there is. Climbing Up the Walls is so powerful, with amazing track after track.
I Want You and Battered Old Bird are amazing. The album from start to finish is lyrically engaging and exudes a passion and hard edge from Elvis Costello.
The first four songs of this album are some of the strongest on any album... but then it quickly loses its way. It becomes meandering and boring very quickly, and it only finds a minor twinkle in The Child is Gone and Carrion.
Fricking pop magic.
BIG has flow. He voice and attitude are great. And though i'm generally okay with the gangster approach, i tired of the misogyny/bitch content quickly, and much of the album wasn't nearly as engaging as i had expected from this seminal release.
I wanted to like this more. This seems to be in my musical wheelhouse, but it came to me an competent but generally uninteresting. It began to blur together.
I want my MTV. This is truly a pop gem that definitely transcends the synth era. Enjoyable from start to finish.
Though there are a number of times that the music finds its vibe and balances electronic, classical, jazz, and indian music, nothing strikes me as very compelling. On the other hand, The Conference, Nadia and Pilgrim are irritating and felt like suffering to make it to the end of the track. Some highs, but more lows on this.
It nice, peaceful, and frequently ethereal. I enjoy the sound, but after listening to it several times, i feel like i lose my place and have no idea what song i'm listening to. It is pleasant but very samey.
A very strong start, though drags a bit by the end i feel like they were just solid blues/rock songs, though not much at the end stands out. Still enjoyable.
Definitely interesting in how many samples and layers exist in these songs. I feel like it has Moby Play and Kanye MDTF on steroids. Many of the songs work, I really enjoy Electricity, the vibe of Etoh, Psychiatrist and Since I Left You. Too many others feel like unsuccessful experiments.
When Kanye is on, he is fantastic. Bold, brash, inventive, always fascinating. Though as an old white man, i won't be singing along with many of these lyrics, it really is awesome.
Though it gets a bit long towards the end, there's enough strong songs and soulful/passionate performance, that i really enjoyed Paul Weller's delivery and the overall album.
High points for creativity. There isn't much that sounds like this, and there's enough songs that deliver, that the album is entertaining (though Derelict is certainly a pass).
Nothing offensive here, but also not much that stood out (though i could swear that they should have named at least one song "Orange"... it actually worked for me). An interesting listen.
I have no idea where this recommendation came from and no idea why it would still be on the list. It's like Wayne & Garth wanted to take themselves seriously and make a comical record with no humor. Its hard to find something good to say about any song, though there are plenty that are standount unpleasant (billericay dickie, blockheads, blackmail man, sex & drugs, clevor trever). Ugh.
I will give them credit for a unique sound. But though songs like spiders are dark and aggressive, too many songs are handicapped by a singing style i don't particularly like... a novelty crooning metal opera. It becomes tiring after a while. The music is better than the vocal delivery.
Pleasant, but a bit boring. Where Sinatra seemed cool, Scott Walker seems overly serious, a little dark, and no very interesting. Seventh Seal and Rhymes of Goodbye are probably best.
Though there are few sections that give a hint of the era, this seems pretty timeless. Sparse in places, and more driving with a good groove in others. I couldn't tell if the vocalizations were english, german or just noises... but after getting past that, it was quite enjoyable and cool.
Super strong Bowie. A handful of classics, a set of strong 2nd tier catalog and the remaining are all pretty interesting or quirky.
Maybe it is the way jazz is, even "world jazz", but i find this more stressful than enjoyable to listen to. It's bold, brash and all over the place.
Avalanche was a really strong start and definitely most of the tracks have a cool bob dylanny story song approach. The instrumentation is pretty light and it is all pretty good... nothing warrants a lot of repeat listens and I think he thinks his rhyme in "diamonds in the mine" is better than it actually is.
Definitely raw and a bit too experimental at times. The religion pair and foderstompf are a bit out of left field, but are interesting. Annalisa and Public Image are strong.
A super strong album, interesting and well written. Not only heart of gold and old man, but the last three (alabama, needle), and words are stellar. Fantastic.
I feel it was a bit too uneven. There were some interesting experiments, and then there were some experiment experiments (e.g. New Feet). I don't know if there is anything here to bring me back.
Fine. Pleasant. It's not great background music because she is warbly. Listening to it intently... she does stories, has better lyrics, but the music isn't particularly catchy. Casey is good. And River is super strong, but seems to have the thinnest lyrics (maybe I just don't get it). Was hoping to be blown away.
No idea what to expect, but the album title and artist name seemed like a major deterrent. However, this album is just amazing. The title track actually reminds me of a heavy guitar pink floyd jam. The rhythm/groove on the remaining tracks is infectious without being overdone. The vocals fit, but the music is what soars. Wars of Armageddon is the only one i probably don't need to listen to again. Surprising!
Amazing stripped down classic rock album. I think other than Aluminum, the album is strong from start to finish, with varied tempos and delivery. Jack White's voice doesn't sound like a great rock voice, but it is perfect for his music. Very enjoyable album.
An interesting mix of heavy/dark rhythms with synth. Requiem stands out and the others blend in a bit with each other, but overall good energy and attitude.
The energy and angst and strong here, though they lean a bit too much into the Primus funk/experimental camp for my tastes. Still, we're it is energy without spazz, it is excellent.
This is certainly some quirky odd music. John Grant's voice is great, the music and piano are fantastic as well. However, he definitely has his own thing going on in the lyrics. Some are plain weird and don't work for me (Marz), while others have an odd and interesting perspective. Kinda cool.
This seems pretty uneven, but the raw feral energy of this album is pretty impressive. Certainly Where Is My Mind, Bone Machine and Gigantic stand out, but there is no dismissing the craziness that becomes a bit more organized when they get to doolittle.
Surprisingly blah. I love Arthur and Something Else, and Village Green is sandwiched between the two. Not enough standout tracks, but it is pleasant kinks.
It's interesting, moody and has a good feel to it. Still, there isn't much that stands out as amazing, and Northern Soul and Brainstorm Interlude lean towards the less enjoyable portion. I listened to it several times hoping it would grow more on me... but it is just "fine".
This is really good. Definitely finds it's message, but the tracks themselves each have a pretty unique vibe that finds its groove and carries it. I think Kanye is a welcome contributor here and elevates his contributions. Maybe a little long by the end, but really enjoyable.
My original introduction to the Smiths in 1985. Morrissey and Johnny Marr are amazing. They don't sounds like anybody else and I've always been intrigued by how Morrissey fits such complex lyrics into the music. Fantastic... even the buzzsaws.
Impressive. An amazing mix of african rhythms into folk-pop music with creativity and energy. Very cool how someone can start with a blank page and end up with music like this. Very enjoyable.
Certainly doesn't hold up to my memory of it. It has 3 great songs. The remaining 5 I think are actively stressful to listen to. I would prefer to listen to their prior album, The Hurting.
Clearly Mike Ladd has a message and there are certainly some interesting experiments here, but I definitely not compelled to listen to it repeatedly. Definitely interesting, just not enjoyable.
One of the best Beatles albums. More creative and mature... definitely more varied. Incredible.
Despite Jailbait, this album has great raw gritty energy, that is certainly highlighted by the title track but also is carried through on nearly everything else. Road crew also stands out. Lemmy's voice is perfect for this.
The music is surprisingly layered and the strings and piano are very interesting. The music is fine, nothing that really engages beyond initial pleasantries.
The album starts strong and has a good alternative rock vibe... by the time we hit traveler, the album starts to go downhill a bit. Enjoyable but short of excellent.
Epic. This is definitely one of the albums that makes me think the creators are mad geniuses. I have no idea how you go from a blank page to this. It is provocative, soaring, melodic at times, angry, and always story driven. An amazing piece of art.
it's brooding, moody, atmospheric and amazing how they can take a 9+ minute song (same deep water) and just keep you entranced. They also have dark energy when they need... that dirty bass line on fascination street has a great groove. Fabulous album.
It certainly wasn't what i expected from the band and album name. It's a little too much "Jesus Jones" and dated electronic. There are some fun bits (Loaded) that make it interesting... but nothing really that i loved.
Sparse and raw, it is moody and contains both intense and quiet moments. Though it drifts a little more on the back half, the album is interesting and enjoyable.
I started out on board with this album, and the first two songs are interesting and enjoyable. But the album just goes big broadway extravagence song after song that is a bit more obnoxious than entertaining. I want to give it a 3 for effort, as Ute has a pretty amazing voice, but i actually was getting irritated by the time i made it to the end of the album.
Reasonably solid. Take Me Out is definitely a stand-out, but the other songs are interesting in that it sounds like a modern take on classic Kinks. Not enough catchy to rate above average.
Disappointing pop. There wasn't anything that was memorable or remarkably enjoyable. Does not hold up very well.
The Concept and Alchololiday are fantastic. There's a bit of a middlin' dive in the middle, but both beginning and end are strong. Very enjoyable.
Enjoyable... and though green onions stands ahead by a long measure, the organ blues works for me.
It seems a strange mash up of Roxy Music (without so much warble) and Duran Duran. I like the horns used with the synth and the broodiness of many of the tracks. Nothing stands out as amazing, but overall reasonably enjoyable.
Utterly pleasant. Essentially every song carries forward with their pleasant ABBA vocal tropes and there's nothing here that is really bad. However, the sound does sound very dated, so it is more interesting than enjoyable.
It's fine. Been It and Lovefool seem to stand out... the other songs were okay and not particularly catchy. I don't mind the style, but not too much compelling to rate it higher or have me listen more times.
Awesome raw energy. The sparse arrangements, exude energy and funk, and have a great deranged vocal flair. It is pretty impressive that also the unusual arrangement due survive their era and still sound entirely relevant today.
Though it is certainly vintage, I really enjoy the sometimes cheeky, very British simple rock and roll with folk stylings. Ray Davies delivery is perfect for this.
I don’t get it. It has critical acclaim but I don’t think that vocal warbling over no melody and someone’s synthesizer and drum kit is entertaining to listen to. There are a couple of songs that hold together, but 80% of this is pretty painful.
Pretty solid british pop. I like the folky/rock sound of the kinks a bit better, this is a bit safer and sweeter. Nice, not as much catches me for repeat listens.
Pretty varied and adventurous. Lots of different approaches, some work, some not so much. Pretty stellar start to the album, but tapers off a bit and things like something in the water is just a strange detour.
Very solid and enjoyable. Not a lot of absolute bangers, but the album is solid from start to finish and has a great alternative vibe.
I thought I would find some place for this in the fond nostalgia of disco... but given that disco is already repetitive, why would i want 8.5 minutes of a disco song. Even their best song tires way before we get to the end.
Peak coldplay. Definitely a singer-songwriter vibe with atmospheric elements and everything is pretty passionate and enjoyable. Easy to put on anytime.
Something that a drum circle would appreciate.
Reminds me a lot of Zero 7 Simpler Things... the chillout electronic vibe is great. La Femme d'argent is incredible, and songs like Sexy Boy, Kelly Watch the Stars and Talisman find their vibe. Very enjoyable.
A bit up and down. Though i like Please Be With Me and I Shot, both Hand Jive and Get Ready drive me bonkers. Overall, he slow bluesy rock style is interesting and reasonably enjoyable.
Powerful. Her voice is amazing, passionate and varied and the piano work perfectly accompanies the pieces (though clearly Me and a Gun is stark and painful with just her voice).
Though even for 30 minutes it gets a little disposable in the last few songs, the first half of the album is stellar soulful and has a great groove. Very enjoyable.
After just listening to Tori Amos, I don't feel that Joni Mitchell carries the same passion... it's feels more like an aloof observer, with a very samey feel throughout the album. It is well written, but doesn't capture my interest very well.
i got into down to zero and love and affection, though in general, this style and delivery don't do too much for me. it seems fine but i doubt i would choose to listen to it again.
Definitely better than i was expecting. The jam band, overdone backing vocals, repetitive shout/screech delivery, blues cliche all is tiresome and unpleasant. The good news is that there is actually some really good blues/guitar grooves and soulful delivery in here as well (summertime, piece of my heart and ball and chain). Still, too much of the former to want to listen to again.
I listened to this a lot 30 years ago and expected to like it again instantly. I was put off a bit by not remembering how waily beside you becomes, but the rest of the album holds up extremely well. Layered/complex, even the long songs (Madame George) still hold their way through 9.5 minutes. It's passionate and soulful. Amazing album.
When i first heard this, i loved it an wasn't sure why... definitely not a conventional alt rock album, but it's creativity and energy were easy to enjoy. Album still holds up... pretty incredible from start to finish.
Has raw, raucous original energy. Lust for Life, The Passenger and Neighborhood Threat are all great, the rest of the album is solid, but i don't think i enjoy it enough to push it to the 4 territory. Still good.
Creep, Red Light Special and Waterfalls are enjoyable. The other tracks lean way too heavily into the crazysexycool motif as if it is enough to make it great. It is pretty disposable, though Switch and Sumthin' Wicked pull the album out of it's nosedive towards the end.
Hate to Say I Told You So is a banger. AKA IDIOT is good too... the closing instrumental... on board with that too. Everything else is just a bit stripped down rock with good energy but nothing is really catchy and stays with you.
I was going to give it 2 stars and then Acid 8000 came on. It’s a painful reminder that this album is chock full or idiotic repeating phrases with little else other than throbbing beats that may be danceable but not enjoyable. Intolerable.
All Along the Watchtower is Great. Everything else seems uninteresting and excessive. I'm not sure Voodoo Child could be a good 4 minute song... why do i need 15 minutes of it? Ugh.
I love the voices, the mood, sparse arrangements and general sound. When it's good, and it gets the vibe/beat right, it is amazing. My one complaint is that it gets a little samesy and there are many songs without a hook. Still very enjoyable.
I have no idea what to say. A documentary on making the album would certainly be a better way to spend 90+ minutes than actually listening to it. I'm sure there is something magical going on, but most of the album seems so random, that i can't imagine there is sheet music that indicates there is a specific way to play these songs. Admittedly, after listening to the whole album, someone could play a couple minutes of it again, and i would have no idea if i had heard that before. A challenging listen. Not exactly for me, but interesting.
I expected to like this a lot more, because i like the voice, and key aspects of the style, but it is too far on the boring side of mellow. I Don't Want to Talk and Apron Strings are strong, though the rest blends together.
A lot of weird artistic expression... vermillion kisses is a weird interlude and others just don't seem like tracks that i'd want to listen to again. Bamboozle is the closest to something cool, but it's a big slog to get to that one nugget. An interesting adventure, but not very enjoyable.
Stellar album. 4 absolute bangers and the rest of the album holds its own. Very enjoyable.
I hadn't really heard Billy Holiday before and expected this to be easy to enjoy. The pace is certainly slow, though I think her voice isn't as warm (and a little warbly) as i thought it would be and isn't something i really fell into. Interesting to listen to.
Much more enjoyable than Risque... at least there are other tracks that are worth listening to besides le freak, though nothing quite rises to that level.
I'm a reggae fan though don't listen to much. It is easy to feel the vibe and passion in the music as well as appreciate the power and meaning of his lyrics. Great album.
This was really close to hitting 3 stars, but it's just a bit too experimental at times and there's nothing that just find a great groove and energy i was able to get into. There are much more interesting QOTSA albums to listen to.
I really like Poly Styrene's voice; the punk energy and sound are definitely enjoyable. The main knock is that it does sound very samey across 40 minutes of music. A good listen.
Though it does have a yuppie coffee shop vibe, it is still pretty cool and the bass lines and groove is better than expected. I get a hip daughter of jackson browne feel. enjoyable.
Very entertaining. The first five tracks on the album are super strong, though they have a heavily produced 80's feel with a bunch of sounds that would be in an ABC video. It tapers off a bit at the end, but really enjoyable.
Completely fine and seemingly representative of the style. Nothing too great and other than the somewhat annoying lyric of jonz in my bonz, everything seems like pleasant background music.
Apache hits and i think i'm going to groove and enjoy this album. I raised an eyebrow at InAGaddaDaVida, but i carried forward. But wow... it turns south after that... certainly by the time of satisfaction, wipeout and pipeline. Unnecessary.
Seems like a lost soundtrack to a 1970's alfred hitchcock movie about a carnival serial killer.
The album starts well and is interesting and restrained. Though hitting bongo bong is a hard no, and the rest of the album is up and down... some spoken work interruptions and luna y sol is a bit irritating. Ultimately, i'll steer away from it.
it's pretty cool... has an simple electronic vibe combined with a david bowie/fashion esthetic. you definitely need to be patient as it ventures deep in repetition and droning. still i can listen to pretty much everything but "emotional haircut"... i don't think it's possible to repeat that phrase multiple times and have a good song. pretty interesting.
I'll acknowledge that this isn't my version of heavy metal, but it is clean, finds its groove and executes well from start to finish. I can certainly appreciate it as a solid early hard rock album.
Stellar and smooth. Ella has such an amazing voice and though the 5 discs on Apple Music was quite a bit to wade through, it was all enjoyable.
This is definitely a mood thing. If you are willing to embrace the style, and revel in the rawness, sweat and dirt, this is a great ride with both frantic energy and passionate ballads. Just awesome.
Definitely a great songwriter/storyteller. Most of the tracks are excellent and even desolation road holds its 10+ minute run time. Album is very enjoyable.
Amazing album. Slightly uneven around the "no my idea" mark, but finishes strong with an impressive number of just banger tracks. Holds up well 27 years later.
Slide Away is the standout here. They have many really good songs, but I fall off a bit the more they resort to cliched rock wall of sound with a Sex Pistols whine and sneer. It’s fine, but their melodies with supersonic and slide away are where they shine.
Hot Rats starts off a bit more weird than it is interesting. Son of Mr. Green Genes finds a bit of a groove and the extended guitar or sax or whatever the instrument of the minute is, tends to be fine. Overall, more of an experiment than something to listen to repeatedly.
Nugget after nugget of deliciousness. It's varied and raw, with lots of great surprises. Stellar album... even with the squirrel story.
Hasn't really stood the test of time. Too much 60's organ sound and fuzzy guitars. Porpoise Mouth is interesting and it is more enjoyable the more folk rock it is. Lyrics are pretty interesting in general... though Love may not qualify for that.
I still don't get jazz. It seems to be the equivalent if you were just listening to a record of solos all strung together with no context. I don't get any emotion or feeling conveyed, just manic noodling. I will say the drums on track 1 are just crazy... i can't even tell what's going on. Track 4 is the only interesting one... it slows it down and tries to create a mood and melody. Not enough to save it.
A album seems to suffer from a pretty similar sound across the tracks and there are not many interesting or catchy melodies that elevate many of the songs. The lyrics seem interesting and i enjoyed All & Everyone as well as In the Dark Places.
It’s a great clean soulful Elvis. Everything here is good or really good… maybe with the exception of don’t cry daddy, which just is too sappy. The rest is strong and an enjoyable listen.
An interesting flashback to a more traveling folk singer vibe... particularly with interesting perspective songs like Boll Weevil and Mule Skinner Blues. Was cool to listen to.
Eccentric and unusual... thought it never veers too far into unconventional to be too challenging to appreciate. An interesting listen.
Shining Star and That's the Way of the World are absolute bangers. After that, it falls a bit with a variety of funk/soul tracks that groove but are missing a killer hook.
A surprise. I was already in the camp thinking that Jefferson Starship to Starship was a tragedy. This makes it even more so. Though the vibe is definitely rooted in the 60's, this doesn't dwell on cliched elements, but has a great diversity of folk, blues, rock... good melodies and harmonies. Really enjoyable.
Though not my style, i respect it for the time and place and how it was changing/inventing rap music at the time. I don't think the drum machines and production really stand up too well today, but it is still an interesting listen.
I have no idea how they do this. I've listened to this for a long time and love it. But if someone describes songs like Tame and Crackity Jones, you would think this is unlistenable. But the violent vocal delivery somehow fits and there is plenty of time for balance and melodies as well. It's an incredible album.
Pleasant but very samey. I've listened to it multiple times, and though the sound is nicely atmospheric, i am not really drawn to any track in particular.
There wasn't anything i didn't like, though wonder 2 was a bit strange. For me they miss the mark of actually being interesting... lacking a bit of melody/tone or not varying the intensity. Who sees you is probably the closests, where the normal droning gives way to perks of intensity and then fades away. Nothing in has intensity and a vibe but nothing interesting happens. Overall, a challenging and interesting listen.
I'm not sure what more you can expect from pop-punk-rock. The hooks are catchy, the harmonies are solid, the energy is great and it absolute carries a dose of snarkiness and humor. Really enjoyed
Definitely a strong dose of Smiths and Oasis... energetic, melodic and a very enjoyable listen. A lot of really strong songs, liked Animal Nitrate and Pantomime Horse a lot.
A pretty interesting old storyteller approach with a pretty barebones arrangement. It's decent, and the story aspect of it is the strongest piece. Musically, it's all fine exception Down Yonder. ugh. Still worth a listen.
Absolutely solid rock record. They have a really nice variety of tempos and energy and definitely finds it vibe throughout the album. There are a few tracks that are the higher energy / staccato delivery that don't do as much for me, but We Don't Need and Tracy's Flaw are great. Really enjoyed.
it feels like vocal jazz... i don't really get it... the music has rhythm, but the melody seems to be in joni's voice. it is interesting, but not really something that is easily enjoyable.
The album is great, particularly when they stay away from lyrics. They have an awesome electronic groove that samples widely and has touches of a mild dubstep experimentation. Very enjoyable.
It does get it's groove and pacing... and towards the end of the album, it finds an energetic vibe that pleasantly isn't so much IN YOUR FACE. A little too much of the album is hyper and seems poised for a siren alarm sound as part of its music. Still pretty interesting and enjoyable listen.
This is definitely a challenging listen. The music isn't melodic, it's stressful and the guitars sounds like they are in pain the entire time. The vocals aren't necessarily pleasant either... it's a noisy, discordant album that i can only give them credit for doing their own thing. There's something in there, but i just don't get it.
They are not all my favorite songs... i like the darker quieter aspect of Bruce, so I'm on Fire, Downbound Train, I'm Goin' Down are the most interesting to me. I was thinking this was going to be a "4" , but there's just too many amazing tracks, finishing with 4 bangers in a row.
This seems like a jekyll & hyde album. They switch between a pretty mainstream approachable alternative vibe and then through doses of Sonic Youth across the tracks. Definitely enjoyed Soul and Fire.
Well... after listening to 3 Sonic Youth albums, i can say that this is my favorite. The first 3 songs are not too experimental and sound like dirty/edgy alternative. Unfortunately it devolves quite a bit from there... and ends up sounding like a Sonic Youth album. A high 2.
It was a solid listen but nothing was catchy enough melodically to really rise to the top. I did enjoy Rod Stewart as the vocalist with clearly an intense guitar supporting side. Good classic rock.
Truly one of the greatest albums of all time. So soulful and bluesy. Songs like Sweet Virginia, Loving Cup, Let It Loose, Shine a Light are just incredible. There's enough variation in pacing and sound that this album just does not get old. Incredible and an automatic 5.
I was surprised at how widely varied the tracks on this album are. There is brit pop, brit punk, brit rock... it doesn't all work, but there are some definite highs (ironically This Is a Low is one of my favorites). Pretty enjoyable album, but uneven.
The lyrics are on point and the groove is really good, though I'm not a huge fan of the nasally vocal delivery. Still pretty enjoyable... how i could just kill a man and hand on the pump are just stellar.
It has some decent moments, particularly Darkness, Darkness, but the album feels like a discount Monkees... nothing very melodic, a bit weird 60's pop noodling. Interesting, but nothing really that needs a repeat listen.
It is crazy how consistently good each of these tracks are. Short, sweet, varied, little delicious nuggets of folk songs with beautiful vocals. Incredibly enjoyable.
A couple of known songs, but sounds very samesy and boring (duplicate album in my review history).
This is SOOOOOOOO boring. It's not particularly melodic, there's no energy... everything is sterile, atmospheric, 50's soundtrack music with some dispassionate crooner moaning through an hour of music. It is great as background music if you had a 50's cocktail party planned, but it isn't enjoyable on it's own. A generous 2.
Enjoyable and cool. I was pretty into nearly every track, though maybe i'm missing the message on Kinky Reggae. Stir it up is stellar and the rest hold together well. Good lyrics and vibe.
It starts phenomenally well... the first 5 tracks are super strong, rowdy and energetic. All in the family is a clever idea but i think it pretty much fails, and the homophobic slurs don't age here. By the time it has gotten to cameltosis and eararche, I was ready to move on. Definitely had some good points though.
A really solid album, that is great straight ahead rock with punk and indie influence. It sounds much more mature than a debut album. Hard to explain is great. Very enjoyable.
The first 4 songs are absolutely stellar. They are quirky unique and catchy. Unfortunately the rest of the album doesn’t quite hold up as well, being weird without being so entertaining.
Very surprised. There really isn't any filler on this album. Even Uncle Salty, Adam's Apple, No More No More, and Round and Round... they all hold their own. The openings for Sweet Emotion and Walk This Way are creative and impactful. Toys in the Attic is the only song i could pass on, mostly because i like R.E.M.'s cover of it better. Even the ballad is solid. Found this really enjoyable rock record.
Definitely message HEAVY. The vignettes and songs definitely paint a picture which definitely delivers on what Solange wants. The music is fine, but uneventful. Nothing memorable but nothing difficult o listen to either.
Listening to Billie Jean, thriller and beat it back to back is an amazing trio. The album is still strong though does has some syrupy ballad songs that don’t hold up. He was a creep but still had a great album.
Epic energy with killer track after track. Love submission and pretty vacant. Amazing.
You know in Jeff Goldblums' The Fly, the problem all started with the unexpected organism sharing the teleportation pod with Jeff. I feel that happened here. The may have been some good ideas in the Queen, Bowie, Randy Newman, Weezer vibe in here... but somehow a Frank Zappa stowed away in the teleportation pod on the way to the studio. What we have is a bizarre novelty-sounding rock-ish record. It's weird, but there's nothing more than a few bars here or lyrics there that are very interesting. Happy to not listen to this again.
I really like the slightly more subtle songs like Walk On and Kite. Wild Honey is great and clearly there are the other key hits that carry this album. Really impressive and they do a great job of carrying tempo and energy both up and down, and making songs that keep you engaged.
An amazing album and one where i bought it on cassette and immediately drove from Tempe, Arizona to Bloomington, Indiana listening to it on repeat. Clearly Sandman, Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters stand out. Very enjoyable to revisit it again start to finish.
Just when i was ready to throw out all jazz... this is subtle, soulful, cool and enjoyable. It does not venture much into the territory where is seems like the instruments are frantically sparring with each other creating stress and frenzy. Big thumbs up.
I enjoyed the raw energy of this album. It seems pretty stripped down, straight forward angry rock. Nothing quite catchy enough to move it up the ratings, but there also wasn't anything that pushed me away. A good listen.
Definitely give them credit for writing thoughtful powerful lyrics, but I really don't like the delivery style, it has a muddy/muffled sound (reminds me of digital underground) with a lot of 80's sounding rap accent noises inserted (exaggerated scratches, sirens, horns). Doesn't age well for me.
Took me a lot of tries to make it through paying attention... a combination of it being a bit long and also ambient. Overall, an enjoyable trek through ambient electronica... definitely some that find their groove, while others are interesting.
Very solid americana rock album that does not show real signs of age. There are some mediocre points (Rag Mama Rag, Jawbone), but the album is pretty consistent start to finish. Dixie is the strongest, but plenty of other earnest songs that make an enjoyable listen.
There is definitely a lot going on here. The album is definitely dark... what is strangest to me is that the album sounds like you should be able to understand the lyrics, but the delivery pacing coupled with an advanced word choice makes this very hard to follow just by listening. I like the music and energy but it is a challenging listen. She is suffering stands out for me... but overall a really interesting listen.
Super strong and interesting harmonies that still carry today. Suite Judy Blue Eyes and Helplessly Hoping stand out, though there really aren't any bad songs on the album, just ones that don't hook you as easily. A very enjoyable listen.
Strange album. Lyrically, pretty heavy and complicated, and it certainly seems the focus with some less interesting folk music holding it all together. I listened to this while driving across Illinois... didn't help too much. The most interesting items are the variety of words chosen to rhyme with Decatur as well as a song (that is as successful as they are on the album) where the core of it is spelling the word Illinois. Unusual and interesting.
The first 8 songs of this album are on pace for a 5 star banger... and then it just sort of meanders off and finishes with a set of both boring and weird tracks. Fall at Your Feet and Four Season in One Day are absolutely beautiful
It's really amazing lyrically. He embraces his anti-role model persona and has a pretty solid stable of songs in this list. I'm still not a skit person, but they work here as well as anywhere i've seen.
It's really hard to know how to rate a foreign language album when it is so lyrically prominent... it's not just about rhythm and mood but the lyrics too that you don't understand. I liked Nick, Petit Metier and Jolie a lot. Good, but hard to appreciate more than a 3.
Found it intriguing that apple music labeled this as Pop, though i guess it may have been the popular music back in the late 50's. There are a few sections that are too slow/sparse, but it is mostly a solid enjoyable big band sound with a great rhythm and groove.
Definitely a bit too many sirens and frenetic/frantic/frenzied energy with repeating segments that quickly get tired. It gets a little more interesting/subtle in the last two tracks, but it isn't something that fits for me.
A bit fun, and old vocal jazz energy. It gets a little too cheeky for its own good at times, but still pretty fun and cool to listen to. Enjoyable.
I think it's tough to be successful with a vocal heavy foreign language album. The music is okay, but generally uninteresting. Not much that actually is catching and worthy of listening to own it's own. A little tiresome by the end.
Even though it is a real slow pace, the songs are well written, passionate in the right places, and nearly all of them have a hook that i really enjoy. If you're in the mellow mood, this is perfect.
Definitely a bit better than i expected. Channels a lot of a david bowie vibe, with a restrained rock sound that has a good vocal hook. I could pass on Jeepster, but the rest was pretty solid
Apparently they were going for the abundance of horns and percussion sounds combined with a bunch of solo noodling on any instrument they could find. There's essentially 3 songs that show they have some potential to become a melodic interesting rock band, and about 60 minutes of music that should best be left in the past.
A really challenging listen. It is sonically unusual and interesting... different layers and instruments for an alt rock album. However, it never gels for me and the lead singer's voice/style is irritating to me. It is muted, boring and at some point the whisper unmelodic comatose singing starts to become unpleasant. Disappointed here.
An interesting listen, where Lou Reed's poet conversationalist approach makes the songs compelling without them necessarily being catchy. They are sparse, but do well with a dark tone and style. Lou Reed does "cool" well.
A fine racuous rock record. There was nothing here that pushed you away, but there always wasn't anything amazingly catchy and exciting. It would seem the perfect band that would be an amazing live energy, but the album doesn't quite catch it the same way.
An interesting and experimental Bowie sound that stays pretty strong for the first 2/3rds. Around Warszawa we get a bit more atmospheric and electronic, but it becomes a bit less interesting and doesn't quite keep up the momentum of the earlier album. Still enjoyable.
It starts really well, but it seems like it runs out of steam after about 15 minutes and then it seems like a kitchen sink approach... "what if we throw in THIS next!" begins to seem like a random collection of styles glued into the same song. Also what is going on at 12 minutes on track 2?.... it made me think "what would it sound like if Meddle was bad?"
Very solid and enjoyable. Songs are varied, layered, and have a great rock energy. Casanova, Out of the Blue are some of the most enjoyable. Bitter-Sweet and Triptych are a little strange, but still have their positive aspects.
An amazing album. Everything in its right place and how to disappear are essentially enough for greatness, but optimistic and idioteque and other keep this exciting (and occasionally challenging) from start to finish.
Really enjoyable. There was plenty of interesting and deeply layered tracks... it really is nicely varied, with sparse quiet tracks like M62 but all finds angsty energy in the right parts. Really good album.
High energy melodic pop punk with depth. The first 5 songs on the album are almost as strong of a start as any album anywhere. Great.
Rock You and The Seed 2.0 are fantastic... unfortunately i don't think there is much for me beyond that. They are definitely creative, i like the sampling in Quills and Thirsty is a major style shift, but it doesn't work for me. Props in that the album seems solid lyrically, with the key exception that Pussy Galore doesn't work like i think they want it to work.
Enjoyable music... emotion laden blues with strong guitar and harmonica. The lyrics and voice don't do a lot for me... it seems a very small vocabulary with lots of saying the same thing over and over again (more than with most songs). Nice variety.
Amazing. Given that there aren't any "greatest hits" types songs on this album, it is suprisingly easy to immediately get into an enjoy. Queen is pretty unlike anybody else... instant rock opera vibe, varied energy with lots of melody and drama.
Dreck. It does not survive the test of time. The organ has not carried well through time, and this is a perfect example... even hard working man starts with a great guitar riff and then just goes sideways with miserable guitar. There's not much to like here, too many ridiculous flourishes and overly dramatic vocals. It is heavy, but i think only the middle portion of child in time really hits the mark.
Pretty challenging listen. I don't think the waily/siren singing here works for me. The Rip and Machine Gun are the most approachable sonically, but most of the other tracks feel experimental.
I really do like the Belle & Sebastian style, though the album is a bit up and down for me. It's almost a 4 but i think it sits at a 3 simply because i don't really like enough of the tracks. Get Me Away and Seeing Other People are really great... the others start to drop a bit from this.
For a good portion of this i could only think of Tenacious D and their "one note song"... "see, i even did the bendy bit". The music is very basic/repetitive at times and isn't very engaging. Revolution and Suicide take that basic approach and make it a bit edgier, but the whole thing seemed pretty boring to me.
Gary's electronic/synth sound is great. It's not as dated as I expected and all the songs are pretty easy to enjoy... though the lyrics are pretty sparse and forgettable (even Cars which seems to have the most words, on retrospect, is also pretty shallow). Engineers was the only "ouch" track (weird and unnecessary sound effects).
A bit better than i expected. Everything he is straightforward old country twangy with some good variety with up tempo pieces like weatherman as well as some more ballad types. Grand Tour itself is really good. Has some misogynstic tones that make it a little less pleasant.
You know what it is... and it sounds like the seminal rock that we expect... Tutti Fruti and Long Tall Sally are here. The other tracks keep the same energy and are pretty consistent. I'll give it props for what it represents, but I don't expect to come back to it.
There's a lot of pretty pleasant music here, but it much of the beginning of the album seems somewhat listless. It isn't until the end, Never Be Mine and Rocket's Tail that it amps up with passion and energy. This Woman's Work is strong as well.
This was amazing. Holds it's own over a double length album that is tightly pulled together, intelligently written and sounds like a whiskey-fueled bar band with a strong southern Tom Petty feel. Surprised. Very enjoyable.
I've really enjoyed this album for a long time. In listening to it again, i certainly heard more Limp Bizkit in it than i remembered, and they certainly took different trajectories. Fred is a bit of an embarrassment while Chester improved with time. There are still enough energetic creative aggressive items on here to make it a home run.
it certainly has an epic quality about it, and the songs are generally pleasant and easy to listen to. much more symphonic than i expected and they throw in some curveballs like Give Your Best. Still, songs like Black Diamond and Marley Purt Drive and Never Say Never are pretty enjoyable. Solid.
Definitely hard to fully appreciate everything in world music where you don't understand the lyrics. The vibe certainly seems very island and laid back... and i know I'm an idiot for saying this, but it makes me think of what an album would sound like if the Sebastian the Crab (from The Little Mermaid) made a smooth album. Enjoyable.
I absolutely love the opening... the feel of both The Shining and Everybody's Stalking is fantastic. I really enjoy Damon's voice and writing style... there's a nice folk warmth to the music. Still after the beginning, the album seems very long and not a lot of standouts... but still an enjoyable listen.
A pretty flawless record. Very enjoyable and easy to listen to, though has enough variation to keep it interesting and the listener engaged. Definitely a good jazz trip.
Still holds up well... very focused and cohesive. Bring tha Noize is an interesting experiment, but seems to be the least successful here. Solid.
Wow. This seems like a group lost in a different era. What would it sound like if the Beach Boys took some psychedelics and joined a drum circle in the Octopus' Garden? Interesting, but not very enjoyable.
Though there really aren't standout exceptional tracks for me, the sincere conversational tone and approach of these songs makes them easy to enjoy.
Certainly very interesting. There's a few weird experiments (Cemetery Polka), but most of it is a weird folk drunken minstrel style in Tom's gravely style. Had no idea that this was where Downtrain Train came from. Impressive.
Seems like a bunch of experimental, partially fleshed out half ideas assembled in a very strange collection. There's only a few that seem like actual songs, but nothing that is really too compelling. Interesting.
An interesting and challenging listen. I went through it at least 5 times, trying to see if it would take a hold for me, as i generally like Bowie and have seen so many folks raving over this album. Lazarus is really good and maybe Blackstar is unusual and good, but I didn't really find much else that makes we want to listen more. It's fine, but won't have me coming back.
Melodic late 60's pop-rock, but at this point i'm a bit tired of this slightly dated sound. Whereas I can still really enjoy albums like Love-Forever Changes, i think this one doesn't quite have the consistency and great melodies. Still pretty good.
Definitely a coherent effort that is lyrically smart and makes a strong statement. The style is enjoyable and easy to appreciate. My main criticism is that most of the message is blunt and too straightforward. I think there is a bit more creativity/cleverness in Sum of Us and High Fidelity is strong, but overall, good, but a bit boring.
Stellar. The first half is almost untouchable, though drifts a bit towards the end. The melodies and harmonies are S&G classics. Very enjoyable.
It seems absolutely unique and does a great job of implementing a drama club like rock vibe. The songs vary timing to add drama and engagement. It is definitely a lot of fun and there isn't a bad track, though a Heaven Can Wait and For Crying Out Loud drag a bit.
Compelling. Though the content is clearly violent and dark, it doesn't take a naive or dumb approach even when it is being boastful. It is intelligently written and covers so much ground; does an amazing job of portraying a time and place.
Pretty interesting experiment to take music standards and put together a stripped down country western version. All pretty successful, and is easy to enjoy.
Amazing dominant and original. Van Halen lands its debut with an incredibly energy and seems to be the quintessential definition of hedonistic rock. One of the most important rock records of all time.
I liked Kelly's Blues and the driving beat of Unmade Love. There are other songs that are somewhat catchy, but the lyrics don't really flow well... Vagabond HOLES? really? Hoodoo Gurus are more entertaining from this era and style.
Rockabilly isn't really my style and i can't extract listening to him with my general feeling that I'm not a big fan of what has been publicized about his life. Your Cheatin' Heart is the most enjoyable track here.
Solid rock-blues effort, that doesn't seem to have lots of stand-outs as much as everything pretty decent. Enjoyed The Spy and Maggie M'gill. The weirdest thing is the overuse of panning/directional stereo... voices/instruments just fade from one side to the other and back quite regularly.
Epic. Grew up with this and it is an all-time classic.
Vicious, Walk on the Wild Side and Satellite of Love are really strong. The other pieces have a sparse Lou Reed flair and are interesting, but don't really do much for me. New York Telephone Conversation is annoying.
What a banger. More pop than i expected, with an occasional flair of punk and rock, but very smooth music and melodies. Easy and enjoyable listen... deborah harry's voice is great.
Adventurous, lo-fi, experimental. Has some indie pop punk sensibilities and then it is just stretched in some different directions. I thought Cassavetes was a bit too on the nose and Yr So Crazy probably doesn't need a lot of repeats, but overall pretty cool album.
Enjoyable to really get an album that you know what you're going to get going in. This has more varied pacing, but excels with rock, blues and folks. Was really impressed by Since I've Been Loving You... haven't had much exposure to that and it is stellar. Tangerine and Immigrant Song are the clear other favorites. Very enjoyable.
A bit long and not my favorite music, but essentially every song has enough of a hook to keep itself interesting and raise above just "nice sounding" music. Hello is an all time classic. Impressive.
Dang. This is really an impressive damn album. There's a few tracks in the middle that don't do much, but they still have an interesting southern blues and rock vibe that is interesting. The rest are exceptional, Tuesday's Gone and Free Bird certainly being all time classics.
enjoyed this a lot. definitely some higher energy on the first album, and it is strong all the way through (though brown ape was a bit off). highlights for me were messiah ward and let the bells ring. Second disc was also good (the lyre was a little challenging), but otherwise solid start to finish. Liked easy money and supernaturally. I thought the album had a lot of layers and the backing vocals/harmonies were very well done. nicely produced.
Though I still think of Wipeout when I hear firestarter, I’m weary of the frenetic aggressive siren oriented electronic music. Fuel My Fire is the worst example of this, but the whole album is GUILTY.
I have expected it to be more melodic and interesting. Hallelujah is great, but not enough else to hold interest. It’s coherent, but not more than “fine”.
The track Heroes is great, but the remaining songs are either atmospheric and just there, or a little strange without being catchy. Maybe I don’t get Bowie as much as I want to. Still interesting.
It’s energetic, though I like my punk rawer and cleaner. It feels like there are leftover pieces of the late 60’s with muddy, experimental bass lines, guitar solos and a bit too much funk. Down on the street and dirt stand out.
an interesting listen. the gravely voiced storyteller has some strong points with the title track and ruby's arms, though much of the rest is consistent with his style without particularly standing out.
Really fun adventurous electronic album. Though the interludes don't add much and there are some autopilot tracks, when they turn it on, it's lit. Bingo Bango and Rendez-Vu are super strong.
I can offer respect to it, but this sound is not my alley. Four Women is surpising content, and much of the rest is fine, but i'm not particularly taken by her voice and the mood created.
Certainly solid blues, but i don't love anything that presented here.
This is enjoyable british punk... clean, raw sounding with a pop-punk energy. One chord wonders and no time to be 21 stood out for me. Good listen.
This is stellar. Amazing how tight and smart this music is. There's also an underlying bite or anger in the way lyrics are delivered that increase the energy. Also impressed at how varied the song approaches are. Radio Radio is drop dead awesome, but songs like Living in Paradise and Chelsea just show how interesting the songs can be.
Evoking a little simon & garfunkel folk (without harmonies) and a little bob dylan... his voice in interesting and the song lyrics are engaging. Unfortunately nothing seems to have enough of a hook or some memorable to raise it higher. Still an enjoyable listen.
Disappointed. I like the voice and the vibe in general, but there is nothing that really stands out positively in this track list and if anything, key parts of it are really sounding dated. Since there are things i know i like by the Pet Shop Boys, i was expecting a positive experience, but ended up being really let down by this album.
Suprisingly annoying. Though there is a mixture of portuguese and english language tracks, the lyrics are so simple and repetitve, that they quickly become irritating... feeling like they are one note songs with a single repeating word. By the time i hit bananeira... i was ready for it to be over.
Very impressed by this. Lyrically introspective, with some pieces of pop and wonderfully crafted ballads sung with deep emotion. Though Cowboys & Angels overstays its welcome, there are amazing nuggets all the way through from Praying for Time all the way to Waiting.
This is a really strong album for its antagonistic and attitude-fueld rap. Unfortunately too much of it carries a misogynistic and homophobic payload which is completely overdone and unnecessary. He attempts to excuse himself of responsibility but that only shows that he knows exactly what he's doing. It's unfortunate, because other than those aspects of the lyrical content, this album is great.
Though it carries its cool bossa nova vibe well, that's everything positive i have. Otherwise, it's very samey sounding, and her voice isn't particularly melodic. I definitely rolled my eyes at parade as the some seemed more about naming every national holiday and saying there was a parade for that.
IGY and New Frontier stand out as obviously catchy and enjoyable examples of Fagen's pop-jazz sound. Though they are definitely strong, the rest of the album blends together... nothing great but nothing bad either. Feels like background music at that point.
Fine latin/tropical flair. I probably liked Pedro Navaja the most but nothing got me very excited and nothing stands out as bad. Overall, an interesting listen.
It's probably got a bit too many FUNK songs on it for my personal taste, everything that is a bit more dark moody i think is amazing. A great album.
He's got an understated swagger and attitude on these tracks that actually deliver pretty well. Dum Dum Boys stands out for me, though it was pretty fascinating to hear a China Girl version that predates Bowie's recording by 6 years. A bit challenging and enjoyable listen.
Though i give him credit for strong lyrical content pretty much across the board, i feel like the musical aspects of it are non very interesting... it seems like sound effects are the only differentiating feature, otherwise the beat seems the same. Interesting, particularly the unexpected gansta's fairytale.
I like billy bragg and wilco, though everything here is in their style but nothing seems to stand out. A fine album.
Though destroyer, shout it out loud and beth and recognizable, most of the album comes across as simple rock and dumb lyrics... it seems there was a lower threshold for rock success in the 70's.
This is fine. It's predictable for what you would expect, and the songs are all good. Enjoyed but unlikely to listen to this much.
This is another one where i give them credit for diversity and creativity, though in general it is not for me. Ms. Jackson is easy to like, but most of the rest is a bit too hip-hopity for me.
Certainly better than average pop songs, but they are good not great. My Sweet Lord is the best, and i was surprised by If Not For You, which i only knew as an ONJ song. Surprised to find it came from here. Good.
I enjoyed the very english vibe and folky pop songs. Come On Eileen stands above the rest, but most of then are enjoyable pop songs. Pleasantly surprised.
Just too big brain and quirky for me. Seems like interesting jazzy music, but then it is nerds doing skits and songs they think are funny. It's not that clever.
Didn't remember how much i liked Dog Eat Dog and Antmusic. Both completely banging songs. I like the african drum vibe that carries through a lot of the music, but outside of the first two songs, there's nothing that is really great. A bunch of fine songs and a pretty unique sound.
Definitely an all time classic for me. Vicar is the only song that is a bit too corny/sing-songy for me. The rest is stellar from start to finish.
There were definitely some highlights... really like Love and Hope, America? and Te Estoy Buscando. Unfortunately it wasn't enough as much of the rest isn't as interesting or occasionally puts me off.
Has a restrained passion and energy that evokes a small smoky cuban club. Definitely an enjoyable listen and one that i can see listening to more that captures a very cool vibe.
Took about 10 seconds to realize this album wasn't for me and i was regretting my commitment to listen to every note of every album on this list. I could have given it two stars if it was only an hour long, but someone decided this deserved a double album and 2 hours and 15 minutes of length. I will say that Down Through the Night was a glimmer of interest, but the rest is pointless noodling dreck.
Many Men, PIMP and Don't Push Me are highlights for me. It is definitely swagger focused and it gets a little old... not nearly as annoying as kid rock swagger, but it sadly reminded me of that. Overall an interesting listen and parts were enjoyable.
Very enjoyable surprise. The pieces sounds simple and stripped down, though they have a very pronounced latin-flavor and layering, with a steady beat that drives them forward. Really enjoyed this offering.
I enjoy Ray Charles' voice. Definitely a soul and warmth that elevates the tracks. The album is an easy music-era album to put on and enjoy. I don't think i love any of the songs, but it would be great background music for a mood.
I absolutely love Blackened, Eye of the Beholder and One. Other tracks support the sound and energy but are enough of a step down that it doesn't quite live up to 5 stars for me.
Though I was not a Culture Club fan in my youth, I cannot deny the delicious pop candy that is Karma Chameleon. It is a great song. After that, Miss Me Blind is also pretty good, but then it drops pretty precipitously for me. The songs are generally okay, but doesn't shine too brightly.
Quite a bit better than i expected. Enough strong garage rock tracks, good beat, straightforward guitars, with a raw energy. You're Gonna Miss Me, Splash 1 and Kingdom of Heaven were really good.
Enjoyed the warm and passion in Aretha's voice set over a wide set of enjoyable tracks. Natural Woman is definitely the highlight, but overall a really strong offering.
I don't know how the pixies do it. Not necessarily always melodic or approachable, it is entirely engaging... with a variety that covers anger & energy as well songs with an ethereal quality. Fantastic.
A little too kitchen sing for me... more a collection of interesting sounds to music than music itself. Not my cup of tea.
Though there a clearly a few hits, i think the pop-disco-funk-70s esthetic is a bit too heavy for my taste, and then the slower songs just seem boring... particularly with pretty lightweight lyrics. A few background vocals even seem a bit off. Still the strength of a few tracks carries it to a 3.
Phenomenal from start to finish. Warm, passionate... this is one of the records i remember from my childhood that my parents would listen to. Listening again, i'm surprised how many track i think are great... probably at least 7.
When the album is good, it's really good. Songs like Everything Must Go and Design for Life really soar... they drive forward with energy and rhythm that is really enjoyable. There's a couple more that approach that energy that make it a very close 4, but there's just a few too many tracks that aren't particularly memorable. Still good.
Pretty amazing pop-hard rock magic. Definitely has it's own sound and lot of catchy tunes. Though absolutely POP, it still holds up well.
This is a challenging listen, and given all the hype and genre defining work that's here... i was hoping that it would be a bit more "listenable". It's interesting, but there wasn't a song that i actually enjoyed. I was hoping to be a bit more engaged by this, but it unfortunately doesn't work for me.
Clearly the title track and starry starry night set themselves apart... though there are some other interesting pieces here... empty chairs was decent. Wasn't sure about The Grave, that seemed a bit of a curve ball. On the whole a couple of stellar track and some fair ones.
Pretty interesting change of pace. The harmonies are nice and there are some pretty cool guitar parts hidden amongst the songs. The songs themselves are pleasant, but pretty boring. The Christian Life was a bit clever/cheeky, but otherwise nothing exceptionally interesting. Still a fine listen.
I'll say I was a bit engaged by the drums, but this isn't my favorite Who era and in my opinion doesn't age too well. I'll pass on these.
Definitely interesting and engaging. When it hits, it soars with passion, with Intervention being a big highlight. I also really enjoyed Ocean of Noise and My Body is a Cage, though a lot of the rest of the album is just good... it is a style I enjoy, but not much stands out as being exceptional. Almost a 4.
There's very little a actually enjoy about this album... the instrumentals might actually be a highlight, which made me realize that i really don't like their rapping style or voices. Every Sabotage is a bit weary... though that intro lick is amazing.
Though absolutely my style of music... there just isn't enough that really grabs you. The layers are nice, but the melodies aren't catchy, the lyrics don't seem very compelling and doesn't really pull me in. I did really enjoy Sprawl II and Suburban War.
I'm sorry. The music starts fine, but the soloing/noodling quickly gets tired. I was just going to with a don't really like it rating, but the longer it droned on, the more distasteful and annoying it got. It was a real struggle to get through all this.
Weird and cool. It was really close to pulling a four, as the songs had an appealing operatic/pop/zappa/abba thing going for them that was continually interesting. Definitely liked This Town and Hasta Manana.
Interesting sound, challenging at times. Stop and Been Caught Stealing definitely stand above the pack, though i really liked Obvious and Three Days as well. Most of the other tracks aren't very memorable.
Though it goes off at times in some psychedelic pastures, the songs have a warmth and passion with a late 60's eclectic touch. Very enjoyable.
I love old R.E.M., but this is actually probably one of my least favorite of their albums. It introduces you to the sound and the aesthetic of R.E.M., but i don't think the songs are as interesting as their other releases. Perfect Circle is probably the strongest here. Still, i enjoy the album and love the band.
Maybe i haven't listened to enough bad ambient, experimental music to know what good ambient experimental music sounds like. Its not particularly engaging or interesting... doesn't do too much for me.
An all time classic... certainly one of the best albums of all time. When i'm presented with most other Bowie albums, i'm frequently confused by why they are so loved because none of them seem to come close to this one. This is so easy to enjoy... every song from top to bottom is interesting and exciting. It varies tempo and energy and has such compelling content. Amazing.
Gimme Shelter is one of the greatest songs of all time. That is an amazing, emotional start to this album. Though it isn't until the last song that you get another complete banger, the rest of the album has plenty of familiar and solid blues-fueled rock. Really really enjoyable.
Ugh. Lot to get through that isn't my music. Didn't really enjoy anything until I got to Maggot Brain... but that is just a passionate ass guitar solo. That is da bomb. The rest i can easily let fade away.
Pretty ridonkulous. There isn't any filler on this album (okay, maybe Oh Daddy....), everything has beautiful texture and passionate voices. The harmonies are wonderful. Just an amazing album, start to finish.
I like the delivery and most of the content is interesting, though not always my style. Still seems pretty solid.
Seems like a bit more fun, but still cerebral pink floyd-esque era band. The tracks are strong and have a varied tone/energy that keeps them engaging. Well enjoyed.
I absolutely love Adam's voice and the soft ethereal folk-rock style that still has a driving energy. This really comes together for me. I've enjoyed this and have just put it on repeat all day.
Totally solid. Though i certainly prefer Bruce's voice, this is foundational and the songs really hold up. Love Phantom of the Opera, Iron Maiden and Strange World. The guitar on Transylvania is awesome as well. Charlotte the Harlot was a bad idea though.
Clearly it is iconic and legendary in the what it meant to the changing landscape of music and the beginning of Elvis' career. I'll give it credit for it's role, but overall, not of fan of pretty simple-sounding rockabilly/blues. Fine, but it isn't something i would listen to today.
A bit of a grind to get through this album. Humpty Dance is creative and fun, but certainly a bit long in the tooth now. It is creative at times, but the smooth soft talking rapping approach with a funk twang doesn't do it for me. Wanted to turn it off.
This was a challenging listen. The first 20 seconds certainly throws you off. Wail is a great track and I definitely got into the slightly off, crass, raw, punk energy of the album. Certainly nothing i expected, but definitely giving it props.
I'm being a little harsh in the rating because this music quickly goes from "fine & unoffensive" to irritating, the longer i listen to it. Genesis Hall was actually a good start, but it just drags on with the minstrel folk music. A Sailor's Life at 11 minutes did me in.
It really is an outstanding start with Back in the Saddle and Last Child. Sounds original and a is a great straight rock sound. The rest of the album isn't quite as strong, but is still an exceptional rock & blue sound. Enjoyed.
I certainly recall how this album dominated in the 80's. It's rock with a heavy flourish of pop that at times seems a bit dated, but i certainly can appreciate the 3 bangers on this album as well as a lot of the other strongs are strong. Even though i hadn't heard many of these songs before, i didn't think of any of them as filler. A landmark album.
i want to like it a bit more than i actually do. the ballad bits (breaking the girl and under the bridge) are phenomenal. give it away is also incredible, though the rest have a very cool RHCP energy and funk that is unique and exciting. though the remainder don't really elevate the album for me.
A bit too dated, too repetitive and uninteresting. Pusherman stood out, but the rest just blends together. The 70’s porn music aesthetic is there at times, but it is only a slight amusement.
Seems like a ray parker jr.-ghostbusters era synthesizer focused album. There's a few standouts, Dreamin' Hypnotise and Take a Little Time, though too many of the tracks don't really have a drive that holds my attention. Also Music Makes You Lose Control is very difficult to listen to. Ugh.
Another electronic album... this one seems a bit more modern than the last one we listened to, however, it has the same issues. A lot of these songs aren't very engaging, though there are a couple that are just great... Paris Four Hundred and Otto's Journey.
It was interesting to hear "In The Pines" as i've only known the Nirvana version. It's the best track on the album, but is pretty straightforward old cowboy singing. It certainly is a genre of music, but doesn't really do much for me. Don't need to listen to again.
Great music. As least 6 stellar tracks on the album, and they all hold up pretty wide. Really enjoy the Bob Marley reggae vibe. Easy to listen to on repeat.
I was a big fan of I Had Too Much to Dream a long time ago, but hadn't heard much else from the Prunes. The album is up and down, but all pretty dated (looking at you, last song). There are a few driving songs, but not enough consistency to push this higher.
Time of the Season stands out like a sore thumb. Definitely a bright bright light on this album. The rest of clean, pleasant, sometimes whimsical, with quintessential harmonies. Nice, but not much else really memorable.
Passionate and raw. A beat poet mixed with punk attitude. Entertaining and snarly. Found this to be really engaging, with good pacing and variety that carried throughout the album.
Wow. Definitely a captivating voice and the first half of Hope There's Someone is breathtaking. Though the album is a bit more hit and miss from there, the passion and story making this a engaging and enjoyable album.
I think very highly of Forever Changes and was hoping to find more here to enjoy. Unfortunately this is not my cup of tea. It is still a sound of its time and doesn't really have anything as catchy. And then... 19 minutes of Revelation push this off the cliff. No interest in more.
I don't really love anything here... Alright clearly stands out and Caught By The Fuzz has a moment... but much of the album is just adequate heavily british rock...doesn't really hit me. It's OK.
Angry and electric. When it's good, its really great. Mountain Song and Jane Says stand out. There is a lot of other good songs, Pig's in Zen, Ocean Size, Up the Beach, but there are a lot of meh tracks that seem to blend together. Still pretty good.
Very smooth soul... a great voice and vibe that occasionally reminded me of Seal... but maybe not as pop-ish. All very listenable tunes, though only a few (Final Days, Solid Ground) stood out for me.
Round and Round is the only mediocre song on the album, the rest have that Neil Young, folk storyteller, weary road traveler vibe. Really enjoyed listening.
I really like Ian McCullough's voice and the overall alt rock vibe of their music. Silver, Crystal Days, Seven Seas and Killing Moon are strong. Most of the rest is meh, though Thorn of Crowns is definitely a pass. Pretty enjoyable but it's missing a bit of catchiness to push it higher.
Definitely a songwriter album. Lyrics and attitude are on full display and nearly everything is pretty engaging though not always melodic. Though the energy/shift is nice on 20% Amnesia, that is pretty much the only song that doesn't work for me. Love Sulky Girl.
Very cool atmospheric electronica... that does enough to drive itself forward and capture a groove and vibe and key times. It's remarkable this was recorded in 1976... it holds up well and was a nice surprise in the list.
I really enjoyed this. A stripped down punk energy and snarkiness that is fun from start to finish. None of the tracks overstay their welcome and there's enough variation that it stays interesting.
It starts pretty good, and songs like Won't Trade strike a good balance between having a beat that drives it forward and having lyrics of interest. Unfortunately, i think a lot of the album leans really heavily on interest from lyrics and the music is just okay. Worth listening to, though not very much my style.
Though Scooby Snacks sets itself apart with a cool vibe and energy and excellent sample ideas, I'm not sure i really even enjoy that as a complete song. Bear Hug is also decent, but the rest is pretty meh rock-rap album. Will pass on this.
Really unique driving electronic rock. There's several stellar songs and much of the rest is pretty engaging and enjoyable. Soldier's Poem is a small miss, but the rest of this album is great.
This was surprising. I just listened to Fun Lovin' Criminals, and i was thinking that was fine, but this album showed how to make the Hip Hop vibe even more approachable. It's got a cool disco-funk vibe with the hip hop delivery. Enjoyed though not something i would listen to on my own.
Okay, it was pretty wild to get some familiar covers in a Sitar world-music style. However, can't say i really want to listen to them more than as a curiosity.
Amazing album. Atlantic City is clearly one of Bruce's all time best, but the album itself is very writer and story focus. The songs are engaging and convey a pretty compelling honesty and passion. Really enjoyable.
Wow... this is so uneven. Hey Ya is incredible and there are several other songs that feel like fully fleshed out idea... unfortunately so much of this double album sounds like one experiment after another. not really a full song, but an idea that might become a song, but they put it down anyway. Some of the later tracks (e.g. My Favorite Things) are also a pretty challenging listen. I wanted to like this more, but by the end i was so happy it was finally over.
I really enjoy the style/mood from Massive Attack, though I didn't find anything that had a real hook or was particularly catchy... just a cool vibe. Props.
I have no idea how someone listens to this and says 5 stars. I was hanging in okay through the first 4 tracks. Didn't like it, but it was just slightly excessive in experimental/psychedelic. And then unfortunately Aumgn and Peking O. showed up. No part of that is actually enjoyable to listen to a second time. Unexpected on the first, but no reason to go back. Ugh.
Chalk this up to another one I do not get. It varies between being a dissonant noisy mess and a boring mundane drag. The fact that it labors this through 16+ minute songs isn’t an improvement.
Roundabout is great. And mood for a day has a classical vibe to it. Unfortunately much of the rest doesn't really work for me. The vocal layers and harmonies aren't pleasant (occasionally dated and it even sounds out of tune) and the prog-rock nature of it emerges and gets a bit boring.
Dated harmony heavy psychedelic rock. It doesn't hold up for me and there's little here to keep me engaged. Lazy Me is OK.
There are some interesting arrangements and instruments used, though the majority of this is monumentally boring. I don't particularly care for the hits from this album, and there's little for me to want to listen to again.
The maybe The Message tries to be a bit deeper than the rest, the lyrics are grade A dumb. There is some interesting musical inventiveness, but it is just completely overwhelmed by regrettable vocals and lyrics.
Pretty compelling. It has an experimental rock-punk vibe, that seems a cross of Bowie-Roxy Music-Talking Heads with a inventive Pink Floyd at times. This a bit more eccentric, the tracks really seem to work. I didn't like Blank Frank, but essentially everything else was enjoyable. Really good.
It really starts strong and it is solid, interesting, ethereal at times and pretty inventive. But it takes a crazy turn at Waking the Witch and then doesn't seem to get back on track.
Absolutely stellar. Both melodic and angry, with plenty of attitude. So many great songs on this album, start to finish.
Avant garde? Eclectic? A difficult listen? You think you're doing okay and then "It Can't Happen Here and Return of the Son of Monster Magnet" wrap up the album. It might be smart music, it just doesn't come across that way. A very rough go.
I thought the first half of the album was pretty strong, with Da Funk and Around the World really standing out. Then it took a turn at Rollin' & Scratchin' and I wasn't getting into the beat/vibe as much, it seemed a lot more experimental and was getting away from being a cool multi-layered driving dance track. Still, an interesting listen.
I really really got into this. The brooding electronic rhythm and beats are perfectly matched for the bjork-esque vocals. Triangle Walks and Keep the Streets Empty are really strong, though the whole album keeps that vibe and hits for me.
Completely pleasant motown stylings of the christmas classics. What you would expect.
On helluva musical adventure. Though there are a few that really stand out, the impressive part is that track after track, the writing, the energy, lyrical delivery, variety and melody are outstanding. Truly enjoyed.
Eclectic and unusual. It was a difficult album to latch on to anything, but by the time i got to Ave Genghis Khan, i was actually ok with that track. A challenging and interesting listen, but i can't quite call it enjoyable.
Stellar singer-songwriter offering. Revolution, Fast Car and For My Lover stand above the rest, though all the songs are well crafted and enjoyable.
Pretty interesting. Not everything is very approachable... much of the time, both lyrics and music feel pretty noisy/messy... not really a clear melody with background falling into the background and the aggressive music takes over. It has it's hard noise element that reminds me of the Pixies. Still, a worthwhile listen.
There is no pink pop here. This is thrashy punk that emphasizes biting guitars and lots of crazy angsty energy from Henry. Props.
Very impressive album. The feel, tone and melodies are consistently great. I really enjoyed Drugs Don't Work, Lucky Man and Space & Time... i was surprised that track after track is solid and really easy to enjoy/appreciate on the first listen. Adding it to the Library.
Really a unique sound and vibe. I think it is pretty easy to enjoy for its eclectic groove. Though there are some experimental songs on the back half, the first 6 songs were pretty strong, with Clint Eastwood being very catchy. I did also like 19-2000... overall it was very interesting, but not something that i would go back to.
It definitely starts strong... I Wanna Destroy You and Kingdom of Love are strong catchy edge alternative british rock... some kind of byrds and oasis blending with a dose of eccentric. Later the eccentric takes a bit more center stage and Mr. Hitchcock goes a-wandering. The lyrics seem weird for weird-sake, but Tonight and Queen of Eyes are also good. Its fine, but there's not much i want to go back to listen to.
You know what you get with Frank Sinatra. It's entirely fine.
Surprised. In our carefully crafted modern culture I had no idea you could have a prison concert and jokingly sing about killing people and dogs. The songs were strong, the live set fun, and the irreverence elevated it.
Pretty surprising. It's strong and sweet at the same time. Plenty of country twang, but it is set on top of a lot of above average songs. They aren't just pleasant, but are engaging both lyrically and melodically. This consistency pushes it to a 4.
Quite a bit of variety here... though there are plenty of skit or throwaway songs that would make me just want to skip them if I listened to the album multiple times. The more fully developed tracks have cool samples and an interesting style. Though I don't really enjoy this style much, it is pretty interesting.
Bruce Dickinson's voice is amazing and there's a lot to enjoy on this album. Hard and driving, with enough immediately catchy riffs and variety that makes it compelling. Definitely like the haunting parts of Children of the Damne and Hallowed Be Thy Name. Really enjoyable.
So sad where we are now. This album is epic and brilliant. So lyrically engaging, the beats are strong, and the sampling/creativity is off the charts. The diversity across the tracks is amazing and it is just compelling... track after track. So sad to see where he is now as an artist.
The synth stylings are a bit a product of their time... though it is wrapped around a pretty decent set of songs. Most of them are an interesting listen, though nothing quite stands out as well as Don't You Want Me. Enjoyable.
Her voice is stellar and soulful. There's enough high points here that make me want to listen to it multiple times. Very enjoyable.
It's origins clearly show through in the seattle/grunge sound. Very Nirvana/Soundgarden... though the vocalist doesn't seem to have the passion/voice of Kurt or Chris. Nothing is immediately catchy, but the raw energy of the tracks are pretty good. If I Think stands out for me.
I wished i liked it more. The music aspect is interesting and engaging.... but the vocal element is a whispery & Prince-shrieky in an unusual way. It works for the music, but i don't always enjoy it. Still, songs like DLZ are killer and there are high points in several other tracks. A pretty interesting listsen.
It certainly evokes a summer evening rock concert. Though the sound is a bit mushy (I find it harder to find the melody in the soungs), it doesn't sound dated. I really enjoyed hearing good guitar solos again... and without any duds... just some killer tracks and other fun atmosphere to soak up. Really cool.
Put me in the list of folks that doesn't understand this. AB/7A is the only track that actually sounds like a song and is fine. I also found United in its slowed down state (as opposed to the 16 second version), but it nothing too noteworthy. Certainly a challenging listen and nothing that i could understand revisiting.
Super smooth and easy to enjoy. Seminal in the merging of the bossa nova and jazz sound. Getz is amazing.
Bangerz! Frickin' 7 out of 9 tracks on this album are killer. Definitely an unusual rock / alternative style that is unique and engaging. Great album.
Certainly Bohemian Rhapsody is one of those songs that seems a wonder on how you go from a blank page to a fully finished song like that... there seems nothing else like it. Amazing. The rest of the album is still good, grandiose and definitely a show... embracing Freddie's amazing voice. An interesting and enjoyable listen.
Definitely carries that traveling cowboy vibe with better than average lyrical content. Really easy to approach and enjoy, with enough really strong tracks to make it stand out. Thought Omaha and Black Rose were the best.
enjoyable, haunting, jangling, echoy and driving. very alternative pop. easy to like.
Man, 9 tracks and 33 minutes. Though 3 songs i might consider filler, they still have the eddie and alex sound that makes those interesting as well (with that dose of a synth sound... but not too overdone to not fit in). The rest are pretty much a greatest hits list. Stellar stellar album.
It feels like too many of the tracks rely on you solely appreciating the energy/tempo, quirkiness or a deeper meaning attempted in the lyrics. Unfortunately too many of the songs, seem to only have that. I did appreciate Ma & Pa, Pouring Rain and Mighty Long Way as a bit more approachable and songs like Bonin' in the Boneyard have a bit more interesting musical energy. Still, too much of it I would skip through on a repeat listen.
Definitely has a consistent and interesting vibe. Though i understand it is seminal record in its field, and was very unique for its time, i'm not sure it does a lot behind being innovative for its time. Easy to listen to, but there's nothing that just stands out as worthy or repeat listens.
Too dated and there's nothing really that enjoyable/catchy that rises above the 60's rock schtick. The first half of Ever Since the World Began sounds like a good black sabbath intro if they took it a little heavier. But then it turns poppy. Ugh.
Really well written, varied, intelligent punkish rock. With all my troubles getting through long albums on this list, it is impressive this album really maintains listener engagement through all 19 tracks. Absolutely stellar.
Surprisingly raw, hard and angry. She does a good job varying the pacing and energy to have greater impact. About midway through i was concerned that it began to be too samesy, but the last few tracks keep it interesting overall. Its definitely stronger than a 3, but i'm rounding up a bit in hitting the 4.
I recognize for its contribution and the way that it moved rock-rap forward. I do really like Raising Hell and You Be Illing. It new and game changing, but today it feels more one note. I don't need to listen to it much more, but still an important listen.
This was significantly more interesting than i expected. A ethereal tubular bells vibe mixed in with a bit of hip hop beat. It was quite atmospheric and there were enough cool tracks to make it worth listening to.
She channels a bit of Carole King for me, though i didn't particularly love any songs. Stoned Soul Picnic was probably the most interesting for me, but overall it was pleasant... soulful voice over not very memorable songs.
The all instrumental pieces worked better for me... both the first (Keeping Pigs Together) and last (They're Hanging Me Tonight) were the strongest for me. Not enough on the album really engaged me, though overall in was an interesting listen.
Though this was very message heavy, the delivery was varied and interesting to keep me engaged for longer than expected. It gets a bit tired by the end, but there are several tracks that are quite enjoyable.
I really like Jello's delivery and heavy sarcastic humor delivered across the album. There's also enough creativity and variation in melody and delivery that keeps the album pretty engaging. Holiday in Cambodia stands out.
Bonnie's voice is souful and expressive; the music is best when it avoids the period-dating synthesizer that is too featured in many of these songs. It definitely makes it feel more 80's than it deserves. An enjoyable listen overall.
It took a few iterations through the album before it took a hold, but i like the overall style and tone. Certainly very 80's/90's alternative... a good balance of interesting lyrics and instrumentation. Songs like Fuzzy and The Hook are really strong, but there's lots of treats along the way.
Really didn't enjoy the Janis Joplin move over cover, but most of the rest of the album is a pretty energetic, mostly entertaining rock album... though i can't help but think i wouldn't really listen much here as it seems Led Zeppelin was doing everything much better at the time.
This is a really challenging album... it's messy and plenty of eclectic parts that start to take some of the straightforward nature of the velvet underground sound and start to twist it. I can't find much here to appreciate. A pass.
This was a pretty challenging album, though the driving energy of the first half of the album carries it pretty far... the lyrics seem pretty sparse, so i'm not sure what to make of them. The latter half of the album seems a bit more experimental and isn't quite as compelling, but overall a pretty interesting album.
Just a bit "meh". I like the singer/songwriter/folksy vibe, with the occasional jazzy interpretation overall, but not many songs are very interesting to listen to. I do like May You Never, and Don't Want to Know and The Man in the Station, but most of the rest is just fair.
Soulful singer. The pieces have interesting melodies, but the synth and 80's feeling funk seem a bit dated. Overall, it has some interest but doesn't fully pull me in and engage.
This seems like an easy 5. There are so many songs that are engaging.... though Rainbow and Butterflies are nearly perfect, most of the rest of the album shows strength with both melody and lyrical content. Very easy to appreciate.
Not one of my favorite Morrissey albums, but he is still an artist where his music is eclectic and passionate with wonderful & introspective lyrics. It's unfortunate that he's leaned heavily into a bit of a twat persona, but i am still thoroughly engaged in his music.
I'm a huge Yoshi fan and this certainly has hints of where that album is going. I like Wayne's vocal delivery, a sincere understated honesty that works so well with this music. Pretty solid album, though Feeling Yourself Disintigrate and Race for the Prize are highlights.
It is a delicious pop R&B tour. Lots of catchy melodies and beats, with some clear highlights with Survivor, Bootylicious and Dangerously in Love. However, i have no idea what to make of Outra Thank You. I could tolerate maybe 30 seconds of them doting on their bandmates, but holy god... 4 minutes?!??! I'm giving them a pass on this, pretending it wasn't added to the album.
The abundance of french doesn't make this too approachable alone, but it is really pretty experimental and the vocal are very frequently sounding out of tune/awkward, making it harder to approach. Noise of Carpet was particularly rough. Ultimately, there's not much here to enjoy other than as an intellectual experiment.
Though it starts a little slow for me, the album shows a pretty surprising diversity of soul, funk and a caribbean cha cha vibe of Don't You Worry. All really easy to enjoy, and Higher Ground is a funktastic amazing party of a song.
A somewhat restrained alternative rock release. Pretty consistent and solid... engaging to listen to. Enjoyed Rags to Rags, Not Ready Yet and Guest List.
I like a lot of Madness' quirkiness and ska mix of pop, however, other the songs here other than Our House and Tomorrow's Just Another Day feel a bit more like half-thoughts of songs than a fully fleshed out idea. Its unusual and interesting, but this album doesn't have me coming back for repeat listens.
Really surprised how easy this is to enjoy. Gritty, with a great flow and lyrical creativity. I like the delivery and atmospheric feel that is layered onto the tracks... definitively fits here and helps this album stand out.
It has a raw rock blues energy that does a pretty decent job of not being too stuck in the time period. Born on the Bayou and Proud Mary are certainly strong, with the rest holding pretty steady (not sure what to say about the word "chooglin'" though)... still i don't really like fogerty's voice, so i respect this more than i enjoy it.
Other than Murder Mystery, which is a bit of a challenging listen, the album is pretty easy to approach, entertaining and interesting. It captures an intelligent artsiness that is appealing. A great listen.
Pretty and peaceful. Very approachable and songs like willow and no body, no crime are exceptional. Had a great time listening to this multiple times.
I like kd lang's voice. Most of these songs are pretty forgettable, very pleasant and easy to listen to, but nothing really sticks other than Constant Craving.
Solid, but nothing I was a huge fan of. An enjoyable worthwhile listen.
I think if i was of this scene, this is music i would better identify with and embrace. Spending a little time with the lyrics as well certainly shows a deeper than average punk content, but man is Darby incomprehensible. Without lyrics, I'd have no idea what he is saying. I don't think there is an album that better conveys the sneer & attitude (i think it even steps it up one from the Sex Pistols... though their album is much more melodic and approachable). A very interesting ride.
A striking and powerful contemporary soul album... there's really no filler here. Everything is good or really good. Engaging lyrics and Amy's beautiful voice.
This type of album is so sorely missed these days. A straight ahead rock record with some engaging writing, both lyrically and melodically. It excels both with slower tempo Kid/Brass in Pockets as well as high energy tracks like Tattooed Love Boys.
Lyrically dense and challenging. Definitely provides a dark portrait of inner city life coupled with some pretty engaging layered music. The samples enhance the mood and I really enjoyed Raekwon's delivery (as well as his guest rappers). Impressive album (even though the interludes do detract a bit for me).
Provides a grim and realistic portrait of the time around the LA riots and Rodney King. Powerful message, delivered in a smart manner with some good production that polished it well. Engaging and enjoyable.
It sounds like alternative music that has a band and consistent melody and rhythm and applied and erratic, jazz structure. Quite challenging to listen to.
I love this album. Waterloo, Sunset and death of a clown are some of my favorite songs. I could definitely lose no return. Otherwise, it’s a great British album that those sounding a little dated has plenty of melody and witty writing.
A pretty amazing album. The guitar work is special... it has so many soulful flourishes that continually make the music more expressive and integration. Every track is strong, with Sultans of Swing being an all time great. Can listen to this over and over.
Wow, this is unusual. It's totally outlaw Johnny Cash attitude and the simple country vibe... but 10 songs, 34 minutes, and he plays the same song twice? His delivery on Boy Named Sue is incredible, not enough else to quite make a 4 for me.
I wanted to like this better, but everything seems so basic to seem to be parroting when a band learns 3 chords and starts to craft numbingly boring songs. The lyrics seem of the same quality, and though i try to find some raw energy to appreciate, it just is overall pretty boring.
Easily enjoyable. Though the vocals and music kind of lose each other in places, it has a cool alternative rock vibe that has UK flavor and enjoyable melodies.
She has a beautiful voice and the production is amazingly polished and clean. The music is smooth, soulful and easy to listen to. Though i could appreciate certain aspects, i didn't engage too much with it.
Seems to be Dylan at his best. Very engaging and enjoyable.
Very surprising. It's a bit challenging and very noisy, however, i was really impressed at how i engaged with the repetitive driving riff of nearly every song (yeah, 30,000 monkeys, i'm looking at you). it was very enjoyable.
Not normally a huge jazz fan as it feels too technically chaotic and doesn't hit that "cool swing" vibe for me often enough. This is as close as i've had to the finger snapping swing vibe that works for me. Enjoyed... and the solo in Diminuendo is pretty epic.
Really well crafted, delivering its melodic hooks and interesting arrangements with subtlety and nuance. A bit ethereal and dark that sets a cool mood. Very enjoyable.
I'll definitely give it points for creativity. It definitely has more of a glorious art project vibe that just a straightforward rap album. I did enjoy the electronic slant of the layers, but ultimately the theme doesn't work for me and though the raps are creative, it just seems at times to be a word salad... about some alien gynecologist. I'm Destructive was the strongest for me.
Definitely appreciated that it was mix of styles, african drums, a bit of a jazzy flair and even some R&B vibe. The 16 drum solo was pretty unnecessary, but clearly there was a push to put Ginger Baker all over this.
Was interesting to listen to it more intently, because the police certainly have pretty interesting/unusual music... seems pretty percussion focused, odd time signatures, and very distinct instrument sounds. Really good album.
Ugh. This is the roughest of the synthesizer era where the organ-sounding noodling just sounds horrible today. When they steer away from the synth, it improves, and i was in the solid "2" category for my rating... and then along comes Ready for Eddy, demanding that i give this album a "1". However, Eddy was gone in just about 2 minutes, preserving the "2" for ELP.
Grandiose engelbert humperdink like quality here. Not sure who the audience was here, but definitely the interesting aspect here was that the lyrics were much more creative and interesting than the typical schlock. Certainly seems a bit dated style, but was entertaining.
I found this quite enjoyable. Pretty polished and engaging mix of electronic pop and alt rock, with Heads Will Roll and Dull Life standing out for me. The consistency of the tracks raise it up a notch for me.
A bit challenging of a listen, but i like the raw emotional songs that have an occasionally aggressive musical energy. Oh My Lover and Water work best for me, though the album is pretty engaging.
Not exactly my style, but there were only minor annoyances in the prog rock noodling. I'll give it respect votes, and didn't mind listening through it.
Pretty refreshing to hear some straight ahead rock and roll. Though not everything hits, the combo of love in an elevator, janie, other side and what it takes push this as a pretty solid, impressive release. Enjoyed.
Very polished and produced. Smooth sweet soulful R&B vibe. Main detraction is that everything blends together on the first listen through... very ballad heavy. Enjoyed Close My Eyes and Whenever You Call.
Fantastic. Dirty Work is my favorite, though there are lots of standouts, and nearly everything is very easy to enjoy. Polished and melodic.
This was pretty interesting and quite varied. It definitely had the late 60's psychedelic influence, but harmonies and styles reminded me of the beatles (sgt. peppers) at times, as well as early decca-era bowie and 60's pink floyd. bracelets of fingers, trust, loneliest person were highlights for me... but it also goes pretty weird in some spots.
I think the album starts pretty well, and though Paris 1919 is really strong, it becomes apparent that John Cale's voice seems to have a really narrow range. Wherever he seems to have to push his range, the vocals just don't come off well. The Antarctica whisper approach isn't an improvement. This was potential here, but it didn't hit for me.
I enjoyed the alternative + latin mellow mariachi mixed in. Good mix of instrumental/vibe tracks and lyric tracks. Liked Close Behind the most and Sunken Waltz was a good intro. Enjoyed the experience.
Certainly seems a seminal work with Love Her Madly, LA Woman and Riders of the Storm. It has such a strong blues-rock feel and stands out that though being a product of 1970, it doesn't sound particularly dated. Really liked Crawling King Snake.
Not sure what makes this part of the 1001, but certain seems like a consistent fast metal album. It certainly has a samey-ness that carries through track after track.... fast drums, fast guitar, and a pretty monotone shouting vocal delivery. I did get a kick out of Orgasmatron.
I just don't like Q-Tip's voice. Its a little too much like someone singing with a cold and just grates on me. I can't get past that.
I was surprised how melodic and almost folk-pop this album was. He had good harmonies on a lot of the tracks and even his 10 minute epics of Love to Burna nd Love and Only Love were enoyable. Really liked White Line and Mansion on the Hill.
Melodic and ethereal. It's an amazing album from start to finish. Definitely a classic.
After listening to Sepultura, this is slightly more melodic. There is more of an effort to find a driving riff or groove and then a couple of songs that slow the tempo down to ballad level.... with Hollow actually having something that is closer to singing. Energetic aggressive set. Seems good in doses but a bit exhausting by the end.
Not sure i can sing along with that... a pretty incredible storyteller type album, both satire and situational. Randy Newman has a great casual delivery that hides the seriousness and dark wit. Strong music and melody. This is good.
Pretty up and down. Some songs tend to be pretty challenging to listen to... the rave element seems to add a wall of electronic buzz at times... not all of it is effective for me. Songs like As Above So Below and It's Not Over Yet are really strong, though there's a few too many songs I'd want to skip if i was listening to it more.
The thing i noted most is how different this is than many other "hit" albums. Most other popular albums actually sounds strange... the hits stand out as so much better than everything around it, you wonder if they really are the same band. This album is really consistent with melodies and energy, and the not-hit songs are only just the slightest bit off from being hits of their own. Pretty banger.
I really didn't think of Pete Townshend as such a aggressive guitarist, though this set really shows off prominent guitar solos and lots of flourish. High energy, though the songs here aren't my favorites.
I was ready to disregard the whole album. The street interludes don't add to the experience... they are distracting, and i can't imagine that i'd want to hear them if i kept playing the album over and over. The ambient/electronic music is okay... a little experimental at times, but generally pretty ordinary. I perked up a bit for Radio 7" as an interesting James Bond take, but the album was really redeemed for me on Don't Die Just Yet. That song has a vibe and just rides its groove the whole way. That was fantastic, the rest pretty forgettable.
I didn't have high expectations, particularly as it was partially classified as prog rock, though i think ultimately the album is pretty solid and varied... albeit with more flute. Locomotive Breath stands out for me, but overall it is an enjoyable album.
Surpringsly banging! Her voice really is amazing and the album does have a strong melodic focus. 20 tracks is too long and songs like Dirrty and Make Over detract from the overall experience. But Walk Away, Fighter, Beautiful, Cruz, Keep on Singing... and more. Really enjoyed this.
Instant 5. My favorite Cure album... the dark brooding pained vocals and music are immediately compelling. A Short Term Effect and A Strange Day stand out, but the first 6 tracks all make but Cure Greatest Hits list. Love this album.
This is more of a novelty/curiosity than actually something that i would consider "good". Uneven vocals and pretty casual song structure... I do get the similar vibe to Piper and Saucerful, but those definitely have more attempts at pop/psychedelic songs.
It's hard to be harsh on something so innocuous... though i really wouldn't be able to tell you if it was 40 minutes of changing music or the same 1 minute on a loop. I know that's on me, but it doesn't do anything for me and not something i enjoy, even as background music.
This is a pretty irritating album, especially by the time we get to No Direction. It reminds me of when Terence Trent D'Arby went off the tracks. A wonderful initial soulful album and then just it went weird, not particularly melodic, and funk without fun. It's surprising how good Holding Back the Years is compared to how mediocre/bad the rest of the album is. Would not do it again.
I really enjoyed the electronic R&B vibe and Kelela's soulful voice. Better and Blue Light stand out for me. The music blends together a bit, but it seems like great background music that you can play over and over.
It is interesting. The music is layered and has an electronic vibe mixed with it that makes it more dynamic. I definitely got the vibe on Fix Up, Look Sharp, but Dizzee's delivery and voice and not my cup of tea. A little too high pitched staccato, which makes it a bit of a slog to get through the whole album.
I kind of like the ethereal, hypnotic vibe of Bjork's music, though it is really pretty hard to distinguish many of the pieces if it weren't for the occasionally repeated phrase in the lyrics. An interesting listen.
Solid, though not as consistent and melodic as either Oasis or Arctic Monkeys. In addition to Ha Ha Wall, I liked Last Post and the Man Who Would Be King. I like the style and tone, just not enough to want to come back and relisten.
There are some really strong moments on this. On a Rope, Young Livers and Drop Out stand high for me. This was close to a 4 for me, but a bit too much of it blurs together and isn't very memorable. Still enjoyed quite a bit of it.
You pretty much know what you're getting into, as this is the sound of 60's rock/pop with clean melodies and harmonies. Kicks starts it strong, but the remainder is pretty forgettable. Nothing offensive but nothing exciting either.
Certainly there are some majestic 70's live hard rock moments in here... highway star and smoke on the water especially... though at some point I even hit the groove somewhere deep within Space Truckin'. However, so much of this is overdone and self-important... the drum solo in mule and vocalist-guitar battle in strange kind of woman is irritating. There was too much i didn't like for the few brighter spots.
This one is really close to being higher. I think Firecrack, Answering Bell and La Cienega are awesome. But after that, everything is okay, kinda in the same vein, all pleasant and polite lyrical rock... but nothing that stands out too much. Its fine, but seems very samey.
Enjoyed it a lot. Definitely a classic reggae vibe with enough harmonies and style to be easily approachable. Some like Give Me, Tradition, Jordan River and Resting Place were really strong in addition to Marcus Garvey and Slavery Days. Adding it to my music library.
Nice little surprise. Though some of the synthesizer/electronic vibe that is layered behind many of the songs date it a bit, there really isn't anything here that isn't strong... it's a pretty consistent interesting album. I enjoyed her take on Working Class Hero as well as songs like Broken English and Guilt.
There are some tracks that show promise... where there are congos, maybe some basic vocalizing and additional rhythm that gives some diversity. But then it just delves way too deep until calls/cries, monotone bongo only rhythms, and kitchen sink type sound contributions. Happy to not listen to this again.
Pretty nice to come across a simply enjoyable and wonderful album like this. There's both darker and brighter pieces, but all are memorable and engaging. I'm not sure i fully appreciate the small snippets of songs on the back half, but there enough good pieces in there that keep it fun.
I like the brooding alternative rock. It fades a bit towards the end (starting at Black or Blue), but nearly everything up to that point is melodic, dark and pretty enjoyable. Will add this to the library for future listens.
Quite a nice surprise. Though i was familiar with Epic, wasn't sure what to expect from the rest of the album. Though not all the rap works for me, it is blended with with aggressive/energetic music, melodies, and some decent singing. I think even instrumental pieces work here and the war pigs cover is really good. Strong album.
Three solid home run tracks, and Tryin' is pretty strong too. Though i have no idea why "Chug All Night" was thought to be a good idea here, the rest of passable. Interesting to get a taste of where the Eagles started.
Music i love from one of my favorite bands. Layne Staley's voice is perfect for this dark, angry, aggressive sound.
Inventive and interesting. Satisfaction is a pretty damned creative interpretation of the song that is entirely catchy, bizarre and engaging. Mongoloid is also good, but most of the rest is strange quirky unusual, more than it is enjoyable. Challenging and fun.
Really didn't expect this... thought it was going to be more like country-pop... especially since the only thing i know by the band is American Dream. That is SOOOO not this band. This is O Brother Where Art Thou?. It is way too long at 2 hours, but it stays true with lots of banjo, some instrumentals, and what seems like music that could have been handed down for generations. Interesting.
Stay With Me is great, and the whole blues rock vibe is really strong. it's impressive that the result doesn't sound dated like a lot from this time period, just classic. Love Lives Here is my favorite.
Wonderful pop punk. Enjoyed the short quick nugget approach of these songs. Interesting that all the big hits are the only ones over 3 minutes (when i come around is the 4th hit at 2:58). Still lots to enjoy here.
I absolutely enjoy the lead track Frightened, and I thought that was going to be the level of alternative approachability... but i was very wrong. Album becomes much more challenging... uneven timely, a lot of shouting over music, and though some of it evokes a good punk angst, there is also cringey singing attempts. Interesting.
Really impressive, though it seems a test whether you can handle the falsetto rock voice. I'm on board. I would say every song (except the last) is strong, with lots of entertaining, campy melodic "metal" (though more poppy hard rock with a falsetto metal singer). Definitely enjoyed.
Solid and fun. The first few bars of Laura are incredibly catchy and just have me bouncing along. A lot of the other track and similarly fun and a bit of a modern, peppy electronic elton john. I was intrigued by their Comfortably Numb cover, but that was probably the track that landed least with me. Still enjoyable.
I'm definitely recognize the cool and interesting aspects of this, particularly given that it was released in 1974. It is definitely a headphones, close your eyes and imagine the space journey. glad i listened to it, though i don't see really going back to it. solid.
Smooth and an easily approachable sound. The title track and Inner City Blues stand out the most for me... both soulful with a an amazing melodic and groove. Enough of the rest keep the cool vibe going that the album is very enjoyable.
This album is pretty amazing for how many great song/hits it contains. Though the interludes and theme don't make the package better, there's at least 5 great songs, catchy, melodic and enjoyable.
A lo-fi, college production that seems earnest and original. There's a number of songs that really carry well, Trigger Cut, Here, and Two States. Unfortunately, there's a pretty good portion that is more experimental or odd and makes me want to push through it quicker. Definitely an interesting listen.
Quirky and unusual, but infinitely more approachable than the Can album we previously experienced. Though Cool in the Pool is mostly weird on the first listen, it did grow on me a bit. Persian Love seems the best of the rest, though overall reasonably interesting.
Sure she has a compelling voice, but the warbly signing over a sort guitar is not exactly my cup of tea. Certainly House of the Rising Sun is the most interesting here. Overall it's fine, just not something i'd come back to.
Seems a bit more creative than the previous Sepultura album... some longer instrumental segments and additional percussion/native vibes mixed in. Still, it is heavy, aggressive, and the vocalist style is a bit paralyzing... maybe i'm old, but some of the parts just sound like he's killing his voice, almost wince inducing. Reasonably interesting, but definitely long.
Maybe it was the wrong day for me to listen to this, but the singers hollering/squealing (ala jerry lee lewis, little richard, etc). is irritating. the 60's stripped down rock isn't necessarily bad, just the vocal delivery is a pretty big put off. pass.
The more i listen to it, the problems i initial detect start to disappear and each track has some mood or meaning that fits in the whole. Even the quirky Excuse Me i've begun to appreciate. The tracks are interesting, lyrically and musically. I'm fully engaged.
Rap and Funk meshed together so well. Though i would probably prefer about 75% less Flavor Flav on it, i understand that he is a great contrast to Chuck D's heart attack serious delivery and style. Very good.
Not what i expected. Very hip, soulful, bluesy and electric energy. Enjoyed it from start to finish. James Brown is very dynamic in this set.
Kevin Rowland definitely has a slight cry-baby singing style that seems overdone at times... and the falsetto approach on "yorkshire" is a hard pass. Still, the first few tracks, including Burn It Down and Tell Me When... are really enjoyable. A bit too uneven to rank higher, but an interesting listen.
Buffalo Stance certainly stands above the rest of the album, but it is engaging in that it is a good mix of both melody and rap.
I enjoy the general vibe and Ian McCullough's voice. The main thing that doesn't click for me is the melodies tend to not be very memorable. I like Do It Clean and Rescue, but much of the rest tends to blur together. It's fine but not outstanding.
It's a bland and slightly dull cross between Paul Westerberg's solo work and Hoodoo Gurus. It's all pleasant and polished, but doesn't really hook me.
I was definitely looking forward to this one being over. It is LONG. And the music is interesting when you're just dissecting the various pieces and layers; there is a lot going on. However, the music is like jazz electronica, it's all over the place and as a listener there is no groove or easy rhythm to attach to. It's actually stressful to listen to. Not my cup of tea.
Completely fine. Seems like a soft, polite Arcade Fire. A little experimental and ethereal at times, but not so much so that it disengages the listener. Desire Lines and Don't Cry were the strongest tracks for me. A lot of other items kind of blended together through a couple of listens.
Wow. Part William Shatner, part Neil Diamond. A lot of loud talking over showtune/broadway music. He does better in the singing parts; everything is very literate... broadway-oriented story or message based. Nothing very melodic such that you'd sing along with it. So, interesting, a bit moody, a bit quirky. But won't need to listen to it again.
Was surprised. It's definitely got an experimental electronica vibe, but it's never too experimental to lose sight of also being entertaining. I like Backwater the most, but even subtle pieces like Energy Fools and Here He Comes work really well. Both interesting and enjoyable.
Engaging. It took a few listens, but i'm onboard with the afro-beat vibe. The historical notes on the influence of Zombie are particularly interesting. Definitely worth listening to.
The music is pretty good, but I find the singing is more of a distraction than a benefit. The singing seems out of tune and almost unrelated to the music... a feeling that just because you're trying to sing smoothly, that it's going to be enjoyable. Maybe seems to be the best and everything else is a step or two below it. Was happy to have this over.
Conflicted on this one. The album/music itself is a master class in pumped, angry, air boxing motivational music. The production is good, when Fred tries to sing it work, when he spits anger, it's a little whiny, but it works. In addition to the problem of Fred Durst, the place where this title comes from it not just juvenile, but they still think its edgy and cool. Blink-182 gets away with the same thing (Take Off Your Pants) but are making fun of themselves with it. Entirely different dynamic. Fred doesn't earn his self-pity anger on this album, but the energy and music work if you're just singing it by yourself. Entirely engaging.
Starts really strong for me... Motion Sickness is definitely my favorite on this album. There's lots of other potential here... a danceable, electronic album that has occasional daft punk shades. Unfortunately, there's nothing that catches me as much as the first track and it blends together.
Very clean, poppy and polished. Easy to listen to and definitely an effort to catchy melodic candy tunes. I really didn't know that Love Hurts was here... crazy after growing up on the Nazareth version.
The most amazing of albums. Nirvana is already impressive, and this stripped down version of their songs not only is the most passionate and evocative rendition of those songs but they've chosen an amazing set of covers that introduce them in a way that is engaging in this forum. One of the strongest 5's in the book.
It just doesn't fit into any genre that i'm interested in listening to more. Organ noodling. Pass.
Though this doesn't shy away from being challenging at times, the album fits well from start to finish. Biko, And Through the Wire and Games Without Frontiers stand out, but i also find the biting energy of things like Intruder as also well done. It's a great album.
Interesting, but not something i'd really listen to again. What sounds like a xylophone is unusual to me to be such a critical featured instrument through this entire performance. Cool and unusual for me.
Eight Miles High is the only standout, though tracks like 5D and Mr. Spaceman, maybe John Riley hold down some solid tracks. The rest are pretty forgettable.
A really strong set of carefully crafted singer/songwriter tracks that have an impressive production and variety. The songs do particularly well in that his rhymes and melody are pretty engaging and catchy. Man Out of Time, And In Every Home, The Loved Ones are my favorites.
California Dreamin' and Monday, Monday are otherworldly candy-harmony pop delights. The rest of the album is pretty forgettable, but pleasant. Lots of harmonies stacked on harmonies... though a bit boring.
A very challenging listen but pretty much every one of the difficult songs are dripping with passion, energy, and biting lyrics. The album shows how easily they can shift between ballads and approachable tracks (pennyroyal, all apologies, rape me, heart shaped box) and their brand of energetic noise. It is impressive and moving.
This is quintessential alternative. Bono's energy and passion raise many of these from songs into anthems. When Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day were first introduced, it was impossible to not be captivated. Beyond those two, the album is still filled with nearly all engaging tracks, ballads ("40"), more ethereal ("Drowning Man") and driving ("Like a Song", "Two Hearts"). Very enjoyable.
Its most amazing accomplishment is what it is and not as much the music is exceptional. A drummer from an incredibly popular band hunkers down and puts together an album entirely on his own. It's pretty straightforward rock, the first 3 songs are strong, though I also enjoyed Oh George. The rest is fine but doesn't stand out too much.
It takes a few listens, but i definitely found the low key vibe and groove taking hold. So Easy and Eple are great starts and it flows very naturally from there. Evey Poor Leno, which is a strange detour works for me after a couple of listens. Definitely interested in hearing more.
Though it definitely has noisy, less approachable tracks like Spit on It and Meatmaker, there are high energy, buzzy and loud tracks that carry good energy and are engaging. Liked Spike Island, Getting Bright and Big Sleep. There's enough here that even though it can be a challenging listen, it is a worthwhile listen.
An easy 5 for me. I loved this album in college, recognizing that Billy sings either about love or left leaning causes. Though i don't necessarily align with his fervor, it well executed with melody and earnestness that makes this a very compelling album. I enjoy it and can listen to it over and over. Levi Stubbs' and New Brunette are fabulous.
It is pretty unique sounding, and when they hit their groove, it is unquestionably catchy. Deacon Blues and Peg as great. However, the rest of the album struggles to hold my interest... Josie & Black Cow are okay, but the rest feel like filler that kind of drone on.
All hail Johnny Marr and Morrissey. A Rush and Push, Last Night I Dreamt and Unhappy Birthday are top shelf Smiths tracks. Though Girlfriend in a Coma is strangely peppy and Death At One's Elbow is an uneven inclusion, the rest of the album is perfect blend of Johnny's jangly haunting guitar and Morrissey strange and engaging lyrical content. Really love this album.
If an album could qualify for 5 stars on a single song, Speedway is it. It is quintessential Morrissey... dramatic pauses, biting lyrics, a loud orchestral sound, passion. One of my favorite songs of all time. Spring-Heeled Jim and Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself capture a similar passion that really elevate this album. Though I can pass on Billy Budd, everything else here are nice variations of the Morrissey formula and really are a nice continuation of what he was doing with the Smiths. Great.
Very surprised by this. Song after song are impressive. Nearly everything is great, though Little Wing stands out for me as well as the two opening tracks. This seems pretty timeless. The only knock i would say is that far too many of these track overstay their welcome... even 7 minutes of Layla is too much.
R.E.M. is one of my favorite bands though these my commercial aimed songs like Pop Song 89 and Stand push me away a bit. World Leader Pretend, Orange Crush, Turn You Inside-Out and You are the Everything are the strong songs on this album that i think fondly about. Much more introspective, with either the thoughtful tone of World Leader or the more aggressive energy of Orange Crush... both are done so well. Thoroughly enjoy this album, but the pop market aimed songs here don't age so well.
I'm offering credit here as this is a very interesting genesis of Pink Floyd and the Syd Barrett influence. At this time, it is a curiosity... as this psychedelic sound is dated and songs like Bike the Gnome are just odd. Enjoyed Astronomy Domine the most. Pretty fascinating album.
Croony honky tonk. It is all polished, with a warm string/fiddle sound. The music is approachable and pretty low key honky tonk. The main issue is not that the sound is a bit dated, but the subject matter is too focused on 50's-era gender roles, and i don't know what to say about "Sittin' and Thinkin'". He was drunk, abused his wife/girlfriend, which has happened before, but we're supposed to feel okay that he says even though he thinks it will happen again, it won't be for a while. Not sure how this was even okay back then.
Introspective, wistful, patient at times, definitely a pretty compelling album. Though the energy turns up on Southern Man, the album is pretty intimate with Neil's unique voice telling a story. Very engaging.
A very approachable enjoyable electronically dancy pop album. Though songs like Can You Forgive Her and Go West really stand out, the rest of the album is strong, just not really catchy enough to be hits.
Much more interesting then i expected. Burning Wheel starts with a more traditional alt rock sound, but afterwards there's a lot more driving groove and vibe-oriented segments/tracks. Get Duffy is pretty low key, but they ramp up with songs like Stuka and Motorheard (though I think the lower key ones are better). An interesting listen.
It's one thing to be a misogynist, but to be one that declares, "hey!, I'm not a misogynist" while demonstrating that he's a misogynist. the rest plays like a mediocre east coast Ice-T, though i did like "Ain't the Devil Happy".
A pretty impressive treasure trove of sampling and production. Very polished and innovative. It is the signature Beastie style, strong lyrics and witty rhymes. I did like the heavier "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" the most, but I get a bit tired of their nasally voicing.
This is not the mix of rap and hip-hop that i like. The hip-hop muddy electronic beatbox sounds very late 80's, is distracting, and takes a layer of seriousness out of the lyrics. This is particularly evident on Evil That Men Do, that could really be a lot more serious sounding and hard. I will give a nod to The Pros, but nearly everything else is too muddy processed beats.
Really surprised this... certainly didn't realize that most of this was vocalizing instead of understandable lyrics. The sound is pretty unique and evocative. It has a haunting ethereal quality that is very cool. Greatly enjoyed.
Honest, stripped down and raw at times. Really enjoy Liz Phair's delivery and there's enough mix of pretty basic arrangements with some more melodic/driven alt rock songs. A great set.
A bit fun and strange approach to pop-punk-rock. The titles/lyrics are certainly more of the tongue-in-cheek/Spinal Tap vein. The songs are pretty straightforward, but don't particularly stand out. Get It On and Prince of the Rodeo were probably my favorites. A fine listen.
Certainly succeeds with its dark vibe, angry, moody, and aggressive. Though nothing is as catchy as Beautiful People, there are plenty of songs that have a cathartic anger (e.g. The Reflecting God, Tourniquet) that align well here. I can appreciate the style.
Pretty stellar soulful blues collection. Essentially every song is recognizable and i had not heard his covers of Wonderful World and Satisfaction before. I absolutely love Change Gonna Come. Great album.
There are moments that this finds its groove for me and the electronic vibe works. The lighter touch of the first half of the introduction is a good example. Tired Games and Attitude also have their moments, but i feel like it's got some electronic jazzy rap that begins with Bandelero and pollutes most of the rest of the tracks. This quickly becomes irritating and given that the album is pretty drawn out... i was happy when it was over.
Makes you miss straight ahead rock and roll. With certainly No More Mr. Nice Guy, Hello Hooray and Elected, there is easily approachable, a little sneery, and good tough rock and roll. I didn't really realize before how much there's a Who/Roger Daltrey vibe in a bit of Alice Cooper's delivery. Though it falters into a bit of weirdness at the end, this is really enjoyable.
Though it sounds a bit like a low fidelity cassette tape, this was a lot more approachable than i expected. Pretty straight forward hard rock with a more metal slanting lead singer delivery. Countess Bathory and Black Metal stood out for me.
I loved this album when it was first released. His soulful voice and catchy melodies... nearly everything is perfect here (though Dance Little Sister and As Yet Untitled are kind of duds to me). An incredible release. What I remember most about this album is how bad the follow-up was. Terence Trent D'Arby is my vote for the artist that fell the furthest from Album #1 to Album #2. Still an amazing release.
This one wore on me quickly. Love Plus One is a great song from the era, but nearly everything else has the annoying fast strumming light guitars with some 80's funky beats that is not only dated but annoying. Snow Girl seemed to be the only song with some hope, but everything else is dreck.
I enjoyed Talk Talk back in the day and was a big fan of the It's My Life album. Was surprised that this follow-up to that was really good though i had never listened to it. Maybe the issue is that really isn't a big hit on the album though overall its a very solid soulful brooding cerebral vibe. A worthy listen.
Unfortunately pretty boring. It starts off with Only Love Can Break Your Heart which is a banger. The vibe/sound is great... good soft electronic dance with a cool echoy ethereal voice... they just need better music. Stoned To Say the Least also kind of gets there, but there's not enough else to push it higher.
The blues-rock guitar work is really awesome. Unfortunately the vocalist does more to detract than elevate the music. Whiskey Woman is really strong, but there aren't enough songs like that to push this album higher. It's interesting and enjoyable.
It certainly has a singer/songwriter timelessness about it. It is very easy to listen to... a simpler Eagles vibe (with a lot less harmonies). Every song here is enjoyable, though blends a bit together by the time we've reached the end. A cool discovery for me.
This is more of a spoken word with music that is hard to distinguish from each other. The Partisan and Story of Isaac are most interesting to me, but I feel like Simon & Garfunkel and Bob Dylan are two different better takes on the same song-writer focused content.
It sounds like it should be the soundtrack to an accordion-oriented play. It isn't particularly challenging sonically (single voice over an orchestral arrangement), it just isn't something that is particularly fun or enjoyable to listen to. Quite tiring.
A clean crisp set of tracks are generally pretty strong. They seem pretty straightforward, and though i learned here that Not Fade Away is a Buddy Holly original, the songs here are fine, but nothing that i love. Solid.
I absolutely love this album. Maybe Stagefright is a little weak, but otherwise this album is an amazing hard rock masterpiece with pop sensabilities. I enjoy the darker broody pieces most (Billy's Got a Gun, Too Late for Love), but it is such an enjoyable full listen.
A bit of a challenging listen. It makes me think of spoken poetry with a soundtrack more than a collection of songs. It still occassionally finds a vibe with me (2nd half of ladies, cosmonauts), but overall a bit too much kitchen sink collections of ideas and eclectic production.
What an interesting band. Mick Fleetwood and John McVie are the namesakes of the band, have the only continuity across the various incarnations of the band... but essentially bring in 3 songwriters to write and (mostly) individually sing 20 songs for an album. It's a really cool departure from Rumors, a lot more experimental, and definitely not uniform... each of the 3 song writers really has their own vibe. This variety helps over the course of the long album and all the songs are approachable, with quite a few standing out (Sisters of the Moon, Angel, Sara, Storms, Tusk). Very cool.
Though the vocalizations and singing are a bit unusual (its a soundtrack, after all), it did have an ability to put a smile on my face. It felt fun. I liked the spaghetti western vibe of Countess' Caper and the orchestral theme types pieces were also easy to enjoy. Enjoyed more than I expected.
An interesting experiment. Though there are a few clear standouts, the variety of other choices: covers of San Jose and Born to Run, downtempo pieces like Ballad of 32, and some fine electronic pop, offset other quirky uninteresting contributions. Overall a positive energy record that works.
This is really really cool. Subtle and intricate, the vibe just kind of sweeps you away. Though i can't understand any of the language, the nice part for me is that it doesn't overpower or get too emphasized to take away from the instrumentation. Thoroughly enjoyed.
I can't even count the ways that I don't like Drum N' Bass. Simply "all of them". The frenetic jazzy artificial beats with some occasional weird voiceovers. Entirely unnecessary and i seriously can't imagine a mood or a time when this is what you would want to put on.... it isn't danceable, it's not good for relaxing, unless you know the twists and turns of the music it is just jarring and unpleasant. Just why?
I guess this is my jam. Never heard this before, but this is the kind of music that just fits a perfect night of thinking or working or chilling. An ambient, trancey vibe that doesn't stick itself out to far, but are all smooth and cool.
Solid, consistent, enjoyable. Most of the tracks have their synth electronic poppy sound which does find some pretty catchy hooks. It's a Sin and What Have I Done to Deserve This stand out, though songs like Heart, Shopping and Hit Music are also good. The synth sound is pretty heavy, making this a bit dated, but still good.
Chameleon and Watermelon Man are a good intro... it's interesting and pretty approachable. A funky junky that finds a cool groove. Unfortunately with Sly it falls apart for me... it's grating and stressful. Though it closes in a more mellow mood, the overall experience was a bit sour.
This really showcases what an amazing lyricist and songwriter he is. Not only is there an emphasis on interesting storytelling, the accompanying music is catchy and engaging. To me, only Gates of Eden was a bit boring, but the rest are really strong. I was way more impressed by the songs i've never heard before than hearing Mr. Tamborine Man again.
A smooth, soulful understated funk that definitely gives off the 70's vibe. Has a very Casio keyboard thing going on. Pretty innocuous, but also not much that stands out... the lead track Inspiration Information is good.
Smooth easy listening cowboy country. Simple tunes, pretty melodic, short, merle's voice is very clean. All around pleasant in the style.
Raw and angsty. Quite messy, but the variety keeps it engaging and interesting. Tracks like I Will Dare, Androgynous and Unsatisfied definitely rise a step above the rest with a bit more of a poignant and honest message. Why am i not surprised that Ted Nugent's contribution is Gary's Got a Boner.
Even though the album has only 2 traditional banger tunes on it (A Forest and Play for Today), this is the moody, dark, meloncholic, vibe that is exceptionally done here. It seems a pretty basic layered drum, bass, guitar riff that has a drive and vibe that is dark and moody. I feel that though it predominantly doesn't have a melodic hook, the groove is what carries it forward and keeps you engaged. I could listen to this over and over. Excellent.
A little bit of a tough one in that this is essentially a Metallica greatest hits double album. The only thing that could warrant putting on this list is the fact that a metal band reimagined and created an arrangement that uses a symphony orchestra. A completely fascinating idea and one that they absolutely CRUSH. the sound is so full, rich and heavy. amazing album (though i started to get a bit tired after 2+ hours).
Though I don't understand most of the album, the smooth latin jazzy vibe is just so cool. You feel cool while listening to it. The breathy soft sax works with the light latin beats. Greatly enjoyed.
Straight ahead blues rock. Very easy to approach and enjoy. La Grange is an all time classic that defines "hitting a groove". Beer Drinkers and Hot Blue and Righteous stand out for me. Excellent.
They are all kind of interesting singer-songwriter pieces that represent the Paul Simon sound. The lyrics are intentional and very introspective. It is polished and well produced. But this set really lacks hooks. I like Hearts and Bones and Songs About the Moon the most, the rest of solid but not exceptional.
It sounds like a soundtrack to a 1970's TV Cop show. It's pleasant... jazz funk R&B that though crafted in the 90's, definitely feels like a throwback. Though i don't find anything as catchy as what they put out later (Virtual Insanity), it is fine for the genre.
I enjoyed the quirky punk pop. The Undertones have a little Jello Biafra/Dead Kennedys sound with a bit cleaner poppier tone. Though Allmusic calls Under the Boardwalk a misstep, I really enjoyed this cover. Definitely a different fun energy. Overall enjoyable listen.
The struggle is real. Most of the album, i was simply flip flopping between whether this was detestable or simply unlistenable. Though the start isn't too bad, it quickly devolves into psychedelic experimental mumbo jumbo with rough and uneven vocalizations. Though there's a glimmer of hope on the second side that we're stabilizing, there's enough that slides back into eclectic experimentation that it feels like PTSD from the first side. This grates on me more quickly than it normally would.
Varied and interesting rock, blues, boogie... with a alternative vibe that makes it anything but 3 chord straight rock. Street Joy and Is and Is and Is stood out for me, but much of the rest of the album was fine without being too engaging.
Surprisingly early punk sound, mixing a bit of punk and surf guitar. Songs are pretty straightforward, raucous and fun. I feel like the guitar work is what sets this above the standard rhythm guitar heavy punk work... the guitar flourishes and riffs that are peppered through keep it engaging.
Took me several cycles through it to appreciate the energy and vibe. It is a bit challenging as it is certainly not standard pop melodies, but with David Byrne's staccato singing style on top of quirky driving beats and some eccentric flourishes. The more i listen to it, the more i appreciated it.
This seems like a pretty obvious shift in perspective, but i don't think i consciously thought this is more of an "art piece" than "music". This is non-traditional and i don't know any who would have bought this album and just gets in a mood to listen to this music. However, if you think of this as a movie, or piece of art, you can "experience" it... and at that point you can better accept it's noisy and unsettling delivery. It is still hard to appreciate the overall work if i engage it with a musical hat on... a very challenging listen. Still, i will grant a second star because of how it has changed my perspective on having to engage actively with an album as a piece of art.
A bit interesting. Spacey, dark, broody, understated. The vocalizations/rap are a bit of a distraction (i don't think they improve the music as Portishead does a better job here). Still was cool to listen to, but it does kind of blend altogether.
Certainly sounds like Steely Dan with their funky jazzy soft rock delivery. It is all pretty interesting, but only My Old School really resonates. When they hit a banger, it is fabulous. Though there is really a pretty big variety to the music, there's not as much of a melodic hook... Pearl of the Quarter maybe a little, but overall, the album is an interesting listen more than really enjoyable.
Seems like an adult-contemporary synth-pop without any meaningful melodic hooks... it kind of just ambles and drifts all over the place. Pleasant, but unremarkable. Tinseltown is the strongest.