Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
278
Albums Rated
3.05
Avg Rating
19
5-Star Albums
26%
Complete
811 albums remaining
Rating Speed
1.6
Per Week
1247
Days Active
Reviews
223
Written
80%
Review Rate
vs Global
-0.23
Avg Diff
3.05
Avg Rating
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Balanced
Rater Style
19
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
| Odessey And Oracle | 5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
| Antichrist Superstar | 4 | 2.48 | +1.52 |
| Pictures At An Exhibition | 4 | 2.64 | +1.36 |
| L.A. Woman | 5 | 3.67 | +1.33 |
| The Low End Theory | 5 | 3.7 | +1.3 |
| Appetite For Destruction | 5 | 3.74 | +1.26 |
| Graceland | 5 | 3.74 | +1.26 |
| Strange Cargo III | 4 | 2.77 | +1.23 |
| Tarkus | 4 | 2.78 | +1.22 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metallica | 1 | 3.79 | -2.79 |
| Van Halen | 1 | 3.64 | -2.64 |
| Eagles | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| S&M | 1 | 3.26 | -2.26 |
| The Real Thing | 1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
| The Sensual World | 1 | 3.17 | -2.17 |
| The Colour Of Spring | 1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
| Make Yourself | 1 | 3.07 | -2.07 |
| Veckatimest | 1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
| Veckatimest | 1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 4 | 4.5 | 3.86 |
| Led Zeppelin | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| The Doors | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grizzly Bear | 2 | 1 | 2.2 |
| Metallica | 2 | 1 | 2.2 |
5-Star Albums (19)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Taylor Swift
5/5
Fuck it. I keep looking for reasons to not give this a five but I'm being an idiot. This is a great listen start to finish. Tons of hits and even when it slows down towards the end the songs still get to me. I unabashedly think this is a great album. In other words - I like a the juice.
60 likes
5/5
I went to a wedding where the French bridal party re-wrote Wonderwall to be the story of how the bride and groom met. Seven drunk French girls used google translate to write these new English lyrics then sang it to the entire wedding. It was not a good translation. Oh and I love this album.
48 likes
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I've had this album's dick in my mouth since I was in middle school. Great to revisit. Haven't listened to Thank You or Living Loving Maid in a while. I always listen to the How The West Was Won Heartbreaker... interesting to see how tame the album version seems in comparison. Still my favorite Page solo. Bring it on Home is possibly my favorite final song on an album. Classic. Iconic.
23 likes
Eagles
1/5
I thought saying the Eagles suck was a joke because of the Big Lebowski. I stand corrected. 90% of these songs sound like they were written and performed by Dirk Diggler. 1.5 because I still half like take it easy.
21 likes
The Afghan Whigs
1/5
This is a little too aggressive, 90s for me. Sounds like music for guys who yell at their girlfriends in public. Yeah. I hate this.
19 likes
1-Star Albums (19)
All Ratings
Nirvana
4/5
I've gone against Nirvana as a matter of principle my whole life - but I actually like this a lot. Heart Shaped Box and Rape Me are overplayed but Serve the Servants and Scentless Apprentice are kind of awesome. Looking at the lyrics while listening gives me a new appreciation for Cobain. I feel like this album has had its dick sucked for so long I didn't want to like it... but it's angsty and uncomfortable and dark. Great listen.
Grizzly Bear
1/5
A little droney and immature. The lyrics feel a little try hard... kind of whiney indie bullshit. Yeah. Fuck this album. I hate it.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
A little generic rock sounding - but that might be because it's 40+ years old and was influential in making this sound generic. It's good and I get why it was a success when it came out. Band on the Run is obviously a classic, but Bluebird and Mamumia also stand out. It's like a less complex Beatles album... they use the whole "multiple songs in one" trick a few times which is cool but still feels poppy and safe. Not bad at all. Picasso's Last Words has White Album vibes and I like it but it never gets quite deep enough. I think it's an audible progression of drunkenness.
The album never goes too deep below the surface. Which isn't a bad thing. It is also interesting to see the album cover and how many band members they are using to replicate the Beatles quartet sound.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Did not realize all these hits were on one album. Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Smooth Criminal, AND Man in the Mirror...Wowzers. The first line of the album is something I've heard Mike say dozens of times. Had no idea he was quoting MJ. Speed Demon and Just Good Friends has some cool 80s synth bass... Liberian Girl isn't bad, but ignorable. Just Good Friends has comfortable elements... Overall, you know the hits while the rest feels more like filler than hidden gems - possibly with the exception of Dirty Diana. Still, another classic album. Good listen.
Common
2/5
Not a Common fan. Maybe if I heard this before the Apple commercials and saw all the shitty acting in mainstream movies I would be more open but I'm admittedly biased. It feels like listening to someone who thinks they're very deep and meaningful. I like angry cursing Common in "dooinit"... "The Sixth Sense" and "Thelonoius" are other stand outs. But otherwise not a huge fan. Too much god and shit in the last handful of tracks.
Miles Davis
3/5
Not the most accessible album...but I get why it was such a big deal when it came out. I listened to this in college on mushrooms and thought it was overwhelming. It ends up it wasn't just the mushrooms and it's still overwhelming. I admit I scrubbed through a little... but an interesting album I typically wouldn't listen to.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Elvis fans are weird. Grown men with sideburns and shit. Blue Suede Shoes is good. Not a lot of variety but hard not to nod along to a handful of upbeat two minute songs. Liked it more than I expected.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I want this album to put its dick in me.
Fugazi
2/5
Angry Gen X white guy yelling. In 1990 this is too late to be authentic punk I guess? After wikipedia-ing it this is "post-hardcore." Repeater sounds like pissed off Modest Mouse. I'm sure this was an influence on them. Not as into the more (what I consider) punk tracks like Greed... I like the instrumental tracks. The songs are a little repetitive as I work through it. Strong start that kind of devolves into fodder for angry suburban white kids. Probably would not listen to any of this again.
Rod Stewart
3/5
I like a the juice. I know Rod is English but something about this feels like Americana. Great title track, final track of the album reminds me of "I'm Losing You" by the Faces. Good old fashioned guitar driven rock. Rod's raspy voice is iconic. Country Comfort had me thinking I actually like the country for a few minutes. I want to give this a four... but can't imagine revisiting this. As we dig into this I think to get a four it has to be something I'm going to come back to...
Heaven 17
3/5
This should be on the radio in GTA Vice City. I have a soft spot for this kind of music. I like that there's a consistent theme throughout the album. Lots of lyrics about the daily grind, rat race, etc. I was going to say it sounds like The Human League and it ends up there's some overlap there. This is the first band on this project that I haven't heard of.
Marty Robbins
3/5
Straight out a Tarantino/Coen Bros movie. It's kind of corny on the surface level... but at the same time every song is about guns. I love the casual, consistent violence.
1 - Dog shit album.
2 - Think it sucks, get why others might like it.
3 - Fine and even enjoyable, but wouldn't listen to again.
4 - Like it enough to listen to again at another time.
5 - Love it. Could listen to whenever.
The Doors
5/5
Love it. Never listened to the whole thing before. Hyacinth House is a new fav. Makes me want to watch the movie.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I've had this album's dick in my mouth since I was in middle school. Great to revisit. Haven't listened to Thank You or Living Loving Maid in a while. I always listen to the How The West Was Won Heartbreaker... interesting to see how tame the album version seems in comparison. Still my favorite Page solo. Bring it on Home is possibly my favorite final song on an album. Classic. Iconic.
Ash
4/5
I love that 90s British Rock sound. More "garage rock" than the rest of the genre. Lose Control has Offspring vibes... I like the chaos on I'd Give You Anything a lot. Kung Fu is fun - I remember it from the end of Rumble in the Bronx. It gets more Britpop as the album progresses but keeps the feedback and modulated guitars. Darkside Lightside is a big and awesome ender. Angsty. Young. Gen X shit. Not as catchy and theatrical as Oasis. Not as clever or innovative as Blur. But still a solid effort by a band I've never heard of in a genre I like.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
I'm not sexist. You guys are sexist. Where are the women in this group anyway? Thematically and musically repetitive. Feels like an album that launched a thousand shitty poets. I almost like Free Man in Paris. Not for me.
Elbow
2/5
I like the music more than the lyrics. He sounds like the whiniest version of Thom York on OK Computer. Good soundtrack to a grey day - I enjoy the scale. Orchestral elements. Drums that sound like they were recorded in a big empty room. Unfortunately it gets a little droney and monotonous... which starts to feel like self importance as the album progresses. And homie don't play that. I like Grounds For Divorce. Most of the other songs kind of just run into each other.
Deep Purple
2/5
I think the only Deep Purple songs I've ever heard are Smoke on the Water and Hush... This is a little more "gay leather bar" than I was expecting... but story of my life. I see why they're a one hit wonder. Smoke on the Water's lyrics are actually pretty bad when you look at them. Like trash bad. I know they're a classic/iconic band but fuck em. 2. And that's being generous.
JAY Z
4/5
Jay-Z was always big but this is before everyone's grandparents knew who he was. H to the Izzo is a classic. Takeover is ruthless. Girls, Girls, Girls is funny as shit. I like the reminder that before Jay-Z hung out with Obama he stabbed a guy in a club a month after this album came out. Definitely gets a little repetitive (drugs, girls, etc) but I like that each song has a structure and arc and sticks to a subject unlike most rap today. The middle of the album is little weaker and I was excited for Renegade but it was kind of whatever. Still, I think its great. 4.
Dirty Projectors
2/5
"Bitte Orca" roughly translates to "Thank You, Whale from Free Willy." I wanted to like this but it's hipster bullshit. So much vocalizing/modulating in every fucking song. Weird inflection can be cool but not in every fucking song. I couldn't understand the lyrics so I looked them up... mistake. It sounds like experimental college kid music. I can't imagine listening to this for fun. Music for people who want to appear interesting. Spare me. No Intention raises it from a 1 to a 2 for me.
Pavement
2/5
Makes me think of Pete and Pete for some reason. Disaffected 90s shit. Love the opening track... then it's kind of downhill from there. I wanted to like this more than I did.
Suicide
2/5
Didn't hate it as much as I thought I would... there was something kind of interesting about it. Still, wouldn't revisit.
Iggy Pop
4/5
Why does this song about heroin make me want to go on a family friendly cruise? Lots of Bowie. Lyrically driven. Obviously love Lust for Life and The Passenger but Success is another stand out. Each song feels well crafted - lots of thought and love in each track where a significant amount of the other albums we've listened to have an almost self aware amount of filler between stand out tracks. I've always heard Iggy Pop was the man. This album drives that home.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Son of a Preacherman is cool I guess... I like her voice and the soulful white British girl angle but it kind of dragged. Completely inoffensive and good BG music. Strong ending.
Sugar
4/5
I was ready to dismiss this as dated... but Good Idea hit me in the right mood...Pretty sure I've heard Helpless before. Hoover Dam sounds opens like a Beach Boys song then goes into full blown Gen X 90s mode. Man on the Moon is a great conclusion.
Maybe it's the shitty weather, but I like this. I'm ignoring the 2+ hour deluxe remaster that Amazon Music is giving me and considering this a tight, 10 song, 45 minute alt rock jam.
Eagles
1/5
I thought saying the Eagles suck was a joke because of the Big Lebowski. I stand corrected. 90% of these songs sound like they were written and performed by Dirk Diggler. 1.5 because I still half like take it easy.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Sade
2/5
Not really my style... A little loung-y and cheesy. From a different time... I did listen to that Elvis record over the weekend and enjoyed it.
David Bowie
3/5
I like this album... I want to love it and be cool and call myself a huge Bowie fan. But besides the singles not much else got me too amped... I like the Across the Universe cover. Someone Up There Likes Me is fun. If I gave this higher than a 3 I think I'd be faking the funk to try and look cool.
10cc
4/5
Pleasant surprise. Lots of irony and different perspectives in the lyrics, experimental music choices. I expected some dated generic rock like Deep Purple, but this had spunk. 3.5 but rounding up to 4 on the rating because I expected this to suck so much and it didn't.
Can
4/5
Experimental, but as opposed to 10cc this is in that way that takes itself very seriously. I like Oh Yeah. I can't help nodding along to Halleluhwah. Aumgn sound like the score to an old horror movie and I love it... Peking is dog shit. Overall a little jammy. A little jazzy. A little schizophrenic. Not exactly my cup of tea but that's not a bad thing.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
There's something very authentic and genuine here. Bluebird Wine slaps. The album kind of immediately slows down after that... By the middle of the album I felt like this is what I should listen to when I get my first period. By the end I wish I got my period and the album was shorter.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I know its a classic and there are some Dylan songs I love... but getting through this was a chore.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Bruce Springsteen is the Bob Dylan of working class Americana bullshit. More like Bruce SpringPEEN(IS).
Billie Holiday
3/5
Nice rainy day music. Not my taste but I like the mood it instills. The songs feel like they they should play over the opening credits of a movie set in Paris. The more albums I listen to the more I see the importance of song order. There needs to be an ebb and flow to stop songs from feeling redundant. Lady in Satin doesn't really do that.
The Temptations
4/5
Great stuff. Run Charlie Run shocked me - not what I expected from The Temptations... Papa Was a Rolling Stone is a great groove. Love the opening track. This is another album that slowed down a little as it went on. But that seems to just be how the cookie crumbles.
Joy Division
3/5
I know this is a classic t-shirt that speaks to millions but it didn't really do much for me. I liked it. Shadowplay stands out. I think if there wasn't so much mythology about the band I would have liked it more. Still an enjoyable listen.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
I actually had this album in high school. It might be white people jazz, but I love it. It's just so pleasant to listen to. Unimposing yet engaging. Great work day album.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
The Shining has hints of Neutral Milk Hotel. Everybody's Stalking has that seedy 90s discomfort. I was ready not to like this, but there's a bright acoustic melancholy here that's resonating with me on a Monday. I like the ebb and flow. The occasional instrumental track - Bewilderbeast and Blistered Heart reminded me of the Life Aquatic soundtrack. Not every track was a winner but this is the unexpected kind of discovery that drew me to this album project in the first place.
Roxy Music
2/5
This is not what I was in the mood for today... I get that its influential and experimental and I may revisit.
Dire Straits
3/5
First three tracks came in like a wrecking ball (shout out Miley). Things slowed down after that. Slight remnants of 80s cheese on the crusts of Your Latest Trick and Why Worry. Not necessarily a bad thing. There's something likeable about this American sounding English band. I like-a the juice.
R.E.M.
2/5
I didn't hate this album when I started. But I grew to hate how fucking boring it was. I give it a 2 as opposed to a 1 because the repetition on the last three tracks was nice to cook to.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
I expected this album to impregnate my computer... but instead it kind of made my computer depressed about Marvin Gaye's divorce. I got halfway through and it's the same song on repeat. An ok song. But the same fucking song.
5/5
I went to a wedding where the French bridal party re-wrote Wonderwall to be the story of how the bride and groom met. Seven drunk French girls used google translate to write these new English lyrics then sang it to the entire wedding. It was not a good translation. Oh and I love this album.
Nirvana
4/5
You're telling me this guy killed himself? Teenage me hated on Nirvana because it was so popular. Listening to it, looking at the lyrics... I like a the juice. Probably closer to a 4.5.
The Prodigy
4/5
Two lead man suicide bands in a row... I checked out some Prodigy when Keith Flint killed himself a few years ago and I liked it. Dangerous, edgy 90s shit. Industrial, dirty, but still some polish to it. It may sound like you're in a club in the Matrix but it's cool.
Charles Mingus
3/5
Enjoyable jazz album.
ZZ Top
2/5
I can't really take ZZ Top seriously... The best songs in the albums are singles that have become memes from 80s movies and classic rock stations. The worst, like I Need You Tonight, sound like Dirk Diggler trying to make an album.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Pretty straightforward CCR. Great shit, but no surprises.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
I now know what Bossa Nova is. It's fun, vaguely exotic lounge music. Pleasant. Music for swingers and shag carpet enthusiasts.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
I admittedly skipped through this. I know its iconic but FM has always been a little dull to me.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Experimental, noisy and kind of unintelligible. I like how Sueisfine sounds like Suicide. I didn't mind this in the background while doing some mindless work but nothing I would revisit.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Started listening - very jazzy. Did not finish.
The Byrds
4/5
Right from a Wes Anderson movie. Happy, folksy, druggy. David Crosby style harmonies. Fun, 60s listen. Lots of variety. Definitely enjoyed it.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
The first track hits hard. Angry anti-establishment anti-religion political hiphop. Could have been written yesterday. Some of the songs are definitely long winded and after a while you realize each song is a political monologue... it gets a little exhausting. By Music and Politics it gets very exhausting.
Elton John
3/5
I watched the Elton John movie not too long ago and did not like it. But I liked this album. I get it. Great singles. Also liked Rotten Peaches and Holiday Inn (even though Chingy did it better). All the songs sound like Elton John. It's fun.
The Mamas & The Papas
2/5
60s shit. Don't love it. Don't hate it. Isn't this the guy who had a sexual relationship with his daughter?
Paul Weller
2/5
Got like four songs in and lost interest
The Pharcyde
2/5
A little too energetic and playful for a guy with a case of the Mondays. But its fun and clever and feels a little elevated compared to 90s gangster rap.
Wild Beasts
1/5
Dig the music. Dislike the vocals. Yeah. I don't like this. Bad poetry sung in a way that annoys me.
Cream
4/5
Tales of Brave Ulysses and SWLBR are underrated gems. Classic album. Mother's Lament is weirdddd. Slightly repetitive at some points but a great listen. 4.5.
Muddy Waters
3/5
First two tracks are a Led Zeppelin II rip off but I guess that's ok. Pretty enjoyable, fun, delta shit... It's 1977 but still part of that style that influenced all the 70s rock I love. Some of those old iconic blues guys are inaccessible but this is very listenable and has some enjoyable shredding. Same groove over and over again but its a good groove.
1/5
I remember music snobs in college loving this and not getting it. Still don't get it. Kind of sounds like shit.
The Go-Go's
2/5
I'm a real slut for this kind of girl pop/rock music.... but this was just ok to me. The singles are worth listening to and the rest feels like generic 80s filler.
3/5
Weird and electronic and wacky. I like a the juice mostly. Didn't realize the Life Aquatic song was Gut Feeling. Two good songs (Uncontrollable Urge and Gut Feeling). A few fun songs (Space Junk, Satisfaction). A handful of songs that were not for me...3.5
Le Tigre
3/5
Poppy. Fun. Girly. Some of it's a little on the nose like Hot Topic. Some's a little art pop/faux deep like Dude Yr So Crazy. The first track slaps and I guess one of these girls coined the phrase "Smells Like Teen Spirit." I like it.
Turbonegro
1/5
"They were advised that a band named Nazipenis would never sell records, so they chose Turbonegro as a more consumer-friendly choice." So it's like cheesy, punk skewed cock rock from Norway a decade too late? This sucks.
Lucinda Williams
2/5
Meh. Kind of sounds like female Wilco. Not bad, I can see why people would like this but it's for me. Made it about halfway through and started to like it... 2.5
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
I like it. Very manageable. Janis is cool. Nothing life changing here that makes me want to dig deeper into Janis or this band but an easy Monday listen. 2.5.
Syd Barrett
3/5
I like Terrapin, No Good Trying, Octopus, and Late Night. At it's best the album is acoustic dreamy psychedelia... but the rest of it is stripped down poetry that kind of sounds like a demo tape.
Talking Heads
4/5
The more you pay attention to the lyrics the better it gets. Probs 4.5.
Germs
1/5
Ew.
Pretenders
2/5
I like that single where she's a waitress in the video. Gwen Stefani obviously took a big influence from this. Kind of blah though.
Grizzly Bear
1/5
I listened to this when I started doing this AOTD thing solo, before the group started, and I hated it. Still hate it. Whining, droning bullshit. Grizzly Bear? More like Grizzly "Spare Me This Fucking Album Sucks."
Bob Dylan
3/5
This is less annoying to me than Blond on Blond. Blowing in the Wind has become a cliche so it's hard to take it seriously. Love Don't Think Twice. Oxford Town was a new song for me and so was I Shall Be Free, which was pretty amusing. I don't hate it but it's also really hard to listen to 50 minutes of Bob Dylan at this point in my life.
Eric Clapton
2/5
Pretty boring album. Anything worth listening to has migrated to a greatest hits compilation. I'm sure it was great when it came out but it hasn't aged well.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Sister Sledge
3/5
I get it. A little repetitive.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Public Enemy
3/5
I liked it. Angry, militant. Above average early 90s rap.... that being said it's too long. And there is the whole anti-Semitic/homophobic angle that I didn't pick up on until Ed pointed it out... which is shocking considering the acclaim. First four tracks are great.
Burn Hollywood Burn is fun. I'll give it a three.
OutKast
4/5
Bee Gees
3/5
Shockingly not too bad. I expected the screechy 70s, disco Bee Gees. This had a more 60s, concept album vibe. The instrumental tracks were very enjoyable. A little drag in the middle. But a pleasant surprise. 3.5
Kate Bush
1/5
This just wasn't for me. I liked the David Gilmour solo towards the end of the album that other than that this was a chore.
Billy Bragg
2/5
Pretty British. The wiki says "punk folk" and that makes a ton of sense. It took a while for me to get into it but I eventually started to vibe with it... won't revisit but I guess I'll say 2.5.
UB40
2/5
Not bad I guess... lots of dub tracks. I listened to it while running errands and found it inoffensive but at no point really clicked with this.
Van Halen
1/5
Three kind of lack luster albums in a row this week. Dated. Not terrible, but this kind of sounds like a parody of a big flashy guitar album at this point. It is impressive how almost every song is familiar... but it is most certainly not timeless like some other 70s albums we've listened to. 1.5
Guns N' Roses
5/5
I love this album. Always have. Always will. One of the first albums I remember being able to listen to start to finish.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Lay up. Still listen to this on the reg. Still hasn't gotten old.
PJ Harvey
3/5
90s, gritty girl rock. Kind of sad and tortured and dirty feeling. Felt like a movie soundtrack. I little punk for my taste. Not something I would listen to again but different.
Burning Spear
3/5
Enjoyable listen. My reggae knowledge is not discerning enough to dig too deep into this or pick up on the subtleties between tracks. But this album is relaxing and unobtrusive to have on in the background on a Tuesday.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Made me feel like an extra in a rave scene. Good working music. Fun. Easy. Not my genre at all but it clicked with me today for some reason.
Fela Kuti
3/5
A little jammy for my taste but another album I was able to put on and kind of just nod along to while TCB. I could see me listening to this on car rides. 3.5
Lenny Kravitz
4/5
Reminds me of 6th grade when Mike let me borrow all his Lenny Kravitz CDs for our family trip to Italy. I thought this was so cool... and I still like it. It feels like the very beginning of what would become the early 90s throwback to the 60s/70s. The slower love songs are less my style. I don't like the Jesus shit. And some of the writing is a little elementary... but this album still reminds me of a simpler time. 4.
Shack
2/5
Kind of lame and British wuss rock. Not for me. 1.5
Leftfield
2/5
Another house/electro whatever album... I find myself nodding along to this. Saved a few songs. Not as much of a fan when the vocals come in, but I get why people like this. Didn't do it for me as much as the Fatboy Slim album... feels less cohesive and a little more like a 90s movie. But still kind of pumped I'm getting exposed to this kind of music. 2.5
Anthrax
1/5
Like listening to an angry 10th grader C-student who doesn't understand symbolism. Holy shit this album sucks. I would ratherdeal with actual Anthrax than listen to Anthrax again.
Sebadoh
1/5
Faith No More
1/5
Scrubbing through to catch up... I hate this. I never really liked Epic as a signal but this other music is just not or me.
Cypress Hill
2/5
Never been a huge fan of Cypress Hill's style...
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
It's interesting that I hate that punk chorus sing along shit, but when LCD Soundsystem does it, it fees ironic. I like this. I've heard most of it. The final track hits particularly hard for me.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
Loved this. Peaceful, warm, not what I was expecting. I can see how it is influential. I will gladly play this again.
Black Flag
1/5
I do not like this kind of music at all. I'll elevate it to a 1.5 because of TV Party.
Cornershop
4/5
Loved this. Will revisit.
Killing Joke
2/5
Distant, pissed off, 80s shit. Not the worst but not for me.
Missy Elliott
2/5
I wanted to like this more because of VA but it's kind of boring and too R&B-y for my taste. The frenetic, energetic Missy Elliot that would come a few years later is more my style.
The Offspring
2/5
1.5. There was a time in my life where I could tolerate Dexter's voice. That time has passed. The only upside is how perfectly it captures pissed off early 90s teenagers.
Maxwell
3/5
Baby making music. I get it. A little repetitive over an hour.
Steely Dan
3/5
Average. I like the hits but don't see this as my kind of band to dig into.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I love CCR but think I've been conditioned to like their compilations... The hits are the hits and the songs that didn't make the Best Of's over the years are a little dull/repetitive. Still, Bad Moon Rising, Night Time is the Right Time, and Sinister Purpose are bangers. 3.5.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Pretty much the same thoughts as CCR. Love Bob Marley but it's definitely a style and the best songs have risen to the top over the years. Never heard the studio version of No Woman No Cry. That's interesting.
The B-52's
2/5
I almost like it...
Buzzcocks
4/5
Above average early punk for me. More melodic. Song structure. Understandable lyrics. I get it.
The Dictators
4/5
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I guess this is ok... Never been a huge fan. Heroin and Sunday Mornings are good. Mostly art songs that don't do it for me. As a whole I'll give it a 3.
TLC
2/5
I still like Creep and Waterfalls but as a whole not my jam.
The Black Crowes
4/5
One of my fav groups. 4.5 because I know what will come from this album.
Björk
4/5
At first I hated this... but as the Bjork set in I kind of started to like it. It's like being in a kind of depressing ice palace. I can't imagine singling out a song (besides Frosti which I love) but I found myself nodding along and getting into it in the second half.
The The
2/5
The White Stripes
4/5
Classic. Was in my high school rotation. Fizzles out a little towards the end. 4.5.
Talk Talk
1/5
Droney, 80s, bummer music. If there was a catchy song on here I would give it 2 but this was a chore.
Solomon Burke
3/5
No surprises but enjoyable.
Bob Dylan
3/5
This did it a little more for me than the older Dylan albums I've listened to here. It seems a little less folksy, a little more edge and variety than the 60s stuff. Not sure if I will revisit but I like it.
John Grant
4/5
This is pretty great. Emotional, strong - definitely something I was skeptical of going into but it ended up hitting me pretty hard.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Pere Ubu
1/5
I hate this.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Classic. Never listened to the whole thing before. Was not disappointed.
Beatles
5/5
Lives up to the hype.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
Above average 90s rock.
Jamiroquai
3/5
Not my genre but there is something infectious about it. I like this but am probably just going to stick with Virtual Insanity. 3.5.
Mariah Carey
2/5
I appreciate the talent and like the song with Bone Thugs but listening to an entire Mariah album was a challenge.
Os Mutantes
4/5
Weird and charming. Feels like a hidden gem.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
Public Enemy
4/5
3.5. Militant. Aggressive. A little long. But I liked it.
Talking Heads
3/5
I like it... but not my fav Talking Heads album. 3.5
The Zombies
5/5
Queen
4/5
It's Queen. Some straight bangers. Some very dated cheese. Enjoyable listen even thought 40 years later some of the songs sound like a parody of the era.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Ohhhhhhhh. This is what all those indie girls in college were listening to. I think I would like this more before this became a kind of manic pixie genre on to itself.
Beatles
3/5
I get it.
The Police
2/5
I did not like a the juice
Nick Drake
2/5
A few songs I didn't mind but not my style.
The Beau Brummels
2/5
Sounds like The Zombies with the lead singer doing a Bob Dylan impression... I like the style but nothing really stuck to me.
Lou Reed
2/5
I guess this is a rock opera? It sounds like bad, on the nose poetry over simple guitar. I like the other Lou Reed I've heard but this is kind of tedious.
Jethro Tull
4/5
I liked this more than I thought I would. 3.5 but I'll give it four stars.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
Really enjoyed the spacey weirdness of this.
Screaming Trees
3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Coldplay
3/5
I don't hate this. It's a little low energy throughout but there are a few tracks I enjoyed. I guess I'll give it a 3 even though its probably a 2.5.
Gene Clark
3/5
Not exactly my cup of tea but I nodded along and enjoyed it. Feels a little self important and artsy. At its worse it sounds like the Eagles. But not a bad listen at all.
The Afghan Whigs
1/5
This is a little too aggressive, 90s for me. Sounds like music for guys who yell at their girlfriends in public. Yeah. I hate this.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Santana
4/5
Shockingly accessible for a guitar driven album. The melodies felt familiar. Very listenable and enjoyable.
Taylor Swift
5/5
Fuck it. I keep looking for reasons to not give this a five but I'm being an idiot. This is a great listen start to finish. Tons of hits and even when it slows down towards the end the songs still get to me. I unabashedly think this is a great album. In other words - I like a the juice.
Weather Report
2/5
Meh. Kind of a combo of the elevator jazz my dad likes and Nintendo music. Not terrible but a little cheesy and self indulgent for my taste.
John Cale
4/5
I enjoyed this. A Child's Christmas in Whales and Antarctica Starts Here stand out. Artsy, innovative - doesn't always hit the mark for me but never boring. Good listen.
Aimee Mann
3/5
Not bad... not exactly my cup of tea. I found myself dragged into the songs with more of a narrative like Mr. Harris, but at other parts of the albums the songs/delivery kind of bled together. I wish this album had the Magnolia song on it.
Bee Gees
2/5
I actually liked the last BeeGees album on here but this was kind of a chore. Sappy and repetitive.
Mercury Rev
3/5
Didn't hate it. Liked the last song in particular, but at the same time it didn't really grab me.
Billy Bragg
2/5
I remember pretending to like Wilco in high school... I don't think it's bad. It's just not the energy I'm looking for.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Beth Orton
2/5
I couldn't get through it. Didn't hate it. Just not my style.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Classic. Loved it for years. The 1983 mermaid song has always struck me as underrated.
Boston
4/5
I rolled my eyes when I saw this album cover... but I didn't realize how many songs I already knew. It's classic rock radio banger after banger. It's enjoyable and as an album... like this many hits can't be ignored. 4/5.
Beck
3/5
Black Sabbath
4/5
Another eye roll album where I am happy to be proved wrong. Heavy. Bluesy. Dark lyrics. Melodic. 4/5. Maybe slightly higher because of how timeless and influential it feels.
Can
3/5
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Above average cocaine rap. Great NY attitude.
Mylo
4/5
John Coltrane
4/5
Pretty sweet Jazz album. Definitely feels like a full piece with and arc and vibe.
Elvis Costello
2/5
Love
3/5
Took me a few tracks to settle into this guys voice. 7 and 7 is cool. Kind of sounds like a Jim Morrison impression. I like this genre.
Japan
4/5
Justice
3/5
A little more glitchy and abrasive than the other albums in this genre I've come to like. DANCE is the obvious stand out. The remix by Wale is also great.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I think this has been too hyped for me. Big fan of the genre but everyone always saying Kendrick is at the top of the game has let me down every time I try to do the deep dive into his work.
The Band
2/5
I was always a Band fan. This shows me I'm more of a fan of The Band's greatest hits/The Last Waltz. I hate it but this is a 2.5 for me dog.
The Kinks
4/5
Very listenable with sharp, clever lyrics. Smarter than it should be.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
I like how unique these guys sound. I expected to get bored but it kept me going. Probably closer to a 3.5 but I'll give it a 4.
Living Colour
4/5
Rocking, social commentary, catchy. I had heard Cult of Personality a million times on GTA but really enjoyed this listen. Blunt. Aware. Cool. 4/5.
Beatles
5/5
Another classic for a reason album.
CHIC
2/5
Listenable. Not my genre. Cool influential instrumentals but overall kind of repetitive. 2.5.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Leonard Cohen
4/5
The first track was a little 80s and synth-y for me... but then as Cohen's deep, gruff voice took over the dark, cynical lyrics really hit me... I really enjoy this. Probably more like a 3.5 but let's give it a 4.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
I love this. Smart, cool, jazzy, intellectual. No drugs, minimal cursing - and I love both of those things. But it's just a very refreshing vibe. Can see why its a classic.
The Lemonheads
2/5
90s power chord rock. A few fun tracks that kind of went in one ear and out the other. Overall pretty uninspiring.
Marilyn Manson
4/5
This took me back to being in elementary school and being horrified by teenagers wearing MM t-shirts in the mall. There's always been a mythology around this album and now that I've actually listened to it... I found it pretty upsetting. Incredibly dark and evil. Disgusting, primordial imagery. Filth. Hate. Suffering. Nightmare fuel. I grimaced while looking at the lyrics. But I think the reason that it caused such a stir when it came out is heavily based in the fact that it's actually pretty good. This was done well enough that it couldn't be written off as bullshit and it caused shock waves. I don't really like it and I don't want to listen to this again but I think I have to give it a 4/5.
Fever Ray
2/5
There's something kind of cool and minimal and Nordic here... but nothing really clicked with me. 2.5.
Scott Walker
2/5
I like the song about the Seventh Seal I guess... It's hard to tell if this is pure cheese or inspired pre-Bowie early art/glam pop. Still didn't really resonate with me.
The Stooges
4/5
1969 and I Wanna Be Your Dog are fantastic. The ten minute song was a little bit of a failure to launch for me... and the remaining tracks have a great vibe but don't stand out. I'll give this a 4 but really I think it's a 3.5.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I liked the instrumental tracks. The rap tracks all kind of bled together for me. I know this is classic but it really isn't my style. Even Sabotage is kind of lacking without the video. 2.5.
Sam Cooke
3/5
Straight out of the first act of Goodfellas. Nice vibe. Don't think I'd revisit but the energy is great.
3/5
Ok I guess. Two songs in the original album - epic and progressive and listenable. A little too pockmarked and nerdy for me to really be into. The America cover on the deluxe edition makes me cringe.
Love
2/5
Brian Eno
4/5
I feel like Eno has been overhyped over the years and some of this sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me... but there really are some really innovative and delightful moments here.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
I like it. Dated, but a big deal. Fun. Probably a 2 but I'll give it a 3.
Supertramp
2/5
I've never heard this but it sounds very familiar. Not my style.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Like the Go-Gos in a graveyard. I enjoyed it. Goth girl lead group was a fun listen. The songs kind of bled together but the overall vibe was unique.
Deerhunter
3/5
Public Enemy
2/5
Wilco
4/5
2/5
With how mythologized Blur is it's kind of shocking how little this did for me. Maybe because this is an earlier effort... I don't know. I would have to justify a three pretty hard so I'm giving it a two - mainly because of how revered this band is.
Beastie Boys
4/5
The fact that \"I'll steal your honey like I stole your bike\" is by the Beastie Boys and not from LFO's Summer Girls is worth four stars alone.
Nirvana
5/5
Radiohead
5/5
Absolute classic.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
I think this prog rock hit me at the right moment. I put it on and started walking and it was actually pretty nice.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Lots of Beastie Boys lately. They weren't always my favorite and their voices can be a little grating but they've grown on me. I didn't realize how much Sublime lifted directly from them.
Slayer
2/5
Wow. I hate this. It sounds like a parody and makes me want to yell at my parents that they don't understand me. Raining Blood is kind of sweet though. Probably 1.5 but I'll give it a 2 because of Raining Blood.
Yes
4/5
DJ Shadow
4/5
Paul Simon
4/5
Funkadelic
3/5
Enjoyable and fun background music.
Doves
3/5
Rod Stewart
4/5
Grateful Dead
4/5
It all kind of blended together but it was tighter and more enjoyable than I expected.
Devendra Banhart
3/5
The Replacements
3/5
Pavement
3/5
Heavy Wilco vibes. Ok, I guess. A little repetitive and Gen-X whiney for my taste.
Fats Domino
3/5
It is what it is but its nice.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
I like Thin Lizzy's style. I'm only really familiar with The Boys are Back in Town - would have liked to listen to one of their studio albums before listening to their deeper cuts but still a good listen that left me wanting more.
CHIC
2/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Liked it more than I expected. It's working class porn, but it kind of rocks. Not a big fan of the Boss but this album was more than solid.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Black Sabbath
3/5
Nina Simone
2/5
R.E.M.
3/5
The Fall
2/5
Black Sabbath
3/5
Violent Femmes
4/5
Possibly a 4.5. Felt like a big influence on Neutral Milk Hotel. Love the poppy relatable angst.
Nico
2/5
I get it... I like this music in Wes Anderson movies and there are standout tracks in These Days and Chelsea Girls but overall this was not my style. 2.5.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
The Undertones
3/5
Diet Ramones? Poppy. Ignorable. Safe. But not bad.
Little Richard
2/5
It's one ok song over and over again for 30 mins.
5/5
Easy.
Elastica
4/5
Metallica
1/5
Massive Attack
2/5
Kraftwerk
4/5
Elvis Costello
3/5
I like it... kind of repetitive but I like the vibe. 3.5 I guess.
New Order
4/5
Johnny Cash
4/5
I was ready to write this off as another one of those albums that wouldn't live up to the hype... but the cool factor is undeniable. Probably a 4.5.
David Bowie
4/5
A little uneven but very strong opening and closing. I really enjoy the Crowley/satanic panic vibes of the opening track. Knowing that this was kind of recorded as a farewell makes me like it more. Probably closer to a 3.5 but I'll give it a 4.
Stay With Me slaps. The rest is listenable but generic. Generous 3.
Norah Jones
3/5
A little repetitive. Pleasant. Definitely gave (re?)birth to that raspy old fashioned style of singing that I don't really like and has become overdone, but there's something very charming, lovable, and sincere about Norah Jones.
Radiohead
4/5
4.5
The Who
3/5
Just different enough from other albums of that time period to stand out a little. Not my fav band from that era but I get why they were contenders. 3.5.
Liz Phair
4/5
I actually really liked a fair amount of this album. Think I would like it more if it was shorter. Solid 3.5.
Various Artists
4/5
Its great. I've heard most of these individually and now this album will definitely be put in the Christmas rotation.
Paul Simon
5/5
Duran Duran
3/5
The hits hit hard. But other than that it kid of feels like 2/3s of the album are forgettable filler.
Incubus
1/5
Pretty unlistenable.
The Clash
4/5
Bon Jovi
4/5
Probably a 3.5 - but for the time and style its pretty enjoyable. Fun, fair amount of hits, and nowhere near as cheesy as hair metal can go. Shows why they've lasted so long.
George Jones
2/5
Right out of a Coen Bros movie or the Righteous Gemstones. I get it... but not necessarily accessible. Feels like it functions as a parody of a style. Don't hate it, but it doesn't resonate with me.
Eminem
4/5
I get why this shook the world when it came out. A little edge lord-y 20 something years later but I still like it.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
More bangers than expected. Most of the albums I associate with this period are pretty redundant but this had variety. Probably a 3.5 but I'll give it a 4.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
Meh.
David Bowie
4/5
The instrumentals towards the end of the album really stand out. The difference between pop single Bowie and these album oriented tracks is unexpected for me as a casual fan. I love them.
William Orbit
4/5
Weird. Spacey. Fun to listen to. Electronic without being intrusive and annoying. I like a the juice.
The Cardigans
3/5
Listenable. Enjoyable. Not sure if I'd ever revisit. I like the vibe. 3.5.
MC Solaar
3/5
There's something undeniably cool about this album. It kind of sounds like it belongs in a 90s perfume commercial. And I mean that in the best way possible. I don't really understand much beyond the titles so I can't really give it a rave review, but a solid three.
Metallica
1/5
Metallica is lame.
Louis Prima
4/5
Sure it's repetitive and a little dated, but as a person of spaghetti heritage something about Louis Prima just kind of hits right.
The Damned
2/5
More accessible than some of the other punk from this era with melodies and structure, but still nothing I want to listen to again.
Steely Dan
4/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Strong, intriguing opening that kind of devolved into what I think of when I hear "sad 80s goth kid." Not completely without merit. But kind of tedious. 2.5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Strong, intriguing opening that kind of devolved into what I think of when I hear "sad 80s goth kid." Not completely without merit. But kind of tedious. 2.5
Herbie Hancock
4/5
More accessible than expected. Maybe its my limited knowledge, but I get strong Bitches Brew vibes.
Grant Lee Buffalo
4/5
I liked it. Early alt country. A sign of what would take over ten years later with Wilco and Ryan Adams making their way into the mainstream. A little one note, but there are some stand out tracks - Dixie Drug Store in particular.
Madonna
3/5
Strong start and finish. Lots of slow, 80s ballads in the middle that were a little touch for me. 3.5
Daft Punk
4/5
Very listenable. Great background music. Made me want to move around. Basically this album feels like it accomplishes everything it set out to do. 4.5.
Miles Davis
3/5
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Muddy Waters
3/5
What I've kind of come to expect from these kinds of albums from this time period. A lot of the instrumentals are genre standards. Not that that's a bad thing as much as it asserts itself as far reaching and influential. Fun listen. Didn't change my life but I liked it. 3.5.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
Sonic Youth
2/5
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
3.5. Very cool and fun to listen to...
Lorde
3/5
3.5
The Doors
5/5