Journey Complete!
Finisher #240 to complete the list
1089
Albums Rated
3.34
Average Rating
100%
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To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Favorite Album
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Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
75
5-Star Albums
33
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third | 5 | 2.43 | +2.57 |
| Chelsea Girl | 5 | 2.63 | +2.37 |
| Yeezus | 5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
| Tago Mago | 5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
| D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle | 4 | 1.88 | +2.12 |
| Kollaps | 4 | 1.9 | +2.1 |
| Ctrl | 5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
| Call of the Valley | 5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
| Joan Baez | 5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
| A Seat at the Table | 5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| With The Beatles | 1 | 3.66 | -2.66 |
| Ill Communication | 1 | 3.65 | -2.65 |
| Talking Heads 77 | 1 | 3.56 | -2.56 |
| Dirt | 1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
| Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus | 1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
| The Next Day | 1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
| Made In Japan | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| Time Out Of Mind | 1 | 3.21 | -2.21 |
| Ritual De Lo Habitual | 1 | 3.19 | -2.19 |
| Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert) | 1 | 3.15 | -2.15 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.4 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.67 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.67 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.67 |
| The White Stripes | 3 | 4.67 |
| Prince | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kanye West | 3 | 4.67 |
| AC/DC | 2 | 5 |
| Van Halen | 2 | 5 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 5 |
| OutKast | 2 | 5 |
| Joni Mitchell | 4 | 4.25 |
| Miles Davis | 4 | 4.25 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.25 |
| Metallica | 4 | 4.25 |
| Frank Sinatra | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 4.33 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 4.33 |
| Marvin Gaye | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Waits | 5 | 1.6 |
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 1 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 5 | 2 |
| Rufus Wainwright | 2 | 1.5 |
| Echo And The Bunnymen | 3 | 2 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Jane's Addiction | 4, 1 |
| Bob Dylan | 4, 4, 1, 3, 5, 4, 1 |
| Beatles | 5, 1, 4, 4, 4, 5, 2 |
| Beastie Boys | 1, 4, 3 |
| Deep Purple | 4, 1, 2 |
5-Star Albums (75)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Daft Punk
4/5
Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world.
Favorite tracks: Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world.
Album art: Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world.
4.5/5
116 likes
The Who
4/5
I really thought we were out of the woods. Are we being punished? Why is our list haunted? Here we are, the fifth (and, God willing, final) Who album on the list at a rate of one every 22 albums. I keep having this recurring nightmare where I wake up to find this project called 1001 The Who Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Not a single Beatles album yet, but five from these wankers. How's the music you ask? It's fine, a strong debut that I'd enjoy more if it didn't follow four albums of diminishing returns. I actually have this one on vinyl but I'm just so tired. If I give this a 4-star rating will you chaps please leave me alone??? I'm sick to bastard death of you!!
Favorite tracks: My (list is trapped in an endless loop of Who album) Generation, Please Please Please (stop), I Don't Mind (if I never hear another Who album again)
Album art: It's fine, whatever. Stop staring at me, pricks.
82 likes
Deep Purple
1/5
In 2004, MF DOOM and Madlib teamed up to release Madvillainy, a landmark album in the underground hip hop scene. Its influence in that sphere was immediate, and along with the two other albums he released in that year, Madvillainy cemented DOOM as a singular force in hip hop history. Madvillainy saw DOOM leaning into his meticulously-crafted supervillain persona, aided by Madlib's madcap sampling to become an auditory comic book. The album features appearances from Madlib's rap moniker Quasimoto and DOOM's alter ego (and second namesake nod to Marvel's Dr. Doom) Viktor Vaughn. Over the years, Madvillainy grew broadly esteemed across all genres, and today it is widely regarded as a masterpiece—arguably the pinnacle of both artists' illustrious and individually-impressive careers. But Madvillainy isn't on this list. Instead, we get a live album from Deep Purple. It's seven tracks, and four of the seven we already heard on Machine Head. It's my new lowest rated album, worse than Scott Walker because it's a redundancy. This is my nightmare.
Favorite tracks: Mule.
Album art: Don't care at all.
0.5/5
72 likes
Frank Ocean
5/5
February 10, 2013: I'm sitting in the living room of our college apartment, watching the Grammys on my giant box TV. Not sure why, I guess I was bored. I saw that Mumford & Sons were nominated quite a bit for their Babel album, which had been a favorite of mine over the previous year. Near the end of the broadcast, a guy named Frank Ocean gets up to perform a song called "Forrest Gump." He's standing behind a keyboard, and there's a screen displaying his legs running, and he ends the song whistling and running down behind the keyboard, off into the distance. I was intrigued. This same guy beat Chris Brown for the suspiciously racist "best urban contemporary album" award, but he lost AOTY to Mumford & Sons. I went to sleep with "Forrest Gump" stuck in my head. Next chance I had, I downloaded the album from [REDACTED] and began listening. It was gas. Our grandmother had passed away a day before the Grammy performance, and in the late nights between then and our flight to Chicago for the funeral, I absorbed this album like a sponge. I was trying to get all of my grieving cousins to listen to Frank Ocean. I loved most of the tracks, but was obsessed with "Bad Religion." I realized very quickly that this should've beat Mumford & Sons. I bought a bootleg vinyl on eBay (pressed on orange wax of course), and Alex and I would listen to this in the dark in that apartment. I put it on a CD in my car and played it over and over until it became scratched and skippy. I learned the in's and out's of this project like a treasure map. This album didn't just put me on to Frank Ocean, it made me a fan of music in a way I'd never been before. I started looking for acclaimed albums I'd never heard, started downloading playlists of Pitchfork's top 100 songs of each year. Paired with Yeezus a few months later, these albums opened my eyes and ears to the point where they may never close again. Without this album, there's probably no obsessive record collection, no year-end albums and tracks lists, no semi-famous youtuber, and almost certainly no participation in this 1001 albums journey. This album really changed my life and it means the world to me.
Favorite tracks: Every song on here to some degree.
Album art: It's orange baby. That's enough.
5/5
64 likes
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Apparently this is the most revered Rolling Stones album, near the top of lots of lists of all-time albums. I've always liked the Rolling Stones, but that's mostly based on singles. It's possible the only album I've listened to is Blue & Lonesome from 2016. Anyhow, this album is...fine. I like this kind of music, the style is very consistent, and nothing here is bad. Unfortunately it bored me. Where are the hits? Where are the hooks? Why are people calling this one of the greatest rock albums of all time? I don't get it. It's long, but it slipped into the background almost immediately so I hardly noticed the length. Exile me if you must, but I think I'd rather relisten to their 2016 album. This supposed masterpiece is simply a-okay. My review might seem harsher than my rating, but that's because it's the Rolling Stones and I was expecting to have my socks blown off. At least I can report that no Stuarts were involved in the making of this album.
Favorite tracks: Shake Your Hips, Let it Loose, Shine a Light.
Album art: I recognized it immediately, but it's not very interesting. Every time I try to look at the individual pictures and see if any are cool, I look away within five seconds, "I couldn't care less." Fits the album I suppose.
3/5
50 likes
1-Star Albums (33)
All Ratings
David Bowie
4/5
Only six tracks, but an impressive degree of variety. I get a good sense of Bowie's eccentricity, especially from his concluding the album with a cover of "Wild is the Wind." I'm not sure I've ever listened to a David Bowie album in full (aside from Black Star), but there are a handful of tracks from Bowie that I've grown up knowing. "Golden Years" is one of those tracks. I'm looking forward to hearing more albums from Bowie that are, no doubt, on this list.
Favorite tracks: Golden Years, Word on a Wing
Album art: Very cool. Love the bold, red font. Bowie stepping into some space-age studio--looks about right to me.
Ramones
3/5
"Ay, oh, let's go!" A great way to start this 1001 album journey. I like the Ramones; their music has a charming simplicity that I'm sure encouraged countless people to pick up their instruments and play. Everything sounds very DIY--basic drum patterns, power chords, nothing fancy. That's the purest nature of punk rock. As an album, this didn't exactly hold my attention, as it starts to blend together very quickly, but its value is very apparent to me. For a debut album, this does a perfect job establishing a signature sound.
Favorite tracks: Blitzkrieg Bop, Beat on the Brat, Let's Dance
Album art: Pretty badass band photo. The cover looks surprisingly modern. I could see a band doing an album cover like this in the last decade. Also I have to point out that the Ramone on the far right looks exactly like Coconuthead from Ned's Declassified.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Now we're talking! This is exactly the kind of album that belongs on lists of great albums (coming from Album Guy, that means a lot). Sly & the Family Stone is one of those bands that I know I've heard, but I hadn't listened to any of their albums. Playing this album, I recognized a handful of tracks, which speaks to the ubiquity of their brand of funk. This is an American cultural milestone, without question. It works really well as an album, too. I could see myself putting this on and listening all the way through any time. I hear traces of Childish Gambino's "Awaken, My Love!", which was obviously influenced by acts like Sly and Funkadelic (and on that note, I can't wait to listen to Maggot Brain again because there's no way it's not on this list). Sign me up for more albums like this!
Favorite tracks: I Want to Take You Higher, Everyday People, Sex Machine.
Cover art: Honestly, not good. The album's biggest weakness. Granted, it was the '60s, but what are we even looking at? Like multiple projections of photos on a wall of boxes? Admittedly, it's the sort of thing that would've turned me off from listening to this on my own. I would've opted for a Sly album with a better cover (like There's a Riot Going On).
4.5/5 [Ramones S/T = 3.5/5, Station to Station = 4/5]
Duran Duran
5/5
Loved this one. Duran Duran is quintessential '80s synth pop, and this has gotta be one of the best albums in that space. Of course, I've heard "Rio" and "Hungry Like the Wolf," but I was surprised to find that almost every track on here is a banger, even the more contemplative songs. I think I loved all but two tracks. How this only peaked at #6 on the US Billboard charts is beyond me.
Favorite tracks: Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, Last Chance on the Stairway.
Album art: Iconic. This is the first we've had that isn't a photograph, and doesn't feature the artist. But for me, it's the most easily identifiable. If you took all the text off the cover and just showed me the art, I would know it in a second. But aside from that recognition, it's also a fantastic cover design. The art style is awesome, perfectly '80s.
5/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
I dig it. Heavily distorted, but not at the expense of good riffs and melodies. It's a bit long, but not overlong, and I think its length reflects the hazy/grunge musical style. Of course, I'm all-too-familiar with the tracks "Cherub Rock" and "Today," thanks to Guitar Hero. They hold up, and there are a number of other great songs here, too. I'm not sure if I'd heard a Smashing Pumpkins album before today, but this one makes the appeal perfectly clear.
Favorite tracks: Cherub Rock, Today, Sweet Sweet
Album art: I like it. Looks like the original was just the photo of these two girls, and a reissue added the purple filter and orange background. Both look good to me, but I think I prefer the purple and orange. Filtering and reissuing an album cover like that seems to be a recognition of classic status.
4/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
Bona fide classic, and the first album we've reviewed that I have on vinyl! [insert joke here about me saying "I have that on vinyl"]
Technically not a debut album, but in a way it kind of is. He started in the Jackson 5 and released a few solo albums in the early '70s, which mostly sounded like the Jackson 1. On "Forever, Michael" in 1975, his voice suddenly dropped to the range we recognize as Michael Jackson, but that album still sounds like a Jackson 1 project. With help from Quincy Jones, MJ pivoted to funky, disco pop, setting the stage for his growth into the most dominant force in pop music. The album's terrific--it opens with probably my favorite song he's ever made (first heard via Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 2 - "Ch'mon, Lee!"), and it's great all the way through. Also: there's a deluxe release with a couple demos, and the original demo for "Workin' Day and Night" is awesome. I like it better than the album version and think it's one of MJ's best tracks period. Check it out!
Favorite tracks: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Workin' Day and Night, Rock With You.
Album art: Iconic. Totally looks like a debut. Painfully '70s, in a good way. Michael doesn't look comfortable at all, like he's worried people with think he's a poser. At that time I guess he was a poser, going from Motown soul to groovy disco overnight, but it's like a guy at party who gets up "off the wall" to storm the dance floor and show everyone up. This is my favorite cover of all MJ albums.
5/5
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
The first blind listen for me. I've heard the name, but never any music from Belle & Sebastian. A little research has informed me that this band contains neither a Belle nor a Sebastian. Instead, it was formed by two Scottish guys named Stuart. False advertisement aside, this is a decent project. It opens strong, then settles into an even keel that mostly faded into the background for me. On that note, it would probably be a great "staring out the window on a roadtrip" album. I think I've heard the title track before, but I can't remember where. I will give credit for the production because all the instruments sound so crisp and clear. But even when the instrumentation picked up on certain songs (like Mayfly!), the vocals remained subdued and almost comatose. They finally pick up a bit in the closing track, but too little too late. I'm sure this is one of those albums that I would've appreciated more when it was released, but 25 years later, there have been plenty of other artists and bands with more engaging work in the alternative/indie spheres. It's alright, and it certainly sounds nice, but I didn't get much out of it. Maybe I'm not feeling sinister enough.
Favorite tracks: The Stars of Track and Field, If You're Feeling Sinister, Mayfly.
Album cover: a woman who seems to be pondering Kafka's novel about bureaucratic pitfalls and hijinks. I like the picture, but I don't think I can deduce the significance. Does The Trial actually relate to the album? Who knows. And again, seeing a woman on the cover reminds me that this is a band of Stuarts, and we did not get any vocals from the eponymous Belle (who for legal purposes does not exist).
3/5
Adam & The Ants
2/5
An album I've never heard of from an artist I've never heard of, nice! After reviewing the Belle & Sebastian album, a band formed by two Stuarts, I'm surprised to find that Adam Ant is in fact also named Stuart. There's some sort of British Stuart invasion that needs to be investigated. I appreciate this album's weirdness. It's got a touch of that '80s new wave feel, but it's mostly dwarfed by a more experimental edge. I wish I could say I liked this, but I didn't. Of course, I liked a few songs, and I can tell why someone would like it (I'm guessing Andrew and/or Alden will love this one), but as experimental as it is, it didn't really grab or hold my interest. The '80s pop/droning rock combo is lost on me. I wouldn't say it's a bad album, but I wouldn't say it's good either. Also, did Death Grips sample "Killer in the Home" on "Spread Eagle Cross the Block"? Maybe not, but the three-chord riff sounds similar.
Favorite tracks: Dog Eat Dog, Ants Invasion
Album art: really cool picture, very menacing. Giving off some Buffalo Bill, "Goodbye Horses" vibes. I like the inexplicably backwards D in "ADAM," especially because the D in "WILD" is not backwards. Watch out folks, this guy's wacky!
2.5/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Apparently this is the most revered Rolling Stones album, near the top of lots of lists of all-time albums. I've always liked the Rolling Stones, but that's mostly based on singles. It's possible the only album I've listened to is Blue & Lonesome from 2016. Anyhow, this album is...fine. I like this kind of music, the style is very consistent, and nothing here is bad. Unfortunately it bored me. Where are the hits? Where are the hooks? Why are people calling this one of the greatest rock albums of all time? I don't get it. It's long, but it slipped into the background almost immediately so I hardly noticed the length. Exile me if you must, but I think I'd rather relisten to their 2016 album. This supposed masterpiece is simply a-okay. My review might seem harsher than my rating, but that's because it's the Rolling Stones and I was expecting to have my socks blown off. At least I can report that no Stuarts were involved in the making of this album.
Favorite tracks: Shake Your Hips, Let it Loose, Shine a Light.
Album art: I recognized it immediately, but it's not very interesting. Every time I try to look at the individual pictures and see if any are cool, I look away within five seconds, "I couldn't care less." Fits the album I suppose.
3/5
David Bowie
3/5
Laughed out loud at the off-key piano solo on the title track. Bowie truly is a lad insane. "We told David to lay on the keys and he actually did it, the absolute mad man!" Alex made the observation on Station to Station that the vocals were mixed lower than the instruments, and I think the same is true here, especially on the opener. Sometimes I can barely make out the lyrics, and as a result, I find myself paying less attention to what Bowie has to say. But that doesn't get in the way of enjoyment for me because the music is really good! Just like Station to Station, a good bit of variety here. "Jean Genie" sounds like it could've been on the Rolling Stones album we just reviewed. Like that album, this one didn't blow me away or move me too much, but it's a solid effort from the Starman.
Favorite tracks: Aladdin Sane, Panic in Detroit, The Jean Genie.
Album art: Definitely iconic. That lightning bolt makeup look is one of the most easily recognizable symbols in rock culture. I'm not up to speed on my Bowie lore but I thought this was Ziggy Stardust. Apparently this is a character called Aladdin Sane, who Bowie described as "Ziggy Stardust goes to America." You think it's insane to visit the Land of the Free, Mister Brit?
3.5/5
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
Yesterday, we received our tenth album, and second David Bowie album. At that rate, we could be looking at 200 Bowie albums on this list. I trust that isn't possible, but we will see. Today is a band/album I've never heard of; no Stuarts, but it is British. Seven of our eleven albums (64%) have come from UK artists (including Belle & Sebastian in Scotland). I think that qualifies as a British Invasion, or maybe even Occupation. But if the music's good, bring it on. Today, the music's good. I like this album. It's 1980, but somehow sounds post-new wave. There are traces of that pop style buried throughout this sort of psych rock. I wish they had committed more to the psychedelic elements, but I still like this one.
Favorite tracks: Second Head, Poppies, Use Me.
Album art: a simple band photo. I like it though, the colors look nice and go with the title text. Wikipedia shows an alternative cover featuring zebras and Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop. I'd give that cover an edge over this one.
3/5
Eels
3/5
Probably the most modern-sounding album we've heard so far. I like the style, a bit jazzy, a bit indie rock. And the band is American, there's a change of pace! Altogether though, it isn't very engaging. Background music in a good way, but still background music for me. ALSO, I must note that there is a sound of children cheering on "Susan's House" that is 100% without a doubt the same sample used for the Grunt birthday party sound effect in Halo.
Favorite tracks: Susan's House, Spunky, Manchild
Album art: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH
3/5
The Everly Brothers
4/5
Oh, here we go! I've always loved the Everly Brothers. Classic '60s sockhop simp energy. Put these tunes on while you think about asking your gal to go steady. The brothers harmonize really well, and I don't know if I've ever heard a bad song from them. This album is nice, it's got a couple famous hits, but not my favorites. Also, I didn't realize that "Love Hurts" was originally their song but it makes total sense. This is a refreshing change of pace from the last few albums--as much as I like artists with an experimental/artistic edge, this pop stuff just goes down smooth.
Favorite tracks: Made to Love, Love Hurts, Cathy's Clown.
Album art: I love classic albums from the '60s with this framed look. The picture is funny, are these saucy boys trying to coordinate a double date for the prom? Oh, you. The sticker shown on this site is hilarious: "ten other great songs for listening or dancing." Listen or dance, the choice is yours.
4/5
Machito
4/5
YESSSS Finally some jazz! "Me te amo Latin jazz!" I do love me some jazz, and this is a really great album. I'm not sure I hear "Kenya" in the sound, except maybe the percussion. Definitely sounds Caribbean, like that segment in Dr. Terror's House of Horrors set in "the West Indies." In general, the fusion of Latin jazz and big band sounds always reminds me of Tito Puente, which is a great thing. The style is impeccably consistent, I felt like I was transported to another place and time for half an hour. The place? Somewhere in Cuba. The time? This website lists 2000 as the release date but that was a reissue. This came out in 1957 (before our parents were born!). The oldest album we've heard so far, but easily one of my favorites. That's how timeless this kind of music is.
Favorite tracks: Wild Jungle, Cannonology, Frenzy
Album art: Nothing special. Seems like a picture you'd find in a museum brochure. Granted, it's a very old album, so you have to think about how this would have been marketed at the time. I'm not sure how many Americans were interested in Latin jazz in the '50s except as some museum-like cultural curiosity.
4.5/5
Nirvana
5/5
Stone cold classic album. The three-track opening run on here could beat out most albums in existence. I feel like most retrospective discussion of Nirvana tends to focus on the lore of Kurt Cobain or the grunge movement that he inspired, but what gets lost is the fact that Nirvana really ROCKED. Sometimes it sneaks up on you, like on "Lithium" and "Come As You Are." Or verses will be softer followed by heavy hooks. The point is that pretty much every song on here hits hard. Even the deeper album cuts are great, no fat on here to trim. And I never knew that Nirvana was a three-piece band! That in itself always impresses me. All three do an excellent job, but special shout-out to Dave Grohl for his drumming, especially on "In Bloom."
Favorite tracks: In Bloom, Lithium, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Something in the Way.
Album art: Iconic. I can't imagine how many teens brought this album home from the store to absolute shock from their parents. "What kind of pervert crap is this, Lucas? You can see the baby's dink! Is that what you like, sicko? Go to your room!" I've always felt like I shouldn't look at Nevermind Baby. He's chasing a bag, and I should mind my own business. I wonder if Nevermind Baby is still alive? Has he learned about clothing yet? Maybe that's why he was chasing a dollar, so he could afford a diaper. Nevermind Baby is all alone in this open water world.
5/5
Roxy Music
4/5
Never heard of this band or album, but apparently Brian Eno was a member so I'm intrigued. We're back across the pond now, but this one's quite cool, innit? There's a strange urgency to the singer's voice that I really like, and the instrumentals are the dog's bollocks (that's a good thing). I'd honestly put this over both Bowie albums we've heard so far. It sounds surprisingly modern--if someone told me this was made in this century, I might have believed that. As I'm writing this, I just hit the "but you blew my mind" transition of "In Every Dream Home a Heartache." My god. I'm interested to hear more from this band. Given that they're British, I think this list will grant my wish.
Favorite tracks: Beauty Queen, In Every Dream Home a Heartache, Grey Lagoons.
Album art: Never seen this before, but I liked it straight away. The combination of photography and drawing is absolutely mental. The woman is real, but for how long? And the panther on a leash is a wild sight. I'm having a hard time looking away. I must note that seeing a woman on the cover, paired with the name Roxy Music, I thought we'd finally have an album by a female artist or female-led band. Alas, not yet.
4/5
Death In Vegas
3/5
Another artist/album I don't know, Bri'ish of course. This is an interesting project--classified as electronica, but it's somewhere between electronic and shoegaze-y rock. The combo works well and the music is decent throughout, but I'm not grabbed by much here. Fades to the background pretty quickly, but I LOVE the glitchy sound that comes up on "Aisha." That's a banger track. I saw on Wikipedia that Pitchfork gave this a 3.9! The review is hilarious, and in my favorite bit the critic said that Aisha "bursts through the speakers with such ferocity as to make you drop the saucepan of bathtub crank you just brewed up all over your bisexual girlfriend's Cocker Spaniel."
Favorite tracks: Dirge, Aisha.
Album art: Extremely boring, instantly forgettable. I do like the color scheme but the imagery is lame. See Metallica's "Kill 'Em All" for a good red/white/black album cover.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Finally! A female artist, and it's the legend herself. I really love Joni Mitchell, I find myself torn between thinking she or Bob Dylan is the better songwriter. Hard to argue it's Bob in the face of "Both Sides Now." I haven't listened to this album before, but it's great. It only has one song that I already knew ("Help Me"), but there's plenty of heat here. I really like the exploration of different genres--Joni dips into jazz on some tracks, then more rock/pop on others. It doesn't always suit her, but her voice cuts through anything. It's a great experience overall and held my attention throughout. I'm looking forward to getting more Joni Mitchell albums, especially Blue. Also, if this list listened to my plea for female artists, maybe it will hear me ask to honor Black History Month...maybe some Jimi Hendrix? Aretha Franklin? We'll see what's in store.
Favorite tracks: Help Me, People's Parties, Down to You, Twisted.
Album art: Simple and sweet. I like the textured look. Nothing too special, but it looks like Joni herself may have painted that picture. That's extremely cool.
4.5/5
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Whoa, nice! So soon we're back in Havana! I recognized this name immediately, and I realized that's because there's a documentary by Wim Wenders about this project that's in the Criterion Collection. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. This is some great Cuban music--less jazzy, and more organic than what we heard on Machito. At points I think it could use more energy, particularly in the vocal performances, but it's still a trip worth taking. I could never dislike an album like this. Inevitably though, when it comes to Latin-American music, I can't help but compare what I hear to Totó La Momposina's "Pacantó," which is one of my all-time favorite albums. This doesn't reach the same high-water mark for me, but it's still great. Lots on here to love.
Favorite tracks: El Carretero, Chan Chan, El Cuarto de Tula.
Album cover: Pretty simple photograph, but I think it's mostly effective. I really like the BVSC stamp, that's a really cool design. But I also think they could've gone with a more exciting, more culturally indicative picture. Actually, this reminds me of that Oasis album cover, What's the Story, Morning Glory. That was two years before this, so maybe these Cubans were huge fans paying homage to their love of Wonderwall.
4/5
The Cardigans
3/5
I've always known The Cardigans as a one-hit wonder responsible for "Lovefool," which I'm very pleased to see is on this album. I know Alex is clamoring for classics, but I appreciate a chance to revisit a band like this to see how the album cuts were. I've been enjoying the album, finding a few tracks I like here and there, and then Lovefool comes on and I realize it's the hit single for a reason. Such a perfect jam, all the other pretty good songs pale in comparison. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this album, but I totally understand the one-hit wonder status because I can't imagine the Cardigans ever reaching that height again. Shout-out to the "Iron Man" cover though, that's actually pretty awesome.
Favorite tracks: Lovefool (by a mile), Iron Man, Been It.
Album art: Surely this was part of a fan submission contest for "worst album cover imaginable"? Extremely blurry band photo, and it's just the drummer. Is this even the Cardigans in the shot? I don't know, and I also don't care. I had to check out all their other album covers and yes, this is easily the worst. Do better, guys.
3.5/5
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
Wow, this was a cool change of pace. A bit of world music, mixed with our first venture into hip hop. Very rudimentary hip hop, but it's a start. Oh but of course our first "hip hop" album would be British. I really dug the opening three tracks. I had no idea Eminem sampled "Buffalo Gals," but now I know. It also sounds like El-P may have sampled part of that track on Killer Mike's "Go!" but it's not quite the same. Anyway, the album lost steam for me after the first few songs, but it's still a cool cultural and historical piece. It's weird that this is partially classified as a "novelty" album, but I guess it makes sense to ease '80s Brits into hip hop lest they lose their lunch.
Favorite tracks: Obatala, Buffalo Gals, Double Dutch.
Album art: Really cool and creative. An insanely tricked-out boombox. I love the colors and design of this one a lot.
3.5/5
Frank Sinatra
4/5
"When 4chan cries, nae nae to me."
- Frank Sinatra
Great album, great vibe. Sinatra is in my blood, so of course I love this. None of his most classic hits, but clearly going for a specific atmosphere in this pairing with Jobim. I can't say I pulled out a ton of notable tracks, but the whole thing is great. I'd definitely listen to this again.
Favorite tracks: The Girl from Ipanema (Amy Winehouse did it better), I Concentrate On You, Meditation.
Album art: Love the smoky studio picture. I also love the framing around the picture. It's a really regal album cover, and I also love the use of full names. Great job, fellas.
4/5
Nick Drake
5/5
I recognize this album distinctly, from a time when I'm pretty sure Andrew and/or Alden recommended it to me. I listened to it then, wasn't really impressed, and don't remember it at all. It's been in my itunes library since, untouched. It's an album I see a lot on people's "favorite albums" collages (including Alden I believe). I tend to bristle when I see the same albums being heralded over and over as "masterpieces," so I was nervous to hear this again. But now, wow. I'm so into this. I love how sparse and melancholy it is. There's a great deal of pain here, but also really impressive guitar-playing and great melodies. It reminds me a lot of Adrianne Lenker's Songs album (one of my favorites of 2020) that featured only vocals and guitar. As much as I love elaborate, fun production, there's something unbeatable about the purity of a singer/songwriter on a guitar. This was recorded in just two days?? And Nick Drake was only 23 years old??? There's more Nick Drake lore I need to dig into, as this was his last album before he died, but man, this is incredible. I've been wondering to myself if it would be possible for me to give a five-star rating to an album I didn't already know. While I may have heard this before, today feels like a first listen, and I'm honestly floored. This may be my favorite album we've had on the list so far.
Favorite tracks: Kind of pointless since the whole thing is so good and cohesive, but Road, Place to Be, and Things Behind the Sun really grabbed me.
Album art: Really, really love this one. I'm not sure it's iconic--not sure if the general population would recognize this one. But I've seen it so many times over the years and it's seared in my brain. Some sort of really depressing hybrid of Dali and Lewis Carroll. It's super cool.
5/5
The Doors
5/5
I was fully prepared for Pink Moon to be my favorite album of the week, and my favorite album on the list for at least more than 24 hours, then we get THIS?? One of my favorite albums of the '60s and of all time. It's the second one on this list that I have on vinyl. A true classic. I don't know how much I need to say here. This album is a hit machine. Jim Morrison's voice and Ray Manzarek's organ make the perfect psychedelic combination, and every song sounds like it could've been a single (even "Alabama Song"). "The End" is one of my favorite songs ever made. I have so many memories tied to it--I put it on during a tornado warning once in Greeley for dramatic effect, I play it during COD zombies matches when I know we've reached our wit's end, and of course the use in Apocalypse Now is legendary. We needed to balance out the British Invasion, so I agree with the Lizard King when he said "The West is the best. Get here, and we'll do the rest."
Favorite tracks: THE END, Break On Through, Light My Fire, Soul Kitchen, Take It As It Comes.
Album art: Iconic. In the words of Sleepy Joe, "c'mon, man!" The fact that 75% of the band is standing neatly next to a massive, superimposed headshot of Jim Morrison is hilarious and insane. Plus the font is awesome.
5/5
Nick Drake
4/5
I'm no statistician, but I think the odds of getting two Nick Drake albums this close together are like 200000:1 so do with that what you will. Normally I'd be annoyed to have the same artist so soon but I loved Pink Moon so much that I've been itching to listen to his other albums. This one's really good too. It's brighter, more engaging, but less impactful than Pink Moon. Once again, I'm really digging the guitar work, and I love the low-key drums on "Three Hours," that's a really cool song. Plenty of great tunes here, but it reveals to me why his career panned out the way it did. He's clearly a talented guitarist and songwriter, but his voice is very understated. I can see why this didn't sell--there's nothing really special or exciting about it. Nick sounds much better in the minimal style we heard on Pink Moon, but who would give some college kid a major label deal to make a singer-songwriter album in 1969? I hope this doesn't come off too negative because I did really like the album, it's just clear to me why Pink Moon is his masterpiece.
Favorite tracks: Three Hours, Fruit Tree, Cello Song.
Album cover: I like the green frame around the picture, but this is pretty tame. It looks like some "easy listening" album you would pick up at a spa giftshop.
4/5
Prefab Sprout
4/5
Never heard of these chaps, but blimey, this is some great '80s pop. The opening track had me thinking this would sound like a cross between Oingo Boingo and the Smiths, but that notion faded quickly as the album went on. They have a cool, optimistic sound. Wikipedia calls it "sophisti-pop" which is funny but seems fitting. Nowhere near as bright and synthy as the usual '80s fare, but I think that works to their advantage, as it doesn't sound so dated. At times, this even reminded me of acts like Beach House and Tame Impala, real hipster stuff. I really dig this album.
Favorite tracks: Bonny, Goodbye Lucille #1, Desire As.
Album art: Hell yeah. A soft British pop band dressed in tough guy jackets and paying homage to Steve McQueen. I'm pleasantly surprised to learn that the woman featured is actually in the band! Keyboards and some vocals, like a Vicki St. Elmo. The jackets are cool, the motorcycle is cool, the fog, the barbed wire fence, everything is cool. Steve McQueen is cool. This band is really cool.
4/5
The Who
5/5
Now here's a classic album. This marks the third album on here I have on vinyl (actually fourth since my Pink Moon vinyl arrived today). Opens with one of the greatest songs ever made. I'm a Baba O'Riley boy through and through. There are plenty of other bangers on here too, and I also enjoyed a handful of the tracks I'd never heard before. In total, I gave a little Apple Music heart to seven of the nine tracks--that's what we in the business of calling things things call a "hit machine." Honestly insane that this album opens AND closes with two of the greatest songs the Who has ever made. This album is undeniable. Plus, I fear if I gave this less than a perfect review that my younger self would materialize to kick my ass. Good thing it more than holds up.
Favorite tracks: Baba (booey) O'Riley, Won't Get Fooled Again, Behind Blue Eyes, The Song Is Over.
Album art: Iconic. This should honestly be on a short list for best album covers ever. Top 15 maybe? Four blokes in a quarry, around this man-made monolith type thing. The angle of the monolith is part of the charm too--it's not centered, but it feels centered. A strong, dark energy emanates from this one. Also, I love the stylization of the title: "Who's next" Not a question, nor a statement really. Maybe just an observation.
5/5
Beastie Boys
1/5
I respect the Beastie Boys, but I've never really been a fan. This album fits that pattern. There's plenty of cool things going on, but usually too much or not enough on any given track. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy a number of songs, especially "Sabotage" of course. But this is the first album we've had where I skipped songs. It's longer than I would like to listen to the Beastie Boys. A lot of the beats are cool, but these guys are all over the place. Plus they use a lot of distortion, which I normally enjoy, but here it obscures to the point where I don't even care what they're saying or doing. Some of the world-music or jazzy-type stuff is interesting, but for most of the record they sound like a sloppy, unfocused Rage Against the Machine. The most memorable vocal performances were Q-Tip on "Get It Together" and Biz Markie on "Do It," which reminds me that (1) it's Black History Month, and we haven't had a black artist/album since Michael Jackson, and (2) this is our second "hip hop" album, and both were by white artists. I'm going to listen to Midnight Marauders as a palate cleanser after this--it came out a year before this, and it doesn't sound as dated. Hell, Illmatic was released a month before this! This sounds 10 years older than Illmatic. The audacity to release THIS, AFTER Illmatic, and to INCLUDE the word "ill" in your title.....seek help. This was gonna be a 2 until I learned that. In the words of James Brown, "I'm mad!"
Favorite tracks: Sabotage, Get It Together, Sure Shot
Album art: Uhhh....it's a guy at a drive through or something? Very boring to look at. He looks like he might have bad teeth. Maybe he's British? Maybe that's why this made the list? Oi, guvna, bugger off. Yeah, this cover sucks.
1.5/5
Miles Davis
4/5
The man, the myth, the legend. Looks like the List God(s) heard my rant on the Beastie Boys review loud and clear. This isn't my favorite album from Miles Davis, but it's a welcome change of pace nonetheless. This is widely regarded as one of the all-time great jazz albums, and I think that's mostly about influence and what it represented in the '50s. I watched a couple videos explaining the birth of modal jazz that this album represents, which is huge. It's hard for me to hear it as revolutionary though, considering I worked sort of backwards through Davis' catalog. But it's a fantastic album either way. Not as engaging to me as Sketches of Spain or Bitches Brew (both of which BETTER be on this list), but it is very smooth, very cool, with fantastic solos from everyone involved. Big names in the ensemble too, John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley especially. Miles Davis was a creative force like no other.
Favorite tracks: So What, Flamenco Sketches, Freddie Freeloader.
Album art: Instantly recognizable because of how famous this album is, but pretty tame. Granted, many jazz albums had boring covers like this back in the day, but even compared to older Davis albums like Milestones or Porgy and Bess....there's room for improvement. I do like the font choice, though.
4.5/5
Gang Of Four
3/5
Never heard of this group. Very bright, punchy punk. Reminds me a bit of Parquet Courts. Wikipedia describes a lot of political lyrics and themes--I'm gonna take their word for it because I don't find myself catching many lyrics on here, aside from "Your kiss so sweet.....your sweat so sour." Damn, what a line. "Damaged Goods" is awesome. If the whole album had that energy, I'd be head over heels for this. Alas, we got what we got. It's still good, but I won't be cosigning the classic status.
Favorite tracks: Damaged Goods (by a mile), I Found That Essence Rare, Not Great Men.
Album art: Really like this one. The color choices are terrific. I love how much of this is just empty space. The three-panel story on the right is a great political statement, much more conspicuous than the lyrics. This whole cover fits the album well.
3.5/5
Scott Walker
1/5
Huh. I realized that I recognize the name Scott Walker from the Vox Lux score (and the fact that he died recently), but I thought this might be a completely different person. The music is like a combination of Tom Jones the singer and Tom Jones the awful movie. It's funny that he sings things like "stupid-ass" but the delivery is painfully bland. Very risque lyrically, but far from risky sonically. This old style of pop music has aged like milk. Listen to the Vox Lux score to hear how a guy can really turn his life around.
Favorite songs: Black Sheep Boy.
Album art: Not terrible, but not very interesting either. I like the font and color choice for the title. The picture is decent, as far as artist pictures go, but it's boring. I guess that fits the album.
1/5
Janelle Monáe
5/5
What a breath of fresh air. Maybe I should complain about the composition of this list more often. This is the one Janelle Monae album I haven't heard. Our first album from the last decade, and from this century! A concept album based on Metropolis...and it's a debut album. Immediately, I'm struck by how eclectic this is, spanning so many different genres and transitioning between them so effortlessly. This feels monumental. I love so many songs here, and a very special shout-out to "Cold War," which Santoma unknowingly SAMPLED (via Clams Casino) on his/my first ever track "Go to Town." This is just fantastic all the way through. I'm going to retroactively add it to my Top Albums of 2010 list. [Side note: this was nominated for a Grammy but lost to Usher's Raymond v. Raymond. Yet more proof the Grammys are wet garbage.] Janelle, if you're reading this, I just watched Antebellum last night--the movie wasn't good, but you're great. I was already a big fan of you, but this seals the deal. Let's see if Bowie can top this.
Favorite songs: Cold War, Dance or Die, Mushrooms & Roses, Neon Valley Street, Come Alive, Faster, Wondaland.
Album art: The framing and text and everything is very much a product of the early '10s, but I love the picture of Monae and the golden metropolis as her crown. Talk about a chrome dome.
5/5
Butthole Surfers
2/5
Butthole Surfers. What a name. I don't like this, but I like it more than that Scott Walker album, it's more interesting. It's loud, dark, and aggressive, but there are a few bright spots. For the '80s, it's a little impressive. These guys clearly aimed to shock and offend. Sorry boys, I was just a little bored. Also, big shout out to Alden for discovering that Albino Andrew was in this band.
Favorite tracks: Kuntz, 22 Going on 23
Album art: We love clowns, don't we folks? These clowns are having the time of their lives training a pup. I'd love it if this happy picture tricked some unsuspecting rubes into buying this.
2/5
Talking Heads
1/5
This is technically music. I tolerate small doses of Talking Heads, but that's about it. David Byrne sings like he's injured. It's weird that they are an American band, I always assumed they were British because they sound so posh. The instrumentals are decent, but I was bored almost immediately. If only you could've seen my face when I heard the weird shriek on "The Book I Read," and when I heard David Byrne imitating Beans on "First Week." I hate to say it, but this is below the Butthole Surfers album to me.
Favorite tracks: Uh-Oh, Loves Comes to Town.
Album art: Whole lotta red. Two albums this week with mostly empty, red covers. Might be a subliminal message to listen to Playboi Carti. Anyway, this one is stupid compared to the Gang of Four album, I don't care if it came first.
1.5/5
James Taylor
4/5
Mom was just telling me yesterday that she wanted to see albums from the likes of James Taylor and Carole King. I told her to be patient, but I guess patience isn't necessary. Previously, I'd heard only "Fire and Rain" from James Taylor, and I love that song. He's a great singer-songwriter, akin to Jim Croce but probably a bit younger and more marketable. This is a solid album, with good lyrics and great guitar work. Also a nice degree of variety, so it doesn't feel like a one-note singer-songwriter project--good use of other instruments. The music feels very organic, and James sound right at home in the different genres he explores. I wouldn't say I love it, but it's very good and enjoyable.
Favorite songs: Fire and Rain, Oh Baby Don't You Loose Your Lip On Me, Lo and Behold, Steamroller Blues (up until the point where the horns come in).
Album art: This is a pretty classic picture. Fits the genre in that it looks like a senior photo. Wikipedia lore says James was basically homeless and couch surfing when he made this album. For that reason, I'll assume he's not wearing pants. Put some pants on, James. Otherwise, great job.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Play that funky music, white boys? RHCP is an American heritage band at this point, a staple. C'mon, you've got a bassist named Flea, a drummer that looks like Will Ferrell, what more do you want? I've encountered people in life who say the only music they like is RHCP, which is mystifying. But these guys are pretty great. Plenty of hits on here, and it's produced by the legend Rick Rubin! Part of the bassline on "Around the World" sounds indebted to Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon," I liked that. I liked a lot of this album, it's great. Maybe not super red hot, but there's plenty of chili peppers to go around.
Favorite songs: Around the World, Scar Tissue, Road Trippin', Otherside.
Album art: I'd say this is iconic. I've seen it a million times over, but today for the first time I'm noticing the swap of the water and the sky, that's crazy. I guess I always thought the background was the ocean. Very cool picture, Pepps.
4/5
Jeff Buckley
4/5
One of those artists I hear about a lot but have never really listened to. Of course I've heard "Hallelujah," which I didn't know was a cover, but that's it. He's got a really powerful, haunting voice. The production on here is really great too, very engaging. Lots of songs I enjoyed, and it makes for a good listen front to back. I'm starting to think the list is trying to make amends for last week by just giving us a slate of great albums.
Favorite tracks: Hallelujah, Lilac Wine, Dream Brother, Lover You Should've Come Over.
Album art: Simple, but very effective. He's got the brood of a singer-songwriter but his shirt and the mic correctly suggest a more ambitious sound. Crazy that this was his first and only album--this picture seems almost too appropriate for that. I was expecting to read that he overdosed or committed suicide, but perhaps even more tragic that he died going for a swim.
4/5
Frank Black
3/5
I had a feeling as soon as I mentioned the hot streak we'd lose it. This isn't bad though. Apparently Frank Black is part of the Pixies, I do like what I've heard from them. Sometimes his singing reminds me of Lou Reed and Mark Kozelek. Many of the songs feel like fragments, but there's a good force of rock driving throughout. This seems like a really creative guy who felt repressed by being in a band, so he's letting it all out in a solo project. I respect that, even though I don't love the final product. There are a few good tracks sprinkled throughout, but as a whole it's nothing too impressive.
Favorite tracks: Calistan, Headache, Abstract Plain.
Album art: This made me laugh when I saw it last night. It's a cool cover, but what? Why was this big adult man coronated "teenager of the year"? Why is his free hand aimed to roast someone with a "what are thoooose"?
3/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Hopefully the longest album I'll ever listen to--I'll keep the review short. Plenty of good tracks on here, but I don't think the TWO HOUR length is justified. I like Smashing Pumpkins, the first album we reviewed from them was great, but when you stretch that out to TWO HOURS it starts to get boring fast. It's frustrating because I like the music, but I don't want to listen to it for TWO HOURS.
Favorite tracks: Tonight Tonight, Muzzle, Bullet with Butterfly Wings (never knew this was their song, I thought it was Modest Mouse because mouse = rat).
Album art: Pretty cool, I recognize this one. I really dig the font and art style. This cosmic woman is rolling her eyes in the same way that I did when I saw the TWO HOUR runtime of this album.
3.5/5
The Cure
4/5
Starting the week with a classic! I can't remember if I've listened to this in full before, but I know I've seen it on many a list of great albums. Very quickly I could hear how influential this is--it sounds like a blueprint for so many alternative/emo/dreampop artists that followed (like Mazzy Star, M83, even Hatchie). Probably not the first of it's kind, but it feels seminal. Deep, spacious instrumentals, and Robert Smith sounds perfectly ethereal (though I didn't love his vocal performance on "Lullaby"). It's a long album, and the tracks are long, but I don't mind at all. It gives time for me to settle into these tunes. I liked a lot of songs on here, especially "Pictures of You." Man, that's a perfect, beautiful song. I really dug this album immediately, and I can see it growing on me even more. Definitely deserving of the classic status.
Favorite tracks: Pictures of You, Lovesong, Fascination Street, The Same Deep Water As You.
Album art: I recognize this one of course. I don't love it, but it's cool. Trippy if you will. Makes the album seem way older than it is. If that's Robert Smith in the picture, he looks like a creepy ghoul from Carnival of Souls.
4.5/5 (potentially a 5, and I hereby symbolically downgrade Rio and ArchAndroid to 4.5)
The Yardbirds
2/5
Good ol' Yardbirds, I know them for the song "For Your Love," and of course for incubating three legendary rock guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. This album is post-Clapton, pre-Page, all Beck, and you can hear him flexing his ability. There are some cool songs on here, but plenty others that feel very derivative and indistinct. Wikipedia says this is "psychedelic rock"--I'm not so sure. Maybe half the tracks are tinged with psychedelic elements (mostly the better ones), but the rest strikes me as imitative blues filler. I mean c'mon, "What Do You Want" is such an obvious rip-off of Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love." This album comes from an era of white British rockers essentially doing cosplay of black American blues/rock artists. Beatles, Stones, Led Zeppelin, they all did it at points. At least those bands had the STONES to do covers and openly credit the pioneers. I would imagine Yardbirds evolved into psychedelia, and I'd rather hear that stuff, but this album does very little for me.
Favorite tracks: Lost Woman, Hot House of Omagarashid, Over Under Sideways Down.
Album art: Very creative drawing, and I love the font. Looks like it would be right at home in a Shel Silverstein or Scary Stories book. Apparently this is a doodle that one of the band members made of their engineer, Roger. I don't know if that's endearing or just plain mean. I'll leave that up to Roger, he's famous now.
2.5/5
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
Hello, old friend. I'm not too familiar with NIN, but I do like Trent Reznor, especially for his more recent work on film scores. I was telling Andrew I've listened to this twice before, both times because he recommended it (the second time I forgot I had already listened to it). Here on the third listen, I do find myself enjoying it more. Maybe it's because recognition is now on my side, as I remember a lot of the tracks. But it's a good album. Very abrasive sonically, very dark lyrically, but some songs still feature an unmistakable groove. There are a few tracks that I skip though, which prevents this from getting four stars from me. Otherwise this is a solid project.
Favorite tracks: Reptile, Closer, Heresy, Hurt.
Album art: Grimy and gritty I guess, but pretty boring. The earthy minimalism doesn't match the industrial, maximal music. It's recognizable at this point, but still a weak cover.
3.5/5
Brian Eno
4/5
Whoa, Eno! Brian Eno's a legend in his own right. Not only was he a member of Roxy Music (who, based on the one album we heard, I really like), he's also the godfather of ambient music, and apparently even came up with the term "ambient music." I know of him, but I'm not sure I've listened to any of his albums. This one blends ambient music with some more traditional rock/vocal tracks; maybe he wasn't quite ready to fully commit to ambient music in 1975. Who could blame him? Regardless, there are great songs on both sides of the coin here. I really dig the integration of more traditional drums and guitars with the electronic synth-driven ambient stuff. Very smooth ride. I'm all aboard this new green world.
Favorite tracks: St. Elmo's Fire, Over Fire Island, The Big Ship, Becalmed.
Album art: I like this a lot. Clearly some piece of art, not sure if it's famous or not. But I like the simple shapes and colors, and I always enjoy a good frame on an album cover. Font is nice too.
4/5
Elbow
3/5
I was puzzled at first by this selection (pun intended), but then I read that it's a British band. Never heard of these blokes, but they're okay I guess. Nothing less than decent, but not many tracks that jump above decent either. The distorted guitar sound near the end of "Audience with the Pope" stood out to me. And "Lullaby" was nice, almost sounded like a different band. Overall this comes off like a generic amalgam of countless other indie/alternative bands. Music for commercials, or as the Brits would say, adverts. I wish I had a stronger opinion on this, but it was kind of in one ear and out the other. Extremely okay music.
Favorite tracks: Lullaby, One Day Like This, Bones of You.
Album art: As much as I love Rubik's cubes, this cover doesn't do it for me. Maybe it's too monochromatic. Maybe the drawing is just sloppy. Maybe it's Maybelline. Sorry, bad joke. I'm pretty bored listening to this.
3/5
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
The name sounds familiar, but I don't know this band. They're Scottish, so I imagine the British list author put this on very begrudgingly. The album started slow, but by "I Don't Know" things picked up a bit. This is pretty good alternative rock, but it's very tame. The vocals are subdued, the instrumentals aren't too creative. At least it's got a consistent sound. It's funny to me that the last song is called "Is This Music" because that's probably the best on the album. Yes, guys, THAT is music. Give us more of that.
Favorite tracks: Is This Music, Star Sign, I Don't Know.
Album art: Extremely simple, but I love this one. We love a sack of money with a dollar sign on it, don't we folks? Wikipedia has a blurb about Gene Simmons trademarking the moneybag symbol, that's insane. I linked his logo below, It's awful. Why did he make it lumpy? Dollar bills are not lumpy. You should be ashamed of yourself, Gene.
3.5/5
https://celebrityclothingline.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/money-bag-gene-simmons-logo.jpg
Pere Ubu
2/5
An interesting birthday gift, that's for sure. Extremely weird music, in ways that don't always work. Wikipedia calls this a seminal post-punk album. I'm not sure what I thought post-punk was, but I didn't have this in mind. I will give some credit though, some of these songs are pretty catchy and enjoyable, despite the weirdness. Maybe I'm just happy to have an American band for once. I don't like this overall, but I will say it sounds WAY newer than 1978.
Favorite tracks: Caligari's Mirror, Pa Ubu Dance Party, Drinking Wine Spodyody.
Album art: As much as I usually don't like black and white covers, this one is pretty nice. Looks very foreboding with the rows of disembodied windows. Getting Rear Window vibes.
2.5/5
Kate Bush
4/5
I know nothing about Kate Bush, but apparently this is noted as her least accessible, most experimental album. Maybe not the best place to start, but I really like it. Plus she produced the entire album, which is always impressive. The beats are very unconventional and feature some intriguing samples. I don't pay much attention to lyrics on first listens, but her voice is good. I really dig this because I didn't know what to expect on any given track. New genres, new sounds and instruments, new vocal delivery patterns. Kept me on my toes in a good way.
Favorite tracks: Leave It Open, All the Love, Pull Out the Pin, Suspended in Gaffa.
Album art: I really like this one. It feels like a dream--I'm assuming that's Kate Bush on the cover, with a ring in her mouth, about to kiss a man in chains. This album really does look and sound like the crazy dream of some more ordinary pop artist. The text and framing is nice too.
4/5
The Clash
3/5
Of course I know these legendary chaps. In reading about this album, I saw that a different version was released in the U.S. I listened to all the extra songs, and it turns out many of my favorite tracks were only on the US release. Guess it pays to be American sometimes. "Clash City Rockers" is a classic favorite for me, due in no small part to a Tony Hawk game. Overall, I think these are some solid punksters. The album feels unfocused, but that's punk for you. I'm looking forward to hearing better work from these guys, I'm sure London Calling is on this list.
Favorite tracks: Clash City Rockers, Complete Control, I Fought the Law, What's My Name.
Album art: Black and white band photo, nothing special. They look like cool guys though. I love the jagged bordering and the font for the band/album title.
3.5/5
The Specials
3/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4KCB3-UZqM
Favorite tracks: A Message to You Rudy, Blank Expression, Stupid Marriage.
Album art: Really dig this layout, with the track list and everything framing the band photo.
3/5
Miles Davis
4/5
Can't say no to some more Miles. I can definitely tell that this came before Kind of Blue. The songs are shorter, less exploratory and experimental. Still, there are flashes here and there that bear the Miles Davis edge, like the end of "Moon Dreams." I was about to say I'm not feeling as jazzed by this, then "Budo" hit me like ONE TWO THREE HO! This is great, and a welcome reprieve from the middling selections last week.
Favorite tracks: Budo, Move, Moon Dreams.
Album art: Like Kind of Blue, this cover is unimaginative. Granted, it's 1957. But it's a black and white photo of Miles Davis. I do like the angle of the photo and the framing of text all around the picture. As far as '50s jazz album covers go, this one's not bad.
4/5
Public Enemy
4/5
YESSSSS I've been waiting for some true hip hop classics, this is a great place to start. Public Enemy is such an enigmatic duo to me. I grew up knowing Flava Flav from reality TV, but here he's the hype man for Chuck D, one of the most politically motivated rappers ever. This album is a bold political proclamation from front to back, but it's also extremely listenable and danceable. You can hear how easily these beats would turn a club up in the '90s. The sampling is really impressive, so many samples on here that appear throughout hip hop history. To name two, I heard a sample that appeared on Illmatic in '94, and a sample that appeared on Tribe's album from 2016. I also loved that Ice Cube was featured on a track, and it made me realize how similar Chuck D and Ice Cube's rap styles are. Cube is definitely indebted to Chuck D. This is a fantastic album.
Favorite tracks: Fight the Power, Welcome to the Terrordome, Burn Hollywood Burn, Brothers Gonna Work It Out.
Album art: This is a great one. I don't think it's as iconic as their prior album, but I like this one better honestly. Public Enemy's crosshair logo is incorporated into the black planet, the title is presented in Star Wars scroll-text fashion. Excellent colors, and I love the chyron across the bottom.
4.5/5
The Kinks
3/5
I know the Kinks for the hits, but I don't know this album, and it doesn't have any of the big hits. But it's still solid musically, hard to fault. Pretty standard '60s rock, but nothing special really.
Favorite tracks: Village Green Preservation Society, Big Sky, Picture Book.
Album art: Cool band photo, love the swirly neon colors. Title is a mouthful though.
3.5/5
Violent Femmes
4/5
Feeling a little bamboozled that a band called Violent Femmes is a bunch of dudes. However, I really liked this album. Very simple, organic punk rock. There's a welcome clarity to both the vocals and the instruments that often isn't the case with punk, but the energy is still there. Really love the xylophone on "Gone Daddy Gone." I can totally hear how this became a cult classic. And when I heard "Add It Up," I recognized it immediately as a Tony Hawk song....sure enough, Underground 2.
Favorite tracks: Add It Up, Blister in the Sun, Gone Daddy Gone, Prove My Love.
Album art: I like this picture. Seems like a companion to that Siamese Dream cover in a way. Apparently they paid this girl's mom $100 to take a quick pic. For some presumably broke punksters, that's a great way to get an album cover.
4/5
Chicago
4/5
What a way to end a really good week of music! We grew up with a lot of the Chicago hits, including "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is," but I've never listened to an album from them before. This is not what I expected but really impressive! Virtuosic, exploratory instrumental work all around, a lot less traditional song structure than I anticipated. Dare I say experimental? "Free Form Guitar" is absolutely melting my brain. And the sample of the chanting at the 1968 DNC, there's just so much going on here. If you heard this for the first time in '69, what kind of band or music would you even think this is? Learning the lore too, that this was the original band name until they received a cease and desist from the actual CTA. The Grammys giving them best new artist was probably one of the few times they got an award right. And of course, I have to mention Uncle Jim on the trombone. I think it's really cool that he actually wrote the last two songs on this album. This is really great.
Favorite tracks: Free Form Guitar, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, Listen, Liberation, Someday.
Album art: Love this. I've always admired that Chicago was consistent with their font/lettering on all their album covers. This one has the added charm of appearing painted on wood. The colors really pop, the framing is excellent. Proud of you guys.
4.5/5
Elvis Presley
4/5
Late era Elvis...by this time, he sounds less like a guttural, saucy rockstar and more like a Vegas pop performer. That doesn't mean the music is bad, but it sounds like the kind of music that an audience at a bar would half-listen to while ordering drinks not realizing that it's really good. The talent is still there and the lyrics are more mature than older Elvis music, but he's missing a lot of the grit and energy. Maybe Hollywood or the war took it out of him. Maybe this is just over-produced. Regardless, I did like a lot of tracks on the back end, enough for me to adjust to the style and realize this is still a great album, even if it's not what I was expecting. "In the Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds" are more than worth the price of admission.
Favorite tracks: Suspicious Minds, In the Ghetto, True Love Travels on a Gravel Road, After Loving You.
Album art: I like the picture, especially with what I hope is thousands of Elvis impersonators in the background. But you can tell from his outfit that this is the dawn of a new age of Elvis. He's got that ascot/scarf on, maybe a streak of grey in his hair--this is the beginning of Elvis the aging Vegas performer.
4/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Elvis #2. I've never listened to him before. He's British, so I imagine we will get a handful of his albums before the list is through. It's hard to pin a genre label on this, it's all over the place. I'll say off the bat that I do not like his singing voice, it strikes me as whiny and annoying. The instrumentals were good, but overall quite bland. It doesn't add up to much, aside from a collection of posh, "adult" pop songs. This is certainly not for me.
Favorite tracks: And In Every Home, Shabby Doll.
Album art: Really digging this one, love the abstract picture, great colors. The text of the title is a little confusing but also creative. A shame the album is nowhere near as interesting or exciting as this cover.
2/5
Radiohead
4/5
I've been secretly dreading the day we'd get a Radiohead album. Not because I think they're bad, but because I've put them off for so long. Well it's time to pay the piper. I'm enjoying this quite a bit. It's a lot less experimental than I was expecting, and I mean that in a good way. I assumed they would be pretentious artsy music but it's just good solid alt-rock. This album is on countless "best ever" lists, and I don't quite see that, but maybe if I heard it in the '90s when I was barely 2 years old I would see it. It's still great though, plenty to love.
Favorite tracks: Fake Plastic Trees, High and Dry, Bullet Proof, The Bends.
Album art: I'd say it's iconic. One of those "have you dreamed this man" sort of ubiquitous images. Which mannequin is getting the best (radio)head?
4/5
The Who
3/5
After the last Who album (a 5 for me), of course I would like more. But a live album isn't something I need, especially when there are studio albums with these same songs available. I've looked ahead at albums on this list, and I was annoyed to see that for three legendary black artists--James Brown, Sam Cooke, and B.B. King--we only get one album each, and it's a live album. Not sure why, hopefully they really are worthy of classic status. But I don't think this one is, especially considering there are four studio albums from the Who on the list. That being said, this is still pretty good. Of course they're talented, the songs are great, but live albums just aren't my thing. Some lame banter on here that would be fine at a concert but I'm sitting at home. Inevitably I loved some performances, especially "My Generation," but as a whole, I could do without this. Maybe I'd have liked it more if I listened to just the 37 minute version originally released on vinyl.
Favorite tracks: My Generation, Amazing Journey, Happy Jack.
Album art: Charming simplicity. I would never buy this, but a blank cardboard cover is intriguing. A brown bagger.
3.5/5
The Kinks
3/5
Second Kinks album in two weeks. Still not an album with hits, but I guess they don't have as many "hits" as I thought. Like the first, this is certainly fine music. I admire it a little more for committing to this old timey music bit. It's less 1960s rock, and more 1860s saloon music. But aside from that novelty, I wasn't too impressed. At this point, I think I'm good on the Kinks for at least a few months.
Favorite tracks: No Return, Death of a Clown, Situation Vacant.
Album art: Pretty simple design, but I give them credit for again committing to the old timey music bit. The ancient-looking photos and layout fits the aesthetic perfectly.
3/5
Faith No More
2/5
Wow, this came out in 1989? Obviously a huge influence for nu-metal bands of the '00s like Disturbed, Godsmack, Korn, etc. Man, just seeing names like Atreyu and Ill Nino on the wikipedia is throwing me way back. For what they're doing, this sounds good. But it's not a type of music that I enjoy at album's length. Alex was always more of the nu-metal, headbanger guy when we were younger. I like the hits, but metal is the one genre that I have a hard time connecting with. I did like the "War Pigs" cover, that's the second Black Sabbath cover we've had on an album so far. Really looking forward to the day Paranoid actually shows up on this list.
Favorite tracks: War Pigs, Epic, Woodpecker from Mars.
Album art: I do dig this cover. What are we looking at, is that a bottlecap on fire? No, it can't be, it looks like milk. The text at the top is great, very bold. Also there's a vinyl cover shown on wikipedia that's an expanded, even cooler version of this.
2.5/5
Common
5/5
“The sweet taste of victory. Go ‘head, breathe it in like antihistamines.” I can’t tell you how excited I was to see this pop up. This is one of my favorite hip hop albums of all time, at least top five. It’s beautiful, it’s perfect. Produced almost entirely by Kanye West, save for two tracks produced by the late J Dilla. Features from Kanye, John Legend, and John Mayer—a galaxy of rising stars all together for this moment. Every track is immaculately produced, and Common makes a case for why he belongs in the pantheon of greats. “You love to hear the story, again and again, about these young brothers from the City of Wind.” It’s maybe the most organic hip hop album in existence. Hip hop almost seems like a misnomer, it’s pure poetry. The intro track is one of the best openers of any album ever. “I wanna be as free as the spirits of those who’ve left.” No matter how many times I hear it, the closing track always makes me cry. “Be amended....five fifths.” I would fight anyone for this album. I’d give this to the aliens. “I wish I could give you this feeling.” I’ll stop gushing but man, this is enough to make every two or three-star album worth it. Time to put the vinyl on and fall in love with it all over again.
Favorite tracks: Be (Intro), The Corner, GO!, Faithful, Love is..., Chi City, The Food, They Say, It’s Your World.
Album art: Iconic. Incredibly simple photo, but the contrast and colors immortalized this for me. I’m obviously biased, but this cover is imprinted in my DNA.
5/5
Eurythmics
3/5
Very nice. We grew up with hits from Eurythmics and Annie Lennox, especially "Sweet Dreams." I always enjoy '80s new wave, but it took me a few tracks to really get into this. The production is really solid, and Annie Lennox's vocals are always nice, but overall it wasn't as explosive as I expected. Maybe just because the hits like "Sweet Dreams" and "Here Comes the Rain Again" feel so big that some of these songs feel meek in comparison. But it's still a good project. Also, "Jennifer" sounds like a precursor to "Goodbye Horses" by Q Lazarus. That’s more than okay with me.
Favorite tracks: Sweet Dreams, Jennifer, The Walk.
Album art: I really like the different font choices, and the geometric shapes, but the picture in the middle is just way too small. It's comically large framing.
3.5/5
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Great music, awful band/album name. This is their debut, and it features their two most enduring hits. Both "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin" are certified bangers. "California Dreamin" will always remind me of Chungking Express. Aside from these two songs, I enjoyed the rest but not much stood out to me. Their whole bit is the layered vocal harmonies, and that alone isn't enough to carry an album. But there's a nice variety to the songs, and I like how the lead vocalist would change for different songs. I would definitely put this over one or both of the Kinks albums we've heard from the same era, but not too much higher honestly. On a positive note, they sound like Scooby-Doo music to me.
Favorite tracks: California Dreamin, Monday Monday, Somebody Groovy, You Baby.
Album art: A funny picture to be sure. It almost seems like it would be a cheesy comedy album. I don't know much about the band's composition, but I appreciate that the men and women are sharing the spotlight.
4/5
Tim Buckley
4/5
I was gonna make a joke, but holy cr*p, it's actually Jeff Buckley's dad. I've never heard of this guy, but I was immediately excited by how few tracks were on here. These are long songs, with time for Tim and his audience to settle into the tunes together. I really like this, "happy sad" is spot on. The instrumentals sound bright due to what I think is the vibraphone - I'm getting that from wikipedia. The production is meandering and jazzy, while his lyrics and vocals are much more melancholy. "Gypsy Woman" is a nice shot of adrenaline too. I really don't have any complaints with this one, I think it's really cohesive and ruminative in all the right ways. Sign me up for more from Buckley, Sr.
Favorite tracks: Buzzin' Fly, Gypsy Woman, Love from Room 109, Dream Letter.
Album art: Just a simple headshot (or HS for those of us in showbiz, gracias amigas) but It's a good shot. More sad than happy but I like the angle and everything. Very cool.
4.5/5
Elis Regina
4/5
First (and hopefully last) album that wasn't available on Apple Music. I really liked this though! Sounded much more modern and swinging than what I would have expected from a world music album. Very engaging beats, good singing. Not too much that stuck with me, but still some great songs to pull from here. I'll never say no to some Latin Jazz!
Favorite songs: Vento de Maio, Nova Estacao, O Trem Azul.
Album art: I like this picture, especially the color grading. Too bad I won't see it on my phone for the tracks I saved.
4/5
Devendra Banhart
3/5
I know I've listened to Devendra Banhart before, he's a very quirky folksy artist. I love his song "I Feel Just LIke a Child." This album definitely fits that mold. Great instrumentation and melodies. His vocal performances are strange, but still enjoyable. It's folk music on a few drugs. I enjoyed this, but didn't love it.
Favorite tracks: A Sight to Behold, Insect Eyes, Dogs They Make Up the Dark.
Album art: This one's really cool. The drawings seem simple, ancient, and kind of creepy.
3.5/5
The Who
3/5
At this point, when I see another album from The Who I say "the what???" We've reviewed sixty-some albums and this our third from them--at this rate, we could expect 42 more Who albums on the list. I'm praying that's not possible. At least this one isn't live, and I did enjoy a few songs, especially the classic "I Can See for Miles." But I'm asking this list to give us a good 40-50 album break before the next Who album. Also, "mingy stingy"? Can they say that?
Favorite tracks: I Can See for Miles, Odorono, Sunrise.
Album art: This one's pretty funny. Roger Daltrey bathing in a full English, Pete Townshend putting on some massive deodorant, the absolute mad lads. "Get saucy."
3.5/5
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Back to the '80s baby! Of course, the only song I know from this group is "Relax," and thankfully that is on here. Somehow I never picked up on how sexual that song is until hearing it in the context of the album. There are also some covers, like "War" and "Born to Run," and I enjoyed those. Overall, I like their style and enjoyed a handful of songs, but this didn't strike me as anything special.
Favorite tracks: Relax, Born to Run, War.
Album art: Pretty cool art cover, though the picture framed on this site is different from the one I see on Apple music. I like the colors and art style of this one though.
3/5
System Of A Down
4/5
No way! What a welcome throwback. Of all the headbanging, nu-metal bands that Alex was into back in the day, SOAD was my favorite. I always loved how Serj Tankian's voice is so clear over these instrumentals. It's a quality that most other bands of this kind lack, as the vocals can get messy and unintelligible very quickly. I absolutely love how he sings on "Darts." Their instrumental performances are always impressive too, a surprising degree of clarity amid the madness. I love when they slow things down for an intro or section here and there. Of course, they are known for heavy, political lyrics. I rarely pick up on lyrics like that, but when I do catch them, it's a nice reminder that these guys (and Serj specifically) have good heads on their shoulders. I hadn't heard this album before, but it's really great. A fantastic debut.
Favorite tracks: Darts, Suite-Pee, Suggestions, Sugar, Soil, Mind.
Album art: Very strong. Apparently taken from an anti-fascist propaganda poster that said "A hand has 5 fingers! With these 5 grab the enemy!" Hell yeah.
4.5/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Second album from the second Elvis. I definitely liked this one more than the first. I still find his voice to be a little strange and whiny, but there were more engaging songs on this album. Also, I may have heard "Pump It Up" before, that riff sounded very familiar. Overall, still not a fan of Mr. Costello but this album was alright to me. I will say it sounds a few years ahead of its time--I would've guessed this came out in the '80s.
Favorite tracks: The Beat, Pump It Up, Lipstick Vogue.
Album art: It's a pretty good picture, but he honestly looks like a hipster version of Mr. Bean. Also the color and centering of him in the cover reminds me of that Al Green greatest hits album.
3/5
The Byrds
4/5
When I saw it was the Byrds, I was not expecting this at all! I'm somewhat aware of this group, but I know them for psychedelic '60s rock. This was apparently a big departure for them, but they totally nail the classic country sound. Even knowing this isn't their natural style, and despite their blend of rock elements, it still sounds very authentic. This makes me want some more classic country music on the list, like Marty Robbins. Very cool album!
Favorite tracks: I Am a Pilgrim, You're Still On My Mind, Pretty Polly, Lazy Days.
Album art: Very intricate, I would love to see this on vinyl if only to read all the little cartoon dialogue boxes. I love the art style, it reminds me of a tarot deck. In that way, I think the Byrds manage to combine a bit of their psychedelia into this country album.
4/5
Can
3/5
This was pretty cool! Not much to say, just a few songs. But I think it's amazing that an album with this sound and structure was made in the early '70s. I don't mind long songs, and the longest one here was my favorite.
Favorite tracks: Bel Air, Future Days.
Album art: Very simple logo, but a cool design. Nice colors too. "Can" might be the simplest band name I've ever heard.
3.5/5
Coldplay
4/5
We love Coldplay, don't we folks? The critical world (read: Pitchfork) has always panned these lads but I enjoy their music. This album contains "Yellow," which is one of my favorite tunes from them. I like this album a lot because it doesn't sound like they're trying for some big radio sound, they are just making good music. Perhaps that's the beauty of a debut, Coldplay before they were big. Plenty of great songs on here, I wouldn't mind some more Coldplay albums!
Favorite tracks: Yellow, Trouble, Sparks, Everything's Not Lost, Shiver
Album art: I've always loved this one for it's simplicity. Great font, great contrast, and a globe spinning way too fast. And look, the globe is all yellow!
4/5
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
Never heard of this group. The music is pretty good, but blends together really quickly and starts to sound generic. I was more intrigued by reading about Richey Edwards and his disappearance than the music itself. Still, as usual, a couple good songs on here, but this is pretty middle-of-the-road for me.
Favorite tracks: Die in the Summertime, Revol.
Album art: Kind of disturbing. I do like the font and the reversed R's, plus having the track list on the front is an interesting choice. But the inset pictures seem menacing. I'm scared.
2.5/5
Magazine
3/5
Never heard of this group. This was pretty cool, a good handful of tracks that I enjoyed, but a lot of the rest of it became background noise. Still, great guitar work and good melodies. Seems like the groundwork for a lot of rock that came after it.
Favorite tracks: Definitive Gaze, My Tulpa, Motorcade
Album art: Looks like a Scary Stories picture with a bit more color. I like it.
3.5/5
Thin Lizzy
2/5
Oh boy, another live album. I would’ve loved an actual Thin Lizzy project. The irony here is that the songs I love (“Jailbreak” and “The Boys are Back in Town”) aren’t the ones I liked on this because I just prefer the studio version. A couple tracks I did enjoy, that I hadn’t heard before, but as a matter of principle I can’t give this a high rating. Live albums are a paradox, and, with few exceptions, I don’t think they should exist.
Favorite tracks: Still in Love With You, Sha-La-La.
Album art: Ooooh a picture of the band performing live! I wonder what it sounds like?
2.5/5
Everything But The Girl
4/5
Wow, this was a really nice change of pace! Very cool ‘90s music, the vocals reminded me a bit of Natalie Merchant, the overall sound reminded me of Massive Attack. Really dug this, very chill all the way through.
Favorite tracks: Before Today, Single, Walking Wounded, Flipside, Mirror Ball.
Album art: The picture is pretty simple, but the text elevates it significantly, especially the Japanese characters. I was expecting some kind of vaporwave type project based on the cover, and honestly it’s not too far off.
4/5
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Whoa, gotta be the newest we’ve had on this list! I’m not a big fan of LCD, but I actually saw them in concert with Andrew and Alden, that was really fun. I’ve heard this album before and only really liked one song (“oh baby”), but this time around I liked some more. This is a good album, but it doesn’t hold my interest all that much. Still, some solid hits to get you dancing.
Favorite tracks: oh baby, other voices, how do you sleep?
Album cover: So simple that it feels cheap. Getty images-level of effort here. I love looking at the sky as much as the next guy, but give me a break.
3.5/5
Radiohead
4/5
Another great album from Radio and the Heads! Much brighter than the previous (I think this album is notoriously their most accessible and least depressing), lots of tracks on here that I enjoyed. At this point, when I see Radiohead pop up, I know I’m in for a smooth ride. We’ve had two in about a month, and I can’t complain.
Favorite tracks: 15 Step, All I Need, Jigsaw Falling into Place, Reckoner.
Album art: Another iconic picture, I see this one a lot. Really love the multicolored text, and I’ve barely even looked through to the explosion behind it, but this one is really fun to look at.
4/5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Love Tom Petty, but this album didn’t have a whole lot for me. “Breakdown” is a big hit, but many others on here I didn’t know. It seems this was early in his career exploring different rock and even country/blues styles. Still, a good listen. Hope we get more from Tom.
Favorite tracks: Breakdown, Mystery Man, Fooled Again.
Album art: I really like this, it’s a classic classic rock cover style. Great logo, great photo. No complaints.
3.5/5
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Hey look, it's Carrie from Portlandia! I think I've heard just the newest album from Sleater-Kinney prior to this. They're a solid punk band, a bit more polished than the garage-band variety of punk, but with the same energy. I don't love the vocals, but they're good on a few tracks. Overall, this isn't an album I'd return to but it's not bad, still a couple tracks that I did enjoy. Always a pleasure to get some music from female artists on this list!
Favorite tracks: One More Hour, Babies.
Album art: This one's cool, I like the different panels for the three band members. Definitely fits the '90s very well.
3/5
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
This was a cool album! Never heard of this band, but enjoyed their sound quite a bit. Without even seeing the date, I could tell this was '80s. The tracks were long, but that didn't bother me. I didn't love it overall, but there was enough on here to keep me interested.
Favorite tracks: Dominion, Lucretia My Reflection, Driven Like the Snow.
Album art: Almost looks like Michael Jackson. The barely-there faces made me laugh, this one's trying really hard to be cool. I do like it though, I admire them for going for a look.
3.5/5
John Grant
3/5
An interesting listen for sure. Both the vocals and instrumentals are very clear, with some enjoyable melodies here and there. I was caught off guard by some of the language on here, particularly the tirade of slurs on the song whose name I'd rather not type out. Even if it's done artistically or as part of an evil character, it's still weird. Nevertheless, I liked a few songs on here. Kind of strange that this was released in 2010, I would've guessed '90s or '00s. It feels older. It's a fine project, but mostly forgettable.
Favorite tracks: TC and Honeybear, Sigourney Weaver, Outer Space.
Album art: Somewhat intriguing, but it looks so artsy that it made me want to hate the music. But I loved the first track, so that was dispelled pretty quickly.
3/5
Iron Maiden
4/5
Oh baby, a triple! Triple six, that is. I started playing this without looking at the tracklist and thought "I don't know if I've ever really listened to Iron Maiden," but this has two of their most classic hits that I know and love: the title track, and "Run to the Hills." Other great songs on here too, just a great experience front to back. I'm not much of a metal guy, but stuff like this and Metallica are very much in my wheelhouse. Absolutely deserves a spot on an all-time list like this. It doesn't get a perfect score from me today, but I love this album. In time, I could see it getting there, just like The Cure's Disintegration.
Favorite tracks: Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills, Children of the Damned, Hallowed Be Thy Name (how great are these song titles??).
Album art: Brother, let me tell you. This has got to be in the top 10 or so for best ever. I've always adored the art style deployed by Iron Maiden on their covers, apparently all painted by Derek Riggs, and this is such a fantastic one. The heavy metal ghoul (he's got a NAME and it's EDDIE), the dastardly devil, the puppet strings, the pyres, I love everything about this.
4.5/5
Elton John
4/5
Sir Elton! Never listened to a full album, but of course I know the hits, several of which are indeed on this album. Dad's a big fan, I'm sure he's enjoying getting this on the list. This is a very strong album, some great variety of sounds and songwriting. I was caught off guard by the reggae/ska track, and then laughed out loud when I saw it was called "Jamaican Jerk-Off." What a cheeky bastard. It loses steam on the back half, and maybe a little too long overall, but still a great album. Somehow I leave this album with the opening lyrics of "Tiny Dancer" stuck in my head, and that's not even on here.
Favorite tracks: Saturday Night's Alright, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Bennie and the Jets, Funeral for a Friend.
Album art: I like this one, cool art style. Elton John definitely not hiding who he is, you love to see it.
4/5
Burning Spear
4/5
Nice, some reggae! Honestly wouldn't have expected an album like this one here. Without knowing much at all about reggae, I think this album is great. Some great conscious lyricism, contrasted by the pleasant island vibes. I feel like I'm on island time, but I've got a serious zoom call in an hour. This was really enjoyable! Feels much more authentic than the ska/reggae album we had a little while back from The Specials.
Favorite tracks: Slavery Days, Marcus Garvey, Tradition, Live Good.
Album art: I love this one. The art style is fantastic, the text is bold and strong, and the imagery perfectly conveys the heft of the subject matter. Very, very cool.
4/5
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
I've been waiting for this day for months now. Jimi Hendrix will forever be one of my favorite artists, and my favorite guitarist to ever live. He's unbelievably talented and creative. How can one group span so many genres on one album? The first few tracks of this album, for example: a psychedelic ambient interlude, a R&B/soul track that would sound at home on a Curtis Mayfield album, an upbeat rock staple, and a long blues track that you might hear at a Crossroads festival. I've been a huge fan of Jimi since I was in high school, and in the ten years that have passed since and all the other music I've experienced, I still haven't heard anyone do it like he did. And I haven't even mentioned the final two tracks: two of his best ever. I tend to cite Are You Experienced as my favorite Hendrix album, but this is right up there.
Favorite tracks: Voodoo Child (Slight Return), All Along the Watchtower, Voodoo Chile, Come On, 1983, Crosstown Traffic.
Album art: This red and yellow picture is one of several covers for the album, and perhaps the most iconic. There's also the notorious naked ladies cover, and a few others floating around. I have a bootleg copy of this on vinyl, and the cover is a solo portrait shot (and the naked ladies are in the gatefold). I'm not sure which of those three I like best.
5/5
Janis Joplin
4/5
What is this, classics week? Back to back 27 Club legends. I'm familiar with a few Janis Joplin songs, but haven't heard an album. This posthumous release contains my favorite song by far, "Me and Bobby McGee." She had such a unique, gravelly voice that lends itself perfectly to the sort of blues-rock styles explored here. Short and sweet, with very few songs that don't hit for me. This is another one that I can't give a perfect rating today, but it could definitely rise to that level. Fantastic album all the way through.
Favorite tracks: Me and Bobby McGee, Trust Me, A Woman Left Lonely, My Baby, Get It While You Can.
Album art: Portraits like this aren't usually my thing, but for a posthumous album I think it's great. It's tender without compromising her free-wheeling image. The framing is excellent as well.
4.5/5
The Who
3/5
Dear Diary....it's been about 20 days since our last Who album. I fear we may never hear another band again. Out of morbid curiosity, I looked and saw only five Who albums on this list, and we've had four in our first 80. Something tells me these things are like the heads of the Hydra—for each one you finish, two more are created. Tommy is in an interesting experiment that overstays its welcome. The movie was entertaining, but not even "Pinball Wizard" is worth 75 minutes of generic opera-rock. Technically this fits in the "classics week" category, but it's not a classic for my taste.
Favorite tracks: Pinball Wizard, I’m Free, Acid Queen.
Album art: Intriguing design, I can tell someone worked hard on this. It’s very recognizable but doesn’t hold much weight for me. I’ll always think the “Who’s next?” cover is their best.
3/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Our third album from the lesser Elvis. On a positive note, we're now halfway through all the Elvis Costello albums on the list, and I did enjoy a bit more of this one than the others. I still find his voice to range from tolerable to extremely annoying, to the point where I had to skip some songs. But I honestly can't call this bad. In fact, I'd call it pretty good. The songs I liked were really solid. Maybe with each Elvis Costello album I'll like him more? Probably not.
Favorite tracks: Uncomplicated, Battered Old Bird, I Want You.
Album art: "I call this one 'Bold and Brash.'" "More like 'belongs in the trash!'" Pretty gruesome abstract art. I like the appearance of Napoleon Dynamite, there's some lore here about whether Elvis inspired the title of the movie (which I'd say is better than anything I've heard from this guy). I like this cover though, it's neat.
3.5/5
Talking Heads
3/5
One track in and it's already better than our previous Talking Heads album. As a whole, I'm still not really into their style, they strike me as a new-wave prototype without enough excitement or energy to sound truly great. But I liked a handful of songs on here, including the weird Al Green cover. At this point, we've heard their first and second albums in order, which is a perfect way to learn about this band, but I'm still waiting for something big to justify their presence on here and in the hearts of so many people.
Favorite tracks: Thank You for Sending Me an Angel, The Big Country, The Good Thing.
Album art: Creative I guess, better than just a plain band photo, but it doesn't do much for me. Also they look like complete dorks.
3.5/5
Buck Owens
4/5
I got so hyped to see an old country album on here, more please! I'm not sure I've heard Buck Owens (or his Buckaroos) before, but the title track is a certified banger. Lots of other great tunes on here too. I love the vocal performance on "Streets of Laredo," it sounds like a completely different person. This is basically an emo album. I'm realizing that most classic country singers latch on to heartbreak and cry about it as loudly and melodramatically as possible. I dig it. Great job, Buck. Born in Sherman too, what a world!
Favorite tracks: I've Got a Tiger by the Tail, Streets of Laredo, Let the Sad Times Roll On, Cryin' Time.
Album art: Just your typical portrait cover from the '60s, nothing unique aside from the bedazzled white leather jacket. Also that stencil font makes me laugh.
4/5
Blondie
4/5
Debbie Harry, the legend! Blondie is cited so often as an '80s staple that I didn't realize they began making music in the '70s. This sounds a lot more rock-oriented than I expected, it makes me wish we'd get some other, older Blondie records on the list. Anyway, I dig this one. It's got two classic hits and plenty of excellent album cuts. Long live Debbie Harry.
Favorite tracks: Heart of Glass, 11:59, One Way or Another, Sunday Girl, Hanging on the Telephone.
Album art: Iconic. It's black and white without being black and white. Debbie front and center AS SHE SHOULD BE. Perfect color contrast, and the red font is great. This could be an all-timer.
4.5/5
Deep Purple
4/5
Ah, the album that houses the most classic, classic-rock riff of all time. One riff to rule them all. The riff that made me excited to play guitar. I don't need to name it, you know what it is. I like how few tracks are on here, and I like how long and exploratory some of them get. As a whole, it's nothing crazy, but an enjoyable listen front to back, and I liked more than half the songs, so I'd say it's pretty great.
Favorite tracks: Smoke on the Water, Lazy, Pictures of Home.
Album art: This is a classic one for sure. It looks like the band is staring in disapproval at an embossed piece of sheet metal. Much more creative than your typical band photo album cover.
4/5
Black Sabbath
5/5
Finally some Sabbath! I actually haven't heard their debut before, but of course I've heard "The Wizard." The lore behind this thing is fascinating. Recorded in twelve hours, with Tony Iommi's plastic fingers forcing the guitar into a dark dimension. Every track on here bangs, I'm stupefied. The jazzy drumming that opens "Wicked World" blew me away. I also love that the version I'm hearing mashes songs together, like someone just found these recordings in a collapsed garage and tried to piece it all together. Not sure what else to say, this is a perfect album.
Favorite tracks: The Wizard, Black Sabbath, Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B.
Album art: Love the text, love the colors, and this picture genuinely scares me. I was looking at this last night on my phone and it terrified me, like I was going to see this woman take a few steps toward me or something.
5/5
808 State
3/5
I had no idea what to expect with this, but the genre label "acid house" is much funnier to me than it should be. This is pretty cool though, some really interesting electro-grooves. Nothing too special to me, but an enjoyable listening experience. "Ancodia" sounds indebted to Herbie Hancock's "Rockit."
Favorite tracks: Ancodia, Cobra Bora, Donkey Doctor.
Album art: Very minimal, but I do like the outline font choice, and the two little inset photos are nice if you can see them.
3.5/5
Nina Simone
4/5
Wow, coming full circle with Nina Simone. Our very first album on this list, Station to Station, featured Bowie's cover of "Wild is the Wind," and here we are at the source (well not exactly, but a source for Bowie's cover). We also heard Jeff Buckley's cover of "Lilac Wine," which I didn't realize until today. Nina Simone has one of the most haunting, affecting voices to ever grace a mic. She can communicate levels of pain you never knew were possible. So many tracks on here that stop me in my tracks. Loved hearing "Four Women," sampled by Jay-Z and later, to devastating effect, by Pusha T. And the title track is such a powerful song, made more moving by Nina's lyrical revisions: "You touch me, I hear the sound of mandolins. You kiss me, with your kiss my life begins." I still think I prefer the structure and composition of the Cat Power cover, but Nina's voice is undeniable. Loved this one.
Favorite tracks: Wild is the Wind, Four Women, Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair, Lilac Wine.
Album art: Nothing crazy, but the pink and black color combo is one of the best. The font and art style definitely put this in the '60s, but it feels timeless.
4.5/5
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
I've heard of this band, and I know I've at least seen J Mascis in Portlandia, but never listened to them. Right away, I'm digging this. Kind of a noisy, garage-rock style but with good melody. The promise of the first two tracks fades a little, as the album begins to sound redundant, and then it finishes with a couple very abrasive noise rock tunes that I enjoyed more than I thought I would (but still not very much). This was a decent album. I won't return to much, but I respect it for sounding about 5-10 years ahead of its time.
Favorite tracks: Freak Scene, No Bones, Pond Song.
Album art: I like this one. Somewhat inscrutable. At first I thought I was looking at some deformed Ratatouille freak, but then I finally saw the bug. This is cool though, like the whole thing was finger-drawn in mud.
3/5
Bob Dylan
4/5
Finally! We're nearly 100 albums in, and this is our first from Bob Dylan (somehow still no Beatles). This opens with one of his best songs, and easily one of my favorite songs ever. I like the use of electrified rock instruments on here, and Dylan sounds great, but I don't think it's always the best fit. A couple swinging, dance-y rock and roll joints that seem a little odd. The slide whistle or whatever it is on the title track made me laugh, it sounds like a stupid radio show drop. It's a great album, but not my favorite style from Bobby D. I much prefer the rambling, stripped-back poetic songs (like "Desolation Row"). Still, most of it works, and it works really well. I could imagine this blowing my mind in the mid-'60s.
Favorite tracks: Like a Rolling Stone, Desolation Row, Queen Jane Approximately, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues.
Album art: Gotta be iconic. I think that can be said for a handful of Dylan album covers. This is a great picture, very '60s. Maybe the coolest he's ever looked.
4.5/5
JAY Z
4/5
A great album for #100! Of course, Jay-Z is an all-time great in hip hop, but I've never really gotten into his albums. I tend to prefer him as a feature, as I just don't think his style is dynamic enough to hold my interest for an album's length. The same principle applies here, but this one is elevated by fantastic production, especially from the young Chicago phenom named Kanye West--that guy's going places. Back-to-back, Kanye samples The Doors and the Jackson 5. Who else has that kind of gall? Jay-Z is an undeniably great rapper, but I just don't find his rapping engaging (much like his protege J. Cole). Still, he does a great job over these amazing beats, and the album is a classic for a reason. Also, I just learned that this album was released on 9/11. New lore just dropped.
Favorite tracks: Izzo, Never Change, Heart of the City, Renegade.
Album art: Not sure if this is Jay's most iconic, but it's gotta be up there. This blue filter is immediately recognizable. Jay definitely making the case that he's big pimpin'.
4.5/5
Don McLean
4/5
Was prepared to only like the title track, but wow, great work here from Don McLean. Not a one-hit wonder! Some fantastic songwriting all around. I especially loved "Babylon," which sounds so familiar. It may not be a very dynamic project, but McLean has a great pen and great voice, and he held my attention throughout.
Favorite tracks: Babylon, American Pie, Empty Chairs, The Grave.
Album art: Not sure about this one, Don. It seems to be a weak reference to the title track, but doesn't really capture the mood of the album at all. It's a decent visual, but cheesy and doesn't fit. Would've made more sense as artwork for the single.
4/5
The Black Keys
4/5
Wow, an old favorite. I went through a Black Keys binge phase when I discovered them in college, and I still think they're a fantastic rock duo. Brothers isn't my favorite of their albums, but I understand the selection because this was their breakthrough and it's got a crazy roster of hits. The opening four-track run is pretty insane. This album (or the Black Keys in general) is the kind of thing you show to your uncle who says rock died in the '80s.
Favorite tracks: Howlin' for You, Everlasting Light, Black Mud, Next Girl, Tighten Up.
Album art: Sort of creative by being uncreative. Black and pink color scheme is always good, but I never dug this one very much. Probably part of the reason I gravitated to other Black Keys albums more.
4/5
Tom Waits
2/5
Prior to this, I only knew Tom Waits the actor, never listened to his music. Before I pressed play, I worried to myself that this would be some generic album that just functions as a showcase of his raspy voice. My worry mostly came true. There are a few decent tracks, but I really can't find much to care about. We get it, your voice is cool. I actually started laughing when I heard "Saving All My Love for You," I'll count that as a positive. Some critic called him a "unique and lovable minor talent." That sounds about right. Maybe it'll click someday; it looks like there's four other Waits albums on the list so I really hope so.
Favorite tracks: Downtown, Saving All My Love for You.
Album art: Points for creativity, even if it's a little cheesy. Incorporating the track titles is a nice touch. Nothing crazy though.
2/5
Mudhoney
3/5
Not much to say here. Liked a few songs, didn't enjoy it that much. They've got a cool sound but it's not something I'd return to very often. I am surprised at the date though, these guys put out an album in 2018 that I liked.
Favorite tracks: Mudride, If I Think, Burn It Clean.
Album art: Not a fan of the black and white here, but this is a cool picture and the band name/logo is nice.
3/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
Don't let the title fool you, this is a good album. It holds the record (tied by Katy Perry) for most number-one singles. We all know and love tracks like "Man in the Mirror" and "Smooth Criminal," but some of the deeper album cuts are pretty fantastic too. "Liberian Girl" is really cool, and the frenetic bassline on "Speed Demon" caught me so off-guard. Surely that was Thundercat as a baby? My one issue here is that, lyrically, many of these songs remind me that Mike was in all likelihood a child molester. Was this a coy way for him to "admit" that he's a bad guy? Who knows. The notion of separating the art from the artist is impossible when the creep found not guilty of noncery sings "you've been struck by a smooth criminal." Dammit, the music is great though.
Favorite tracks: Smooth Criminal, Man in the Mirror, Bad, Speed Demon.
Album art: Very simple, but definitely iconic. Great juxtaposition by putting a guy as dainty and feminine as late-'80s MJ in a tough guy leather jacket. The graffiti font for the title is also funny, it's gotta be the most sterile representation of street art ever imagined.
4/5
Pantera
4/5
Do I actually like metal now, or do we just keep getting really good metal albums? This is definitely closer to the thrash and death metal stuff that I'm not into, but there are some serious bangers on this album. Of course I know "Walk," but it might not even be my favorite track. The vocals are less clear than the other metal bands we've had (Sabbath, SOAD, Iron Maiden), but the instrumentals are very crisp. Some fantastic, heavy guitar work. I like this a lot.
Favorite tracks: This Love, Walk, F*****g Hostile, By Demons Driven.
Album art: Super DIY. The text blocks are great. Could work as a punk album cover too. This man's neck will never be the same.
4/5
Simple Minds
4/5
Only know this band for the one hit, but this is a very enjoyable album. I was fully prepared for some christian rock based on this cover though. Very smooth '80s new wave, or "art pop" as they seem to call it. I'd put it in the same camp as that Steve McQueen album from Prefab Sprouts. Really, really loved "Glittering Prize."
Favorite tracks: Glittering Prize, Someone Somewhere, Promised You a Miracle, Somebody Up There Likes You.
Album art: It's so obviously designed to look like the hymnal books at church, I really love it. I'd never even thought of the idea of interpolating that art style. I still don't think it "fits" the music necessarily, but I think this one is super cool.
4/5
Arrested Development
4/5
Crazy! I listened to the song "Tennessee" a bunch as a kid, it never hit me that there would be a whole album from this group. This is really smooth alt-hip hop. It sounds '90s, but it also sounds different from the majority of '90s hip hop. It's very bright and accessible. So cool that this is on the list.
Favorite tracks: Mr. Wendal, Tennessee, Raining Revolution, People Everyday, U.
Album art: Really cool band photo, very spacious. Excellent color contrast between the dead grass and the blue sky. The font is nice too.
4/5
X-Ray Spex
2/5
Interesting. I had a hard time finding the proper album, apparently they've changed the tracklist once or twice. I don't take that as a good sign. Anyway, it's punk music. Good energy, good angst. I generally like punk rock, but I don't really like this. At album's length it feels very flat. A few highlights of course but for the most part just not very engaging. Not sure how an album like this lands on Rolling Stone's top 500, or even on this list, unless perhaps it's highly influential. It certainly sounds newer than 1978, but hearing it for the first time now? I've heard a lot better.
Favorite tracks: Germ Free Adolescents, Plastic Bag, I Live Off You.
Album art: I do like this cover quite a bit. Creative, good colors, fits the album title very well. If only the music were as fun.
2.5/5
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Wow, only four tracks for 45 minutes, I like that. I know Isaac Hayes for the Shaft soundtrack, but this is really solid too. Nice, long grooves to settle into. Kind of crazy that this was released in 1969, I normally associate this kind of soul music with the '70s. Nothing amazing, but a good album nonetheless.
Favorite tracks: Walk On By, Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic (just had to type that out).
Album art: I've seen this one countless times. Gotta be an iconic cover for the bald community. Though seeing hair follicles at this resolution might set off some trypophobia for some people.
3.5/5
Jungle Brothers
4/5
No way! Easily the least appreciated group in the Native Tongues collective, alongside Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. Very groovy, dance-y beats that sound a tad more dated than Tribe, but can you blame them? This was released in '89, I would've guessed mid-'90s! The rapping is great of course, but if we're going to compare to Tribe, they don't quite have the banter or charisma that elevated Q-Tip and Phife to legendary status. That perhaps explains why they aren't as well-known, but this is still a fantastic, really enjoyable album. Conscious, Afrocentric lyricism over some of the best jazz beats the era had to offer. I especially liked hearing the sample on "Beeds on a String" of one of the tracks Kanye sampled on "Fade" in 2016. The phrase "underrated classic" appears in the wikipedia page, and I think it's an apt descriptor.
Favorite tracks: Tribe Vibes, Feelin' Alright, Doin' Our Own Dang, Black Woman, Beeds on a String.
Album art: LOVE this one. Fantastic colors, great artistry. The kind of cover I like to get lost in looking for all the little details.
4.5/5
The Who
4/5
I really thought we were out of the woods. Are we being punished? Why is our list haunted? Here we are, the fifth (and, God willing, final) Who album on the list at a rate of one every 22 albums. I keep having this recurring nightmare where I wake up to find this project called 1001 The Who Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Not a single Beatles album yet, but five from these wankers. How's the music you ask? It's fine, a strong debut that I'd enjoy more if it didn't follow four albums of diminishing returns. I actually have this one on vinyl but I'm just so tired. If I give this a 4-star rating will you chaps please leave me alone??? I'm sick to bastard death of you!!
Favorite tracks: My (list is trapped in an endless loop of Who album) Generation, Please Please Please (stop), I Don't Mind (if I never hear another Who album again)
Album art: It's fine, whatever. Stop staring at me, pricks.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Love to see Muddy Waters on the list, a true blues legend. Very obviously the progenitor of the blues-rock style that launched copycat acts like the Stones, Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin to their early success. To quote Chance the Rapper: "I got the Chicago blues. We invented rock before the Stones got through." The "we" in that lyric refers to Muddy Waters. I'm not too bothered by this being a live album, considering that a lot of Muddy's best work preceded the album format entirely. I do wish we had certain hits on here like "Rolling Stone" and "Mannish Boy," but these are still great selections. He's got such a fantastic voice for this kind of music, and all the musicians kill it, especially the harmonica, shout out to James Cotton. Really dug this one.
Favorite tracks: I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man, Meanest Woman, Soon Forgotten, Goodbye Newport Blues.
Album art: A simple picture of Muddy Waters, likely taken at the show. It's a great shot though, great color contrast. You can tell he means business.
4/5
The Prodigy
3/5
Crab music. When I hear Prodigy I think of the late rapper from Mobb Deep. This is NOT that Prodigy. I knew as soon as I heard the first song that this was late '90s; it's the same laser-specific techno/rock style that gave us Darude - Sandstorm. Definitely enjoyable as a relic of that era. This is the kind of music I'd put on while hacking into the mainframe.
Favorite tracks: Firestarter, Breathe, Smack My Bitch Up.
Album art: Iconic. I've never heard this before and never heard anything from this band, but I've seen the crab cover a billion times and know it well. Even if I hadn't seen it before, it's legitimately a badass picture. The motion blur is insane.
3.5/5
The Byrds
3/5
Our second from the Byrds, and much more of what I knew the Byrds to be: proto-psychedelia. Definitely foundational for the sounds that a lot of bands would explore in the late '60s and early '70s, but personally I didn't get too much out of this. A few tracks I'll return to, but as far as psych rock is concerned, it's pretty tame.
Favorite tracks: Eight Miles High, Wild Mountain Thyme, John Riley, Mr. Spaceman.
Album art: I really like this one. It's a band photo, but isolating them so small and surrounded by darkness is great, it's like a sensory deprivation tank or something. Very fitting.
3/5
Cheap Trick
2/5
Listening through this, I was confused at first. Then I hit "I Want You to Want Me" and realized oh, this is home to probably one of the most famous live rock songs I know. I'm still not a fan of live albums in general, but I understand including this one now. That doesn't mean I like it, though. I wouldn't return to it aside from the two hits.
Favorite tracks: I Want You to Want Me, Surrender.
Album cover: Honestly not that bad. It's just a band/stage photo but they look like they're having fun and the colors are pretty nice.
2.5/5
Minor Threat
4/5
A 21 minute album, what a breath of fresh air. This is the kind of punk I like: high energy, high angst, and a surprising amount of talent in the (otherwise garage-quality) instrumentals. Crazy that this is Minor Threat's only album, considering I recognize the name, and perhaps even crazier that this was released in 1983. The influence that this had on rock for the next decade or two thereafter is palpable.
Favorite tracks: Look Back and Laugh, Sob Story, No Reason, Out of Step.
Album art: Simple but effective. A black sheep out of step with the herd. Plus the crude illustration of the black sheep opposed to the fine drawing of the rest captures the nature of punk music itself really well.
4/5
Koffi Olomide
3/5
I think I listened to the right album? Or at least its closest equivalent on Apple Music. This is really enjoyable music! Not sure why this one was picked, but I'm always happy to see something other than rock or new wave show up. I couldn't tell you if this is groundbreaking or influential, but it's a very pleasant listening experience. Lots of great grooves that make me want to dance.
Favorite tracks: Papa bonheur, Porte monnaie, Dit jeannot.
Album art: Released in the early '90s, but looks incredibly '80s. Good, colors, good font. Koffi's fit is astonishing.
3.5/5
Marvin Gaye
4/5
I've been patiently waiting for some Marvin Gaye, particularly What's Going On. I actually just heard about this album a couple days ago, but hadn't heard it. It's really, really great. Marvin has such a soulful voice, there's a lot of life and pain in there, but it's still groovy. Interesting that he gave up promoting this album after it was deemed "too commercial." So many tracks on here that I loved immediately. Ironically, though, the one song I've heard before ("When Did You Stop Loving Me") I don't like. That song is featured on the "blonded" radio station in GTA and it's one of the few that I will tune away from. It just doesn't do anything for me, and yet I had to hear it three different ways on one album. Despite that, I loved this. I recognize the classic status.
Favorite tracks: I Met a Little Girl (amazing track), Everybody Needs Love, Anger, Here My Dear.
Album art: Never even seen this before, but I really dig it. Marvin immortalizing himself as a statue looks pretty funny, but it's a very cool art style.
4.5/5
Beastie Boys
4/5
Markedly better than Ill Communication. Part of that is probably because this is from '89 instead of '94: it does sound dated, but it should sound dated. Even still, the instrumental flourishes all over this album are interesting. The beats are very basic, but different samples and basslines elevate this above standard fare. I heard samples of stuff like Superfly, Mississippi Queen, the Jaws Theme, Ballroom Blitz, That Lady (which was also sampled by Kendrick on "i"), Folsom Prison, and Good Times. The perfect album to show to people who hate on sampling in hip hop. Now I can safely say that, despite my distaste for the other album, I'm not a Beastie Boys hater.
Favorite tracks: Hey Ladies, Egg Man, Shake Your Rump, 3-Minute Rule, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun.
Album art: This one's a bit of a classic. It reminds me of the Bowie album cover that also features a street scene. This seems to be a common theme for many artists to do a cover like this, but it works.
4/5
Wilco
3/5
I've listened to a couple Wilco albums. They're a fine band, nothing special. But maybe that's the charm, you know? Just a good old-fashioned folk rock band. They don't demand too much of you, though this album does demand quite a bit of time. Jeff Tweedy is a good songwriter though and seems like a cool dude. Enough tracks I enjoyed on here to say it's a good album for me.
Favorite tracks: Say You Miss Me, Far Far Away, The Lonely 1.
Album art: Simplicity to the extreme. Fits what I said about the band pretty well. There's a charm to this kind of simplicity.
3.5/5
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
MBV is a band that all the music nerds talk about. I’ve maybe heard an album before, but certainly not this one. I really like this, it feels like well-established shoegaze, like these guys knew exactly what they were going for. I love the fuzzed out, washed out aesthetic here. Plenty of songs that I could feel myself melting into.
Favorite tracks: Cupid Come, No More Sorry, All I Need, I Can See It, Lose My Breath.
Album art: Like the music, it looks like a hazy, washed out photo of the band. Nothing crazy, but very fitting.
4/5
Primal Scream
4/5
Really interesting music. Hard to pin a genre on this, the description on Apple Music is all over the place. Listening to this outside in the sun feels perfect though, catching a vibe for sure. I love the instrumentals. The vocals are fairly weak and forgettable, but with this kind of music they really aren’t that important. I dig it.
Favorite tracks: Movin On Up, Don’t Fight It Feel It, Higher Than the Sun, Loaded, Damaged.
Album art: LOVE this one, I’m calling it iconic based on seeing it just a number of times. Bright colors like this work great for me, and it definitely fits the music. More like this.
4/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I’m sure the only album I’ve heard from Leonard Cohen was the one released just before (or just after?) he died. This album starts very strong, three fantastic hits right out the gate. He’s a bit like Tom Waits, in that he’s got the signature vocal that everyone remembers (and funny enough, Waits cites this album as a favorite). But there’s much more character to these tracks for me, I enjoyed it a hell of a lot more than the Waits album. But still, it wore a little thin after a while. A good album, but wish I could say I liked more on here.
Favorite tracks: Everybody Knows, First We Take Manhattan, Ain’t No Cure for Love.
Album art: Comically simple. I can’t look back up at this without grinning. What a dumb album cover. The massive text, and the tiny text, and the pic of Cohen lost in a warehouse eating a banana. Is this supposed to be funny?
3.5/5
Pearl Jam
4/5
A bit of a classic here. I’ve always loved Eddie Vedder’s voice, even if as a joke. This is just a cool rock band, seemingly lost in time. They rocked in the ‘90s for sure, but I wonder if they would’ve rocked even harder in decades prior. Some of their best songs on here too, so great album choice.
Favorite tracks: Jeremy, Even Flow, Alive, Garden, Black.
Album art: Borderline pathetic. This seems like a “greatest hits” parody cover. I actually thought this was a greatest hits when I saw it, it’s so lazy and lame. Good thing the music’s good.
4/5
The Blue Nile
4/5
This was a really cool album. Reminiscent of the albums we've heard from Prefab Sprout and Simple Minds, so it comes as no surprise to see this also labeled "sophisti-pop." I really dug the structure, seven pretty long songs that you can sink your teeth into is always nice. Some very interesting instrumental choices, too. Quite a few tracks on here I'll return to.
Favorite tracks: From Rags to Riches, Stay, Tinseltown in the Rain, Heatwave.
Album art: Not bad for a band photo, the framing and multicolored text is pretty nice. But nothing special.
4/5
Tom Waits
2/5
Tom Waits is poised to be the next artist we get way too many albums from in a short period of time. After the last, I'm obviously not looking forward to this. As expected, it's goofy as hell. The opening track is so bizarre that I kinda like it. Overall, I'd put this slightly over the previous Tom Waits album for being more interesting in instrumental choices (it all felt thematic), but it's still not something I dig very much. Some skippers to be sure, that drags it down. But I do think Tom's got potential to make an album I actually enjoy, so I'm less afraid now for the next.
Favorite tracks: Underground, Frank's Wild Years.
Album art: I actually like this one, the color scheme is pretty cool, and it feels like it has genuine artistic direction matching the music. Font is cool too. Wish the album were a little better though.
2.5/5
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
Lenny's big debut, and no I'm not talking about when his pants ripped on stage. Really cool that he played all the instruments and did everything on here himself! I didn't recognize any tracks on here, but there were a handful that I dug. It's an easy project to listen to, even if it's nothing incredible. I like this.
Favorite tracks: My Precious Love, Rosemary, Empty Hands, Let Love Rule.
Album art: He's ready for his close up. Color scheme reminds me of Electric Ladyland, another close up. The font is kinda cool.
3.5/5
Drive-By Truckers
4/5
Wow, what an interesting project! I've heard the album these guys released in 2016, "What It Means" is such an incredible track, so I knew to expect some politics on here, and they delivered. The vocals at times hit me like a southern Mark Kozelek. I love the sometimes brazen, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, exploration of the southern psyche (including the racism), which is often emblematically personified by artists like Lynyrd Skynyrd. This album started so strong, with a handful of genuinely fantastic tracks in the first half. Were this a single album (rather than a double), it would get a 4.5 from me. But I can't deny that the second half didn't reach the same heights for me; very little stuck out on the back end aside from the closer. But still, this is incredibly ambitious and absolutely deserving of attention and a spot on this list.
Favorite tracks: The Three Great Alabama Icons (wow), Dead Drunk and Naked, Days of Graduation, 72, Let There Be Rock, Angels and Fuselage.
Album cover: Love this art style, and loved finding out that they maintained this on so many of their albums. I dig this one a lot.
4/5
Simply Red
4/5
Never heard of this group, but this was a really nice album. At times it reminded me of a version of Peter Cetera with an extra helping of soul. What genre is this, exactly? It's somewhere between pop, R&B, and soul, and I like the exploration of that blended space. The kind of thing that could be called easy listening.
Favorite tracks: Holding Back the Years, Jericho, Open Up the Red Box, Come to My Aid.
Album art: Really like this one, a cool painting both in aesthetic and temperature. Never seen it before, but it leaves an impression (see what I did there?).
4/5
Judas Priest
4/5
Nice, always liked Judas Priest. This is often regarded as their masterpiece, and I'm trying to figure out why. Don't get me wrong, there are genuine bangers on here, I just don't feel it hitting the same highs as Screaming for Vengeance does for me. Still, a great album and a very enjoyable listen, even if some of the tracks start to run together. Good old-fashioned heavy metal. Also "Breaking the Law" is a song I know very well thanks to Adventureland. Feel like I'm giving a lot of 4's lately, but that means the list is working like it should.
Favorite tracks: Breaking the Law, United, Metal Gods, The Rage, Grinder.
Album art: Definitely iconic. I prefer some of their more cartoony covers, like Screaming for Vengeance and Defenders of the Faith (what a cover), but this one is bold and instantly recognizable for me. Sort of reminds me of the hand we saw on the SOAD self-titled.
4/5
AC/DC
5/5
Man, listen. When I was learning how to play guitar in high school, it was all classic rock for me, and I’ll never forget when we hooked up Dad’s turntable and I put this on for the first time. I instantly fell in love with this album. So many killer riffs, some great, memorable (and easy) lyrics. It’s pure rock, plain and simple. And there are even a couple songs on here to deflect the claim that every AC/DC song sounds the same (I’m thinking “Walk All Over You” and “Night Prowler”). Of course, a lot of it does sound the same, and if you don’t like that sound, this probably won’t work for you. But if you do, this is undeniably one of AC/DC’s best. The last album with Bon Scott, which was followed THE NEXT YEAR with Back in Black. Talk about a one-two punch. This is a certified classic for me, and one I just recently picked up on vinyl. I’m writing this review in bed before I even get up to listen to the album. I feel electrified.
Favorite tracks: Every track really, but Highway to Hell, Night Prowler, Love Hungry Man, Touch Too Much, Beating Around the Bush.
Album cover: Iconic. Stone cold classic. Bloody legendary. I have a poster of this stashed under my bed. Angus with the devil horns and tail to distract from the fact that Bon Scott is wearing a pentagram. Guy in the middle with the “fluoride stare.” Rock and roll is most certainly the devil’s music. Nobody talk to me.
5/5
Muddy Waters
3/5
Not too long ago, we had a live album from Muddy, and I remember saying in my review that I was missing hits like "Mannish Boy." Well, guess what track opens this album? It's a blessing and a curse, because I love that track so much that the rest of the album paled in comparison. I hate to say it, but I think I preferred the live album overall. Still a good listen, the music is consistent, but my interest fizzled out fairly quickly. Even in his older age, Mannish Boy is such a powerhouse hit that the rest seemed tame in comparison.
Favorite tracks: Mannish Boy, Bus Driver, I Can't Be Satisfied.
Album art: This looks super goofy to me. There's no way he's hard again while dressed like that.
3.5/5
Supertramp
4/5
Definitely heard of Supertramp, didn’t realize they did “Give a Little Bit.” This album started off sooo strong, with School and Bloody Well Right, I was honestly amazed and thinking it could be a 5 star if the momentum kept up. Unfortunately it wasn’t all so powerful. Still a great prog rock album, and I’ll celebrate it for those two opening tracks because damn they were fantastic. Certainly wouldn’t mind more from this group, this went down smooth.
Favorite tracks: School, Bloody Well Right, If Everyone Was Listening.
Album art: I’ve never even seen this before but I genuinely love it. It looks amazing. The constellation font, the disembodied bars and hands. Really, really great cover. If the album were a bit better I’d want to buy it.
4/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Didn't expect to get two reggae albums before getting even one Beatles album. We love Bob Marley and his wailers, don't we folks? I'm no reggae expert but to me there's nothing special here, and that's okay. Just good vibes baby, island vibes. I do know the song "Stir It Up" because it was frequently the soundtrack to me and Hayden smoking kelp -- no that's not a euphemism, it's a Minecraft pastime.
Favorite tracks: Stir It Up, High Tide or Low Tide, Slave Driver.
Album art: What are we looking at here? A stretched image of a zippo lighter? The cover on Apple Music is a picture of Bob Marley facing the fattest joint I've ever seen. Either way, no confusion as to what's going on here.
3.5/5
The Young Rascals
4/5
Great album, plenty of soul. I was expecting something more psychedelic based on the cover but this was really enjoyable. I once had an empty LP sleeve of this album that I repurposed to house a loose J Dilla vinyl, and I’m thrilled to actually hear what it was I didn’t have.
Favorite tracks: A Girl Like You, Sueno, Groovin’, Find Somebody.
Album art: Love this one, very fun. Bizarre caricatures, but the colors and the vibe are undeniable.
4/5
The Roots
4/5
The Roots are a group that, despite my persistent journey into hip hop, I still haven't heard much from--I've heard more solo work from Black Thought. On first listen, I'm not much for picking up lyrics (and given the title and the Roots themselves, I know there's heavy lyrical content on here), but the music itself is really strong. It's an album that I'm sure would reward repeat listens, but based on the strength of the sound and the rapping, I can already say it's a great album. Excellent energy and a lot of cool styles explored.
Favorite tracks: Quills, Rhymes and Ammo, The Seed 2.0, Thought @ Work.
Album art: I'd say this is iconic as far as hip hop albums go. I've seen this countless times. Phrenology itself is a disturbing concept, and this art style throws back to an era when it was unfortunately a real thing. The intricacy of the art in the regions of the head/mind is incredible.
4/5
Daft Punk
4/5
Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world.
Favorite tracks: Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world.
Album art: Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world. Around the world, around the world.
4.5/5
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
A Tribe Called Quest! One of the best groups in hip hop history, no question. This is the only of their albums of which I don’t own a copy. It’s a great album, a little bit before their masterpieces but some fantastic, groovy hits on here. This is well before Phife got his fair share of lyrical contributions. The crazy thing about Tribe is even if this isn’t in their top 3 or so albums, it’s still really really good. Q-Tip sounds so great.
Favorite tracks: Can I Kick It, Bonita Applebum, Push It Along, Footprints, Go Ahead in the Rain.
Album art: Not their best, but still pretty great. The one shown on this website is an anniversary release or something with all the color sapped out of the surrounding art. Really weird choice.
4/5
The Clash
4/5
Now here's a familiar face. Our second Clash album, and what's widely acknowledged as their masterpiece. I definitely enjoyed this more than the previous Clash album, and I can understand the hype. Though for me it's not as consistently impressive or interesting as I was hoping, especially given the length. Still, some excellent cuts on here, including a few recognizable hits. I may not LOVE it, but I'll co-sign the classic status.
Favorite tracks: Train in Vain, Spanish Bombs, London Calling, Rudie Can't Fail, Death or Glory.
Album art: Definitely iconic. A play on the Elvis Presley cover of yore, which I'm sure we'll get on here. The font and colors are obviously great, and the guitar smash pic is nice too.
4/5
ZZ Top
4/5
At the risk of jinxing it, I'll say it: it looks like we're entering another classics week! ZZ Top, what a world. These guys are pretty goofy classic rock simpletons, and I don't fault them for that at all. The beards are a hilarious gimmick. "TV Dinner" are you kidding me? Can anyone be mad at this kind of music? I certainly can't. This album has THE hits too, in "Gimme All Your Lovin" and "Sharp Dressed Man." Is it all that fantastic or special? No, but it holds a place in my heart.
Favorite tracks: Gimme All Your Lovin', Sharp Dressed Man, Dirty Dog, Legs, I Got the Six.
Album cover: ABSOLUTELY ICONIC. I never saw it up close like this before, never realized it was a drawing rather than a picture. Bright, bold colors for the car and the text/band logo. This one is a classic.
4.5/5
George Michael
4/5
Classics week continues! Going into this, I could only remember the title track, which is such a timeless jam. I never picked up on the Bo Diddley influence before today! Some other fantastic songs on here too. The fact that he produced this entirely on his own is CRAZY, and only one co-writer on one song, I love albums like that. Some of it is undeniably goofy though, especially that "I Want Your Sex" song.....that's a doozy. Great album though! Great job George Michael! Every time I hear your name I think of Michael Cera!
Favorite tracks: Faith, One More Try, Father Figure, Kissing a Fool.
Album art: Very strong. He's tormented as hell, you can tell by how dramatically he's attempting to bury his well-groomed face in his leather jacket. Jokes aside, I do like this one.
4/5
Jane's Addiction
4/5
I've heard this band name before, perhaps they had a song on Guitar Hero? Anyway, this album was great. I was worried it would threaten classics week, but I feel like it's good enough to fit in. Some great grunge-y rock. I loved the opener, which I immediately recognized as sampled in the opener to Death Grip's Exmilitary. No big hits that I knew, but this one felt great.
Favorite tracks: Up the Beach, Idiots Rule, Jane Says, Summertime Rolls, Ocean Size.
Album art: Hubba hubba, am I right? No, this is actually more scary than it is raunchy. Their heads are on fire, they're conjoined. I like this cover though, especially the cow-skin framing. Reminds me of Freddie Gibbs and Madlib's Pinata.
4/5
Beatles
5/5
Finishing this classics week with a BANG. I've been looking forward to the day we'd get a Beatles album for months now, and here we are starting with my favorite! Revolver is such an unbelievable piece of art. The recording techniques are still mind-blowing by today's standards, and the genre exploration is such a welcome reprieve from the band's earlier work. There are, frankly, too many hits on here. I could list them, or you could literally just read the tracklist. Eleanor Rigby?? Taxman?? This is also home to one of my all-time favorite songs ever made, "Tomorrow Never Knows." What a dazzling, mystifying piece of music. And of course there's also "Here, There and Everywhere," famously sampled by Frank Ocean on Blonde. "She Said, She Said," reworked by the Black Keys. It's an experimental pop rock album, and it still manages to be a hit parade. As cliche as Beatles praise has become, it's almost frightening how good their albums like this are. This was made in 1966. Who was anywhere near this in 1966? We've heard so many rock albums on this list from that decade and decades after, and it's crazy how this holds up compared to any and all peers. This could never get less than a perfect score from me.
Favorite tracks: Tomorrow Never Knows, Love You To, Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, Got to Get You Into My Life, Here There Everywhere, She Said She Said.
Album art: Definitely iconic. I don't know what my favorite cover from the Beatles is honestly, but it isn't likely this one. Still, I can't escape it.
5/5
Tears For Fears
4/5
Here's one we all know and love, with the big hits too! A lot of long songs on here, and unfortunately I kind of feel the length on some of them. But as a whole, this is a great '80s pop album. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" continues to rip almost 40 years later, as does "Head Over Heels." I also really liked the interlude prior to Head Over Heels, with hints of the melody to come. This is a terrific album, I think it's against the law to give this any lower than a 4.
Favorite tracks: Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head Over Heels, Listen, Shout, Broken.
Album art: Not a bad band photo, very intimate. Are they lovers? It's not super interesting but I wouldn't disagree with anyone labelling this iconic. Love the sweater, need that sweater.
4.5/5
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Play that funky music, Chemical Brothers. I’ve liked these guys for a while but haven’t heard this album. Maybe not their most electrifying work, but certainly a vibe and certainly some bangers. Very consistent listen all the way through.
Favorite tracks: Elektrobank, Block Rockin Beats, Lost in the K Hole, Setting Sun.
Album art: Very simple, but effective. Lots of black and white covers lately, which is always less interesting to me. But they’ve all been pretty solid, including this one.
3.5/5
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
I’ve wanted to listen to this one but never got around to it! It features the amazing song from Annihilation, “Helplessly Hoping.” Aside from that, some other fantastic hits. Great songwriting and great harmonizing. A boy band built different. This is an excellent album.
Favorite tracks: Helpless Hoping, Marrakesh Express, Guinevere, Judy Blue Eyes.
Album art: Undeniably iconic, not just for the cover itself, but for also inspiring the cover of boygenius’ self-titled EP. I think I like that project more, but I like this picture more. Guys being dudes on an outdoor couch.
4/5
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
I can’t tell if I’ve heard of this guy before or not, but the name sounds vaguely familiar. Either way, this is some excellent ‘90s NY hip hop. On first listen of course, I’m paying more attention to production, and I really love this dusty boom nap style. The lyrics I do catch are solid, and the vocal delivery is excellent too. Definitely on the higher end of the hip hop albums we’ve had on the list so far.
Favorite tracks: Jungle Music, Come Clean, Perverted Monks in tha House, Statik, D. Original.
Album art: Pretty standard art for this era/style of hip hop. But the twin towers burning is a surprising image. This was after a bombing in the ‘90s so it had to have been controversial then, but who could’ve known how controversial it had the potential to become? Maybe Jeru knew, y’know you can’t stop the prophet.
4.5/5
Beatles
1/5
Now this is interesting. The Beatles when they were shite. Listening to this album, I started laughing very quickly. “All I’ve Got to Do” is comically stupid. I kinda liked it though, and I had to save a few of the famous covers like “Mr. Postman” and “Roll Over Beethoven.” Hearing John or Paul (don’t know or care which honestly) on the latter track attempt the “woo” that Little Richard would do belongs in a museum of cringe, in the same wing as Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. As an album, this is generally super lame. Important to hear as far as their evolution is concerned, but in isolation, and some 60 years later, it’s pretty awful. Like the Everly Brothers if the Everly Brothers were terrible at singing and harmonizing and pronounced “Beethoven” really strangely.
Favorite tracks: Til There Was You, Please Mr. Postman.
Album art: Appropriately boring. How were these guys a boy band that drove the world wild? They look as lame as they sound here.
1.5/5
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
One of my favorite parts of this album club is seeing an album pop up that I know and love, getting whiplash imagining how hard I’m gonna five-star it the next day. This is one of those times. It's crazy just how many of Fleetwood Mac’s all-time hits are on one album. So much impressive variety of sound on here, a perfect way to follow up that early Beatles album that was just as bland as possible. Great guitar work, great vocal harmonies and variety (hard to beat three lead vocalists), and fantastic drumming. What could I possibly say about this that hasn't been said already? When people talk about "sex, drugs, and rock & roll" usually they're thinking of the Stones or whatever but this album was quite literally made by a bunch of rockstars doing cocaine and having sex with each other. No one could do this better.
Favorite tracks: Dreams, The Chain, Silver Springs (bonus joint), Go Your Own Way, Gold Dust Woman, Never Going Back Again, Second Hand News.
Album art: Undeniably iconic. The font is perfect, and the contrast between that picture and the background is also amazing. I always forget about the balls, what a great touch. I can't imagine what it would be like to see this album over and over and not know what sounds it possesses.
5/5
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
Oh no, they've metastasized. What was once three folk men has become six, doubling like the heads of the Hydra. This is really great though, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Again, great vocal harmonies, and some notably impressive instrumental performances, especially in the guitar and bass.
Favorite tracks: Our House, Carry On, Teach Your Children, Almost Cut My Hair.
Album art: Very rustic. As noted above, the boys have doubled and gained a dog. This is starting to look like the plot of THE THING.
4/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
A lot of heavy hitters recently...Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, now our second album from the Stones. It opens with one of my all-time favorite RS tracks, so already an improvement over the humdrum of Exile on Main St. Still quite bluesy, but with a few interesting songs mixed in here and there that break the monotony. Yet again, I can't say that I'm wowed by the Stones. Maybe that will come with some other album. I still want to give them a chance.
Favorite tracks: Sympathy for the Devil, Factory Girl, No Expectations, Stray Cat Blues.
Album cover: I like this one. Nothing crazy, but a cool look and bathroom graffiti is always funny. Interesting that this cover wasn't allowed in certain markets? The plain cover shown as the "original" on wikipedia is terrible.
3.5/5
Richard Hawley
4/5
What a pleasant surprise. Never heard of this so immediately knew it was something British. I liked the first track but couldn't help groaning knowing this would be a consistent aesthetic choice. But the album spanned a number of genres in this old-school crooner type style and I found myself enjoying much more than I thought, especially on the back end. Some of the country-tinged tunes near the end are really excellent. I didn't expect to dig this here we are.
Favorite tracks: Who's Going to Shoe Your Pretty Feet, Coles Corner, The Waters of My Time, Last Orders, Born Under a Bad Sign.
Album art: The guy looks like a dweeb but doesn't love make us all look stupid? I really like the colors here. The picture isn't too remarkable but the bold yellow/orange and blue is fantastic. Definitely fits the music.
4/5
Iggy Pop
4/5
Iggy Pop, hold the Stooges. An interesting place to start in Iggy's catalog, as this is well after the punk origins and the apparent Bowie oversight. Some very strong songs on here, especially "The Passenger," which I know I've heard in a movie or two (seems very Wes Anderson). I'm glad to read this was Iggy weaning himself from Bowie's influence because I've yet to really understand the Bowie hype like that and certainly don't need a copycat. This was a solid album, but didn't exactly wow me. I'll hold that thought until we get some Stooges albums.
Favorite tracks: The Passenger, Neighborhood Threat, Fall in Love with Me, Lust for Life.
Album art: Absolutely terrible portrait cover. So lame that I would never have otherwise listened to this. Whoever greenlit this for release should be ashamed of themselves. It's like a fifth grade yearbook picture, if a fifth grader was held back for thirty years. His mom must've said "aww, you look so handsome!" and he rolled with it. Tragic.
4/5
Fred Neil
2/5
I saw the tracklist, saw the word "raga" and got really excited for something psychedelic and Indian-influenced. Unfortunately, that was just the one track. There were a couple others on here that I enjoyed too, but overall a bit of a dud.
Favorite tracks: Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga, Faretheewell, Green Rocky Road.
Album art: Very unassuming. I like the framing, but boring black and white picture. Is that Fred Savage?
2.5/5
Hookworms
2/5
Wow, this is currently the absolute newest album on the list. No surprise, then, that it happens to be British, because why else would an album this unremarkable be chosen to represent that year? Be honest, who really thinks that this is something we MUST hear before we kick the bucket? To name a few from 2018 alone, I think Kacey Musgraves' Golden Hour, Earl Sweatshirt's Some Rap Songs, Tierra Whack's Whack World, SOPHIE's Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides, hell, even Travis Scott's Astroworld are all leaps and bounds closer to being "must-listens" before you die. I wouldn't say this album is bad music, but it's a pretty bland selection (and current conclusion) for this list. I liked a couple tunes, but I can't say I'd return to it. The bias is strong with this one.
Favorite tracks: Static Resistance, Opener.
Album art: The saving grace here is that the album art is pretty neat. I like the colors and the smooth, abstract art. Made me expect something funky and groovy, and the music didn't quite deliver.
2.5/5
Eagles
3/5
Here’s a familiar face! Will there be more on here than Hotel California? Yes, I obviously recognize “Life in the Fast Lane” as well. Not too many other standout tracks for me, but hard to deny this overall. It just goes down so smooth. I feel like Hotel California is a meme at this point, maybe even was then, but you gotta love it.
Favorite tracks: Hotel California, Life in the Fast Lane, Victim of Love.
Album art: Total classic, iconic cover. A pretty beautiful and dreamy picture, and the neon elevates it to something special. No problems here.
3.5/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Despite the differences between the US and UK version, I got very excited by the tracklist of this album. I listened to the UK version, plus “Paint It, Black” at the beginning. That and “Under My Thumb” are classics. Hilariously, the only other songs that stuck out to me were two featured only on the UK tracklist, so I can’t say definitely which version is better. But this album without Paint It, Black would lose at least half a star. Still consistent Stones sound, though less bluesy than the other albums we’ve heard. I liked this, but didn’t love it. Still waiting for an amazing Stones album to roll me over.
Favorite tracks: Paint It Black, Under My Thumb, Out of Time, What to Do.
Album art: Both versions are just a band photo, with Keith Richards seemingly wearing the same shirt. I’d give a slight artistic edge to the UK version, since US is just a little distorted and that’s it. But neither is very memorable.
3.5/5
The Waterboys
4/5
Never heard of this group or album, but I was very impressed by this album. Right off the bat, the Waterboys hit us with some fantastic songs. The first three really got the ball rolling. I also loved the "Sweet Thing" cover, including some lyrical references to Blackbird. Wikipedia notes this album as a blend of pop rock with some traditional Irish and Scottish sounds. I could definitely hear notes of that throughout, and I can honestly say I'd enjoy more of this, either in the form of another album or one of the various extended versions of this album. Excellent record.
Favorite tracks: Fisherman's Blues, We Will Not Be Lovers, Sweet Thing, And a Bang on the Ear, Stolen Child, Strange Boat.
Album art: Nothing special at all. Picture looks a lot like the last Crosby/Stills/Nash/Young album we had, with an added frame. Made for an unsuspecting listen (and a pleasant surprise).
4.5/5
The The
3/5
Very quirky rock album. Based on the cover and title, I was bracing for some filthy punk or metal but instead it's much lighter and quite melodic. Some pretty unusual melodies too, which were unique at the very least. I enjoyed a few songs, and I especially enjoyed the tonal synth-y outro of the closer. Nothing crazy, but I liked this.
Favorite tracks: Out of the Blue, Angels of Deception, Infected.
Album art: Absolutely disgusting. Proper nonced image. Really cool art though, effectively infected. This prick really should've gotten the vaccine.
3.5/5
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
What kinda guy listens to the Franz Ferdinand album instead of just the song? All of us now. Of course, "Take Me Out" is a timeless jam for me, I love it so dearly. The rest of this is pretty good, a few songs that I enjoyed but most of it pales in comparison to the standout. A good album to be sure, but not sure if it's worth inclusion on a list like this.
Favorite tracks: Take Me Out, Jacqueline, 40', Auf Achse.
Album art: Very simple, but strong. Really like the bold lettering and font. As far as simplicity goes, this one gets it right.
3.5/5
The Pogues
2/5
Pretty hilarious that we get this within a week of the Waterboys album. From Irish folk-tinged rock to rock-tinged Irish folk. I find this one decidedly less enjoyable than the previous album. The Waterboys had great, earworm melodies and this one serves more as a punk-y spin on traditional tunes. I can't say this is bad, and this style of music certainly has a place, but that place is not my ear canals. I love hearing traditional music from around the world, but the '80s revival context that this represents doesn't sit the same with me. I struggled to find any songs here worth saving. Thank god for the Popeye ass vocals on "Mountain Dew."
Favorite tracks: Mountain Dew.
Album art: Just a band photo of these disgruntled lads. Glancing about, I spy Morrissey, Justin Timberlake, Pokey Lafarge, even Elon Musk. Eh, couldn't be pricked.
2/5
New Order
4/5
Man, this was an awesome album to listen to. I've heard some New Order before, but not this project. The first track is very electronic, dance music but a lot of the songs on here fit more into a new wave/alternative category. Especially the second track, which is nearly identical to "Just Like Heaven" by the Cure (one of my favorite songs of all time). I liked bouncing between those styles. All told there were only two songs on here that I didn't dig, which makes for an insane hit ratio. I could see this one becoming a five star album with more time.
Favorite tracks: All the Way, Love Less, Run, Dream Attack, Vanishing Point.
Album art: LOVE this one, and I've never even seen it before. All the colors here are phenomenal. Honestly shocking this was made in the '80s, this seems like something a vaporwave band from the last decade would have dreamed up. I'll never forget this one.
4.5/5
The Stranglers
3/5
A decent punk album. A few songs stuck with me, but a lot of this felt same-y to me. If you're a huge punk fan, that's a good thing. To me, it was sort of like a less edgy Clash. I'll return to a few songs, but not enough for me to dig this album as a whole.
Favorite tracks: Peaches, London Lady, Choosey Susie (love that title).
Album art: I really like this one. I assume it's a band photo, but it's very cinematic. Funny I mentioned the Clash because these two chaps in the foreground clash completely. Love the colors and framing here.
3/5
The Cure
4/5
Short and sweet. Not as psychedelic and enveloping as Disintegration, but this is really great too. The jangly, lightly distorted style is something I can always get down with. I'll definitely be returning to a lot on here.
Favorite tracks: In Your House, Secret, A Forest, Play for Today.
Album art: Honestly perfect. Washed out, can't quite tell what I'm looking at. Fits the music extremely well.
4/5
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Nice! Wonder what happened to air? Always enjoyed these elemental guys. This album has some great, recognizable jams, especially Shining Star. Groovy and enjoyable. Quick and easy listen, not too spectacular overall but a good album nonetheless.
Favorite tracks: Shining Star, That's the Way of the World, Reasons.
Album art: Very plain band photo. This seems like a "greatest hits"-style cover, which isn't a compliment. Certainly not their best work.
3.5/5
Deep Purple
1/5
In 2004, MF DOOM and Madlib teamed up to release Madvillainy, a landmark album in the underground hip hop scene. Its influence in that sphere was immediate, and along with the two other albums he released in that year, Madvillainy cemented DOOM as a singular force in hip hop history. Madvillainy saw DOOM leaning into his meticulously-crafted supervillain persona, aided by Madlib's madcap sampling to become an auditory comic book. The album features appearances from Madlib's rap moniker Quasimoto and DOOM's alter ego (and second namesake nod to Marvel's Dr. Doom) Viktor Vaughn. Over the years, Madvillainy grew broadly esteemed across all genres, and today it is widely regarded as a masterpiece—arguably the pinnacle of both artists' illustrious and individually-impressive careers. But Madvillainy isn't on this list. Instead, we get a live album from Deep Purple. It's seven tracks, and four of the seven we already heard on Machine Head. It's my new lowest rated album, worse than Scott Walker because it's a redundancy. This is my nightmare.
Favorite tracks: Mule.
Album art: Don't care at all.
0.5/5
Dr. Dre
4/5
A HUGE bounceback from the disappointing album yesterday. It's Dr. Dre's blueprint for West Coast hip hop, basically Cali's Illmatic. I do love this album, the production is consistently fantastic, and the charisma from and chemistry between Dre and Snoop is intoxicating. Sounds much fresher than 1992, there are plenty of '90s albums that followed this and did not age as well. I've always preferred 2001 to the Chronic, and that opinion remains the case as I think this one is bogged down by the skits. But still, a very excellent and impressive project, built from the ground up by one of the most influential forces in the history of hip hop production.
Favorite tracks: Nuthin But a G Thang, Fuck Wit Dre Day, Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat, Let Me Ride, Bitches Ain't Shit.
Album art: Iconic, timeless. Such an amazing design here, to look like the Zig-Zag rolling papers logo. Perfectly referential. They don't make 'em like this anymore.
4.5/5
Peter Frampton
2/5
As usual, dreading the receipt of a live album. It seems this is the only Frampton album on the list though, so I'll have to make do. This has the recognizable hits, which were nice, and it makes me wonder if I've even heard the studio versions of these tracks? I don't know, and frankly I'm tired. Still, better than the Deep Purple live atrocity recently. A few hits I'll walk away with, but two live albums in a week feels like punishment.
Favorite tracks: Show Me the Way, Baby I Love Your Way (what is this guy's obsession with ways?), Penny for Your Thoughts.
Album art: Honestly, a hazy close-up does more for me than the typical live performance photo. The exclamation mark is funny. Like an old-timey spinning newspaper headline.
2.5/5
The Undertones
3/5
I like this one quite a bit. Maybe my favorite of the punk records that we've had on the list so far. The vocals are fun, the riffs and melodies are consistently pretty good. I didn't pull too many tracks away, but as an album it definitely works well.
Favorite tracks: The Way Girls Walk, There Goes Norman, Wednesday Week.
Album art: Hilarious. Two cheeky lads at Red Lobster? Smile for the camera, mum wants to snag a pic.
3.5/5
Jerry Lee Lewis
2/5
Another live album, Alex is on suicide watch. At least Apple Music had the decency to only have 22 minutes worth of this album for me to listen to. I call that mercy. I'm more interested in reading about Lewis' bizarre marriages than I am listening to this album. He had seven wives, some overlapping because he married before finalizing divorces. His third wife, when he was 22, was his 13 year old cousin! Who does this guy think he is? Drake? She alleged every type of abuse imaginable, and two of his wives after that died before divorces could be finalized. Long and short of it, we're dealing with a psychopath. You can hear that energy in the music. Pretty hilarious that the marriage to his cousin kneecapped his rock 'n roll career, but he thereafter found success in country music. The South is just different. Anyway, the music's as expected. Live, energized, but I won't return to much here.
Favorite tracks: Great Balls of Fire, Money.
Album art: It's a live photo, who cares? At least the mixture of fonts is cool.
2.5/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
CCR. Such a specific tentpole band in the classic rock pantheon. Nobody else sounds quite like this, and I think it's the voice. This is a solid album, only one big hit but the rest of it is pretty strong too. Even a blues cover to close things out. Nothing really groundbreaking, but I can imagine hearing "Bad Moon Rising" in 1969 would've been a game-changing moment. Very solid album.
Favorite tracks: Bad Moon Rising, Tombstone Shadow, Sinister Purpose, Commotion.
Album art: Band photo, but the nature and natural look gives this a nice touch. Pretty much impossible to read the red text on top of the picture though.
4/5
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Now we're talkin'! Aretha Franklin, I wondered when we'd get an album from her on the list. This is one of two that I have on vinyl, and I'm fairly certain the other one will pop up on here too. Her vocal talent is still one of one, and there are some legendary songs on here. Only thirty minutes too, no fat to trim. Love this one.
Favorite tracks: Natural Woman, Chain of Fools, Come Back Baby, Good to Me as I Am to You, Groovin'.
Album art: Nothing special, but I've seen this a lot so it's recognizable. The blue and orange title strip is nice, but yeah there's not much here to speak of.
4.5/5
Lou Reed
3/5
Here's a genuine classic. I've heard it before, there are some undeniable jams on here. Vicious especially, that was my big takeaway the last time I heard this. Of course, you've got Shed a Light on Love, Perfect Day from Trainspotting, and Walk on the Wild Side, infamously sampled by ATCQ on "Can I Kick It." I was really hoping I'd love this today, but the lows on here are pretty low. Songs like NY Telephone Conversation, Make Up, and Goodnight Ladies are all pretty unlistenable. Lou Reed has such a strange voice; I can look past it when the music is engaging, but when the music is weak his voice sounds even weaker. I respect this album, I think it deserves its place on here, but I can't quite bring myself to give it four stars. I just wasn't feeling it overall.
Favorite tracks: Vicious, Walk on the Wild Side, Satellite of Love, Perfect Day.
Album art: Absolutely iconic. I've always loved this one. So bold, such a strong cover. I really wish I enjoyed the music more because I'd love to have an album looking like THIS on vinyl.
3.5/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Now this is exactly the kind of album I want from this list. An undisputed classic that I haven't yet heard. Given that this is my first listen, I don't feel a strong personal connection to it yet, but I can easily see why it's heralded as one of the all-time greats. I love this prog music style, where each track just bleeds one into the next. It's psychedelic in nature, but the musical style is much less distorted and more refined. A really cool effect, to make psychedelic music without so much distortion. It seems to open and close with a heartbeat, I liked that touch too. I'm trying to imagine being like a 19 year old stoner the year this came out, this would've been biblical. I saved seven of the ten tracks on here (which is really 7/9 if you exclude the intro). I really can't say anything bad about this. I'm glad I got to hear this removed from any aggressive fanboy hype and just as another album on a list. I'm giving it five stars today because I know it could only become more impressive on additional listens, and I'm already quite blown away. The Floyd was certainly pink on this one.
Favorite tracks: Hard to do but Breathe, On the Run, Us and Them, Eclipse.
Album art: Iconic. One of the all time greats, without question. Strong, intimidating cover. I've loved this cover for years without even knowing what the music was like.
5/5
Frank Sinatra
5/5
Wow, two classics in a row. Our second from Frank Sinatra, and it's a legendary album. This is cited as one of the first ever concept albums in pop music; some people try give that award to the Beach Boys for Pet Sounds, but Frankie beat them. A whole album of sad boy hours at that. I love how defeated and wistful this whole thing is. Sinatra's not bitter. He's just accepting heartbreak and rejection as the inevitable price of love. Compare this to other artists from the '50s, like the Everly Brothers. Those guys wrote songs like incels and they tried to make their boohoos danceable. But compared to Ol' Blue Eyes, they're just kids. They don't know pain yet. Frank knows the pain like an old friend, and he doesn't resent it. Next to the rest of the pop landscape in the '50s, Sinatra seems like quite the pioneer. And how about this line from Wikipedia: "Based largely on Sinatra's reputation, this album helped change the 'tough guy' image, allowing for a larger range of acceptable emotional responses from men, which might previously have been perceived as for wimps." But even if you remove the high-brow analysis, this is just a fantastic collection of songs for late night loners. The title track has been in my DNA all my life, and there are so many gems on here to continue exploring. As someone who loves sad music, I have to give the man his due. Screw it, back to back 5 star albums. Frankie, you've earned it.
Favorite tracks: In the Wee Small Hours, Can't We Be Friends, What Is This Thing Called Love, Glad to Be Unhappy, Mood Indigo, This Love of Mine.
Album art: Exceptional. Perfect. I'm embarrassed to say I'm more familiar with the greatest hits covers, but this is just the ultimate encapsulation of what the music is. The slow-burning cigarette, the hazy twilight city street, even distant look in Frank's eyes - how is it even possible to capture that in a painting?? We can't see what he's looking at, but we can TELL he's looking past, looking through whatever's in front of him. Man, this is just too good.
5/5
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
We've had a handful of Latin jazz-y albums by now, enough where it can be difficult to differentiate. But this one is probably my favorite so far. Very vibrant, very danceable. A good time start to finish. I guess that's to be expected from a salsa album; I can hear the difference, but I'm not very knowledgeable. Regardless, this was a great listen. Fantastic instrument work, especially the percussion. I can see why this was such a smash hit.
Favorite tracks: Buscando Guayaba, Pedro Navaja, Siembra, Plastico.
Album art: The flowery border is cool, but the baby pictures just feel out of place. Doesn't seem '70s at all, let alone salsa music. Seems more like an Anne Geddes throwaway. Confusing, but I don't hate it.
4.5/5
Rush
5/5
What a hot streak this week as been (as soon as I say that, I'm sure I'll curse us to get Tom Waits or some other garbage tomorrow). Rush, and this album in particular, has been in my life for quite some time. Getting into classic rock when I was younger was a blast, and I was very impressed by Rush for the quirky song structure, Geddy Lee's goofy vocals, and the fantastic musical ability on display, especially from the LEGENDARY Neil Peart on drums. But let's not forget Lifeson on guitar and Lee on Bass; both are extremely skilled as well. I know tracks like Tom Sawyer and Limelight like the back of my hand. Other bangers on here too, but I will say that the album does not close as strongly as it opens. The last two tracks lost my attention a bit, but the other five were all tracks I really dig. I love this album dearly. If I were being completely objective, I'd have this just shy of the coveted five-star rating. But we're talking about art here, how can anyone be objective? This is the third five I've given this week, with just one 4.5 in between, so the list has been good to us. Crossing my fingers we don't get trolled with some retaliatory bullshit tomorrow, like a lost live Who album.
Favorite tracks: Tom Sawyer, Limelight, YYZ, The Camera Eye, Red Barchetta.
Album art: Very punny. Is that a baby on the ground? No, it's actually some lumpy groceries. The art being moved is funny--Joan of Arc, the Rush pentagram logo, and dogs playing poker. The framing and red text is excellent too. Love this one.
5/5
The Byrds
4/5
This is our thyrd Byrds album, so I was bracing myself for this to break the streak of great albums this week. However, this was a really fantastic project. So much more overtly psychedelic than the previous projects (one was a country album). Really great production effects, and a lot of variety from track to track. At points, this does feel quite country/folk, then something snaps back and we're in psych territory again. Perfect example: CTA -102. That seemed to be a normal '60s rock track, but then it gets squeezed through a low-pass filter and we hear unintelligible alien chatter. I thought my phone malfunctioned; imagine what some person in the '60s would've thought hearing that on their turntable! I also recognized My Back Pages, and that's because it's a Bob Dylan song. Anyway, this album is excellent and keeps the streak alive for a wonderful week of new/old music. Five albums, average rating of 4.8/5 for the week.
Favorite tracks: Everybody's Been Burned, Mind Gardens, CTA 102, My Back Pages, Time Between.
Album art: Lo-res by design? That appears to be the case, and I think it kind of works here. This seems like a very unassuming, bland rock project, weathered by time and shelves, but you put it on and it's barely terrestrial. Great job, Byrds.
4.5/5
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Another fantastic album! Keeping the streak alive from last week. Curtis Mayfield is probably my all-time favorite R&B voice, his falsetto is pretty unusual but very affecting. I hadn't heard this album before, but I know "So In Love" very well, thanks to GTAV. The politics on here sneak up on you, it's very effective. And it's still just great music to listen to, some undeniable grooves and melodies. I hope we also get the Superfly soundtrack on here, but I won't hold my breath. Awesome album!
Favorite tracks: So In Love, When Seasons Change, Billy Jack, Blue Monday People, Love to the People.
Album art: Very telling. The contrast between the American Dream and American Reality. Really like this classic art style too, especially when used ironically.
4.5/5
The United States Of America
3/5
In a word: quirky. Apparently this was the only album made by the band, and what an album it is. Mostly quite psychedelic, with plenty of tinges of folk and Americana. The lyrics are pretty interesting too, putting the utopian American lifestyle under scrutiny in a much different way than our previous album from Curtis Mayfield. Where it doesn't work for me is stuff like the off-key, wonky carnival music. It serves a purpose, but it makes listening less enjoyable. I made the mistake of listening to a one hour version with ten bonus tracks, so the length bugged me but it makes sense that the album proper is less than 40 minutes. I would've enjoyed that more, but still a surprisingly good album.
Favorite tracks: Hard Coming Love, I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife, Osamu's Birthday, Where Is Yesterday.
Album art: Nothing very interesting. Band photos in the shape of a vinyl record? As if to say "We Are Musicians." Doesn't do enough to denote how weird the album is.
3.5/5
The Gun Club
4/5
Surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Punk albums on this list have been very hit or miss (mostly miss), but this one is cool. The blues/roots side of things is really cool. I'm a bit concerned though; the vocalist employs a few choice slurs and he is not black. Not a good look given the violent, Southern-themed nature of the lyrics, even if it's a reflection of a character he's embodying. It's jarring and makes me bristle, but fortunately the music surrounding is still strong. I guess that's just part of the darkness. Great album overall, excellent punk riffs and melodies. I can hear how this would have influenced tons of bands that followed.
Favorite tracks: Sex Beat, She's Like Heroin to Me, Cool Drink of Water, For the Love of Ivy, Jack on Fire.
Album art: This is a cool one. Nice bold colors, startling imagery. Does a lot with a little. Seems very homemade.
4/5
Bob Dylan
4/5
The acclaim surrounding this album is a bit intimidating. Not only is it regarded as one of Dylan's best, but as one of the best ever. I've always preferred '60s Dylan to anything newer; the true folk style suits him best. But this album has enough of that to keep me satisfied. There are few that didn't hit for me, but I was surprised by how many tracks I did enjoy. Especially "Shelter from the Storm," which I knew before hearing this. Plenty of vintage Bob Dylan on here. I totally understand the acclaim, even if it's not quite a five-star classic for me. I'd give that rating to a couple older Dylan albums.
Favorite tracks: Shelter from the Storm, Simple Twist of Fate, Idiot Wind, Meet Me in the Morning.
Album art: Definitely iconic in the sense that I recognize it immediately, but it's not all that special. Blurry picture, photo or painting I can't tell. The sidebar and text is nice but again, nothing special. Pretty unassuming overall.
4.5/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Not a bad album by any means, but not a whole lot here stood out to me. I really like the name, and there are some good melodies here despite the post-punk, grunge-y nature of things. I'm sure it was influential, but to me as a listener, 40 years later, it's alright.
Favorite tracks: Halloween, Into the Light, Sin In My Heart.
Album art: Pretty cool. A bizarre statue surrounded by a collage of musical scales. Someone's pet art project I presume.
3/5
Nick Drake
4/5
Here we are, the final piece of the Nick Drake puzzle. The connective tissue between Five Leaves Left and the harrowing Pink Moon. The vocals on Hazey Jane 2 gave me big-time Wicker Man vibes. Actually, maybe I'm just now realizing that he's got a perfect voice for Wicker Man music. This is a fantastic album. I'd put it over Five Leaves, but it's pretty hard for any artist to touch Pink Moon. But damn, there are some serious heaters on here. Still very intimate music, even though there are a number of instruments working with Nick throughout. Loved this immediately, and could see it becoming a five star in time, but for now it's not quite there. RIP to the legend, and thank you to this list for giving us all three of his albums! Lord knows if it didn't, the gaps would be filled with more live albums from the Who.
Favorite tracks: Fly, Bryter Layter, Sunday, Hazey Jane II, At the Chime of a City Clock.
Album art: Really love this one. Great framing and colors, and the picture of Nick Drake is almost menacing. Not bright at all, so makes for an excellent contrast in colors, mood, and theme. He'll be bryter layter, or so he says. Also love that he's not wearing his shoes, but they're still there.
4.5/5
Erykah Badu
5/5
Wow, this one blew me away. Erykah Badu is legendary but I've yet to hear an album from her. This was fantastic, each song bleeding into the next. Reminded me of Dark Side of the Moon, and funny enough when I was doing some Erykah Badu research she lists Dark Side of the Moon as one of her top 10 albums of all time. The grooves on here are undeniable, so many tracks that I loved and will surely return to. Also special shout out to the sample on Bag Lady, the same sample used by Dr. Dre on Xxplosive the year prior. It's a long album, but the length doesn't bother me because it's so smooth. How refreshing to have an album from this century, from a black woman nonetheless, and it's better than a lot of the old foagies we get from across the pond. Just like I did with Dark Side of the Moon, I'm preemptively giving this a 5 star. It can only improve with further listens.
Favorite tracks: No idea how to narrow this down, but Didn't Cha Know, My Life, Cleva, Kiss Me On My Neck, Bag Lady, Time's A Wastin'.
Album art: Really like the font and framing here. Obvious throwback, and a bit unassuming, but I think it fits the vibe of the album really well. Little do you know how impressive the music within will be.
5/5
Billy Bragg
3/5
Just some light-hearted folk rock. Like the Wilco album we had before, nothing super spectacular. Ingrid Bergman was a really nice track. Alex's favorite refrain: not a bad album, but is it worth a spot on a list of best albums ever? I'm not convinced. Still, I'm not mad at this. It just faded to the background for me.
Favorite tracks: Ingrid Bergman, California Stars.
Album art: Not much to say, just a picture of a street. Font is cool I guess? Is this Mermaid Avenue? At least it's not false advertising.
3/5
Bob Dylan
1/5
Me one week ago, listening to Blood on the Tracks: "Oh wow, Bob Dylan did make good music after the '60s! Maybe I was wrong."
Me today: "Maybe he just didn't make good music after 1975."
This is tremendously boring. His voice is like a weak Tom Waits parody, which isn't good because Tom Waits is already like a goofy Leonard Cohen parody. Such a long, aimless album. Only one track on here that I enjoyed, the rest felt like I was sitting in a coffee shop trying to have a conversation over the aspiring local artist playing for the night. Wikipedia says "Time Out of Mind is hailed as one of Dylan's best albums." Whoever wrote that must work at Lids because that's nothing but cap. Dylan, I've given you two 4.5 star ratings so far, that makes this one even more disappointing. This doesn't belong here.
Favorite tracks: Not Dark Yet (but maybe it should be Bob; go home).
Album art: Looks like a trashy picture for a greatest hits, Starbucks compilation CD. I think my distaste for the music is seeping in here, but this is very bland. The least interesting Dylan cover I've seen so far, so it fits I guess.
1.5/5
John Coltrane
4/5
Nice, short album. Honestly, a bit stressful to me, very frenetic jazz. Coltrane is a legend of course, but I found this one slightly more difficult to listen to than other jazz albums due to the energy. Still great though, I'd just prefer something a bit more laid back.
Favorite tracks: Acknowledgement, Pursuance.
Album art: About as boring as they come. Not only black and white, but just a picture of Coltrane. It always breaks my spirit when classic albums like this have weak covers.
4/5
AC/DC
5/5
Another AC/DC album, and easily another classic. The second best-selling album of all time, right behind Thriller. Just like Highway to Hell, this one holds a lot of memories for me. I used to listen to this as a kid quite a bit. I could get away with saying "hell" in Hell's Bells. I've always been obsessed with the opening of the title track, but who isn't? I think overall I prefer Highway to Hell, but the hits on this one run deep as well. Imagine being AC/DC, losing your lead singer, and then coming back a year later with an album that rocks just as hard, if not harder, than anything you've made. This one's special. There's so much energy and heat here, and so many of the tracks are very horny, it almost seems like parody. But damn, they really did this. I can't say anything bad about this, I just love it.
Favorite tracks: Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long, Hell's Bells, Let Me Put My Love Into You, Shoot to Thrill.
Album art: Just enough. Barely more than a plain black cover, but the stenciled text is a great touch. I guess this is as funereal as a heavy metal rock band can afford to be.
5/5
Fairport Convention
3/5
Interesting listen. Listed as Pop on Apple Music so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I would describe as Irish psych-folk? I don't know if that's a thing. It's kind of cool though, an interesting blend of genres for sure. Not too much on here that I'll return to, but a pretty good album nonetheless. It's a shame that we get so many '60s psych-rock type albums, I can't believe I'm saying that. I love that style, but hearing so many iterations of it diminishes my interest a bit.
Favorite tracks: Tam Lin, Reynardine, Matty Groves.
Album art: Very plain. The kind of plain that wouldn't suggest psychedelic music, but at the same time I've come to expect that from '60s albums that look like this.
3.5/5
Public Enemy
3/5
Our second from Public Enemy. Solid, but lacks the spark that made me love Fear of a Black Planet. I think the production overall was less interesting. I was also trying to listen while dealing with some work stuff and the combination made this a bit stressful; not a good energy match today. But there's certainly value here, and I love that the Anthrax version of Bring the Noise appears on this album. I suspect once we get their debut (which is also on the list), this one will seem like a fairly unnecessary inclusion. All due respect to PE, but do we need three albums from them, when there are less than 5 post-2010 hip hop albums on this list?
Favorite tracks: I Don't Wanna Be Called..., Shut Em Down, Bring the Noise.
Album art: Pretty cool. Again, the bold stencil font is part tough and part funny. The picture is really cool though, especially what appears to be a cyborg Flav. Busy in a good way, but not as enjoyable for me as Fear of a Black Planet.
3.5/5
The Streets
4/5
Very quirky British rap album. So much great slang in here, 'e's 'aving a laugh. Funny to think they'd include this as a rap album from 2004 and not Madvillainy, but I don't need to go there again. Anyway, this was enjoyable. Delivery was slightly off-kilter, but I think it works for a bloke like this. Interesting conceptually too. I can't say I was blown away, but overall it was very solid. Quite a few tracks I'll return to.
Favorite tracks: Fit But You Know It, Get Out of My House, Could Well Be In, Dry Your Eyes.
Album art: I like this one quite a bit, very cool picture and good color. I thought I was looking in a diner at first glance, but it's a bus stop. Are these the titular streets we're waiting on?
4/5
Pixies
4/5
Excellent album. What a malignant surprise. I've wanted to hear this one for a while now, due to how much I love "Where Is My Mind." However, the recent James Wan movie MALIGNANT features a god-awful cover of the track that has given me many sleepless nights. So, unfortunately, the timing of this album is bittersweet. But no, it's a really great one. I enjoyed this quite a lot. Lays the groundwork for a lot of grunge-y rock that followed, like Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins. The interludes of chatter are interesting too. I saved a lot of songs from this album. Crazy too that this band has the same Frank Black (or Black Francis) who gave us that teenager album that was not so hot.
Favorite tracks: Where Is My Mind, Bone Machine, Break My Body, Tony's Theme, Vamos.
Album art: Drake the kinda guy to see this cover, have his heart literally beat a foot out of his chest like The Mask, then ask the woman to cover up. Is that the titular surfer, Rosa? She looks great. I can't help but dig this one.
4.5/5
The Doors
4/5
Ah, a test of my Doors fandom. Aside from the self-titled, I think I have only listened to some greatest hits albums prior to this. This is a solid album too. It includes some of the recognizable for hits for me, like Waiting for the Sun and Peace Frog. A bit more blues influence in this one, which isn't bad, though maybe less interesting to me than the psychedelics. Not as memorable as the self-titled, but a great and enjoyable album nonetheless.
Favorite tracks: Waiting for the Sun, Peace Frog, Ship of Fools, Blue Sunday.
Album art: Another fantastic one from the Doors. Not just a band photo, but the band posing like a shot from some wicked '70s thriller. Once again, Jim Morrison's narcissism on full display, which is hilarious. Bright white shirt, smolder, and you just know he picked the spot for the name.
4/5
Neil Young
3/5
Whoa, a big moment for the list. Our first Neil Young album, at least as a solo artist. I'm pretty sure there are a bunch of his on here, so I was hoping for a strong first impression. There are a few enjoyable tracks on here, and I really dug the guitar on Speakin Out, but overall I didn't get swept up in it. I'm not sure if I will with any Neil Young albums. He's a bit like Dylan, but his voice is more whiny to me, and I couldn't get myself to pay too much attention to lyrics. It's decent, but I'll reserve a more serious positive score for something better from Neil. I remain hopeful that he'll have stronger outings on here.
Favorite tracks: Speakin Out, Tired Eyes, New Mama.
Album art: One guy equivalent of a band photo, and it's black and white. I kind of like the strong contrast here, but it doesn't do much for me. The handwritten text is cool though.
3/5
Eminem
4/5
A familiar face! This is actually the one OG Eminem album that I've heard already, and I do like this one a lot. You can hear a lot of raw energy and talent here. Not super dazzling with the lyrical acrobatics as he would do on future releases, instead leaning on outlandish jokes and storytelling to shock and awe. Back when he had a story to tell, not just awfully hot coffee pots. One of my classic jokes is "which Eminem album about killing his ex-wife is your favorite?" Until further notice, this is mine.
Favorite tracks: My Name Is, 97 Bonnie and Clyde, Rock Bottom, Bad Meets Evil, Guilty Conscience.
Album art: Love this one. Cool color filter, great picture with the baby next to him and the ex in the trunk. Love the crayon font too. This one holds up.
4/5
Paul Simon
4/5
Really, really dug this one. We all know Paul Simon, for me it's largely from his stint with Mr. Garfunkel. But his style and songwriting stands on its own here. Such a lively variety to the music. Really just an excellent singer/songwriter album. So many tracks on here I'll be returning to.
Favorite tracks: Me and Julio, Duncan, Paranoia Blues, Run That Body Down, Armistice Day.
Album art: Great portrait cover. The drip is immaculate. U so icy, imma glacier boy type of cover.
4.5/5
Al Green
4/5
Great classic soul album. The title track is enough to hook me in. This slipped into the background pretty easily, but here I mean that as a compliment because it was just nice, easy listening. That meant fewer standout tracks, but still a great listen.
Favorite tracks: Let's Stay Together, La-La for You, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, It Ain't No Fun to Me.
Album art: Pretty ordinary portrait photo, but Al looks like a cool guy. Nice jacket. The font is kind of insane, I like that a lot. Why is his name in drippy radioactive waste font? Only Al knows.
4/5
Willie Nelson
3/5
An album of covers. I think that's a first for our list, even though we've had a lot of covers here and there. Excuse the pun, but this is a softer Willie than I expected. I do like this album, though I think I'd rather hear him in the more traditional country space. Regardless, some good renditions here of songs we all know and love.
Favorite tracks: Georgia On My Mind, September Song, Blue Skies.
Album art: Not much to speak of, but it's a nice starry night picture. Fits the title obviously. Not sure if it fits the music, but it's good to look at.
3.5/5
The Pharcyde
4/5
This was a cool one. I've been recommended this one before but never got around to it. Definitely a worthy consideration as a hip-hop classic, though I don't see much mention of Pharcyde in those conversations. Plenty of great beats and hooks, including a few that I recognized as samples. Great humor and energy. The skits bogged this down a bit; that's a complaint I'd have about a lot of classic rap albums. But it's still a great ride.
Favorite tracks: Oh Shit, Passin' Me By, 4 Better of 4 Worse, Soul Flower Remix.
Album art: Love the art style here. The characters a bit unsettling, and they're riding a coaster into what appears to be a....uh...Georgia O'Keeffe painting with teeth. I like this a lot.
4/5
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Good old fashioned jazz. For some reason I've always thought Thelonious Monk was a soul/jazz fusion guy from the '90s, but he actually died in the '80s. Anyway, this is great. Love the piano emphasis, as I believe that's Monk's specialty. Good range of emotional soundscapes here, not as stressful to me as the recent Coltrane album somehow. I loved a lot of the tracks here and would gladly return.
Favorite tracks: Brilliant Corners (think like a brilliant), I Surrender Dear, Ba-Lue Bolivar, Pannonica.
Album art: The five Monks of legend. He seems like a happy guy. I like this, it's much more creative than the typical jazz portrait cover.
4.5/5
The Only Ones
3/5
Whoa, didn't realize that Another Girl, Another Planet was this old. I've always loved the blink-182 version, and though it may be blasphemous, I prefer it to this original. Anyway, this is a decent album. Punk that isn't too aggressive--could this be proto-pop punk? There are a handful of cool songs on here. I like the quirky vocal delivery, and the riffs are pretty good. Nothing crazy, but not a bad ride.
Favorite tracks: Another Girl Another Planet, The Beast, Creature of Doom, No Peace for the Wicked.
Album art: Inauspicious band photo. Cool effect I guess, and the text is nice. Nothing special.
3/5
The White Stripes
5/5
Wow, what an album to miss on my vacation. I adore the White Stripes, of course I have this album on vinyl. I don't think it's my favorite from them, but it's undeniable nonetheless. Opens with the legendary Seven Nation Army, one of the all-time great basslines. Something about two-man bands (man and a woman in this case), why do they rock so hard? Jack White is a menace on guitar, and Meg White is a severely underappreciated drummer. Yeah, what she plays may be simple, but it gets the damn job done. Frankly too many bangers on here to give this less than five stars. Hell yeah.
Favorite tracks: Ball and Biscuit, Seven Nation Army, Hardest Button to Button, Black Math, Hypnotize, I Want to Be the Boy.
Album art: Iconic. Legendary. These two understood color scheme. What's black and white and red all over? Classic album covers.
5/5
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Wow, first time I've had two in a row that I own on vinyl, and it's while I'm on vacation. Classic. This is an album that I've somehow never listened to fully before, but boy was I missing out. I just didn't know Stevie's catalog like that. Man, there are so many unbelievable jams on here. Songs I've heard, songs I've never heard before, songs I didn't realize were actually Stevie's. Pastime Paradise--I didn't know that was the original prior to Gansta's Paradise (which became Amish Paradish courtesy of Weird Al). But of all the songs on here, "If It's Magic" stopped me in my tracks. Almost brought me to tears. Never heard that before, and it's impossibly lovely. Such beautiful lyrics, chord changes, and melody. The harp is perfect. Man, what a perfect song. Even without that track, this would get a 4.5 but I'm going with another 5 star here. The album runs a bit long, but the tracks I loved accounted for an entire hour. I'll be returning to this quite a bit.
Favorite tracks: If It's Magic, Isn't She Lovely, I Wish, Sir Duke, As, Another Star, Pastime Paradise.
Album art: Iconic. Seen this a million times. This and Talking Book are my favorites from him. Such a cool, warm design.
5/5
Blue Cheer
2/5
Speedrun: getting bored of '60s psychedelia, any% glitchless. Is this bad? No. Is it as good or interesting as the big psych rock classics of its time? Also no. Does it need to be on this list? No.
Favorite tracks: Out of Focus, Rock Me Baby.
Album art: That classic '60s counterculture bubble font, whole thing is in purple (Deep Purple easter egg?). Pretty boring, I'll forget this one quickly.
2.5/5
Love
3/5
As if to test my statement about getting bored with '60s psych rock, the list claps back. This one is much more lively and interesting than the Blue Cheer album though. Lots of cool instruments at play; a bit folksy in spots. It closes with a super long jam song, which was actually one of my favorites. I like this one though, good stuff.
Favorite tracks: Orange Skies, She Comes in Colors, Revelation.
Album art: Framing is a bit goofy, but I like this one overall. The band photo is menacing, reminds me of Night Gallery. With enough makeup and blue paint, the guy in the middle could have acted as one of the Morlocks in the Time Machine. I want to befriend these bruisers.
3.5/5
Korn
3/5
A bit korny, innit? I like Korn, at least in doses. Going into this, I wanted to understand why metalheads hate nu metal, and it seems to be about bastardizing/popularizing metal elements without respect for the genre's core tenets (I don't fully understand what this means, bear with me). With appearances from the likes of Ice Cube on here, I think I get where they're coming from. It's metal-ish, with more accessible, and at times hip-hoppy, beats and vocal delivery. The anger feels a little aimless and vacuous sometimes (how about the "WTF" chant on Reclaim My Place?). But as someone without that historical metal fandom anchoring my perspective, I find this decently enjoyable. The music is heavy either way. I don't need an entire album of it, but there are a handful of tracks I'll hang on to. None of the Korn hits I know, but I think this is pretty good if you're looking for this sort of thing.
Favorite tracks: It's On, Freak on a Leash, Pretty, Justin, Reclaim My Place.
Album art: Whoaaaa trippy, follow the leader off a cliff????? A bit like those instagram posts like "most people won't understand the deeper message." I like the art style though.
3/5
Guns N' Roses
4/5
The definite GNR album. I had no idea this was their debut. It's got the best of the best tracks on here too, as if it's a greatest hits. I wonder how a band or artist would feel when their first album is their best? This, obviously, rocks. There weren't too many deep cuts that I saved, but it's an enjoyable experience bolstered by the heavy hitters. I don't know if they had much depth or longevity though--I really only know the big three tracks. But I'm glad we got them all in one go; I'd be shocked if there was another GNR album on this list.
Favorite tracks: Sweet Child of Mine, Paradise City, Welcome to the Jungle, My Michelle, Mr. Brownstone.
Album art: This one's a classic too, definitely iconic for the band. The cross seems mildly sacrilegious, but it's also on the cover of the album that contains their holy trinity of hits, so who knows. The skulls for each band member are really cool though.
4/5
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
A staple in "classic" hip hop album discussions. I've never been a big fan of Biggie; he was an undeniably talented rapper, but there didn't seem to be a great deal of variety to his style or substance. Plenty of excellent songs on this album, great beats and flows, but given the length it doesn't remain too exciting. I can co-sign the classic status, though I have to say that the sex skits are frankly unbearable. One of the worst habits of '90s rappers is sex skits--nobody wants to hear that. That alone prevents this from being perfect or anything close to it. I can recognize the greatness of this album, but it doesn't call to me as much as many others do.
Favorite tracks: Gimme the Loot, The What, Big Poppa, Who Shot Ya, One More Chance.
Album art: Another iconic cover. I don't think I know any other Biggie covers. But this surely inspired a lot of other baby picture covers for hip hop (and hip hop adjacent) albums. Looking at you, Lil Wayne.
3.5/5
Queen
4/5
Hard to believe we haven’t had any Queen on the list until now. A few years ago I listened to all of their albums, so I do know this one. It’s one of their earlier projects, and you can hear the rock and roll fire that would one day give way for the more refined, artsy style of the later stuff. I still don’t know which Queen album is/was my favorite, but I love this one. It’s got plenty of hits, even in the deeper cuts. I welcome Queen albums on this list.
Favorite tracks: Now I’m Here, Killer Queen, Stone Cold Crazy, Brighton Rock, She Makes Me, Misfire.
Album art: A band photo in which they look horrifying. Why are they so sweaty? These guys barely look like Queen at all. I love the bold, red font but the picture is just unsettling.
4.5/5
Prince
4/5
Dang, another heavy hitter artist, not a bad streak lately. Just like I did with Queen, there was a time when I went through most of Prince's albums. This isn't my favorite, but it's still very strong. Some classic jams on here for sure. Lots of melodies that I know, even on songs I don't remember lyrically, like When Doves Cry and I Would Die 4 U. Prince can be a bit too quirky for his own good sometimes, but he's an undeniable creative force. It's always a bit of a headscratcher for me to remember this is a soundtrack album--I never heard about the movie. I can't imagine it's as good as the music.
Favorite tracks: I Would Die 4 U, Purple Rain, Let's Go Crazy, When Doves Cry, The Beautiful Ones.
Album art: Classic, iconic Prince cover. One of my favorites to look at, even though I'm just realizing now that it's the movie poster with a cool floral border.
4/5
Prince
5/5
Artist so nice we get him twice. And this is a double album, so technically we're talking three Prince albums in a row. I was worried at first, but damn this one pulled through. I know I said in my last review that he can sometimes be too quirky for his own good, but not here. It's the unique Prince spirit that makes these songs so addicting. Lots of '80s sounds that you could hear all across the musical landscape, but Prince doing it all his way elevates things. I'd only heard a few big hits from this one, but so much of it sticks immediately. Yeah it's long, and could be condensed a little, but the expanse doesn't bother me here, as I loved plenty of tracks from both halves of the album. I might just have to give this the five-star treatment. I previously thought 1999 was my favorite Prince album; I'll have to reassess when we get that on the list (maybe tomorrow?).
Favorite tracks: So many, but Starfish and Coffee, Hot thing, I Could Never Take the Place, Sign O the Times, Adore.
Album art: Lot going on here, and for what? It's maybe the biggest flaw this album has, which is saying a lot. The absence of a title on the cover, and instead featuring the words "two disc set" on some releases makes me nauseous. Is this a parade float or something? I do like the ominous photo of Prince, like something a spy would take of a target on microfilm. I just can't say this is a memorable cover; the strength of 1999's cover (and Purple Rain's) by contrast makes this even more unfortunate for me.
5/5
Sigur Rós
4/5
Icelandic Radiohoead. I don't mean that as an insult, I think I like this more than the Radiohead albums we've had so far, but the spirit is similar to me. Some amazing, expansive tracks on here, especially the first few. I recognized a couple, including Starálfur, which was used in Wes Anderson's Life Aquatic, but before I looked that up I honestly thought Radiohead covered that song. The initial strength wore off a little bit, but it was a very comforting album, an extremely pleasant journey. I really dig this kind of music, give us more post-rock ambient stuff like this, Mr. List.
Favorite tracks: Starálfur, Svefn-g-englar, Flugufrelsarinn, Ný batterí.
Album art: Simple and effective. Some little creature praying in the womb, presumably in a language I don't understand. That's how the music hits me too, and I love it.
4.5/5
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Not sure what I expected, when I saw this was listed as jazz I was certainly intrigued. I love the extensive use of the organ--very underrated instrument, that Hammond B-3 always sounds amazing. Thanks to wikipedia, I'm now learning that Jimmy Smith is credited for popularizing the B-3. I feel like a winner for catching that before looking it up. This is a really cool album, it's jazz but it's grounded in more accessible, blues tones. I wouldn't mind more from Jimmy.
Favorite tracks: I saved all five tracks, but Messy Bessie may have been the standout.
Album art: Threw me off at first, especially seeing that it was listed as jazz. But after hearing the music, it makes perfect sense - this strikes me as jazz for the common man. Meaning aside, it's a great picture. Really dig this.
4.5/5
Thundercat
4/5
Whoa, here's one I know pretty well! Love Thundercat, surprised to find one of his albums made this list. He's such a unique bassist and vocalist, definitely worthy of a spot. Maybe not my favorite of his albums but this is a really cool one. I love how many tracks it is, but the average length is pretty short. It's got some classic tracks from him too, like Them Changes and Friend Zone. It's weird trying to write my thoughts on a Thundercat album, especially in the context of 1001 albums to hear before I die. But yeah, this one is fantastic.
Favorite tracks: Most of the tracklist, but Them Changes, Friend Zone, Show You the Way.
Album art: Absolutely love this one. Too soon to call it iconic, but it's one of the most memorable of the last few years for me.
4.5/5
Goldie
1/5
Timeless indeed, this guy needs a watch. I pity any pour soul who dare sit through the three hour anniversary version of this. Apparently it was revolutionary for drum n bass, or something called "jungle," but while real jungles teem with life at every level, this feels vacant and lifeless throughout. I can't say it's bad on any technical level, but every song is long to the point of boredom for me, so the album was tough to sit through. I'm usually down for some electronic/dance type albums, but this one was pretty painful. Extremely dated, and not in a way that's fun (like the Prodigy for example). Not my style, wouldn't recommend it to anyone, and I'd personally axe it from the list.
Favorite tracks: State of Mind.
Album art: A cool cover that looks like it was designed by a 12 year old as his first project in a graphic design class. Edgier than the music, that's for sure.
1.5/5
Green Day
4/5
Love it. Know this one very well, an album that was a bit taboo at the time (if you were an American kid in middle school). A great, explosive energy pervades the whole album. There's a punk rock opera concept going on here, which thankfully doesn't get tedious or feel forced because the music is so solid. So many tracks on here that I didn't realize I remembered, but a lot of familiar tunes beyond just the biggest household names. A refreshing blast from the past. Better than I remembered, and definitely worthy of a spot on here.
Favorite tracks: Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Holiday, American Idiot, St. Jimmy, Wake Me Up When September Ends.
Album art: 100% iconic. Probably one of the most recognizable of the 2000s. Something about red/white/black covers....they've always got staying power for me.
4.5/5
Fela Kuti
4/5
This was a cool album. Always nice to have a departure from familiar genres. Nothing too special about it, but great rhythms and just an enjoyable groove. Just a few songs, all very long, but the kind of long songs that I enjoy. Basically the polar opposite of that Goldie album we had recently that overstayed its welcome.
Favorite tracks: Zombie, Mr. Follow Follow.
Album art: Hard to tell exactly what's going on here. A collage of soldiers, and Fela is pointing a finger gun at one of them? Is he accusing soldiders of being zombies? I'm not sure. It looks alright though, and the bold, colorful text design is really great.
4/5
Joy Division
3/5
I’ve heard some Joy Division before—the one album with the one cover that is like a bat signal for hipsters—and I don’t remember much of it sticking with me. The same could be said here. Pretty good listening, but didn’t make much of an impact. I like knowing that Danny Brown got the name of his album from this band. I’ll return to a few tracks, but not much here for me on a first listen.
Favorite tracks: Atrocity Exhibition, Heart and Soul, Twenty Four Hours.
Album art: What am I even looking at here? Reminds me of a few tarot cards. Not bad, but not great either.
3/5
Happy Mondays
3/5
Another middle of the road project for the week. Pretty nondescript rock. Ever so slightly more enjoyable than yesterday's Joy Division album, but honestly about as forgettable. I can't say much at all here, I don't even know the band.
Favorite tracks: Mad Cyril, Performance, Lazyitis.
Album art: A cool painting, nice colors. Doesn't do much for me.
3/5
Traffic
4/5
No idea what to expect going into this one, but I quite enjoyed it. Some cool old-school rock, sometimes nearing psychedelia. Plenty of unexpected instruments and styles, especially the title track. Really loved that old folksy dirge. One of the better left-field British rock albums that this list has put in front of us. RIP to John Barleycorn but I'm different.
Favorite tracks: John Barleycorn Must Die, Freedom Rider, Empty Pages.
Album art: Very simple drawing, but I don't really mind it. It adds to the folk aesthetic, though I wish that aesthetic were a bit more consistent in the music.
4/5
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Another unknown, and another cool album. It's similar in spirit to the two '80s alt rock albums that we started this week with, but it feels more refined. I enjoy the singing more on here and some great melodies. I swear I've heard "On the Wall" before, but it may just have been a similar tune. This one was really enjoyable.
Favorite tracks: Darklands, Happy When it Rains, April Skies, On the Wall.
Album art: Really solid framing/text, and the picture is decent. Not super memorable but I like this one.
3.5/5
Sister Sledge
4/5
Of course I'm familiar with the title track here, who isn't? Props to Sister Sledge for picking the perfect band name, as they are indeed four Sledge sisters. When I saw the tracklist, the song "One More Time" reminded me of Daft Punk, and oddly enough when hearing this thing get started I couldn't help but think they were influenced by this. Maybe not this particular album, but the disco fever. There are plenty of gems on here, not just the reunion fodder that is "We Are Family." But it helps to know that song was literally sung by four sisters in a band. Great album.
Favorite tracks: He's the Greatest Dancer, We Are Family, Somebody Loves Me, Thinking of You.
Album art: A great band photo, made a little funnier by the familial relationship. Perfectly late '70s though, especially all the mirrors.
4/5
Taylor Swift
4/5
Here's a familiar face. The so-called Album of the Year in 2015, over To Pimp A Butterfly in case you forgot. Fun as it is to poke fun at Taylor Swift, I do think this is a great pop album, even if it wears influence on its sleeves. Remember, she used to be a country singer-songwriter. The irony of this album opening with Taylor Swift of all people welcoming us to New York over an '80s beat will never be lost on me. Still a number of tracks on here that I enjoy, but honestly I remembered it being a bit better than it is today. I guess I'm just annoyed with a lot of the songs I don't like, which were (and are) overplayed to death. Taylor has a line on one of her newer songs, "I always felt I must look better in the rear view." For this album, and for a lot of pop music, that might be the case. Nevertheless, it's a solid project, and I will continue to carry the hits (as I see them) with me.
Favorite tracks: All You Had to Do Was Stay, Wildest Dreams, I Know Places, New Romantics, Bad Blood.
Album art: I mean I guess it's iconic as far as Swift covers go, not really her strong suit if we're being honest. Coming from the country background, it's all cheesy senior picture-type portraits. But this one tries to club you over the head with nostalgia, if that's not obvious from the title.
4/5
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Hooker is a legendary blues artist, without a doubt. I'm a huge fan of his album with Canned Heat, Hooker 'n Heat. I was excited to here some more traditional blues styling from him, but this album isn't quite that. It's something of a mix of styles, but there's still a throughline of Hooker's blues. The story behind this is more interesting than the music itself for me: released when Hooker was 73, and it got him his first Grammy and achieved a level of success that permitted John Lee Hooker to live out the end of his life in comfort." That's a beautiful thing. I enjoyed quite a few tracks on here, but it didn't wow me as a whole. Still, an enjoyable listen. I hope we get more from him on the list.
Favorite tracks: Sally Mae, Rockin' Chair, The Healer.
Album art: A bit spooky, like someone's reaching out from beyond the grave. I'll trust that it's a healer, but I'm keeping my distance.
3.5/5
Tim Buckley
4/5
Another from Father Buckley! This was a great ride, just like the first. Plenty of tracks that I know I'll enjoy returning to. It's not as consistent as Happy Sad (what's with this guy and his oxymorons), but it's got a welcome degree of variety and it's light on the ears. Call me a fan.
Favorite tracks: I Never Asked to Be Your Mountain, Pleasant Street, Hallucinations, Phantasmagoria in Two, Morning Glory.
Album art: I feel like I've seen this one around. I can't make out what he's gripping in his eye. It's a cool cover but nothing special.
4/5
Hole
4/5
About time I listened to this. Courtney Love, infamous wife of Kurt Cobain (that some believe killed him(!)). I don't know about any of that jazz, but I do know that I enjoyed this album. It struck me immediately as a female-led Nirvana. Not in a bad way, as I don't think it's purely imitative, but it's got the same vibe. I understand why people speculate that Cobain ghostwrote some of this. I love the punk energy here, and it's very enjoyable with a female vocalist for a change. A good number of killer tracks on here (pardon the potential pun, I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I swear). I also love that there's a track called Jennifer's Body, which no doubt is where the movie got the title, because this music sounds EXACTLY like that movie and what the characters would listen to. I enjoyed it overall. It's on the edge between a 7 and 8 for me, but I'm feeling generous today so we'll round up.
Favorite tracks: I Think That I Would Die, Jennifer's Body, Violet, Asking for It.
Album art: Definitely iconic. I've seen this plenty of times, it really captures an essence so immediately. I think Courtney Love sued (or maybe just complained about) Olivia Rodrigo ripping this aesthetic for something she did this year. Wouldn't surprise me, given how brazenly Rodrigo wears her inspirations, but c'mon, you can't be shocked when you make something that looks and sounds so memorable.
4/5
John Martyn
4/5
Loved this one, wow! Same vein as Nick Drake was my first thought, and cool to hear he dedicated at least one track on here to Nick. Love the quieter tunes, especially opening the album. Also cool that he explored some jazzy/bluesy territory, but all in the singer-songwriter style. Might be lame to say, but this is a great album to put on and just catch a vibe. I'm very into this project.
Favorite tracks: Solid Air, Over the Hill, May You Never, The Man in the Station, Gentle Blues.
Album art: Really awesome cover. I feel like I've seen this before, but not sure. Love the simplicity of it, and the art is just really fascinating. Apparently an image meant to demonstrate that air is, in a sense, solid. Hell yeah.
4.5/5
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Whoa, second Isaac Hayes album and it's a classic soundtrack! Still haven't seen the movie, which would probably make this better for me. But the theme is undeniably cool. I actually have this one on vinyl too, but listening to it all the way through isn't as exciting as I'd hoped. Lots of great background music though. I wonder if we'll have any other soundtracks on this list?
Favorite tracks: Theme from Shaft/End Theme, Walk from Regio's, Ellie's Love Theme.
Album art: Love, love, love this style. Defined an era of blaxploitation films that will live forever. I also think it's great that they included a picture of Isaac Hayes, you don't see that very often with a film score!
3.5/5
Mike Ladd
3/5
At first blush, I thought this was some random British bloke doing a bad impression of hip hop. Then I learned he was signed to Def Jux and has features from El-P and Company Flow on here. So he's valid? It started weird and stayed weird, but the kind of weird that I settled into. Not something I would seek out, and I'm not sure how much I'll return to what I liked, but there were a few gems on here.
Favorite tracks: Bladerunners, The Animist, Feb 4 99, Airwave Hysteria.
Album art: Can't tell what I'm looking at, but I like it. The font is great, and the Japanese script on the left is cool too.
3/5
Pulp
2/5
Eh. One of the more forgettable projects we've had on this list. I checked wikipedia for some lore, and this is critically acclaimed?? Like high on best of all time lists????? Must be a British moment because, God save the queen, I was bored almost immediately. Mostly bland, go-nowhere, middle of the road rock. Struggled to find much worth returning to. I would axe this one.
Favorite tracks: FEELINGCALLEDLOVE.
Album art: Made me think this was late '60s, early '70s. Turns out it's the '90s. I think the black and white pics mixed into the wedding photo is cool, but this isn't doing much for me.
2/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Folksy Cohen. Fun to go from him much older to this younger version, which definitely does sound '60s. I like a lot of the style here though, it didn't really blow me away or anything but it makes sense that he grew into the legendary singer-songwriter that he was. A very consistent level of craftsmanship.
Favorite tracks: Master Song, Stranger Song, Teachers, One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong.
Album art: Al Pacino.
3.5/5
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
Really dug this one. It feels extremely cinematic, like a rock opera with the pretense that saddles so many rock operas (looking at you, Tommy). It's maybe not narrative the way others are, but so many songs on here feel like they could be pivotal scenes in a story, or end credits in a movie. I've heard some ELO before, but barely anything from here and I think they killed this. Really vibrant rock, a bit refined but doesn't lose the sauce. Days like this make me glad to be doing this list and finding things that I may have otherwise continued to go without. I won't be counting ELO out after this.
Favorite tracks: Mr. Blue Sky, Jungle, Steppin' Out, Summer and Lightning, Sweet is the Night, Across the Border.
Album art: Gorgeous picture here, I've never even seen this before. Alex compared it to a Journey cover, and I can see that. Excellent colors, seriously great job matching the feel of the album. Talk about a sleeper hit.
4.5/5
Christine and the Queens
3/5
Whoa, very recent record. I've heard some Christine and the Queens before but not this album. Very art-poppy, but it retains the spirit and energy of pop pretty well. Really enjoyed the opening few tracks, but it lost some steam for me on the back end. A cool inclusion, though maybe not as game-changing as others I would put on here. I think the listmakers struggle a bit with what to include from this century; they're unable to benefit from hindsight for what's here and now. Still a good album though.
Favorite tracks: Goya Soda, Girlfriend, Comme si.
Album art: A bit more involved than the standard portrait, but nothing crazy. I saw this floating around a lot in 2018 and unfortunately it didn't grab me enough to listen to then.
3.5/5
George Michael
3/5
Our second from George Michael, and very underwhelming compared to Faith. The title made me laugh, how many volumes of listening without prejudice did this guy plan? Is he just making a point about how serious he is, like when someone hits a "1/?" indicator on a tweet thread? Some decent pop/rock tracks of course, and I knew "Freedom" but aside from that I wasn't too engrossed. It's alright I guess. Maybe this is a British bias moment? I just don't think we really need more than the one George Michael project, let's be real. I'd dismiss this from the list with prejudice, not for being bad but for taking up a crucial slot.
Favorite tracks: Freedom, Cowboys and Angels, Waiting for That Day.
Album art: A lame crowd shot, black and white for no apparent reason. The version on Apple Music is a hi-res close up shot of George Michael in his older age. Neither cover makes me want to hear this.
3/5
The Fall
2/5
Not much to say here. Okay music, nothing too special. I did really like "Light/Fireworks" which was so different that I thought I had started a new album. Just not much here for me.
Favorite tracks: Light/Fireworks, It's a Curse.
Album art: A cool design, but the picture comes up blurry here and on Apple Music. I doubt it's intentional, but the album didn't really pop for me so maybe a little blur makes sense.
2.5/5
Paul Simon
3/5
Album number 2 from Paul. Feels a lot more showy than the last, I much prefer the simple singer/songwriter style. There's a good bit of that on here, but some more energized and complex production as well. But the songs I did enjoy were fantastic, especially the acoustic bonus tracks. Not an album I was impressed with as a whole, but still good.
Favorite tracks: Hearts and Bones, Rene and Georgette Magritte, Train in the Distance & Late Great Johnny Ace (Acoustic).
Album art: Not much to say about this one. Cool guy Paul Simon, watch out.
3.5/5
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Very barebones jazz. I enjoy it a lot though, builds an excellent atmosphere. Sounds Christmas-adjacent, so 'tis sort of the season. It's a live album, which I never would've guessed if it wasn't stated in the title because it all sounds like studio quality. There's clapping to be heard, but that could be the musicians' families in the studio? I don't know, the point is it's jazz baby, it sounds great.
Favorite tracks: Alice In Wonderland, Gloria's Step, My Man's Gone Now.
Album art: Really nothing much at all, just a portrait. I would've opted for something more artistic, representative of the mood.
4/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Our second album from Stevie, and it's another great one! So many funky instrumentals here, with unusual rhythms and instrumental runs. "Boogie On Reggae Woman" is just otherworldly. As an album, not as grandiose or monumental as Song in the Key of Life, but really great nonetheless. I'll be returning to quite a few on here, they sound unlike anything I've heard before.
Favorite tracks: Boogie On Reggae Woman, Bird of Beauty, You Haven't Done Nothin', Too Shy to Say, Please Don't Go.
Album art: Absolutely fantastic art, wow. The piano key staircase, all the shadows and colors, this is really awesome. And I love the nod to the Grammys right there on Stevie's cheek, don't forget that this guy won like 300 Grammys in a span of about 10 years.
4/5
The War On Drugs
4/5
So fun to get albums I love on this list. I've been a fan of the The War on Drugs (the band, not the concept) since A Deeper Understanding, and their latest is among my favorite albums this year. Adam Granduciel has such a cool voice, reminiscent of guys like Bob Dylan and Lou Reed, or contemporary Kurt Vile. Just a unique, unmistakable sound. I remember this album getting loads of critical acclaim back in 2014, and I wasn't on board then, but anytime I give this another shot I find more to love. These guys balance wistfulness and triumph extremely well.
Favorite tracks: Red Eyes, Burning, Lost in the Dream, Eyes to the Wind, In Reverse, An Ocean In Between the Waves.
Album art: Very contemplative shot, love the degraded colors and the light/dark contrast. I got annoyed seeing this back in 2014 when I wasn't into it, but now it's comforting.
4.5/5
Stereo MC's
1/5
Extremely forgettable, an hour after hearing this I forgot I had listened to it. I guess technically it’s hip hop, but it’s more like rapping over techno beats. And surprise, it’s British, so it’s taking a precious slot in the hip hop genre over so many more deserving. We had another techno album not too long ago, “jungle” was the genre, this is like that with vocals. Not my style, don’t need it on the list.
Favorite tracks: Pressure, Creation.
Album art: Really enjoy the colors and art here, even if the pic in the middle of it all is painfully ‘90s.
1.5/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
FINALLY. We've made it through 242 albums before hitting our first from Led Zeppelin. Starting with III is interesting because this is personally my least favorite of the self-titled series, at least that was my perception going into it today. Coming out, I'm not so sure. This is a fantastic album, and I knew that going in, but so many more great songs than I recognized or remembered. Crazy that Immigrant Song is the biggest hit on here, I certainly don't think it's the best. An obvious departure from their usual hard rock fare to folksy blues. Lots of acoustic and sliding steel guitars. They really committed to a sound and overall it came out really well. I don't think this is on the same plane as the first two LZ albums, but damn it's also terrific.
Favorite tracks: Tangerine, Hats Off to Roy Harper, Out on the Tiles, Immigrant Song, Since I Been Loving You.
Album art: Love the cover, and seeing it here larger than usual illuminates incredible detail. Very lively and funky, feels organic in the way the music does as well. But the first four Zeppelin album covers are iconic regardless.
4.5/5
Yes
4/5
Opens with a meme song, hell yeah. One of those bands you hear about as a monolith, but I'd never really gotten into them. Prog group with undeniable talent. I love all the instruments at play here, especially the acoustic guitars. Would definitely listen to this again, and mark me as a "yes" for more Yes albums.
Favorite tracks: Roundabout, Long Distance Runaround, The Fish, Mood for a Day.
Album art: Pretty simple '70s rock cover, but the art style is nice. I like the font a lot too. Can't say I remember seeing it before, but very emblematic of its time.
4/5
Supergrass
3/5
I liked this one. Had low expectations for '90s rock music, but this was enjoyable. A somewhat retro sound, with a handful of tracks I dug. Nothing too special, but this is a good album.
Favorite tracks: Late in the Day, G-Song, Sun Hits the Sky.
Album art: Very deceptive, thought this was some missing Crosby, Stills, Nash album at first glance. I like this though, pretty funny to see a band of hobos and one is playing a pristine upright bass.
3.5/5
Television
3/5
Another one of these middle-of-the-pack rock projects unfortunately. Not that it's bad, just that we've had a handful of albums that, when heard together, are pretty nondistinct. I enjoyed a few tracks on here, it's a decent project. But nothing really jumping out at me.
Favorite tracks: Marquee Moon, Venus, Guiding Light.
Album art: Low res band photo with what seems like distorted text. Whatever.
3/5
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Not sure why this album isn't on Apple Music, I know she's famous. I pieced it together though and really enjoyed it. She's got a very classic sound, definitely a go-to for '60s pop singers. I didn't recognize many songs just looking at the tracklist, but almost immediately I was hit with classic jams I hear over and over again. I'm pretty sure we'll get more from her on this list, and I've got no problem with that.
Favorite tracks: Wishin and Hopin, Mama Said, You Don't Own Me.
Album art: Just a simple portrait of a girl called Dusty. Not false advertising, I'll give it that.
4/5
Blur
3/5
This is a really weird album. It starts out as some quirky British alt-punk but from track to track there's really no telling what genre will be fused in. As a whole it makes for a jarring experience, one I'm not exactly interested in revisiting. Even a couple tracks on here that I straight up skipped. But on a few, the stars aligned and I enjoyed the weird variety show. I can't personally call it great, but it's good enough for how off-the-wall bizarre of a ride it is.
Favorite tracks: Clover Over Dover, London Loves, Lot 105, Parklife.
Album art: Have definitely seen this before, along with a lot of Blur projects, so I've always been interested to know what they sound like. After this album, I still don't know what they sound like. But the dog racing pic is very cool.
3.5/5
Various Artists
4/5
What a lovely Christmas treat! I'm pretty sure the admin programmed this in to be the album people get on Christmas, but that doesn't make it less special to me. Really consistent sound, timeless and classic songs done in that very specific "wall of sound" that made Spector who he was. I love that style, and I think it works perfectly with yuletide tunes. The thank you message at the end was nice, even if it reminded me that he was (later) a murderer. Also he died this year, totally forgot about that. Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone! I hate to think what Phil would've done if he saw his mommy kissing Santa!
Favorite tracks: Frosty the Snowman, Sleigh Ride, White Christmas, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.
Album art: It's a Christmas album, so not much creativity is necessary, but I like that all these great artists are packed in little presents. Phil really cares, doesn't he? Giving us this music? I hear he had a present for Lana Clarkson too.
4.5/5
Radiohead
3/5
Here it is, the number one album of all time on RYM. I'm sorry, but it does not live up to the hype for me. I really enjoyed our previous Radiohead albums, The Bends and In Rainbows, but this one didn't really do it for me. It's certainly not bad, the music is good, it just didn't grab me in a way their other stuff has. I could sense a tad more genre exploration, and while I'll always commend that sort of thing, for me it just lacked the core that the other projects had. Of course, it's still enjoyable, but given the high praise for this (and my enjoyment of the other two we've had already), my expectations weren't met. Maybe it'll grow on me with time, but I'd honestly rather listen to the other two at this point.
Favorite tracks: Airbag, Karma Police, Climbing Up the Walls, Electioneering.
Album art: An inverted color picture of some highway and some other stuff. I looked it up and actually like this more with the actual colors, not inverted. Nitpicky, but yeah. I've seen this a billion times of course, but I don't think it's as iconic or impactful as The Bends or Kid A.
3.5/5
Missy Elliott
4/5
Wow, what a great album. First full-length I've listened to from Missy Elliott. I know about her, but wasn't too familiar with her music going into this. Plenty of hits, including some I recognized. The rapping is excellent and good lord, the production is amazing. It's handled almost entirely by Timbaland and Missy herself, they really are a force to be reckoned with. Give me more like this.
Favorite tracks: Work It, Slide, Hot, Pussycat, Funky Fresh Dressed.
Album art: Nothing to write home about, just a picture of Missy in the street. She's under construction I supposed.
4.5/5
Prince
5/5
Third times the charm. My favorite Prince album, the one I have on vinyl. I love the energy that carries this project from front to back, so many danceable tunes with pretty long runtimes that fit well with the notion of partying like it's 1999 (the album was released in 1982 so that's 17 years of dancing). He even closes it with a slow song for all the couples in the club tonight. Prince is a hit machine, I forget that sometimes. But listening to this always reminds me. I don't know if this is his "best," that's for a jury to decide. But it's my favorite, and it's my first five-star rating since the last Prince album we reviewed!
Favorite tracks: Little Red Corvette, 1999, DMSR, Automatic, International Lover, Delirious.
Album art: Truly iconic. Not just my favorite from Prince, but one of my favorites ever. Really love the colors and the Pee Wee Hermanish cartoon font. Just a true classic.
5/5
Sam Cooke
3/5
I count Sam Cooke among the greatest soul singers of all time, and he's responsible for one of my favorite songs ever written, "A Change is Gonna Come." That's not on here though. This is a live album that I believe predates that song entirely. Why the list makers chose this is beyond me. Sure, it's a great live performance, but if you're only going to include one Sam Cooke album how can you overlook his crowning achievement? And why are guys like Sam Cooke and James Brown limited to one, live album on this list while we get unlimited nondescript British rock albums? Sus. Sam deserves better.
Favorite tracks: Feel It, It's All Right, Somebody Have Mercy, Twistin' the Night Away.
Album art: Wow, a picture of Sam onstage. Hooray.
3/5
Living Colour
3/5
Nice, the Cult of Personality band! Love that song on Guitar Hero 3, love it here as well. Didn't know these guys were a black rock band, that's pretty sick. They've got a great sound, especially the vocalist who is both clear and powerful. Great guitar work too, as if that's a surprise. Can't say I loved too many individual tracks on here, but it was an enjoyable ride with enough hits to carry.
Favorite tracks: Cult of Personality, Desperate People, Broken Hearts.
Album art: Lives up to the name, very colorful. No idea what I'm looking at it, but I like it. All the negative color stuff going on is fun here.
3.5/5
The Undertones
3/5
Another album from these punksters, and another grab bag of some pretty good punk songs. I can't say I needed another album from these guys, but I can't say I didn't enjoy it either. A few songs I'll take away, but not much else. Really wish there was more that sounded like "Casbah Rock," that was like a punk ancient artifact.
Favorite tracks: Casbah Rock, Get Over You, Runaround.
Album art: Band pic, shaped like a (casbah?) rock? Nothing crazy, but the design is pretty nice.
3/5
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Oh here we go. Love Rage Against the Machine, and I think I've heard this album before but it's nice to hear it again. They've always got a fantastic level of....yep, you guessed it: rage. Strong political lyrics, especially those on Killing in the Name that are burned in my brain: "some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses." Really funny that some people accuse them these days of softening or becoming lefties or whatever. Those people have no concept of "the machine." Anyway, legendary band and fantastic album album, big shout out to Tom Morello on guitar.
Favorite tracks: Killing in the Name, Know Your Enemy, Bombtrack, Fistful of Steel, Freedom.
Album art: Harrowing picture of the monk who burned himself alive in Saigon. These guys clearly don't possess the peace or calm that he had, but the message gets through just the same.
4.5/5
Todd Rundgren
4/5
Really cool album. I know Todd Rundgren only for his bang on the drum all day song, but this is a very interesting album. Probably longer than it needs to be, but it meanders through a number of different styles and genres, and I really like that strange interlude (intro but not at the beginning?) of him talking about record static. So many tracks on here that I ended up enjoying, one or two that I recognized, and there are some hilarious track titles on here. Piss Aaron? I don't know, this is wild. I'll be saving a lot from this one. Also looked this up to find that Todd himself sang and played every instrument on at least 75% of the album. I need to know more about this madman.
Favorite tracks: It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, Sweeter Memories, Saving Grace, Dust in the Wind, Hello It's Me.
Album art: I like this, like an old floral print couch. It's a nice artistic cover, and much like the album itself, I don't really know what to make of it. But this is really cool.
4/5
Kate Bush
5/5
Number two from Kate Bush, and it's the album heralded as her pop masterpiece. Certainly more accessible than The Dreaming, but it's still weird in the best ways. So much on here to love, so many amazing and emotionally powerful tracks. The melody of Running Up That Hill is so beautiful, and to hear it half-remembered in Waking Up the Witch is just chilling. There's even a wonderful Irish jig, but not just any jig: the Jig of Life. Man, she's some kind of evil genius. It feels premature to give this a 5 on first listen, but I gave The Dreaming a 4 and very quickly realized it should've been a 4.5 or higher so consider this a redemption. The album is undeniably amazing. I don't know which I'll end up liking more between this and The Dreaming but they both belong in the classics camp.
Favorite tracks: Running Up That Hill, Hounds of Live, Under Ice, Waking the Witch, The Big Sky, Cloudbusting, basically all of it.
Album art: Glamour shots by Deb energy. Today is the first time I'm noticing the actual hounds, I feel like a dunce. It's a great dreamy picture, and the border and text feels so DIY, I kinda like it. I prefer The Dreaming's cover but this is good too.
5/5
Solange
5/5
I still remember when this one dropped like it was yesterday. The audacity of Solange--I hadn't really heard from her since the banger that is "Losing You", and then suddenly she drops an album right up there with, if not beyond, the best work of her sister. What's her name again? Oh yeah, Beyonce. Of course, they aren't competition but I was so impressed with Solange's style displayed on here, it's got a delicate touch that reminds me of like D'Angelo or Erykah Badu, just a refreshing neo-soul cleanser to R&B that I think is always welcome. Her voice is subdued but has its own power, and the grooves throughout are so comforting. Not to mention the unwavering messages of Black empowerment that carry throughout. In a year stacked with so, so many incredible albums (2016 has yet to be matched in my opinion), she managed to get the top spot for a lot of people. Not me, but she made my list for sure. Hearing it again today, I wish I had a time machine to beat my own ass for not holding it in higher regard. This album is perfect, deal with it. Back to back 5's again, I don't mind.
Favorite tracks: Junie, Don't Touch My Hair, Cranes in the Sky, Mad, Weary, FUBU.
Album art: Absolutely love this picture. Hairclips looking like butterflies. She's got the thousand yard stare, the sort of jaded glare that says, without words, "don't touch my hair."
5/5
Michael Jackson
5/5
Wow. Haven't even pressed play, instant 5. That's three in a row, this list is on one right now. Of course I have this on vinyl. I gave Off the Wall a 5, knowing that there's only one album in MJ's catalog that I enjoy more. Thriller is a monstrosity of a pop album. Any listen to this album is just a test of whether I remember or recognize the three songs on here that I don't already know in my heart (which is the other six). One of the highest selling albums of all time, and for good reason. With any mention of Michael Jackson the discussion eventually turns to the nonce allegations, and tracks like "Human Nature" and "Pretty Young Thing" don't help keep things out my mind. But if you can live in denial for 42 minutes thing is loaded with bangers, like has anyone in pop made a song more potent than the titular "Thriller"? That song still gets the world hyped after 40 years. Can never defend MJ the man, but this album's GOATed.
Favorite tracks: Thriller, Billie Jean, Wanna Be Startin' Something, PYT, Beat It, Human Nature.
Album art: Iconic. The gatefold on the vinyl shows his other hand petting a tiger cub perched on his leg. This cover (and the album it denotes) will be known for generations.
5/5
Lorde
2/5
I knew our hot streak had to end somehow. I'm notoriously not a fan of this album. Lorde sometimes makes music I like (really enjoyed Solar Power), but man her voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me. It's that raspy, indie girl affectation that feels unbelievably phony. Her songwriting is "quirky"--I put that in quotes so you can understand that sometimes it's fun for me and many times it's unbearable. This album just maximizes all the Lorde traits that I dislike, she turned the sliders up on my least favorite things. I guess that's why I like Solar Power so much in comparison; she goes the other way. Still, I have to admit that I enjoy a few tracks on here. I HATE to admit that one of those is "The Louvre" because it features one of the quirky lyrics that I've despised for years: "we're hanging in the Louvre, not in the front, but who cares? Still the Louvre." Whatever the hell it is, just so in-your-face ~I'm not like other girls~ cheeky BS. That was the thesis of "Royals" as well, we get it dude. The production is solid, but her vocal and lyrical contributions put me off of this so emphatically. Kudos for the title though, it really is melodramatic in ways that I clearly can't stand.
Favorite tracks: Homemade Dynamite, Perfect Places, The Louvre.
Album art: Really excellent artwork here, (almost) a saving grace. It sucks that I love seeing this one and don't want to hear it. I want more paintings as album covers.
2/5
George Jones
3/5
I love getting country albums on here, even if they're unremarkable like this one. Never heard of George Jones, but he sounds familiar. That's because this era of country music all sounded familiar. Like Buck Owens we had before, this one's emo. I like how blatantly mopey and confessional this style of music is. Songs like "Borrowed Angel" are especially human and dark, this guy's accepting the fact that his lover is married. Weird, wild stuff. Again, nothing really special about this one, but it's a solid essence of country music at the time, and I dug a few tracks.
Favorite tracks: Borrowed Angel, Pass Me By, Our Private Life, The Weatherman.
Album art: Just like the music, unremarkable. This picture/tracklist combo makes up for at least 40% of all vinyl records for sale at Goodwill.
3.5/5
Elvis Costello
3/5
Our fourth from Costello, and it's more diminishing returns. He must be the favorite artist of some bloke responsible for this list because I really don't understand the need to include his entire discography. This one's a bit more punky, and apparently his debut, so credit for the guy just sounding like this on his first album I guess. I don't know, I was bored of his style after two albums, even if it's slightly different from project to project, so I'm not the guy to ask. It's not bad, just not very interesting.
Favorite tracks: Less than Zero, Welcome to the Working Week.
Album art: I like this one quite a bit, even if it's a genuine eyesore. The colors pop, it's hard to read but a nice retro design.
3/5
The Temptations
3/5
Pretty good. Nothing too memorable unfortunately. I imagine the Temptations have bigger hits, but I'm drawing a blank right now.
Favorite tracks: Cloud Nine, Love is a Hurtin' Thing,
I Need Your Lovin'.
Album art: Groovy. Only half-committed to the psychedelic experience, but I'll allow it.
3/5
John Prine
4/5
Really enjoyed this one. I remember when he passed away a few years ago, I had no idea who he was but I saw tons of praise for his work, and this album in particular. He sounds quite a bit like Bob Dylan, but with more of a country/folksy style. It's much sharper, much less mopey than traditional country (like the recent George Jones album we got). Some really engaging lyrics and storytelling, I found myself swept up in a good handful of the songs on here. The first track sounded like a bit of a parody of his own style, ending with "hot dog bun, my sister's a nun" made me laugh out loud. I didn't realize this was his debut, released when he was only 25, very impressive. Definitely into this one, a great start to the week.
Favorite tracks: Sam Stone, Paradise, Angel from Montgomery, Pretty Good, Far From Me, Illegal Smile.
Album cover: Very simple portrait, man on a bale of hay. You get precisely what's advertised.
4.5/5
Jethro Tull
4/5
Another banger for the week! I have a different Jethro Tull album on vinyl, not sure why I wouldn't have this one. It's funny that Jethro Tull is known for the flute contributions, and yet what's most memorable about any given song are the epic guitar riffs. Like the title track, when I think of "Aqualung" I hear that six-note riff. The flute is just an exquisite touch that elevates this a little bit above classic rock fare. Lots to love on this album, I think it's great.
Favorite tracks: Aqualung, My God, Cross-Eyed Mary, Mother Goose, Locomotive Breath.
Album art: Absolutely iconic. The evil hobo, looking like a fairy-tale troll rendition of Charles Manson. I've always enjoyed this one, I like to think he's about to pull a flute out of his coat and go nuts with it.
4/5
The National
3/5
Ah, the Nationals. Notorious sad-boy-band of the modern era. I've enjoyed a lot of their work over the years, either together or when working with others, but none of the songs I know and love are on this project, so it was all new for me. I enjoyed it, it's not the kind of music that's hard to listen to, but not a whole lot stood out to me. When the Nationals don't blow me away, they're pretty nondescript. I'll walk away with a few tracks but I'd personally rather see Boxer or Trouble Will Find Me make this list. Still, a good album.
Favorite tracks: Lemonworld, Sorrow, Bloodbuzz Ohio, Afraid of Everyone.
Album art: The version shown on this website is strange, some kind of deluxe rerelease. The original isn't drastically different but I do think it's better. Colored smoke scribbles coming out of a smokestack, where this one isn't much to interpret.
3.5/5
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
Country music, but really it's American Heritage country music. Lots of covers of standards and staples for the genre, including a very beautiful instrumental rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now." The album is absurdly long though, and for that reason I can't rate it too highly. As an archive of music it's great, but as a sit-down album experience I found it hard to stay engaged. But the music is nice, and certainly a change of pace from our usual picks.
Favorite tracks: Both Sides Now, Dark as a Dungeon, Grand Ole Opry Song, Cannonball Rag.
Album art: Lends itself well to the American Heritage music concept. Nothing much to say, but the cursive font is nice, reminds me of signatures on the Declaration of Independence or something.
3/5
Eminem
3/5
I'm officially announcing that Eminem is overrated. Not because this album is bad (it's not), but because this is supposedly his masterpiece, and I personally don't see it. Yeah, some excellent songs on here, but it's also riddled with the skits that bogged down so many early '00s rap projects, including at least one sex skit that demands a skip and prevents this from getting any higher than a 4 star rating. I don't know, I think I prefer the Slim Shady LP and even Eminem Show to this one. The highs are very high, but most of it is in a middle ground that doesn't stick with me, and the skits range from unnecessary to painful. Still a good album and solid overall, but I can't really co-sign the classic status. Blame Ken Kaniff, not me.
Favorite tracks: Stan, I'm Back, The Real Slim Shady, Who Knew, Kill You.
Album art: Some have a picture of him next to some decrepit piece of furniture, I'm guessing in the house, and some are this shot of him outside the house. Either way, it's clear that he's plumbing the depths of his psyche, and I respect that. I wish it was more saturated, but it's fine.
3.5/5
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
Prohibitively long. Damn, I really spent all day listening to this. It's certainly not bad, but it's just jazzy/pop standards that Fitzgerald is singing. She's got a fantastic voice, warm and familiar, but three hours of standards isn't necessary to convey that. Granted this is 1959, still in the early days of albums, and there was clearly an accomplishment in play here with the "song book" thing. But it doesn't really work as an album. I respect what was done here, and apparently she did this for a bunch of songwriters' books, but there really ought to be a condensed album for a list like this. The music is honestly really great, and my low rating is a reflection of this outmoded format, which felt like a chore. I bet if I did the "best of" for this, I'd rate it at least a 4.
Favorite tracks: Treat Me Rough, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, Bidin' My Time (no kidding), I've Got a Crush on You.
Album art: The one on this site says "the very best of" the Gershwin book, I think that makes more sense. I listened to the whole book. It has a better, abstract art-style cover, but yeah. Long album folks.
2.5/5
Miles Davis
5/5
Instant five. The kind of album that makes me throw my head back in relief, one of my all-time favorites ever by anyone. Anyone who thinks Kind of Blue is Miles Davis' magnum opus is a square, this one's otherworldly. It's frantic and hypnotic, a constant cyclone of disarray and hallucination. Imagine how psychotic these studio sessions must have felt. The title track is my favorite, especially for the moments of quiet that Davis punctuates by alternating between distant, echoing toots and loud, alarming blares of his trumpet. The guy is a wizard, that's never more clear than it is on this album. Do I have it on vinyl? Uh, yeah, two copies. You can't risk not having this around to spin. Also, as someone who likes to complain about long albums, I've got no complaints with this one. The standard is 90 minutes, but I listen to it with bonus tracks because it's that good. Each track is an odyssey.
Favorite tracks: Bitches Brew, Spanish Key, but really the whole thing.
Album art: Iconic. Easily in my top 5 ever ever. I love this art and art style so much. Most if not all vinyl releases for this are in gatefold format, and the art on the back is equally striking--the woman's face on the left is mirrored by an albino woman and there's a grimacing shaman priestess or something. I don't know if any artist has nailed the aesthetic of the music as well as this.
5/5
Arcade Fire
3/5
These guys are in that hipster band category (along with Radiohead, Vampire Weekend, The National, etc.) that you're supposed to "get," and I have rarely understood the appeal. They've got less that I know and enjoy than the others I listed, and this album breezed by me without making much of an impression. Enjoyable, calming music, I don't know, I'm just not digging much here. So many albums in this "no man's land" of decency for me: fine music, but I'm unmoved and uninterested.
Favorite tracks: Neighborhood #3, Une annee sans lumiere.
Album art: I've seen this countless times, it's not bad. Definitely a relic of its time. Nothing crazy though, I prefer a few others from them.
3/5
Tangerine Dream
4/5
Hell yeah. This is exactly the kind of oddball stuff I like to find through a list like this. Never heard of this band, apparently they've been making music since the dawn of time and still are. The album is fantastic. Ambient, cinematic electronic music, as if from a lost Dune or Blade Runner movie. Love the four-track structure too, with some tracks coming in over 10-20 minutes. Give me less uninteresting copy-paste rock projects and more like this. This captivated me.
Favorite tracks: Phaedra, Mysterious Semblance, Movements of a Visionary.
Album art: Nothing too special, but it's a cool and mysterious shot to look at.
4.5/5
The Band
4/5
Great album. I know the Band for their big hits, one of which is on here. They're a great folksy-rock band, with a lot of heart in their songs and playing. Nothing too fancy or remarkable about them frankly, but they're just very solid. I know there's some Bob Dylan involvement with this group but not sure how it manifests in the music. Regardless, I really enjoyed this and I wouldn't mind getting another from them.
Favorite tracks: The Weight, Long Black Veil, We Can Talk, Chest Fever, I Shall Be Released.
Album art: This is a cool one, and I've seen it a number of times over the years. Speaking of Bob Dylan's involvement, apparently he painted this one. Now that's some cool lore.
4/5
The Replacements
4/5
Whoa, nice! I've heard this one before, I had to check it out after I became obsessed with "Unsatisfied." These guys are a great indie punk-ish band with a lot of talent, though in my ears the gulf between "Unsatisfied" and pretty much everything else on the album is pretty wide. That's not to say I didn't enjoy a lot of the album though, because I did! I have a strong attachment to that one track, as well as "Bastards of Young" (not on this album) due to their appearance in Adventureland, one of the greatest movies ever made. I enjoyed more tracks than I remember liking the first time around, and that's a great thing. Really dig this one.
Favorite tracks: Unsatisfied, Favorite Thing, Sixteen Blue, Black Diamond, Androgynous.
Album art: Really like this one, blue scale band photo on the roof of a suburban house. As all punky type rock bands should do.
4/5
Motörhead
2/5
Not another live album. I'm not very familiar with Motorhead so it's a crying shame to start here. I like and recognized "Ace of Spades," but apparently the album with that same title is on this list, so why do we need this? I'm certain I'll enjoy the studio version more, not just of that song but any that also appear on both projects. This and most any live album on the list is a waste of a pick, especially when the same artist is included for a studio album.
Favorite tracks: Ace of Spades.
Album art: A shot of a concert, wow, so groundbreaking for an album recorded at a concert.
2/5
Weather Report
3/5
Here's a wild one. The genre listed on Apple Music is "fusion".....of what? It's jazzy, but also soft-rocky. Is this of the no-man's land that is adult contemporary? Whatever it is, it's quirky and I like it. Had no idea what to expect track to track, that's always fun.
Favorite tracks: Birdland, Rumba Mama.
Album art: What a cover, this is incredible. Never seen this before, and it stopped me in my tracks. A lightning volcano wearing a giant fedora? This belongs in a museum.
3.5/5
Hole
4/5
My initial thoughts were "do we really need another whole Hole album?" The answer, by the end, is I think it was worth it. Still hitting the mark for grunge rock that the previous did, though it feels a lot lighter, like they veered in the direction of some indie/alt-rock. While the last album seemed like female Nirvana, this is something different. A lot of great melodies on here, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, I might even go so far as to say I'm a fan of the band now.
Favorite tracks: Awful, Dying, Celebrity Skin, Malibu, Boys on the Radio.
Album art: It's a band photo, but artsy. I'm not big on black and white covers in general. Is that the Wicker Man behind them? No idea.
4/5
Fiona Apple
3/5
I've never been all that into Fiona Apple's music, maybe I haven't heard the right albums. I have heard this one, and I actually have it on vinyl thanks to a record club I used to be in. I had no idea that she released this debut when she was 19, that makes it significantly more impressive. The music is solid, and there were a few standout tracks. Overall, I wasn't blown away, but it's certainly a good album.
Favorite tracks: Sleep to Dream, Criminal, Never is a Promise.
Album art: Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.
3.5/5
The Avalanches
4/5
Very cool album. I enjoy the Avalanches, they've got a really neat sample-based style. I know I've heard this before, along with another album or two from them. Not all that many standout tracks, but as a whole this is a fun one to return to. Varied in a good way.
Favorite tracks: Since I Left You, Stay Another Season, Electricity, Live at Dominoes.
Album art: Kind of inscrutable. I always knew it was water and waves, but I forget there's a couple boats of people in this picture too. Regardless, a painting as cover art is always welcome.
4/5
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Whoa, another quirky choice! I'm so glad this wasn't clickbait, it's actually a rock album centered around bongos. Of course we all know and love "Apache," famously sampled and flipped into a hip hop/dance staple. It's heralded as the "national anthem of hip hop," which is crazy because I just know these guys wouldn't have expected that kind of legacy. I didn't know the lore behind that track--though this version is the most famous and heavily sampled, it's a cover. There's a '60s version by a group called The Shadows that's definitely worth a listen. As a matter of fact, most of this album is covers. Beyond Apache, there are some other great tracks on here too. This is a gimmick done right, I enjoyed it.
Favorite tracks: Apache, Bongolia, Dueling Bongos, Okey Dokey.
Album art: Very simple, gets the point across with no confusion. Again, not clickbait, and I appreciate that. Nothing too special but it fits.
3.5/5
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
One of those '60s psych rock albums that all kind of blend together. It's alright, but nothing crazy.
Favorite tracks: Ballad of a Useless Man, I'm Not Your Stepping Stone, Melody for an Unknown Girl.
Album art: I do like this cover. Much spookier than the ordinary band photo, I appreciate the effort.
3/5
Sabu
4/5
Love a good Latin jazz-type album on this list, always refreshing. Some fantastic percussion on here, and the vocals are all over the place in a good way. I especially love that albums like this are from the '50s, it just feels so timeless. Shoutout to Blue Note and whoever else took the time and resources to make albums and preserve music like this.
Favorite tracks: Asabache, Choferito-Plena, El Cumbanchero.
Album art: Really love this, the bold colors are great. It's a simple band photo dramatically elevated by basic framing, text, and colors. Some of these old school jazz/international music covers are fantastic.
4/5
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Really dug this one! Didn't know many songs going into it but I'll be keeping quite a few. Know and love "Pale Blue Eyes" from Adventureland, same story as Unsatisfied from The Replacements. Thought I heard Nico near the end, but that was a different female vocalist. Anytime I listen to VU, I feel like I like them more and more. Can't wait to get The Banana Album from them!
Favorite tracks: Pale Blue Eyes, After Hours, Some Kinda Love, Murder Mystery, Beginning to See the Light.
Album art: The kind of band photo that does basically nothing for me.
4.5/5
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Had to do some digging to find this one, but man did I dig it. I'm really into Heron's work, I feel like we had another album of his on here, but I'm just remembering that I recently bought one from him on vinyl. His spoken-word poetry style, which could at times be characterized as "rap," is really engaging. I love the tracks that are personal or political (most of them to be fair). I know "The Bottle" from being sampled by Knxwledge for "Suede," that's a great track. There's an excellent run of tracks on the back end of this, especially with H2OGate. Really love this, more Gil-Scott Heron would be welcome!
Favorite tracks: Your Daddy Loves You, H2OGate Blues, Peace Go With You Brother, The Bottle, Song for Bobby Smith.
Album art: Heavy on the framing, but the picture is actually really cool. Love that funky art style.
4.5/5
Wilco
3/5
Another one from Wilco. I think I liked this more than the other? Hard to tell, nothing too distinct about either project. But it's pretty good.
Favorite tracks: Kamera, Jesus etc.
Album art: Definitely iconic, at least in the sense that I've seen this countless times over the years. It's a really cool shot of those rounded, petal-style apartments. I like this one.
3/5
Brian Eno
5/5
A beautiful, relaxing album. Paired with news of a family member passing today, this feels perhaps more somber and melancholy than intended. But I know that the memory tied to this will make this a comfort album for me regardless, and the music is just amazing. Great job, Mr. Eno.
Favorite tracks: the whole thing, no favorites.
Album art: It's a map, it's minimal, it's perfect. If it isn't, this should be ambient music's bible.
5/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Anytime we get a Stevie Wonder album I know I'm in for a treat. I've heard this title before, but not the album. As expected, really great album, it makes sense why he dominated the Grammys for as long as he did. Just fantastic grooves all over this. I wouldn't put it up there with Songs in the Key of Life but it's still a great ride.
Favorite tracks: Higher Ground, Living for the City, Too High, All in Love is Fair, Don't You Worry Bout a Thing.
Album art: That's another thing about Stevie Wonder, great album arts. This one is really nice, love the landscape and the color palate. The poor guy's blind and yet has some of the best covers to look at.
4.5/5
Paul Weller
4/5
This one took me by surprise. The name sounds familiar, but I don't think I've heard any Paul Weller before. I really dug this album, the first thing that popped into my head was white Stevie Wonder. Maybe because we just had Innervisions, but there are a lot of great grooves on here too, ones that aren't really typical of this style of rock. Regardless, this was a really cool album and I'll be keeping a lot of it in my playlist.
Favorite tracks: Can You Heal Us, Wild Wood, All the Pictures on the Wall, The Weaver, Holy Man.
Album art: A cool silhouette shot of I'm guessing Paul? I like this, it's dark and mysterious.
4/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Not my favorite from Aerosmith, but still a really good album. I enjoy their music in general so this is a good time. A couple recognizable hits and some solid deep cuts. Can't wait for Toys in the Attic to pop up on here.
Favorite tracks: Sick as a Dog, Last Child, Rats in the Cellar.
Album art: I've always liked this one. Simple and effective. I got a ton of them diamonds too.
3.5/5
Leftfield
3/5
I liked this. Another Euro house album, though I enjoyed it quite a bit more than the "jungle" ones we've had. A handful of infectious beats that I'll enjoy returning to. Nothing spectacular but I like this.
Favorite tracks: Afro Left, Song of Life, Inspection, Release the Pressure.
Album art: A shark's jaw over a camera lens? Not sure I understand this, but at least it's kinda cool to look at.
3.5/5
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
Wasn't really feeling this one. Feels like the camp of "rap is silly, let's try it." That's not to say anything about this band or their intentions, they are just Fun Lovin' Criminals after all. It's just not a style that I'm really into, too tongue-in-cheek for me. I did like Scooby Snacks though, despite being the epitome of that silly humor. Didn't make much of an impression.
Favorite tracks: Scooby Snacks, The Grave and the Constant.
Album art: Three guys of unknown ethnic origin riding in a car. The guy in the middle looks the part of a fun-loving criminal, he's got that smug, knowing grin that fits this style. Not much here for me.
2/5
Bert Jansch
4/5
I've heard this name before but can't remember any songs. This is a fantastic singer-songwriter album, like a folksy-er version of Nick Drake or John Martyn. Not quite Bob Dylan folksy but close. Really love how intricate the guitar work is on here. I'm a huge fan of albums like these, this was excellent.
Favorite tracks: I Have No Time, Veronica, Needle of Death, Alice's Wonderland, Courting Blues.
Album art: Pretty simple, black and white portrait, the likes of which we've seen a hundred times now. It's a good reminder here though that this is an old album, mid-'60s. I guess the budget was probably low for a debut too.
4.5/5
Deerhunter
3/5
Indie rock I guess. Not much happening here for me. I feel like I should know this band, given it's so recent, but I can't say I know anything from them. Not bad, not great, just alright.
Favorite tracks: Memory Boy, Desire Lines, Coronado.
Album art: A bit creepy, a little woman (or little man in drag?) kneeling in prayer. Black and white works to make this creepier.
3/5
Elliott Smith
3/5
I've wanted to get into Elliott Smith's music for a while, and I doubt this is the best place to start, as even Apple Music prefaces this one as a departure from his more traditional, singer-songwriter style. There are a few stripped back tracks on here (which I honestly enjoyed more), but a lot is more produced and rock-y band-y. Still pretty good though, due to the strength of his writing, but I'll look forward to a more quintessential album to sink my teeth into, like Either/Or.
Favorite tracks: Somebody That I Used to Know, Better Be Quiet Now, Junk Bond Trader.
Album art: Seems like a White Stripes knockoff. It's weird that Elliott looks so cool on the Either/Or cover but looks really dorky here. Maybe there's a metaphor here since this album is him not really in his comfort zone.
3.5/5
Marty Robbins
5/5
A true classic right here. My first exposure to Marty Robbins, as is probably the case for most people my age and younger, was hearing "Big Iron" on the radio in Fallout: New Vegas. I was obsessed with that song (and several others in the game), and eventually I had the urge to seek out the man responsible. Robbins was an immensely talented country musician, who not only sang but wrote many of his timeless tracks. He found a lot of success and popularity during his time, but I think he's a little underrated by today's standards, at least in retrospective discussion of country artists like Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson or whoever else. I'm a Marty Man, and this album should show you why. All the tracks really do feel like they belong out on the range, on the trail. Great cowboy tales and imagery, and just infectious melodies to boot. The whole thing was recorded in one, eight-hour session! Sounds a bit like Black Sabbath's debut, another 5-star album from me. I don't know what it is, but some great artists seems to really shine when put in that pressure cooker. Anyway, go listen to El Paso at full blast and dream about that Mexican maiden.
Favorite tracks: Big Iron, El Paso, The Hanging Tree, Strawberry Roan, The Master's Call, They're Hanging Me Tonight.
Album art: Truly iconic, I love simple designs like this from the '50s, and it's also just an extremely bold color plus Marty in cowboy get-up. This one lives in my heart and mind forever.
5/5
Heaven 17
3/5
Very quirky. Had no idea what to expect, and certainly wasn't expecting this sort of retro-futurist electronic pop stuff. Instrumentals are all over the place, sometimes enough to make me laugh. Lyrical performances were interesting too. I liked this, even though it ran a bit long.
Favorite tracks: Penthouse and Pavement, Geisha Boys and Temple Girls, The Height of the Fighting, Decline of the West.
Album art: Love, love, love this. Like something ripped from an '80s HR instructional textbook. Big fan of the style and layout.
3.5/5
Neil Young
3/5
It's Neil Young, but he's on the beach. I don't know if this is core Neil Young or not, but I enjoy the style for what it is. Reminds me of Kurt Vile, who's no doubt inspired by Mr. Young. I appreciate the long, hypnotic tracks on here. I'd definitely put this ahead of the previous NY album that we received.
Favorite tracks: For the Turnstiles, On the Beach, Ambulance Blues.
Album art: Picture of the beach, is that Neil in the background? I really like the buried car.
3.5/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Oh here we go. I've been waiting for this moment for a while. The OG Led Zeppelin album, the one that started it all. Talk about a debut album! It's got a handful of blues covers that just rip, and the original songs have mostly become classic rock staples. This is just a foundational album, a must-listen for anyone who cares about rock music. I wonder if they knew when they made this the kind of legacy it would have? Did they know they were making one of the greatest rock albums of all time? Well, they did.
Favorite tracks: Every single song except for How Many More Times.
Album art: Iconic, the zeppelin. Just a tried and true classic. It's honestly not that special or impressive, but when you tie it to an album like this it's unforgettable.
5/5
Screaming Trees
3/5
Sort of bread-and-butter '90s alt rock, nothing too crazy but a few tracks I enjoyed. Especially the closer, which seemed to veer into a completely different genre. I liked this but will forget about it rather quickly.
Favorite tracks: Gospel Plow, All I Know, Traveler.
Album art: Kind of creepy, like some weird heat signature photo of a dying demon? Not sure, but I do like it.
3.5/5
Fats Domino
3/5
Another one not on Apple Music, had to frankenstein this together from some compilation albums but we got it. Fats is a pioneer in the early honky-tonk rock and roll style, and he belongs in the same discussion as guys like Little Richard and Chuck Berry. He made the piano cool, and he's got a great voice and presence on every track. The music is definitely dated, and I felt it sounded very same-y throughout but definitely foundational stuff that belongs on this list. And "Blueberry Hill" is an all-timer.
Favorite tracks: Blueberry Hill, Blue Monday, Troubles of My Own, The Fat Man.
Album art: I know it's not what's shown on this site. Looking elsewhere I see an old-school style cover that's mostly pink with a huge Fats head and tiny body playing piano. I really dig that one.
3.5/5
Ministry
2/5
Definite change of pace! We don't get a lot of metal albums, and I'm not complaining since I generally don't love the genre, but it's a nice break. This one's got a vulgar energy to it, not necessary vulgar lyrics, but just feels nasty. Overall it fits outside of the kinds of metal I do like, maybe a little too heavy for me. But I liked a couple tracks, and I appreciate that this band has a sense of humor. "Jesus Built My Hotrod" is funny to read, and I love the pun in the subtitle of the album: the way to succeed and the way to suck eggs. But ultimately not one for me.
Favorite tracks: Corrosion, NWO.
Album art: Appropriately grimy and incomprehensible. A nude angel in the middle? Hard to see. I kind of like it though.
2/5
John Cale
3/5
Very quirky rock album. Clearly influenced by old styles of music, as if this guy came from the Victorian era to make rock-pop. I like the departure from our usual fare, even if I didn't absolutely love the project. Definitely some cool tracks on here.
Favorite tracks: Paris 1919, Hanky Panky Nohow, Half Past France.
Album art: Very fitting, based on the garb this gent is wearing. The font is pretty cool too.
3/5
Bob Dylan
3/5
I'm always game for some vintage Dylan. This one is one of his greats, and I'm not sure I'd heard it all the way through. Some great tracks, especially "Visions of Johanna," but overall it didn't grab me like Highway 61 Revisited or (my personal favorite) The Times They Are A-Changing. Plenty on here that I don't feel I want or need to revisit. Still, a decent Dylan album is quite good.
Favorite tracks: Visions of Johanna, One of Us Must Know, Stuck Inside of Mobile, Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat.
Album art: Iconic for sure, I'd recognize this one a mile out. Slightly blurry Bob, perhaps a distant ancestor to Earl Sweatshirt's Some Rap Songs cover?
3.5/5
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Very cool album. Latin jazzy-y, but also feels like a Brazilian Nick Drake at times, even veering into sounds that reminded me of mainstream rock pop groups like the Beach Boys. Never heard of this artist but really dig the style. This was great music to play while building Ikea furniture.
Favorite tracks: Tudo o Que Voce, O Trem Azul, Dos Cruces, San Vicente.
Album art: Two boys sitting on the ground, one happy one very upset. Not sure what to make of it but it's pretty good.
4/5
Brian Eno
3/5
Not bad! A combo of Eno, whose albums I've really enjoyed, and David Byrne of Talking Heads, whose albums I've not enjoyed as much. It's extremely quirky music, and I love the tracks that really lean into that outlandish spirit, like "Solo Guitar with Tinfoil." Plays more like an archival collection of noises and songs than an album, but it's good.
Favorite tracks: Regiment, Solo Guitar with Tin Foil, Mountain of Needles, America is Waiting.
Album art: This lined one is a reissue, the original is a bit more textured and blocky. Some cool art either way.
3.5/5
Björk
2/5
Happy birthday to me, I guess. Never been a big fan of Bjork. She's certainly original, I just don't like her style. Her voice is a little too breathless, music a little too sparse. It's like a more ephemeral version of Radiohead, which I'm sure works for a lot of people but for me it doesn't do much. Still, at least a couple songs I liked, but overall I'd rather listen to something else.
Favorite tracks: It's Not Up to You, Unison.
Album art: Black and white, not a great start, but she's wearing that famed dead swan dress, and there's a cool stencil of a swan superimposed over the whole thing. It's a bit busy with the layers but I do like this one.
2.5/5
Goldfrapp
2/5
Another entry in the series of "the people who made this list fell asleep at the wheel for the picks from this century." Of course, it's a decent project. And I've heard of Goldfrapp, only for their big hit single "Ooh La La," which is nowhere near this album. Instead, it's a more laidback album, akin to some of the more indie/alt stuff that we get on the list. I took a look and there's another Goldfrapp album on the list, and it's also NOT the one that contains their biggest hits. Who's making these decisions? I'm sorry this album had to catch a stray today but damn, it's just really puzzling picks.
Favorite tracks: Little Bird, Road to Somewhere, Cologne Cerrone, Houdini.
Album art: Portrait shot of the lead singer I think. Nothing special.
2.5/5
The Jam
2/5
Damn, three in a row of albums I could do without. Another middle-of-the-pack '80s alt-rock type of album, which make up such an outsized portion of this list. Again, can't say this is bad music at all, it just doesn't stand out for me, especially amid so many similar albums we've heard. I will say though that the album title is very clever: sound does affect, even though this collection of sounds won't affect me much. I liked a coupe tracks, but one of those was just because "Start" sounds almost exactly like "Taxman" from the Beatles. I'll move on from this quickly.
Favorite tracks: Start, Man in the Corner Shop.
Album art: Somewhat interesting collage of images, though the commitment to such a drab color palette is a bit frustrating.
2.5/5
ABBA
4/5
Somehow I've never listened to ABBA, at least aside from the hits that we all know by heart against our will. This is really solid though, I did know a single song going in but I enjoyed quite a few. It's mostly good old-fashioned pop music, technically sound and often very catchy, and there's even some wildcard songs on here too. That kind of departure is always welcome in my eyes. I think the whole cult surrounding Mamma Mia had me avoiding ABBA like the plague, but I'm glad to announce that I think they're actually a good band and I no longer harbor any ill will toward them. In fact, I wouldn't mind another album.
Favorite tracks: Under Attack, One of Us, The Visitors, I Let the Music Speak.
Album art: I assume this is the band, scattered in a fancy art gallery type office. Their separation is telling because I think this was ABBA's last album for a while (40 years to be exact). Great shadows too, I like this one.
4/5
Favorite tracks:
Kacey Musgraves
5/5
When this album came out, I had previously listened to Pageant Material, and I could tell that Kacey was a bit different from the average country artist. But "a bit different" has nothing on this album. It's got remnants of country music, in some of the imagery and instrumentation, but so much of it veers into mainstream pop or even indie territory. I could see this being very jarring for country fans, and possibly still too country for those who hate country, but for me it hit a sweet spot that I didn't know existed. Kacey's voice is a glass cannon--it's fragile and vulnerable, but it hits like a truck. She cuts through every instrumental to deliver lyrics that turn the mundane into something at least clever, if not profound. Compare, for example, "Space Cowboy," a song spun out of a pun that's relished on every chorus, and "Mother," a one minute "try not to cry" challenge that I have never beat. A lot of times on here I'm reminded of artists like Sufjan Stevens or Phoebe Bridgers, both artists who excel at turning the everyday into something powerful. I think Phoebe and Sufjan are more skilled writers, but Kacey brings their sensibilities to pop, which is neat. The melodies and chord progressions throughout are addictive; they may be poppy but damn do they work to destroy me. Of course I have this on vinyl, it's my favorite album of 2018 and one of my favorites of the last decade. As much disdain as I have for the racist institution that the Grammys have become, giving this AOTY was one of the best calls they've made in recent memory. Of course it's a 5 for me.
Favorite tracks: I love this whole thing, and my favs change all the time, but Oh, What a World, Slow Burn, Space Cowboy, Golden Hour, Mother.
Album art: Absolutely love this one. For me, at least, it's become iconic, but that designation needs more time. For now, I just love the color contrast here, the solid blue sky behind Kacey and her fan thing. A little bit of blur or distortion adds to it too.
5/5
Orange Juice
2/5
Yet another float in the parade of '80s alt rock bands, leaving not much of an impression. The album opened and closed with great tracks, but everything in between those bookends ran together. Makes me think of those Mad Magazine pictures where you fold to make the ends meet and skip what's in the middle to make a new picture. I'd rather do that than rip it up.
Favorite tracks: Rip It Up, Tenterhook.
Album art: Very precocious band photo. Very cool if this band did in fact have a black drummer. Album art isn't very memorable though.
2.5/5
Jamiroquai
3/5
Every person's life is divided into two segments: the time before and after discovering that Jamiroquai's lead singer is not only a man but white. Anyway, they make great music; I don't know which would be their "best" album since I don't know them that well but I always enjoy what I hear, and this album is no exception. I will take slight points off for the frantic beat on Revolution 1993 that was so stressful I had to skip the track. Other than that, I dig it!
Favorite tracks: Hooked Up, When You Gonna Learn, Blow Your Mind, Emergency on Planet Earth.
Album art: Extremely basic, just the silhouette of the guy with horns. That's their logo though, I respect that. But this feels super lazy.
3.5/5
Tricky
4/5
Interesting timing as I see Pitchfork just released a retrospective review of this over the weekend. Never heard of this artist or album, but I quite enjoyed it. It's electronic music, but rather than dance-y it's a bit dark and mysterious. Even still, the grooves are pretty catchy. I dig it.
Favorite tracks: Overcome, Brand New You're Retro, Suffocated Love, Strugglin.
Album art: No idea what I'm looking at here, like four pieces of wood? Not sure, but it's a cool textured look.
4/5
CHIC
4/5
Classic record! "Good Times" is the most infamous sample in hip hop history, the one that started it all for "Rapper's Delight." Other great songs on here too that would lend well to samples, if they haven't already. I thought the structure was really interesting, only seven tracks and the first three front-loaded the runtime. A great experience.
Favorite tracks: Good Times, Warm Summer Night, My Forbidden Lover.
Album art: Is this the band? Looks like an old timey saloon where a shootout is about to occur. Pretty cool shot, don't love the black and white.
4/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Another one from the bayou boys CCR. It's got "Proud Mary," one of their biggest hits, but my favorite track on here was easily "Graveyard Train." The standard rock fare from them is good, but a departure into blues is way better. The strength of that track alone bumps this up to four stars. I like this band, but don't really need multiple albums from them to get the idea. Still, this was of course enjoyable and I'll be listening to that graveyard train for days, probably years to come.
Favorite tracks: Graveyard Train, Proud Mary, Born on the Bayou.
Album art: Blurry bayou boys.
4/5
XTC
3/5
This reminds of that Prefab Sprout album, minus the emotional elevation that made it feel so triumphant. Yet another '80s britpop album on the list. Obviously I enjoy it to a certain degree, but it also becomes harder and harder for these to stand out. A few tracks on here I dug, even though the rest of it felt pretty bland. Hard to say what would have made this better, but it's still pretty good.
Favorite tracks: Dear God, The Main Who Sailed Around His Soul, Big Day, That's Really Super Supergirl.
Album art: Really like the colors on this one. The texturing is cool too.
3.5/5
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
Not on Apple Music, but it is on Spotify. Based on the name Jah Wobble I was expecting reggae, but this is a British group? Not even sure what genre to call this, but some pretty cool groove/vibe music to throw on in the background. A few tracks I'd like to add to my playlist on Apple but we'll see if they're on there.
Favorite tracks: Visions of You, Bomba, Ungodly Kingdom.
Album art: Very Native American-inspired design with the quadrant and what appears to be feathers. Again, few if any clues as to what genre this would or should be considered, but it's a bold cover.
3/5
Moby
4/5
Whoa, Mr. Moby, what are you doing here? Moby is secretly a '90s pioneer. Actually I don't know if that's a secret, he just seemed to develop a very cool, signature style in his music that's both wholly Moby and wholly '90s. Love hearing "Porcelain" after the A$AP Rocky sample. It's funny that now the most you hear about him is that he claims he dated Natalie Portman and she claims he was old and creepy and just followed her around her campus a few times. The guy's clearly living in a world of his own. Great album though!
Favorite tracks: Porcelain, Honey, Bodyrock, Run On.
Album art: Definitely iconic, I've seen this a billion times. Guy jumping, or doing a kickflip maybe? Is that Moby? Who's holding whatever that little Gameboy camera-looking device is on the left? Unanswered questions, that's what I like.
4/5
Eagles
4/5
"Running down the road tryna loosen my load" ??? Eagles be eagling, man. This is our second from them, and just like Hotel California, it's got some classic hits. They're a band that's made easy to hate by their ubiquity, but they're also easy to love because the music goes down smooth. Two tracks on here with "easy" in the title in case it wasn't clear, and they're easily my two favorites. Rock on, birds.
Favorite tracks: Take It Easy, Peaceful Easy Feeling, Witchy Woman, Nightingale.
Album art: One that I never paid much attention to, as it's mostly just a sky. But closer inspection reveals what seems to be a silhouette of a cactus "skyline" in front of a desert sunset. Digging the vibe.
4/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Wow, it took 300+ albums before we got one from the Boss. I've got a lot of respect for Springsteen and his slice of the americana pie. His style is always resonant to some degree for me, and even though there weren't many tracks on here that I knew going in, there's plenty to bite off and chew. He can sound a bit marble-mouthed at points but for me that adds to his everyman charm. Great energy and emotion throughout. This is a great album, and I'm looking forward to more from Bruce on the list.
Favorite tracks: Darkness on the Edge of Town, Candy's Room, The Promised Land, Racing in the Street.
Album art: Dang he looks so young in this. For some reason this cover always reminds me of the music video for "I'm On Fire" even though that's on a different album. I think this is iconic though, and even though I hadn't heard this album as a whole before today this is probably my favorite of his album covers.
4/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Laughed out loud when I saw this, literal back to back Springsteen albums after none in the first 300 we've heard. I said I was looking forward to more Bruce albums and it's time to reap what I've sown! For an album this late in his career, it's still really good. Veers into sounding like Eddie Vedder a couple times, but the tracks that hit me hit pretty hard. I enjoyed it.
Favorite tracks: You're Missing, Lonesome Day, Nothing Man.
Album art: Blurry Bruce photo, extremely 2000's looking cover. The font design screams "greatest hits album." Not a great look.
3.5/5
Ian Dury
2/5
First dud of the week. The artist and title was enough to tip me off that we were in for some quirky British tunes. Very tongue-in-cheek humorous, which is fine in doses, I just didn't find much of the music interesting. I suppose if I were British I'd call Ian Dury a cheeky bastard 'avin' a wank or takin' the piss. I will compliment and say it sounded quite ahead of it's time, seems like '80s or even '90s era music. But still not much for me, sorry bruv.
Favorite tracks: Clevor Trever, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.
Album art: Also ahead of its time, this would've made me guess '80s or '90s. It's a black and white photo and nothing too elaborate but still manages to feel lively with that text.
2.5/5
Alice Cooper
3/5
Whoa, nice! One of those classic rock albums that I've seen a bunch but never listened to. Alice Cooper is mainstay that I don't know much about. Creepy-looking dude, but the music is always solid. This album fits the mold, a few great songs that I'll be revisiting, even though stylistically it doesn't do much to set it apart from a lot of other classic rock stuff. I did love how abruptly it ended, with a bit of a horror vibe. Cool album!
Favorite tracks: No More Mr. Nice Guy, Unfinished Sweet, Hello Hooray.
Album art: Iconic for sure, absolutely love this one. Actually looks like a photo album cover, made in snake or crocodile skin. And the little golden baby medallion is cool too. Just love the vibrant color.
3.5/5
Steely Dan
3/5
Steely Dan, a band that seems to have a cult following spanning so many odd generations of people, and I've never quite gotten into them. I can think of two songs I know, and they aren't on here. This is a decent project, a couple tracks I'll keep but I still don't quite see the appeal. Maybe it would be more obvious on a different album? I'd put money down betting we'll get another album so let's wait and find out.
Favorite tracks: My Old School, The Boston Rag.
Album art: Cool art, if not a little unsettling. Some alien looking men in chairs, some more alien looking creatures walking behind them. I have no idea what I'm looking at and I like it.
3/5
Raekwon
4/5
"I am your Ghost and your Rae, this is my Purple Tape." Pusha T's shoutout to this album, a staple of the classic Wu-Tang era. It's often called the Purple Tape because, well, it was released on a purple cassette tape. Just like Liquid Swords, this is one of the solo outings from Wu-Tang that I prefer to their group work (even though this feels like a group project at times). Ghostface is a frequent presence, and there are excellent features from the likes of Inspectah Deck, Method Man, and GZA. I think Cappa Donna's feature sounded like Phife to me, and Raekwon almost sounds like MF DOOM a few times on here. I love this vintage hip hop that feels dark and gritty, that energy ages well. I don't know what to say other than I really, really dig this and a lot of the tracks on it. Any hip hop on this list is a breath of fresh air, but this one is especially nice.
Favorite tracks: Guillotine, Glaciers of Ice, Ice Cream, Knowledge God, Knuckleheadz, Spot Rusherz, Rainy Dayz.
Album art: Seemingly just a picture of Raekwon and Ghostface, nothing too special. The color scheme and the matching text has given this a permanent feel, and I think it has become instantly recognizable. Still, I do think it's a pretty weak cover. Almost hot to the touch, but nothing crazy.
4.5/5
The Velvet Underground
5/5
A true classic! For me, at least, it's the pinnacle for everyone involved. Yeah, Nico has that cool solo album, and Lou Reed made some cool songs elsewhere, but this one is just hard to beat. The four-track run that opens this album is amazing: a perfect intro, one of my favorite Lou Reed tracks, one of Nico's most memorable tracks, and then the super psychedelic "Venus in Furs." I feel like if I were alive back when this came out this album would've permanently changed me. And I haven't even gotten to my favorite track on here, "Heroin." Such a brilliant, building song. It was used very obviously in the movie Killing Them Softly for a scene where Ben Mendelson does, yep you guessed it, heroin. Leaving that aside, I just love the length and trajectory of this song. The rising and falling throughout is so satisfying. I'm struggling to come up with a good reason to give this less than five stars. There were some songs on the back end that didn't stand out to me, but with all that I love and the highs it has to offer, it's really one of the best of its era.
Favorite tracks: Heroin, I'm Waiting for the Man, Femme Fatale, Venus in Furs, Sunday Morning, All Tomorrow's Parties.
Album art: The unforgettable, iconic banana. Designed (and signed) by Andy Warhol, the early vinyl pressings of this had a peelable peel sticker and the flesh of the banana underneath is an unsettling pink. I do have this on vinyl, but it's a repressing without the peel sticker. Maybe that's for the best; that pink banana is creepy, and I'd hate to be the guy who lost the sticker.
5/5
Incubus
3/5
WHATEVER TOMORROWWWW BRINGS, I'LL BE THEREEEEE, WITH OPEN ARMS AND OPEN EYES, YEAHHHH. Not sure what else to say, this is a really good new-age-ish rock album. Some solid songs, then "Drive" comes on and it's all over. Cool to hear the album behind the hit!
Favorite tracks: Drive, Battlestar Scralatchtica, Make Yourself, The Warmth.
Album art: Very cool, very digital, very '90s. Not sure what I'm looking at but I love it.
3.5/5
Jane's Addiction
1/5
Man, this morning I was listening to a track from Kanye's Donda 2 (the album that still isn't really out), and it was so amazing. Kaycyy's autotuned crooning, the type of style you'd expect on a trap beat, but it was on a gorgeous string arrangement that made it so heavenly. It just struck me how beautiful music can be. Then I had to listen to this, and maybe it was because it followed that song and revelation, but this did so little for me and was pretty grating overall. I barely liked one song, the rest ranged from tolerable to skippable. It's been a minute since I rated one this low, but I guess we need to balance out the recent five star. I'm not addicted to this at all, it's just grungy, noisy rock with little semblance of melody. Kind of crazy since I really dug the other album we got from them, but that's how it goes I suppose.
Favorite tracks: Favorite is a strong word here, but Been Caught Stealing.
Album art: Pretty disturbing claymation vibes coming off this one. I just know my parents are gonna hate it. I do really appreciate the attention to detail though, it may be disturbing but I think it's a good, bold statement of a cover.
1.5/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
We've had a few from Neil Young so far, and I'm not sure where I stand on his music. Definitely enjoyable, but not a whole lot that jumps out at me. There's a cool spaciousness to this album though, the tracks run long and let you sink into them. I definitely liked this, but wasn't super impressed. Still waiting for the Neil Young project to flip that switch.
Favorite tracks: Over and Over, Mother Earth, Farmer John.
Album art: Fisheye band photo? That's it?
3/5
The Monks
2/5
Man, I've become really jaded with these '60s rock albums. There are so many great ones out there, most of which are on this list, but there are so many on here that feel like scraping the bottom of the barrel. Maybe not fair to the Monks, they do have a bit of a unique edge to them but damn if I haven't heard four or five albums that sound just like this by now. Very little on here to distinguish it from the pack. Sorry gang. Apparently this is proto-punk rock? I didn't quite hear it. I'll trust the word of others that it's influential, but it's doing nothing for me.
Favorite tracks: Shut Up.
Album art: Adding insult to injury here. Nothing good to look at while I struggle to enjoy the music.
2/5
Randy Newman
3/5
"Is this the 'You've Got a Friend in Me' guy?" Yes, yes it is. The guy has a signature voice, instantly recognizable and forever immortalized by a Pixar song. But hey, he's more than that. There are quite a few excellent tracks on here. I can't say that I was blown away overall, and after a little while I found the music slipping into the background for me (happened on both listens). I guess that just happens with a voice like his. But it's a good album, no denying it! And I just love the lyric "he's happy as a monkey in a monkey tree." Well done, Randy! I could see this growing on me.
Favorite tracks: Sail Away, Last Night I Had a Dream, Dayton Ohio 1903.
Album art: Just a headshot, but the angle is unique I guess? He looks like a Bond villain version of Elton John or something, I don't know. Not sure what I expected the guy with this voice to look like, maybe a Burl Ives snowman?
3.5/5
Funkadelic
3/5
Dang, I've been looking forward to some P-Funk of any kind, and we get a signature album that for some reason isn't on Apple Music or Spotify. It's solid though, very enjoyable grooves from start to finish. I'm still patiently waiting for the day we get Maggot Brain, that's the kind of Funkadelic I need in my life. But this one's really good too!
Favorite Tracks: One Nation Under a Groove, Promental whatever, Lunchmeataphobia.
Album art: I've seen this many times, I love the art style and colors. Trying to find this album on Apple Music, I saw a ton of amazing album covers like this one, Funkadelic seems to have done that right.
3.5/5
Bob Dylan
5/5
Here it is, finally! I'm not sure if this is my favorite Dylan album, but I knew it was only a matter of time until we got one that is a five star for me. This is easily one of my favorites from Bobby boy. It's that early, folksy style that I love, even veering into blues territory. There's a few classic bangers on here like "Blowin in the Wind" and "Don't Think Twice It's Alright," but the depth is extremely rewarding. I love the story-telling Dylan over acoustic guitar and some harmonica here and there, long before he expired. Take "Down the Highway" for example, just a long blues progression with a story and that repeated, lilting vocal inflection is just so addictive to me. He sounds like he's a thousand years old, like the mysterious man singing "O Death" in O Brother Where Art Thou. As much as I rag on Bob Dylan for some of his later stuff (I've given one of his albums a one star already), he's really an incredible songwriter and musician, and this album is one I will always champion. One of the best.
Favorite tracks: Don't Think Twice It's Alright, Corinna Corinna, Down the Highway, Girl from the North Country, Talking World War III Blues, I Shall Be Free.
Album art: One of his must unassuming. Of course I've seen it a million times, but it doesn't leave much of an impression. I like that humility. Is that Corinna he's walking with? Is she from the north country?
5/5
2/5
This album must be modern life because it's rubbish, innit? Not exactly, but two Blur albums is enough to tell me I'm not really a fan. I just don't find much on here exciting or worth revisiting. It's some middle of the road modern-y British rock with a few quirks. I can't really say it's bad, but it's definitely not for me.
Favorite tracks: Blue Jeans, Resigned.
Album art: Splendid painting of a train, lads. Best part of the album sadly.
2/5
4/5
A classic in its own right. Contains the anthem of amateur guitar playing pricks worldwide, "Wonderwall." And despite the meme, it's still a great song. There's some other great ones on here too, especially "Champagne Supernova." I like this one a lot, and I think the vocals have a lot to do with it. Whichever of the brothers Gallagher is responsible for this, kudos.
Favorite tracks: Wonderwall, Champagne Supernova, Some Might Say, Morning Glory.
Album art: Very indistinct, we've had a handful of street scenes on this list already. But it's definitely recognizable for me.
4/5
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Another great album! We've had a few from Simon sans Garfunkel, this is our first from the legendary duo. It's definitely one of their most acclaimed, and there are plenty of jams on here that I enjoyed, including ones I haven't heard before. But those I have are definite classics, like "The Boxer," the title track, and the cover of the Everly Brothers' "Bye Bye Love." Great harmonies from these guys, and just excellent songwriting and instrumentation. Always a pleasant experience.
Favorite tracks: Cecilia, The Boxer, Baby Driver, Bridge Over Troubled Water, So Long Frank Lloyd Wright.
Album art: Iconic for sure, and I will never get over how funny Art's position behind Paul is. He looks like a shadow, a demon. Maybe he's just being cheeky, or maybe it's a metaphor for how often forgotten and left behind is as the world praises Paul Simon (let's be honest, we're probably not getting a solo Garfunkel record on this list).
4.5/5
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Pretty interesting album! Decent rock project, definitely liked a few tracks. I enjoyed when this veered into more experimental territory. Never heard of this band or album but I could tell they're British, or Welsh to be precise. If they've got any albums that lean fully into the more experimental sounds, count me in for one of those.
Favorite tracks: A Touch Sensitive, Alternate Route to Vulcan Street, Drawing Rings Around the World.
Album art: Really, really love this one. I mean, c'mon, great explosion of colors, a grinning skull with a gold tooth? The font and everything is very late '60s early '70s, I adore this style.
3/5
CHIC
4/5
Damn, another great album from CHIC. I didn't recognize track names going in but I for sure knew a handful of these songs, especially the legendary "Le Freak." The opening four-track run is nuts, just banger after banger. I wasn't as moved by the back half but it's an excellent project and two for two from these guys.
Favorite tracks: Le Freak, Chic Cheer, HAppy Man, Savoir Faire.
Album art: Really like this blocky, off-kilter design. Very matter of fact, but still modern artsy. I dig it.
4.5/5
Jeff Beck
2/5
I've always respected Jeff Beck as an exceptional guitarist, but I've never heard his solo music (in fact I didn't know it existed). This is a decent project, nothing terribly memorable though. Obviously the guitar work is great, but that alone isn't enough to elevate this too much. Feels pretty generic unfortunately.
Favorite tracks: Let Me Love You, Ol Man River.
Album art: Really like the way this is designed, bold black framing and I like the font too.
2.5/5
Alice In Chains
1/5
Brutal for me to get through. Most of it isn't terrible, just very uninteresting. It's in this spot between a lot of styles that could sound good, but here it just falls flat. Keep Alice locked up if this is the best she has to offer.
Favorite tracks: Rooster.
Album art: She's in the dirt. Okay.
1.5/5
The Sonics
2/5
Very similar to that early Beatles album we heard, in that it's a band of boys doing mostly rock and roll covers. The difference between this and that album (which came out two years prior) is that these guys have an edge, a fire to their sound that's really necessary for this style of rock and roll. The Beatles were a bit too posh for it. In other words, I like this more than that Beatles album (admittedly a very low bar). But it's still not anything challenging or impressive. Decent, but that's about it.
Favorite tracks: Have Love Will Travel, Do You Love Me, Roll Over Beethoven.
Album art: Band photo. Nothing else to say. Framing seems a little '80s.
2.5/5
Johnny Cash
3/5
I know Alex is spinning in his not-yet-grave at getting another live album. Johnny Cash is one of a select few artists I would accept it for, even though this isn't even his signature live album. He's always got a great energy performing these songs for prisoners, that's I think why his live albums deserve some shine. It's not some guy at Whositwhatsit arena, it's the Man in Black performing at correctional facilities for the downtrodden dregs of society. I definitely enjoyed visiting hours.
Favorite tracks: Starkville City Jail, A Boy Named Sue, Folsom Prison Blues, San Quentin Reprise.
Album art: Just a headshot of Johnny, but as far as live album covers go this one's pretty good and a tad artsy. Nothing special though.
3.5/5
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Love getting something new. I listened to this when it first came out, Joey put me on to Michael Kiwanuka with a previous project. I didn't love it then, but it's really good and has a lot of care put into it, spanning quite a few genres and a lot of ground. I'm enjoying it more this time around, especially a few of the "intro" tracks. I dig it, but it's still a little bit of an oddball choice for recent albums given the sort of things that didn't make this list. Wikipedia confirms that he's an English artist so that explains it.
Favorite tracks: You Ain't the Problem, Living In Denial, Hero, both Intro tracks.
Album art: Very classic, art style is like a classic Sun Ra jazz album. I like the bold colors and font.
4/5
U2
3/5
Totally forgot about the existence of U2, I guess it was a matter of time until they showed up on here. I've always enjoyed their hits, not sure if I've listened to any albums as a whole (especially not the cursed iTunes freebie one). There are a couple classics on here, but overall it wasn't anything too special. I'm sure they've got better projects.
Favorite tracks: Mysterious Ways, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, One.
Album art: A pretty disengaging collage. I say disengaging because, as was the case for Exile on Main St. I don't find myself interested enough to really look at these pictures. A collage like this feels lazy.
3/5
Steely Dan
4/5
Oh, here we go. I know the last Steely Dan album was alright, but this one is vibrant and has a lot of hits that I love (and didn't realize were by Steely Dan). I know these guys for making esoteric rock that only a select few weird uncles are into, but I guess at the time of their debut they had other plans. This sound, this style, works a lot better for me and there's plenty on here to enjoy, including the more instrumental-heavy tracks. I really dig this one.
Favorite tracks: Reelin' in the Years, Do It Again, Fire in the Hole, Dirty Work.
Album art: Haven't seen this one before but I adore it. Colors out the wazoo, loving the pop art style. The shirtless guy standing there for no reason?? The wacky cartoon fonts? I'm all about this.
4/5
Elliott Smith
4/5
Really dug this one. This is the Elliott Smith album that everyone talks about, perhaps its his holy grail. I enjoyed it a lot more than the previous album we got, as it veered much closer to the singer-songwriter style that I wanted to hear. He's got a really interesting voice that communicates pain very well. I can't say I picked up on too many lyrics, but just listening back to tracks more than once I know this all would grow on me even more and get under my skin in a good way. Kudos.
Favorite tracks: Speed Trials, Between the Bars, Rose Parade, Angeles, Cupids Trick, 2:45AM.
Album art: I know my comment on the other Elliott Smith album was that he looked like a dork, this one he looks like a badass. Not sure where's he's located but he's smoking a cig in a way that the Surgeon General would hate because it looks cool.
4.5/5
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Hell yeah! Love the Isley Brothers, and this happens to have my favorite song from them, their rendition of Summer Breeze. And how fitting to get "That Lady," the song sampled by Kendrick Lamar on i, the day before Kendrick drops his new album. Anyway, this one is excellent, this is the kind of R&B/soul stuff that I really, consistently enjoy. Fantastic grooves all around.
Favorite tracks: Summer Breeze, That Lady, If You Were There, What It Comes Down To, The Highways of My Life.
Album art: Pretty ordinary band photo, but the guys look cool. Are they really all brothers?
4.5/5
Manu Chao
3/5
This was a cool one! As always, I welcome international music, especially of the Latin Jazz-y variety. An interesting mix of styles on here. A bit less energy than I would've hoped, but still a good listen through. Fitting for the warm spring weather.
Favorite tracks: Desaparecido, Je ne t'aime plus, Welcome to Tijuana, Minha galera.
Album art: Just a guy standing there, really nothing to say to that. His outfit gives me pirate vibes. The whole thing feels ripped from a Just Cause game.
3.5/5
Eh, not doing much for me. This is Rod Stewart's band I guess? I've never been a fan of him either. I can't say this is bad, it's just middle-of-the-road, serviceable rock music. Two songs I enjoyed, the rest was a nondescript blur. Maybe I'm the blind horse. I'll forget about this one posthaste.
Favorite tracks: You're So Rude, Debris.
Album art: Picture got me worried this was a live album. I do think the album title is clever, but nothing inspired or inspiring to look at here.
2/5
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Undeniably old school. I haven't listened to much from Run-DMC, in fact the one thing I think of is that I think Alex used to watch a sitcom starring Rev Run called Run's House? There's a couple signature hits on here, but overall this style is just very outdated for me. The beats are super rudimentary, and while I certainly respect it as foundational, it's just not the kind of classic hip hop that I seek out. I enjoy '90s stuff a lot more. It's alright.
Favorite tracks: Walk This Way, It's Tricky, You Be Illin'.
Album art: I've seen this one a lot before. The colors are nice but it's pretty basic. Very much of its era.
3/5
Genesis
4/5
Really enjoyed this! I always assumed that Genesis made more poppy stuff like Phil Collins' solo work, but this is whole hog prog. Lots of long, cinematic rock stuff on here, pretty wacky to hear Phil singing in this space and style. I was legitimately floored when I heard "Firth of Fifth" because there's a flute portion that ScHoolboy Q sampled on "Gangsta in Designer." The obscurity of some hip hop samples just blows my mind. Long story short, this was a very cool album, and even though I didn't save too many tracks to return to, I think it's great.
Favorite tracks: Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, Firth of Fifth, Aisle of Plenty.
Album art: I like the art, though the muted pastel palette isn't my favorite. I'm not sure what's going on with these garden people but I like it.
4/5
3/5
Is this the best David Bowie album? I kinda hope not, because if it is, then I'm definitely not much of a Bowie fan. I don't know what to say, I think I was looking forward to this one since I've heard so much, but damn David Bowie just isn't that engaging or exciting to me. A couple songs I liked, but it's just not doing much for me overall. He's the most represented artist on this list, and we've had a few by now but nothing blowing me away. I'm starting to doubt that'll ever happen.
Favorite tracks: Moonage Daydream, Suffragette City.
Album art: The famous cover that predicted Kanye West, a much better artist. I hope someone reads me saying this and gets mad.
3/5
ZZ Top
3/5
Our second from the bearded boys, and it's really funny to me that this comes right after that Bowie album. Any critic in the world would tell you that Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust is better than this or any ZZ Top album, but man, gun to my head, I'd rather listen "La Grange." It's dad rock, no pretense. All I need sometimes.
Favorite tracks: La Grange, Waitin for the Bus, Move Me On Down the Line.
Album art: Very basic, blocky style. Seems uncharacteristic of ZZ Top, like some bad travel agency layout. But the color and font is a pretty nice combo.
3.5/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
I've heard of Sonic Youth many times, but haven't heard their stuff before now. I wasn't really in the mood for this kind of music today, and unfortunately a lot of it didn't connect. The one song that did was excellent though, so I'm going to be generous here and recognize that it's probably a good album that I just wasn't feeling today.
Favorite tracks: Providence.
Album art: Very simple shot of a candle. I've definitely seen this one around, nice to know what it sounds like.
3/5
The Crusaders
3/5
This one's gotta be in the dictionary next to "adult contemporary." Never heard of these guys, but it's a good album. A bit R&B/funky, but peppier and lighter in its step. Great music for driving in the city. I could put this on and get a lot done.
Favorite tracks: Rodeo Drive, Street Life, The Hustler.
Album art: At least one of these guys looks crazy, but they're having fun. It's a city at night, which matches my assessment, but the music is much brighter. A pretty nice cover though.
3.5/5
Beck
3/5
I enjoyed this one. Beck's one of those artists that's been around for a while now, just doing whatever it is he does. Not someone I've ever found or listened to organically, but based on recommendations or accolades only. A bit of an enigma in that way, I don't understand him. But this was a cool album. He was doing something of an Eddie Vedder type voice on this, and I don't think that's how he always sounds, but I'm no Beckspert.
Favorite tracks: Paper Tiger, Lost Cause, Round the Bend, Side of the Road.
Album art: Looks like that picture of Halsey. It also feels much newer than it actually is. Based on looks alone I would've guessed like 2014.
3.5/5
Mudhoney
2/5
I believe this is our second from Mudhoney, another fuzzy, grungy rock album. Again, similar to the Sonic Youth album we just had, I just don't feel in the mood for this kind of music. It ran together and not much stood out. I think I enjoyed the previous album more, but yeah. Not much here for me.
Favorite tracks: Thorn, Broken Hands.
Album art: Cute? It's a very child-like drawing, but note the NAKED WOMAN in front of the boat! I do like this one though, fun style and coloring. The title is also an obvious reference to those sheet music lines. I wonder if an actual kid drew this?
2/5
Roxy Music
3/5
Another from Roxy! Apparently this one is after Brian Eno's departure, so they don't quite have the same edge they did in the last album we heard. Still, some solid tracks here and there. I wish it were more memorable is all.
Favorite tracks: Three and Nine, Bitter Sweet.
Album art: AWOOOOGA, hello! Interesting that these ladies are the girlfriend and sister of a musician in Can, another band we've had. I can't imagine he likes looking at this one. Very racy, but very memorable, much more than the music within. I'm almost relieved that this isn't my favorite Roxy Music album, because if I were to buy one I'd feel a little scared getting this.
3/5
Radiohead
4/5
Honestly one of the stronger Radiohead albums we've had. Hard to say if it would be my favorite, but it's great. Love, love, love the opener, such a cool song (and featured in the movie The Accountant, perhaps an unofficial OCD anthem). Still not exactly sold on the idea of Radiohead as some saviors of music, but they're definitely a solid group with some great albums. That's enough for me.
Favorite tracks: Everything in its Right Place, Kid A, Optimistic, How to Disappear Completely.
Album art: I've seen this one probably the most, it's kind of the signature Radiohead album cover. A paper mountain range? Not sure, but it's iconic.
4.5/5
The Strokes
4/5
Crazy, just a couple days ago I was telling some people how I don't know any Strokes songs (beside Reptilia) and realized I probably need to listen to their stuff a bit more. Excellent timing. I really enjoyed this album, more than I thought I would. I didn't find much enjoyment in some of their newer albums I've heard, but this one is strong. Very fun little rock album here, some nice melodies.
Favorite tracks: Someday, Alone Together, Last Nite.
Album art: There's two for this one, the apparent naked woman profile (though if Ebaum's World taught me anything, that could be an armpit), and the yellow and blue intricate art one. I don't know which is more iconic, I've personally seen both enough that I thought they were two different albums. I think I prefer the US release, the blue and yellow one. The colors and the design just pop, much more so than a black and white hip.
4/5
Def Leppard
4/5
A bona fide classic rock classic! The greatest band named after a big cat with hearing problems to feature a one-armed drummer. I know and love a lot of their classic hits, but not sure if I've truly listened to an album before. I really enjoyed this one, had a few hits I knew and plenty of songs new to me that I enjoyed as well. Despite obviously being a hard rock/'80s hair metal type band, they've got some excellent melodies on a lot of these deeper cuts. I wouldn't mind more from these guys, this one bangs.
Favorite tracks: Pour Some Sugar on Me, Rocket, Animal, Armageddon It, Run Riot.
Album art: Really fantastic cover, this one is a classic for me. Love anything retrofuturistic like this, and the colors really pop.
4.5/5
Bob Dylan
4/5
I'm feeling the Dylan fatigue ever so slightly, due to sheer volume. But this is another great one, from the era of Bob Dylan that I really like. "Mr. Tambourine Man" is obviously the big hit on here, but holy cow, "It's Alright Ma, I'm Just Bleeding." I'd never heard that before, it's got an indescribable edge to it. Could honestly become like a top 5 Dylan song to me. He seriously spazzed. I also really liked hearing him laugh and restart on 115th Dream, that was a cool human touch. Thanks for the good music Bobby boy.
Favorite tracks: It's Alright Ma, Subterranean Homesick Blues, Gates of Eden,, 115th Dream, Mr. Tambourine Man, On the Road Again.
Album art: Kind of boring frankly, a picture with a little distortion. Not as cool or memorable as some of the others he's got out there.
4/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
This one of the big ones from Bruce, right? The title track is one of his all-time classics, that much I know for sure. There's a few other ones I loved on here. I'm a fan of Bruce in general, even if I'm not always a fan in specific. I love his place in rock history, and I respect what he does, even if it's not the most flashy or the best writing or anything like that. Just some classic Americana rock bangers, he's the guy for that.
Favorite tracks: Born to Run, Thunder Road, Jungleland.
Album art: I've seen this one a ton, and I sometimes would get it confused with other artists. I checked to see if I have this on vinyl, and I don't, but that's how familiar it is to me. Nothing crazy, just a portrait type shot in black and white, but the all-white background for this makes it seem very fashionable.
3.5/5
Roxy Music
3/5
Dang, not quite back to back from Roxy Music but pretty close! I'd put this between the two we've had in terms of how much I like it. Doesn't pack as much of a punch as For Your Pleasure, but has that weird, whimsical edge that Country Life lacked (I'm guessing that's an Eno touch). This one's good, but it doesn't quite have the strength or staying power that I wish it did. I do like this band though, after hearing three albums I'd consider myself something of a fan (despite the mixed results). The singer has that wavering, alarming voice that I honestly enjoy. Cool band, very British, but cool nonetheless.
Favorite tracks: 2 HB, If There is Something, Sea Breezes.
Album art: That's three in a row from them featuring women on the cover. This one's less striking than the other two, but still pretty good. The lady looks pained.
3.5/5
Talvin Singh
3/5
Very interesting vibe. Love the traditional Indian instruments and sounds, and the sort of techno/trance update is pretty cool. I think I’d prefer some more traditional stuff, but I also think there’s some Ravi Shankar on this list so I’ll look forward to that. This was good though! Very chill.
Favorite tracks: Traveller, Butterfly, Light.
Album art: Not a whole lot going on here, but I guess enough to indicate the two styles that are blended together. Very forgettable cover.
3.5/5
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Another from Sinatra! Probably also on the short list for some of the earliest concept albums, but the concept here is a lot less compelling than In the Wee Small Hours. Lots of big band swinging joints on here, and a few of those old classics we all know and love. A great album to listen to, even if it’s not his high water mark. I’ve always got a soft spot for Frank.
Favorite tracks: You Make Me Feel So Young, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Pennies from Heaven, Too Marvelous for Words, How About You?
Album art: Very vibrant, a classic design style from that era. Really dig this one.
4.5/5
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Jazz rock perhaps? Not sure if that’s a thing, or if this is that, but it’s rock with an atmospheric spirit, kind of freely exploring a mood in the way jazz might. I’ve heard a couple Flaming Lips albums and find them to be quite good. This is a solid album, with a handful I’ll return to. Give us some more!
Favorite tracks: Race for the Prize, The Spark that Bled, Sleeping on the Roof, Waitin’ for a Superman.
Album art: Really like the retro style and the bold colors. From what I remember, these guys do album arts really well.
4/5
Depeche Mode
3/5
Love Depeche Mode, but only for the hits I know, and none of those are on here. Still, a pretty good album with a handful of tracks I dug. Loses a half star though because two of the tracks I loved were from rerelease(s), especially that sparse piano rendition of Sonata No. 14. I'd like at least one more album from them that has some of the big hitters.
Favorite tracks: Never Let Me Down Again, Nothing, Sonata No. 14, Route 66.
Album art: Not a whole lot to this one, 80% frame around a small picture. I do like that the loudspeakers arranged on the pole look a bit like a small bouquet of flowers, that's what I thought it was when in small mode on my phone.
3/5
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Automatic fiver here. Love Dave Brubeck, and this has some of his most signature classics. Opening with "Blue Rondo a la Turk" is enough to let you know you're in for a great ride. I think Brubeck's the pianist, but man, shoutout to whoever is on sax because the sax cuts through these tracks like a hot knife through butter. For me, this is quintessential smooth jazz. I'll always be reminded of that Malcolm in the Middle episode where Hal finds the old bomb shelter in the backyard and hides down there drinking scotch, talking to a portrait of JFK, and listening to "Take Five." Love, love, love it.
Favorite tracks: Take Five, Blue Rondo a la Turk, Strange Meadow Lark, Pick Up Sticks, basically all of it.
Album art: One of the many jazz albums with the sort of "framed abstract art" concept for the cover, and I really like it. The art is excellent, the text font and colors are bold. It's simple and informative, but very memorable.
5/5
fIREHOSE
2/5
Not a whole lot going on here for me. Never heard of this group, but thought they were UK or maybe even Irish based on some of the styles at play here. It's a little punky, but pretty upbeat. Not much stood out to me, but I don't hate it, it's pretty consistent. Just not something I want to return to.
Favorite tracks: Riddle of the Eighties.
Album art: Quite a few things going on here, the blocking is a bit strange. I really like the graffiti face though.
2.5/5
David Gray
4/5
Interesting record. Never heard of this guy, but he sounds somewhere between Bob Dylan and Natalie Merchant, I kept thinking of her voice on "These Are Days." Generally easy listening, and it's got the classic singer/songwriter spirit but musically does feel modern. Not sure if that's the melodies or what. I wasn't too impressed, especially at the beginning, but really settled into it on the back end. Great album!
Favorite tracks: This Year's Love, Sail Away, My Oh My, We're Not Right.
Album art: Actually a pretty cool one. The background picture filtered through a fence is cool, and the little geometric stuff in the middle is cool too.
4/5
KISS
3/5
I don't know if I was expecting KISS to be on the list, but I like that they are! They're a band that always fascinated me; when I was first getting into classic rock and guitar stuff, I made a point of learning each of the band members' names and "characters," which is kind of cute in hindsight. Alex made a great point in his review that KISS is kind of tame for a hard rock/classic rock band. Sure, they have these personas and the facepaint makes them seem evil or salacious or whatever, but the music is very simple. Of course, they do have some saucier songs out there, but this album feels like a white bread classic rock entry. A couple of hits that I liked, but didn't leave a serious impression. I'll look forward to another album from them with more edge.
Favorite tracks: Detroit Rock City, God of Thunder, Do You Love Me.
Album art: This is where they shine, they really had the aesthetic nailed down. Love the art style, love their band name font/logo, and the costumes and stuff are legendary. To prove I've still got it, from left to right is Paul Stanley the Starman, Peter Criss the Catman, Ace Frehley (forgot his identity - Space Man?), and Gene Simmons the....Demon maybe? I'm a little rusty.
3/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
We all know Dexys for the one song, and thank goodness the one song is on here! There are a couple others that I enjoyed too though, including "Until I Believe in My Soul" for its sudden divergence into jazz territory. Not an album that I'd want to relisten to as a whole, but the standouts are nice, I mean, c'mon, Eileen.
Favorite tracks: Come On Eileen, Until I Believe In My Soul, Plan B.
Album art: Have definitely seen this one a bunch over the years, a sad sack of a man. Must be waiting on Eileen to love him, or maybe his application to be a Midnight Runner was rejected. It's a cool cover.
3/5
Metallica
3/5
Wow, our first Metallica album on the list and it's the genre mashup live album. Must be conflicting for Alex (just kidding, he loves this one). I remember loving it too, but honestly it's not as good as I remember. I'm definitely a fan of Metallica, but the genre combo is odd. Some tracks work, but overall I find it distracting now. Also, if that's James Hetfield on vocals, he sounds strange here. Maybe because he's not screaming? I can't believe I'm saying it but I prefer the screaming, his voice is just better suited to that guttural growl. A cool experiment, but an experiment nonetheless and the results are...interesting. Also it's LOOONG, there's no way I've ever sat through this thing in its entirety before today. Skipped quite a few tracks so can't say I did today either. Still, hearing some of the classic hits in this context is pretty cool. I'm bumping it up a half-star for the nostalgia factor.
Favorite tracks: Ecstasy of Gold, Devil's Dance, Nothing Else Matters, Of Wolf and Man.
Album art: Really like this one, I've seen it a lot of course but the colors are just really cool. Sure, it's just a band photo, but in a way that doesn't even emphasize the band as much as it does the lighting and the stage. And the borders and logo are cool too.
3.5/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Never heard of these guys, another British band. Perfectly inoffensive '80s alt rocky stuff, which means we'll probably get another few albums from them too. I liked a couple songs, "The Killing Moon" even sounded familiar. But yeah, it's one of those that I will forget very quickly. Indistinct.
Favorite tracks: The Killing Moon, Crystal Days.
Album art: Looks like these guys are boating in some deep cave? I don't know what the surrounding sky or scene is supposed to be. It looks pretty cool, but hard to decipher.
2.5/5
Kanye West
4/5
Oh man, I've been waiting to see when we'd get a Kanye album, and which one would come up first. He's one of my favorite artists ever, but bias aside, this is still an excellent album. Kanye inserted himself in the mainstream hip hop scene that at the time was obsessed with proving how hard one was. Ye rejected the gangsta rap formula that was popular and just made everyday raps, talking about things like Jesus, materialism, and the accident that almost killed him. This is one of the only albums where he solely produced almost the entire thing, and it's a lot of the chipmunk soul style that made his name as a producer. After this, he had a lot of co-producers which isn't a bad thing, but the solo effort is always impressive. He's changed a lot since, but this album still sounds fresh, which is crazy because it's littered with skits, a relic of an era of hip hop that usually sounds dated. Some of the skits here are actually pretty good though, keeping in line with the college dropout theme, but they add about six minutes of runtime and I really don't find them vital. Nevertheless, it's a classic album, and perhaps my favorite part is the closer, "Last Call." Who would have the audacity to make a 12+ minute song about their rise to success on their first album?? The answer could only be Kanye West. I don't think I could give it a perfect score because of the skits (and because of the very unfortunate censorship of the School Spirit sample, thanks a lot Aretha Franklin), but it's very close. Excited for more albums from Yeezy.
Favorite tracks: Last Call, Through the Wire, Jesus Walks, Spaceship, Two Words, All Falls Down, We Don't Care.
Album art: As far as his catalog goes, it's fairly weak. But it's definitely become iconic, and the bear imagery carried through three albums. Is Kanye secretly a furry? Why is no one talking about this?
4.5/5
Solomon Burke
3/5
I like this one! Never heard of Solomon Burke, he's proclaimed the king of rock and soul (I don't know how that holds up, is that a name he gave himself?). He's got a fantastic voice and the songs work very well in this style. I totally understand the genre branding because it's right between those two. Album got a little redundant, but still an enjoyable listen regardless.
Favorite tracks: Goodbye Baby, Won't You Give Him, If You Need Me.
Album art: Very basic, but the bold blocking text and the slightly askew image elevate it just a bit. Simple, but I like it.
3.5/5
Motörhead
2/5
Have definitely heard of Motorhead, but don't know the music very well. "Ace of Spades" I remember for the vocals, which sound a bit whiny. That carries for the album, it's like hard rock with a vocalist straining to prevent himself from crying, kind of a strange effect. It's not a bad album, but there's not much here that was memorable, and amid all the other classic rock bands out there, I just don't think this brings much to the table. Maybe they've got better albums out there, but this one's more like a three of diamonds.
Favorite tracks: Ace of Spades, Fast and Loose.
Album art: Really like this one, these guys look absolutely insane. Goth cowboys. Color contrast is excellent, stances are proud. Iconic looks all around.
2.5/5
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Really cool album! Not a band I'm familiar with, but I was often reminded of Mdou Moctar's Afrique Victime from a couple years ago. Definitely a similar desert rock vibe, although this one veers into more traditional rock and roll style sometimes, which is interesting. Overall a great project to throw on and lose track of time. I always enjoy getting something on this list that isn't from America or England.
Favorite tracks: Al Hassidi Terei, Ai Tchere Bele, Petit Metier.
Album art: Just a few guys hanging out, as most bands begin. The text is nice, but it's a very simple cover.
4/5
The Jam
4/5
Another seemingly generic Brit-pop-rock album, but these guys had some great melodies on here. A handful of tracks I'll enjoy returning to. Again though, there are so many bands like this on the list that I've never heard of, how deep does this well go? Anyhow, I'm feeling kind today and calling this one solid. Easy to listen to, that's for sure.
Favorite tracks: Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, English Rose, The Place I Love, Mr. Clean.
Album art: Three boring looking chaps, sitting in a room. I like the guy standing in a white suit, at first glance I thought he was a doctor about to give me some terrible news.
4/5
Emmylou Harris
4/5
For some reason I've been itching to get this album on the list for a while. Not sure why, I've never heard it, but I was intrigued by the cover and title. Emmylou's a country singer, and apparently this one is mostly covers, but she does a great job. You could call it more of a collection of songs than an "album" but whatever it is, it works well. There's an excellent energy stringing all of these together, and while the styles shift here and there the production and instrumentation remains skillful and interesting. I really enjoyed a lot of this, plenty of replay value for me, and it's refreshing as always to get a country album, and from a female artist no less. The list needs more stuff like this to balance itself out!
Favorite tracks: Bluebird Wine, If I Could Only Win Your Love, Boulder to Birmingham, Coat of Many colors, For No One, Bottle Let Me Down.
Album art: Really love this one. I've seen it a lot, and maybe just by looking at a list of albums including on this list, but something about it sticks with me. The picture seems modern for some reason, maybe it's the name too. There are quite a few female country artists today with similar names and aesthetics that made me think Emmylou's a kindred spirit. But the framing/colors are great here, and the picture is nice and contemplative.
4.5/5
Destiny's Child
3/5
Whoa, can't say I was expecting to see Destiny's Child on the list! Where it all started for Beyonce, her trio with Kelly Rowland and....that other girl (Michelle Williams, but I had to look it up). This is very definitely early '00s R&B/pop music, a style that's obviously dated, but there are some classic gems on here that still hit. And the rendition of the "Tarzan Boy" whooping on "Nasty Girl" was a pleasant surprise! Album started strong, but fizzled out for me. I had no idea, all these years, that Beyonce herself is involved in production on pretty much everything she does, including this album. Considering she's also a credited writer on every song, while Kelly and Michelle do not appear in many of the credits, it's no surprise she would eventually fly solo and become the superstar that she is today. Consider Destiny's Child to be her incubator.
Favorite tracks: Independent Women Pt. 1, Survivor, Nasty Girl, Sexy Daddy (hilarious two titles there).
Album art: Damn, this is also so dated to that era. The type of shot you'd see in a Backstreet Boys video or something. Undeniably goofy, but you can't be too surprised for what it is.
3/5
Boston
5/5
Man, what a classic. Basically the Bible for classic rock fans, it’s just front-to-back festival of summer bangers. Perfect for a 4th of July weekend in the pool, which is exactly when we got it. Hard to believe this is a debut, that this band came right out the gate with a sound so strong and resonant. Joey made a joke about all the songs sounding the same, and while he’s not entirely right, he’s not entirely wrong either. There’s a very uniform vibe to the whole thing, but it’s a vibe I’m on board with. Nostalgia and positivity, maybe even a little anti-capitalism. Love it.
Favorite tracks: More than a Feeling, Peace of Mind, Foreplay Long Time, Hitch a Ride, Smokin.
Album art: Also a classic, iconic cover for the classic rock era. Guitar spaceships? That’s what every rock band on Earth wanted to sound like at the time. Love the art and the colors, just unforgettable.
5/5
Crowded House
3/5
I know this band for "Don't Dream It's Over," one of those classic songs from Adventureland. It's not on here unfortunately, but the album's decent nonetheless. Some pretty good melodies, but it falls into that camp of pretty forgettable albums for me. I'm pleasantly surprised to see they are from New Zealand though.
Favorite tracks: Fours Seasons in One Day, As Sure as I Am.
Album art: It really is a wood face, no false advertisement here. I like this one a lot, cool art and art style.
3/5
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
When I saw this name, I thought it was gonna be some saucier version of the Everly Brothers, but it ain't Lovin, it's Louvin. These guys are country boys, and their songs have, as the parentheticals indicate, religious overtones. The style is very classic country, a style that I enjoy in doses but find it tough to sit with for an album's length. I like that there's a song called Kentucky AND a song called Alabama, just so we have no idea where they are actually from. And I of course enjoyed "In the Pines," that song has persisted for decades (largely thanks to Kurt Cobain), and I'm glad these guys left out the racial language from the original that would've made their cover very awkward. Decent album.
Favorite tracks: In the Pines, What is Home Without Love, Satan Lied to Me.
Album art: Nothing crazy, but the boys in the weird, washed-out black and white paired with the woman in the background clutching money is cool. The title has an urgency to it, but not as urgent as their album "Satan is Real." The cover for that one belongs in a museum.
3/5
Merle Haggard
3/5
Another country bumpkin album, two in a row, dad gum! Merle is a bit of a legend though, I remember going back and listening to his music when he passed not too long ago. He's got one of those great longing, wistful voices that fit perfectly in the sad country style. Lots of emo type tracks on here, but some lively ones too. I definitely prefer this over the Louvin Brothers, Merle's got the sauce.
Favorite tracks: I'm a Lonesome Fugitive, My Rough and Rowdy Ways, Drink Up and Be Somebody, Mary's Mine.
Album art: Fantastic shot of Merle looking like a fugitive on the lam, gripping the train car for dear life. He looks like a genuine badass, even if it's just acting. I really like this one.
3.5/5
The Saints
2/5
Eh, not too much here for me. I'm getting jaded with the rock stuff lately, just not a whole lot of character. There are a couple on here I liked, and lots of it felt like it would be right at home on a Tony Hawk game soundtrack, but a whole album of this didn't hold my attention.
Favorite tracks: New Centre of the Universe, Untitled.
Album art: Kind of cool, and for better or worse could predict exactly what was in store based on this look. The font and layout of everything is pretty nice though.
2.5/5
The Stooges
4/5
Just when I say I'm jaded with rock albums, we get a punk rock classic. I've been wanting to sink my teeth into a Stooge album for a while. You've got Larry, Curly, Moe, and Iggy Pop. This album is really great, so many heavy tracks with a persistent energy. I honestly don't think I knew any of these tracks going in, but from "I Wanna Be Your Dog" I knew I was in for a ride. I love the blend of punk (before punk was even a thing) with some psychedelic solos and riffs, very cool combo. So much on here that I'll keep coming back to. Really, truly impressive that this is pre-'70s. Better punk than basically all of what we've heard through the '80s and '90s. It's a 4.5 star today, but I don't doubt that this one could climb to a five after more listens. Consider me a StoogeHead in more ways than one.
Favorite tracks: I Wanna Be Your Dog, Not Right, We Will Fall, Real Cool Time, Little Doll.
Album art: Definitely iconic, I've seen this one plenty. Maybe a bit unassuming as a band photo but something about the way these guys are tiered is enticing. And the warm color palette works well too. The kind of album you'd pick up in 1969 thinking it was some new Beatle BS and it's these guys coming to search and destroy.
4.5/5
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
Man what a treat. This is one of those classic, Mount Rushmore kind of hip hop albums, right up there in contention with Illmatic and others as the greatest of all time. It's one I've listened to before, but at a time that I definitely didn't appreciate it. Hearing it now, it's incredible. The beats are so sinister, the raps are dark and heavy, and the little interludes of dialogue say a lot about the burgeoning future for Wu-Tang, storied as it would eventually become. It's crazy that this came out not only in the same year but on the same day as Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest, my favorite hip hop album ever. And honestly, this one is really high up there too. Obviously I need to spend more time with it to call it a favorite at any level, but listening through it this time is enough for me to know it deserves five stars. Perfectly dusty, spooky beats, gritty kung-fu samples, and hungry lyrical performances from everyone involved. The East Coast really did have something to say.
Favorite tracks: 7th Chambers pt. 1 and 2, CREAM, Protect Ya Neck, Bring Da Ruckus, Da Mystery of Chessboxin.
Album art: Honestly, this may have been what held me back from relistening to this or truly appreciating it. I can't say that it's a bad album cover, and it's obviously very recognizable, but it also just seems blurry and indistinct. Looking at it closely now, it's definitely cool, all the masked faces. But it still doesn't really catch my attention the way a lot of others do, including from solo Wu Tang member projects. Perfectly spooky though, so it fits.
5/5
Laura Nyro
4/5
I can't really explain why but I've been looking forward to this album for a long time. I've never heard it before, never knew about this album or artist, but something about seeing it among albums on the list, or perhaps it was seeing it on the shelf at a record store, just intrigued me so much. It's all over the place in mostly good ways, spanning so many genres. For an album from the late '60s it's extremely impressive. A lot on here I will return to, including "Once It Was Alright Now" which, upon hearing for the first time, I immediately recognized as sampled by the 1975. This is a very quirky album, jazzy and full of life, especially for a singer-songwriter type project. I can imagine how many artists have been influenced by this one. I dig it.
Favorite tracks: Once It Was Alright Now, Lu, Lonely Women, Emmie, Eli's Comin.
Album art: Again, just seeing this one so many times intrigued me to the point of being excited about it without knowing anything about the artist or music, so that's huge. It's a portrait, but the contrast is strong. The facial expression and angle is intriguing, and I really love the font.
4/5
Slipknot
3/5
Oh brother (literally). A band I was sort of unwillingly introduced to via big brother Alex. He was a head banger, listened to a lot of metal stuff. I enjoyed some of it here and there, but I was very dismissive of these creeps, hoping I'd never have occasion to encounter them or take their stuff seriously. And yet, here we are. Alex texted me excited this morning about the album of the day. What could it be? Kendrick Lamar? Another from Kanye? Led Zeppelin? Nope, Slipknot. The princes of darkness. I think it's fair to say that little me was creeped out by this band, and I'm sure at least once I told Alex "I just want my brother back." Listening now, trying to remove that prejudice and give a chance, it's alright. There are actually a few songs I like, in part because I recognize them from way back when. Overall though, it's an energy that I'm simply not in tune with today. Granted, I could be in a mood for crazy metal sometimes, but it's very rare, and when I am I think I'd reach for something else. But I recognize the style, the value this has, albeit for someone else.
Favorite tracks: Eyeless, Wait and Bleed, Surfacing.
Album art: What's creepier than a bunch of dudes in red jumpsuits and masks? Not a whole lot, I'll tell you that. I admire their commitment to the aesthetic though, because I think they even perform in the masks. Creepiness aside, it's an effective cover and a pretty badass band photo. I'm smiling through it hoping I won't have nightmares.
3/5
Gorillaz
4/5
We love the Gorillaz, don't we folks? Well, I do. I've always found the concept cool, even before I listened to much of the music. Reading the Apple Music description for this one taught me that Damon Albarn was in Blur, a band we've also had on the list. I can confidently say I prefer his Gorillaz stuff. A virtual ape band way before those godawful NFTs became a thing. It's hard to argue with albums like this, lots of variety and cool beats/songs. "19-2000" made me laugh, seems like something you'd dub over that video of Lebron reacting to the worst beat you've ever heard. And I recognized "Clint Eastwood" as well, that had to be their first big breakthrough. I say "they" even though they aren't really even real. In short I dig it!
Favorite tracks: Clint Eastwood, Re-Hash, Man Research, Sound Check, M1A1, 19-2000.
Album art: Very cool. Committing to the Gorillaz art style immediately. Reminds me of the warthog from Halo, but the dudes in the car are cool as hell. And the graffiti font is great too. It's a good kind of simple.
4/5
Pulp
3/5
I like this a bit more than the previous Pulp album. Not sure why we need more than one album from a group like this....do they have some kind of masterpiece somewhere? This one at least was pleasant throughout. Only two standout tracks for me, but the vibe was consistent and I can't say I minded listening to it. I don't think I'd call it hardcore though, it was just fine.
Favorite tracks: Dishes, I'm a Man.
Album art: Oooh la la. A nude woman with a blank, thousand yard stare aimed toward a couch cushion. Is it hardcore? Maybe. No idea what this is supposed to say about this music, I didn't find much on here as exciting.
3/5
Van Halen
5/5
Wow, I think this is the first we've gotten from Van Halen, a band that I know extremely well. Alex and I listened to so much VH back in the day, we even made a movie pretending to be the band. Not sure why this band in particular connected with us so much...maybe it's their simplicity? There's not a whole lot of depth to their music, and I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. You know the lyrics on first listen thanks to David Lee Roth yelling and repeating them. The drumming and guitarwork is excellent, thanks to the undeniably talented brothers Eddie and Alex. The mere existence of Eddie Van Halen is an anomaly, especially for a band that frankly doesn't need unmatched, virtuosic solos abbreviating their stadium anthems. I'm not sure how many of these were chart-topping hits, but for me there's a run of six straight bangers--on an album with only 8 actual songs. That's absurd. The two biggest songs on here ("Jump" and "Panama") are two that I would rank lower than most people. Actually, I don't know if that's fair; maybe haters would hate those two the most. But what I mean is my nostalgia isn't impervious when it comes to those tracks, because while they are fun and exuberant they are simple to the point of feeling stupid. Looking through their discography, I think this is my second-favorite Van Halen album, behind their self-titled (which I do think is on the list too). It's not the most sophisticated album or band from this era, but there's a satisfying quality to their music nonetheless. For me, it's familiarity. This one's getting the nostalgia bump to a 5, though if I were to be more realistic and critical I'd give it a 4.5. Anything below that and I'd be lying to impress people.
Favorite tracks: Top Jimmy, Hot for Teacher, I'll Wait, Jump, Drop Dead Legs, Panama.
Album art: A baby with angel wings smoking a cigarette. Gotta be their most iconic, and their most interesting. I love this one so much. Look at the wee bastard.
5/5
Circle Jerks
4/5
First things first, what a lovely band and album name. I could tell I was in for some rowdy punk music from that alone, and boy was I right. I actually really enjoyed this one. Apparently it's a vocalist from Black Flag, who I also enjoy sometimes. I love the energy on this project, and the fact that it averages just over a minute per track is a welcome oddity compared to some long ones we've had. Guitars are fuzzy but strong, and the drumming is very clear. Just about everything punk-wise is done right here. Among all the punk projects we've had on the list so far, this one is near the top. Not Stooges level for me, but an excellent angsty-garage-music vibe that flowed throughout. Quite a few highlights for me too. Extra points for efficiency of time.
Favorite tracks: Operation, Back Against the Wall, Live Fast Die Young, What's Your Problem.
Album art: Excellent picture here, love the splashes of color throughout an otherwise monochromatic picture. Great bold, messy font too. What more could you ask for?
4/5
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
Who? Flamin' Groovies? This can't be a real band. Generic-ass '70s rock band doing mostly blues covers. Don't want it, don't need it. Nothing sounds awful but I don't care about it much. I liked one of their original songs, so that's worth something. But not worth a spot on the list.
Favorite tracks: Yesterday's Numbers, Louie Louie.
Album art: Band photo I presume. Dude in the front looks geriatric. Nothing special here, just like the music.
2/5
10cc
4/5
Whoa, a welcome surprise! I thought I recognized this band name, and it's because of "Worst Band in the World." A fantastic, groovy song given eternal life by J Dilla. If you haven't heard "Workinonit," here's the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nO7IA1DeeI
Go listen to these two tracks back to back for a masterclass on the art of sampling. Anyway, back to the album. I really, really dug this. Obviously rooted in the sort of rock that was popular in the '70s, but it's much more artsy and exploratory. Lots of unusual styles and sounds at play, references to the likes of Baron Samedi. These guys remind me of Queen at a few points on here, and this was a couple years before Queen's Night at the Opera. I was very impressed with this one. It didn't quite maintain the momentum and excitement throughout that it built for me in just the first few tracks (if any album could do that, it'd be an instant 5), but there are gems all over this thing, whether it's just a bizarre instrumental or a song about selling your mother and buying another. I would love to get some more from these guys to see what else they accomplished.
Favorite tracks: Worst Band in the World, Wall Street Shuffle, Somewhere in Hollywood, Hotel, Clockwork Creep, Baron Samedi.
Album art: Really clever design here. The titular sheet is a bedsheet, somehow being pulled from the border of the cover into the inset band photo. I'm telling you, if you're gonna do a band photo, doing something cool and creative like this. This one is super memorable.
4.5/5
Keith Jarrett
3/5
A live album, but really not your typical live album. Sort of like that live jazz album we had, this one is, as far as I could tell, a solo piano concert. The talent here is off the charts, some phenomenal playing. I liked two of the four songs, but they also spanned 26 and 15 minutes each so I'm not sure how much of those two songs really caught me. Regardless, this was a pretty cool and easy listen.
Favorite tracks: Pt. I, Pt. II.
Album art: Nothing to write home about, just a guy at a piano. Then again, that's exactly what we got, so no hard feelings.
3.5/5
Pixies
3/5
Number two from the Pixies I believe, and I think it's enough of a sample size for me to say I enjoy this band. Definitely not on the same level as Surfer Rosa for me, but still some great cuts on here. Though for some reason I replayed the last few tracks multiple times and it was like I was stuck in the Bermuda Triangle, they kept slipping by without me catching anything. Cool album though!
Favorite tracks: All Over the World, Dig for Fire, Is She Weird.
Album art: Galactic and earthly at the same time. Seems like something Smash Mouth would do. Kind of cool design, but nothing too memorable.
3.5/5
Hüsker Dü
3/5
I've heard a song or two from these guys once before, might even have been covers, but I've never listened to them like that. First off, I love the name Husker Du, just fun and funny to say. But the music is quite good! It's centerline rock music, not doing much of anything out of the ordinary but as far as core rock sound goes they pretty much nail it. It's a long album, and that weighs it down for me, but it's still quite enjoyable and consistent. A handful of tracks I'll return to. I'd be interested to hear another album from them, especially if they've got any one in particular regarded as their magnum opus because I like their simple style.
Favorite tracks: Standing in the Rain, Ice Cold Ice, Turn it Around.
Album art: Love the vibrant colors at play here. Took a while for me to even focus on and see the image because the colors were delightfully distracting. But that's all you need baby, it works!
3.5/5
Maxwell
3/5
A nice break from the usual rock fare, an R&B/soul project from someone I've never heard of. Is this the guy who makes the coffee? This was a decent project. His vocals aren't much to write home about, but the instrumentals were really solid. Still, fun to take a break from rock.
Favorite tracks: The Urban Theme, Sumthin' Sumthin', Dancewitme.
Album art: Kind of confusing here, is this a wall and floor meeting? The UPC on the front is throwing me off a bit too. Colors aren't bad but it's a bit boring.
3/5
The Pretty Things
4/5
Really cool album! Apparently one of the first ever rock operas, predating the Who's Tommy (and apparently the Who dispute that their album was influenced by this one). I'll give the title to these guys for being both first and better, the Who can suck a few eggs. Yeah, I'm still bitter about all the Who albums. Musically, this one was very cool. Lots of fantastic instrumentation and melodies, and the narrative opera piece is a nice bonus because, frankly, I have a hard time catching lyrics like that on a first listen so it'd have to come to me later. Still, plenty on here worth revisiting, I really dug it.
Favorite tracks: SF Sorrow is Born, She Says Good Morning, Private Sorrow, I See You, Old Man Going.
Album art: Really love this one. Never seen it before, but the art style is captivating. Would not have guessed in a million years that this was the '60s, I would've assumed (and kinda did assume) it was some punk band from the '80s. Love the little splashes of color amid the mostly black and white art. Just a really great, memorable cover.
4/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
If a boatman called me and started singing songs like this I'd probably hang up and call the police. Honestly though, Nick Cave is pretty good in doses (and he's put out some more recent albums that I dug more like Ghosteen) but I can't really get into this one at album length. He's in the rare category of singer-songwriters like Leonard Cohen or Tom Waits who operate in the style of like a haunted Las Vegas residency performer. Not generally my cup of tea anyway, but it can be done better than this.
Favorite tracks: People Ain't No Good, Green Eyes.
Album art: Cool picture, he looks menacing. Nothing special though.
2.5/5
3/5
I've heard the name before, but didn't even realize this was a woman named PJ. That fact alone is probably the most interesting thing about this album. The music decent, she's got a cool voice. It's hard to really pinpoint what genre this is, but I'd go with alternative. A few standout tracks that I really enjoyed, but overall it didn't grab me too much. Solid enough that I think I'd be okay hearing another album from her, hopefully with more variety.
Favorite tracks: Beautiful Feeling, You Said Something, Horses in My Dreams.
Album art: I like the look of this one, a woman on the street, perhaps it's PJ herself. I presume she's in the city from which she's telling stories, maybe the back side of the album shows her by the sea? If not, missed opportunity.
3/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
Not much to say. I know we've had another from this band, and I don't think much stood out to me then either. Kind of generic, punk-ish rock. There's lots and lots of albums like this on the list, and this would be on my chopping block to cull the herd, especially since they've got more than one on here.
Favorite tracks: Switch, The Staircase.
Album art: How many people are underwater in this shot? Hard to tell. Decent cover, but the framing is odd.
2.5/5
B.B. King
3/5
Damn, RIP to the legend BB King. Such an amazing guitarist, one of my favorites in the blues game. It's a shame he's one of the several notable black artists that are confined to a single live album on this list. I can't say I'm familiar with his catalog enough to pick a studio album, so I'm giving this a fair shake. It's good, but a live album can only be so good for me. The energy is definitely there. The guitar work is, as expected, excellent. Unfortunately I just end up wishing for studio recordings.
Favorite tracks: Sweet Little Angel, It's My Own Fault, How Blue Can You Get.
Album art: The picture is nothing special, but I love the frame design and the vibrant font choice here. About as good as it could be for a live album/performance photo cover.
3.5/5
Mike Oldfield
4/5
Totally tubular! I knew I'd heard this title before, but couldn't remember where until I pressed play. The opening theme became that of the Exorcist, and Mom and Dad would often refer to that Exorcist theme as "tubular bells" and I didn't know why until now. Wild that this was made by a 19 year old. The version I listened to had a whopping four tracks, which is two more than the proper album. I quite dug it, especially that first track and one of the bonus ones. What a weird, wild departure this is from the usual fare. Give me more quirked up stuff like this.
Favorite tracks: Tubular Bells Pt. 1, Sailor's Hornpipe bonus.
Album art: Love that this twisty tube is just suspended over an ocean view of a completely different picture grain and quality. Very cool effect. Kudos on this one, seems ahead of its time.
4/5
Bobby Womack
3/5
Nice little blues/R&B project here. Where BB King was more guitar than voice, this guy's more voice than guitar. But still a pretty solid project, I enjoyed a few grooves on here.
Favorite tracks: Lay Your Lovin' On Me, Secrets, If You Think You're Lonely Now.
Album art: Pretty simple shot, but I like this one. I've seen it before I think, and from a distance I assumed it was a much older man. He's got that old blues sitting style I guess.
3.5/5
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Surprised to find that this is our second album from this band. I liked a few songs, it's just a run of the mill rock band with some good melodies here and there. I honestly don't know if I liked this more or less than the other, but we really don't need both of these. I'm going to vote to axe this one.
Favorite tracks: Something 4 the Weekend, Hometown Unicorn, For Now and Ever.
Album art: I don't dislike this one, it's a pretty cool mosaic cover. Not as vibrant or exciting as the cover for the other album we got, but it does the job.
3/5
Dire Straits
4/5
Wow, feels like it's been a minute since we got anything remotely resembling a classic, let alone an album I'm aware of! I don't know too much lore about the band, though I've definitely sought out this album before for the guitarist. Not sure why, but in my mind Stevie Ray Vaughn is in this band which is definitely not true. I think "Walk of Life" is the only song I recognized, and it's a good old banger. Plenty of others on here though that, even on first listen, felt nice and familiar. I appreciate the exploratory sounds; even though it's a rock album, there's a meandering style here that's hard to pin down. I really dig this one. Rating it high as a vote of confidence so maybe the list will give us some more albums worth our while.
Favorite tracks: Walk of Life, So Far Away, Money for Nothing, The Man's Too Strong, One World.
Album art: I've definitely seen this one around a billion times before, so I'll call it iconic. I do think the framing and colors here are really nice, a silver steel guitar over a blue sky and pink cloud. Just a really clean design.
4.5/5
The Icarus Line
1/5
Hmm. Not sure about this one. Not enough of any one thing to leave an impression. Yeah, it's dark and edgy and distorted, but it's like an easy listening version of metal? Is that what garage/noise rock is? I don't really care for or about this one. In one ear and out the other. Put something from Pharmakon on this list instead, preferably Bestial Burden.
Favorite tracks: Getting Bright at Night.
Album art: Kinda cool, kinda gross? Not sure what I'm looking at, aside from it being someone's side profile.
1.5/5
Beach House
4/5
I love getting albums from this side of 2010, especially from artists I know! Beach House is one of those indie acts that has limitless appeal for people in the know, but I frankly haven't heard a whole lot from them yet, which makes this a very welcome listening assignment. I think "Silver Soul" was sampled on Kendrick Lamar's "Money Trees" in reverse, which is so cool. This is a very relaxed album and a great vibe. I'm all for it, and for more like this to break the rock monotony.
Favorite tracks: Norway, Silver Soul, Walk in the Park, Take Care.
Album art: A very faint animal print I believe. I like it for what it is but also hate it for being hard to see. But damn I guess it's memorable.
4/5
Metallica
5/5
Truly epic. One of the great Metallica albums to be certain. Not sure where this ranks in the catalog for me but it's up there. Opens with one of my absolute favorite Metallica songs, "Battery." Love the acoustic guitar part, and then of course the explosion into electric sound. Some other classic hits on here too like the title track. This was a staple in the Metallica phase that Alex and I had, and I really can't in good faith give it less than a 4.5. I had to run it back today to see if it's a fiver, and on second listen I knew it had to be done. I know so many of these tracks very well, and to end up with 6 of the 8 staying in my playlist, it's gotta be a five from me. I have a feeling this would end up my number 1 or 2 Metallica album, up there with the Black Album and And Justice for All, we'll have to see when those pop up.
Favorite tracks: Battery, Master of Puppets, The Thing That Should Not Be, Sanitarium, Leper Messiah, Orion.
Album art: Definitely iconic, I've always loved this one. Great colors, like a sunset inn hell. Creepy puppet master pulling strings on the crosses in what seems to be a military memorial/graveyard. Someone much wiser than me will have to explain the political implications, if any.
5/5
The Black Crowes
3/5
Here's a band I know, and the album has their one big hit that I know too. I didn't realize until today that "Hard to Handle" is actually a cover. Apparently the original is by Otis Redding, but it's the signature song for these guys (and I do prefer the energy of their version). Nothing crazy about this album, but it gets the job done. Pretty good blues-ish pop rock, if that's a thing.
Favorite tracks: Hard to Handle, She Talks to Angels, Could I've Been So Blind.
Album art: A pretty simple band photo, though it looks like it's from the '70s.
3.5/5
Kelela
3/5
Very cool! As usual, feels great to hear an album from the last decade. I've seen this one around and heard of Kelela, but never listened to her music before. I like this one a lot, not entirely distinguishable from a lot of contemporary R&B artists, but there are some great instrumentals here. I will say this, though: if they put this album from 2017 on the list and somehow SZA's Ctrl doesn't make it, the whole list is getting the bin.
Favorite tracks: Frontline, Waitin, Jupiter, Turn to Dust.
Album art: Really like the warmth of this one. Just an artist portrait, but the color and lighting is very nice.
3.5/5
Bauhaus
3/5
Quirky as hell. At times it's spooky vampire music, with a couple departures for island vibes. It's weird but I kinda like it. I don't know a thing about this band but if they've got anymore Dracula in Jamaica albums, I'd be down to try 'em out.
Favorite tracks: Mask, Ear Wax, The Passion of Lovers.
Album art: Really like the art style, as much as I normally think black and white is bland. Guy on the left looks like Walter White as the Joker. He's with an alien and a panda bear? What the hell is this album?
3/5
Cat Stevens
4/5
Wow, definitely a classic. My first time hearing this album in full, but it's got "Wild World," which always makes me think of that SNL skit, and the legendary "Father and Son," truly one of the greatest songs ever made. I listened to it for years before learning about the military implications, that apparently it was written as part of a scrapped play/story about a military revolution. The father is basically pleading his son not to go off and enlist in the revolutionary war, and the son is young and eager to fight for what he believes is right. There's plenty of resonance to this still, whether it's just in the context of fathers and sons butting heads, or personally I could hear it in a modern context of a father pleading his psycho incel/right wing son to not storm the capitol. I find myself siding more with the father, knowing how gentle his advice is, and he wishes only for his son to live a life of peace and happiness. That's all I want, and this album gives it to me. I'm not sure if we'll get Teaser and the Firecat on here too, but that's a great Cat Stevens album as well.
Favorite tracks: Father and Son, Wild World, Sad Lisa, Longer Boats, Where Do the Children Play.
Album art: Love this children's book style, like an Aesop fable illustration or something. Plenty going on here to look at, something's off about that tillerman. Truly iconic.
4.5/5
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Got excited for this one when I saw Apple Music describe Joan here as "West Indies-born," expecting something with a tropical flair. However, it's more of just singer-songwriter/pop type stuff. Still, it's not bad at all! Some great guitar work, and she's got a cool voice. It definitely sounds more modern than 1976, credit due for that. Nothing super memorable unfortunately, which is what I was hoping for, but it's solid. I'll keep a couple tracks.
Favorite tracks: Like Fire, Down to Zero, Save Me.
Album art: The cover here too had me expecting something out of our ordinary wheelhouse for this list. There's a cool '70s flair here, and I'm digging the death glare.
3.5/5
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Here we go. You can't really make a list like this without including this album, can you? Tracy Chapman's debut, an unforgettable force appears out of nowhere. The story preceding this album is great. She's got an unbelievably powerful and distinct voice, and she's such a talented songwriter as well. I love the minimal cuts on here, some just guitar and vocals, some even just vocals. "Fast Car" is truly one of the greatest songs ever made and will forever be one of my favorites to play on guitar. I'm bumping this up a half-star on the strength of that song alone because it's been a part of my DNA forever. If "The Promise" were on here too, it'd be hard to not give it a 5.
Favorite tracks: Fast Car, Talkin' Bout a Revolution, For My Lover, Mountains o Things, If Not Now.
Album art: It's always been hard for me to tell how old she is in this picture. Was this contemporary? Is this a childhood photo? No idea. But it is effective and seared in my brain.
4.5/5
Def Leppard
4/5
Another from the panther with hearing difficulty! I can comfortably say I enjoyed Hysteria more, but this one is really solid too. Some classic bangers like "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages," plus a couple other songs I will keep in the playlist. They aren't the most sophisticated band, but they get the hits right. I can't imagine we'd have more than these two albums on here, but we shall see. Great listen though!
Favorite tracks: Photograph, Rock of Ages, Too Late for Love, Foolin.
Album art: God I hope this isn't one of the twin towers, like that ominous Jeru cover. But no, the art style is cool here, a sniper scope zoomed in on a burning/exploding building. It's one I've seen hundreds of times. Strong framing/font too. Very nice.
4/5
Kate Bush
4/5
Number three from Kate Bush. It's my least favorite of the three but dammit it's still great. Something about her voice, and just the eclectic instrumentation, you never know what's coming around the corner. This one's a lot less experimental than The Dreaming, and it lacks the dreamy pop grandeur of Hounds of Love, but it's still very enjoyable, with plenty of melodies and hits that I'll come back to. Special shoutout to "Deeper Understanding," where she croons about treating the computer as a friend as she installs a new program. Hilarious. So far, Kate Bush has been one of my favorite discoveries from this list, even with all the Stranger Things tik tok stuff going around. I'll take as many albums from her as they want to throw at us.
Favorite tracks: Reaching Out, Love and Anger, Heads We're Dancing, Deeper Understanding, Never Be Mine, Rocket's Tail, The Woman's Work.
Album art: Frankly, weaker than the other two as well. Pretty basic portrait shot with little intrigue. Not much to say here, wish it was more enticing.
4/5
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Pulling this up on Apple Music, saying to myself "If this doesn't have West End Girls, we riot." It sure doesn't, but it does have "It's a Sin," which I didn't realize that I also know. These boys are pretty solid pop music, I will give them that. A great, dance-y energy throughout. I can't say that too many tracks stood out to me, but I appreciate what they were doing here. Not bad at all.
Favorite tracks: It's a Sin, King's Cross.
Album art: Two sleepy boys. Well, I guess the one is sleepy, I'm assuming his pal is sleepy by association. Not a bad cover though, this one's definitely distinct.
3/5
Femi Kuti
3/5
A really nice international funk type project. Nothing too distinct, but it was a good listen.
Favorite tracks: Survival, Stubborn Problems, Live for Today.
Album art: Nothing too special here either. An Africa-shaped hole burned in burlap, with a band photo. Certainly not the least interesting we've seen, but it's a bit bland.
3/5
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Hey, it's a Rolling Stones album that has more than one song I know! I guess Aftermath had two as well, but this one's got "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want," both heaters in their own right. One of the things this journey has taught me is that I'm not super fond of Stones albums. I like their music, they've got a smattering of classic songs, but it's just harder for me to sink my teeth in and enjoy them at long play. That said, I do think this is a stronger album, one of the better ones we've heard in my opinion. I think it's pretty great, with a few songs I also will hang onto aside from the big two. Is this as good as they will get for me? We shall see.
Favorite tracks: You Can't Always Get What You Want, Gimme Shelter, Midnight Rambler, You Got the Silver.
Album art: Really do enjoy this one, for me the most iconic Stones cover. Are we to believe all of these stacked circular objects are balancing on the spindle at the center of a turntable? Not idea, but it's very cool to look at, and has a nice saturated, '50s America texture to it that I appreciate.
4/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
Our second from Sonic Youth I believe. I like this one more than the first, but not by too much. Started out very strong with two tracks that immediately caught my ear, but it loosened its grip on me and didn't regain it. The rest of the album drifted by me unfortunately. But what I heard was still decent, so I can't knock it as much as my own attention span. The strength of those openers is enough that I would give this another chance.
Favorite tracks: Schizophrenia, Catholic Block.
Album art: I like this one a lot. It's a mini collage, almost a mood board kind of thing. Pictures of cities, cows, Saturn, and a naked baby. Guess Nirvana weren't the original sickos.
3/5
Britney Spears
1/5
No thanks. I know and like the first track ("like" is a relative term here), but everything else feels so painfully pop-manufactured and dated to the era. Skipped most of the tracks, just not feeling this at all. One good laugh for the track titled "Email My Heart." I've noticed that most of my "one stars" on here are more of 1.5 stars, or like a 3 out of 10. But to be sure, anything in the 1-3 range is bad. This is a stinker.
Favorite tracks: Baby One More Time.
Album art: Goofy font for her name, and the portrait is just weird. I mean c'mon, this is a former Mickey Mouse club child performer, album is released right after she turns 17, and they went with this kind of pic/aesthetic? Christgau called her a "girl next door version of Madonna," I'm not in a position to say he's wrong but is that not a concerning label to attach to a minor? Something just don't feel right. Hindsight's 20/20 but I can't help but feel like launching a girl into pop stardom in this way contributed, at least in part, to the troubled life she's lived.
1.5/5
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Here's a winner! The other from Aretha that I have on vinyl. In college, a coworker once asked me if I could only listen to one song for the rest of my life, which song would I choose? I took a few days to think about it, and came back with "Respect" by Aretha Franklin as my answer. Timeless, fits different moods, just one of the all-time greats. It opens this album, which is full of plenty of other great tracks along the way, including a cover of Sam Cooke's masterpiece "A Change is Gonna Come," which is not on the sole Sam Cooke album featured on the list. This is a fantastic album.
Favorite tracks: Respect, I Never Loved a Man, A Change is Gonna Come, Do Right Woman, Drown in my Tears, Good Times.
Album art: About as ethereal as a portrait shot from an album this old could be. Looks vaguely like a wedding photo, or maybe she's supposed to be an angel in heaven? Either way, I do enjoy this one, and I like the old school font.
4.5/5
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
I like this one. I feel like I've heard of this artist, and the opening track sounds very familiar too. I swear it was in a Wes Anderson movie or something, but the closest thing I think I may have watched with that song is some weird teen rom-com movie with Kirsten Dunst. Anyway, decent level of variety to these tracks, nothing too crazy that I loved, but a few tracks to take with me. Another one I had heard before on an XL Recordings compilation. Not bad!
Favorite tracks: The Shining, Cause a Rockslide, Once Around the Block.
Album art: Really like this one, pretty colorful and creative. A freakish voodoo doll looking thing, is this the badly drawn boy or the bewilderbeast I'm looking at?
3/5
Radiohead
3/5
Dang, they must have the whole Radiohead catalog on here. Someone's a Radioheadhead. As usual, quirky music, lots of atmospheric synthy stuff going on, faint industrial production. I liked a number of tracks, but I agree with Alex's assessment that this is on the lower end of the RH albums we've had, possibly the bottom. Still decent, but not much to write home about.
Favorite tracks: Sit Down Stand Up, Backdrifts, Myxomatosis.
Album art: I do like this one, I've seen it before and had no idea it was Radiohead. Looks like a melting heap of license plates.
3/5
Dion
2/5
Coolest thing about this album is that it's by Dion, who was a long-time boyish idol type singer, making those cheesy Everly Brother-type pop hits in the '50s and '60s (for reference, go listen to "Runaround Sue," which you almost certainly have heard before). Definitely grown-up tunes from what his prior fare was, though he still has that simp-y spirit. Unfortunately nothing too special stylistically, but it's aight. He's got a really nice voice though, and cool to hear a guy like him putting forth this kind of emotion after where he began. I hate to say it but I think I'd rather have an album of the older stuff that made him who he is. Just a more interesting time capsule.
Favorite tracks: Make the Woman Love Me, New York City Song.
Album art: I feel I've definitely seen this one around, very simple portrait shot. Nothing crazy.
2.5/5
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
Really rocking with this one. I know Sinead for three things: (1) cool name, (2) being bald, and (3) that papal protest thing she did on SNL. Leaving allll of that aside, this is a great album. She's got such a warm, distinct voice. Musically, nothing is too out of the ordinary for a singer-songwriter project, but it all fits together quite nicely. "Nothing Compares 2 U" is her big hit, and it's here, and it's fantastic. I'm not sure what more I can say here, she just ticked all the right boxes for me. Shout out Sinead.
Favorite tracks: Nothing Compares 2 U, The Emperor's New Clothes, Black Boys on Mopeds, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.
Album art: Really like this one. Font is cool, homemade, and the shadowy portrait is effective. Definitely in the top end as far as artist portraits go for me.
4/5
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
I've definitely heard this one before! I think Mom or Dad had this one on vinyl, I put it on once or twice in the basement to see what Cyndi was all about. It's got the two supermassive hits that she brought into the world, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Time After Time." And on top of that, you're telling me this was a debut?? To have hits like that on a debut album is just something special, man. It's tough to pick between the two, but I think I prefer "Girls" because despite feeling so upbeat, there's a lot of melancholy in her voice and in the lyrics. It's a plea for the world to let women be. I hope the world has let you be, Cyndi. Beyond those hits, the album is great; I'd give it another half star if it weren't for the last two tracks, which ended the whole affair on a sour note. But still, great job overall.
Favorite tracks: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Time After Time, Money Changes Everything, All Through the Night.
Album art: Really love this one, a classic in my book. Dancing carelessly in front of a brightly painted street facade. I like that she had to take off the heels for the dance, but left them in the picture. Cool.
4/5
The Smiths
4/5
Perfect timing! "God save the Queen" no tf he didn't. Anyway Morrissey's a real piece of work but this album's solid.
Favorite tracks: There is a Light, Cemetry Gates, The Boy with the Thorn, The Queen is Dead (REAL) (NOT CLICKBAIT).
Album art: Quite boring innit. Washed out to hell, Morrissey post-wank.
4/5
Aerosmith
4/5
Here we go, the big Aerosmith album that I know I asked for when we got Rocks. Of course I dig this one more, both for "Walk this Way" and "Sweet Emotion." "Sweet Emotion" is just a perfectly constructed song in my opinion, starting out so smooth and atmospheric and then settling into a genuine riff groove before bringing us back to that sweet chorus each time. Most all of the tracks on here are solid too, but that one's really special to me. I know this is one of those albums I used to throw on Dad's turntable in the basement. It's a great album folks.
Favorite tracks: Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way, Toys in the Attic, You See Me Crying.
Album art: Really really love this one, I'd say it's iconic. The big Aerosmith one for sure. The warmth of the brown border and orange font fits nicely with the toybox scene. One of those covers I could just look at and admire for a minute or two, the art is just really cool.
4/5
Gotan Project
3/5
Here's a bit of a quirky one. Supposedly an electronic album, but it's got an undeniable South American flair to it, apparently they are going for Argentinian tango music. Without looking it up, I'm taking the title to maybe be "the revenge of Tango"? I definitely enjoyed a few songs on here, though some ran on for a bit too long. Not as focused or impactful as some of the Latin jazz-y albums we've had so far, but still a fun listen.
Favorite tracks: Chunga's Revenge, Triptico, La del Ruso.
Album art: A chest with the band name tattooed on. I mean technically there's a level of creativity to that, but it's really boring.
3.5/5
Q-Tip
4/5
I think this is the first solo Q-Tip album I've heard, though I'm a big fan of ATCQ. It's got that signature flair that I know from Q-Tip, present very obviously in the production (most of which he does himself). I can't help but dig this because I'm such a fan, there are some fantastic cuts on here, even if it didn't all hold my attention for the entirety. This one's great, and we need more good hip hop on this list.
Favorite tracks: Johnny is Dead, Won't Trade, Official, You.
Album art: Pretty simple, seemingly Q-Tip covering his face with some kind of MPC. It's not much to shout about, but it gets the job done.
4/5
Spiritualized
3/5
Absolutely bonkers variety show. I had this one in my iTunes library already, probably just for how odd the title is. Not sure I'd listened to it before, but overall I definitely enjoyed it. A few cuts that stuck with me, but the general feeling I got is that this group is kind of exploring all the territory they can. Some sprawling tracks, especially that closer, that cover a lot of ground. Somewhere between like a Radiohead and a King Gizzard (their softer stuff at least). Our first from Spiritualized, but I wouldn't mind another.
Favorite tracks: I Think I'm In Love, Broken Heart, Cop Shoot Cop.
Album art: Very clinical. I've seen this one before, it's intriguing. Doesn't give much away, but the very straight-laced mathematic design catches the eye. I like it.
3.5/5
Steely Dan
3/5
Another from Steely Dan, this time with less tracks I know. "Rikki" seems familiar, I've probably heard that on some classic rock radio. This album makes them sound Midwestern, I don't know if that's accurate but that's the vibe I get. Overall, I'd say this is low-risk low-reward kind of music. Mostly run of the mill, so it's decent but nothing really wowed me.
Favorite Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Barrytown.
Album art: I was about to say it's a man selling hot dogs but his sign says pretzels and the album is called Pretzel Logic. Very wintry, very industrial. Again, my feeling is Chicago.
3/5
Air
4/5
Really dug this, an excellent departure. The title is perfect, it does feel like a minor space exploration. This sounds like, if space travel was commercialized in the '70s, the kind of music you'd hear on a commercial flight to the moon. Me likey.
Favorite tracks: La Femme d'argent, Kelly Watch the Stars, Remember, Ce Matin-la.
Album art: Absolutely love it, perfectly fits the aesthetic of the music. Feels like '60s-'70s retrofuturism. I'm still surprised this is a late '90s album.
4/5
MC Solaar
4/5
Wow, this was unexpected. A French hip hop album from the early '90s? The genre is still somewhat new, and the French got it on it here, or at least MC Solaar did. Quite a few tracks on here that I dug, this guy can really rap (fast). Admittedly don't understand a lick of it but it sounds great. Hearing a genre as lyrical as hip hop in another language is quite the trip. But also the production felt very in-line with American stuff from the same time like Run DMC or something. I liked it a lot, great album!
Favorite tracks: Matiere grasse, Victeme, Quartier nord, Bouge Pt. 2, Ragga Jam, Funky Dreamer.
Album art: Really nothing special, doesn't suggest hip hop, but it has a cool pirate radio aesthetic, like something pulled from a movie about a revolution.
4/5
The Incredible String Band
4/5
I recognized the title, and that's because it's one of the worst reviewed albums on this website. So imagine how much I start sweating when I immediately get lost in and enjoy the first track. Do I have brain damage? Short answer is no. I'll be honest, there's quite a few tracks on here that really work for me, and there's another chunk that ranges from just okay to pretty grating. Like "Swift as the Wind," the moaning on that one earned a skip from me. I can understand someone hearing this album and hating it. But for me, the sitar/jaw harp psychedelics on here is done quite well. I'll take something this weird and inconsistent over a lot of the barely psychedelic '60s rock albums we get. If you're gonna do this, you gotta commit! ISB here seems to have committed, perhaps to a fault (and maybe they should be committed in another sense), but a lot of this scratched an itch for me. I quite like it, this makes three great and unique listens in a row for me!
Favorite tracks: Nightfall, Koeeoaddi There, Water Song, Green Crown, Very Cellular Song.
Album art: A (Manson-y) family photo, I know we've had at least one album already that looked like this, maybe a Crosby Stills Nash? I wish it were something crazy psychedelic.
4/5
Tom Waits
1/5
I just know Alex is STEAMING over this one. If I ever find myself in the same room as Tom Waits, I think I'll give him a piece of advice that it seems no one previously did during his life: having a raspy voice is not a personality trait. What his albums seem to be are explorations of the boundaries of potential aesthetics that he can pull off. Technically yeah, it's music, and I can totally understand someone enjoying what he does, on this or any other album. But it's more gimmick and spectacle than it is music. "Guys, look: I did a whole album pretending to be some sleazy blues story teller guy in a smoke-filled diner, and guess what it's called?? Nighthawks at the Diner! You know, like the guy I'm being? And like the painting?" Brother, we get it. Admittedly, there was a track or two where the pretense was pierced by a decent bassline or melody that made me like the song. Honestly, I kinda do like this aesthetic, and I couldn't help but smile when it started. But the whole album is the same damn schtick for more than an hour......me personally, guy like this starts doing this bit while I'm trying to eat eggs at 2 in the morning, I'd leave the diner.
Favorite tracks: Opening Intro, Intro to Foggy Night, Spare Parts I.
Album art: What else do you expect? I mean I guess I'm a little surprised he didn't just literally use the Hopper painting for the cover. But it's certainly not false advertising.
1.5/5
Funkadelic
5/5
Obligatory 5 star on this one. A legendary album that blew my mind the first time I heard it. I still can't get over the title track, it's just incredible. I love how chaotic and psychedelic this ordeal is, even though there is a chunk of coherent songs in the middle. All in all, there were only two tracks on here I didn't love, and the rest were bangers of one kind or another. As much as I wish the whole thing were as psychotic as the opener or closer, it's still an amazing ride. Not sure what the P-Funk purists think of this one, but it's right up my alley. A true classic for me. Kinda shocked I don't have it on vinyl yet, might need to correct that.
Favorite tracks: Maggot Brain, You and Your Folks, Super Stupid, Wars of Armageddon, Can You Get to That.
Album art: Iconic as hell, and one of my favorites ever I'd say. Truly pretty terrifying, this woman's screaming head poking out of the dirt. Paired with the album title, it's the kind of project that lots of people would be scared to even touch. Seems cursed in the best way. Important to note that this cover was undoubtedly a huge influence on Childish Gambino's "Awaken, my love!" album cover. Donald Glover even mentioned the record in his "what's in my bag" video years before.
5/5
Cream
4/5
Here's a big one! Knew this would be on here, just a matter of time. Excellent entry right at the juncture of "heavy metal" as it was once called and psych rock. These guys had hard rock riffs and most likely a lot of drugs. "Sunshine of Your Love" is a Guitar Hero staple, and it's also just a hell of a jam. That's how I'd describe the whole album, a hell of a jam. Clapton may have become a real dork but he was involved in something great here. Also special shout out to "Mother's Lament" for sounding like some lads stumbling home from a pub in the middle of the night, love that feel.
Favorite tracks: Sunshine of Your Love, Strange Brew, Tales of Brave Ulysses, We're Going Wrong, Mother's Lament.
Album cover: Absolutely adore the color on display. Perfectly psychedelic to match the music. Just so vibrant and detailed, I can't look away.
4.5/5
Bee Gees
3/5
The Bee Gees as I've never heard them before, in their early folksy pop arc? I didn't even know they made music like this, all I know is the disco stuff (strangely, I don't think their disco albums are on this list). It would've been really funny to have been a fan of these Bee Gees and then be completely devastated when they sold out to John Travolta or whatever. This isn't a bad album at all, it just sounds like a dozen other bands from the late '60s mixed in a blender: Beatles, Rolling Stone, Queen, I can't put my finger on it exactly but I'm currently listening to "Never Say Never Again" and it sounds precisely like some other band, can't think of the name to place it though. Very much reminds me of when I listened to Queen's catalog and heard their Zeppelin-y fantasy folk stuff they started with. I can't in good faith call this a must listen, especially if we don't get the true Bee Gees experience on this list. But it was pretty good, I'm not mad.
Favorite tracks: Black Diamond, Marley Purt Drive, Melody Fair, I Laugh in Your Face.
Album art: Odessa. Bold. Strong. Colors good.
3/5
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
Oy, it's the boy in da corner, innit? Been waiting for a reason to check out Dizzee Rascal, glad to see this pop up on here. Some really fantastic tracks on here. I'm pretty sure this was one of the first big breakout albums from the grime scene, and it's crazy to hear how much this style still influences acts today, like Skepta. I hear a throughline from this to Konnichiwa for sure. Obsessed with the Billy Squier flip on "Fix Up Look Sharp," took me right back to that XXL freshman cypher with Kendrick and Lil B. Give me more grime!
Favorite tracks: Fix Up Look Sharp, I Luv U, Stop Dat, Hold Ya Mouf.
Album art: He really is a boy in da corner. Font, colors, even his pose is cool. Really like this one.
4/5
SAULT
4/5
Very cool album! Wasn't aware of this album/band, surprising given how recent it is. Lots of great acts contributing to this one, and it definitely has the conglomerate feel to it. Themes and message are strong, music is also strong, some really cool tracks on here. And I can say I enjoyed the interludes. Wouldn't crack my year-end list or anything, but definitely a great album.
Favorite tracks: Stop Dem, Bow, Black, Eternal Life, Pray Up Stay Up.
Album art: Simple, effective.
4/5
Paul Simon
4/5
Damn, Paul Simon was on one with this album! I'm almost certain I knew "You Can Call Me Al" already, but the rest of this was new to me and often quite unexpected. So many unique instrumentals, pulling sounds from all over the world. I don't know enough about his catalog, if this is considered one of his best or not, but it's a wild ride. I really dug a lot of it, great work Paul. Even in this departure from the typical singer-songwriter style, his songwriting manages to shine through. And huge shoutout to Ladysmith Black Mambazo!
Favorite tracks: Graceland, I Know What I Know, You Can Call Me Al, Homeless.
Album art: Very unassuming, though a decent lil painting I guess. Maybe a tad too crusade-y for an album featuring world music sounds and artists, but hey, what do I know?
4/5
Dolly Parton
3/5
Nice! I assumed this was very early, young Dolly, it sounds that way. She sounds very bright eyed and cheery, at least sonically (lyrics aren't so rosy at times). But apparently this was eight or so albums deep into her career, I'm impressed! Plenty of gas in the tank. Looking through her history, this seems like it was something of a breakout, or turning point, where she made something really special on her own after years of bouncing in and out of some duet albums. I'm always game for good country albums, and this is a good one. I've not been exposed to much Dolly aside from "Jolene" of course, and I can hear from this why she's regarded highly: she just does the damn thing very competently, very well. She's got a great voice and energy for classic country tunes. I wouldn't mind more from Mrs. Parton, especially if it means we get "Jolene" somewhere down the road.
Favorite tracks: Traveling Man, Early Morning Breeze, The Way I See You, A Better Place to Live.
Album art: I assume that's YOUNG young Dolly, wearing the titular coat of many colors that her mom patched together. Dig the almost Norman Rockwell style art, really works for an album like this.
3.5/5
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Cheeky little monkeys, these ones. My first album from them was AM in 2013, which I think a lot the purist fans would say is trashy or poppy or whatever, but I don't care, I love that album. This one has some heat on it too, though maybe not as much for me. I definitely recognized "I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor," that's a classic and I'm almost certain it appeared in a Tony Hawk game or something. Definitely a welcome album, love a more recent rock album that actually rocks.
Favorite tracks: I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor, Still Take You Home, From the Ritz to the Rubble.
Album art: Guy blasting a cig, not much too it but it's definitely memorable. Looks like he wants to fight me.
3.5/5
Donald Fagen
3/5
Quirky album. Jazzy and poppy, reminds me of that "Pazz and Jop" annual poll just for the weird blend of genres. Never heard of Mr. Fagen, but he's quite alright. A few tracks on here that I dug, but nothing worth screaming about.
Favorite tracks: Ruby Baby, New Frontier.
Album art: Really like this picture, nails the '50s nighthawk aesthetic (better than the recent Tom Waits album I might add). Got my hopes up a little too high, but still a cool one.
3/5
Green Day
3/5
Here's a familiar face! Our second from Green Day, and whether it's blasphemous or not, I prefer American Idiot. This album has a couple classic hits and some deeper cuts I liked too, but overall not as exciting as some of their other albums. Still quite good, just not as memorable as I'd hoped.
Favorite tracks: Basket Case, When I Come Around, Welcome to Paradise, All By Myself.
Album art: Definitely a classic here, I love seeing this in large form because there's a ton of minute detail in the illustration. Like a wacky political cartoon, love that the missiles are labeled "DOOKIE" like a horrible Ben Garrison cartoon. Never knew or noticed before that a dog is flying the plane, and dogs are dumping dookie all over the place. Big fan of this one.
3.5/5
David Bowie
4/5
Was minding my business, listening through this, not getting much out of it, then suddenly caught myself....is this an instrumental album? I was on "Warszawa," which is the first track on the ambient half of the album. The first side breezed by me like a silent fart, and the back half put me in a chokehold. I loved and was gripped by the amazing instrumentals for the entirety of side B, but couldn't name one word sung on the front half to save my life, what does that say about me? Not sure. I'm really not a huge Bowie fan though, this album challenge is teaching me that. But this was a collab with Brian Eno, who I've learned through our journey that I really dig. Bowie must be HIGH thinking I'd rather listen to him than some ambient tracks. [Worth noting here that I listened to the front half again to see if I was tripping, and the only track I liked was Sound and Vision, which is also kind of just an instrumental.] I have to rate this highly for the strength of the back, but know that if he instead made this a 6-7 track ambient album it would easily be my favorite Bowie project so far (not a high bar tbh, it's probably there anyway) and quite possibly pushing a 5 star rating.
Favorite tracks: Warszawa, Subterraneans, Art Decade, Weeping Wall.
Album art: Definitely a cool one that I've seen around before. Colors are great, it's a simple side profile portrait shot but it works. Given how I feel about the album, I'd say revise the cover for an instrumental project by removing Bowie from the middle and keep everything else the same, just a wall of orange cloud.
4/5
Röyksopp
4/5
Dang, another cool album, I'd say we're off to a great start this week. I think I've seen or heard this name before, but never their music. I really like it though, it's funky and electronic, but with some more concrete song structure than the usual house/EDM fare. In some ways it feels like a precursor to stuff like UMO, Tame Impala, and/or the Avalanches (though this actually came after that one Avalanches album)--alternative style music with a lot of electronic style and instrumentation. I really dig it, and I hope we get more from Royksopp if it sounds like this!
Favorite tracks: So Easy, Eple, 40 Years Come Back.
Album art: A really cool cloud shot. Nothing too crazy, but it's nice to look at.
4/5
Massive Attack
3/5
I know the band, but not the album. It's definitely something, quite unpredictable. This album was released ten years before Garageband, so I can only assume that the developers of Garageband created the app to allow everyday joes to recreate the instrumental to "Heat Miser" at home. I'll check to confirm, but I'm about 98% certain that the title track sampled the guitar from James Brown's "The Payback," that's a nice touch. Anyway, this was a pretty decent album. The highs are quite high, and this kind of music works great for me in doses, but at album's length it loses a little luster for me.
Favorite tracks: Protection, Three, Heat Miser.
Album art: Trying to decipher what this is, seems like a box with metallic interior splayed open, with a little cardboard hazard symbol, except the hazard is a little hungry boy. A little dull as far as color's concerned, but I do like this one.
3/5
Minutemen
4/5
Wow, this was a trip. 43 tracks is absurd, and a lot of this album is absurd, but in a way that I really enjoyed. It's very punk, with all these song fragments and the attitude throughout, but there's also an undeniable musical proficiency. There's a clarity to even the most punk songs on here, and that really impressed me. Of 43 songs, I ended up saving 11. Maybe not the most impressive ratio, but the album as a whole was surprisingly great. And hearing "Corona" in its natural environment, as opposed to the Jackass theme music, was really cool. This has to be a classic in the punk rock scene, there's no way around it. "Twinkle twinkle, blah blah blah. E! T! C!" Huge shoutout to these guys, this is definitely one of my favorite punk albums we've had on the list.
Favorite tracks: Theatre is the Life of You, Cohesion, It's Expected I'm Gone, #1 Hit Song, Do You Want New Wave, The Big Foist, God Bows to Math, Corona, Take 5D, History Lesson Part 2, No Exchange.
Album art: Very unassuming, seems like a child's view of dad in the front seat in the '60s maybe? Nothing much to shout about, but it's fine.
4.5/5
The Verve
2/5
Opens strong with the one song we all know from the Verve, most of the rest of it had little impact on me, to the point where I was skipping a couple long slogs, oops I mean songs. Almost like a knockoff Radiohead, and as someone who's only sort of into Radiohead, the appeal isn't too strong for me.
Favorite tracks: Bittersweet Symphony, Neon Wilderness.
Album art: Four guys sitting in a park, with a little lens distortion. I'm sorry, but there's nothing urban in sight.
2.5/5
Miriam Makeba
5/5
Good lord, we need more albums like this! Never heard of Miriam but she absolutely killed her debut. A mix of some fantastic native African songs and some more modern songs, including covers like "House of the Rising Sun." "Mbube" blew me away because it's essentially an original, proto-version of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" that feels 100x more authentic and lively. She's got a hell of a voice too, on some of the slower tunes like House of the Rising Sun, I was reminded of the power that someone like Nina Simone has in her voice. Lots of great call and response all over this too, which I always enjoy. The way Charles Coleman was laughing on "One More Dance" was a little bit much and distracting at first, but I couldn't help but love that song by the end too. I can't imagine hearing this album in 1960 and not being completely gobsmacked, considering I'm impressed more than 60 years later. Screw it, five stars. Good luck beating this next week.
Favorite tracks: Mbube, Retreat Song, Click Song, Lakutshn Ilanga, Naughty Little Flea, Where Does It Lead, House of the Rising Sun, One More Dance, Iya Guduza.
Album art: Just a portrait type shot of Miriam, but it's got that warmth and texture that lots of albums from the '50s and early '60s had, which I can't get enough of. It's the type of album that I'd buy at Goodwill with 100% certainty.
5/5
Nirvana
3/5
It's a live album, but one of those live albums with a legendary reputation (perhaps because Kurt Cobain isn't (a)live no more). It's acoustic versions of Nirvana songs, plus some interesting covers, like the legendary "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (or In The Pines). Enough tracks I saved on here to overcome my aversion to live albums, but still - some of these I'd rather just hear in studio/album format. It was solid experience though, MTV's unplugged session albums are generally pretty solid.
Favorite tracks: Where Did You Sleep Last Night, About a Girl, Jesus Doesn't Want Me, Dumb, Oh Me.
Album art: Just a picture of the performance. Live album covers tend to be some of the worst. But the frame and Nirvana logo make this a bit more lively and bearable.
3.5/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
I know this band for "Maps" and that's about it. Not a bad album, but really not much that stood out to me. I agree with Alex that it's probably not one that should be on this list. If the album with "Maps" is on here, that I'd understand more. But we'll see if and when we get there.
Favorite tracks: Hysteric.
Album art: Pretty cool action shot of someone squeezing the life out of an egg. My favorite part of the album for sure.
2.5/5
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Second from Dusty, and it's got the headlining "Son of a Preacher Man," a true classic song and arguably the biggest piece of her legacy. Love it as much as always. Not too much else grabbed me on side A, but side B has a nice stretch of tracks that I really dug, especially some using a softer, acoustic/flamenco style guitar. She sounds perfect in that setting. In fact, that's what made me remember that she did "The Look of Love," specifically that version from the "Music to Shag By" album that Alex and I had in our iTunes album. What a perfect voice for a song like that. Anyway, I think this one was great overall, even if it took a little to build up steam for me. I really like Dusty's voice.
Favorite tracks: Son of a Preacher Man, Windmills of Your Mind, In the Land of Make Believe, I Can't Make It Alone.
Album art: Just a portrait headshot of Dusty. The one on this website is different from what I got on Apple Music, but it's to the same effect.
4/5
The Beach Boys
4/5
Damn, here's one of the big hallmark classics I've been waiting on. Billed as one of the first big pop concept albums (Frank Sinatra would like a word), this had a lot of influence across the music scene, including on the Beach Boys' rival British analogue the Beatles. I may be American, but I'd personally take the Beatles over the Beach Boys for their variety, but the Beatles could never touch the California beach tracks that these guys do so well. Really no sign of that style on here, but it's an excellent project in its own right. I can hear the ambition echoing through every track. Lots of wacky sounds and instruments at play, but still grounded in yearning love-pop stuff that was super familiar. It didn't resonate with me as heavily as some other classics do, and sadly I'd say the Beatles win the album battle as well, but it's undeniably great. Some bangers made it out of this one too so there's something for everyone.
Favorite tracks: Wouldn't It Be Nice, God Only Knows, You Still Believe in Me, I'm Waiting for the Day, Pet Sounds.
Album art: The guys at a petting zoo. Seen it a billion times, always unassuming. I think it's a pretty weak cover that doesn't at all convey the ambition within. But it's fine to look at.
4.5/5
The Pogues
3/5
Another from the Pogues, and to me it's better than our first. A couple tracks on here where they really leaned into the traditional music, and those are the ones I liked more. I was worried when I read that Elvis Costello was involved, but this wasn't bad. Just a couple keeper tracks for me, but I'm not mad at this one.
Favorite tracks: A Pair of Brown Eyes, Dirty Old Town.
Album art: Lot going on here, bodies spilled all over. Looks like they may have photoshopped a few heads in here to make this a band photo? I respect it.
3/5
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Damn, stone cold classic. Now that we've had a handful from the Boss I feel more comfortable calling this his best. It's got great, legendary hits and some fantastic deep cuts too. American heritage rock, no frills. I adore the title track, if only for being the most misunderstood song in the history of this country. Patriots from sea to shining sea chanting and fist pumping along (hot dog in hand) to a song about the Vietnam War as a trap that ensnares a young troublemaker, kills his friend, and ruins his entire life (which was never great to begin with). AND THAT'S ONLY THE OPENER! There's depth in so many directions, look at "I'm On Fire," one of my favorite love songs ever. Not really a sacred or comforting love, but one that's crawling under your skin like a disease, waking you up in the middle of the night. I'll never forget the use of that song in the movie "The Hunter," truly haunting stuff. I didn't even mention Cover Me, Glory Days, or DANCING IN THE DARK? This is basically a greatest hits. Man, I love this album. I loved it before relistening today, but now I can say I *five-star, 10/10* love it.
Favorite tracks: I'm On Fire, Born in the USA, Dancing in the Dark, Cover Me, Glory Days, Downbound Train, No Surrender, Working on the Highway.
Album art: Iconic. Looks like an ad for Levi's or something, that's how well-constructed this is. Worn jeans, a beat up hat, white shirt, a working man's ass in front of the stripes of the American flag. Again, like the title track, it's patriotism writ large in a way that's obviously meant for critique, but dammit it also gets the patriot in you fired up because it's red white and blue. Duality baby, we love it.
5/5
Deep Purple
2/5
I’m sorry but I’m just not interested in Deep Purple enough to have this many albums from them. The live album was the ultimate insult. This one’s not as bad, and they’ve got a decent sound, but I’m just not finding much worth saving. I’d limit this group to just one album on the list, and not this one.
Favorite tracks: Flight of the Rat.
Album art: The Mount Rushmore twist on a band photo is pretty cool, and fits the album name well. Font isn’t great but what can you do?
2/5
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
I like this one. Very energetic '90s techno/dance stuff, with a variety of influence. Some tracks even veer into hip hop sounding drums. The "music makes you lose control" sample is cool, not sure if that originated here, but it was obviously used again later. And the Buffalo Springfield sample was pretty surprising. Quite a few hits on here for me, I can definitely dig it. Always nice to take a break from the standard rock fare.
Favorite tracks: Music Makes You Lose Control, Soft Machine, About Funk, Hypnotise, Jacques Your Body.
Album art: Kind of a weird one, almost looks like those new AI generators made this. It's cool hip dude cracking open a Pepsi or something. '90s in all the right ways.
4/5
Basement Jaxx
3/5
Damn, two electronic/dance albums from 1999 in a row, very unusual for this list. These guys (or this guy? no idea) seem more experimental than Darkdancer, some stuff is more sparse and some wider genre territory is invaded. Not as many immediate hits to me as the previous but some heat for sure. The lyrics on "Yo Yo" had me speechless, what apparently is "You were a prophet from above, then you came and sucked my blood" I heard as "then you came inside my butt." Wacky either way. I like this one.
Favorite tracks: Yo Yo, Red Alert, Bingo Bango, Don't Give Up.
Album art: I've definitely seen this one before, a bunch of bodies laying on each other. Pretty saucy stuff, but definitely makes for a cool image.
3.5/5
50 Cent
5/5
Certified classic. We've had about 30 hip hop albums so far in this list, but to date I've only five-starred two of them (I'm chalking that up to the list writers having suboptimal experience and taste for the genre). Today marks number three, in glorious fashion. 50 Cent broke onto the scene with THIS album, truly his best body of work. This man came in the game HUNGRY. Supported by Dr. Dre production (and executive production), and label ties to Eminem and his G-Unit buddies, it was like he'd been in the game forever when his debut dropped. I say all off this in hindsight of course, because I was in middle school when this dropped. But you better believe that my suburban white boy middle school self knew this album even then, and not *just* "In Da Club" either. I've revisited and rediscovered this album several times in my life, and each time I find more to love. I remember doing pushups like a madman in high school to "If I Can't." Today was a rediscovery of "Heat," probably one of the most in-your-face Dre beats ever, and the music video is fantastic and hilarious. 50 represented a resurgence of gangsta rap with high budget production, blended with the "bling era" that reigned for a little while. He would ultimately go toe to toe with the artist formerly known as Kanye West, to see if backpack rap or gangsta rap would win in (I think) 2007. Ye won that one, but there's no messing with this album. As much of a fan as I am of Kanye's work (that fandom is under heavy scrutiny these days), I'd personally take this album over several of his earliest entries. In 2010, 50 Cent tweeted "I can't believe my grandmother's making me take out the garbage. I'm rich, fuck this shit, I'm going home, I don't need this shit." On this album, 50 rapped "Mama said everything that happened to us, was part of God's plan, so at night when I talk to him, I got my gun in my hand." Shot nine times before this album dropped. Curtis Jackson is a legend.
Favorite tracks: I'm keeping 14 of 19 in my playlist (really 14/18 if you exclude the intro), which is absurd. My essentials are Many Men, In da Club, Heat, If I Can't, PIMP, 21 Questions.
Album art: Iconic. One of the most powerful and distinct album covers in the history of the genre. No notes, no complaints. Guy is bulletproof.
5/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Really great album! Probably my favorite from Neil Young we've had so far, love that the tracks have a folksy Americana feel but also included some really engaging electric guitar solos. This is a side of Neil Young that I haven't heard before, not sure how much to credit Crazy Horse for it. Regardless, really dug this one, not too many tracks in total but they definitely left an impression.
Favorite tracks: Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, Round & Round, Down by the River, Cowgirl in the Sand.
Album art: I take it that's Neil leaning against the tree? Not a bad picture at all, I kind of like how grainy it is. Rather unassuming for the music within, which I'd call quite adventurous.
4.5/5
The Hives
3/5
Not my new favorite band, thank you though. Decent album, not a whole lot of variety but definitely a couple bangers. This feels like heist setup flashback rock? The type of band that I imagine I know all I need to know from one album; if I'm right, I'd be a bit annoyed if we got more than one on this list. But this one's alright.
Favorite tracks: Hate to Say I Told You So, Die All Right, AKA IDIOT.
Album art: Kind of a throwback stylistically but it's not very special. Font is decent.
3/5
Ray Price
3/5
With as little country music as this list contains, I thought we'd only get fire when we do get it, but this one is more warm than hot. Upon reflection, I'm not mad about that, because this stuff is valid. Wikipedia says someone called this country music's first concept album, but that's not even true, Marty Robbins definitely beat him with Gunfighter Ballads, and I think the true OG was a "Dust Bowl Ballads" by Arlo Guthrie way back whenever. Still, any concept album from the early '60s (predating the "big two" in Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper's) gets a point in my book. An album of songs from a man who's weary of the night life, done with the game and the games. I respect it. Guitars and drums sound great on here. There's a few on here that I'll hang onto, but nothing too crazy.
Favorite tracks: Night Life, Pride, There's No Fool Like a Young Fool, Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women.
Album art: Perfect for accomplishing and tying the concept together. Ray seems to be performing at a club, staring at a young couple about to make the mistakes and play the games that he knows all too well, that he's grown tired of. Very well done.
3.5/5
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
I like this. I know this artist for the Bonnie and Clyde song, which unfortunately isn't on here. This is a quick trip, apparently a concept album about a man in love with a young teen....Lolita vibes. That part of it is creepy and off-putting, but considering it's in French, I can listen without hearing that part. The music is great though, and Serge's style of talk-singing is cool too. Quite an enjoyable listen.
Favorite tracks: Melody, Ballade de Melody Nelson, L'hotel Particulier, Cargo Culte.
Album art: It's the artist's partner, Jane Birkin, posing as this young teen/girl that the album is about, clutching a teddy bear over her bare chest. Pretty weird stuff, I wouldn't exactly say she or he were in their "bag" with this one. Get it? The Birkin bag?
4/5
Elvis Presley
3/5
Here's that old school Elvis style, when he was still a young gun driving people insane in a lot of different ways. The title hints at the fact that this was his first back after going into the army, and it was clear that he still had the sauce. This album's a bit lowkey, doesn't have a lot of the classic hits we know and love, but "Fever" has always been a favorite for me, both Elvis's rendition and the one by Peggy Lee. Enjoyable album, though still waiting for the best that Elvis had to offer.
Favorite tracks: Fever, Soldier Boy, Like a Baby, The Girl of My Best Friend.
Album art: Elvis is BACK, they exclaim. Pretty simple portrait of a soldier boy.
3.5/5
Gary Numan
3/5
I think the guy who wrote the blurb on Apple Music must be a huge fan, describing it as this seminal proto-new wave project. I mean I get it, but it's just not terribly exciting. It's a cool album for sure, lots of robotic synth-y stuff going on, but most of the tracks drone on at the same pace for a bit too long. A couple tracks I dug, but nothing that really stopped me in my tracks.
Favorite tracks: Metal, Complex, Random.
Album art: Really, really love this. Honestly I was looking forward to getting this album since I first saw the cover. Future man contemplating The Shape. Like a sterile, retrofuturistic version of pondering the orb; reminds me of that picture of Trump and the Saudi's whatever orb they had going on. Gary looks terrified of the power of the pyramid on his desk.
3/5
Black Flag
4/5
My punk experience is admittedly low (and hardcore punk even lower than that), but my understanding and impression is that this album is a pillar, one of the goats. Not at all difficult to hear why. I've heard it before, and I'm a big fan of this one. Opens with a true classic in "Rise Above," and just maintains a caustic edge throughout. It's angst and rage expressed with frightening, piercing clarity. You know these guys hate everything. My absolute favorite track has to be "TV Party," not just because of how funny and angry it is about the stupidity of television watchers, but because it's a genuinely catchy song, which makes you think if these punks were stupid sheep instead of the free-thinkers they are (please bear with my layers of irony here), they could make a decent rock record for the masses to swallow with ease. But they aren't that, man! They're fucked up in the head, they wanna smash mirrors and kick fire hydrants or whatever. I love it, what a rush. I can only imagine how liberating it would have been to discover this album as an angsty teen in the early '80s. Shout out Henry Rollins for this one.
Favorite tracks: TV Party, Rise Above, Six Pack, No More, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Life of Pain.
Album art: Iconic for sure. Rollins punching a mirror, what more do you need? It gets everything across, this album sounds like a group of guys trying to shatter the world as we know it.
4.5/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Eh. Not bad, but not necessary. Musically it's fun but we really don't need multiple Dexys entries on here. All the horns on here, they sound like Chicago but worse.
Favorite tracks: Geno, Seven Days Too Long.
Album art: Just some guys in a green filter. Not much going on here.
2.5/5
Steve Winwood
3/5
Cool one! I know the big Steve Winwood hits, we all do, but I've never heard this album (and always wanted to check it out). The synths that open this are really funny, part of me wishes it was that bonkers throughout. But ultimately it's just a good "adult contemporary" sort of rock project. He's got a cool voice and the instrumentals are really well done. I enjoyed it!
Favorite tracks: While You See a Chance, Arc of a Diver, Spanish Dancer.
Album art: Honestly adore this one, I've been seeing it for years and years, always intrigued. Not until today, seeing it large on the website, did I realize the diver's head was at the bottom left and not the top right. Total mindfreak moment, I thought he was flipping backwards. Love this art style though.
3.5/5
MGMT
4/5
Man, oh man. Truly a classic album, which is funny to say about something from 2007. But a classic in the indie/alternative type scene, undoubtedly. It's danceable and poppy, but sounds as if made with instruments discovered on some other planet. I've heard other albums from MGMT and nothing really touches this one for me. Of special importance here is the fact that the first five songs in a row, the whole side A, are all bangers to me, I love every track. Weekend Wars less so than the others, but still really cool. Aside from that, you've got "Kids" and "Time to Pretend," holy grails of indie. Then "Electric Feel," which is immortal on its own but was further immortalized by Frank Ocean on Nostalgia, Ultra. And "The Youth" is another heater, I'm pretty sure I first heard it in that movie Kings of Summer and fell in love immediately. This one's dangerously close to a 5 star from me, but most of the songs on the back half don't hit for me. Regardless, very essential inclusion on this list, and of course I have it on vinyl.
Favorite tracks: Electric Feel, Kids, Time to Pretend, The Youth, Weekend Wars, Of Moons Birds & Monsters.
Album art: Classic, gotta be iconic by now. Two boys from the past, or the future? Impossible to know. But the soft purple and blue hues of dusk really sell this one too. Just awesome.
4.5/5
Coldplay
4/5
Time for me to go to bat for these blokes. Short answer: I love it. Long answer: it baffles me how much people seem to hate Coldplay, due mostly to their ubiquity. Maybe Chris Martin is a wanker and that's why? Maybe the music is just too safe, too easy. As someone who listens first and foremost for sounds and melodies over lyrics, this kind of thing hits me just right. If you're someone who cares deeply about lyricism and meaning, maybe this doesn't scratch that itch. I wouldn't even know because that's not how I listen to stuff like this. Martin's got a great voice, the instrumentals are clean, emotional, sweeping. The top review on here lambasts the emotional appeal for being too wide-reaching and simplistic, such that people can graft their own meaning to the sounds. Is that necessarily a bad thing? All art speaks to the audience on a personal level, no matter how personal that art may be to the artist. If Chris Martin and the lads didn't pour too much specificity into this, and as a result more people love it, that doesn't disqualify it or make it bad art (at least in my opinion). I think there's a comparison to be made between Coldplay and Radiohead, that these guys are like radio-pop, watered down Radiohead. I don't care, I like how they sound. Not everything has to be challenging and experimental to be of value or of use. It takes all types.
Favorite tracks: Clocks, The Scientist, Green Eyes, In My Place, Warning Sign, God Put a Smile on Your Face, Amsterdam.
Album art: Some digital, triangulated art of a woman (?) being distorted? I don't know. Not really their strongest, but it's fine to look at.
4/5
The Auteurs
3/5
Never heard of this group, though I do recall this being an album that a number of people on the subreddit agreed was a great unknown find from this list. I, uh, well it's not doing all that much for me. Certainly not bad, just another indie alt, new wave type of album, pretty much what the title suggests. Not technically new wave since it's '90s but not worth getting into the semantics. A couple songs I dug but overall it's just okay.
Favorite tracks: Show Girl, How Could I Be Wrong, Idiot Brother.
Album art: I do like this cover, a mysterious man in some sort of makeshift head covering. The black and white works well here with the bordering.
3/5
Björk
3/5
Just this morning I saw a video of Travis Scott shouting out Bjork and pronouncing it "buhjork" which gave me a nice chuckle to start my day. This debut seems closer to that “Gloomy Sunday” cover Dad used to play for us, the one time I really liked Bjork. This one’s interesting, some very strange musical choices and melodies, plus there’s a handful of dance/club tracks that I wasn’t expecting at all. I think I liked it a little more than the other album we had. Bjork remains an enigma to me.
Favorite tracks: Crying, There’s More to Life Than This, Big Time Sensuality.
Album art: Just a portrait of a quirky little lady, oops, did I do that? Too coy for her own good.
3/5
Gene Clark
4/5
Really liked this one. Apparently one of the guys from the Byrds, and when he made this album no one really cared, until years later when people started calling it a classic. I love stories like that. Honestly, it does seem quite a bit ahead of its time, feels like country music much more modern and familiar than the early '70s. I liked that Byrds country album too, so I can say I enjoy when they went into this direction, as a group or solo. Some really nice tracks on here.
Favorite tracks: Life's Greatest Fool, No Other, From a Silver Phial, Lady of the North.
Album art: Excellent art. Never seen this one, and it's a truly captivating collage of art and iconography from different time periods. The old school images, plus the name Gene Clark, made me think very early Hollywood. Not quite reflected in the music, or is it?
4/5
The Stooges
4/5
Here it is, the one Iggy/Stooges album I've been waiting for. Is it by the Stooges? Iggy & the Stooges? Iggy Pop & the Stooges? It's a classic Larry, Curly, Moe, Shemp, Curly Joe situation. The opener is that big dog status banger; I always think of its appearance in The Life Aquatic when Zissou goes ape on the pirates to save his crew. "Gimme Danger" is a great one too. There's some heat on here for sure, and I love the rage/punk energy. Not too much that stuck out aside from those first two tracks, but still a great album. I think I've enjoyed every Iggy/Stooges project we've gotten, at least to some extent.
Favorite tracks: Search and Destroy, Gimme Danger, Penetration, Shake Appeal.
Album art: It's really just a portrait, and possibly a live performance photo, but the artistry and energy is pretty strong. Gotta be one of their best.
4/5
Sade
2/5
Don't forget, it's pronounced "shah-day," not "say'd." They're legends in the soul scene (I think? also didn't know this was a group and not just one lah-day), but there's not enough on this one album for me to deduce why. Do they have big hits out there I'm not aware of (or maybe am aware of, but don't know are Sade)? I don't know man, I like these genres but the kind of R&B/soul I like is a lot more exciting than this. I honestly don't know if R&B is the right word here, as wikipedia says things like "smooth soul" or "sophistipop," what I might otherwise call "easy listening" or "adult contemporary," those purgatorial genres of stuff that doesn't really move my needle. There are couple tracks on here that I liked but a lot of it slips into the background for me. I think it sounds a little ahead of its time, as I would've guessed '90s rather than '80s, but still a bit too predictable and same-y for me.
Favorite tracks: Hang On to Your Love, Cherry Pie.
Album art: Pretty cool, strong framing here. Great picture, great font (though reminds me of that Guns n Roses album). Nothing special.
2.5/5
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Love Bonnie Raitt, and I'm very glad we got at least one album from her. Hoping there's still room for Luck of the Draw. The title track that opens this album is definitely the strongest on here; I'd be lying if I said I didn't tear up. It's a beautiful, mature song about love, not just romantic but familial. And this is actually my first time hearing it, aside from the little snippet that Bon Iver performed with his cover of "I Can't Make You Love Me." Then there's a few more love songs, and then "Real Man," one of the horniest songs I've heard in a minute. That harmonica is absurd. As an album, it's certainly not all up to "Nick of Time" par, but it's very good. She's an excellent musician, making blues I guess, or what I'd call signer-songwriter tinged with country. Good album, give us something great with Luck of the Draw.
Favorite tracks: Nick of Time, Love Letter, Real Man, Have a Heart.
Album art: Just a classic '80s portrait, it's so wonderfully dated. Bonnie looks like a queen, good for her. Font goes hard.
3.5/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Another from the Boss. Much darker than his usual fare, and I don't really mind it. Some heavy hitting emotional tracks and performances on here. Not a whole lot that stood out to me, but the style was very consistent and enjoyable throughout. I like this one a lot, an excellent change of pace from Bruce.
Favorite tracks: Atlantic City, Nebraska, Highway Patrolman.
Album art: About as bleak as the music. Black and white is very effective here, and the blood red font and borders elevate this dramatically. I've said it before, it bears repeating: if you add red to a black and white cover, you're putting yourself in "serious business" "great album art" territory.
4/5
Spiritualized
2/5
Our second from this group I believe, and after two albums I'm not sold. The last was much more enjoyable for me. This one isn't bad, but it feels pretty aimless for me--ironic that this one feels more like it's floating in space as opposed to lazer-guided with the melodies. Most of it whizzed by me pretty nondescript, and then there was a stretch of three songs I enjoyed quite a bit. Maybe a little Stockholm syndrome at that point, but yeah, overall, it wasn't much. Not good, not bad. Pretty sure I'd axe it from the list.
Favorite tracks: Take Your Time, Shine a Light, Angel Sigh.
Album art: Actually quite cool, some liquid metal people dancing in nothingness. Is it supposed to be against a white or black background? I like the black better.
2.5/5
Ice Cube
3/5
Nice! Ice Cube is a legend, though I do think his rap style can be pretty one-dimensional (and dated), as is heard on here. Don't get me wrong, there are some great tracks on here, especially "It Was a Good Day," but overall I find it hard to stay tuned into his style. His delivery is very straightfoward, in-your-face, with little nuance or variety. Not necessarily a bad thing, especially when it's part of a group like NWA, but as a solo operator and for an entire album, it gets a bit draining. But still a good project, I love the political messaging and the skits actually work well here.
Favorite tracks: It Was a Good Day, Dirty Mack, Check Yo Self, Integration.
Album art: Not much to this one at all. Black and white photo, is he smoking a pipe with a skull? Can't really tell what's going on but it's alright.
3.5/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
Bracing myself for a swath of PJ Harvey albums since I found out she's British. That's how it goes, artist you've never heard of has their entire catalog on this list because they're from the UK. Anyway, this one's pretty solid, I think I liked it more than the last. It's got a cool grunge edge to it that made it memorable, but not too many tracks will be staying in my playlist.
Favorite tracks: Dress, Fountain.
Album art: Yuck. Dry lips? Is that what we're going for? Someone's face smushed against the glass, I don't think it's PJ herself though. It's a memorable cover though, I'll give her that.
3/5
Grant Lee Buffalo
4/5
Whoa, really liked this one! It's rock, feels like it's got a tinge of Americana to it, but the melodies and vocal performances are just so full of life and excitement, it's such a nice departure from what we've had lately. It's weird, I can't really point to any one thing that's fantastic on here, but it's all just done really well. Very crisp and engaging instrumentals, great vocals, just really good stuff. I'm always leery of artists I've never even heard of appearing on a list like this, but damn, this was worth the inclusion for sure.
Favorite tracks: The Shining Hour, Wish You Well, The Hook, Dixie Drug Store, America Snoring.
Album art: Just a guy, low-res guy even. Not at all suggestive of how good the music is, extremely unassuming. I can't say I like this cover, but I like what it's hiding.
4.5/5
Jurassic 5
5/5
Well, this has to be a five from me, a Jurassic 5. A few years back I was working on a personal project to determine my favorite hip hop album from each year I've been alive, and this was my winner for 2002. I love the variety on here, both of voices and beats/instrumentals. There are wacky samples, wacky sounds, and a range of voices and deliveries. And even though it's 20 years old now, so much of it feels fresh and not at all outdated. I ultimately saved almost every song on here to my playlist, it just feels that vital to me. I may not know much else done by Jurassic 5, but this album is crazy.
Favorite tracks: Just imagine the whole tracklist, minus like three songs on the back half.
Album art: Nice color gradient, image definitely fits the title of the album. I'll excuse the stencil font because of just how much I love this project.
5/5
Janet Jackson
3/5
Was very worried at first, I thought this would be "club music, but make it about current affairs." A couple tracks of that to kick things off was weird to me, even though I kind of liked "State of the World" for how goofy it is. It's like proto-Lizzo or Meghan Trainer, pop music that's very smugly pretending to have a brain. I honestly couldn't tell you if those messages resurfaced, but I didn't catch anymore after that. A couple other good songs on here, "Escapade" was the big hitter for me. I think this is my first time listening to Janet and I can't say I really understand the hype. It's pop/R&B from an era that isn't all that engaging to me personally. HOWEVER, I will give her some credit for doing this in the late '80s, I can hear this had considerable influence going into the '90s. Also shoot, I just saw that she wrote and produced the ENTIRE album, that kind of effort deserves a half-star bump.
Favorite tracks: Escapade, State of the World, Come Back to Me.
Album art: Black and white portrait, where have I seen that done before? Oh yeah, on probably hundreds of albums. What I can see of the fit goes hard though.
3.5/5
4/5
Damn, here's a classic. "Do you know where the name of the band U2 comes from? It's the Untalented 2." I don't know the full U2 catalog, but I know this album is a huge one. The first four songs in a row are just so great. I can hear the influence that this had on a lot of other bands; Angels & Airwaves and Linkin Park come to mind. Not a whole lot I can think to say here, just that this is a great album. They're a band that I think has had a fluctuating reputation over the years, especially after the free album fiasco, but you can't really deny this one.
Favorite tracks: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, With or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name, Bullet the Blue Sky, Red Hill Mining Town.
Album art: It's weird, it's a very simple, very CD-era album cover, but it's been so ubiquitous that maybe it is iconic by now? I like that the whole band is squished together in the left 40% of the image, and that image is only 40% of the cover. Don't mind us, we're just U2.
4.5/5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
There could never be any doubt that this is a five star album. Of course it's on the shelf next to me, it's one of the great rock albums ever, ever. Everybody showed up to play on this one. Jimmy Page killing the guitar, Robert Plant singing his heart out in every direction, and of course Jon Bonham with the legendary drum solo on "Moby Dick." This album is like a cryptid or urban legend or something. I imagine most of the big rock bands throughout history ask themselves if they ever made, or could ever make, a Led Zeppelin II. The answer for almost all of them is no. My personal taste for these guys definitely elevates me to bias territory, but the world seems to agree on just how massive this record is. I don't have much new to say here since I know most of these songs like the back of my hand, but damn "Bring It On Home" is a super cool track. It's bluesy like their previous album but oddly psychedelic, the reverb and the frenetic energy in Plant's delivery make it sound haunted, in a good way.
Favorite tracks: I'm saving every single track except What Is and What Should Never Be.
Album art: Totally iconic. Love how washed out it looks. It's like even on release, they knew this was going to be some eternal tome of rock and roll. Who are the ghostly gentlemen on the cover? Not a clue. Don't care, didn't ask, plus they're white. But also damn, the clouds, the colorful font, the zeppelin silhouette reduced to nothingness. Just really solid stuff.
5/5
The La's
3/5
Really enjoyed this one! Sort of poppy, alt-y rock. I was floored to hear “There She Goes” on here, had no idea this was their song. Wikipedia calls this one of the great “one album wonders,” and I could totally understand that. I really like what they did on here, there’s a great energy throughout. Quite delightful.
Favorite tracks: There She Goes, Doledrum, Timeless Melody.
Album art: Just a close up of an eye, and it’s black and white to boot. Nothing to write home about.
3.5/5
Madonna
3/5
It was only a matter of time until we got Madonna. I know she's a big deal but I really don't know much of her music, so this is a welcome exercise. The album opens strong with the title track, one of the few Madonna songs I do know, and after that it was a mixed bag in more ways than one. It's obviously pop music, but there's a wide range of sonic influences at play, leading to mixed results. Only a couple other tracks that I'd save, even though I do think it's an interesting pop album as a whole. Hard for me to see the fuss in retrospect, but maybe there are bigger Madonna projects awaiting us?
Favorite tracks: Like a Prayer, Love Song, Oh Father.
Album art: What would be called "midriff" by people seeking to have it covered up. Some antique old lady looking jewelry hanging over (I assume) Madonna's waist. It's a little saucy but only by suggestion. Not a bad cover, her logo in the center is pretty cool.
3/5
Steely Dan
2/5
This was the one Steely Dan album that I had heard years ago. Back then, I didn't understand the hype at all. It's just mildly groovy, adult contemporary dad rock with little that grabs my attention. I think I liked one song. Hearing it again now, a new man with thousands of listening hours and an expanded palette since then, I've reached the same conclusion. The one song I like changed, but it's still mostly nothing for me. I've liked the other Steely Dan projects so far, but this one for me is a dud.
Favorite tracks: Black Cow (used to be I Got the News).
Album art: The cover is actually really cool (red white and black at it again). Some weird shape of color, and then suddenly you notice a woman's painted face. Far, far more interesting than the music it denotes. That's why I listened all those years ago and was so disappointed.
2/5
Frank Ocean
5/5
February 10, 2013: I'm sitting in the living room of our college apartment, watching the Grammys on my giant box TV. Not sure why, I guess I was bored. I saw that Mumford & Sons were nominated quite a bit for their Babel album, which had been a favorite of mine over the previous year. Near the end of the broadcast, a guy named Frank Ocean gets up to perform a song called "Forrest Gump." He's standing behind a keyboard, and there's a screen displaying his legs running, and he ends the song whistling and running down behind the keyboard, off into the distance. I was intrigued. This same guy beat Chris Brown for the suspiciously racist "best urban contemporary album" award, but he lost AOTY to Mumford & Sons. I went to sleep with "Forrest Gump" stuck in my head. Next chance I had, I downloaded the album from [REDACTED] and began listening. It was gas. Our grandmother had passed away a day before the Grammy performance, and in the late nights between then and our flight to Chicago for the funeral, I absorbed this album like a sponge. I was trying to get all of my grieving cousins to listen to Frank Ocean. I loved most of the tracks, but was obsessed with "Bad Religion." I realized very quickly that this should've beat Mumford & Sons. I bought a bootleg vinyl on eBay (pressed on orange wax of course), and Alex and I would listen to this in the dark in that apartment. I put it on a CD in my car and played it over and over until it became scratched and skippy. I learned the in's and out's of this project like a treasure map. This album didn't just put me on to Frank Ocean, it made me a fan of music in a way I'd never been before. I started looking for acclaimed albums I'd never heard, started downloading playlists of Pitchfork's top 100 songs of each year. Paired with Yeezus a few months later, these albums opened my eyes and ears to the point where they may never close again. Without this album, there's probably no obsessive record collection, no year-end albums and tracks lists, no semi-famous youtuber, and almost certainly no participation in this 1001 albums journey. This album really changed my life and it means the world to me.
Favorite tracks: Every song on here to some degree.
Album art: It's orange baby. That's enough.
5/5
Oasis
3/5
Really didn't expect that we'd get a second album from Oasis after getting the one with "Wonderwall" AND "Champagne Supernova." There are a few tracks on here that I liked, and I especially enjoy the chord progression of "Slide Away," but I can't help but think of other albums that deserve a spot here instead of another from these guys. I mean, they're pretty good, but this isn't "1001 Pretty Good Albums," a list like that could be made at random. Decent album, but it's on the chopping block.
Favorite tracks: Slide Away, Live Forever, Supersonic.
Album art: Guys sitting around, laying around in a flat I presume. Brainstorming on their next pretty good rock album. Title's perfectly wishy-washy too.
3/5
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Another from Run. Like the other we got, this is obviously an important, foundational hip hop album. But it's old school to the point that I really don't get much enjoyment out of it. It's the building blocks of stuff I enjoy a lot more. I imagine people who hate old school hip hop hear all of it as stuff like this. I'm giving it a 3 out of respect, but I'm marking this as chopping block for the list too because I really don't think we need two Run-DMC albums, we get the gist in one. Same sort of rule should apply to the Beastie Boys.
Favorite tracks: Rock Box, It's Like That.
Album art: Two guys, brick wall, dope font. I like this cover a lot honestly. It's not much but it's strong.
3/5
Doves
4/5
Band and album I've never heard of gone right. This was a really nice, softer rock project with some fantastic tunes and melodies. I can't think who to compare this to, but there were just a handful of really nice tracks waiting for me around each corner. I'm saving quite a few of these, and I honestly don't even care to look up the band because I like the mystery here, it's very vague.
Favorite tracks: Words, M62 Song, NY, Friday's Dust, Pounding.
Album art: Very blurry, both on the website and Apple Music. Is that by design? Regardless, I do like the imagery and colors here, an aerial shot of nighttime streets under an ominous sky. Is it really night or day, is that the sun? No idea, it's all a mystery.
4/5
Beck
4/5
A large part of me is adamant that Beck is overrated. Why all the Grammys and the notoriety for this guy? Who's son is he? But then, I listen to an album, and I sort of get it. We've had a few now, and every time I enjoy myself. This one's got so many cool, retrofuturistic sounds and touches. Weird synth-y stuff is always enjoyable to me, and while there's not much lyrically to his work (or at least not that grabs me, anyway), he's a sonic virtuoso because I think he does most of it all by himself. Beck is still an enigma to me, but I can dig it.
Favorite tracks: Derelict, Devils Haircut, Hotwax, Novacane, Ramshackle.
Album art: Always thought it was a creature, but it might just be one of those moppy dogs jumping a hurdle. I like the pic, I like the font. It's a cool cover.
4/5
Nirvana
3/5
Number three from Nirvana I believe. It's certainly no Nevermind, but few albums are. It's got "Heart Shaped Box," which is a favorite of mine, and a couple other tracks I dig. Aside from those few, it lacks the bite that Nevermind has. I still think it's a good album, but their prior peak set the bar impossibly high for me. I would give this the edge over the MTV live album though.
Favorite tracks: Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me, All Apologies.
Album art: Kinda disgusting, innit? An angel that's been skinned. I've seen it plenty of times before but today is the first time I'm really SEEING it. I don't love it but it's memorable and gets the job done.
3.5/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Completely forgot we already had an album from Bob Marley. A couple songs I like but the overall appeal isn't for me. "No Woman No Cry" is a classic track though, didn't realize until recently listening to the Black Panther soundtrack that the "everything's gonna be alright" part is actually from this song too. Nice vibe overall, but not much more on the album that struck me.
Favorite tracks: No Woman No Cry, Them Belly Full.
Album art: Portrait of Bob. Art style is pretty cool though.
3/5
The Specials
2/5
I don't know man, I think this one had more variety to it than the previous Specials album (hence the name "More Specials" I guess?), but I didn't get much out of it, and ultimately may have liked it less. Any time we get multiple albums from a band that I'm certain we'd be fine getting just one album from, they turn out to be British.
Favorite tracks: Do Nothing, Stereotype.
Album Art: Band photo I presume? Just a group of guys, maybe a girl in there too? I don't even know if I'm looking at the band here. This seems like one of those greatest hits platinum collection type of covers.
2.5/5
Dire Straits
3/5
Number two from Dire Straits. Once again, a couple heaters that I recognize. Aside from those two, there weren't many that stuck out to me, but the sound these guys create is very consistent and makes for an excellent listening experience. Guitar work is fantastic too. I didn't realize until today that these guys are British, the music seems American for whatever reason. In that case, I think I'd call them the British Steely Dan, don't care to take arguments. I liked this one though; not as memorable as the other we got, but still solid.
Favorite tracks: Sultans of Swing, Down to the Waterline, Lions.
Album art: A bit mysterious, innit? Is this a ghostly person in a hospital or something? Is that a waterline? No idea, but I do like it.
3.5/5
Parliament
3/5
Man, I could've swore we had an album from Parliament already. Am I insane? I thought that, and I thought it was this album in particular. But I guess not. This one's pretty good! Very quirky funk, the talky nature of some of these tracks was funny. It's cool how they refer to The Funk as a proper noun or a being. Nothing too mindblowing sonically, but a good listen regardless. The last track sounded like a bunch of farting.
Favorite tracks: Give Up the Funk, Mothership Connection, Supergroovalistic.
Album art: Again, I swear I thought we got this already. We've had a couple other albums with spaceship covers, of that I'm certain. But I'm probably confusing this album with stuff from Funkadelic that we've had. After all, they're the two spiritual halves of the P-Funk movement.
3.5/5
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Really great album. Fleet Foxes are a great band, and this is arguably their best, most impactful album. I've heard it before, but it's a fresh treat today. Very soothing music, perfect for a mountain drive. Not a whole lot that sticks out, but who really cares? It's consistent and enjoyable. I really dig this one, it's a modern classic in my eyes.
Favorite tracks: Sun It Rises, White Winter Hymnal, Tiger Mountain Peasant Song.
Album art: Really a spectacular one, reminds me of those old Renaissance era paintings, sometimes of Hell, with a bunch of people just doing whatever. Great style. Not sure if I'd call it iconic, but it's one I know and recognize well.
4/5
Tom Waits
2/5
Damn, Tom Waits album number four. As usual, the guy sounds like a cartoon skeleton singing in a jazz bar in a Tim Burton movie. There were a couple songs on here that I actually enjoyed, but quite a few others that are frankly unbearable. In other words, the usual.
Favorite tracks: Gun Street Girl, Clap Hands, Anywhere I Lay My Head (hilarious vocal performance).
Album art: I like this style, it reminded me of London Calling and maybe a Smiths album? The bright font border is cool, nothing else to keep this in my brain though.
2.5/5
Pixies
3/5
It's weird, I think we started with Surfer Rosa, which I loved, and every other Pixies album that we've gotten has been less interesting than the last. It's just fine grunge-y rock music, without much bite to me. Still decent, but slipped out of my consciousness almost immediately.
Favorite tracks: Wave of Mutilation, Gouge Away.
Album art: Funny monke.
3/5
Suede
3/5
Listening to this immediately after the Pixies, it felt like a continuation. Similarly grunge-y rock, though this one feels a little more artsy, spacious. Lots of long tracks. At times sounded a bit like U2. Never heard of this band, and I can't say I'm interested enough to seek out more but there were some cool songs on here. It was alright.
Favorite tracks: Stay Together, The 2 of Us.
Album art: A naked person on a bed. Looks super grim. I like this one. It's understated, but effective. Also, the picture on this site says "Suede," and the band on Apple Music is listed as "The London Suede." Name change?
3/5
Dolly Parton
3/5
Not bad at all! Great country harmonies from three titans of the industry. I think we've had an album from Dolly and Emmylou so far, nothing from Linda yet. Nothing too crazy but a solid project to be sure. Gets me in the country dancing sort of mood.
Favorite tracks: The Pain of Loving You, Hobo's Meditation, My Dear Companion.
Album art: A picture of the trio, fitting, but the framing and font around this thing really sells it. As far as band photos go, this one is way up there! Love the western backdrop as well.
3.5/5
Pretenders
4/5
I really liked this one. I know the Pretenders mostly for the Rush Limbaugh song, which is a strange admission, but "My City Was Gone" is an incredible jam. I haven't heard this album, but of course I recognized "Brass in Pocket," a song that's played all the time at different life events. I never knew it was from these guys and Chrissie Hynde. Chrissie is the one thing I know about this group, she's got such a cool mystique and persona to her. She really made it out of Ohio.
Favorite tracks: Brass in Pocket, The Wait, Kid, Private Life.
Album art: Just a band photo, made exponentially cooler by Chrissie Hynde. I'm not sure why I'm so enthralled by her, she's just a quintessentially cool rocker chick. Deserves to be in the convos with Joan Jett and whoever else.
4/5
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Another from the legend, still waiting on the debut. To me this is the weakest of their three studio albums before Jimi passed, but it's still very strong, that's testament to how great he was and this band was. Very exploratory, a good bit of genre bending. The guitar work, as expected, is otherworldly. Tracks like "Little Wing" and "Castles Made of Sand" are embedded in my brain, especially the reversed guitar tracks on the latter song. Such a shame that we lost this guy as early as we did, he remains unparalleled as a visionary in making the guitar into something much more than an instrument. In his hands, it's alive.
Favorite tracks: Castles Made of Sand, Little Wing, If 6 Was 9, Bold as Love, Spanish Castle Magic, One Rainy Wish.
Album art: One of the greats, to be sure. Love, love, love this art style, and sacrilegious as it may be, the portrayal of Jimi as some celestial god kind of makes sense.
4.5/5
Soft Cell
4/5
Here's a cool one! I remember first listening to this on Dad's turntable, this was a record in his collection. A hallmark new wave album, with one of the great hits to make it out of that era "Tainted Love." There's a bit of depth to the album too, with a handful of other tracks that I found worth the while. Sometimes we get lucky with these '80s synthpop records. Not always, but albums like this one have a good bit to love.
Favorite tracks: Tainted Love, Youth, Entertain Me, Chips on My Shoulder, Say Hello Wave Goodbye.
Album art: I've always dug this one, the seedy neon lighting really sells it. It's a band photo, and these guys look like huge dorks, but they nailed the aesthetic.
4/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
I think we've had at least one other album from Sonic Youth. I like these guys, and this album started out very strong. Some great melodies amid the distorted style. And "Kool Thing" is a Guitar Hero III song that I'll always know. But after that one, not much caught my ear. Gets a little too same-y for me. But overall, a decent album, just wish there was more like the first few tracks.
Favorite tracks: Kool Thing, Dirty Boots, Tunic.
Album art: Really like this style, a sort of minimal silhouette cartoon. Black and white done right. The caption is very Badlands/Natural Born Killers. Very strong.
3/5
Johnny Cash
4/5
The Man in Black is Back. Johnny's famous album of covers, made in 2002! Cash passed away less than a year after this was released, and man, what a powerhouse album from such an acclaimed artist. Almost every track is a cover, including some really out-there picks like "Personal Jesus" and the crown jewel, "Hurt." No one would expect Cash to do a cover of NIN, let alone outshine the original. But Trent Reznor's right that the song is no longer his: Johnny Cash took it and made it something so much more powerful, meaningful. The music video is also incredible. The strength of that track alone, one of the finest things Cash has ever released, elevates this to at least 4/5 stars. The rest of it is fairly predictable covers, nothing crazy but they're done really well. Apparently there's a cover of "Big Iron" on the original release, but not the version I heard. I did really like the Spongebob-esque ukulele style of "We'll Meet Again." For a cover album, it's excellent.
Favorite tracks: HURT, The Man Comes Around, We'll Meet Again, Personal Jesus, Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Album art: For a last album he ever made, it's perfect. Strong, bold fond, disembodied head. No notes.
4.5/5
Tito Puente
3/5
Whoa, very exciting to get some Tito Puente on here! It's not Night Beat unfortunately, so hopefully there's still a chance that we get that album. Nevertheless, and as expected, this is some good Latin jazz. Not a whole lot that stuck with me, nothing as memorable as some of the joints on Night Beat, but still very good. Need more old jazz/world music records like this.
Favorite tracks: Hong Kong Mambo, El Cayuco, Agua Limpia Todo.
Album art: The text and framing, especially that "living stereo" banner, is classic. The picture kinda sucks, what the hell does this white woman have to do with the music? Whatever label exec picked that one (surely dead by now) deserves a swift kick in the pants (that he was buried in).
3.5/5
Air
3/5
A movie score feels like cheating, right? In any case, why this one over something from John Williams, like Star Wars? Is that too pedestrian to say? Anyway, it's actually a really good score. We had another album from Air a ways back, and that fact alone made me guess they were British, but they're French. In that case, ooh la la. I honestly can't remember if I've seen this movie, I'm pretty sure I haven't and the title is making me think of "Picnic at Hanging Rock." But this score is pretty rad, there's some great tunes on here. Granted, I think any instrumental/score would be relatively rad, so I'm not going to inflate the score on this one. Again, feels like cheating.
Favorite tracks: Bathroom Girl, Dark Messages, Dirty Trip, Afternoon Sister, Dead Bodies.
Album art: Really like the cover, suggestive of something much older, another reason why I think my mind when to "Picnic at Hanging Rock." Nice picture, nice colors.
3.5/5
Metallica
4/5
Another heavy hitter from Metallica! Some classic jams on here, including probably my favorite from them, "One." Songs like that are few and far between, but they demonstrate that Metallica can do different things if they so choose. They don't often so choose, and on this album there's a decent sized chunk that feels like filler to me, the back half got a little monotonous. But still, the heft of the earlier tracks is undeniable. Certainly not a perfect album, and I can say with confidence this isn't my favorite Metallica album (Master of Puppets was a 5), but it still goes hard.
Favorite tracks: One, Blackened, And Justice For All, To Live is To Die, Eye of the Beholder.
Album art: Definitely a classic, one of my favorite from Metallica for sure. No mistaking the symbolism here, especially with the title. Strong statement.
4.5/5
k.d. lang
1/5
Wikipedia describes this as a "cabaret" style of pop music, apparently a departure from kd lang's more country-tinged style. Well, that sucks. Cabaret pop was surely designed to bore me to death. I think the infamous Scott Walker album that I hated could be put in that category too. kd seems to have a great voice, obviously talented, but this kind of music is a snoozefest for me. No thank you.
Favorite tracks: Still Thrives This Love.
Album art: A strange painted portrait/silhouette thing. No problem with it, but even though it's pretty generic, it suggests better music than the album contains.
1.5/5
TV On The Radio
4/5
Really solid! I've heard these guys before, not this album though. Plenty of enjoyable tunes on here. It's fairly run-of-the-mill indie/alt rock, with some electronic flair to it. But damn, they put together some really nice grooves. Yeah, nothing much to say but I really dig albums like this one.
Favorite tracks: DLZ, Crying, Stork & Owl, Red Dress.
Album art: Super bland if we're being honest. Band and album name written in neon lights on a brick wall? That's it? Would definitely overlook something like this, which is unfortunate.
4/5
Le Tigre
4/5
Brief story: prior to today, my only exposure to Le Tigre was this godawful song they released through Pitchfork in 2016, in support of Hillary Clinton, called "I'm With Her." I saw it then, and rewatched it today, and both times I've felt like it's possibly the worst piece of art ever created. May have singlehandedly given the election to Trump, just unbelievably embarrassing stuff. What's more punk rock than campaigning for a Clinton? The video is on youtube, with comments disabled (and dislikes don't exist anymore), but you can bet your ass this thing was lampooned to oblivion. So with that as the backdrop, I was gleefully bracing myself for a prequel, bracing for the worst punk shit I've ever heard. But damn, this album's actually really fun. Some really cool, engaging instrumentals, the lyrics are outraged, outrageous, and political in a way that's, at least for me, tongue in cheek and obviously more genuine than anything having to do with Hillary Clinton. "Deceptacon" is a drop dead classic man, I swear I've heard that before. If it's not canonized, it should be. The "what's your take on Cassavetes" track is seriously funny, I don't know if they're expecting us to take this seriously but I had a good time laughing with these songs. "Dude Yr so Crazy" too, just a list of buzzwords, it's so funny. Again, based on the atrocity that they committed in 2016, I'm afraid they may be genuine in all of this, which may work to their detriment. Otherwise, they're in on the joke on this album, and they purposely made the worst song of all time to secretly throw the election for Trump? I'm getting brainworms, ignore me. Great album though.
Favorite tracks: Deceptacon, What's Yr Take on Cassavetes, Slideshow at Free University, Dude Yr so Crazy.
Album art: I honestly love this one. Bright, popping colors. Headshots on the side like they were printed from a photobooth, and the lo-fi homemade look is certainly fitting. Really fantastic cover.
4/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Sucks. I don't like to use the word "pretentious" when describing art, I think it's a cop-out word that people use when the artist's intention is beyond their comprehension and sensibilities. Dictionary definition is "attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed," so I'm absolutely applying it here because this album is just full of grandiose ideas and goals and an affectation of intelligence that, given the bored, flat delivery, feels so incredibly phony. We've had at least one other Nick Cave album, and I generally like the guy, but he sounds really bad on here. Really morose, whiny, like he's in on some cosmic sorrow that we couldn't even imagine (good thing I'm not saying this stuff about Ghosteen, but then again, why would I? That album is good). From the two-part backslash title, to the vague mythology references amid tracks like--sorry, let me make sure I get this right--"Babe, You Turn Me On." Absolutely no thank you, I am not the audience for this. I'm as averse to this as I am to mustard, too bitter and too adjacent to poison for my palate.
Favorite tracks: Let the Bells Ring.
Album art: Cool flower picture, thick border, decent font. Formulaic, but not terrible.
1/5
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Where to begin? The night of March 15, 2015. At about 10PM this album is accidentally leaked on iTunes. It disappears for a bit, and then I guess the label decides to just go with it and the album officially releases an hour later. I stay up late listening to it, just wading. The next day, we're flying to Georgia for a spring break/birthday trip, and I burn this onto a CD to take it with me, drawing a kaleidoscopic butterfly instead of even writing the title. The whole week we're driving around, this didn't leave the Ford Taurus. No skips, no replays, just an unending loop. For me, the album first became associated with that trip, and because it wasn't home for me, TPAB became an escape. No matter where I am, I listen to this and I'm transported elsewhere. Not necessarily to where I was that first week (mind you, I've listened to it in a million places by now), but somewhere beautiful. Somewhere that isn't home, but feels home.
There's a song on here, "Momma," about Kendrick going "home" to (Mother) Africa. Throughout the song, he raps about a feeling. "This feeling is unmatched; this feeling is brought to you by adrenaline and good rap." By the time this came out, I was well into my journey into becoming a real fan of music and of hip hop, and this album gave me a new, unmatched feeling. It still does. I don't always rank this the highest when I think through my favorite albums, in this genre or all genres, but when I listen to it, I get that feeling. "I've been looking for you my whole life, an appetite for the feeling I can barely describe. Where you reside?" In his search for that feeling, Kendrick created it for me, and surely for countless others.
Kendrick is an artist of undeniable acclaim and ability. He made at least one masterpiece before this (GKMC), and I'd argue he's made at least one more since (MM&TBS). But this album is on some other plane of existence to me. It has some of the densest and most thematic writing he (or most, if not all, rappers) has ever done, and it's couched in music that is varied, exploratory, and extremely listenable. Entire songs devoted to self-love, self-hatred, vices, temptations, the devil. Even the song about sex is presented in a metaphor about walls, tying together the girl he's with and her man in prison. The album is so strong that its b-sides are released the next year as a second, also great album.
I could go on and on about this, talking about the production or the features or individual songs, because it's just so densely packed with artistry. I posed the question: will we get another album on this level in our lifetime, hip hop or otherwise? Some say we already have, and some never connected with this to begin with. But for me, I'm doubtful. I don't doubt the ability of artists working today or tomorrow, but I simply can't imagine the force of an album that could hit me harder and stick with me longer than this. I cautiously await the day that it may happen, but until then, I'll keep running this back.
Favorite tracks: Not a single song on the album that I don't love. The most special to me are probably Momma, Complexion, and The Blacker the Berry, and during today's listen Institutionalized hit me harder than usual.
Album art: Black and white, grey border, Kendrick appears in the center holding a baby amid a group of Black men taking over the White House. Lyrically, it's represented in both "Wesley's Theory" and "Institutionalized." By now, it's undeniably iconic. I hope it scares the right people.
5/5
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
In more ways than one, we find ourselves in hippie country. It's about 90% country and 10% psych rock. Not a mixture that works as well here as it could. The Byrds did the country departure much better if you ask me. This one lacks bite or much of anything distinct. Any album assigned today would've had a hell of a time following Kendrick's To Pimp a Butterfly, but this one hit with a thud. Not at all bad, just painfully decent.
Favorite tracks: Do Right Woman, Hippie Boy, Hot Burrito #1.
Album art: Really love this cover, excellent font, outfits are cool as hell. Got my hopes extremely high for something more psychedelic. Alas, not so.
2.5/5
Little Richard
4/5
One of the GOATs of rock and roll! Little Richard was a pioneer of this style, which evolved into rock as we know it. So many of the big rock bands of the '60s like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc. got their starts doing covers or homages to artists like Chuck Berry and Little Richard. This guy had the sauce, undoubtedly. Classic tracks on here like "Tutti Frutti" and "Long Tall Sally" still hit. Of course, the album is a bit same-y, similar song structures and progression and all that, but considering it was 1957, we let that slide. The album wasn't all that much of a thing yet anyway. Really great stuff here, I'm always glad to get formative projects like this. And shout out to Little Richard in general, man. I don't know how it is that some of the OG rock and rollers lived for as long as they did (Little Richard died in 2020 at age 87, Chuck Berry died in 2017 at 90!). His life was wild and colorful to say the least, and it's kinda cool to me that this flamboyant comet of a man birthed a genre and made it out of that era alive.
Favorite tracks: Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally, Slippin' and Slidin', She's Got It.
Album art: Just a portrait, but it looks quite modern with the font and formatting. Seems like a "best of," and in a way, albums kind of started out as that.
4/5
The Doors
3/5
Nice, another from the Doors! Looks familiar, don't think I'd heard it in full before. Overall, nothing too exceptional, but damn, "Riders on the Storm" is forever one of the greatest songs. What Ray Manzarek does on the keys during the opening of that track, over that bassline and the storm sound effects, it's just really special. Not the most impressive album, but an all-time great song. Love the Doors though.
Favorite tracks: Riders on the Storm, LA Woman, Been Down So Long, Cars Hiss By My Window.
Album art: I've always loved this one, great color contrast, font, and framing. Very memorable.
3.5/5
Van Halen
5/5
Nostalgia is one hell of a drug. Van Halen, for some reason, was THE classic rock/hair metal band that Alex and I latched onto in our younger days. As a result, I know so much of their (pre-Hagar) catalog like the back of my hand. I mentioned in our review of 1984 that the self-titled was probably my favorite of their albums. I ended up giving 1984 a 5 star rating anyway, and yeah, this one edges slightly higher for me. So many classic songs on here for me, it's kind of unfair. The whole first side of this album is all hits I love, what a crazy run. You've got an otherworldly guitar solo track with "Eruption," followed immediately by a Kinks cover, who does that? Just big, booming hits. And Side B holds up well too, a couple tracks that don't stick with me but damn, we got "Ice Cream Man" and "Jamie's Cryin", you just can't lose. One thing that's been made really funny for me is the bass, thanks to Tim Heidecker highlighting how one-note some of their basslines are in a hilarious game of "guess the bassline" with Thundercat (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXSK5PwGcmw). So, Michael Anthony, you've got some explaining to do, especially on "Runnin' with the Devil." But yeah, I can't deny this album. It's a perfect classic for me, criticisms be damned.
Favorite tracks: Runnin with the Devil, Eruption, Ice Cream Man, Jamie's Cryin', Ain't Talkin Bout Love, You Really Got Me, Feel Your Love Tonight, I'm the One.
Album art: A four-shot collage of the band members in action, nothing really special. But the layout is slightly more creative than just a band photo, and the logo in the center is really cool.
5/5
Massive Attack
2/5
Ugh. Our second from Massive Attack, and it's also not Mezzanine. I just looked and apparently we don't get Mezzanine on here at all, which is their most memorable album. What's with that? I sort of liked the other album, this one was a snoozefest. "One Love" was laughable. I almost made it through the album without saving a singe track, that's how forgettable this was. I can't say it was terrible, but it's just too dated for me. Meanwhile Mezzanine isn't even on this list. If it were up to me, this one (and possibly the other as well) would be cut from the list, to be replaced by Mezzanine and some more meaningful album from another artist. Boring.
Favorite tracks: Lately.
Album art: Their name on a hazard label. Looks like the kind of "photoshop" I do on Paint that's purposely bad.
2/5
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
There are movies that come out that feel like homework. Important filmmaking accomplishments that you know you have to watch, but the runtime makes it a chore. Quick examples in my mind are THE IRISHMAN and ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (what is it with DeNiro?). Both exceptionally long movies, and great movies, but too long. Another example, BOYHOOD, which isn't as long, but feels even more like homework because it's pretty lame. This album feels like homework. Ambitious? Important? Impressive? Sure, we can use all those words here. There are even a handful of tracks that I dig. But amid 69 tracks, if there weren't at least a handful of good tracks, I'd commit arson. Either way, a handful of tracks pulled from a batch this large doesn't make it feel less like homework, and doesn't make me want to revisit it ever. I admire how absurd this is conceptually, and I'm glad to be able to say I've listened through so I never have to again.
Favorite tracks: Chicken with its Head Cut Off, World Love, I Shatter, Long-Forgotten Fairytale, The Night You Can’t Remember.
Album art: Reddit humor. EDIT: Thanks for the gold, kind stranger!
3/5
David Bowie
4/5
As usual, this list is teaching me that I don't *love* David Bowie. I love the title track on this album, "Heroes" is honestly one of my favorite songs ever. Cheesy as it may be, I first heard it in that cathartic scene in Perks of Being a Wallflower. Basically a child's way of being introduced to it, but I don't care because it struck me immediately and I've played it incessantly since. I was hoping this album would have a lot like that, but there's not much else with that level of emotion and unforgettable melody. There's some sauce in that track that is impossible to replicate. Like "Low," I found myself enjoying the instrumental tracks on here more than those with Bowie on vocals. I don't know what to say, a lot of his stuff just feels generic-rocky. But there's enough on here for me that I'd say this is a great album. Hard to say which I've liked the most now, but the strength of "Heroes" elevates this one a lot.
Favorite tracks: Heroes, Moss Garden, Sense of Doubt, Neukoln, Blackout.
Album art: Quirky lad behavior. Bowie mid-voguing or something, I don't know. Not very heroic, but it's a cool shot.
4/5
Kanye West
5/5
Just a few albums ago, we got Kendrick's To Pimp a Butterfly, arguably the greatest hip hop album ever made. Why is it arguable? Because this album also exists. Sure enough, when I was tweeting about how great TPAB is, people ask if it's better than MBDTF. On that day? My answer was TPAB, but it's always a matter of recency bias. There are a handful of albums from the last decade (this one, TPAB, Yeezus, Channel Orange [which we also got recently!] and Blonde) that I hold in my highest regard, and it seems that whenever I listen to one of the five I'm convinced it's better than one or more of the others. Then I listen to another and they shuffle again.
Back in the Target days, I would work backroom and could listen to music on my headphones while I worked. I had a tradition where, in the last hour of my work day, I would shift from whatever playlist I was listening to to a victory lap album. This was a frequent choice. It's almost exactly an hour long, and it's an intricate tapestry. Every track is cinematic; the strings throughout get that point across very well. Features are jam-packed, with some of the greatest names in hip hop. And damn, you know an album's good when Jay-Z is featured multiple times and his verses are some of the WORST on the project. Everyone (else) brought their A-game to this one. Unsurprising, given the lore: this album was recorded in Hawaii in a sort of retreat setting. Supposedly, artists were required to wear suits to the studio. Maybe I'm misremembering that, but it wouldn't shock me from Kanye.
Kanye has become a real piece of work recently, and not in an artistic sense. He's spiraled into this bizarre realm of right-wing conspiracies and antisemitism that's disappointing at best. One of my favorite artists of all time, and I've been unable to listen to him lately, not because I'm not supposed to but because his voice just reminds me how awful he decided to become. This album's interesting, because it followed what I'm sure some of the world thought would be his biggest controversy we'd have to weather: interrupting notable white woman Taylor Swift during an award speech. The world at large and industry hated him, so he retreated to a (luxurious) island and emerged with this, one of the most impressive and bombastic concept albums of this century, if not ever. Plenty of people debate whether he could (or must) do that again to save himself this time, but I just don't think it can be done. Instead, hearing this today and knowing where he's put himself now, it feels appropriate. This is and was his "comeback" album from controversy, today as it was 13 years ago. His music has already become pervaded by his weirdo politics, so he can't do this again. But hearing MBDTF reminds you why we tolerated the madman in the first place.
As for the music itself, it's phenomenal. Endless quotables, stunning and extravagant production, and a strong concept of a man struggling with his fame and the temptations surrounding him. What do you give the man who has it all? As of this year, apparently not a dreidel. This album was made by a mad scientist of a man, who years later became a Nazi sympathizer. Incredibly unfortunate and embarrassing for him, but if that's the road he chooses, we can find comfort in his old stuff and not engage with the man today. "I Miss the Old Kanye" has never been more relevant.
Favorite tracks: All of 'em, but "Devil in a New Dress" is always my favorite.
Album art: This one's fun because, first of all, the centered image that's blurred is an abstract painting of a naked angel straddling Kanye or his character that this album presents. But the artist made a number of different art pieces, and the vinyl release of this album came with prints that you could slot in and out to change your cover. I have mine set to my favorite, which is the image of Kanye's head impaled by a sword. He used that as his twitter avatar for many years, and it's striking. The bold red border is great too. Such a perfect, opulent cover art.
5/5
Metallica
5/5
Wow, this list decided to heat up lately. This album makes two five stars in a row. Maybe our third from Metallica so far, and it's definitely one of my favorites. So many classic tracks on here, and I include a number of deeper cuts in that category because we played these songs a lot in college. The only ones I know for sure are big are "Enter Sandman" and "Nothing Else Matters," maybe "Sad But True" as well? The depth beyond those tracks is impressive too though. "Nothing Else Matters" is interesting because it slows down the pace significantly, and it features vocals that sound so different that I assumed it wasn't even James Hetfield. Crazy impressive. A tribute album was made recently with tons of artists doing covers of the tracks on here, and my favorite on that album was Miley Cyrus' cover of "Nothing Else Matters." She killed it, rivaling the original. This album bangs though, maybe the best Metallica album if you ask me.
Favorite tracks: Enter Sandman, Sad But True, Holier Than Thou, The Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam, Nothing Else Matters, Of Wolf and Man, My Friend of Misery, The Struggle Within.
Album art: It looks better when you turn up the contrast and can see the logo in the top left and snake in the bottom right. This one's always referred to as the black album since those things aren't normally visible, and honestly until today I thought it was actually called the Black Album.
5/5
Beatles
4/5
Whoa, rather big one from the Beatles, eh? This one's the highest ranked album on this site, so it's been a long time coming. I've never listened to this in full, but of course I recognize a lot of tracks on here. Plenty of bangers, but also some skips for me. They oscillate between good, solid hits and some weirdo tracks that for me just don't work. I definitely wouldn't put this as high as Revolver, and I think Sgt. Pepper's is probably better too for committing to the weird concept. This one has a degree of variety that seems aimless, in a way that it feels more like a compilation than an actual album. The balancing act between variety and cohesion isn't always perfectly pulled off, even by the Beatles. Still, the highs are high enough and frequent enough that I can't deny it's a great album (even if it's parts are greater than the sum). An undeniable dose of classic hits is great, even if it's padded with a little filler.
Favorite tracks: Here Comes the Sun, Come Together, Oh Darling, I Want You, The End, Her Majesty Polythene Pam, Octopus' Garden.
Album art: Iconic. I recreated this for a work photo once, and I was the barefoot Paul in that scenario. It's all coming together.
4.5/5
Can
5/5
Incredible album, truly! We had another from Can as well, which was solid but didn't leave near the impression that this does. I was prepared to just make a joke that they shortened the band name so you'd have more time to listen to the songs, but the album turned out to be fantastic. Love these long, odyssey type tracks, and holy cow, "Aumgn" blew my mind. So dissonant, so disquieting. I was having a stressful day when I listened to this, and this album amplified the experience in the right way. Damn, we've had so many killer albums lately, I feel honored. I'm gonna give this one a five star bump because I'm feeling generous. Five of seven tracks are staying with me, which is really saying something. Less than a 4.5 would be criminal here, let's bump it.
Favorite tracks: Aumgn, Halleluhwah, Peking O, Paperhouse, Oh Yeah.
Album art: A drawing of a rotten, frazzled brain trying its damndest to spew rotten ideas, that's my takeaway here. It's bright and creative, I really dig it. What a delightful surprise this was.
5/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Yeah, buddy, I'm not at all surprised that you recorded these songs in a room. Jokes aside, this was pretty solid. Nothing too crazy, he honestly sounds like a sobered up version of Bob Dylan (not that Dylan was a drunk, but Cohen sounds like his straight-laced, serious brother). A few gems though, can't deny that.
Favorite tracks: Story of Isaac, The Partisan, Tonight Will Be Fine.
Album art: Damn, he even looks like Bob Dylan here. Just a vague black and white portrait shot, not much to this cover at all.
3.5/5
Justice
4/5
Good lord, this hot streak just keeps going doesn't it? Here's an album I can really sink my teeth into. Aside from Daft Punk, I feel like we don't get many severely dance-y electronic albums. We've had a lot of proto-pioneer stuff, but not much to assault you with bass until your body is simply forced to move. Enter Justice. More specifically, enter "Genesis." For years, the only Justice song I knew, but I know it by heart. What a pleasure to hear the rest of this album, because gee whiz it goes hard. So many killer songs on this one. A few that don't work for me, but not enough to rain on the parade. Killer stuff.
Favorite tracks: Genesis, DANCE, Phantom pts. I and II, Waters of Nazareth, One Minute to Midnight.
Album art: A 3D outline of a cross, at a very odd angle. It's simple, but incredibly foreboding. Perfectly suited to music this hard.
4.5/5
Madness
2/5
I know Madness, of course, for "Our House." A fantastic song that thankfully is on this album. The album is not on Apple Music however, apparently it was never released in the US at all. Still, I pieced together as many tracks as I could on Apple Music and decided if I liked enough to investigate the rest of the album, I would. Turns out, "Our House" is the only song that struck a chord with me. Nothing else stood out or stuck around, so I didn't get into the 5-6 songs that I couldn't access. Maybe it's residual fatigue from all the other British new wave type bands we've listened to, but these poor lads didn't move the needle. If they've got devoted fans, surely those fans would call me blasphemous for declaring Madness a one hit wonder. But that's how I'm feeling.
Favorite tracks: Our House.
Album art: Assortment of odd blokes, including a guy doing snake charmer brownface, a la Dana Carvey in Master of Disguise. I hope this cover haunts him like the painting of Dorian Gray.
2.5/5
The Boo Radleys
2/5
Pretty generic. I was expecting with a name like the Boo Radleys that we'd at least get something interesting, if not some crazy punk or political group. But no, it's a British rock band. Leave it to the Brits to co-opt the Boo Radley name in the most boring of fashions. One of those classic "not bad, but not good either" type of albums for me.
Favorite tracks: Butterfly McQueen, Best Lose the Fear.
Album art: The most interesting thing about this album. A cool multicolored drawing of...I don't even know, a giant ball sitting in a track? It's ornate, it's mysterious, and it's better than the music.
2.5/5
The Verve
2/5
Ever so slightly better than the Boo Radleys album we got the day before, but still not moving the needle. Three albums in a row that I would axe from this list. We already had the other Verve album with Bittersweet Symphony (which I think I liked more, but looking back, it was also a 2.5 for me), why do these guys deserve a second placement over great artists who aren't even on here once? To pick a random but dramatically more monumental album, swap Kaytranada's 99.9% in for this one. Yawn.
Favorite tracks: No Knock on My Door, (Reprise).
Album art: They're doing the Queen thing. I don't even know if Queen originated that but that's all I see.
2.5/5
Little Simz
4/5
Great album! She may be British, but I'm still surprised to see Little Simz included on this list. She's been one of the most exciting new rappers in the last few years, and it started with this album for me. I think it's still my favorite, even though many would say SIMBI is her best (and NO THANK YOU is also really good). This one just feels more organic to me, more out to prove she's got it than making a grand statement. Really great to hear this again.
Favorite tracks: Boss, Offence, Venom, 101 FM, Sherbet Sunset, Wounds.
Album art: A great artistic portrait cover here, black and white but I'll allow it since it's decidedly grey.
4.5/5
Neu!
3/5
Krautrock. Seems a bit derogatory, no? Apparently it's a broad term for German experimental/psych rock bands that incorporated different electronic and ambient elements. Can is in that group, and after Tago Mago last week, I've got an appetite for "kosmische musik"--yes, I am going to distance myself from the other genre label as it was invented by none other than the English as a "humorous umbrella category" that many artists underneath that umbrella didn't appreciate. Let's do better. Never heard Neu, they (at least on this album) lean into the low-key/ambient side of things, which isn't a bad thing at all. Only six tracks and an average runtime of about seven minutes. I was hoping I'd pull more out of here to save, but the double-edged sword of ambient stuff like this is that it inevitably transports and I have a harder time grasping tracks as it's one long odyssey. Still, this is a good one. I look forward to some other kosmische stuff, maybe Kraftwerk?
Favorite tracks: Seeland, E-Musik.
Album art: NEU! What else am I supposed to say about this?
3.5/5
Soundgarden
2/5
Generic, sorry. Our first from Soundgarden (I think), and it doesn't sound distinct from the many other grunge/rock type albums we've had. I know they're a big-ish deal, but this just wafted over me like an odorless fart. Two songs I picked out that I liked, but I'd never seek them out. Tepid start to the week.
Favorite tracks: Mailman, Fresh Tendrils.
Album art: Pretty cool, looks like a goblin boy screaming into the void? I don't know. I like the design here.
2.5/5
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
A live album, and it turns out it's another artist on the list of "Black artists who only get one album on this list and it's live." The atmosphere is excellent though, a sultry jazz club setting. The live elements here work well to transport you to that time and place. Her voice sounds very familiar and comforting. A handful of standards in here, but she does great work with them. Great music to have on in the background, and not in a demeaning way. This kind of jazz is just relaxing. Great job Ms. Vaughan.
Favorite tracks: September Rain, Willow Weep for Me, Dancing in the Dark, Just a Gigolo, Embraceable You.
Album art: Actually quite good, I like this city nightlife scene. A lot going on in the picture, but the font/title in the top corner keeps things grounded. Really dig this cover.
4/5
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Same as always, I love Latin jazz! Is that actually what this is? Not exactly. It's definitely got the Latin flair, and some jazz elements, but at times it even sounds rock-y. Apparently this was Brazilian pop music at the time, which is so cool to think about, this being the standard radio fare there. Very cool. Love the little whoops throughout, often reminded me of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man." Side note, but damn, I can't wait 'til we get Head Hunters, I'm 90% sure it's on this list. I only pulled a few tracks out from this album, but this is one is the kind of music I'd never say no to. I always appreciate getting albums from other countries (that aren't the UK).
Favorite tracks: O Filosofo, O Plebeu, Africa Brasil.
Album art: For a portrait shot, not bad at all. I like that it's a little blurry, he sounds like a guy with a lot going on. Simple but effective.
4/5
The Mars Volta
3/5
Here's a name I've heard before, but I've never listen to the Mars Volta. My brain assumes it's one guy, maybe his name is Lars Volta? I just looked it up and apparently this is a storytelling concept album about a guy who "enters a week-long coma after overdosing on a mixture of morphine and rat poison." Damn, that's a rad concept. But yeah, I didn't pick up on any of that when listening to this. The music is good, it's just a style that I wouldn't normally associate with storytelling, so lyrically there wasn't much of anything that stood out to me. I took a great interest in how all the track titles seem like some foreign language. I don't know man, I think I'd have to listen to this again to "get" it, if I even were to get the concept, but time moves in one direction and I've got other albums to listen to first. Maybe some day I'll try again, but for now, this one didn't hit like that.
Favorite tracks: Roulette Dares, Cicatriz ESP.
Album art: Pretty sweet image, a golden head screaming light into some weird laboratory (or comatorium I suppose?). Definitely memorable.
3/5
ABBA
4/5
Nice, I'm happy to get an ABBA album with some classics! "Dancing Queen" is overplayed at white weddings the world over, but it's still a good song. My ears are tuned more to "Fernando," thanks to Malcom in the Middle, and tracks like "Money, Money, Money" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" have made the rounds for decades. I'm not necessarily a fan of ABBA, but I can't deny how solid this one is. Great stuff.
Favorite tracks: Fernando, Knowing Me Knowing You, Dancing Queen, Money Money Money, My Love My Life.
Album art: The four of them crammed into a little helicopter? Is that thing even gonna make it off the ground? Looks like a bizarre GTA cult.
4/5
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Classic! Adored this album before I even watched the movie, and before I really knew who Curtis Mayfield was. By now, I have been come a broader fan of Mayfield as an R&B singer with such a gentle, soothing voice. But this album feels like an anomaly in the best way, it's electrifying. He's got his signature voice, but you almost don't notice the softness because the grooves and the funk are so hard. The movie isn't all that special, it's one of many in that era where Shaft and Pam Grier reigned supreme. But good lord, the soundtrack had no business going this hard. I'm glad it did.
Favorite tracks: Superfly, Pusherman, Junkie Chase, No Thing On Me, Eddie You Should Know Better.
Album art: Absolutely love it. Killer font, side of Curtis' head and Ron O'Neal is superimposed with the lady on the ground. Just fantastic stuff.
4.5/5
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
When I saw the tracklist I started laughing, and then I looked it up and was laughing even more. A Bo Diddley "Who Do You Love" suite in a live performance, exploring the facets of who/what/when/where is a hilarious concept. Unfortunately for me, there's not much humor in the music itself. It's good, don't get me wrong, I was just bracing for laughs, and it's very sincere. Some really enjoyable pieces, including a couple from the suite. Is Bo Diddley even on this list? I'm gonna guess no. But I'm not upset with this one, even though it's technically a live album.
Favorite tracks: Who Do You Love pt. 1, When You Love, How You Love, Calvary.
Album art: Really love the cover, great image and art style, great font. Looks intentionally older and wistful. Strikes me as odd that they wouldn't refer to the love suite in the title, but maybe they didn't want legal trouble.
3.5/5
James Brown
3/5
Speaking of live albums, here it is. One of the biggest culprits of my dissension with this list. Along with several other foundational artists, James Brown is only featured on this list with a live album. Why not The Payback? Why not Sex Machine Today? Surely those albums could get a placement over not just this one, but the endless field of generic rock offerings from the '80s and '90s? James Brown is Soul Brother #1, the Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness. Confining his sound, his impact to not just one album, but to a live album from 1963, before many of his greatest hits were even written, feels criminal. I have to assume a bias against James Brown, it just doesn't make sense otherwise. And given that he's not the only Black American artist given this same treatment (see also Sam Cooke, BB King, Sarah Vaughan), I worry that bias is more insidious. How's this album? Well obviously it's good, it's James mf'in Brown and his Famous Flames. But we can get a whole lot better.
Favorite tracks: Try Me, I Don't Mind, Night Train, Medley: I Found Someone.
Album art: Really dig this one, adore the impressionistic art style, and love that it's contrasted by the clear marquees above the scene. The white border is nice too, just a great cover all around.
3.5/5
The Divine Comedy
1/5
Dunce of an album. Bland, boring, forgettable. The spiritual successor to that really lame baroque pop Scott Walker album that I couldn't stand. It's an unearned attempt to make a Frank Sinatra's "My Way" seven times in a row. Never heard of this group (or guy, if it's a Tame Impala situation), but I certainly don't think I was missing much. British bias to the maximum degree here, replace this shite with a James Brown album ASAP. Soundtrack of a man refusing to die.
Favorite tracks: If...
Album art: Based on this cover/title, I had high expectations. It looks cool and mysterious, and it suggests an inspired concept. The music is just so lame.
1/5
4/5
You know I don't think I've ever listened to this album front to back before, but I know it quite well. You've got the classic "Knights of Cydonia" from Guitar Hero, and a few others that I consider to be somewhat classics, based on just how much I've heard them. I forget about Muse's existence from time to time, but this album rocks.
Favorite tracks: Knights of Cydonia, Supermassive Black Hole, Starlight, Assassin.
Album art: Love this one. Some weird futuristic guys sitting around a table in the desert. That's all life is sometimes.
4/5
1/5
No. Are we cursed? Did one of us dig up a forbidden idol or trinket from a lost civilization, drawing the ire of an angry god? I just realized this is our fourth live album in a span of two weeks (our third in the last five albums!). Not only that, but it's Bob Dylan, an artist who is undeniably represented on this list with SEVERAL studio albums. Here's what I did with this "album" - I trimmed it down to the songs that aren't featured on Dylan albums that we've already gotten on the list. That brings this to only four tracks. If you trim further to songs that don't appear on any studio albums, it's just one. I'm sorry, but do we need this at all? '60s Dylan is my favorite Dylan, and truly a legendary artist, but 11 times out of 10 if I want to hear '60s Dylan I'm putting on a studio album. I don't care how magical the experience of seeing him live might have been back then, that's a privilege that the people who went to his shows should get to keep to themselves. At the very least, it shouldn't be included on a list of 1001 albums to listen to before you die because IT'S NOT AN ALBUM. Coming from someone who honestly loves a big chunk of Dylan's work (I've given at least one album from him a 5-star rating, and a couple others 4.5 stars), I have to say that including this on the list is even more embarrassing than including Time Out of Mind. I'm ashamed on behalf of whoever put this here.
Favorite tracks: One Too Many Mornings (in the last month that I've woken up to see a live album assigned. Someone needs to get in trouble for this).
Album art: OoooOOooH, it's a picture of Bob Dylan, big whoop. Grow up, we do not care. Also what the hell is the deal here, this was recorded in 1966 and not "released" until 1998? Is that supposed to make me care? It has the opposite effect.
0.5/5
Wire
3/5
Enjoyed this one! Very early punk stuff, I'm always impressed to hear this kind of music from the '70s. Nothing super crazy or standout, but a handful of tracks that I'll be keeping.
Favorite tracks: Field Day for the Sundays, Pink Flag, Strange, Champs.
Album art: Well the name is accurate, it's a pink flag flying in the middle of nowhere. I appreciate the simplicity.
3.5/5
Lauryn Hill
5/5
Damn. Imagine being an artist as unique and talented as Lauryn Hill, putting out an album like this as your solo debut, and then never releasing another album. She's a very interesting character: she went into a sort of self-imposed exile for many years, and there was rumor of another album in the early 2010's, but then she was charged with tax fraud and sent to prison for a brief period. I would love to hear another album from her in our lifetime, but really, who knows? If not, this one is strong enough to stand on it's own. If I were trying to be objective, this is a five star album. It's so lively and so intricate, and it holds up extremely well some 25 years after it released. All the acclaim and status is deserved, especially for a woman in hip hop. On a subjective level, I don't know, I just haven't connected with it to the extent that I'd like to. It could not under any circumstance get less than a 4.5 star, it's a bona fide classic album and deserves a placement on this list more than most of what we've had over the last few weeks. But you know what, dammit, it's time for a vote of confidence. I recognize the value of this album, and my esteem for it can only grow. I'm closing out the album for a second time, and just hearing the richness of her voice on "Tell Him," it's on it's way.
Favorite tracks: Lost Ones, Ex-Factor, Doo Wop, Tell Him, I Used to Love Him, Everything is Everything, Can't Take My Eyes Off of You.
Album art: Iconic. No two ways about it. Face carved into a desk I think. Just perfect. Also, reminds me how great the opening skit is, just a teacher calling roll and getting stuck on her name. Beautiful stuff.
5/5
Bee Gees
3/5
Okay this is getting ridiculous. A SECOND Bee Gees album pre-dating their disco stuff that actually put them on the map? Like this first, this one isn't bad at all, but it's not that interesting. If you're going to even include the Bee Gees on a list like this, you HAVE to include their hits, the style they were best known for dominating. This is just generic rock opera type stuff, it's no surprise they needed a big pivot to catch the eyes and ears of audiences worldwide. Yet another day where this list puzzles me.
Favorite tracks: The Greatest Man in the World, Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself, Walking Back to Waterloo.
Album art: A busy harbor. Right as I'm typing this, I hear a brother Gibb sing "a thousand ships, a windy sail" on "Walking Back to Waterloo." I guess that helps? It's a cool cover, and the little scroll of text at the top is nice, but nothing too crazy or memorable.
3/5
The Youngbloods
3/5
Pretty nice! One of the hundreds of rock albums we get on here, but this one has some nice long jams and grooves, those were the ones that stuck with me. The singer has a good voice too. Nothing too special, but enough cool songs on here that I'd say it's pretty good and a step above most of the generics we've had.
Favorite tracks: On Sir Francis Drake, Sham, Ride the Wind.
Album art: Really like this art style, reminds me of a Mad Magazine or something. A jam band down by the river, brick wall in the foreground with a jam sandwich? What's the weird lump of good in the front? I like an album cover that leaves me with questions.
3.5/5
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
5/5
Holy cow, this is a big one. Old school hip hop before old school hip hop, truly foundational stuff. These guys were pioneers, I think one of the original groups of guys who would perform and battle at parties. It's incredible how much this genre has grown from the early days. Somehow this album feels more alive and timely than a lot of other old school hip hip albums, namely stuff like Run DMC or some Beastie Boys work, and I think it's because of the presence of genuine funk and dance-y grooves. So even though the lyricism has been infinitely surpassed in the realm of hip hop, the tunes are still fantastic. There's the excellent sample on "It's Nasty," which would be sampled later by Mariah Carey for "Fantasy." Plus the final track is a medley of sorts, sampling songs like "Good Times," Rapture" and "Another One Bites the Dust." Very cool DJ showcase. And, of course, the title track is incredible. "It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder I keep from going under." Pretty conscious stuff from such an early group. Almost every song on here grabbed me in some way, and yeah I can't help but give this a five star, it's just so strong. Some great albums lately, let's keep it going.
Favorite tracks: The Message, It's Nasty, Scorpio, honestly everything but "Dreamin" got saved.
Album art: Pretty simple "band" photo, nothing crazy of note. The neon looking font is decent.
5/5
Dead Kennedys
3/5
I know this group by name, but only know a couple hits. Lucky for me, the two hits I know are on here! "California Uber Alles" from a Tony Hawk game, and "Holiday in Cambodia" from Guitar Hero. Pretty foundational punk stuff, leaning heavily into the angst and angry themes. Track titles like "Let's Lynch the Landlord" and "Stealing People's Mail" are gonna make me laugh no matter what. Sonically, it's not exactly the kind of punk that I prefer, but I respect what they did here, and the hits are undeniable.
Favorite tracks: Holiday in Cambodia, California Uber Alles, Your Emotions.
Album art: Car on fire? Black and white? Love the title font and color.
3.5/5
4/5
Another from Yes, this looks familiar. The core album is only three tracks! Two are long suites of music. Deluxe adds quite a few but I didn't get much out of the deluxe so I'm sticking with the base. That said, the base is pretty great. The two suites are fantastic, especially "And You and I," I just love the acoustic guitar work and the heavenly ascension. Really solid stuff. I just saw yesterday I think that these guys are releasing a new album this year? Based on the strength of the two albums we've had, I might have to tune in. Great stuff.
Favorite tracks: And You and I, Close to the Edge.
Album art: Gradient green. The text/font is nice and funky. And I respect the deluxe border that we see on here, that's kind of a cool indicator.
4/5
Buzzcocks
2/5
Eh. Not doing much for me. I was really hopeful with that opening track, that has a great riff and high energy. The energy persisted, but the instrumentals were a bit too fuzzy for my liking, hard to find riffs or melodies that stuck out to me. A couple here and there, but often it sounds like all the instruments are being played in a blender. I don't hate it, but I don't much like it either.
Favorite tracks: Fast Cars, Moving Away from the Pulsebeat (really just the final portion), I Need.
Album art: Sharp lines and sans serif text, off center small picture. Seems like '90s textbook or something to me, so I guess they're ahead of their time in one respect. I do like the name Buzzcocks, pretty funny. But cover is about as bland as the music. And the title's spot on, in that it just another album made by another British group I'll forget about in a week.
2.5/5
N.W.A.
4/5
Definitely a classic right here! It's still wild to me that this album was made in the '80s, it definitely feels ahead of its time. And yet, at the same time, many of the instrumentals do sound dated today. But the songs that bang STILL bang more than 30 years later. The title track, "Fuck the Police," and especially "Express Yourself," what a jam. There's a unbelievable amount of profanity and violence all over this, and it had all the right people quaking. The West Coast had something to say. Ice Cube and Dre would both go on to have illustrious solo careers, but this time and place was special. Definitely worth watching the movie of the same name to get some additional insight. I love this album; I may not love all of it, but it's so important.
Favorite tracks: Straight Outta Compton, Express Yourself, I Ain't tha 1, Fuck the Police, Gangsta Gangsta, Compton's N the House, Something 2 Dance 2.
Album art: Classic group shot right here, the whole group standing over you before you get shot I guess. Part of me always sees this as the view from inside a trunk, but I don't know if that's accurate. Great font too.
4.5/5
David Bowie
3/5
I'm about done with David Bowie by now. We've already had a bunch of albums, and even though I tend to enjoy them all to some degree, my esteem for him is not growing. This album is a lot of forgettable tracks, bookended by two Bowie tracks that I do already know and love. But yeah, I don't need any more albums from him.
Favorite tracks: Fame, Young Americans.
Album art: David Bowie in cool guy mode, smoking a cigarette. It's decent.
3/5
Kraftwerk
4/5
Very nice! I've been looking forward to getting something from Kraftwerk, a name I've heard many times but with no music to associate. Very quirky electro-rock stuff, with at least some sense of humor - the title track, lyrically, is them just saying "we're driving, driving, driving on the Autobahn," and to us it just sounds like "fun, fun, fun at the Autobahn." That one long track, plus a few more experimental departures. Really great stuff, give us more like this.
Favorite tracks: Autobahn, Mitternacht, Morgenspaziergang.
Album art: The remastered cover is quite lacking, and the original is just a picture of cars on a road. Looks almost AI generated, but not in a way that's funky enough to be really interesting. Could've gone a lot more spacey or experimental here to match the vibes. I don't mind it though.
4/5
The Cars
4/5
I'm almost certain I've heard this album before, maybe it was one in dad's record collection. There's the obvious few hits, but I recognize and love so many of these tracks. I'm not even sure if the Cars did much beyond this album, but they made a solid pop-rock classic with this one.
Favorite tracks: Just What I Needed, My Best Friend's Girl, Moving in Stereo, Good Times Roll, Bye Bye Love.
Album art: Iconic for sure. The smiling (screaming?) woman at the wheel. I wonder if she's having a great time, or is she about to crash? Could be a dark side to this one.
4/5
The Prodigy
3/5
I think this is our second from the Prodigy, after the crab album for sure. That album nailed the hacker aesthetic of the '90s, this one has a different edge to it, more industrial/grunge-y to me. Took a while for things to heat up, but I did like a few songs. Decent project, though I wouldn't personally call it essential.
Favorite tracks: Full Throttle, Voodoo People, Poison.
Album art: Love this gross head melting. Definitely fits the sound and style of the music.
3/5
David Bowie
2/5
It was only a few days ago that we got a Bowie album and I said I was about done with his catalog. Well here's another. I know this one's special and acclaimed because it's his last, but still there's not much for me. The opening track, particularly the instrumental before Bowie comes in, is great. Once he starts singing (moaning?), the rest of the album slips away from me without issue. I can't say that it's bad but it's certainly not for me.
Favorite tracks: Blackstar.
Album cover: Black star.
2.5/5
Otis Redding
3/5
Here's a cool one! Otis Redding covering a bunch of "soul" songs, some of which are just rock and roll tracks that we know well. But he does hit some big soul staples like "Respect" and "Change Gonna Come," one of my all-time favorites. Reminder: we had only one album from Sam Cooke, a live album, and it pre-dated "A Change is Gonna Come," his best song and (in my view) one of the greatest songs ever. Anyway, great job Otis, he added a great personal flair to these hits. Nothing too spectacular, but a really good album.
Favorite tracks: Ole Man Trouble, Change Gonna Come, Rock Me Baby.
Album art: It's just a white woman, not sure why. Is this how the ladies are supposed to look or react when they hear the album?
3.5/5
The Killers
4/5
Oh boy, here's a big one. I can't remember if we had Sam's Town on here yet? I would imagine that might be on this list too. This album has some serious classics, including the white boy national anthem "Mr. Brightside." Also, "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll" is a fantastic song that I had never heard until pretty recently, Dea has it in her playlist and it's a banger. There are some songs on here where the vocal mix or perhaps just the amount of power Brandon Flowers is using to sing is pretty low, and then the album wraps up with that absolute belter, which makes me wish that vocal energy was present throughout. Still, a great album, and I'm very glad it made it to the list.
Favorite tracks: Mr. Brightside, Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll, Somebody Told Me, Smile Like You Mean It, Andy You're a Star.
Album art: I always liked this one, the soft hazy blue. Sometimes at quick glance I think I'm looking at candles, but I think it's highrise buildings, maybe in China or Japan based on the characters in neon. Die Rise easter egg?
4/5
The Go-Go's
3/5
Not bad! Missing my favorite Go-Go's track, "Vacation," but it's got some great songs regardless. We all know "We Got the Beat." There's a track called "Skidmarks on my Heart" which made me realize that the term "skidmark" probably originally referred to tire marks left by a vehicle, but it has since become something else entirely, something you certainly wouldn't ever want on your heart. Anyway, pretty solid album, nothing too crazy but I enjoyed myself.
Favorite tracks: We Got the Beat, Our Lips Are Sealed, This Town.
Album art: Is this the band? It seems like all guys, so I don't think so. But it's a spa day for whoever. The title "Beauty and the Beat" would later be co-opted by Justin Bieber for a pretty bland EDM entry, most notable for the Nicki Minaj feature where she calls Selena Gomez "Selener."
3.5/5
The Soft Boys
4/5
This was a nice surprise! Never heard of this group before, and based on the name and album cover, I would've guessed '00s or later. But 1980 it is, and sonically it sounds a bit older than that. Some cool pop-rock sounds on here, and I dug handful of tracks. The version on Apple Music had about 30 bonus tracks and I didn't get into those, but the core album was really solid. I enjoyed this quite a bit, great job Soft Boys.
Favorite tracks: I Wanna Destroy You, Kingdom of Love, Queen of Eyes, Underwater Moonlight.
Album art: Some goofy puppet couple, the old man on the right looks like that Jeff Dunham puppet. Also reminds me a lot of some other album cover with people sitting on the rocks like this, can't quite place it.
4/5
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Nilsson is one of those classic songwriters that I knew would be all over this list, like Paul Simon. Can’t remember if we had another from him yet? This one’s pretty great though, some really nice tracks. Loved the opener, and of course we all know “Coconut,” I had no idea it was his song though. Lana Del Rey mentions one of his songs on her new album, kind of a cool coincidence on the timing, but that track isn’t on this one. Still, I dig it!
Favorite tracks: Gotta Get Up, Coconut, Down, Early in the Morning, Jump into the Fire.
Album art: I’m guessing that’s Harry, chilling in a bathrobe. The title’s nice and self-deprecating. It’s a simple pic, black and white, but I like it.
4/5
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
Lot of things to say here. First of all, so glad to see this included, Sufjan Stevens is one of the most incredible songwriters I’ve ever heard, and to this day I’d say that seeing him at Red Rocks remains my favorite concert I’ve attended. This was album two in the fifty state series (after Greetings from Michigan). Suffy, if you’re reading this, there’s still time and demand! Take us to Arizona or something next. Jokes aside, this album is an elaborate tapestry, woven with a level of care that most humans just don’t possess. It’s weird to talk about a musician like that, but Sufjan seems to have a reverence for minutiae and the ordinary, the kind of guy that literally couldn’t kill a fly because he’d see the fly as a provider for its family or lost in love or something. He devoted that compassionate meticulousness to making an ENTIRE album about Illinois, and if a sympathetic song about John Wayne Gacy isn’t an indicator of how rare this guy is, I don’t know what you’re looking for. The writing on here is top notch, and the production is so varied and impressive, lots of bright, clear percussion and unorthodox instruments. Sufjan was dialed the fuck in. Near the center of this album, back to back, lie two of the most powerful songs ever: “Chicago” and “Casimir Pulaski Day.” Powerful for different reasons: the former is a simple, euphoric song of transformation and moving on, moving forward. The latter is a devastating portrait of a childhood friend (maybe first love) taken too young by bone cancer. No idea if this is fiction or autobiographical, but I don’t care because either would blow my mind. Anytime I hear Casimir Pulaski Day, I play it a second time, and then I get distracted listening through all the other Sufjan songs I love. In other words, it took me a while to get through this album. I looked ahead and I’m afraid that Carrie and Lowell, his masterpiece from 2015 (and one of my absolute favorite albums ever), might not be on the list. Know that I would add it in a heartbeat over so many of the humdrum British rock wafers we’ve received, and go listen to that pronto. This one stands as tall as Seer’s Tower on its own. I expected to give it a 4.5 but we bumping that up today. I’m relishing a lot more than I had before on here.
Favorite tracks: Casimir Pulaski Day, Chicago, Concerning the UFO Sighting, John Wayne Gacy Jr., The Seer’s Tower, The Predatory Wasp.
Album art: Illinoise, spelled for the dummies. You got Al Capone, some UFOs, what the hell else do you need? It’s perfect for what it needed to accomplish. There’s a cool variant with a Chicago superhero flying around, I think that’s the vinyl I’ve got.
5/5
Rod Stewart
3/5
Not bad Rod, not bad at all. This guy became some weird sex symbol guy, like Michael Bolton or something, I don’t know why or what his deal became. Do women go wild for Rod? No idea. This album has to be pretty early in his career, it’s got a folk-rock twist to it that’s pretty enjoyable. “Maggie May” is a big one, and I really liked the back end of “That’s Alright.” The Elvis cover isn’t great, but the instrumental outro was really nice. Not enough here to put Rod in high esteem for me (almost typed Rot there, that made me laugh), but it’s alright mama.
Favorite tracks: Maggie May, I’m Losing You, That’s Alright.
Album art: Pretty cool art style, seems anachronistic for some reason, like it was made in the 2010’s to look old? Not bad though.
3/5
Morrissey
2/5
Old Morrissey, the lead singer of the Smiths. Notorious as of late for being a dick with some bizarre political beliefs. Can I separate that from the music? Well, yeah, I’m not much of a fan to begin with. But seeing tracks with titles like “The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get” and “Used to be a Sweet Boy” are funny with that context. The music is okay and his voice is fine, a bit too ephemeral to leave an impression but it’s totally tolerable. Just wafted by me like an old fart (good term for Morrissey, yeah?). Buddy, you aren’t hated for loving, you’re hated for being a piece of shit.
Favorite tracks: I Am Hated for Loving.
Album art: He was ready for his close-up. Looks like a dad who would yell at a stewardess.
2.5/5
Linkin Park
5/5
Big time nostalgia album here. Alex put us all on to Linkin Park, including Dad. I do think this was my favorite of their albums, it's got a constant flow of banger tracks. Undeniably heavy-hitting riffs and power chords, great melodies throughout. They're dipping their toes into nu-metal I'd say, but they're a more accessible rock band for a lot of people. I think that's due to the clarity of the vocals, even at the points where Chester is screaming or Mike Shinoda is rapping. And the lyrics are simple, but strong and contemplative. The messages are all pretty good, helping emo kids come to grips with negative emotions and the unfairness of the world around them. "I tried so hard, and got so far. But in the end, it doesn't even matter." How do you make that sentiment into a catchy, heavy rock chorus? I would love to know how many fathers connected with their kids through this music. Wikipedia says it's the best selling rock album of the 21st century, and I'm not surprised. I was going to give this a 4.5, knowing that nostalgia is elevating it perhaps undeservedly, but then "Place for My Head" came on. "I watch how the moon sits in the sky on a dark night, shining with the light from the sun. But the sun doesn't give the light to the moon assuming the moon's gonna owe it one." KILLER track. That's enough to tip the scales. This is a fiver.
Favorite tracks: Place for My Head, Crawling, Papercut, By Myself, Runaway, One Step Closer, almost all of it.
Album art: Time has made this one iconic, even though it's maybe not that strong on its own. A graffiti figure on a concret wall with dragonfly wings. Has never meant much to me, but it has aged gracefully.
5/5
2/5
Few too many Kinks in this 1001 Albums hose. Our third, and it's diminishing returns. They aren't bad, but I don't find them very interesting. The decline and fall of the British domination of popular music is more appropriate. A couple tracks I did take away from here, one of which was maybe entirely instrumental. I'm good on these guys.
Favorite tracks: Australia, Nothing to Say.
Album art: What do we got here: a mug, a band photo, a swan, a kettle, a hand holding a flag of the band name? What does it all mean? I don't know, but I do enjoy this art style. This is a pretty cool cover.
2.5/5
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Technically our second Janis Joplin project. Not sure which came first; I could look it up, but I'm gonna treat it as a chicken or the egg conundrum. They've got a solid sound here, and her vocals are grating as ever (in a good way). It's certainly not on the same level as Pearl for me, but can't deny there's a bit of heat here.
Favorite tracks: I Need a Man to Love, Piece of My Heart, Oh Sweet Mary.
Album art: Really love the style of this one, like a Mad magazine compilation or something. A couple racist cartoons on here though which is troubling.
3/5
The Darkness
2/5
Interesting at the very least! Labeled "glam rock," but it's from 2003 which is pretty unusual, I would've pegged this to be late '70s, early '80s, but I guess that's what they're going for, huh? A couple tracks I liked, but overall not doing too much for me, this feels like a Greta Van Fleet for people who want that era back.
Favorite tracks: Love is Only a Feeling, Friday Night.
Album art: The most interesting thing about this album by far. A naked woman flagging down a plane for landing? My my my. And that's not even a plane, is it, it's some kind of alien warship maybe? It's a striking cover for sure. The font choices, both for the band name and the album written on the tarmac, are pretty bad.
2/5
Meat Puppets
4/5
Had no idea what to expect from this one but really enjoyed it a lot! Punk light, if that's a thing. Shocked that it was made in the '80s, feels much more recent. Lots of excellent guitar work and melodies on here, I especially loved all the instrumental tracks on the back end. It seems like a few of the track titles repeated for me, but I don't think it was the same song twice. Anyway, plenty to love on here. This is the sort of unknown album that I love to get on this journey!
Favorite tracks: Magic Toy Missing, Oh Me, Lake of Fire, I'm a Mindless Idiot, 100% of Nothing, Aurora Borealis.
Album art: Abstract, melting colors. Reminds me of that Action Brown Cocodrilo Turbo cover if you left in the sun a few days. Pretty cool.
4/5
Sepultura
3/5
The kind of metal album that rarely works for me, it's just a style that I don't have much need for in my life. I gave it a fighting chance by listening to it at the gym, and....honestly, it worked out pretty well. Quite a few jams that I saved, and I could feel the evil creeping in with every rep. Love that this is a Brazilian band! Very good job.
Favorite tracks: Arise, Desperate Cry, Subtraction, Under Siege.
Album art: What is this rotting creature? I love metal artists for the disgusting album art they select. The art style here is fantastic, I have no idea what I'm looking at but it's awful and I love it.
3.5/5
Beastie Boys
3/5
Our third from the Beastie Boys I believe, and I hope it's the last because this is the big one. Probably my last, best chance at enjoying their music. A handful of recognizable hits on here, especially "No Sleep Til Brooklyn." Some of the other ones like "Girls" and "Brass Monkey" are more of memes than actual hits, but "No Sleep" goes super duper hard. Quite a few Led Zeppelin samples on here, which is nice. But man, it really is just extremely basic hip hop. Sure, it's foundational, but the majority of this stuff just doesn't age well for me. A lot of the rapping sounds like Dale and Brennan in the Boats n Hoes video: "The Nina, the Pinta, the Santa Maria. I'll do you in the bottom while we're drinking sangria." There's no mistaking that these are white boys. I know I liked Paul's Boutique more than this one, it's definitely more advanced. And then you've got "Ill Communication," which is even more advanced production-wise but I really didn't like that one at all. My verdict is these guys are overrated. Still, this is a pretty solid album with some great bangers. I respect it more than I enjoy it, but I do enjoy a decent bit of it. I can't deny it was fun trying to recognize the samples, and hearing bits that have been sampled to oblivion afterwards.
[Sidebar: this came out four years after Grandmaster Flash's The Message, which I think aged EXTREMELY well, I gave it 5 stars on a first listen. Clearly going for different things (funky beats and more lyrical rap vs. party beats and going dummy), but that explains why one is more timeless to me than the other. No one wants to party to this stuff anymore.]
Favorite tracks: No Sleep til Brooklyn, She's Crafty, The New Style, Brass Monkey.
Album art: Definitely iconic, so much so that Eminem ripped it off for his Kamikaze album. White rappers be sticking together like rice, huh.
3.5/5
The Modern Lovers
3/5
I know one song from this album, "Hospital." I heard it in some random Timothy Chalamet A24 movie called Hot Summer Nights. Movie didn't leave an impression but the song and the scene with it sure did. I'm surprised to hear this is so critically acclaimed, not because it's bad but because I've never heard anything about this band or album prior to hearing the one song in a throwaway movie. I wish there was more on here for me to latch onto, but it's pretty generic. What was the deal in the '70s with American bands trying to sound British and vice versa? Here's a prime example.
Favorite tracks: Hospital, Girlfriemd, Old World.
Album art: Band name/logo. Cool-ish style.
3/5
Red Snapper
3/5
Enjoyed this a little more than expected! Never heard of this album or artist/group, but it was a nice little change of pace, some UK electronic music with a hint of hip hop thrown in there. Some interesting vocals here and there, and the production veered into some cool territory. Nothing too crazy, but definitely a few tracks I'll hang onto.
Favorite tracks: The Rake, They're Hanging Me Tonight, Bussing, Keeping Pigs Together.
Album art: Pretty non-descript picture of a nighttime highway. Not bad per se, but not at all memorable or distinct to me.
3.5/5
Gillian Welch
4/5
Excellent album. I know Gillian Welch, she's one of those songwriters perennially nominated for Grammys that most people have never even heard. But I've certainly heard "Everything is Free," an amazing song about the devaluation of music and the emotional labor of artists. I think I first heard it via cover(s) from Phoebe Bridgers and Courtney Barnett. It sounds like a song that's been around forever, and I know it will. There are other fantastic songs on here too, even on first listen. "Elvis Presley Blues" felt more insightful than the entirety of Baz Luhrmann's shitty movie. Loved the long, drawn-out closer that is "I Dream a Highway." I will always welcome heavy songwriter albums like this on the list.
Favorite tracks: Everything is Free, Elvis Presley Blues, My First Lover, I Dream a Highway.
Album art: Pretty simple shot of Gillian, gets the job done I suppose. For this kind of music, it would hardly make sense to do much more than this.
4.5/5
M.I.A.
4/5
Good lord, how have I not listened to this album before? We all know MIA (or Maya) for "Paper Planes," a once in a lifetime kind of pop sensation. Even amid this album of great songs, that track sticks out like none other. That said, so much of this album is fantastic. So many great instrumentals, influenced by Indian music and other styles in South Asia. It's so refreshing. I'm certain there are plenty of artists out there making music in these styles, but it's incredibly rare for this kind of music to cross over to the mainstream, and MIA did it thanks to the undeniable magnetism of "Paper Planes." I've listened to other albums from MIA, but I don't think any of those reached this high. Color me impressed. I'm saving a lot of this.
Favorite tracks: Paper Planes, Mango Pickle Down River (AMAZING track), Bamboo Banga, Birdflu, Jimmy, Hussel, The Turn, World Town.
Album art: I would call this iconic, I think there's been just enough time to make that designation. The color and designs are incredible, the sort of thing I love. Perfectly represents the sound.
4.5/5
The Human League
2/5
Decent '80s new wave pop album. Nothing spectacular, though it does have the one hit "Don't You Want Me." Not exactly a bad listening experience, but I wasn't wowed, nor was it really revealed to me why this one-hit wonder band deserved a spot on the list.
Favorite tracks: Don't You Want Me, Seconds.
Album art: Squarshed face centered in a too-big white border with some odd text placements. Very forgettable.
2.5/5
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Jazz is always welcome. I know nothing of Hugh, but he did right by me. Some really cool, compelling tracks on here. Nothing blew me away, but I felt good for the duration. Solid stuff.
Favorite tracks: Minawa, The Big Apple, Blues for Huey, Maesha.
Album art: Picture of Hugh with some very matter-of-fact framing. Very unassuming, I would never think to listen to this.
4/5
Grateful Dead
2/5
As long as I live, I think the Grateful Dead will remain an enigma to me. The fandom is so outsized that becoming a new fan feels impossible. And then when you listen to an album like this, it just doesn't make sense. What's so special? Maybe this isn't the best place to start, but I don't know what is. I think a large part of their legend has to do with live performances and bootleg recordings and whatnot, but I don't want a live album. I'm just gonna smile and wave. A couple decent tracks, but nothign distinct to me that would even tell me this was the Grateful Dead if I heard it. "Operator" made me think of Jim Croce's vastly superior song, they couldn't touch it if they tried. None of this is bad, but almost all of it is forgettable.
Favorite tracks: Box of Rain, Truckin.
Album art: Really cool design, can barely read the text at all which is a good thing! The vote sticker looks cool, not sure if that's supposed to mean anything.
2.5/5
Alanis Morissette
4/5
Bona fide classic. Didn't realize she was Canadian, nor that she was 21 when this released. How you gonna put out an album like this, with this many hits, at 21? Couldn't be anything less than four stars, the highs are simply too high. Very unique voice, a little bit of genre exploration beyond the singer-songwriter boundaries. Alanis killed this one. Worth the acclaim.
Favorite tracks: Hand in My Pocket, Head Over Feet, Ironic, You Oughta Know, All I Really Want, You Learn.
Album art: Definitely iconic. Color and theme seems inspired by the Cure. Today is the first time I'm noticing that the red shape is also a face, I assume Alanis. Just a very cool design overall.
4.5/5
The Fall
2/5
Surprised to find we've actually had another album from the Fall, released like 15 years after this one. Pretty non-descript punk band to me. A couple cool tracks here and there, though one of the ones I liked turns out to have been a bonus track, not even on the album. The Apple Music version is some absurd deluxe with dozens of tracks, and I just deleted all the live stuff and beyond. Not much to say here, it just didn't make much of an impact. Credit to them though for making stuff that seems a bit ahead of its time. '70s punk sort of impresses me no matter what.
Favorite tracks: Repetition, Two Steps Back.
Album art: Really like the title, but the cover is boring. Tree.
2.5/5
Black Sabbath
4/5
Their fourth album in a span of two years, these guys were the original Griselda. This album definitely has some of the metal that made them who they are on the debut, but there's quite a bit of exploration into other territory, including with piano and acoustic guitar. I have to say, they pull it all off pretty well. I wouldn't put this on the same level as the debut or Paranoid, but it's damn good too. Lots to love.
Favorite tracks: Changes, FX, Snowblind, Cornucopia, Laguna Sunrise, Under the Sun.
Album art: I take it that's Ozzy doing his thing. I do like the font and framing, it's a very simple cover but pretty effective. Certainly not as memorable as others from them, though. With the "Vol. 4" title too, it feels more like a compilation.
4.5/5
The Police
4/5
Okay, I'll say it: I think the Police are overrated. Yes, the band. I think Sting is overrated too. He's got this outsized legend, like he's the white Beyonce or something. I don't get it. Yeah, the Police have hits, but why is there a generation of people obsessed with Sting? I'll never get it. Anyway, this is a great album with a number of the tracks I do enjoy from them. Overrated definitely doesn't mean they're bad; they've got classic joints, including the Stalker National Anthem. Enough good stuff on here to carry the album, but I'm surprised how quickly their music can fade to the background for me. I don't think we need another from them, this should cover it.
Favorite tracks: Every Breath You Take, Synchronicity II, King of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger.
Album art: Pretty cool with the color striping, but the pictures aren't all that interesting, minus Sting's sensual shoot with a skeleton.
4/5
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Damn, Joni does it again. I've heard tale of this album, and I think another one as well, as Joni's departure into weird jazz stuff. I can hear that, she's definitely leaning into the free-associative corner of her style, but some of it just seems like really great avant-garde alternative singer-songwriter stuff, the kind of music that would even fit in in today's landscape. Quite impressive to be honest. Lots of cool stuff going on here, most of all what's stuck in my head is sudden, gritty production that appears on tracks like "the Jungle Line," or the layered vocals on "Shadows and Light," damn that sounds heavenly. There's just so much surprise to this one. I'm obviously biased because I just think Joni Mitchell is the bee's knees, but this is a fantastic album, definitely deserves a place here.
Favorite tracks: In France They Kiss on Main Street, the Jungle Line, Don't Interrupt the Sorrow, the Hissing of Summer Lawns, the Boho Dance, Sweet Bird, Shadows and Light.
Album art: Fittingly abstract, or avant-garde, or whatever you want to call it. Some strange figures transporting a snake? I like this one a lot, there's intrigue.
4.5/5
R.E.M.
3/5
Could've sworn we had an album from R.E.M. previously, but I think this our first. Believe it or not, I think there are three other REM albums on here, and none of them are the album including "Losing My Religion," which makes absolutely no sense to me. A couple recognizable classics on here like "End of the World" and "The One I Love," so I understand the inclusion. I do like REM, Michael Stipe has such a distinct, powerful voice. Such a haunting quality to it. I'll save my ire for the other REM albums that are on here (instead of Out of Time).
Favorite tracks: The One I Love, Oddfellows Local 151, Welcome to the Occupation, End of the World As We Know It.
Album art: No idea what I'm looking at here. It's cool though.
3.5/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Ain't no way. Ain't no way we're already at two albums from this dull British group. Ain't no way there's still a third to come. This isn't just British bias, it has to be a very personal bias by the guy who made this list. What about this band is worth including on a list like this? What at all did they add to the conversation, to the tapestry that is the history of music? I'll wait for an answer. In the meantime, I'll be listening to something else entirely.
Favorite tracks: Rescue.
Album art: Pretty cool color gradient for what seems like a band photo. I do enjoy this one.
2/5
The Police
3/5
Weird week for this list. Seems like only yesterday we got our first album from the The Police, but it was actually four days ago. Here we are, round two of, hopefully, not too many more. I said it before, I'll say it again: these guys are overrated. Doesn't mean they're bad; in fact, they are quite good. But if we're considering the competition (see Echo & the Bunnymen album we had yesterday, released the following year) they had in the UK, I guess I can start to see why people would think Sting is a godsend. "Message in a Bottle" goes stupid hard, one of my absolute favorites from them. These guys have the hitmaking ability, no doubt. But this one's not got too much for me. Definitely not as enjoyable as Synchronicity, but still decent.
Favorite tracks: Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon.
Album art: Photo of the lads, blue filtered. I only saved two songs in my playlist, and they were both already in my iTunes library from the greatest hits album, so I won't even see this in the playlist which I think is pretty funny.
3/5
White Denim
3/5
A thousand pounds says this artist is British, let's take a look: holy shit, it's a Texas band. I owe someone some quid. I said that not because this sounded British, but because it seems rather unremarkable, and when this list includes something unremarkable, it's usually British bias. I don't know what to say here, it looks like this was acclaimed on release. I gave it a second try because it's quick, and it breezed by me about the same. Not bad by any stretch, but I'm stumped by the inclusion. I'm not some sort of expert or svengali, but given how much music I am familiar with, any post-2010 album on this list that I've never even heard of is going to be puzzling.
Favorite tracks: Back at the Farm, Street Joy.
Album art: Really cool cover here, I love the kaleidescopic, mosaic, tapestry whatever you want to call it. Very cool stuff going on here. Had never even seen this before, let alone heard of the artist.
3/5
PJ Harvey
2/5
Eh. This is our third from PJ Harvey. The first two were decent, and this one I'd put slightly below that. It's weird in ways that I don't think always work. It sounds like she's trying to be the British Bjork, and I'm not much of a Bjork fan, so it figures I wouldn't appreciate an imitation. Take, for example, "The Glorious Land." It's a pretty generic alt-rock type of song, and then there's a bugle march just right on top of the track. Obviously there's meaning to it, it's obviously a war protest song (the album is a "war album," which just typing out makes me yawn). But musically, it's just uninteresting and feels lazy. Like something a college kid would do and be like "yo, but it's so deep, it's like the war is marching on in the background of whatever we're doing and stuff." With any album I've never heard before, my first impression is and always will be music before lyrics. This one might be great lyrically, but musically I find it too bland to even return to and get into the lyrics. A couple songs I enjoyed, but yeah, this is a dud for me. I understand the inclusion since it's "important," but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
Favorite tracks: The Last Living Rose, On Battleship Hill.
Album art: Not much to say. It's the title over, what, a cloud of black birds? I don't know, man. I've checked out.
2.5/5
Robbie Williams
1/5
Never heard of this guy, apparently he was in some boy band and this was him breaking out, like a Harry Styles or Zayn or whatever. It's '90s pop music with not much to speak of in terms of style or substance. The Wikipedia shows mostly warm reception, but nothing to warrant inclusion here. Some critic said the following: "There's nothing here... sure, Robbie Williams is as fascinating a hapless goon as we're ever likely to come across. But this album feels more like a press release than an album – and that's not what I call music." I second that. Listen to "Ego Agogo" if you need confirmation. Nothing is terrible here, it's just....well it's nothing. And nothing sucks, especially on a list of albums that should be something. Maybe the author of this list was a family friend.
Favorite tracks: Angels.
Album art: This picture is pretty much exactly what I'd expect from a boy band singer breaking out into a debut. "Ooooh, I'm in the limelight, but I'm still a bit of a mystery. I've lived life through the lens, and finally that lens is turned on me and me alone. Brace yourself, world!" Funny to contrast his face on the cover with the poppy music that he made.
1.5/5
David Holmes
3/5
I liked this! A different flavor of "electronic" music than I'm used to, but some very cool, and obviously '90s, stuff going on. The Bond sample was interesting too. Might be Stockholm syndrome based on the last couple duds, but this one was a nice change of pace.
Favorite tracks: Let's Get Killed, Gritty Shaker, Rodney Yates, Slashers Revenge.
Album art: Not quite sure what I'm looking at, maybe paint splattered over a blurred picture of a city skyline? This one's cool though, I like the color contrast. The album title is great, shocking.
3.5/5
Fairport Convention
2/5
Our second from this group, and it's decent but it doesn't feel "necessary" in the sense that I would hope for any album on this list. They're a pretty cool '60s psych/folk rock group, but we don't need multiple from them. Suprise surprise, they're British.
Favorite tracks: Si Tu Dois Partir, A Sailor's Life.
Album art: Some old foagies standing around. Appropriately boring I'm afraid.
2.5/5
3/5
The Limpy Biscuits. Fred Durst and company. This album really captures what there is to both love and hate about LB. Lyrically, their stuff can get pretty dumb and cringe (if you'll excuse the anachronism), but damn they do be putting down some heavy riffs. I loved the intro a lot (which actually returned as the outro with a funny skit of a guy talking bad about the band, followed by his infinite looping laughter). It's definitely a product of its time, angsty teenagers the world over found comfort in this goofy stuff. But I love it for that reason, and it's certainly more interesting (and more deserving of a spot on this list) than a lot of the humdrum stuff we've had lately.
Favorite tracks: Intro, My Way, Rollin', Hold On.
Album art: Wretched, filthy. We all know what that chocolate starfish is, and this creepy cretins are swimming in hot dog-infested water. It's awful and I hate and I also love it.
3.5/5
The Divine Comedy
1/5
Fancy-pants prick. Our second from this dry fart of a man (band? don't care), and it's as goofy and pretentious as the previous. Each track that plays, I'm dreading his vocals. If he were doing a bit, it would be an excellent, funny bit making fun of this kind of person. But I'm afraid he just is that kind of person. I thought I enjoyed "Middle-Class Heroes" (oh, the irony), but then it got so boring that I skipped it. Truthfully, I skipped through almost every track of this slog. This guy blows.
Favorite track: A Woman of the World.
Album art: Fancy-pants prick.
1/5
Foo Fighters
3/5
The first album by the Foo Fighters, just a year after Kurt Cobain's death. Unsurprising, then, that this mostly sounds like Nirvana. I've maybe heard a track or two on this in passing, but there's not much recognizable. The Foo Fighters would go on to become this standard or staple in rock; not entirely sure why that has persisted so long, but they've got undeniable hits. None of those hits are here though. It's a decent album, but I don't think it's really essential. Their second album better be on this list, that's all I'm saying.
Favorite tracks: I'll Stick Around, For All the Cows.
Album art: It's a space gun, like a blaster out of Star Wars. Apparently this offended people because of Kurt Cobain's death? If I remember correctly, he used a shotgun, not Han Solo's sidearm.
3/5
Black Sabbath
5/5
It's feels like it's been ages since I opened this website and breathed a triumphant sigh of relief. It feels longer than it's actually been, due to so many non-essential duds lately, but not today! This is our third from Sabbath, and not too far after their Vol. 4 that we had, but this is the one Sabbath album that I knew prior to doing this project. Only eight tracks on this album, and the first four are just unbelievable. An insane run, I had to look up the opening run on Nirvana's Nevermind, I know that is a great one too. That's three tracks, this one wins on volume alone, but also variety. Side B doesn't stand a chance against Side A, but there are still some great songs there too. I think I might slightly prefer the debut overall (which I'm shocked to be saying), but this album is exceptional and proves that Black Sabbath is the real deal. GOATED. Not only do I have it on vinyl, I had a second copy and gave it to Alex. Happy birthday with this one, what timing!
Favorite tracks: War Pigs, Iron Man, Planet Caravan, Paranoid, Electric Funeral, Hand of Doom, Rat Salad.
Album art: Not as scary as the debut, but still kind of terrifying right? Is this one guy or three guys? Some wacked out knight in attack mode, coming at you through a forest of infinite darkness. I love the color contrast. Fun story: one time in college I got high and listened to "Planet Caravan" while watching the iTunes visualizer, and I bore witness to the progression of life in the universe and on earth, up to and including these sword-swinging infantrymen. Core memory.
5/5
Holger Czukay
4/5
Whoa, this was a cool album! Very early, proto-electronica type stuff. Never heard of this guy, but I'm impressed. The opening track reminded me of that silly Autobahn song by Kraftwerk, aside from that I found myself digging all the other (three) tracks on the album. I appreciate an album with a few, long tracks like this. A lot of strange instrumental sounds and textures, just like a mad scientist goofing around in his lab. There's cool stuff all over this. Shout out to Holger man, this was a pleasant surprise.
Favorite tracks: Persian Love, Oh Lord Give Us More Money, Hollywood Symphony.
Album art: I take it that's Holger himself, and he seems to be looking at a tv screen from inches away. It's really weird, but I really like it. His handlebar mustache and slicked back hair is giving me comfort, reminding me that this space-age stuff is coming from the '70s.
4/5
GZA
5/5
Automatic five star, hell of a way to start the week. This is an album that I identified as my favorite rap album from the year of its release, 1995. I noted in my review of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx that this is my favorite Wu-Tang solo project, and that holds up. GZA's lyrical output is outstanding here, and the production (handled almost entirely by RZA) is amazing. So many excellent movie samples, the opening dialogue about the father and the samurai chills me every time. There are also just some really interesting instrumental choices throughout, not the least of which is the accordion beat on "Liquid Swords." This is just prime, old-school hip hop, with those dusty, spooky beats that we know and love from Wu-Tang plus dazzling lyricism. Of all the '90s hip hop albums that I've listened to, I hold this one way up there with the best of the best. Also, huge shout out to "I Gotcha Back," the line "trapped in a deadly video game" would later be sampled by the Molemen on their fantastic "Put Your Quarter Up." Go listen to that track ASAP.
Favorite tracks: Living In the World Today, Liquid Swords, 4th Chamber, I Gotcha Back, Swordsman, Cold World, BIBLE. Interesting enough, I still have songs hearted from the last time I listened to this, and there were at least two new ones that I added to that list today.
Album art: ICONIC, truly. One of the all-time great hip hop album covers, and I doubt that's just my opinion. The comic book art style has played a role in hip hop for a long time (see others from Outkast, MF DOOM, Czarface, etc.), and this is such a great one. Worth noting, too, that I'm sure this played a big role in inspiring Marvel's hip hop album cover project; comic book artists created homages to tons of hip hop albums with Marvel variants, and there are actually vinyl releases with those Marvel variant covers (I have the variant pressings of this album and Get Rich or Die Trying, another 5/5 we've had on this list). Warriors in hoodies doing battle on a chessboard. The two guys in the forefront is what always comes to mind, but there's some compelling brutality behind them, and I love the robed guy standing menacing in the back. Just an amazing album cover, deserves a place in a museum.
5/5
Sugar
3/5
Not bad at all. Never heard of this group before, and their sound is kind of generic alt-rock, but amid that well-worn style they crank out some pretty solid jams and melodies. Apparently this band is led by someone from Husker Du, that's a band I've definitely heard of but don't know very well. I didn't expect to come away with a handful of tracks from this so count me as pleasantly surprised. I can't exactly say it earns a place on a list like this, but I enjoyed myself. Really, really dug the weird guitar break on "Man on the Moon."
Favorite tracks: Man on the Moon, The Slim, Changes, A Good Idea.
Album art: Not much to this one at all, two waves of color (copper and blue) with the title and band written on top. What's there to say?
3.5/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
I have heard this one before, maybe my second Nick Cave album. This one is a bit of an outlier in the catalog because it's a tribute to his teenage son that died (hence the term "Ghosteen" I guess). There's some undeniable grief and powerful emotion coursing through this one, and musically it's much more compelling to me than most of the Nick Cave projects we've heard. I really like this album, though "like" or "enjoy" seem like inappropriate words given the subject matter. But this is absolutely a worthy inclusion on the list.
Favorite tracks: Spinning Song, Bright Horses, Night Raid, Ghosteen Speaks.
Album art: A beautiful, fantastical picture of animals in what seems to be Eden or Heaven. I take it the little lamb in the center represents his son. This whole thing is just heartbreaking.
4/5
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
Here's a doozy. Our second from MBV, and it's the big, notorious one. Favorite album of many a music nerd out there. It's very fuzzy, very crunchy, very shoegazy, with melodies fighting their way through the abyss. I found it a bit harder to connect with than the last one we had from them, but I still found myself enjoying quite a bit on here. It's the kind of album that I know would grow on me with repeat listens, and considering how much I liked already, it bodes well. I'm giving this a 4 today, but could see it easily rising to 4.5.
Favorite tracks: Touched, Only Shallow, To Here Knows When, When You Sleep, I Only Said, Sometimes, Soon.
Album art: Really love this one, it's definitely iconic. Perfectly matches the washed out, fuzzy textures of the music. Love the bright pink hue.
4/5
Ride
3/5
Generic '90s rock, but it's decent. I liked a few tracks. Nothing to say, nowhere to Ride.
Favorite tracks: Sennen, Kaleidoscope, Today.
Album art: Open ocean, or is it? Do I detect a berm? Or is that a sandbar? I don't know oceanatomy. As far as covers go though, pretty boring. Suits the music.
3/5
Spacemen 3
2/5
Some interesting ideas here musically, a few sounds that I wish would be explored more. But so much of it elsewhere is bland. I dig the weird echo-y effects that were used in a few places, but that gag can only take us so far. The curse of this list is not the awful, 1 or 1.5/5 star hair-pulling, head-scratching enigmas, but these milquetoast, limp handshake, silent fart 2.5 or 3/5 albums that have just enough interesting tracks to scratch you behind the ear before they breeze by you inauspiciously, leaving you utterly unmoved and wondering "It's over? That was it?" I have to give it up to acts like The Divine Comedy, which at least have the guts to annoy me by fully committing to a sound and style (that I happen to hate). This is purgatory music.
Favorite tracks: Honey, How Does It Feel, So Hot.
Album art: So it's the name of the band, the name of the album, and a circle of what I thought were track names, but only two are. Budget must have been low for this one. The colors are mildly interesting, as is the flame font. But woof, this is forgettable.
2.5/5
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
Oh great, a live album. I know the Allman Brothers have some classic tracks ("Ramblin' Man"?), but there doesn't seem to be any on here. I was about four minutes into "You Don't Love Me," and I looked at the runtime: 15 minutes left, ouch. I did like "Whipping Post," there was a vague Calypso feel to that, reminiscent of Dr. Terror's House of Horrors and the voodoo music that the musician tried to steal. Obviously, this is just a rock jam sesh. Not a bad thing, if I had gone to a concert to experience a rock jam sesh. Instead, I'm listening to this on a stereo, or in my car, or whatever. And it's just out of place. It's also out of place on this list. Nothing really essential to this at all. Musicianship is great, that keeps this from falling to less than 2 stars, but damn do I not care at all.
Favorite tracks: Whipping Post, Statesboro Blues.
Album art: They've discovered something worse than a band photo: a "band outside the venue" photo for a live album.
2/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
Yet another from he who I consider to be the wrong Elvis. There's maybe the slightest bit of novelty to his music that makes one album interesting, but having to hear 3-4 (not sure how many it's been by now) is a chore. Super whiny vocals, pretty bland pop-rock music, it almost feels AI generated. I looked back through and this is our fifth from him, please God make it stop, when will it end? I've given 3 stars to a couple, 3.5 to one, so this is definitely on the lower end. Might just be fatigue but damn, we've been on a streak of duds lately. P.S. - read some reviews and realized he very plainly uses the N word on this album, and it's on one of the tracks I picked as my favorites! Huge oof, pretty telling that I didn't notice it because the music is so boring that I tuned out every word he says. But what the hell, man. I'm sure people whine about not judging by today's standards or whatever, but just like Lennon with his godawful track title, he's not stupid, he knows what the word means. Why else would he clarify that, in this context, it's a "white" one? Because he knows it's a slur directed at Black people. And he chose to include it. You mean to tell me that a seemingly intelligent man in 1979 didn't realize that the N word was offensive? Bruh-itish moment. My assessment before today was that Elvis Costello is a whiny nerd, but today, he becomes something much worse: cringe.
Favorite tracks: Oliver's Army (melodically one of my favorites on here but YIKES), Green Shirt.
Album art: It's truly a shame because I think this is an all-timer for album covers. Such a cool picture, both majestic and menacing. Elephants are rad, this album isn't. It should be some sort of crime to make your album cover really cool when your music is dorky and dumb.
1.5/5
N.E.R.D
3/5
Haven't listened to much NERD, but very familiar with the Neptunes, Pharrell and Chad Hugo. I've heard a lot of good things about them, and it's obvious they're creative and talented. I have a feeling this isn't their best album, but it's still pretty good. I'm glad that this is on the list, but scratching my head thinking of other Neptunes-produced stuff that's certainly not on here. Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse?
Favorite tracks: Fly or Die, Breakout.
Album art: Extremely 2004. The three of them standing hatched from a USA flag egg. I'm not reading much into the symbolism, but the banner style, shadows, everything is very of its era. Reminds me of the Black Eyed Peas.
3.5/5
Pink Floyd
4/5
Really, really dig this one. In the same vein as Dark Side of the Moon, at least sonically. Doesn't seem as concept-heavy perhaps, but still very strong. Love the long, meandering prog tracks. Out of five, I'm saving four: the one not making the cut is "Have a Cigar," which is the shortest track but still pretty enjoyable. It feels weird to have only really listened to Pink Floyd now through this project, because I really dig their style. Bravo, gentlemen. This is one I could definitely see growing to a five star with more time and listens.
Favorite tracks: Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Wish You Were Here, Welcome to the Machine.
Album art: A classic, maybe not as iconic as DSOTM, but deserves a place in the pantheon. Man shaking hands with a man on fire, on a studio backlot. The framing looks strikingly modern, and I just love the little portion of the border that's burned away for asymmetry. Amazing. Metro Boomin essentially remixed this cover for "Heroes & Villains," I don't blame him. This one's a doozy.
4.5/5
Culture Club
2/5
I'll say something that might offend a lot of British people, but to me these guys are a bit of a one-hit wonder. Yeah, I know "Karma Chameleon," we all do. It's a fun, cheery pop song, but that charm doesn't exactly carry me for an album. Supposedly they have others hits (according to Wikipedia at least), but there's not much here that I'd return to. Their style of bright new-wave pop, whatever you want to call this, it just feels cheesy, to the point that I'm kind of put off from "Karma Chameleon" too. I'm probably being too cynical here, but these guys lack a discernable edge. I did really like "That's the Way," but that track feels and sounds like a departure. Can't say this is bad, but it's not moving the needle for me.
Favorite tracks: That's the Way, Karma Chameleon.
Album art: Really bright colors, and a fun, creative twist on a band photo, isolating the gang into what could be high school yearbook shots. I don't know anything about Boy George, but that's him on the right, right? Odd bloke, that one. Cool cover though.
2.5/5
Gene Clark
3/5
Former Byrds-man that I've not previously heard of, doing his solo thing. It's not bad at all, he's got a great folksy style that works really well. The "Stand By Me" cover was interesting, though it's hard to even touch the original. I was really hoping I'd like this one more, it opened so strong but didn't quite pack or maintain a punch throughout. But it was decent, and unfortunately decent albums on a list like this is a bit of a problem.
Favorite tracks: The Virgin, Because of You (Alternate), Opening Night.
Album art: I was about to clown on this for just being a white light but it's cool, I'm guessing that's Gene sitting in front of the moon? It's very minimal, very simple cover, not very striking and wouldn't catch your eye from a distance, but up close it's pretty powerful.
3/5
Depeche Mode
4/5
Yes yes yes. I said on our last Depeche Mode album that I'd want one more, with hits. This one has the big three, and all you need as far as I'm concerned. "Personal Jesus" will always do it for me, such a cool track. It's kind of funny how low energy a lot of the other tracks seem compared to that, "Policy of Truth" and "Enjoy the Silence." Highs so high that maybe it was too hard for them to reach for it consistently. Anyway, can't be less than great with those hits.
Favorite tracks: Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth, Clean.
Album art: Pretty boring if you ask me, a flower on a black background. Looks almost exactly like that Steely Dan album cover for Aja. Not doing much for me, very unassuming.
4/5
De La Soul
4/5
Nice, a hip hop classic that I haven't gotten around to hearing yet! De La Soul is an undeniably pioneering rap group, but I feel that they are often forgotten in the conversation of acts like Tribe, Wu-Tang, NWA, etc. Maybe a little too nerdy for some people. I really love how varied the sampling is on here, so many genres pulled in and forced to work for them. Extremely creative record, and definitely sounds ahead of its time, by at least 4-5 years. Though I do hear the age in the quicker BPM of some of the tracks that could obviously be B-Boy, breakdancing tracks. Still, a hallmark album that I'm grateful was put in front of me. Really enjoyed it! "Me Myself and I" is a banger I didn't realize I knew. This is an album that could grow to a 5 star for me.
Favorite tracks: Me Myself and I, Buddy, Eye Know, The Magic Number, Ghetto Thang, Transmitting Live from Mars, Say No Go, Tread Water, Jenifa Taught Me, Plug Tunin, Daisy Age.
Album art: Absolutely iconic, one of the great old-school hip hop covers for sure. Love the bright colors and the circular positioning of the guys. Funny that the group bristled a little at being called a "hippie" rap group, and yet this debut is emblazoned with flowers and stars in that hippie style.
4.5/5
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Time to "ketchup" on a few albums I forgot to review lately (that's a pun because the best one in the batch was Emperor Tomato Ketchup). Always enjoy the Chemical Bros, this album has one of my favorites from them, "Playground of a Wedgeless Firm." Very cool album, maybe not as explosive as I'd hoped, but still a good listen.
Favorite tracks: Playground of a Wedgeless Firm, In Dust We Trust, Three Little Birdies Down Beats.
Album art: A couple walking along side a car, seems very '60s or '70s. Nothing crazy to this one at all, very unassuming.
3.5/5
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
As much as I enjoy listening to albums from other cultures/languages, this one didn't do much for me at all. Felt too contemporary, like a Spanish-speaking version of some existing singer. Kind of just generic jazz vocal stuff. Can't say it was bad, but doesn't feel at all essential. What's the takeaway here? Apparently she's the nepo baby of Joao Gilberto, maybe that's why they felt compelled to put this on the list. Eh.
Favorite tracks: Tanto Tempo, Samba e Amor.
Album art: Woman's face, stencil outline or something. About as devoid of character as the music.
2.5/5
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Back to back non-English albums, and this one is great. Without looking this up, I'm almost certain it's Saharan Africa. I say that because it reminds me of Afrique Victime from Mdou Moctar, an album I really dug a couple years ago. This one's more acoustic, but the vibe is unmistakeable. Some fantastic stuff on here. The perfect foil to yesterday's Tanto Tempo, because that album didn't feel very unique at all. This one's giving us something we can't find anywhere else.
Favorite tracks: Yer Bounda Fara, Soya, Ledi Coumbe, Soko Yhinka.
Album art: Absolute king of chillin' on the cover, man hitting the full recline in his chair that looks unreasonably comfortable. I like the photo effect on the left side, and his shades matching the colors of the guitar is a cool effect. Text strip is great too, says "King of the desert blues singers," so that all but confirms my guess as to origin.
4/5
Ice Cube
3/5
I think this is our second from Cube, probably more influential than the other but it's a bit more dated for sure. Starts very strong with "Dude You Love to Hate," and the energy stays high all album. Unfortunately here I feel like Cube isn't someone I want to hear a whole album length from, at least if we're talking this proto-hip hop style. He certainly evolved from here, but at this time I think his sound worked better as a member of a group like NWA. Personally don't love this album, but I completely understand the inclusion because he's a very important historical figure in hip hop.
Favorite tracks: Dude You Love to Hate, You Can't Fade Me, Rollin' Wit the Lench Mob.
Album art: Definitely a classic, love the hand clasped pose, as well as the small army of dudes backing him up. Even though this is my first time hearing it, I've seen this album cover many times over the years.
3/5
Stereolab
4/5
Here's a fun one! I listened to this album years ago, not knowing anything about the artist or music, I was just intrigued by the cover and the name. I remember liking it, but I think this time I liked it even more. Some really fantastic grooves on here, a lot that you can sink your teeth into. Nice futuristic stuff. Still don't know anything about this band but I dig their sound, and that's really all that matters, isn't it?
Favorite tracks: Cybele's Reverie, Les Yper-Sound, Olv 26, Tomorrow is Already Here, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Motoroller Scalatron.
Album art: Awesome funky digital art. Some kind of bronze spring tornado, crusing through a desert into a setting sun, that's what it looks like to me. It's abstract though, that's half the fun. Font is funky, colors are great. Love this one.
4.5/5
The Residents
4/5
Okay, this is epic. Time for a break from all the humdrum rock albums, here's something freaky deaky. Album so weird that I had to play it on my headphones so as not to scare everyone in the house, including the dogs. Love how creepy the vocals are sometimes, really processed to hell and back. The fact that this is from the '70s makes it that much more impressive. Could you imagine walking into your son's room in 1978 and hearing him listen to this? I'd probably call the police. Never heard of these guys before, but color me intrigued. "Constantinople" is absolutely insane, and I loved the really weird birthday song on here. I would rather hear a dozen more albums like this from the forgotten freaks living in tunnels beneath our world than hear another Elvis Costello snoozer. Spooky fun!
Favorite tracks: Constantinople, Blue Rosebuds, Birthday Boy, Hello Skinny.
Album art: Love love love the color scheme, I'll repeat it as many times as we get one: red/white/black makes for some of my favorite covers out there. A psycho magician guy making the titular stab of the titular duck. Great show.
4/5
U2
3/5
This is number two or three we've had from U2. Certainly not as stacked as Joshua Tree, but they can only have one best album. Still, this one's solid. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is such a banger of a track, they really nailed the feeling with that one. A few others on here that I liked, but nothing earth-shattering.
Favorite tracks: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Drowning Man, Two Hearts Beat as One.
Album art: Close up of a boy's face. Technically two in a row for albums doing the red/white/black scheme. This one's more white/gray though so less impactful. But it's a pretty strong cover anyway.
3.5/5
Slayer
4/5
Everybody knows about Slayer I'm sure, and as far as I know this has to be their big one, right? It's got "Raining Blood," which is a Guitar Hero certified classic. Other songs I liked too, which is saying something since this isn't exactly my kind of music. But I appreciate the rage and the filth, and I know these guys are pioneers. Yeah, not the sort of thing that I'd casually throw on in any setting, but damn do I respect this album. Doesn't take much imagination to extrapolate all the influence that this had on metal going forward.
Favorite tracks: Raining Blood, Angel of Death, Jesus Saves.
Album art: Gotta be iconic, right? You've got the band name in metal font in a pentagram (ooooh the devil!) and the whole cover seems ripped from Dante's Inferno, a scene of people and creatures rotting in hell (once again, ooooh the devil!). Covers like these are the most entertaining part of metal for me.
4/5
Underworld
3/5
Pretty cool electronic-type album, lots of long tracks. Never heard of this group or artist but they've got a pretty good sound going here. Undeniably '90s.
Favorite tracks: Air Towel, Juanita, Blueski.
Album art: Not much of anything, is it? A splotch or splatter or whatever the hell word you wanna use.
3/5
Billy Joel
3/5
Better than I was expecting! Of course I'm familiar with Billy Joel, but gun to my head I don't think I could name too many of his songs. Reading the tracklist, I saw "Only the Good Die Young" and was looking forward to that, but there were others on here that I liked too, and "Vienna" was for sure one other that I know pretty well (but never knew the name). A good cinematic quality to this album and the music, the guy knows how to put good music together. I also really like the notion of a piano man, a pianist who's a classic pop/rock staple is rare among all the guitarists. Wouldn't mind another album from Billy.
Favorite tracks: Only the Good Die Young, Vienna, Just the Way You Are.
Album art: Black and white, but I really like the creepy mask on the pillow. Billy kind of looks like a mix between Paul McCartney and Sylvester Stallone in this shot, not sure if that holds up.
3.5/5
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
4/5
What a wild album. The lore behind this is, pardon the word, insane. Spence attacked some bandmates with an axe, was committed to a mental hospital for six months, then got out and released this. It's a long, winding album (the version I listened to was 17 tracks), and it's kind of all over the place sonically. Spence's voice especially, it's impossible to predict what he'll sound like on each track between different styles and registers. But I really admire it, the musicianship is top notch and he did it all himself. The story and everything here reminds me of Nick Drake, but if Nick Drake was schizophrenic instead of sad. It's a very cool album, and I'll be keeping quite a few tracks from this one. Also, side note, when I heard "War in Peace," I recognized the riff at the end as "Smoke on the Water," which I looked up and found was released after this album. I then started scouring google and couldn't find anything talking about this....had Spence secretly been ripped off and I'm the first to discover it, decades later? Well, turns out the riff is actually "Sunshine of Your Love," and that came out before this album, Spence was referencing that riff. For those few moments, I too was insane.
Favorite tracks: Cripple Creek, Weighted Down, Books of Moses, Grey/Afro, Doodle, To Think You and I.
Album art: Really nothing special, just a portrait shot with a big border. He kind of looks like he's in a hospital gown from the sanitarium, but he could also just be a bohemian kind of guy.
4/5
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Ah yes, what a pleasure to hear this one again. This album is effectively the gospel for dream-pop, both the genre and the fans. I really dig it, there are some phenomenal grooves and pockets. I can't say that I personally hold it as highly as many do, but I really love it. I'm sure its existence alone is instrumental to so many others that I love, like Alvvays or Hatchie. Like a great farmer, it's outstanding in its field. I listened to it years ago, and coming back I find a bit more to love. Albums like this are just a nice, enjoyable ride, putting me in a perfect headspace.
Favorite tracks: Heaven or Las Vegas, Cherry-Coloured Funk, Fotzepolitic, Iceblink Luck, Frou-Frou Foxes.
Album art: Really, really love this one. Was intrigued from the very first time I saw it. Just a swirl of light and color, enough that you can see some neon light streaks, and the title font is really cool too. They just nailed the aesthetic so well with this cover.
4.5/5
Stephen Stills
4/5
One of the four horsemen of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young! Stephen Stills, credit the guy for spelling his name right. I really liked this project, some cool sound territory explored. A couple really great guitar tracks, and some that just plain rock. "Love the One You're With" seems like a classic, I really like the background choir on that song. This guy's great. Not sure how much solo work he did but if there's more like this I hope we get another album.
Favorite tracks: Love the One You're With, Do for the Others, Old Times Good Times, Black Queen.
Album art: Mr. Stills sitting in the snow next to a giraffe statute of sorts. I like the font used for the top. I wonder if he was cold shooting this picture in just a polo?
4/5
Orbital
3/5
This was a quirky one. Starts and ends with some bizarre looping vocal pieces, and while I don't feel the need to return to those they were pretty cool and memorable. The middle, the meat of this album, is some solid electro-dance stuff. Music that could play in a '90s club or also score a '90s movie. This was an enjoyable ride.
Favorite tracks: Lush 3-1, Monday, Halcyon and On and On.
Album art: Can't really tell what I'm looking at here, if anything. Is it an atom? Is that a sketch of some organs? No idea. Having the tracks listed on the cover is kind of cool. As far as color is concerned, there's not much going on here, but it's a good cover.
3.5/5
William Orbit
3/5
Another electronic album, this one more ambient and worldly than the previous day. I guess that's the difference between.....Orbital and William Orbit. Coincidence? Who knows. Anyway, this album isn't on Apple Music for some reason, which is a shame because I'm going to have to put some placeholder tracks in my playlist to represent this. Orbital II is on there, no Orbital III. But it's a cool album, a nice spacey, international vibe to it, but it's still very clearly from the '90s, they can't shake that sound. I can dig it.
Favorite tracks: Into the Paradise, Gringatcho Demento, A Hazy Shade of Random.
Album art: A picture of some kind of ancient sculpted scene, what seems to be a nude king and queen, and they both got...nevermind. Not bad though, font and titling is pretty cool.
3.5/5
The Triffids
2/5
Never heard of these guys. Rather generic '80s new wave type of album. Sonically similar to a lot of others we've had. Very long, lots of tracks on this one. I tried to chop off all the deluxe tracks but I think I missed a few. "Bad News" is not on the core album. It's not bad, a few songs I'm keeping. But boy does it become hard to distinguish these bands.
Favorite tracks: A Trick of the Light, Jerdacuttup Man, Bad News Always Reminds Me of You.
Album art: Just a guy's face in a strange sepia filter. Extremely moody. Boring.
2.5/5
The Sabres Of Paradise
4/5
Back on our '90s electronic wave. This one's wild though! Some crazy rhythms and basslines that feel truly ahead of their time, the kind of stuff that's still gripping and hard (double pause) to this day. There are stretches of songs I didn't find interesting, but the highs were impressively high. Never heard of this group/artist before, but I wouldn't mind another from them if they keep up this energy.
Favorite tracks: Bubble and Slide II, Duke of Earlsfield, Chapel Street Market 9AM, Haunted Dancehall.
Album art: Got that classic red/white/black color scheme I love. It's a little drawing of a straight razor. Not much else to it, but it's pretty effective. Right between forgettable and memorable for me.
4/5
The Cramps
3/5
Funky punky. I've definitely heard OF the Cramps, but haven't heard their music before today. Nice Halloween vibe in the subject matter. Some solid jams on here, but not much sonically to distinguish this group from lots of other punky rock of the era, at least in my opinion. I dug the cover of "Fever." Some cool songs, album is alright.
Favorite tracks: Fever, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, I'm Cramped.
Album art: Spooky family portrait spin on a band photo, I like that. Enough style to set this one apart from the countless other band photo covers out there. Really love their font choices.
3/5
Louis Prima
5/5
Oh hell yeah! I've noticed on my summary page that the 1950's is my highest rated decade, no doubt because there are so few albums included from that decade and accordingly they were chosen wisely. Louis Prima is goated for sure, often forgotten when discussion turns to the crooners of the Rat Pack or whoever else, but Prima's got a great edge to his sound and voice that those guys just didn't. Plus the Italian heritage comes screaming out of his music, and a fellow paisan like me can't help but love it. His backstory is very informative: born and raised in New Orleans, which is why his style is much jazzier than his Italian-American counterparts in NY and elsewhere because he was exposed to and emulated artists like Louis Armstrong. Back to this album: I loved 8 of the 10 tracks on the core album, and one of the four bonus tracks. I can't not give this five stars. Odds are we aren't getting anything else from Louis Prima on this list, and he's a brilliant, specific inclusion to represent an era of music that's great fun. I'm a certified Louis head.
Favorite tracks: Buona Sera, Oh Marie, Jump Jive n Wail, Just a Gigolo, The Lip, You Rascal You (hilariously mean and goofy song), Banana Split for My Baby (another hilarious song), Body and Soul, Nothing's Too Good.
Album art: Simple but strong, memorable. Love the bright yellow. Louis screaming like a wild man, having the time of his life. How could you not love this guy?
5/5
Sepultura
4/5
Our second from Sepultura, and I like these guys! I'm still not much of a metal head, and there's a good bit on here that's not really my style or gets a bit monotonous, but they really do rock. I especially like the tracks on here with a native spin. The acoustics guitars on "Jasco" and the chanting stuff on "Itsari" are really awesome. If the album had another track or two like those I would've rated this even higher. But god bless 'em, cool to get a Brazilian metal band not once but twice on here. Bumping this to a four-star because it's just really cool.
Favorite tracks: Jasco, Itsari, Ratamahatta, Roots Bloody Roots.
Album art: Very disturbing, what seems to be a severed head of a woman, with lots of tattoos and roots all around. Visually, the roots are really creepy, they remind me of the disgusting tendrils that the Last of Us zombies have. But thematically, it's excellent, because it's a tribute to both the urge in metal to make things scary or gross, but also the musical roots that are apparent in the songs I loved.
4/5
Ray Charles
4/5
For some reason I was shocked to see that Ray Charles put out an album in the '50s, I thought he was a much more recent talent. Well considering his last album was put out in 2004 I guess I'm not that crazy, this guy was just prolific! We all know and love Ray Charles, but hearing him here felt new because I just didn't know he had the sauce some 70 years ago. Really love his voice, the emotion with which he sings. Of course, his piano ability is renowned, but damn, just the way he sings is really special. The phrasing of things on "Let the Good Times Roll" really stuck with me, just meandering around and cramming syllables anywhere he pleases in that chorus. Great stuff.
Favorite tracks: Let the Good Times Roll, Just for a Thrill, You Won't Let Me Go, Come Rain or Shine.
Album art: Definitely an oldie, old style framing and font, but it works. Ray obviously looks younger in this picture than I remember (seared in my mind is that cover from the 2004 album), but considering this picture is 45 years prior to the other, the guy aged tremendously well.
4/5
Jacques Brel
1/5
Woof. This inclusion seems almost accidental. It's a live album of a guy singing in French over show-tuney type stuff, in the same vein as the infamous Scott Walker 2. I'm not sure what is supposed to be remarkable here, and neither is Wikipedia. Usually I accept all foreign language projects with grace, but that's because at least they are musically interesting. We did have at least one French album with that Serge Gainsbourg project, but that was obviously important. This one? Yeah I don't know. Give this slot to someone more deserving.
Favorite tracks: Le Plat Pays.
Album art: A guy harumphing into his hand, looking worried, perhaps about some guy from the future who wouldn't understand why he MUST listen to this live album before he dies. Not even Jacques seems to think this is special.
1.5/5
The Damned
3/5
Not bad, another punky/rocky type of album but a couple tracks I dug. Nothing too crazy, but it was good!
Favorite tracks: Anti-Pope, Noise Noise Noise, Looking at You, Smash It Up.
Album art: Photo's nice and grainy, I like the guy wearing the feathery outfit. Any group of blokes looking like this that crosses a street is bound to stop traffic.
3.5/5
Goldfrapp
2/5
Not one but two Goldfrapp albums are "must listens before we die"? I'm not sold. This one at least has "Human," which I'm kind of hearing for the first time in this context, but I know the sample from Kanye's "Freestyle 4" and the Tyler/A$AP Rocky remix that followed. Other than that, not much going on here. The other track I stored because it was goofy, so that's a consolation. We didn't need this one either.
Favorite tracks: Human, Oompa Radar.
Album art: I do like this cover a lot, and when I saw it pop up I could've swore this was the album with "Ooh La La." I was wrong. But yeah, this one is really memorable to me, it's been in my head for many years.
2.5/5
The Young Gods
3/5
What is this, French week? Two French albums a few days apart, very odd. This one's got a lot more for me than the previous. It started out sounding almost the same as the other, but there's some fantastic rock instrumentation and energy. The singer really put his life on the line on some of these tracks, I respect it.
Favorite tracks: La fille de la mort, Rue des tempetes, L'eau rouge.
Album art: Really hard to even tell what this is. But I like the neon sign-looking font a lot. Color-wise, this reminds me of the Cure's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. I hope we get that on here at some point.
3/5
R.E.M.
4/5
Number two from R.E.M., and that's two so far that don't include "Losing My Religion." Yes, I'm going to point that out on all of them. I'd be lying if I said I made it through this album without stopping to listen to "Losing My Religion" a few times on loop. That said, this is a great one. Michael Stipe's voice is so distinct, it just gives a cool edge to this music which, otherwise, might not have been all that great. Though lyrically, these guys really know what they're doing. Great songwriting. Some undeniable bangers on here, like "Stand" and "Orange Crush." Really like these guys, they've got the sauce.
Favorite tracks: Orange Crush, Stand, You are the Everything, Untitled.
Album art: A yellowed-out shot of what seems to be a treeline seen from below? Not entirely sure. It's not bad. The font is nice and strong. Not terribly memorable but it's good enough.
4/5
Ryan Adams
4/5
Really dug this one. Not my first from Ryan Adams, but it's his first, and for a debut it's very impressive. Strong songwriting and a lot of classic musical style. Ryan Adams has become known for being a scumbag guy, manipulating/harassing female artists like Mandy Moore and Phoebe Bridgers. I had to listen to Phoebe's "Motion Sickness" in the middle of this album, because it's about him. "You said when you met me you were bored, and you were in a band when I was born." What an all-time diss. Anyway, Adams is undeniably talented and it's clear to see how a debut like this would make waves and establish him as a force in the indie rock scene. The progression from this album to the ones I've heard, like his 1989 cover album and Prisoner is really cool too. Not entirely sure where things stand with the guy, but the music is great.
Favorite tracks: To Be Young, Amy, Call Me on Your Way Back Home, Come Pick Me Up, To Be the One.
Album art: Obviously young picture of Ryan, leaned back below frame smoking a cigarette. Better than a lot of portrait covers, but nothing crazy. Gives me a jolt of PTSD by reminding me of that one Divine Comedy album cover.
4/5
Traffic
3/5
This was a pretty cool album, our second from Traffic but still not a band that I'd say I know. They sound like a lost or forgotten player in the classic rock scene. Some really fun tracks on here; I had the album on while doing some housework and it was perfect for that. Wish I could say there was more that stuck with me but regardless, it was enjoyable front to back. Good listening for sure.
Favorite tracks: You Can All Join In, Don't Be Sad, Vagabond Virgin.
Album art: Band photo, these guys look funny. Man in the cowboy hat is my favorite, I just know he's got a dark secret.
3.5/5
Mj Cole
2/5
As much as I usually appreciate a break from rock stuff with a little 'lectro, this one didn't do too much for me. So many of the beats are -of-the-era, high BPM techno tracks that just don't have a place in heart or my ears. "Bandelero Desperado" made a big splash, I was certain I'd heard that before, but it was because Azealia Banks sampled it heavily on her song "Desperado." Still, that one was great. Can't say the same for the album unfortunately, it was mostly forgettable. Side note: "MJ Cole" is a really weird name to me, obviously the existence of several famous MJ's plus the more recent J Cole just makes this seem made up. I mean I guess everything is made up, but yeah. I just can't help but imagine J Cole with the Michael Jordan crying meme face on his head.
Favorite tracks: Bandelero Desperado, Slum King.
Album art: I do really like this cover, a burning bag from the MJ Cole store, on a nice infinite blue plane and backdrop. Stylistically, it just looks really nice. Well done.
2.5/5
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
I wish I liked this one more, but there was just so little here to latch onto for me. It was punk but not punk enough, rock but not rock enough, Apple Music called this "pop" but nothing popped like that. No hooks or riffs that I'd be able to identify in a line-up, nothing like that. Dangerously generic. I tried it twice to see if I was crazy the first time around but yeah, it just whizzed by without making a strong impression. I've definitely heard the band name before, and I expected something more explosive, if not just more memorable. What we got wasn't technically bad but when I struggle to find much of anything I want to keep it's pretty bad.
Favorite tracks: Ball Lightning.
Album art: I've definitely seen this one before and think it's really cool. Very simple font style, and the scorpion on an all white background is memorable. Truly, the most memorable thing about the album is this cover.
2/5
Gram Parsons
3/5
Not bad, but not very special either. Country/rock fusion sort of album, in that middle ground. Of course we know "Love Hurts," though this isn't the original version nor the most well-known cover (those titles go the Everly Brothers and Nazareth). I'm fairly sure I've heard "Brass Buttons" before too. Not too much on this album that excited me though. It's decent.
Favorite tracks: Brass Buttons, In My Hour of Darkness, Love Hurts.
Album art: The disembodied head of Gram just hanging out. It seems kind of lazy as far as graphic design effort goes, but the colors are nice and comforting. I like this one.
3/5
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
I don't know much of anything about QOTSA, aside from some people telling me I look like Josh Homme. This is their debut, and for a debut it's extremely confident. Some killer riffs, lots of exploratory guitar work and sounds. I especially loved the weird, freakout noises that close out the album, what a way to end things. Enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Solid rock album for sure.
Favorite tracks: Regular John, If Only, You Would Know, Spiders and Vinegaroons, I Was a Teenage Hand Model.
Album art: A bit risque if I do say so myself. It's the scantily-clad torso of a woman. I've seen this before, it's memorable for sure but the image quality, is it this low everywhere? No idea. But a good cover.
4/5
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Love a good departure like this. Not sure how many Brazilian artists we've had, but from the '60s? This almost certainly has to be the first. Very cool, vibrant style, mixing some sounds that you might traditionally expect from Latin America with psych rock stuff, it works quite well. Even a sitar! I'm always a sucker for a sitar. Really good album, wish I could say I loved it more. But I'm glad we got to take this trip.
Favorite tracks: No Dia Que, Anunciacao, Soy Loco Por Ti America, Eles.
Album art: Love, love, love it. Excellent '60s art style. The portait photo in the middle isn't great, and it's made worse in contrast to the excellent, colorful art all around. Fantastic.
3.5/5
Pentangle
4/5
Really enjoyed this one! Very folksy, with an air of mystery, reminded me of the kind of music you hear in The Wickerman, from some distant English isle. A lot of that is due to the vocals, a bit like a Joni Mitchell siren, and then the instrumentation ranges from traditional/folksy stuff to some psychedelia. Just a really cool variety album.
Favorite tracks: Light Flight, Once I Had a Sweetheart, Hunting Song, House Carpenter, I Saw an Angel.
Album art: Honestly a really cool picture, if we're interpreting an artist's view of the lights in a theater setting to be a "basket of light," that's pretty cool. The glare here is really effective. What's up top there, is that a loge?
4/5
Ryan Adams
4/5
Our second from Ryan Adams, only a week or two after the first. Once again, damn, the guy makes great music. Not hard to see how he made a name for himself. This album feels less like folksy rock stuff and veers into almost blues/gospel territory, at least that's my impression (granted, I'm not the best judge of genres). "Nobody Girl" reminded me of that one Dylan song, was it "Lay Lady Lay"? The big highlight for me has to be "Touch, Feel & Lose," and that's the one where the gospel/blues thing hit me the most. What a cool, heartfelt song. If the albums are all this good, I wouldn't mind more from this asshole.
Favorite tracks: Touch Feel & Lose, Wild Flowers, Answering Bell, Nobody Girl, Somehow Someday, Firecracker.
Album art: Just plain bad. And not in the boomer sense of "what's this guy think he's doing with the upside down flag?," but more in the boomer sense of "what is this clown wearing?" He looks like an AI-generated emo character. Hair looks awful, fit is atrocious, pose is embarassing. How can anyone walk away from a photoshoot thinking this is a winner? How different, really, was 2001?
4/5
The Shamen
2/5
As much as I like an electro-departure here and there on this list, this album was mostly really boring. I swear it's like the guy who made this list heard one electronic song and thought "Wow, gee whiz, now ain't that something! The whole album must be a trip, worth hearing before I die!" and then, well, it aged a bit like milk and just doesn't feel essential. Next please.
Favorite tracks: Human NRG.
Album art: I don't even know if the picture I have on Apple Music is the right one, it's just the name, some runic symbols, and a background that feels like a 3rd generation Pokemon box wallpaper. No comment.
2/5
UB40
2/5
UB40 has some great songs, and none of those are on here. In fact, a good chunk of this album is just instrumental jams. I started checking my headphones, I thought maybe the vocals weren't coming through? It breezed by me with little to no impact. I'm not really a reggae guy so that doesn't help, but sadly I prefer "Red Red Wine" or "Rat in Mi Kitchen." Despite the instrumental work obviously being good, this one was a snoozer for me.
Favorite tracks: 12 Bar, Signing Off.
Album art: I do like this one, it's an unemployment application, pretty funny pick. Fits the laid back vibe I suppose.
2.5/5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
We've had a few from Neil Young now, and this one might be my favorite yet. The opener is such an amazing song, I can't quite tell if I've heard it before but I was absolutely floored and glued. I love that it's redone in the psych-y electrified version at the end too, though this opening rendition is the crown jewel. Some other great songs throughout. "Pocahontas" was funny, especially talking about sitting with her and Marlon Brando at a fire. I'm aware of Brando's advocacy but it's just a really funny image, I'm picturing him in Godfather mode. Neil Young really rocks, this album confirms it for me.
Favorite tracks: My My Hey Hey, Thrasher, Sail Away, Hey Hey My My.
Album art: Not great if we're being honest, it's a pretty lame band photo. My least favorite option that so many bands choose.
4/5
Sheryl Crow
4/5
In short: https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/043/853/cover1.jpg
To elaborate: I think in my mind I had Sheryl Crow and Shania Twain in the same file folder, sometimes forgetting who's who. But damn, Sheryl is an excellent songwriter. A few on here that actually blew me away. I only knew her singles, including "All I Wanna Do," and don't get me wrong, her hits are good, but I had no idea the chops she had. And again, in my mind I think I saw her name and read "Shania Twain." Great album (and a debut to boot), love the wordy blues tracks a lot. Really cool to hear the female perspective in a blues song, there should be more of that.
Favorite tracks: Leaving Las Vegas, All I Wanna Do, Strong Enough, No One Said It Would Be Easy.
Album art: Not bad. Portrait, but with some artistic elements that make it interesting. Perfect for a debut of this kind.
4/5
Bad Company
4/5
Damn, this was the third album in a row of 4 stars, that's worth something these days. Bad Company has been in my heart for a while thanks to Dad, he put us on. Their title track on their self-titled album, that's what we're all here for. It's really just absurdly good, the way the song builds to the "drop" if you will is just killer. The run up of songs on this album to that point are quite good too, I know a lot of these well. Loses steam on the back end, but the highs are high enough to make this a great album.
Favorite tracks: Bad Company, Can't Get Enough, Ready for Love, Rock Steady.
Album art: Simple and effective. Band name in white over black background. I do find it annoying that they write "Bad Co." when everywhere else it's "Company" written out.
4/5
The Monkees
2/5
Woof. I know the Monkees have a place in history, and some hits out there, but goodness gracious so much of this feels like Beatles imitation, and not the good Beatles music that they were making by the time this album dropped, but the mediocre bubblegum poppy stuff. "I Can't Get Her Off My Mind" feels ripped from that "With the Beatles" album that I despise with a passion. Most of this whizzed by me, but there were a couple standouts, especially "Zilch," that song is weird as hell. Guys just chanting over each other until they run out of gas and just start laughing. Do they have more weird stuff like that? Seems like something Zappa would do, love it. Album's weak though.
Favorite tracks: Zilch, You Just May Be the One.
Album art: Professional cutesy photo of the band, not much to say. Font stuff is kind of cool though.
2/5
Blur
4/5
Damn, another great album. Everything lately has been either four stars or two. I think we've had a couple from Blur, but this one is the strongest so far. And of course I actually know "Song 2," that's been everywhere for decades. "You're So Great" is such a good love song too, very nonchalant expression of love. The closer was also excellent. Solid '90s rock album, they did a lot right on here.
Favorite tracks: You're So Great, Essex Dogs, Song 2, Beetlebum, On Your Own.
Album art: Surprise surprise, it's all a blur. Looks to be someone frantically rushing a stretcher through a hospital. Not too memorable, but I like it.
4/5
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Finally! We didn't have Frank on here, did we? This is our first from Amy on the list, and hopefully not the last. I'm a huge fan of Amy Winehouse, what an incredible voice, and unlike someone like Adele she doesn't just make bland pop ballads with that gift, she repurposes jazz standards, puts her own spin on classic soul songs, sings "what kind of fuckery is this?" There's an unmistakeable edge to her music, and unfortunately that might be attributable to the substances. She died at 27, so a member of that tragic club of artists of immense talent that left us way too soon. Ironic that the song "Back to Black" apparently is not about heroin, but she ended up doing that later. "Rehab," by my count, is her worst song. I skip it everytime. But so many excellent gems on here. I miss her.
Favorite tracks: Tears Dry On Their Own, Me & Mr. Jones, Back to Black, You Know I'm No Good, Wake Up Alone, He Can Only Hold Her.
Album cover: The original British one kinda sucks, her sitting on a stool in front of a chalkboard. The American release is much more striking and memorable, for whatever my opinion is worth.
4.5/5
D'Angelo
4/5
I could've swore we got Voodoo on here too, but nope, this is our first from D'Angelo. What a great talent he is, someone who operates on the softer side of R&B/soul, I named him in my review of Solange's album for that shared trait. How do you do a Smokey Robinson cover ("Cruisin") and make it feel even lighter and airier? No idea, but he does it. I hadn't heard this album before but it's great. Title track was fantastic. Would be happy to get any or all of the other D'Angelo albums on here too.
Favorite tracks: Brown Sugar, Jonz in my Bonz, Smooth, Cruisin, Lady.
Album art: A sort of sepia-washed out photo of D'Angelo, it's not bad but not very special.
4/5
Sex Pistols
3/5
Here's a very famous album. This pricks surely angered a lot of posh Brits with their "God Save the Queen" rubbish. Truthfully, I know they're influential and important, but I didn't love this as much as I thought I would. A couple of standouts, but on the whole it was just alright. We've had better punk stuff.
Favorite tracks: Anarchy in the UK (great Guitar Hero jam), Submission, No Feelings.
Album art: Definitely iconic, one of the greats. Excellent choice of colors and slap-dash stencil font, reminds me of a ransom letter.
3/5
Morrissey
3/5
Our second from the bastard I believe, and it's actually quite good. Dammit.
Favorite tracks: Everyday is Like Sunday, Break Up the Family, I Don't Mind If You Forget Me.
Album art: Close-up jumpscare. The shadows work to great effect. Reminds me of the film class in high school where we learned that a heavily shadowed face usually indicates the character is evil. This fits.
3.5/5
Talking Heads
3/5
I know what it means to have a fear of music. For example, I'm afraid to listen to more music from Talking Heads because I thought the first album was so bad. But hey, this one is more akin to the second we heard, and actually a bit more enjoyable, so maybe these guys aren't so bad after all. I'd love for them to claw their way up to a five-star album from me, but that would take quite a bit. For now, I think this album's pretty good. Some cool stuff going on for sure, and David Byrne's voice didn't bug me at all. What was I afraid of again?
Favorite tracks: Paper, Life During Wartime, Electric Guitar.
Album art: A little green stamp of the band and album name over that classic black metal pattern, the kind of thing an 8 year old would want on every surface in a garage. It looks a lot tougher than these guys or their music.
3.5/5
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
My quirky guys! The legendary "Scarborough Fair," my first exposure to S&G, and definitely one of their best. What kind of guys just decide to make an ancient song like that? A number of great songs on here, just reiterating how fantastic Paul Simon is as a songwriter (not to completely minimize Art Garfunkel, but the one thing I remember reading on Wikipedia is that he didn't like "Dangling Conversation" because he thought it was too pretentions). Especially dug the Dylan homage on "Simple Desultory Philippic" - what the hell do these words even mean? Also loved the closer, which I had first heard in the form of Phoebe Bridgers' remake. Didn't realize it was a Simon and Garfunkel track, but I can't say I'm surprised. Very bold for 1966. Great album!
Favorite tracks: Scarborough Fair, Flowers Never Bend, 59th Street Bridge Song, Simple Desultory Philippic, 7 oClock News.
Album art: This one's been embedded in my brain for more than a decade. Not sure if I'd call it iconic, but I personally love it. The boys look very mysterious here, and it appears they are sitting in a field of flowers, but the background has been replaced with blackness. Also why are the tracks in the wrong order?
4/5
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Whoa, this is our second from Emmylou Harris, released 25 years after the other we reviewed which is crazy, talk about longevity. This album is notable for being the first where she actually wrote or co-wrote most of the songs, as opposed to doing covers. Wild that it took decades into her career to release her own stuff like that, I admire the commitment to keeping a hidden talent hidden. That said, I can't say I found too much that jumped out at me, nor much reason to return to this one. A consistent sound achieved, but it's not all that interesting amid so many singer-songwriter albums that we've reviewed to this point. It's alright.
Favorite tracks: Tragedy, One Big Love.
Album art: What exactly is this shot? Artistic for sure, but Emmylou is off to the side in some space, maybe a tour bus? No idea. But it's a fine cover.
3/5
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
What an oddball album. A quirky instrumentalist album, but it happens to be live. You wouldn't know it if not for the applause after each song. I definitely enjoyed a few tracks, many of these are long musical odysseys, just played with a xylophone and other oft-forgotten old timey feeling instruments. Not mad at this at all.
Favorite tracks: Vibraphonissimo, Little Italy, Laura's Dream.
Album art: Purely descriptive, an explanation of what the album is and a picture of the two namesake guys I guess. The opposite of creative.
3.5/5
M.I.A.
4/5
Number two from MIA, with no hits in sight. Still, another testament to how talented and creative she is (was?) as an artist. Such pronounced style, it's obvious why this list-maker would include multiple from MIA - she makes music that white people have never heard before. Jokes aside (am I joking?), I really dug this one. Not as captivating or consistent as Mala, but still a strong project. Prior to doing this project, I think I had only heard a couple of her newer albums, which are nowhere near as interesting as these early ones. Not sure what she's been up to.
Favorite tracks: Banana, Pull Up the People, Sunshowers, Fire Fire, Hombre, 10 Dollar.
Album art: Another banger. Better than Mala to me, this one is really cool. A great collage of colorful elements and styles, perfectly reflective of the kind of music she's putting out there. Plus you get a picture of her in the center, which is a nice bonus.
4/5
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Whoa, wasn't expecting to see Lupe on here. Lupe Fiasco is a really talented rapper, frequently underrated and left out of conversations that he should be in. I'm not sure what it is, he's a great lyricist and makes great albums, but something holds him back from being widely considered one of the greats (though many do put him up there). This album has "Kick, Push," which was my first exposure to him back in middle school or something. A cool skater anthem, that I'm not even sure is about skating. Regardless, great album. Lots to enjoy here.
Favorite tracks: Kick Push, Sunshine, Pressure, The Cool, The Instrumental, Hurt Me Soul.
Album art: Pretty cool but also pretty weird. Lupe floating in space, surrounded by technology and the trappings of consumerism? Very of the era if you ask me, so not exactly timeless but it's a cool image.
4/5
Herbie Hancock
5/5
Man, the sigh of relief I breathed when I saw this pop up. Herbie, the LEGEND, one of my favorite jazz albums (if you can really call it jazz). It's more of a fusion with funk elements, and that's what makes it so appealing to me. The first two tracks are fantastic. "Watermelon Man" is one of my favorite things ever, that flute or whatever at the core of the track is so memorable. There's a great Rapsody track called "Whoopi" that samples this song, it just made this one even more classic to me. Of course, with only four tracks, there's a lot of time on each to sink your teeth in. The second half of the album isn't as strong, but how could it be? This is a five star, there's no way around it. I'd be surprised if we get another project from Herbie on here, but if anyone's reading this, know that this is also the man who would make "Rockit," which you've probably heard at some point. He's goated.
Favorite tracks: Watermelon Man, Chameleon, Sly, Vein Melter (in that order).
Album art: Classic, classic, iconic. Fantastic use of color contrast, and what even is on this man's head? It's some kind of robotic head with knob eyes and a meter for a smile. I hope they found the head they were hunting for.
5/5
Rush
3/5
Our second from Rush, and nowhere near as electric as Moving Pictures. The opener is a pretty cool odyssey track that really picks up steam toward the end. "Passage to Bangkok" made me cringe with the "Chinese" theme that was repeated in there. I don't know man, I like Rush but this was just alright. I liked two out of six songs, which isn't bad, but I really don't think we needed this as a second album from them. They probably have some better ones.
Favorite tracks: 2112, Lessons.
Album art: Definitely a cool one, what seems to be stars as a backdrop for a pentagram floating on black water in the foreground. Font is strong too, this one's really solid.
3/5
Common
4/5
Awesome that we get another from Common on this list! I've been meaning to listen to this album for years, as I've heard it's his other peak, next to Be. It's very strong, some fantastic beats and you already know with Common that the rapping is going to be consistent. I love too that he ends so many of his albums with a poetry reading from his dad, adds such a cool layer to his music. This one's fantastic. Be is still my favorite from Common (and would likely never be dethroned), but this one is excellent too. There was only one track on here that even sounded familiar, but I came out with a ton that I really dug.
Favorite tracks: Payback is a Grandmother, Cold Blooded, The Questions, Thelonius, Dooinit, The Light, Funky for You, The 6th Sense, Pops Rap III.
Album art: Definitely a strong statement here, and gives a heavy meaning to the title. Love the framing and design, and that the title font is spaced unevenly, adds a cool edge.
4.5/5
Tori Amos
4/5
Wow, another banger! I know Tori Amos' name, but don't think I could name a song, probably a "me" problem. But this is a great album, apparently her debut too and it's all introspective piano singer-songwriter stuff, which seems incredibly bold. Not a style that many can pull off, but damn she nailed it here. Very heavily reminds me of Kate Bush, and that's definitely a compliment. Will be returning to a quite a few tracks on here, and I wouldn't mind some more from Tori if she's bringing heat like this.
Favorite tracks: Girl, Silent All These Years, Winter, Leather, Mother, Tear in Your Hand.
Album art: A tiny Tori crouched inside a wooden box, I can't tell if she's trying to or scared to get out. Simple but striking. I like it.
4.5/5
Pink Floyd
3/5
Early Pink Floyd, well before the big ones we've gotten so far. I was ready to write some angry review about how we don't need these proto-band albums, like the Bee Gees before the disco, but then I got to "Interstellar Overdrive," which I recognized immediately as the sample in Death Grips' "I Want It I Need It." What a massive, massive riff. I stand by the fact that this isn't as essential as albums like Dark Side of the Moon or Let's Start Here; I'm not sure if it NEEDS to be on this list. But I can't in good faith advocate for axing after hearing that track. Though a good chunk of it is like generic '60s psych rock, it's still quite good.
Favorite tracks: Interstellar Overdrive, Lucifer Sam, Pow R. Toc H., Bike.
Album art: Kaleidoscopic view of the bandmates, they look quite scuzzy here. I'm pretty sure I recognize Roger Waters in the top left.
3.5/5
Kraftwerk
4/5
Realizing now that this wasn't a joke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SAFC4_KbW0. Me and my sample brain, I caught that "Hall of Mirrors" was sampled by The Molemen on their classic "Put Your Quarter Up." And had to look it up to confirm, but Afrika Bambaata also sampled this album on "Planet Rock," that's a big hallmark. Really love this one, these guys are weird and fun.
Favorite tracks: Trans-Europe Express, Hall of Mirrors, Showroom Dummies, Abzug, Endless Endless.
Album art: Very simple, black and white with a warped, artsy silhouette of the train. What's the deal with Kraftwerk and public transportation? An album about the Autobahn, now an album about a train? It's time for them to travel to Japan and make an album about the Shinkansen.
4.5/5
Patti Smith
4/5
I know this is deemed a classic, but I've never heard it before. Patti Smith has a pretty distinct style, it's hard to even pin a genre on this, I guess that's why "alternative" works. Some are straight rock songs, others are long piano ballads. I thought she was adjacent to punk, and I guess she has a punk voice, but this seems elevated emotionally. Some really great songs on here. I'm not sure what I was expecting--maybe an album full of songs about horses?--but I really dig this one. I could definitely see this becoming a familiar classic if I listened to it more.
Favorite tracks: Gloria, Birdland, Kimberly, Land.
Album art: This one I think is iconic, maybe just because of how durable the album is. But I've seen this hundreds of times, it's hard to get out of your head. A very simple portrait shot, but the pose and the fit and the contrast make it very memorable.
4/5
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Bruh. Three albums from this group? What's the hook, what's the redeeming quality here that I'm unaware of? The music isn't necessarily bad but it's so nondescript. I refuse to believe that the '80s were this bland.
Favorite tracks: The Cutter.
Album art: Guys standing by a glacial waterfall, makes me think of Iceland. Not a bad picture at all, font is fine. Probably won't think of this one after today though.
2/5
Peter Tosh
3/5
Reggae has never been my strong suit, it's not a genre that resonates with me often. The grooves are all very similar to me, and that makes albums difficult. Still, this one had a few tracks I enjoyed. The title track is just so funny, if ever there was doubt about the weed being a Rasta stereotype, here you go. As far as album's go, it's alright. I can't say it doesn't belong here because of how little reggae we get, but it certainly didn't blow me away.
Favorite tracks: Legalize It, Ketchy Shuby, Brand New Second Hand.
Album art: Amazing, incredible. I can only assume that's Peter, and he's certainly not picking pickled peppers. He's smoking that good kush. Please guys, let's legalize it (it's already legal here).
3/5
Waylon Jennings
3/5
Not bad at all! I always appreciate a country departure, and this one was better than some we've had. The opener was excellent, with a great build-up. I know the name Waylon Jennings, but this is my first time hearing him. He really do be Waylon, huh? Good stuff.
Favorite tracks: Honky Tonk Heroes, Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me, Ain't No God in Mexico.
Album art: Probably the weakest aspect of this album. Band photo, my favorite. Thankfully it looks like the guys are all hootin' and hollerin' and carryin' on, but it's a boring cover to me.
3.5/5
3/5
A few tracks I enjoyed, decent album but that's about it. Too many like this, middle of the roaders. I've never heard of this group, though the name Sardonicus sounds familiar, apparently there's a horror movie with that name but I haven't seen that either. This isn't horror-themed at all, it's just loosely psych-y rock. A drop in the bucket at this point. I would sincerely trim down the psych rock field on this list, including with this one, even though it's decent. Decent doesn't cut the mustard.
Favorite tracks: Mr. Skin, Life Has Just Begun, Rougher Road.
Album art: Some freaky deaky stuff going on here, or really just a funhouse mirror shot of the band? Better than most band photos, but nothing too special. I do like the font.
3/5
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Hard to track this one down, couldn't find it on Apple Music in the US. But there's a sort of rerelease album called "Muleskinner" with all the same tracks, so I listened to that. I like this style, it's like archival blues/folk music, definitely appreciate an album like this. Makes me think of Lead Belly, an even earlier blues musician responsible for some of the earliest recorded music in the genre. Lead Belly recorded albums as early as 1939! Lord knows the British bastard who made this list doesn't know about American blues like that, but I would absolutely add one of those in a redo of this list. This one's pretty good though, too.
Favorite tracks: East Texas Talking Blues, Old Blue, Salty Dog.
Album art: This one on the website is just a picture of the guy, it's pretty low-res, nothing much at all to it. The Muleskinner repackage album has a cool scribble-drawn portrait, I do like that one quite a bit.
3.5/5
Robert Wyatt
4/5
I've been watching through all the Twilight Zone episodes over the last six months or so, and I noticed that Rod Serling loves using the word "oddball" to describe the stories and characters. This is an oddball album. It's listed as "alternative," and I guess it's closest to psych rock or something, but it's weird. Strange vocal passages, long songs, gibberish track titles. I really dig it. It seems a little lost in time - I think I thought it was from the '60s, but somehow seems ahead of its time, released in the '60s. I don't know anything about Robert Wyatt or this album, but it was a nice, welcome trip into the twilight zone for me.
Favorite tracks: Alifib, Alife, Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road (the second one), A Last Straw.
Album art: Really hard to tell what I'm looking at. A pencil sketch of what, some flora abutting a beach? Is that a person in the water conjuring some celestial orbs? It's all so faint that imagination has to fill in the gaps. Not bad, definitely fitting.
4/5
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Another from the Cocteau Twins, wasn't expecting it but I'm kind of glad I can say I've listened to more than just the big one. But I've learned that the big one is the big one for good reason. This one, while decent, just doesn't create the same heavenly space that the other does. A few solid tracks that I enjoyed, but not nearly as dreamy or transportive as I would've hoped. Definitely still finding their sound here. Overall, it was alright.
Favorite tracks: Donimo (intentional typo?), Lorelei, Pandora.
Album art: Looks to be a mannequin behind a lacy dress or something, the coloring effect makes it seem very gothic, like something ripped from Dimetrescu's mansion in Resident Evil Village. It's simple but I dig it. Font is excellent.
3/5
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
As usual, the albums from the '50s reign supreme on this list. Definitely heard the name Count Basie before, but not sure if I've heard the music. It's in that classic vein of big band, swing jazz stuff. I love the style, and there are some heaters on here. Always a welcome treat to get stuff this old. Makes all the generic rock shit that much worse.
Favorite tracks: The Kid from Red Bank, Splanky, Flight of the Foo Birds, Whirly-Bird, Fantail.
Album art: OPPENHEIMER EAT YOUR HEART OUT. Love how persistent nuke imagery was in the, well, the Atomic Age that was the '50s. Atomic is right.
4.5/5
David Bowie
1/5
Boo. Realizing more and more that Bowie's the kind of artist you have to "appreciate" even though his music doesn't do anything for me. Very boring stuff overall. He's grossly overrepresented on this list, why the hell do we need this album from 2013? He was past his shelf life here.
Favorite tracks: Love is Lost.
Album art: A square superimposed over the cover of one of his better albums. Would rather listen to the song "Heroes" on repeat for an hour than listen to anything on here again.
1.5/5
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Never heard of this lady, but she's got some decent stuff on here. The last track is absolutely unhinged, scorched earth breakup song. Wasn't expecting to hear such profanity when I put this album on, and I respect the rage. But yeah, decent album with some different genre lanes represented. Not much to say, but I didn't mind this at all.
Favorite tracks: Ballad of Lucy Jordan, Why d'Ya Do It, Witches' Song.
Album art: Blue-d out portrait photo, with a little red cigarette tip. I love the use of color for this one, elevates it well above standard portrait/band photo stuff.
3/5
Sonic Youth
2/5
Woof, went to double check that we had another Sonic Youth album on this list and this one's actually number four. Not a good sign. I gave each of the three prior albums 3 stars, very middle of the road rock. This one's not even quite that good. It's not bad, but very forgettable rock. I think I've heard enough now to say I don't really get the appeal. Do we really need all of these from them?
Favorite tracks: Secret Girl, In the Kingdom #19.
Album art: Some crazy lady who looks like she's trying (?) to shit herself. The colorful and squiggly font and drawing on top of the picture is nice though, adds some much needed life to this weird picture.
2.5/5
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
Never heard of these guys, who are they? Why is this album not available on Apple Music, except for the retitled "Second Edition" vinyl rerelease? Lots of unanswered questions here, in the music as well. Some freaky-deaky genre exploration around punk rock, which I think is pretty nice. Love when synths get involved, who said punk has to be completely DIY garage stuff? I liked this much more than I thought I would, at least the handful of tracks I'll be keeping. Nothing that blew me away necessarily, though "Socialist" is really cool. Not a bad way to end this weird week, which took me from a 4.5 to a 1.5 and then pinballed in the middle.
Favorite tracks: Socialist, The Suit, Albatross, Radio 4.
Album art: It's a metal canister of music I guess. The "Second Edition" release that I have access to has a different cover, a warping distorted face that I guess is a guy in the band. It's warping with what seems to be a really creepy alien head. I like that cover more than the can.
3.5/5
Willie Nelson
3/5
I believe this is our second from Willie. I know he's an important figure in country but I can't find all that much here to make him distinguishable or memorable. One of those artists who just makes music well, but maybe lacks an edge. I found a few of my favorite tracks on here were instrumentals, those were pretty interesting. Not a bad album by any measure, but not too much for me.
Favorite tracks: Bandera, Remember Me, Down Yonder.
Album art: A nice old timey portrait of Willie as the red headed stranger (strangler?). The framing and illustration style is pretty nice.
3/5
Boards of Canada
4/5
Really, really dug this one. I think I've heard the name in passing but definitely not familiar with Boards of Canada. They're obviously indebted to the great ambient artists before them, like Brian Eno. This is just really engaging, mesmerizing stuff. I also like that amid the atmospheric ambience are a few tracks with almost hip hop beats. This is lo-fi beats to chill/dissociate to.
Favorite tracks: Olson, Kaini Industries, The Color of Fire, Sixtyten, An Eagle in Your Mind, Rue the Whirl, Pete Standing Alone.
Album art: What looks to be an ordinary photo of a family vacation, but all the faces are missing. Reminds me of the meme I just saw this morning about taking a bunch of Benadryl. Who took this photo, the Hat Man? Very appropriate, very creepy.
4.5/5
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Posh pop boys would maybe be a better name. Our second from them, and about on par with the first. Still lacking "West End Girls," but I guess since they're British we're gonna have to hear most of the catalog before getting to the big hit. Not a bad album though, a couple solid tracks.
Favorite songs: To Face the Truth, So Hard.
Album art: Thick white border, which I think I saw they did on a lot of albums. A face picture, a back of the head picture, and what I can only assuem is the two Pet Shop Boys holding roses before abandoning them. Is this supposed to be telling a story or something? It's not bad.
3/5
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
Never heard of this artist. I love hip hop, and usually love British rap, but this one didn't do much for me. Granted, it's musically sound (pardon the pun), but it just lacked punch. Not all of it lacked punch though, as there were a few standouts. But unfortunately it just made me wish for albums from other rappers. Not sure what is so noteworthy about this project. I can't say it's bad but yeah, just alright.
Favorite tracks: Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, A Lil Deeper.
Album art: For the original British cover, she's sitting like a tough guy on a chair on some industrial trash island. The US release has a different cover, with her squatting in a little thing on a wall, a dumbwaiter? I don't know. I think I prefer the US version for the framing, but neither is all that great.
3/5
Shivkumar Sharma
5/5
Holy cow. I knew there was some Hindustani music on here, I believe we'll be getting Ravi Shankar at some point. I've never heard of this one but it seems to be legendary, and the root of a lot of big artists getting interested in traditional Indian folk music and sounds. I can see why, good lord. First of all, this album is not available on Apple Music; there's a "reimagined" thing made by his son on there, it seems fine but it's not even close to the traditional Hindustani stuff. I had to listen on youtube, and then scour the internet further to see if I could download this album somewhere because it's incredible. I'm a sucker for Hindustani/raga stuff, it's just so transportive and meditative and relaxes me like nothing else. I'm not someone who has the palate to tell you "good" from "bad" in this genre, or to even distinguish artists from one another, but jeez louise this is an amazing listen, and it has to get a five star from me in the hopes we get more, and to let everyone know that this shit rocks.
Favorite tracks: Every single one. There's even an extended reissue, even more of a good thing.
Album art: Amazing, amazing. Perfect art for this. Warm painting of shepherds herding their sheep. I forget sometimes that this was often the music of sherpas and farmers.
5/5
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Our second from the Peps, and it's got some heat. I knew "Suck My Kiss" was on here, such a classic guitar hero jam. But I didn't realize "Under the Bridge" is as well, love that song! One of my favorites ever from these guys. Some other great tracks I've never heard before, which is always a treat. Towards the end there's a song where I heard Kiedis sing something about "devil in my dick" and for a split second I thought "no, there's no way he just said that, I must have misheard," and then the following line is "demons in my semen," so I definitely heard it right. Great stuff guys, great album.
Favorite tracks: Under the Bridge, Suck my Kiss, If You Have to Ask, I Could Have Lied, Sir Psycho Sexy.
Album art: Definitely a classic, maybe their best. Once again, red white and black with the killer color scheme. The tribal tattoo tongue thing going on is pretty cool. An excellent design.
4/5
Lou Reed
3/5
I'm not always into Lou Reed, but this is a pretty solid album. Some acoustic songs that sound way more contemporary than the '70s. It took the first half of the album for me to settle in but the second half was really good. The kid crying on "The Kids" was a nice touch too. No big hits on here, at least that I'm aware of, but I'm saving a few. Maybe I'm becoming a Lou Reed fan.
Favorite tracks: Men of Good Fortune, Oh Jim, Caroline Says II, The Bed.
Album art: A shot of Lou I'm guessing, with a couple other people, framed in another shot of a ton of people with a little poem about Berlin. Lots of things going on here. It's not a bad cover though, the contrasting colors help.
3.5/5
Cee Lo Green
3/5
It's alright. I know Cee Lo, we all know Cee Lo, he's an important figure in the sphere of R&B/hip hop crossover. Definitely a good, unique voice. This album didn't offer much that I would consider to be gamechanging, let alone "must hear before I die." But it's fine. A couple songs to keep and I'll move on. That's how a lot of this goes. I wonder if we'll get that infamous Gnarls Barkley album at some point.
Favorite tracks: The Art of Noise, Childz Play, Glockapella.
Album art: Honestly pretty bad, and very emblematic of early 2000's. It's Cee Lo in the clouds, or so it seems, and if you look closer, he's reflected in his own sunglasses. How does that even work?
3/5
Frank Zappa
4/5
Nice, glad to finally get some Zappa on here! I know him to be a really odd dude, and my exposure to his work prior to today is Trout Mask Replica, a classic weird album that I'm sure will appear on here too. But this album isn't weird at all, it's just impressive rock. Lots of virtuoso instrumental performance, great riffs, not a hint of the weirdness that he's known for (aside from maybe the title). Hell, most of this album is purely instrumental! I'm genuinely impressed by this, and I'm saving four of the six songs which is huge. Well done Frank.
Favorite tracks: Peaches en Regalia, Willie the Pimp, Son of Mr. Green Genes, The Gumbo Variations.
Album art: Very, very cool art. A pinked-out picture of (I assume) Frank standing in a drained pool, looking like a monster. Setting and vibe reminds me of Black Sabbath's self-titled. The color is nice though, and the title borders are strong. "Hot Rats" is such a funny name for an album like this.
4.5/5
Brian Wilson
3/5
I've wanted to listen to this album for quite some time now, because it's notoriously listed as one of the most critically acclaimed releases ever (according to Metacritic). It's Brian Wilson, the mastermind Beach Boy, doing his own thing. There's a heap of lore here, it's a lost album that he never made and was scarred by having scrapped, and it materialized decades later after much coaxing. If you're me, the best description for the lore is a cross between Dr. Dre's "Detox" and Jai Paul's album. But rich lore does not a good album make. That's not to say the music is bad, it's certainly not. But it doesn't hit me as revolutionary or, for the most part, even exciting. Then again, I wasn't a backpacker Beach Boy fan from the '60s-'70s clamoring for Mr. Wilson to give the people what they want. Hearing this from a lens of impartiality (though I do like the Beach Boys) and decades removed, it's alright. Not at all worth the hype to me, save the hype for Pet Sounds. But it's okay.
Favorite tracks: Our Prayer/Gee, Child is the Father of Man, Good Vibrations (this one's not a lost track, what?).
Album art: Well, it's a sun, with some hippy-style fonts on top, and an ornate digital art frame. Pretty weak, especially given the lore. You had decades, and this is it? Bah humbug.
3/5
Arcade Fire
4/5
Second Arcade Fire on this list, and I was ready to be somewhat bored, but this album's pretty great. Lots of solid tracks, and I really enjoy the alternating lead vocals (even though I think most of the songs I liked were Win Butler). More bangers than I was expecting, I'm totally on board with this inclusion.
Favorite tracks: City with No Children, Half Light II, Suburban War, The Suburbs (Continued), Rococo.
Album art: I've seen this one many times, it's a washed out picture of a car parked next to a house. Kind of funny to me that this looks like California due to the palm tree, which I would never associate with "the suburbs." But it's a pretty solid cover.
4/5
Richard Thompson
3/5
Man, the list maker must be big fan of Richard Thompson, first we get not one but two albums from Fairport Convention, now a sort-of-not-quite solo album with Richard and his wife Linda. I have to say, this album is a lot more interesting than the Fairport ones we got. The folksy tinge gives this a great Wicker Man kind of vibe, and holy cow, "The Calvary Cross." What an immense track. I knew listening to it that I had heard it before, likely in a movie. Turns out it was that horror movie Night House with Rebecca Hall. Really harrowing incorporation of that track, which hit hard in the movie and honestly just hits hard in general. Genuine beast of a hit, that track. Elevates the album to a 3.5 for me, without that track we're talking 2.5 or 3 because there wasn't much else that was memorable. But knowing they had that track in the tank, this is a worthy album. I'm fairly sure a relisten would result in more songs saved.
Favorite tracks: The Calvary Cross, When I Get to the Border.
Album art: I think this one's really advanced, especially for the '70s. Reminds me of that one Pavement cover with the text, but this one seems really dire. Looks like a combination of written in blood and written in mist on a shower door. Really strong.
3.5/5
Björk
2/5
Once again, yeah, I'm not a Bjork fan. This album didn't annoy me at all though, and there were a couple songs I dug. But most of it just breezed by me. She's one of those big acclaimed artists that I don't know if I'll ever catch the train.
Favorite tracks: Lionsong, Atom Dance.
Album art: I do like the look of this one, very striking. Bjork hitting the weird NPC pose in some bizarre, but very Bjork, outfit. Very refined.
2.5/5
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Holy cow. This is our second from Marvin Gaye (somehow we haven't had What's Going On yet? that doesn't seem right). While Here My Dear was a really excellent surprise, this album tops even that. Yeah, it's very obviously a collection of jams to bone to. But damn man, they are all (in more ways than one) bangers. I genuinely loved all but one track, and that one was still pretty cool. I wasn't expecting depth beyond the title track, as I really don't see people talking about this album, but it goes the distance. I can so strongly hear the influence that he had on guys like Frank Ocean. This is a new favorite R&B/Soul album for me, going into the all time fiver club.
Favorite tracks: All but "You Sure Love to Ball," which is still a good song.
Album art: Not entirely sure what Marvin is doing in this picture. Is he playing guitar behind his head? Is he holding a pizza box, winding up before he smashes it on the table in front of him? Is he just hitting a "raise the roof" emote style? No idea. But it's blurry, the font is pretty shitty, and it doesn't even matter because the music is that good.
5/5
Joe Ely
2/5
Eh. Honky tonk is right, and while I'm usually all in favor of a departure, this one didn't take me someplace I enjoy. Instead I was in a bar with a loud guy performing songs too lively for the hour. Not bad music per se, but one trick pony if you ask me. A couple I enjoyed (and I love the song about going downtown, I refuse to believe that isn't innuendo), but overall, bit of a dud for me.
Favorite tracks: Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown, Boxcars.
Album art: I swear I'd seen this before, or maybe something just like it, but I thought it was for some Americana rock act. Definitely wasn't this guy that I heard. It's a pretty decent pic, as far as band pics/portraits go. But not much to talk about.
2.5/5
Fela Kuti
4/5
Wow, number two from Fela Kuti and it's another great one. Is this the best live album we've had on the list? It might be. Just a great jam session recording, only five tracks but I'm keeping three of them. Absolutely loved the drum solo track to close it out. Though I'm always opposed to live albums in general, this one's solid. I can't exactly condone the inclusion, but I understand.
Favorite tracks: Drum Solo, Let's Start, Egbe Mi O.
Album art: Just a party shot of the band on stage or whatever. Very forgettable, font is decent though. Who's the white boy on the right? Not curious enough to look it up but he looks to be quirked up, little bit of swag, busting it down sexual style. Perhaps he's even goated with the sauce.
4/5
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
Very '90s house stuff, is this even house? Is it trance? Wikipedia says "trip hop," which (a) sounds lame as hell, and (b) is probably the vibe that I don't really like. The kind of '90s electronic that doesn't resonate with me all that much. This one's decent though, there are a few tracks I enjoyed, especially the closer which had more flavor than most of the album. I'm sure there was a lot of great techno/house stuff from the '90s that's dated in a fun way, but this one's not quite that fun.
Favorite tracks: Gambia Via Vagator Beach, Wait a Minute, Mission Venice.
Album art: Based on this cover and the title, I was expecting something reggae, or anything really that was more "weed"-y. Were people getting high listening to this stuff? Probably. Maybe that's the missing piece here, I was sober hearing it.
3/5
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
We're doing soundtracks now? This seems to be the soundtrack to an Indian film, and it's actually pretty good. There's a spaghetti Western feel to it, makes me curious if the movie was good. I like the music, but the inclusion is puzzling. Strikes me as a phony attempt to include something from somewhere other than Europe or America.
Favorite tracks: Title Music, Naag Devta, Mera Pyar Shalimar.
Album art: Possibly a movie poster condensed, not bad at all but yeah, it's a soundtrack, so not much thought went into it.
3.5/5
New Order
3/5
I know we've had one other from New Order so far, and I also know they've got hits that still haven't shown up. That makes this inclusion a little frustrating, but it's alright. The first track really hooked me, but there wasn't much after that to maintain the hold. Not bad by any means, it's New Order, I like their style. But we could do better.
Favorite tracks: Love Vigilantes, Face Up.
Album art: A shadowy man's face looking down from an odd angle. Band name is written in a confusing way on the right side of the frame. This one's weird, but it's striking and pretty memorable.
3/5
Khaled
2/5
Always frustrating when we get an album that's not on Apple Music. Usually I take the time to piece it together from what releases do exist, but this one's really difficult to do since the titles are not in English. I listened to a different Kenza release from 1999 instead - I really don't know what kind of difference that makes, as the only noteworthy thing about this album on wikipedia is that it's included on this list. Not a good sign. Anyway the album I listened to had a couple cool tracks. It's a very specific style of music, apparently Algerian? I do like it, but a whole album length is a little tough for me. Getting this and the Shalimar soundtrack so close together really emphasize how hamstrung this listmaker was to pull in some international picks. Call of the Valley: incredible. These two: headscratchers to me.
Favorite tracks: (can't pick any because I had to listen to a different album)
Album art: Really like this shot a lot, makes me wish I had heard the right album because it just looks so cool. Guy is dressed like the '70s, in a car that's probably from the '70s too. I respect it.
2.5/5
The Bees
3/5
I liked this, some low-key alt-pop is how I'd describe it. Never heard of this group or album, and I can kind of understand why. Not an insult, they just seem like an unsung type of band. But the music is very pleasant, I enjoyed this one.
Favorite tracks: Punchbag, BInnel Bay, This Town.
Album art: Really like this picture, a cartoon luchador. This one looks familiar to me, not sure if that's just from seeing the albums that are on this list. But it's memorable, I dig it.
3.5/5
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I believe this is number two from LCD Soundsystem, a band I went and saw with Andrew and Alden without knowing their music at all. They've got some serious jams on here, no denying that. I always assumed they were a band from decades ago, but this one's pretty recent. Still not quite a "fan" of LCD like that, but both albums we've had have been good, I think they're worth a nod on here.
Favorite tracks: North American Scum, Someone Great, Us v. Them.
Album art: I've seen this one a lot, but I'm not a big fan. Some kind of light or something set up on the ground, and the whole image is rotated. I don't know, it just doesn't do anything for me.
3.5/5
Baaba Maal
4/5
Great album! A lot of departures to Asia/Africa in the last few weeks, and this one is near the top for me. Some fantastic guitar work, blended with what I assume are more traditional Senegalese sounds and styles. Plenty of excellent tracks to get lost in. Definitely a great boost to the week with this one!
Favorite tracks: Muudo Hormo, Djam Leelii, Sehilam, Ko Wone Mayo, Taara.
Album art: An interesting collage of some washed-out color blocks, and a picture of a man that's made to look pretty ghostly. Is that one of the artists? No idea, but this is a cool one to look at.
4/5
Germs
3/5
Man, come on, what is the deal with all these albums that aren't available on Apple Music? I found a playlist someone made cobbling together most of the tracks, including live cuts, so I listened to that instead. Very DIY, proto-punk stuff, no surprise there considering its 1979. Wikipedia says this is considered one of the first full-length hardcore punk albums, that's really cool. Realized that I know the song "Lexicon Devil" from both a Tony Hawk game and GTAV. Decent album, wish I were able to listen to the real thing.
Favorite tracks: Lexicon Devil, Richie Dagger's Crime.
Album art: Black with a blue circle? Very nice. I feel like that sounds sarcastic, but I do really like this one, it's simple, striking, and memorable.
3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Gee, what do I say here? I've actually been looking forward to this album because I've heard people sing its praises. It's an interesting concept, an album of murder ballads. But Nick Cave just doesn't hit the right spot for me. It's funny that PJ Harvey is featured because it made me think of her "Let England Shake" high concept album, where there was a strong message being delivered but the music was just boring. This music is a lot less boring than that album, but it's just goofy. I think Nick Cave belongs in a category with Tom Waits, under the label "troubadour." This is the kind of music that plays in that tavern in Shrek 2.
Favorite tracks: Stagger Lee, Where the Wild Roses Grow.
Album art: Honestly really cool, a painting of an isolated shack in the woods. Love the primary color scheme.
2.5/5
Portishead
4/5
Is this really our first from Portishead? Maybe I'm getting them confused with Massive Attack. Honestly a lot to love on here, some songs I definitely recognize too. This one's in an interesting genre sweet spot, it's alternative/electronic with just a pinch of hip hop instrumentation or vibe to it. I dig it, very cool album.
Favorite tracks: Glory Box, Sour Times, Strangers, Wandering Star.
Album art: Blue. More specifically, blue frame flanking a lady in blue who appears to be on stage. Is she the singer?
4/5
Ash
3/5
A punk-ish act I've never heard of, what a surprise? Apple Music actually says "pop," which I don't quite agree with, but these guys veer into different corners of pop-punk/rock styles so I'll allow it. I was expecting this to be one that just wafted by me with little impact but, hey, they got quite a few tracks on here that caught my ear. Truly, don't know anything about this artist but I enjoyed this one.
Favorite tracks: Girl from Mars, I'd Give You Anything, Let It Flow, Angel Interceptor.
Album art: Some strange mirrored image of a street, and the curb dividing the image gives it a quadrant effect, kind of cool. Other than that, a little boring. Years as album titles is always a bit confusing to me, especially when they don't match. 1977 (1996), 1999 (1982) 2001 (1999), 1989 (2015), see what I'm getting at?
3.5/5
Finley Quaye
2/5
Scottish reggae? Didn't know that was a thing. Couple songs I enjoyed, the rest of it didn't leave a mark. Reggae isn't really my taste in general, and this one didn't break the mold for me.
Favorite tracks: Even After All, I Need a Lover.
Album art: I take it that's a picture of Finley. Looks better than most portrait-style covers, I think it's styled well. Digital clock font is an interesting choice. Overall, not bad.
2.5/5
Rufus Wainwright
1/5
Ugh. I know this name, not sure where from, but the music screams "posh twat." I'm not even British, and "posh twat" just popped into my head. The album opener has some lines about how unbelievable today's world is, straight men reading fashion magazines?? Inconceivable. This guy just seems really full of himself. Musically, it's fine, but seems high-brow in a way that just isn't fun or inviting. Not really interested in making new fans.
Favorite tracks: Vicious World.
Album art: Cover does look really cool, but the picture seems to confirm my feelings. Is that him? With the eyeliner and brooding look? Again, feels very self-important, this one. It's a really cool, elaborate cover though.
1.5/5
Dennis Wilson
3/5
Another Beach Boy going rogue. Brian Wilson was more sophisticated, concept rock, this one feels more ordinary, classic rock. There's an edge, a gruffness here that the Beach Boys never really had. I like it, it's a good album.
Favorite tracks: River Song, Dreamer, Tug of Love.
Album art: Just a close-up of surely Dennis' face. Would've never guessed he was a beach boy. Usually I wouldn't much enjoy a cover like this but it's striking and effective. WILSON.
3.5/5
The Beta Band
2/5
Bit of a dud for me. A sort of rock album, with some electro elements, but nothing crazy jumped out at me. Apparently acclaimed by Pitchfork too but I really don't see why. Not bad at all, but doesn't seem special or worthy of this list, especially considering it's from 2001.
Favorite tracks: Al Sharp, Eclipse.
Album art: An explosion in space, plus some cool bling era font that doesn't really make sense for the band or music. But hey, it's pretty cool.
2.5/5
The Dictators
3/5
Pop punk from when "pop" meant rock. I completely understand what they're going for. Wikipedia calls this proto-punk, I can see that too. A few good songs but nothing to blow my socks off. "I Got You Babe" is very familiar, a cover maybe? Not bad at all.
Favorite tracks: I Got You Babe, Teengenerate, California Sun.
Album art: Lot to unpack here. I'm fairly sure that's a man posing for the cover, maybe doing his best to look feminine. Loud red jacket that says "Handsome Dick Manitoba." Obviously a joke I'm not in on but I like it. Band font is cool too.
3/5
Adele
3/5
I've never been a big fan of Adele. She's a great singer of course, but how's the music? Often, not very inspired. I've noticed before, and even more when listening to this, that I don't really get along with her hooks. A couple tracks on here that are really interesting in the verses, and then the chorus is so bland. Specifically "When We Were Young," a little of "Remedy" too. "Hello" is still a great song. It's still a pretty good album, that's what she makes, good music. But how much of it is "great" anymore?
Favorite tracks: Hello, When We Were Young, Remedy, Send My Love (didn't realize this was an Adele song).
Album art: Jumpscare level close-up. Do not like this one at all, there's really nothing to it.
3.5/5
Brian Eno
4/5
Eno is always welcome on here. More singing tracks than I've come to expect from him, but as usual, it's a great album. This one has a bit of new wave flair to it, but still some of the ambient style that he's known for. I'm definitely a fan.
Favorite tracks: Kurt's Rejoinder, King's Lead Hat, Julie With, By This River.
Album art: Black and white headshot of, I have to assume, Mr. Eno? Normally wouldn't go for a black and white band/artist photo, but the washed out/high contrast effect here, paired with the angle and the off-center framing, makes it impactful. I quite like this.
4/5
Faust
4/5
Hell yes. A new challenger enters the German psych-rock arena (I'm trying to be respectful and not use the term "krautrock" if that's offensive, but damn if it isn't handy). I'm learning that I really, really like this genre. Tangerine Dream's Phaedra was awesome, Can's Tago Mago was phenomenal, this one is excellent too. As an outsider, all I'd heard of was Kraftwerk, but they're sitting at the tail end for me right now. This one's awesome, lots of great sonic journey tracks. Shocking that this is from the '70s, really would've guessed it was from the last 10 years or so. Excellent album, give me more!
Favorite tracks: Krautrock (they said it!), Just a Second, Giggy Smile, Lauft, It's a Bit of a Pain.
Album art: Sadly, the least interesting part of the album. It's lines, that's it. Not at all memorable.
4.5/5
Missy Elliott
4/5
Number two from Missy, and it's also great. I definitely liked the other album more, and it's mostly due to this one veering into a sonic territory between hip hop and R&B, a middle ground that's more laid back. I like when Missy raps, and when she does on here, it's excellent. But it feels like more of the tracks she's singing, the vibe is more laid back. Not bad at all, just not my preference. Still a great album when it's all said and done, I just want more of the rapping Missy, and we got that on the other album. Ironically, two of my favorite tracks on here were the Busta Rhymes intro and outro, that just got me fired up for a rap album. Alas, not quite. But still a great ride.
Favorite tracks: Sock It 2 Me (classic), Busta's Intro/Outro, Beep Me 911, Pass Da Blunt, Friendly Skies, Izzy Izzy Ahh, Best Friends.
Album art: Love this one. Missy kicking her feet up, looking supa dupa fly indeed. The pose, the font, this one feels iconic. Not sure how much weight it has in the annals of hip hop history but it's excellent.
4/5
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Nice, can't say I was expecting to see Ghostface on this list, but it seems like this listmaker was at least aware of Wu Tang and its members enough to have a few inclusions. We got Only Built 4 Cuban Linx too right? I have to say, Ghost in isolation is not as compelling as that duo album, or as a feature artist for example. Nothing wrong with that, plenty of rappers I feel that way about. Still, it's a great and enjoyable album, with a decent degree of variety and some solid features. Dilla production on at least one song too, RIP. Looking at the tracks I saved, there's only one that doesn't have a feature, confirming my suspicion. Ghostface is lower on the list for solo Wu Tang members for me, but I'm glad this was included. I wonder if we'll get Supreme Clientele?
Favorite tracks: Kilo, The Champ, Back Like That, Jellyfish, Dogs of War, Be Easy.
Album art: Not great if you ask me. Ghost posing like a tough guy in the front, group of dudes behind him with a lens flare in the back. Really quite dated, generic hip hop look.
4/5
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Ugh. Man, didn't expect two albums from this guy to be on the list, let alone within two weeks of each other. I like this one ever so slightly more than the previous, mostly due to the closing track which is pretty cool. But still, posh twat he is. Realized here how much he sounds like Thom Yorke, and that's not exactly a compliment. The music supporting his whining is frankly not as interesting as Radiohead's stuff. Maybe giving the previous a 1.5 was a little harsh; his biggest crime is boring me. But yeah, even though this one just barely escapes 1-1.5 star territory, it's still not at all for me.
Favorite tracks: Old Whore's Diet, Agnus Dei.
Album art: Really do love that he made the album a sequel, and the art is a sequel too. Even if I don't like the music, I always respect when artists commit to some theme or aesthetic for a few album covers. Very cool to see.
2/5
Megadeth
3/5
Not bad at all. I'm not familiar with Megadeth (I'm aware of them but don't know their music), but I understand the appeal. Solid metal album, but as someone who's not too into metal, there wasn't much here that caught my here to stand out. Still, it's a decent album.
Favorite tracks: Wake Up Dead, My Last Words.
Album art: Fantastic, I love the metal albums of this style or era, the commitment to a style or character, Iron Maiden was the biggest for that. Very cool picture, love the skeleton man, didn't know he was chill like that.
3/5
The Kinks
2/5
Woof. Our fourth, yes you heard that right, fourth album from the Kinks, a band that prior to this list I would've considered a one hit wonder. I just took the time to scroll through their single discography on Wikipedia, and I'll upgrade them to "two hit wonder" for "You Really Got Me" and "Lola." Here's my problem: are they a good band? Surely, and they deserve A place on this list. But do they deserve four places on this list? Well, considering that NONE of the albums featuring the two hits I described are among the four, absolutely not. My suggestion: whittle this down to a max of two albums from the Kinks, which has got to be Village Green Preservation Society and one other. The other two slots can be used to inject this list with some life to balance out what feels like a lot of repetition. Anyway this album is just fine.
Favorite tracks: Rainy Day in June, Holiday in Waikiki.
Album art: Really dig this one! Such a cool, colorful cover, really like the art style (is it watercolor?). A shame that my rant had to fall to this one because it just looks fantastic.
2.5/5
David Ackles
2/5
Puzzling pick. Never heard of this guy, and the Apple Music description begins by talking about a bunch of more famous singer-songwriters and how Ackles was not as well known...not a good start. It's not a bad album, but what does this really have on guys like Elton John, James Taylor, Randy Newman, or Joni Mitchell (Apple's comparison, not mine)? Nothing really. He does do some quirky stuff, the songs get a little fanciful, "fiddle dee dee" mode. One of those fancypants tracks just made me laugh, but the closer was pretty solid. Overall though, very forgettable album. No disrespect to David, but those other songwriters are more well-known for a reason.
Favorite tracks: Ballad of the Ship of State, Montana Song.
Album art: Guy sitting in a rowboat in the foreground, woman sitting on a porch in the background. Pretty simple picture, but the flattened depth makes this one quite cool.
2.5/5
Aimee Mann
3/5
Nice! I know Aimee first and foremost from the Magnolia soundtrack, I think that song put her on the map in a big way. But I also know her from that Portlandia episode where she's working as a maid for hire. Good stuff. Anyway, like yesterday's David Ackles, she's a singer-songwriter. She's got the lyrical chops for sure, her voice is kind of muted. Not necessarily bad, but certainly distinct. I liked a few tracks on here, enough to say it's a decent album, but didn't blow me away at all.
Favorite tracks: I Should've Known, Put Me On Top, Mr. Harris.
Album art: Very tired of the world, it seems. Picture and pose definitely matches the album title.
3/5
Tina Turner
3/5
My first Tina Turner album, and it's not bad at all. It's got the big one, "What's Love," and it's also got a BeeGee's cover, which I would've never expected. A couple other tracks I really liked, though the production on some songs is very dated in a way that I just don't connect with. That said, it was still a fine listen. I've got no problem with this one being here.
Favorite tracks: What's Love Got to Do With It, I Can't Stand the Rain, Better Be Good to Me.
Album art: Tina sitting on a folding chair (odd choice), with a little black cat in front of her. Nothing really special, but it's effective for some reason. I do like this one.
3/5
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Oh man, this is a cool one. I remember finding this album years ago, I had a fun time discovering odd psychedelic bands. These guys have a very specific sound, I think it's noted as use of a "jug," maybe that's the strange whispering sound, which sounds like reversed vocals. Anyway, I'd describe them as "one trick ponies" on that basis, but the music is still pretty good. I enjoy this album, even though we've been inundated with psych rock '60s projects on this list.
Favorite tracks: You're Gona Miss Me, Roller Coaster, Monkey Island.
Album art: Love love love it, classic. Perfectly psychedelic colors, a giant menacing eye, just excellent art all around. How could you not want to listen to this?
3.5/5
Johnny Cash
4/5
Okay, as much as I usually dislike live albums, this is maybe the one live album that 100% no hesitation deserves to be here. Johnny Cash performing at THE Folsom Prison, the titular prison of one of his biggest hits, it's karmic. Apparently this was a late-career boost for him, putting him back on the map for a lot of people. He sounds fantastic, and the banter is really fun. Could you imagine performing your songs about being an outlaw in a prison? An incredible stunt to pull, and the end result is fantastic.
Favorite tracks: Folsom Prison Blues, Dark as the Dungeon, The Long Black Veil, Send a Picture of Mother, I Got Stripes, Dirty Old Egg-Suckin Dog.
Album art: It's just a picture of Johnny at the mic, but damn if it isn't iconic. This is the Man in Black baby, the dude himself. I never expect much for live album covers anyway, but yeah, this one is extremely effective as far as portraits go.
4.5/5
Kings of Leon
4/5
A rock band forgotton by time, I wonder what they're up to these days? Kings of Leon had a couple big hits out of nowhere, both of which are here: Use Somebody and Sex on Fire. I didn't hear of them before or after that. But you know what, the album is pretty great. They've got a nice rock-soul thing going on, and they just did their thing well. I'm glad to have listened to this because I would now say they are a little underrated.
Favorite tracks: Use Somebody, Sex on Fire, Closer, Revelry, Notion.
Album art: Rorschach-style art, that I really can't interpret. Always seemed like birds or wings at first glance, but I can't be sure. But it's cool, I like the font they used at the top.
4/5
Charles Mingus
5/5
Ladies and gentlemen, we've arrived. I've been a Mingus Head for a while, though I hadn't heard this one. I've heard others, like Pithencanthropus Erectus and Blues and Roots. I've known this to be his big masterpiece, and I've been looking forward to hearing it. Boy, does it deliver. Just four tracks, but each incorporates so many facets of jazz and spans so many genres and subgenres with ease. I love these tracks often start out unassuming, or in a style of refined jazz that might seem safe, and then they just explode with life. Instruments are made to moan and scream, it's jarring. There's so much going on that obviously I can't process everything on one listen, but it's just so great that I know there will be many more listens to come. Immediately entering my handful of top jazz albums though, what a behemoth. Mingus is the man.
Favorite tracks: All of 'em, though one highlight that sticks out is the flamenco-style guitar near the beginning of the last track, so beautiful.
Album art: Pretty unassuming. The text and style is very bold, but to be comfortable with a cover this simple I'm interpreting to mean Mingus knew he cooked up something otherworldly, and he wanted to catch listeners off-guard. It worked.
5/5
Cornershop
3/5
Very cool album! A blend of traditional Indian sounds with more modern rock, definitely adds an appreciated variety. Had never heard of this group before, and by the name I was assuming something British and boring, but I'm pleasantly surprised.
Favorite tracks: Brimful of Asha, We're in Yr Corner, Coming Up.
Album art: I see a different cover on this website than what's on Apple Music. Surely there is an imposter among us? The Apple Music one is a close up of a woman with text over her, the whole thing feels purposely disjointed. The website/Wiki one seems like two guys with numbers projected over their faces in a bar or something. I do like the framing and text of that version quite a bit. But neither cover is that memorable.
3.5/5
The Vines
2/5
Well, the good news is its not a British band: these guys are Australian. But the Ozzies are catching a stray today because this is yet another album in the parade of generic-sounding rock stuff. As usual, it's not bad, but what sets this apart? I could start scrolling through all my ratings so far and name off a handful of similarly generic, "why are they on here" bands. Too lazy to do it now, but this one would get the axe. A couple tracks I'll keep, but it's just not interesting.
Favorite tracks: Outtathaway, Homesick.
Album art: Maybe the best part about this one, I really like this cover. Great illustration, great use of color here, the green pops. And come on, it's depicting vines....for a band called The Vines. We love to see that.
2.5/5
Bill Callahan
3/5
Definitely enjoyed this one. Not sure if I've heard Bill Callahan before, he's got a very distinct voice that I really dig. The songs that hit here really hit, and the rest of the album was pretty good too. Not too much stylistically to speak of, it seems like a singer-songwriter type of project with a special focus on his talents as a singer. Aside from, of course, the "Invocation" track, which is a really cool ambient song. But overall, definitely a good album. Always fun to find an album I like that I've never even heard of. Also the title is bizarre and pretty funny.
Favorite tracks: Jim Cain, Too Many Birds, Invocation of Ratiocination.
Album art: Pretty unassuming, horses in a field. Honestly kind of amazed this is from 2009, based on the cover, the font and everything, I would've guessed late '60s or early '70s. I like that.
3.5/5
Randy Newman
3/5
Uh...interesting. Randy Newman, guy we all know for the Toy Story song, makes an album about the American South. He's in character for most (if not all) of it, portraying a southern "Good Old Boy," but knowing that still doesn't help the shock of hearing him sing about a "smart ass New York Jew" and then drop the N word repeatedly on the opener. Just strange, man. Totally understand what he was going for, and there are a few songs that I enjoyed, don't get me wrong. Just reeling from the initial shock. This is our second from Randy, obviously more conceptual than the first, but I'd be lying if I said that intro didn't give me whiplash. I'm sure that's what he was going for, and in many respects I think this album succeeds at what Randy sought to do. But it's not something I'd spend much more time with.
Favorite tracks: Marie, Back on My Feet Again, Naked Man.
Album art: Is that Randy? Guy with some woman at what seems to be a bar, nothing apparently Southern about it to tie the theme together. But I guess he looks like a bit of a jerk so that works.
3/5
Pavement
3/5
Have definitely heard of Pavement, but this is my first time listening. They're not bad at all, a sort of alt-rock outfit that meanders through some different genres along the way. I'm enjoying it but not super impressed. Also the vocalist reminds me of Lou Reed, a lot. Not always a compliment. Still, decent album, I've got no problem with this aside from the fact that I wish it were more remarkable.
Favorite tracks: Elevate Me Later, Range Life.
Album art: Pretty cool collage going on here, the picture in the middle is two hands grasping a receipt? The bordering design is really cool though, and the font is great.
3/5
The Charlatans
3/5
Eh. One of a million UK rock bands at this point. Not bad at all, a few songs I dug, but nothing really getting under my skin as a whole. Would have liked this more if not found 700 albums deep into this list.
Favorite tracks: Get On It, Area 51, How High.
Album art: Just four guys. Funny that the US release of this slaps "UK" on the cover after the band name, just to make sure you know.
3/5
Scissor Sisters
2/5
Weirdddd album. Not exactly in a good way, there were a few tracks on here that made me laugh, and I doubt that was the intention. What genre is this? Who are these guys? Seems like a very personal pick by the list maker, or at least until "Filthy/Gorgeous," which I know I've heard. There's a bit of sauce, a bit of funk to this one that makes it fun, but only in a couple places (for me). As an album, not one I'd return to.
Favorite tracks: Filthy/Gorgeous, Lovers in the Backseat.
Album art: Very colorful, a woman staring at a portal to the real world? She's in some garden of Eden, dreaming of Times Square. It's pretty good, but not very memorable to me.
2.5/5
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
Pretty solid blues-rock album from a group I didn't previously know (plus Eric Clapton, who we all know). Some obviously great guitar riffs, the blues spirit is alive and well on this one. Lost a bit of steam for me after a little while, but the heavy hitters on here are undeniable. This was a good one. Also definitely heard the riff from that Beatles song "Day Tripper" on here, interesting crossover.
Favorite tracks: Hideaway, Another Man, Double Crossin' Time.
Album art: Guys being dudes, what more do you want? Is Clapton in this picture? I can't tell because he'd be so young. But it's a pretty cool pic, and the framing and text is nice too.
3.5/5
Carole King
4/5
Been waiting for, actually, years for this to pop up on the list, it was just a matter of time. Truly one of the foundational gospel-type projects in the singer-songwriter space. Carole King killed it with this one. Fantastic songwriting, both as a lyricist and a hitmaker, and the music feels great. I'm always impressed to find how many tracks I recognize on here. It's a classic without a doubt, not quite a five-star listen for me, but it's not too far behind. A tapestry indeed.
Favorite tracks: It's Too Late, Natural Woman, So Far Away, Home Again, Will You Love Me Tomorrow.
Album art: Honestly not all that special, just a picture of a woman perched on the sill with her cat. She looks a little like a young Jamie Lee Curtis to me. As far as portraits go, it's pretty solid, and given how massive this album proved to be, the cover has become iconic.
4.5/5
Stan Getz
4/5
An excellent departure to some latin jazz stuff. I feel like we've seen either the Getz or Gilberto name on the list (possible both, but not together until now), not even certain if it was one of the same guys. But this one's really cool, love the blend of voices, and everything is very smooth, cafe-style standards. Almost, ALMOST gave me a Christmas vibe, just because it's so relaxing. But yeah, excellent album, love when we get something completely different on the list (take a note, '90s British rock bands).
Favorite tracks: The Girl from Ipanema, Desafinado, Corcovado, O Grande Amor, Vivo Sonhando.
Album art: One of those classic '60s jazz album covers that frames a work of art, plus some bold, colorful font. They really were in a pocket with these, and I love it.
4.5/5
Carpenters
4/5
Whoa, so cool to see the Carpenters pop up! A few of these songs were on repeat in the house when we were little, certainly "Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun." Today is my first realization that their band name is "Carpenters," not "THE Carpenters," kind of messing me up. They're a sibling duo, which you could argue set a bit of a precendent for a duo like the White Stripes - Jack and Meg I think pretended to be siblings? I don't know, but these Carpenters are great. Really strong songwriting flowing underneath these crisp, airy tracks. Their story is really tragic though, Richard became addicted to quaaludes and Karen had anorexia that ultimately killed her. I wish them both as much peace as their music brings me. "Close to You" has to be a top 50 song ever, it's just so beautiful. Frank Ocean knew ball when he sampled that.
Favorite tracks: Close to You, We've Only Just Begun, I'll Never Fall in Love Again, Crescent Noon.
Album art: A beautiful family photo if you think about it. Just the two sitting on some rocks on a beach somewhere, bordered by grey and some goofy font. Again, just hurts my heart that they seemed like such sweet souls but wrestled with such difficulty and tragedy.
4/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, the three "troubadours" is what I call them. I think Leonard is my favorite of the three, and this album is pretty good. But it feels like all of their songs go like this:
(end of verse, deep voice) "I watched your husband shake hands with the senator / he couldn't wash the blood off his hand if he tried"
(chorus) "and there's no more clementines in the pantry...."
Nevertheless, a couple tracks on here that I dug, especially "Avalanche." I think by now we've had enough of Leonard for a good sample size.
Favorite tracks: Avalanche, Love Calls You By Your Name.
Album art: Black background, bold white font, and a black and white picture of Leonard's head. For some reason at first glance I think it's Dustin Hoffman, but it's definitely not.
3.5/5
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
One of those albums I was relieved to see on my screen, instant fives are hard to come by. I was honestly a little surprised that we hadn't gotten this one already, but it's the last of the three, and the debut from Jimi and the Experience. This album means a hell of a lot to me. It was the first record in my vinyl collection (now approaching 700), and it came to me at a time when I was learning how to play guitar. I knew then, as I do now, that Jimi is otherworldly. He does things with his guitar that shouldn't be possible, frequently turning riffs and bent notes into hooks and choruses, even though he also sings. The title track is incredible, one of the best first listens I've ever had in my life, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It's still impressive, the backwards solo is just unbelievable. For a debut to have this many hits is insane too. Electric Ladyland is also a 5 star for me (and Voodoo Child [Slight Return] is my #1 fav Jimi track), but I think this will always be my favorite album, due in part to that nostalgia. Alex says this album reminds him of me, and I couldn't ask for a higher compliment or association. Jimi is the goat, this album is goated.
Favorite tracks: Are You Experienced, The Wind Cries Mary, Foxey Lady, Purple Haze, Manic Depression, Hey Joe, Love or Confusion, Fire, Third Stone from the Sun, Stone Free, Red House.
Album art: Possibly my favorite ever, I can't commit to that so quickly but it's undeniably iconic. The color pops, the picture is perfectly psychedelic. There was an OG UK release cover, but it was trash and Jimi himself knew that and wanted a redo. Then they went and made one of the best ever. Considering this was my first vinyl, it's an album art that I've arguably spent the most time with, of course I'm obsessed.
5/5
OutKast
5/5
Good lord, talk about a one-two punch, thankfully we got a weekend to breathe between Hendrix and OutKast. We went from a five-star album that reminded Alex of me to a five-star album that reminds me of him. I wasn't sure if this would be five stars, not an instant one in the sense Jimi was. But listening through it, which I haven't done in years, it's hard to deny. I know way more tracks than I thought, and it's frustrating because I swear Stankonia is my favorite OutKast album, but then ATLiens and Aquemini and Speakerboxxx/Love Below beat my ass. These dudes are really just that good. A double album, two hours plus but a TRUE double album in the sense that Speakerboxxx is Big Boi's showcase album, and the Love Below is Andre 3000's. Three Stacks is inarguably one of the greatest rappers ever (now a solid ambient artist), but it's funny to think that paired with just about any other rapper, Big Boi would be the better rapper in the duo. It's like the "bad cop bad cop" joke in the Other Guys, "I saw how hard you came in and thought 'I gotta go higher than that??'" Alex and I listened to this many a time as kids, well before I really understood what hip hop was. So many tracks take me right back to those days, especially "Bamboo Interlude" which I almost forgot about, and the "Panties" skit that still gives me PTSD, worrying mom or dad might walk in the room while I'm listening. Big Boi made the "hip hop" album here, and it rips, and Andre 3000 made a more experimental/R&B fusion kind of album, but it also rips. Just unfair how good these two are individually and together. Side note: there's definitely a connection between Hendrix and Andre 3000: sure the guitar-playing influence is there, but Andre also played Jimi in a movie. Anyway, five stars, could talk for much longer about this album but just go listen again.
Favorite tracks: Unhappy, Ghetto Musick, Bowtie, The Way You Move, The Rooster, Bust, Bamboo Interlude, Knowing, Reset, Bowtie (Postlude), Happy Valentine's Day, Prototype, Hey Ya, Roses, Behold a Lady, Dracula's Wedding, Take Off Your Cool, A Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre.
Album art: Perfect representation of the split nature of this project, and how cool do both of these guys look? I'll say it here because I forgot to above: this was one of the few albums by non-white artists to win AOTY at the Grammys over the last two decades and damn did it deserve it.
5/5
Mekons
1/5
Woof. I know I'm just bitter that this album broke the streak of classics, but still, it's really pretty nothing. I made it so far into this thing before finding the one song that I would keep, and even then I wasn't sure if it was pity or stockholm syndrome. I know they can't all be Jimi Hendrix or Outkast, but I know there are hundreds of better albums out there that should be on this list, and this one shouldn't.
Favorite tracks: Last Dance.
Album art: Pretty cool color-graded shot of a desert highway. A shame the music is nowhere near as interesting.
1.5/5
Ozomatli
2/5
Hmmm. I appreciate this entry for variety's sake, and though it's not one I'd feel comfortable kicking from the list, there wasn't much on here that appealed to me. A really cool mix of styles and genres, but often the lyrics and end-product missed the mark for me. It was a fine listen but unfortunately not much I'd return to here.
Favorite tracks: Ya Viene el Sol, Cuando Canto.
Album art: Pretty striking, this one looks familiar to me. A street sign (surprise, surprise), and it kind of looks like the man crossing the street with the woman is being struck by lightning? Not certain that's what they're going for. I like the storage/garage door background too.
2.5/5
Ravi Shankar
4/5
The King! Or is he? Ravi Shankar is, at least to the western world, the most well-known name in North Indian/Hindustani music. He influenced the Beatles, that alone was enough to put him on our map. I have one of his albums on vinyl, though I think it's a live performance one, definitely not this. This one is a cool intro to Indian music, and given the '50s release it was certainly necessary for listeners like me. I recall when we got that "Call of the Valley" album that I wrote in my review I don't think I have the palate to distinguish artists in this space, but actually I can say confidently that I liked that album more. This one had a different energy, more lively and expressive while Call of the Valley was meditative. Still, a great album, and the explanatory dialogue is pretty cool. Ravi is a legend, but I wonder if he's really the best, or if that's primacy bias from the western world who heard him first?
Favorite tracks: Dadra, Maru-Bihag.
Album art: Nothing too crazy, a picture of Ravi on the sitar, with some pretty cool, ornate bordering. It's definitely from the '50s, but it's solid.
4/5
Mott The Hoople
3/5
I've looked forward to this one, heard it was great....well, it's pretty good. We all know Mott the Hoople for the all the young dudes, and funny enough there's another "dudes" song on here. These guys are surely for the dudes. Didn't realize they were British, I think in my mind I get them confused with the Pretenders. But yeah, pretty good album, that's about all I have to say. Classic rock, nothing too standout.
Favorite tracks: Hymn for the Dudes, Honaloochie Boogie, VIolence.
Album art: Here's the opposite scenario of the Hendrix album - the UK original cover is fantastic, a disembodied head in a cool stencil style and a pink gradient. The US version, shown on here and Apple Music, is garbage. Just a band photo. Woof, talk about a downgrade.
3.5/5
Fatboy Slim
3/5
I do know Fatboy Slim for a few hits ("Rockafeller Skank," "Weapon of Choice," "Praise You"), but none of those are on here. Instead, it's a debut, but it's pretty solid. Overall an enjoyable listen, and it was fun to hear a few samples and sounds that I recognized, especially the harmonica from Black Sabbath's "The Wizard" all over "The Weekend Starts Here." I like this guy.
Favorite tracks: Santa Cruz, The Weekend Starts Here.
Album art: A floppy disk, labeled with the artist and album name. Nothing special to me, but the color is pretty good.
3/5
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Our second from Belle & Sebastian, which one's Belle and which one's Sebastion? Our first was wayyyy back at the beginning, maybe in our first five albums or so. I believe this is a (or the?) more famous album from them, mostly because I recognize the name. It started out strong, but after the first two tracks there wasn't much that grabbed me. As before, these guys make for a decent listen but I'm not too impressed.
Favorite tracks: The State I'm In, Expectations.
Album art: Black and white shot of a woman in a bath, breastfeeding a....stuffed animal? Maybe a toy fish? Kind of strange, but it's memorable, and with the striping on the fish (don't quote me on that, I'm not certain what I'm looking at), the title checks out.
3/5
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
Here we go, here's something pretty interesting. A group I've never heard of, and it seems to be a very raw, unpolished recording session from them. Apparently they were all huddled around one mic playing these songs, that's really cool. I really dig the vocalist's voice, she reminds me a bit of Fiona Apple, but with more of a country/folk edge. Really enjoyable tunes on here, a number of them covers, and I especially enjoyed the one track that, well it's not a cover of Santo & Johnny's "Sleepwalk," but it sounds a lot like it, I think it's an old standard. Anyway, really good album. Very consistent vibe.
Favorite tracks: Mining for Gold (really powerful way to open an album), Blue Moon Revisited, 200 More Miles, Sweet Jane.
Album art: Washed out, grainy photo of the group, definitely captures the DIY energy underlying the music. Nice touch with all the cups and drinks, definitely in scumbag mode.
3.5/5
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Our second from Sly, and it's another throwback to the early days of the list, as Stand was in our first five. My impression was that this was the more famous or impactful album, as this is the one I'd heard of prior, but it's not hitting as hard as Stand did. Still, some great tracks, and it's amazing how much Gambino's Awaken, My Love! sounds like Sly reincarnated, that becomes more evident with each album I hear.
Favorite tracks: Luv N' Haight, Family Affair, Africa Talks to You, Runnin' Away.
Album art: A flag, at first glance seemingly an American flag, but these stars are different. Apparently a custom flag made for the album, not sure what is meant by the change from stars to suns (reminder that all stars are suns, and "sun" is effectively a pet name for our star based on proximity).
4/5
Brian Eno
3/5
Not sure where people put this one in the Eno rankings, but for me it's probably the least interesting of his albums that I've heard so far. It's a rock album, so lacks the experimental edge of a lot of his electronic work, but there's still some great instrumental work on here. That said, I'm writing this review a couple days after listening, and all I can remember are a few quirky guitar riffs. Not a single lyric or melody that stuck with me. Still, it was a good listen, but definitely not touching some of the other Eno projects we've had.
Favorite tracks: Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch (wtf is that title), On Some Faraway Beach, Some of Them Are Old, Here Come the Warm Jets.
Album art: An interesting collection of kitchsy stuff, in what seems to be a dressing room or something. Lots to look at, but it's giving me a "name one thing in this image" vibe, I can't seem to stare for too long without getting an aneurysm.
3.5/5
DJ Shadow
4/5
This one I know to be a classic, though I'm not really familiar with it or DJ Shadow. I think I listened once, expecting a cool hip hop beat tape, and was disappointed. The reality is, I don't think I understood it. This isn't really a "hip hop" project in that sense at all. Sure, it's a lot of sample-based beat making, and a few of these beats could work on a hip hop album, but as a whole this doesn't strike me as hip hop. Wikipedia says things like "trip hop" or "plunderphonics," which makes me think of The Avalanches or The Books. For me, taking away that genre expectation significantly improved the listening experience. I do really like this, the sample work is pretty impressive and enjoyable. Not something I personally would annoint as classic or essential based on my listen, but I have no awareness of the scene or context surrounding it, so I won't doubt it. And even without that awareness, it's a pretty great ride. Really enjoy the long tracks that just let the instrumental breathe.
Favorite tracks: Best Foot Forward, Building Steam, Changeling, What Does Your Soul Look Like, Organ Donor, Napalm Brain.
Album art: Definitely a classic cover, the kind I've seen a hundred times. Couple guys digging through crates at a record store, who can relate? Captures the spirit of sample-based work like this, and the blur and anonymity of the shot gives this an air of mystery.
4/5
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Oh brother, didn't take much more than two weeks to get to our next instant five-star album for me. Joni Mitchell, where do I begin? We've had a few albums from her on this list already, and they're albums that I hadn't heard prior but think are great. This one, though, I know very well. There was a period a few years back where I was getting really into classic songwriters, Bob Dylan in particular. And I was fairly sure that Dylan was the GOAT, maybe the best American songwriter. But I kept seeing Joni Mitchell's name, and when I eventually listened to Blue, I was floored. Not only is her songwriting arguably on par with Dylan (maybe more focused on building a mood than telling a story, but damn if she doesn't cut to the core in the same way), but her voice is amazing and so singular. It's so funny that discussion of Bob Dylan seems to always include the caveat "yeah, his voice isn't great..." meanwhile with Joni no caveat necessary! She's got this unique, country lilt (I would've guessed Appalachian as her vibe, but she's Canadian), and it can turn on you from comforting to piercing in the blink of an eye. This album is stripped down to essentials only - Joni's words and voice, and a selection of acoustic instruments (guitar, dulcimer, piano). Who cares what the rest of the rock world was doing at the time, Joni captivated them all. Easy to see why so many rock legends were obsessed with her, she was just dialed into a utopian, unobtainable frequency. I adore this album, there are plenty of brilliant songs. Her writing is riddled with gems that may not trip you instantly, but they stick around ("You said love is touching souls, surely you touched mine 'cause part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time. You're in my blood like holy wine, and you taste so bitter and so sweet. I could drink a case of you darling, and still I'd be on my feet."). Seriously, pick any song on this album, pull it up on youtube, and see how far you don't have to scroll to find someone claiming it's the greatest song ever written. There's just no criticism I can make about this, even the songs that didn't jump out and grab me the first few times I heard this have become comforting. One of the very best.
Favorite tracks: I really do like them all, but the biggest for me are Carey, California, Case of You, Little Green, All I Want.
Album art: A picture of Joni's face, and guess what? It's blue. Incredibly simple cover art, but what more do you need for an album this powerful? This one's iconic at this point, no question. No frills, no pretense, no nothing.
5/5
The Byrds
3/5
Album number four from the Byrds. It's aligned with the psych rock that I would typically expect from them, but it's nothing too off the wall. A few good tracks, especially the really long bonus track. And I really liked the Moog Raga, what a cool concept. Give me more of that! We've had at least one Byrds album that I really loved, but some of these others aren't as interesting. Too many Byrds in the house.
Favorite tracks: Universal Mind Decoder, Moog Raga, Old John Robertson.
Album art: Truthfully, one of the least creative we've seen from them. It's just a photo, but I'll grant that the photo is pretty good. The guys in a stable, with a horse as seemingly the fourth band member. The brick wall below them adds a nice element to it, but yeah, this one's not got a whole lot to it.
3/5
a-ha
4/5
A pleasant surprise! Always took these guys for a one-hit wonder ("Take On Me" is definitely that one hit, and good thing it's here), but there's actually a lot to enjoy on this album. Definitely emblematic of the new wave '80s pop, lots of cool funky sounds. A few times where the singer sounds like Morrissey, and I mean that as a compliment because I'm sure he is/was less of a prick. Great album!
Favorite tracks: Take On Me, Living a Boy's Adventure Tale, The Sun Always Shines on TV, Here I Stand and Face the Rain.
Album art: I've seen this one a lot, but never up close to see how the guy is flexing his tricep. Love the blur effect going on, it's not the most interesting cover but it's effective. Text and banner up top is cool.
4/5
Mariah Carey
2/5
Knew this one was coming eventually. I'm pretty sure there's only one Mariah Carey album on this list, and I'm not sure why it's this instead of her previous, Daydream. I didn't know a single song going into this one, though I recognized the beat on "The Roof" as sampling Mobb Deep, that was cool. Aside from that, why wouldn't we include the album with "Fantasy," "Always Be My Baby," and "One Sweet Day"? Three #1 hits on Daydream, including the first song by a woman to debut at #1. I'm reading that this one is acclaimed too, and that Mariah herself once called it her "magnum opus," but respectfully, she also does annual promo for her Christmas song so I don't know how much I trust her judgment. This one's not bad, but I don't think it's good enough to include here either. My version of a list like this would swap this with Daydream.
Favorite tracks: The Roof, Fly Away.
Album art: I do like this one, this portrait style shot is so '90s pop, but I think it's cool that everything is gold, minus the brilliant color of the butterfly. You wouldn't even notice it on a smaller picture, but yeah, I like that.
2.5/5
Hawkwind
4/5
Live albums, always a dangerous endeavor. And doing a live double album is even riskier. But this one's pretty wild, very psychedelic stuff going on. "Space Ritual" is a great name. I've never heard of this group, but I really like what they were doing here. I can only imagine how this concert would've been for all the people there high out of their minds. As much as I feel I should knock this a tad for being live, it's pretty great. Not sure if we'll get anything else from them either, but let the record reflect that I dig their brand of space ritual.
Favorite tracks: Earth Calling, Down Through the Night, Black Corridor, Electronic No. 1, Seven by Seven, Master of the Universe.
Album art: This cover rules. An illustration of a nude woman, flanked by golden panthers, surrounded by space and flames and an all-seeing eye. The sort of tattoo that would be dreamed up by the biggest pothead you know. I love it.
4/5
Fishbone
1/5
Woof. Reminded me of Tom Waits if he made ska, everything is trying to be cool and whimsical at the same time. Can't seem to land on any one genre, so they're doing a handful of genres pretty poorly. Opening track is a Curtis Mayfield cover, that's neat I guess. I struggled to find a favorite on here, this was a tough one. Nothing on wikipedia to suggest it has a legacy worth including here either. Axe it.
Favorite tracks: Ghetto Soundwave.
Album art: Well, it's a set of fish bones. A very faint cartoon fish skeleton, surrounded by a lot of blank black space, and the album/band titles are in bold bright colors. It's a bold cover, memorable.
1/5
Todd Rundgren
4/5
Our second from Todd, he's back with another banger. Of course I know "International Feel," it's on Frank Ocean's GTA radio station. Like the other album, this one travels through a variety of sounds and genres. It's rock, but sometimes funky, psychedelic, soul-y, etc. Some long tracks that take you on a journey all their own too. I really enjoyed this, I'm glad this list has given me two albums worth of music from Todd, enough to know he's not just the "Bang on the Drum All Day" guy.
Favorite tracks: International Feel, Tic Tic Tic It Wears Off, Flamingo, Zen Archer, I'm So Proud, I Don't Want to Tie You Down.
Album art: Really cool, love the abstract style, double ears plus a third ear on the eye. Lots of funky shapes, and the title and artist are actually written at the top. Need more covers as distinct and creative as this.
4.5/5
Klaxons
2/5
A much more recent pick than we've had lately, but I can't say that's helping. This one's decent, but I'm certain there are more deserving albums from 2007. We've actually had a couple, but how about Paramore's Riot? Kanye's Graduation? Icky Thump? I don't think any of those three are on the list, but I'd say they are all more appropriate than this one. I'm calling British bias unfortunately. I will say this is better than that Fishbone album we got a couple days ago, but this is on the chopping block for me.
Favorite tracks: Atlantis to Interzone, Magick.
Album art: I really like this cover, a great collage of images, adding up to I don't know what. But it's great to look at.
2.5/5
American Music Club
3/5
Our first from this band I've never heard of, and unfortunately it isn't on Apple Music or Spotify, not sure why. I listened on youtube, and I actually quite enjoyed this album. A nice, laid back alt-rock type of album. Nice melodies, good lyrics. Nothing too spectacular, and it's never a great sign when the only note on Wikipedia is that the album is included on this list. But dang, this one's pretty good.
Favorite tracks: Firefly, Jenny.
Album art: Black and white shot of maybe a highway support. It looks like it's decaying, or maybe it's just some paint or other markings. As far as photos go, this one's solid. The framing is pretty nice too. Fairly forgettable, but it's easy on the eyes.
3.5/5
Animal Collective
4/5
This one is a classic of sorts. So many people sing this album's praises, and it was extremely well received by critics. I do enjoy it, though I wouldn't say I find is as monumental or groundbreaking as some do. Interesting indie rock/pop sort of stuff, maybe like a more energized, modern Fleet Foxes if that makes sense. Animal Collective is an interesting group, aside from the song "FloriDada," I always forget what they even sound like. Even having listened to this album a day or two ago, I already kind of forgot what it sounds like. But I know it is and was a great listen.
Favorite tracks: Lion in a Coma, In the Flowers, Also Frightened, Bluisu, Brother Sport.
Album art: Definitely a cool one, a big optical illusion image, one of those designed to look like it's moving. It's actually a bit freaky, it almost seems like cheating.
4/5
The Beau Brummels
3/5
I liked this one! As yet another folksy, psych-rock '60s project from a band I haven't heard of, I was all geared up to rant about the composition of this list, but these guys did a good job. There's a sort of "medieval whimsy" to the music that I like, in that when it's not veering into psych territory it swerves into something you might hear at a Renaissance festival. A nice short album too, easy listen for sure. Pretty good stuff from these lads, I don't mind this inclusion at all. I wonder if we'll get anything else from them?
Favorite tracks: Magic Hollow, The Wolf of Velvet Fortune, The Painter of Women, Old Kentucky Home.
Album art: A nice watercolor picture, with the heads of the band members painted into some roses. I like the art, and I think it fits the aesthetic of the music pretty well. Bravo, gang.
3.5/5
Stephen Stills
4/5
Damn man, I was under the impression that we've had solo albums from Crosby and Nash as well, but instead it's number two from Stills. And wow, it's actually really awesome. A big, broad album spanning different styles, some rock, folk, country, etc. The other album we had from him was great too. It may be early to call it, but Mr. Stills may be my favorite in the group.
Favorite tracks: Jet Set, Both of Us, Jesus Gave Love Away for Free, Colorado, So Begins the Task, Bound to Fall, How Far, The Love Gangster (goofy title), Blues Man.
Album art: Nothing too special, band photo using a sign as the title. I do appreciate that Stills took the time to credit the other people who worked on this with him on the cover, you don't see that often if ever. Not bad.
4.5/5
Marilyn Manson
3/5
It's the big freak himself. Marilyn Manson was never my bag, even before he was accused of all the awful stuff. Most of his music always struck me as shock value for shock's sake, like if you were a parent offended by his existence, you just fell for his bait. There's probably a song or two out there I'd remember, but none I recognized on here. A few tracks I liked, not necessarily something I'd seek out though. A pretty long album too, but conceptually it's pretty well tied together, I did like the little robotic AI voices that would appear sometimes in the ether. Decent album, though not really for me.
Favorite tracks: The Beautiful People, Wormboy, Man That You Fear (yeah you wish).
Album art: Creepy half-face on the right, some mathematical stuff going on everywhere else. It's a weird cover, not in a very memorable way though. Aside from his corpse-ified headshot, it's pretty tame.
3/5
Lana Del Rey
4/5
Tremendously excited to get a Lana Del Rey album on here, especially right after the year when she released (in my opinion) her best album ever: Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. I listened to this one back in 2021, and I remember two things: (1) being really impressed with "White Dress," and (2) being more into the other album she released that year, Blue Bannisters. But holy cow, on a relisten, and maybe in the aftermath of Ocean Blvd, this album is fantastic. Some incredible songs on here, especially "Let Me Love You Like a Woman." Almost everything on here banged this time around. Second half loses a little steam compared to the first, but overall it's excellent. Lana's music and songwriting has matured so much in the 10+ years that I've been listening, and I truly feel like she is the best at what she does. If you consider her a pop star, what other pop artist is even on this level?
Favorite tracks: Let Me Love You Like a Woman, White Dress, Tulsa Jesus Freak, Chemtrails Over the Country Club, Wild at Heart, Dark But Just a Game, Breaking Up Slowly, Dance Til We Die.
Album art: Black and white photo of what I would describe as a gathering of socialites from the '50s. As usual, Lana is committed to the Americana aesthetic, and this one nails it. The title is incredible, the font is also perfect, and really the picture feels like a TPAB for white American housewives. Lana is in the picture (white dress, no surprise), and I'm almost certain that's her sister sitting to the right of her. Awesome album art.
4.5/5
Bon Jovi
4/5
Good ol' Bon Jovi. I'm glad that The Big Three Hits are on here, it's nice of the band to make one album with all of their best songs. I like Bon Jovi, and these hits are classics, but hearing them all together, I'm noticing that Bon Jovi has a kind of funny and really high voice, it's a little shocking. I also feel like this album is so much of a hit-machine that it feels uncanny. Like if this were made today, I would assume it were the result of AI, because it's calculated, formulaic classic rock. However, it's worth noting (according to wikipedia) that this album sort of was the bridge between hard rock and pop, and that in itself is impressive. These guys really made an album with such powerful pop hits that hearing it decades later makes it sound fake, that's just testament to their power. The deep cuts aren't very impressive, but it's still an undeniably strong album.
Favorite tracks: Wanted Dead or Alive, Livin On a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name, Let It Rock.
Album art: It's the title written on what looks like shower-foggy glass, it definitely works. The title is funny; they're obviously going for something saucy but it's just such a goofy cliche. There was a "wet t-shirt" cover for this album that was canned except for in Japan, that I think is appropriately horny. Ending with this quote from wikipedia, one of the band members explaining how the album title was inspired by a trip to a strip club: "This woman descended from the ceiling on a pole and proceeded to take all her clothes off. When she got in a shower and soaped herself up, we just about lost our tongues. We just sat there and said, 'We will be here every day.' That energized us through the whole project. Our testosterone was at a very high level back then."
4/5
The Lemonheads
3/5
Really enjoyed this one! Some cool alt-rock stuff going on here, great melodies. Some of the songs blend together, but in a good way because the sound works for me. Never heard of this group, but I like their style. A cover of "Mrs. Robinson" is pretty neat too.
Favorite tracks: It's a Shame About Ray, Rudderless, Bit Part.
Album art: Seems to be a....painting?...of a woman in front of an old car. Interesting vintage, pop-art sort of style. Why is her necklace clipping through her shirt? No idea. But it's a pretty good cover.
3.5/5
Beatles
4/5
Stoked to get another Beatles album, it seems the list has been rewarding us for making the switch to generate on the weekend. This is number four for us, and it's near the end of the Beatles' catalog, falling between the exceptional Revolver and the excellent (but not quite as tight) Abbey Road. This album is long; it's a double album at least, at 30 songs. As such, there's a lot of what I would describe as filler. Lots of whimsical, experimental little tracks that fall flat for me. No coherent voice, which is actually similar to Abbey Road - my impression is that post-Sgt. Peppers, these guys were just firing on their own cylinders and struggling to weave their styles without just doing their own tracks. So yeah, this one has a lot of one-offs that don't really accomplish much. On the other hand, some really excellent songs, classics like "Blackbird," "Revolution 1," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," and some deeper cuts I'd never heard. "Revolution 9" is really awesome "plunderphonics" sort of stuff, "Dear Prudence" is really great, and "Good Night" is an absolutely welcome surprise from Ringo. I can't give it more than 4 stars because of how many duds this thing harbored, I shouldn't have to skip my way through a 90 minute album from the Beatles. But overall, and duds aside, it's pretty great. These guys really were once in a lifetime, huh?
Favorite tracks: Blackbird, Dear Prudence, Revolution 9, Good Night, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Revolution 1, Everybody's Got Something to Hide, Long Long Long (you got that right).
Album art: White. Well, this one's techinically called "The Beatles," so it's self-titled, but guess what: we call it the White Album. That's what it is. White.
4/5
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
Never heard of this group/artist, but I like what I'm hearing. Vocally, reminded me a bit of one of the rappers in Jurassic 5, though it's not the same guy. This album is obviously very conscious, very politically charged. I could see people clowning something like this today, but for the early '90s, it's pretty impressive. Unfortunately, on Apple Music, I think four songs are "unavailable in my region," no idea why. But of those that I could listen to, there were a handful I enjoyed. Cool album, probably never would've heard this if not for the list.
Favorite tracks: Satanic Reverses, Music and Politics, Financial Leprosy.
Album art: Honestly, it's very '90s, but it's also very cool. You've got the vocalist/rapper on the left side giving us the thousand-yard stare, then a collage of some images: a tank, a man with a chainsaw trying to saw the barrell off the tank, a shot of the US Federal Reserve, and a blimp overhead that seems to be labeled with different currency symbols? Great conspiracy imagery stuff, and I do like the group logo in the corner.
3.5/5
Coldcut
3/5
Second album in a row that's not entirely available on Apple Music, this one more difficult than the first because I had to cobble together what I could from a "best of" album, which ended up being only 5-6 tracks. That said, I dug three of those tracks. Never heard of Coldcut, but the style is fun. Electronic beatmaking, some of it even hip-hop adjacent. The grooves can be pretty funky. I wonder what the songs I missed were like?
Favorite tracks: Doctorin' the House, My Telephone, Fat (Party and Bullshit).
Album art: This is a really cool one, three little cartoon guys, the one in the middle looks to be a wizard with a walkman. The geometrical shapes and the framing of this is nice, no notes. Great cover.
3.5/5
Joy Division
4/5
Here it is, the big Joy Division album that people love. I think I've heard it before, but don't remember much. And this is our second from Joy Division, but today I'm really digging it. Morose, emo alt-rock with some strong melodies. The opener is such a fantastic song, easily my favorite. I like that this whole album has a sort of spooky quality to the production. Not entirely sure what it is, but it seems like the bass is pretty clear in the mix amid guitar and drums that are slightly washed out, that plus the overall reverb gives this a unique sound. I can't say I quite find it to be as monumental as many assert, but it's a great album to be sure. I could see this one growing on me more with further listens.
Favorite tracks: Disorder, Day of the Lords, New Dawn Fades, Shadowplay, Interzone.
Album art: Of course I love this one, it's undeniably iconic. I described this previously as a bat signal for hipsters, and that holds up. It's a cover that I honestly think I see more on shirts than I do in relation to the actual music, and that's saying something. Very simple, very strong. The mountain pattern is dope.
4/5
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Nice album! Hadn't heard of this group, could tell they're British, and they remind me a bit of acts like Cocteau Twins or Mazzy Star, I think we're in a similar vein of dreamy rock music. A few really great songs I'll be keeping, though the album as a whole didn't hold my interest as much as I'd hoped. Still, it's a good album.
Favorite tracks: Perfect Skin, Down on Mission Street, Charlotte Street.
Album art: Very simple, a shot of a door in a rundown building, and you've got all the band and album text including the track listing on the right in red. Not bad at all. Not exactly memorable, but the photography is nice.
3.5/5
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
The timing to get this album is perfect, just the other day when we had the White Album I was doing some lore research and learned that Sgt. Peppers may have been part of the Beach Boys rivalry but really was an attempt to meet or match this album, which is a cohesive, avant-garde rock concept album (so perhaps the first in that vein). Zappa is a mad scientist, genius of a man. Hot Rats was awesome, and I know we're gonna get Trout Mask Replica at some point too. This one's really great as well, lots of pointed songs teasing the American (or human) experience at the time. "Trouble Every Day" is a perfect example, I love how much people talked about TVs as the greatest evil facing the world, can't exactly say they were wrong but imagine how they'd view the internet or social media. Underlying the fun, satirical stuff here is some great music, which I'm coming to learn is part of the Zappa package deal. A lot more whimsical than Hot Rats, but it fits with the concept. This is an excellent album.
Favorite tracks: Hungry Freaks Daddy, Trouble Every Day, You're Probably Wondering Why, It Can't Happen Here, Go Cry On Somebody Else's Shoulder, Motherly Love, Any Way the Wind Blows.
Album art: This one's awesome. Had not seen it prior to looking at albums on this list, but I love it. The heat-map colorization is so cool, not sure if that's the vibe they were aiming for but it just looks so good. The blue and yellow and pink is a perfect combo, and on top of all that the framing and text and everything pops, it's fantastic. Meanwhile, at its heart it's a band photo, but I don't know how many band photo covers are on or near this level.
4.5/5
Beth Orton
3/5
Not bad at all! No expectations going into this one, but I like her style. Singer-songwriter with a more modern instrumental style, and I like the long, meandering tracks. Those work well when the music is enjoyable. Yeah, I liked this one, the standouts stood out.
Favorite tracks: Stolen Car, Pass in Time, Central Reservation, Feel to Believe.
Album art: Not much to look at (and I don't mean that as a slight to Ms. Orton). It's just a headshot, a little bit of a grainy filter over the top, and the framing and title text isn't doing much for me. Pretty tame, pretty lame.
3.5/5
Beck
3/5
One of the weaker Beck albums I've heard. The artistry is great as usual, but to me this one lacks focus. Lots of quirky attempts in different directions, and I applaud them, but it doesn't add up to very much. Definitely liked a few songs, but we've had multiple better Beck albums on the list so I'd axe this one.
Favorite tracks: E-Pro, Girl, Scarecrow, Rental Car.
Album art: Kind of cool picture here, some freaky drawings of a weird guy at a desk, sitting on his own head, whatever else is going on. I like the art style, I don't love that the title is positioned like a sticker covering one of the heads of the guys, disruptive in a way I don't enjoy. But overall, cool.
3/5
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
An interesting album, group I've never heard of. Wikipedia calls them "post-hardcore," "post-punk," what am I supposed to make of these terms? No idea, but it's pretty good. Long tracks with a strong display of energy, emotion. Feels punky to me, but the song length is one indicator that things are different. Yeah not sure what to really say about this album, but I liked it. Nothing crazy, but we don't get many albums like this so it's an appreciated departure.
Favorite tracks: Do You Compute, Sinews.
Album art: Very simple black and white drawing of an ink pot. All the words, the band and album title, seem like free association. What does any of this mean? Who is Jehu? It's a cool cover, bold.
3.5/5
TLC
4/5
Crazy? Not really. Sexy? Arguable. Cool? Most definitely. I know TLC, of course, for their timeless banger "Waterfalls," and that's here, so we're in business. They're in a nice sweet spot between hip hop and R&B, as opposed to many rappers today who sing, this strikes me as singers who like to rap. It's a good sound, definitely of the era, but it works well. Also really enjoyed the Andre 3000 contribution at the end, he's a master of that lane as well.
Favorite tracks: Waterfalls, Sumthin' Wicked, Creep, Red Light Special, Switch.
Album art: The three ladies lined up, just barely standing out from the red hue engulfing them. Are we to believe this is like a Three Stooges bit? Is one Crazy, one Sexy, and one Cool? No idea.
4/5
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Shuggie got a funny name. Don't know this guy, seems like a lost funk/R&B cat, like a precursor to Jamiroquai or something. It's pretty good music, no denying it. I like the instrumental tracks peppered in here. Credit deserved for making this in the early '70s, it feels quite a bit newer than that.
Favorite tracks: Island Letter, Happy House, Pling.
Album art: The art on Apple Music is different, and it's kind of bad. The cover on here is much better, definitely fits the '70s. A shot of (I assume) Shuggie sitting on a chair in the sun. He seems very disgruntled, but this is a decent cover.
3/5
Tom Waits
1/5
Ah man, yet another entry in the weird, wild catalog of Tom Waits. Why does this guy get this much shine? Obviously he's unique, but he's the kind of unique you understand in one album, not five. Again, just...decidedly not for me. Waits is really quirky, and while I respect that, it's a flavor of quirk that I'm just not into. I hope this is the last we get from him, it's getting tiresome.
Favorite tracks: In the Colosseum.
Album art: Really cool cover, a shot of Tom screaming to oblivion with devil horns and glowing eyes. This is how Alex and I look when we wake up to find another Tom Waits album on the list.
1.5/5
Giant Sand
4/5
Actually really enjoyed this one. Never heard of this group, and it sort of reminds me of a mix of Tom Waits, Lou Reed, and maybe some other acts as well. But you blend those styles up with some rock music and even some cowboy-country kind of music, you get a pretty great album out of it. It's funny how some of these lesser-known, British albums end up being more appealing to me than some of the albums from the big artists on here like Tom Waits, David Bowie, whoever else. This one is really cool.
Favorite tracks: Well Dusted, X-tra Wide, Temptation of Egg, Astonished, Shrine.
Album art: For some reason the cover on this site is a shot of two people holding a marriage license? It doesn't even look real, and it's not that on wikipedia or apple music. Instead, the cover I'm seeing is a stitching of two photos of a blue room, with some lights strung up and a drumset in the next room. Really, really cool cover, the colors are excellent, just a great photography piece and the effect of the two images overlapping is really nice. Love this one.
4/5
Venom
3/5
Love a good departure like this, and this time we're going to hell. It's evil rock, baby. The album is titled "black metal," so it's easy to see how it inspired a subgenre of the same name. Look, I may not be a metalhead, but I can appreciate some evil riffs and gutteral singing, and there are a couple tracks on here that I did really dig. It's not something I would seek out, but I can't give it lower than 3 stars because it does what it does well.
Favorite tracks: Black Metal, Heaven's On Fire.
Album art: Looks forbidden. We've got what's certainly the devil stenciled in the middle of a black background, a classic goat-like image. He's got a little smirk, like he knows this music is about to take the metal world by storm. Very strong, fitting cover.
3/5
Donovan
4/5
Wow, what an unexpected treat. I know Donovan only for the hit "Season of the Witch," which is on here, so we're off to a great start. The title track sounds familiar, but I can't be sure when or where I may have heard it. Regardless, there's an impressive degree of variety to this album, lots of great psychedelic departures and eclectic instruments. This released in the same month as Revolver! Obviously not as highly regarded but damn, it's pretty dope. Definitely comes out ahead of a lot of the '60s albums we've had that get repetetive, this one was excellent and refreshing.
Favorite tracks: Season of the Witch, Sunshine Superman, Three King Fishers, Ferris Wheel, Bert's Blues, Guinevere, The Fat Angel.
Album art: Absolutely love this design, the text and framing is really cool, great use of color too. This picture of I assume Donovan....looks EXACTLY like Kristen Stewart. Does anyone else see that?
4.5/5
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
One of the big ones, let's go. Shocked to see this isn't on Apple Music, not sure why. Thankfully I've had it on CD for years and it's in my personal itunes library. Wow, I'm learning for the first time today that Captain Beefheart was NOT just an alter ego of Frank Zappa, it's a whole different guy, Don Van Vliet. Zappa did produce this album, and the two were friends, so that all tracks, but man I've been living a lie for years now. This album is weird, and all the weirdness is a kind that I enjoy. Songs have unconventional and unpredictable length, structures, melodies, lyrics, everything feels just pulled out of thin air. "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous, got me?" No, we don't got you. But I love it. Definitely a classic album, I think the back half of the album lacks some of the punch present on the front, but I can't really in good faith give this less than 4.5 stars, it's just a formative classic to me. I was so weirded out and impressed when I heard this way back when, and I still am. Critical inclusion here.
Favorite tracks: Dust Blows Forward, Ella Guru, Pachuco Cadaver, Neon Meate Dream, China Pig, Pena, Orange Claw Hammer.
Album art: Classic, iconic cover. A mystery man in a long pilgrim hat, and wait, his head is a fish. Is it a trout mask? I'm not certain, seems more like a catfish. But it's perfectly weird to fit the music, and the bold pink background is great for contrast.
4.5/5
Country Joe & The Fish
4/5
Look, we get so many of these '60s psych rock type projects, it's hard to keep them straight. And this one came immediately after Trout Mask Replica, so the bar for unique is pretty high. That said, this is a solid album. The one thing that really set this one apart for me was the guitar work, there are some excellent guitar solos peppered throughout this thing, not just some drugged out hippies messing around. I dig it.
Favorite tracks: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine, Death Sound, Love, Bass Strings, Grace.
Album art: Actually a great one, we've got a quadrant of band photos I believe, framed in this very old-school folk/psych style. A lot going on here, but it's goes together well.
4/5
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
Wow, blown away by this one. Don't think I've heard them before, aside from their contributions to Paul Simon's Graceland, which we did get on here. We grew up on the Power of One soundtrack, and that's where my mind went first with this, but here the music is entirely a capella, no instruments at all. It's genuinely insane how much music this group is able to create with just their voices, the rhythms and bass lines are incredible. I found myself less interested in the English songs, but again, everything here is impressive at the very least. This is exactly the kind of album I wanted to find on a list like this, what a world. If you don't see the power and beauty in this, take a hike.
Favorite tracks: Unomathemba, Hello My Baby, Golgotha, Lomhlaba Kawunoni, How Long, Ikhaya Lamaqhawe, Wawusho Kubani.
Album art: Grey background, some lightly colored icons framed in the center. It's polished, it's clean, and it really doesn't give away the power of this at all. The version I found on Apple Music is a 30th anniversary with a water buffalo in the middle and the icons spread to the four corners. That works too.
4.5/5
Madonna
3/5
Had a few good laughs listening to this. It's late-era Madonna, the older pop star trying to keep up with the youngin's. In the era of Britney Spears and whoever else, Madonna puts out this. The production ranges from really cool and interesting to just silly, and that's sort of the album as a whole. I skipped a few songs on here, which is never a good sign, but I also found myself enjoying even more. And "Don't Tell Me" is one I've certainly heard before. I can't really give this more than three stars in good faith because it's goofy and has skips, but I'm not as mad at the inclusion that I worried I would be. Thankfully it's not the only Madonna on the list.
Favorite tracks: Music (funny), I Deserve It, Don't Tell Me, Paradise (Not For Me), Gone.
Album art: The cherry on top, and what had me worried most of all. The album is called "Music," which is dumb enough on its own, but it's a picture of rancher Madonna? This isn't even a country album, I can only remember one song that arguably veers into country-ish instrumentals, why's she doing all this? I hope she was having a laugh here because I certainly am.
3/5
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
The Clapton band, or at least one of them. Good grief, Eric was in a lot of different bands. I forget that "Layla" is by D and the D's, I just know it's Clapton. That's the big hit on here, and there are a few other solid songs too, this is just a good bluesy-rocky album. Apparently the only album from the group too. I don't love it, even the big hit "Layla" doesn't blow me away, but it's solid.
Favorite tracks: Layla, Bell Bottom Blues, Key to the Highway, Why Does Love.
Album art: A nice abstract painting of a woman's face obscured by a bouquet of flowers, or is that a dolphin covered in mold? No idea, but the art style is nice.
3.5/5
Soul II Soul
3/5
Not bad. Recognized the name, but wasn't sure with this group. Some low-key dance vibes, skirting the hip hop/R&B line with this one. Nothing with punch or bite, but a few explorations. Then "Back to Life" hit and I remembered why I was aware of this group. That's a genuine banger. I can't say I loved the album, but that hit put things in context. It's a decent album but not quite enough life to justify the inclusion if you ask me. Would probably be on the chopping block if not for "Back to Life."
Favorite tracks: Back to Life, Feeling Free, African Dance.
Album art: Just a guy vibing, gold background, thin little font and logo for the text. Really nothing special at all to me.
3/5
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Damn, okay. Our second from Dinosaur Jr., and it's a marked improvement for me. Just like the first time around, a very grunge-y, DIY rock sound, but somehow with these really great melodies that just barely float over the mix. There's obvious musicianship here, excellent guitar work, but in combination with the drums and bass it all creates a sort of garage-punk "wall of sound," shout out to Phil Spector. Not sure if it's the mixing or mastering that creates that effect, but it's really cool. It's like witnessing a caveman create fire, some flash of brilliance and beauty surrounded by noise. The vocals aren't spectacular, but they don't need to be. Then there's the left-field noisy odyssey "Poledo," a great way to close out the album. And I know it's not technically a part of the album, but a cover of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" as a bonus track is really cool, I have to keep that in here because I realize that Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me isn't on this list for some odd reason. Anyway, yeah, excellent album. Not sure how many others they have like this, but I'm definitely a fan of this, it works really well.
Favorite tracks: Kracked, The Lung, Raisans, Tarpit, Poledo, Just Like Heaven.
Album art: Really cool sketch of what, maybe two men joined at the head. Conjoined twins? No idea. But the art style is perfectly fitting, as DIY and frankly bare and elemental as the music. Text is great too.
4.5/5
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Nice, another heater. I've heard this album before, can't recall if I've heard any others from the Flaming Lips, but this one is a banger. It feels very cinematic, the music is rock-based but at times psychedelic, spacey, etc. A good blend of electronic elements with traditional rock sounds. Excellent variety too. "Do You Realize" is something of a hit song, I think. I've heard that one outside of the album context before, not certain where. But yeah, this is a really awesome album. I'm not sure if we'll get any others from the Flaming Lips, but this seems like a perfect place to start.
Favorite tracks: Fight Test, One More Robot, Yoshimi Battles the PInk Robot pts 1 and 2, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell, It's Summertime, Do You Realize.
Album art: Really cool art, plainly depicts the title, I love that. The little girl in yellow must be Yoshimi, and the big pink robot might be singular, but his legs have arms and legs, so could be a hydra thing. As great as this cover is, I do think the cover for At War With the Mystics is the Flaming Lips' best, and I know that because it's one of my favorites ever. Hope we get that album too!
4.5/5
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
No way! Wasn't expecting to get an album from OMD on here. This is a cool new-wave band that our parents loved, their greatest hits album was a regular staple in our house. This album has maybe a few tracks that made the hits collection, but only one I recall vividly: "Souvenir." That's a really nice, bright tune, and to my surprise the rest of the album swings wildly through different moods and sounds. Quite a few more ambient, instrumental tracks. I just didn't realize what these guys got up to outside of the greatest hits. This one's pretty good though!
Favorite tracks: Souvenir, Sealand, Maid of Orleans, The Beginning and the End.
Album art: Very...descriptive. From a design perspective I guess it's nice and neat, with a little creativity. But there's not much to it overall.
3.5/5
Laibach
4/5
Wow, was not expecting to like this one as much as I did. Slovenian rock, or metal, not sure which genre is most appropriate. Wikipedia says "martial industrial" which is a combination of words that scares me more than it should. Anyway, some really cool heavy anthems on here, and I was especially enjoying some of the bonus tracks on the CD version, which were apparently part of a soundtrack they made. Those last few tracks were weird in a way I loved, and yeah, this seems to be a sphere or genre that's pretty new to me, but I dig it. How do you say "dark horse" in whatever language this is?
Favorite tracks: Leben Heibt Leben, Leben Tod, How the West Was Won, Herz-Felde, Jagerspiel.
Album art: Absolutely fantastic, this one's new to me but it's seared in my mind already. Some spooky medieval devil man, love how his eyes are bright white amid the grey, intentionally piercing. Reminds me of the Fantasia "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence. Love it.
4/5
Steve Earle
2/5
Never heard of this chap, it's a country-rock sort of album. Some pretty good heartland songwriting, the kind of evocative stuff that is typical of country music, and the music isn't bad. I can't say much of it grabbed me though, I've definitely heard more interesting country music on this list and elsewhere. I'll keep a couple tracks, but this was pretty middle of the road to me.
Favorite tracks: Guitar Town, Someday.
Album art: About as middle-of-the-road as the music itself. Guy with guitar, standing in a town, with some guitars. Font is cheesy as hell too.
2.5/5
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Oh man, I've actually been thinking about this album lately, the fact that I haven't sat and listened to it yet but I knew it was on this list and we'd get there eventually. Snoop is a legend in the rap game, one of those guys with an inexplicable appeal and crossover to white audiences that has stood the test of time. Collabs with Martha Stewart and that smokeless firepit company are the examples that come to mind. Here, he's riding that G-funk pioneer wave, obviously produced by Dr. Dre, and it works like a charm. I'd put this right up there with the Chronic, and it's possible I like even more songs on here than I did from the Chronic. Snoop just helms this so well. Crazy how inconsistent his catalog is overall, but this is an undeniable classic. Close to a five star for me, but just shy. Was curious if this would be a favorite rap album of its year for me, but then I saw it was 1993, and that year saw Midnight Marauders and Enter the Wu-Tang drop ON THE SAME DAY. Stacked year.
Favorite tracks: G Funk Intro, Gz and Hustlas, Gin and Juice, Tha Shiznit, Lodi Dodi, Murder was the Case, Who Am I, Ain't No Fun, Doggy Dog World, Gz Up Hoes Down.
Album art: Definitely iconic, it's a colorful cartoon image but it's obviously sexually suggestive too. This one is just an all-timer for West Coast hip hop.
4.5/5
PJ Harvey
3/5
Yes PJ, frankly, I would like to be rid of you. Sorry, I know that was rude, but do we really need ALL of these albums from her on the list? This is number four, not sure if it's the last, and it's decent overall, but by this point I just don't get it. There was a track on here where she made this gutteral yelp and I just skipped immediately out of embarassment, there wasn't even anyone around me to hear it. Also "Man-Size Sextet," I almost liked that song but it was just awful on the ears. It's weird, the songs I did like on here are maybe my favorites I've heard from her, but the rest of it is forgettable to me. Again, like a British Bjork, and I can't say I'm a fan of either. I'd probably keep one or two PJ Harvey albums on this list because they are interesting, and this might even be one of them. But damn, four is just taking up space. I hope this is the last.
Favorite tracks: Rid of Me, Yuri-G, Me-Jane.
Album art: Hard to tell where her hair ends and the water begins. Is she going for "white woman with dreadlocks" here? Not sure, but it's a pretty good, striking album cover.
3/5
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
Our second from this group, and it's exactly as non-descript as the first. A couple decent songs, the music isn't even bad, it's just so bland and, at album's length, boring. Are these really albums we must hear before we die, or are they albums we might not want to sit through lest we die?
Favorite tracks: No Surface All Feeling, Small Black Flowers.
Album art: Not a bad way to include photos of the bandmates, and actually it's a similar triptych style to the other album we got, though that featured three large, foreboding bodies. I like that these pics are on a little shelf, that's cool. Color is nice, text box isn't bad either.
2.5/5
The Cure
3/5
A couple weeks ago, we got that Dinosaur Jr. album with a cover of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven," and it reminded me that Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me isn't on this list. This album is, however, and I think it's the third and final Cure project. This one's alright, only a couple tracks that really grabbed me. I would most certainly hot-swap this album out for Kiss Me, off the strength of one song alone. I like the Cure when they're more in that dreamy, lovelorn bag. This one strikes me as more angsty; not a bad thing, but not my preference as far as their catalog goes.
Favorite tracks: The Hanging Garden, The Figurehead.
Album art: Really cool, warped image of the band. Looking like some zombies from Carnival of Souls. Definitely a banger.
3/5
Terence Trent D'Arby
2/5
Really not much for me to grab onto here. This guy has a completely new name now (Sananda Maitreya), not sure what impact that had on the music. I can't say I really understand the inclusion of this one. It's in a space between R&B and pop to me, a bit funky here and there but mostly a vocal showcase is my impression, and the vocals aren't all that impressive, the music isn't very showstopping. It sets a mood, sure, but so do a lot of better albums. The one thing I really liked was hearing a quick vocal melody that I was certain had been sampled (three notes on "As Yet Untitled" that reminded me of the instrumental underlying Drake's "Laugh Now Cry Later") but I think I was ultimately incorrect. My apologies to you Mr. D'Arby/Maitreya, but I've no interest in keeping this album around.
Favorite tracks: Let's Go Forward, As Yet Untitled.
Album art: Just a picture of the guy, looking very somber and sulky. It's honestly not a bad portrait shot, but it moves me as little as the music does.
2.5/5
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Oof, a third from Dexys. I'm pulling the bias card because I maintain that they are a one-hit wonder. No, I'm not British, so I don't know if their music goes off in pubs or whatever, but hearing it some forty years later on a list of some of the greatest albums ever made, it's nonessential. I'd definitely keep the album with Come On, Eileen, but come on, list man, we don't need more than the one to get the picture. Also, of note here, this is the fourth album in a row for me that I would cut or replace on this list, not a good look, here's hoping things improve.
Favorite tracks: One of the Those Things.
Album art: Dexys wear their sunday best (in the voice from that song "Our House"). Framing is cool, not much else to say.
2/5
Guided By Voices
4/5
Quite like this one. Like if the Beatles made punk. Lots of short tracks, and I think I'm saving ten (of 28). Still impressive though, this is a nice album. Some great melodic riffs.
Favorite tracks: A Salty Salute, Watch Me Jumpstart, As We Go Up, Game of Pricks, Big Chief Chinese Restaurant, Closer You Are, Motor Away, Blimps Go 90, Strawdogs, Chicken Blows.
Album art: Really cool, a wigged-out psychedelic overlay on a steel drum in the desert? Very, very cool one.
4/5
Rod Stewart
3/5
Our second from Rod I believe. Once again, I find myself wondering when or how Rod became a ladies man type of artist, or why I have that impression in the first place? I said it before, in my mind he was like a rock Michael Bolton. But the music we've heard doesn't match that perception. This is just pretty solid rock music, Rod has an interesting, pretty high pitched voice. The raspiness reminds me of Janis Joplin. Pretty good. The title track and "Cut Across Shorty" are fun.
Favorite tracks: Gasoline Alley, Cut Across Shorty, Only a Hobo, Jo's Lament.
Album art: What appears to be a close up of a manhole on a brick street. Is this this titular gasoline alley? Could be. Not bad art by any means.
3.5/5
Throbbing Gristle
4/5
Oh baby, here comes controversy. I'd never heard of this group or album before, at least not until constantly seeing it on the global "worst rated albums" list on this site, it's either the absolute worst or close to it. I was expecting some putrid filth, but...well, it's an electronic noise type of album, and I actually really like it. Granted, I enjoy some heavy noise stuff here and there (Pharmakon's Bestial Burden is a favorite album of mine that belongs on a list like this), and this one is probably very early in that genre. 1978, can you imagine? Hearing this in an era still dominated by, like, Van Halen? Truly groundbreaking, and I don't even think this was their first album (title suggests otherwise). I really dig it though, it's cacophanous and unsettling, but it's also really cool. I understand why many people would rate it low--I have to remember how many people participating in this 1001 album project are probably just somebody's friend or relative. Most people have never heard anything like this, and in the absence of this list, most would never be FORCED to listen to something like this either. But hell yeah to Throbbing Gristle, this is tight.
Favorite tracks: IBM, Valley of the Shadow, Dead on Arrival, Weeping, Hamburger Lady, E-Coli.
Album art: Just a kid sitting by some shelves full of musical equipment. It's a nice photo, very unassuming and in no way suggestive of the visceral audio hell that this album subjects people to.
4.5/5
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Our third from these guys, Lou Reed and Co. Definitely not as arresting or seminal as the banana album, and looking back I think I enjoyed the self-titled more as well, but still another great album from them. They're just a strong rock band with tinges of psychedelic, artsy-avante garde stuff. The one song I do know on here is "Here She Comes Now," prominently featured in Adventureland (one of the greatest movies ever, but that's neither here nor there). I do like that this album was only a handful of tracks, that's always fun. But yeah, a great album but personally I'd say it's the weakest of the three from VU that we've had.
Favorite tracks: Here She Comes Now, The Gift, Lady Godiva's Operation, Sister Ray.
Album art: It's mostly black, there's some sort of silhouette image slightly there, I can't make out what it is and I'd prefer to keep it a mystery. For some reason, in my mind I always associated this album cover with a much newer band, like mid-2000's Tom Morello type stuff. Think I was thinking of Velvet Revolver with Slash.
4/5
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Oh man, so stoked to find this one on here as well. I got this album on vinyl very early into my journey, and I think it was a blind (or rather deaf?) purchase - I just knew she was Amy Winehouse and it had to be good. Sure enough, it's excellent. I've loved it for many years, so many great tracks veering into jazz crooner type territory. Back in Black is more immediate, edging into popular sounds. After hearing that one in the context of this list, I'm honestly not sure which I prefer anymore. But this one is really special and nostalgic to me, the vibes are immaculate. Rest in peace, Amy.
Favorite tracks: Intro, You Sent Me Flying, Fuck Me Pumps, No Greater Love, In My Bed, Take the Box, Amy Amy Amy, Outro, Brother.
Album art: Adore this one, an off-kilter photo of Amy walking a dog or two in the middle of the night. Might even be a paparazzi photo. But she looks happy and healthy here, maybe that's part of why I love it so much. The pink text to match her top is a spectacular touch. Just about as good as a late-'00s singer album cover could ever be.
4.5/5
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
I like it, I swear I've heard this group's name before but I can't say I'm familiar with their work. This is just some solid rock music, not much at all to distinguish it for me but the riffs and melodies are strong. Some solid bangers in here. Not everything has to be remarkable to be good, and that's what this album is: good rock.
Favorite tracks: If I Were Going, Be Sweet, What Jail Is Like, I Keep Coming Back.
Album art: Yellow/sepia style photo of a boy and a girl. Why does this seem like a fighting couple? They both look so weary. For some odd reason, the art on Apple Music is animated - not sure why exactly they picked this album to do that, but then again we just had Doggystyle and that one was animated on there too, to a much more extreme variation. Decent cover though.
3.5/5
Genesis
4/5
Holy cow, the wikipedia page for this album is about as long as the album itself. Ninety minutes, which I'd generally say is too long, but this is a grandiose rock opera/concept album, so it makes sense. I apologize to Genesis, I wasn't familiar with their game. Again, I always assumed they were just making pop, new-wave type stuff, but this is really nice. Some epic instrumental work, a variety of weird sounds that I always like to hear, and everything flows well. In general, kind of absurd to have two very competent singer/songwriters in one band like this. Great job to all involved, I'll be coming back to quite a bit from this one.
Favorite tracks: Fly on a Windshield, Back in NYC, Hairless Heart, Counting Out Time, The Waiting Room, The Colony of Slippermen.
Album art: Love a good triptych, we've got I assume the lead character from the story in three shots. It's black and white, but cool things going on: he's leapt out from one photo to watch the other two, where he's holding hands with the other version of himself through the frame. The more I look over this one, the more I like it. Font is dope too.
4.5/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Here we go, actually our second from the band but it's their debut and the album with their big hit, "Maps." Totally forgot we had another album from them, but that's because it was forgettable. This one is not. "Maps" is a huge, monumental song, and there are some other heaters on here too. Really good album, especially as a debut. All the more reason to remove the other album we had from them.
Favorite tracks: Maps, Rich, Man, Pin.
Album art: Very, very cool artsy, punky style. Genuinely, the more I look at it the more I like it. Vibrant colors, perfect DIY style. In my humble opinion, and really as someone seeing this for the first time today, this could be an all-timer in its lane.
3.5/5
2/5
Not very interesting I'm afraid, a forgettable new-wave pop act that I'm not even sure meets the "one hit wonder" threshold. The Wikipedia page is fighting me though, apparently this did really well in the UK and is generally well-regarded critically. But I ain't critics, and I've heard plenty of more interesting '80s new wave pop. The one song I really dug on here, "The Look of Love," is actually their highest charting UK single (reached number 4), and I have to look farther down the line to see their highest-charting US hit, "When Smokey Sings." That song I do know, but it's not here, and it's not too much of a hit if I'm being honest. Look, nothing against these guys, the music isn't bad, but if we're looking to represent an era of sophistipop and new wave, we can do a lot better (and this list has done better, with Duran Duran, a-Ha, Prefab Sprout, Tears for Fears to name a few). Won't be returning to this one.
Favorite tracks: The Look of Love, parts 1 and 4 (?).
Album art: Very fitting '80s pop cover, guy with gun holding fainting woman, but the framing, the text and font, it all screams new wave to me. Not a bad cover overall, but there's quite a bit going on here.
2.5/5
Tortoise
4/5
Here's a really cool one, never heard of this group but I seriously love the title, hard as hell. The music is really cool, I would describe it as a sort of prog-instrumental stuff, with rock textures. Wikipedia says "post-rock" and "jazz fusion," so maybe I'm not wildly off course. But it's really cool, only a handful of songs but some of them are really long and meandering. The first three songs on the album that I dug enough to favorite turned out to be, literally, the first three songs, though listening through I thought I was on five or six. I really like this style of music, it's a great journey. Right up my alley, need to get more stuff like this I haven't heard.
Favorite tracks: Djed, Glass Museum, A Survey, Dear Grandma and Grandpa.
Album art: Decent cover, a faint image of a school of fish swimming around, with an inset to show you the fish. It's not much to write home about, but it gets the job done I suppose. Again, nothing is gonna top the album title itself.
4/5
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Was expecting based on the title and band name some wicked punk along the lines of the Sex Pistols, but it's actually a supergroup from the 2000s with Damon Albarn of the Gorillaz and musicians from the Clash, the Verve, and Fela Kuti, all acts we've had on this list. This is a pretty good album, a couple songs I liked. Genre isn't anything mind-blowing, just some solid rock, veering into art-rock territory. Not something I'm interested in seeking more of, but it's pretty good.
Favorite tracks: History Song, Kingdom of Doom, A Soldier's Tale, Three Charges.
Album art: An old art-style scene of what appears to be a church burning, with many onlookers. I really love this style, it looks authentic. The title is great to me, we calling the Queen ugly. Cool cover.
3.5/5
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
Not bad at all, I feel like we've seen the Gilberto name pop up all over this list, but different people. This one's a woman named Assturd, oops I mean Astrud. It's a very specific vibe, a very situational album in that sense as it nails the mood its shooting for. There are some really cool tracks on here, even though as a whole it blended together more than I wished it would. Really really loved "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice," a duet between Astrud and her son I believe. Enjoyable album.
Favorite tracks: You Didn't Have to Be So Nice, Misty Roses, Canoeiro.
Album art: Just a portrait shot of Astrud, lightly obscured by grass in front of the lens. Not a bad shot, but not a very interesting cover.
3/5
Slint
4/5
Oh wow, this one's famous. One of those Music Nerd's Gospel albums. Turns out it's really good, it's a nice DIY rock album. They're calling it "post-rock" and "math rock" and whatever the hell else. Not my circus, not my monkeys. It's great though, some solid jams and nice, progressive tracks. The closer, which seems to be literally just sound recorded at a quarry, is kind of cool too. Not something I'd return to, but I don't mind that inclusion at all. Hey, now I can say not only that I've heard this one but that I dig it. Not planning to make it my identity or anything, but it's pretty great.
Favorite tracks: Breadcrumb Trail, Don Aman, Washer, Good Morning Captain.
Album art: Definitely iconic by this point. Four lads just having a dip, are they in the quarry recorded in the final track? Very possible. Not a phone in sight, just people living in the moment.
4/5
Nas
5/5
Oh man, the big one. One of the most acclaimed hip hop albums ever, and it's really easy to see why. Some kid from New York debuts with something this colossal, produced by legends like DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip. It's just scary, Nas was a teenager recording this, and it was like a tentpole for the underground NY hip hop sound that, 40 years later, is still regarded as one of the best, if not the best. The intro beat is awesome, and the first proper track is "NY State of Mind" which has to be one of the greatest hip hop beats and tracks ever recorded. And we've still got other classics like "The World Is Yours" and "Life's a Bitch"I'm really struggling to find words to describe this album, it's just a perfect encapsulation and representation of the feeling that street hip hop should give. This and Wu-Tang's Enter the 36 Chambers are just biblical. It's not my personal favorite hip hop album, but it's absolutely up there, probably in my top 10 or so, and easily top 2-3 of the '90s. Impressive too to see the late-career surge that Nas has had with his King's Disease series, the guy is still killing it.
Favorite tracks: Everything but Memory Lane hits hard for me, absolute favorites are NY State of Mind and The World is Yours.
Album art: Absolutely iconic. It's Nas as a baby, superimposed over the streets and rough neighborhoods that birthed him. The font is perfect too. No notes.
5/5
Slipknot
3/5
What better way to listen to a Slipknot album then on mic with Alex, the resident Slipknot expert? Can't remember if this is the first we listened to together, but it just made sense. I've never been a fan, but I'm more open to their style of music now than I ever was. This is a late-career album for them, but it definitely still has the edge, at least in doses. Some serious hard-hitters at the beginning, though it did fizzle out for me on the back half. Some interesting softer song choices (maybe they're maturing?), but I just want that dark evil metal from the freaks in the masks. Intro was really cool, some news footage audio with just insane drums building up. As an album, it was decent. I know they've got better.
Favorite tracks: Gematria, Execute, Psychosocial.
Album art: Frankly, pretty boring. All the guys standing in the field. I mean, I guess that would be scary to see IRL but as an image on my phone, it looks a bit like their parents made them stand together for a group photo. And Slipknot has some great evil album covers, this isn't one of them.
3/5
The Libertines
3/5
Another decent album, it's an artist I've never heard of (not going to look it up, but I'll bet they're British). Listening to this, I was reminded of some more modern alternative type bands, like Fall Out Boy or Arctic Monkeys. I think I'd rather see this replaced with something from them, like FOB's albums from 2003 and 2005 would both be worthy of an inclusion in my mind. This one's a little heavy on "la la la's" in a few places too, which is funny. Not a bad album at all, but pretty forgettable.
Favorite tracks: Last Post on the Bugle, The Saga, What Became of the Likely Lads.
Album art: Couple o' emo boys, comparing tats or something. Looks like a weird night out.
3/5
Talking Heads
4/5
Whoa, another big one, within a week of Nas' Illmatic. As someone who casually peruses RateYourMusic.com from time to time, both this album and Illmatic are in the top fifteen rated albums of all time - that's part of where I get my "big one" designation. We've had a few Talking Heads albums, and none of them really clicked for me. Weird, fun fact: we've now received each of the first four Talking Heads albums, in chronological order. I made jokes in past reviews about my opinion improving and softening with each new album, and how maybe they could claw their way to a 5 star. This one is the moment of truth. Obviously it's got the big hit "Once in a Lifetime," but just in general, this album is so funky and full of life. The instrumentals are super crisp and detailed, and there's this good balance of variety and cohesion - they were definitely locked in. It's a sort of refined, alternative take on '80s new wave (and it's 1980, so ahead of that curve anyway), and it works really well here. Almost enough to make me want to revisit their other albums we heard, but I do think this is the mountaintop (and that debut really sucked if you ask me). Prior to today, I would definitely have considered this band overrated by music nerds, and I still kinda do, but now I sort of get it. I wouldn't call this a top 20 album of all time or anything, nor is it getting five stars from me today, but it's really, really great. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it and that I wanted to replay tracks almost immediately. With time, I could potentially see it ascending to 10/10 or five star territory for me.
Favorite tracks: Once in a Lifetime, Seen and Not Seen, Born Under Punches, The Great Curve, Listening Wind, Houses in Motion.
Album art: I'd say this one is iconic, I've seen it plenty of times before. I love the sort of digital artifact covering over each of the faces, it just seems bizarrely modern. The faces are all in a blue filter, the coverings are a bold red. Text is nice, the upside down A's are a nice touch. Cool cover.
4.5/5
2/5
Not streaming anywhere, I know there's a guy with a top review offering to send this if you email him, but thankfully it appears that someone has uploaded this thing to youtube. I'm listening, it's largely unpleasant. It's jazz, in a sense, if you took all the really cacophonous sections and strung them together without any of the necessary buildup or progression to make them narratively sensical or rewarding. Apparently this guy is some sort of mad scientist musician, dabbling in such genres as "thrashcore" and "grindcore." Here's a suggestion - maybe try "listenablecore." In reality, I feel like I understand what was attempted here, and I think being put off by it is kind of the point, it's deconstruction. But yeah, this isn't an album I enjoy or would want to listen to again. Not the worst thing I've heard because it does sort of achieve a concept, and I do actually respect it for being a complete departure from our usual fare. But, as a listening experience, it's pretty bad.
Favorite tracks: Good Old Days.
Album art: Best part about this one, surely. I remember seeing this title on the "worst albums" ranking, then seeing the cover and hoping I'd like it. It's some really great cartoons, man, such a fun variety of stuff going on that is not reflected in the music at all. Hell, they could've incorporated some actual Spy vs. Spy cartoons here too, that would've been neat. But at the end of the day, this album kinda sucks, so who cares?
2/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Our third from Aerosmith, and it's quite a bit later in their career. However, it does still rock, and I was surprised to hear some of their big hits on an album this late, including "Love in an Elevator" and "Janie's Got a Gun." Digeridoo was a cool touch too. Still not at the level of Toys in the Attic for me, but Aerosmith seems pretty consistently good. Rarely great, but generally good.
Favorite tracks: Love in an Elevator, Janie's Got a Gun, Don't Get Mad Get Even.
Album art: Truck fuck.
3.5/5
T. Rex
3/5
Back to back classic rock type albums for us, and they're hitting me about the same. I've never really known this artist or album, but obviously "Bang a Gong" is familiar. Aside from that, some other enjoyable tunes too. Overall, very competent, solid rock album. Nothing too memorable, but it's good.
Favorite tracks: Bang a Gong, Mambo Sun, Monolith, Lean Woman Blues.
Album art: Really love this one, bold and powerful. Ghostly, electric outline of a man, his guitars, and a tower of amps. Just an extremely effective and memorable cover, even moreso than the music.
3.5/5
The Temptations
3/5
Not bad. Is this really the best Temptations album? I've always thought of them as big hitmakers, but aside from "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," there's nothing else on here I recognized. Solid soul/funk music, but I wish there was more distinction. I guess I'm just more of a fan of the P-Funk style and stuff that came later than this.
Favorite tracks: Run Charlie Run, Papa Was a Rollin' Stone.
Album art: A vignette style picture of the guys in/on a tree. Good color border and framing, but this one seems like decor at a bed and breakfast run by the oldest living woman in America.
3/5
The Cult
2/5
Alright, what exactly are we doing here? A seemingly-random '80s rock band from - take a guess - the UK, and it's produced by Rick Rubin so maybe that's why it's here. But this reached top 4 in the UK and marked a shift from whatever their style was before to...just mainstream glam rock. It's not fair to call this bad music, it's actually manufactured to be decent. But that's the problem, this is music as a product and not as art. Look at the cover of "Born to Be Wild," who the hell is that even for? The original is better in every way, and the cover doesn't really change anything. It's just a reference point for the old heads that they were presumably courting here. This is lame, doesn't belong on a list like this.
Favorite tracks: Wild Flower, Bad Fun.
Album art: Kind of cool design-wise, the font is neat, but at the center is just a lame band photo, and look at the bozo with the coonskin cap like he's Davy Crockett. Bugger off.
2.5/5
Travis
3/5
Great Value Radiohead.
Favorite tracks: The Last Laugh of Laughter, Writing to Reach You.
Album art: Reminds me of that Bloc Party album cover from a few years later, just some guys outstanding in their field. Which one is Travis?
3/5
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
Fourth album in a row that I've only saved two songs from, which is disappointingly low for me. Our first from Buffalo Springfield, and unfortunately it does not have the big hit. It's not a bad album by any measure, which is really the case for each of the last few albums, but is it essential? Is it really a "must listen before I die"? To that, I say no. It's just yet another '60s rock album that doesn't even veer enough into psych territory to be terribly interesting.
Favorite tracks: Bluebird, Rock & Roll Woman.
Album art: Pretty cool collage style art, with bandmates and animals pasted on a cliffside scene. Font is really cool too.
2.5/5
The xx
4/5
Nice to see these guys on here. Oddly enough, I think I've listened to (and own) an album from Jamie xx, but not sure if I've heard any of the group projects. This one is great alternative/indie style music. I really enjoy the alternating between male and female vocals. The opening track made me laugh though, it's one that has been co-opted by people making terrible inspirational videos. But still, that's a great song, and this is a pretty great album.
Favorite tracks: Intro, Crystalised, Heart Skipped a Beat, Basic Space, Infinity.
Album art: X. What am I supposed to say to that? They get half-credit only because it's half as many x's as it should be.
4/5
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Damn man, really funny to get this album before Sgt. Peppers, just so the cover reference doesn't make any sense. Maybe we'll get that tomorrow? This album is great, yet another banger from Zappa and his gang. It's really cool that he's such a talented musician that chose to make goofy albums like this, and it's crazy that some of the jokes are making me laugh some 50+ years later. "I'm gonna love the police while they beat the shit out of me" killed me. But yeah, once again, it's comedic stuff poking fun of hippies and counterculture, while also being competent, experimental music. Who's doing it like Zappa? Guy was truly one of one, so much so that I thought Captain Beefheart was an alter ego.
Favorite tracks: Are You Hung Up, Who Needs the Peace Corps, What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body, Absolutely Free, Flower Punk, The Idiot Bastard Son, The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny.
Album art: A pointed spoof of the Beatles' Sgt. Peppers cover. Zappa standing near the front right with no pants, and to his right....Jimi Hendrix? Very cool collage of people, the lightning in the back is a nice touch too. And of course, spelling the word "Mothers" in fruits and veggies is also cool. This is a great cover.
4/5
Jane Weaver
3/5
The post-2010 picks on this list are often so puzzling to me. I've never heard of Jane Weaver, and this album doesn't even have it's own page on wikipedia! What the hell? That seems like a first. The music is pretty good, I liked a few songs, but who needs to hear this before they die? When we got that Microshift album from 2018, I listed some better candidate albums from that year that could've been included instead. I'll do the same here for 2017: Antisocialites from Alvvays, Mac DeMarco's This Old Dog, Tyler the Creator's Flower Boy, Stranger in the Alps from Phoebe Bridgers, Father John Misty's Pure Comedy, and Go Farther in Lightness from Gang of Youths. Shit, it just hit me how recent 2017 was, these are albums that I still listen to all the time. Anyway, all of these are more deserving of a place on this list to represent 2017 than this decent album.
Favorite tracks: H>A>K, Slow Motion, Valley.
Album art: Kind of cool design on a parchment background, honeycomb type thing that spells out the album and artist. I just don't give a shit about this album, sorry.
3/5
Robert Wyatt
3/5
Imagine my surprise to find we've had another album from Robert Wyatt, released more than 20 years before this one. I liked that one a good bit, and this one's pretty cool too. Genre seems elusive, it's rock-y in instrumentation but it's kind of all over the place too, in a good way. Strange sounds and choices that I admire, and I especially love the title "shleep," my guy is shleepy.
Favorite tracks: Maryan, A Sunday in Madrid, Blues in Bob Minor.
Album art: A shleepy guy riding a giant dove (or is the man tiny?). Looks incredibly peaceful, this cover belongs in a children's book.
3.5/5
2/5
Uh oh, looks like the live album curse isn't lifted just yet. As far as live albums go, this one wasn't too bad. I don't know the band or songs at all, but they've got a great rock energy, I bet this was a killer show. That said, not much stood out to me, and live albums in general are kinda dumb. Decent "album," but loses half a star for being live, and ultimately it's occupying a space for an actual album that would deserve it more.
Favorite tracks: Ramblin' Rose, I Want You Right Now.
Album art: Lot going on here, it's a pretty cool collage and overlay of some band and live performance shots. At first glance this one reminds me of CCR. But it's pretty good, especially for a live one.
2.5/5
The Sugarcubes
2/5
Eh. Maybe we're in another weak streak. This album has a lot of life, but it feels very disjointed. A lot of stuff just crammed together. Quite a few vocalists, and sometimes that variety is cool, but sometimes it's a lady that sounds like Bjork, and I'm not a Bjork fan. I'll keep two from here, but considering how many tracks are here, that's not saying much at all.
Favorite tracks: Motorcrash, Blue Eyed Pop.
Album art: At least we get some bright colors out of this? Nice green background, and abstract drawings of I think two naked people - don't want to think or look at it too hard. Pretty solid cover in my opinion, but can't say the same about the album experience.
2.5/5
Calexico
4/5
Just like that, the lame streak is over in an instant. Never heard of this group or album, but damn it was a great ride. Great variety of sounds and styles, blending some indie rock instincts with more traditional Mexican instruments and styles as well, it's a really cool combination that I didn't know I needed. Saving almost half of this one to return to, these are the kind of albums that absolutely belong on a list like this. Bravo!
Favorite tracks: Black Heart, Pepita, Close Behind, Attack El Robot, Guero Canelo, Crumble, No Doze.
Album art: Feel like I've seen this one many times, but never close up. It looks different close up for some reason. Cool girl sitting on a skateboard, the style is very modern. Cool cover.
4.5/5
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Joni is always welcome here! This is a bit later in her catalog, and it's got a road-weary feel to it, she's veering into that jazzy, jaded territory, and overall it works really well. The opening track is such classic for me, I first heard it when I watched that Scorcese-directed Dylan documentary, truly a road dog anthem. She may not have the bright-eyed youth here, but it was replaced by further wisdom. I really dig this one too, so many tracks I'll be saving that I don't know how I could give it less than 4.5.
Favorite tracks: Coyote, Amelia, A Strange Boy, Hejira, Song for Sharon, Blue Motel Room.
Album art: A wispy shot of Joni in all black, holding a cigarette. Part of her body is a cloudy road, pretty perfect for this music if you ask me. Great cover.
4.5/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
We've had a few from Bob at this point, and while I don't know if we need all of the ones we've gotten, this one feels important. Started slow for me, but the back half really picked up, with a couple recognizable hits among the comfortable reggae jams. It clicked for me on this one that yeah, Bob Marley really was a great artist and not just a stoner messiah.
Favorite tracks: Jamming, Waiting in Vain, Three Little Birds, One Love.
Album art: Probably the weakest part of this album, it's just the name. The text/font is cool though, and the colors work. But not very interesting.
4/5
Silver Jews
2/5
Yeah I don't know man, do we really need this one? I think my cynicism is growing now that we are some 850 albums into the list, but each little rock album that we get that doesn't make a serious splash hurts me more and more. What does this add to the tapestry of music, of the history of all music made? Is that contribution one that, were I to have died yesterday having not heard this, my experience of music would have been incomplete? In this case, definitely not. Believe me, we have received a lot of albums that do fall into that box. This isn't one of them. It's fine. Not bad, not particularly good either. Vocals are a little strange, that's the only think remarkable here. But I'd boot it for something more deserving. Really, I'm starting to think that 1001 is just too big of a barrel to fill.
Favorite tracks: I Remember Me, Transylvania Blues.
Album art: It's, uh, a folder on a couch? I do like the font, and the band name "Silver Jews" is interesting, especially with a track called "Horseleg Swastikas."
2.5/5
Cypress Hill
4/5
This was a great one! I know I've heard of this album and group, but this is my first time hearing them, and it's pretty great. I would've guessed these guys were from NY based on the sound, but they're from LA which is cool too. Solid rapping, nice old-school beats, just a really solid '90s rap album. Glad to hear it.
Favorite tracks: How Could I Just Kill a Man, Hand on the Pump, Stoned is the Way of the Walk, Something for the Blunted, Latin Lingo, Born to Get Busy.
Album art: I've definitely seen this one around a lot, again it contributes to why I would've guessed NY. A black and white image of some dudes huddled around a barrel fire in the city, trash abound. The image and the band logo both seem to be stretched or compressed to fit on the album together, not entirely sure why they did it that way but it's not bad. Logo is cool.
4/5
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Love this album, so glad it's on here. There's always been a debate as to which is the ultimate Tribe masterpiece, and it's typically between this and Midnight Marauders. Me personally, I'm going Midnight Marauders, but this one has a cool jazzy edge to it that elevates things. The energy on the intro track is so perfect, can't overstate how awesome that baseline beat is. The album maintains the jazzy feel pretty well, with some great upright bass lines, but there are also a couple tracks that depart to more of hype territory. I was thinking this fell shy of the five-star rating, and I'm not sure why. Listening back to bangers on here, like "Check the Rhime," I mean how could this not get five stars? I thought it lost some steam, but in reality I think I was just not as engaged as I needed to be. As far as the rivalry goes, Midnight Marauders is still my winner. To me, that album is a brilliant ride start to finish, with no skips or bumps along the way. This one's arguably just as excellent, but it's just doesn't hit me in quite the same way. Nevertheless, a legendary album, and very deserving.
Favorite tracks: Excursions, Buggin Out, Show Business, Check the Rhime, Skypager, What?, Scenario.
Album art: Easily their best, right? I mean holy cow. The fact that this woman would make an encore appearance on MM is so cool too. Just a perfect art style and color combination, this one is elemental, essential.
4.5/5
King Crimson
4/5
This one's great too, damn. I knew we'd get King Crimson eventually, but figured it would just be the Court of the Crimson King album. This rocks too though, really great prog, I could see how they're considered a gold standard. Love the long tracks, love the variety of sounds on any given track. Side note: I think a lot about the dude on this website who rated Common's Be two stars, saying it was because he was an engineer and lyrical music didn't appeal to him (which apparently is why music critics don't respect prog, because they're humanities majors). Well, guess what? I love lyrical hip hop, and I also love prog. And King Crimson is widely regarded as a legendary band, that fact can coexist with artists like Kendrick Lamar or Common or Tribe being legendary as well. So maybe that dude was just racist, or boring, or both. Anyway, really dug this album. Excited for more King Crimson.
Favorite tracks: Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Book of Saturday, Exiles, The Talking Drum.
Album art: Not much to shout about, it's a pretty small illustration of a sun and moon, tarot card-style art. I really like it, but it's just really plain here with a lot of empty space. Court is the better cover for sure.
4.5/5
Queen Latifah
3/5
Pretty good! I feel like I always forget that Queen Latifah was a rapper before being an actress, so this is a good reminder. Also I might have this one on vinyl? Will have to double check, but I may have gotten it as part of an album club. I've heard it before though, and it's pretty good. Her style of rapping reminds me so much of Ice Cube, and that makes it funnier that she played his husband in 22 Jump Street (not sure where else that may have occurred). Unfortunately this one does strike me as a bit dated, hard not too since it's 1989, but it's still quite good. An enjoyable listen to be sure.
Favorite tracks: Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children, Latifah's Law, The Pros.
Album art: The Queen striking a regal pose. Amid all the current conspiracies with the royal family in England, this becomes a tad bit funnier to me. But it's a solid picture, and here the white space adds power. The logo is great too.
3.5/5
3/5
For some reason I thought this would have the song "War," but I'm confused, that's Edwin Starr, right? In that case, I'm not at all familiar with this group, but some of these songs sound familiar. Some long, odyssey-type soul tracks, I dig it. The melody on "Four Cornered Room" sounds sooo much like Black Sabbath's "Planet Caravan" to me, and I love that song (released two years before this album), so I'm cool with it. Nothing too crazy, but it's well done and I enjoyed the ride.
Favorite tracks: The Cisco Kid, City Country City, Four Cornered Room.
Album art: Very cool, very detailed drawing of a city street, of the titular ghetto world, and I love that this is animated on Apple Music, looks really cool with the driving back and forth. I NEED to eat at Joe Burgers, I just know it's gas.
3.5/5
The White Stripes
4/5
Hell yeah, nice to get another from the White Stripes on here, it's been so long since we got Elephant that I almost forgot we had it. Not my favorite album from them, there are at least 2-3 ahead of it (including Elephant and Get Behind Me Satan, which is also on the list somewhere), but it's still really great. Some serious bangers, and among them is "We're Going to Be Friends." I can never get over the fact that that song is from the White Stripes, not just because it's so much more restrained than their usual fare but because it's such a pleasant and well-written classic that I would've just assumed it was written many decades ago. Featured prominently, of course, in one of my favorite movies ever, Napoleon Dynamite. Such a fantastic song. Aside from that, still a number of killer tracks on here, more aligned with the heavier sound that they do so well. Great album.
Favorite tracks: We're Going to Be Friends, Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, Finding it Harder to Be a Gentleman, Fell in Love with a Girl, I Can't Wait, The Protector.
Album art: Black and white and red all over, best color scheme. Looks like the Whites are getting mobbed by shadow papparazzi. Not entirely sure what to make of it, but it's striking.
4/5
Tom Tom Club
4/5
What the hell? I feel like I was struck by lightning listening to this. Stopped me in my tracks, just so cool. Didn't realize this was an offshoot of a couple Talking Heads members, but I was drawing that comparison in my head, about to say that this is better than all of the Talking Heads albums. I don't think it's better than Remain in Light, but it's not far off. Holy cow, this is just a wild ride. The opener is so funky and so funny, and then "Genius of Love" is a classic, I never knew who was responsible for that. Just a nice funky ride through and through, the back half wasn't as exciting as the first, but how could anything compare to that jolt of electricity? Really awesome album. Not a five star today, but I could definitely see this one getting there with more listens (same goes for Remain in Light).
Favorite tracks: Genius of Love, Wordy Rappington, Tom Tom Theme, As Above So Below, Under the Boardwalk, Booming and Zooming, Lorelei.
Album art: Really love this one, childlike artstyle (though not sure if it was actually drawn by a child). Tons to look at, great colors, no complaints here.
4.5/5
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Quintessential mixed bag. Some really solid rock stuff, mixed in with some very strange stuff, like a song that sounded like if Tom Waits played the two little demon guys in Hercules. Not quite sure why this is here (aside from British bias), and I don't love it but it's decent.
Favorite tracks: Swampsnake, The Faith Healer, The Last of the Teenage Idols.
Album art: Guy in striped shirt in front of striped background. Logo and picture are cool. Is it supposed to look this weathered, or is that just a bad picture?
3/5
Björk
4/5
Wow, actually really enjoyed this one. As much as I've struggled with Bjork's music, this album clicked for me. Production was really cool, lots of great sonic choices, and some nice off-the-wall songs too. Just much more engaging and interesting to me than what I can remember of the other albums we've had. Almost makes me want to try those again, as if this flipped a switch for me. But yeah, this was pretty great.
Favorite tracks: Where is the Line, Oll Birtan, Submarine, Ancestors, Mouth's Cradle, Triumph of a Heart.
Album art: Bjork wearing a freaky deeky knitted Mickey Mouse/Batman kind of mask? And she's got a strange necklace that spells Medulla (I think). It's a striking cover, I think I like this more than some of the others she's got.
4/5
Madonna
3/5
Speaking of female singer-songwriters who go by just one name that I'm not really into, our third from Madonna. Like "Music," there's an element of "is she too old to be doing this," but it's not as pronounced. There were definitely a few songs I enjoyed, and this felt like a more chill, subdued experience. I couldn't really say which I prefer more between this and Music, but maybe a slight edge to this one because I didn't skip any songs. Another decent album from an artist I always assumed was legendary - am I missing something?
Favorite tracks: Ray of Light, Nothing Really Matters, Little Star.
Album art: Just a wind-swept, off-center picture of Ma Donna (Mother Donna?). Nothing special to it really, but the background color and overall saturation gives this a nice warmth.
3/5
Lambchop
3/5
Never heard of this and didn't expect much, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Some really solid and fun melodies, plus the singer had this weird falsetto shift thing going on that I kinda liked, it's imperfect but leaning into that imperfection feels good and genuine. Nothing too crazy to note here, but it was really good.
Favorite tracks: You Masculine You, Nashville Parent, What Else Could It Be, The Distance from Her to There.
Album art: This one's interesting, it's an inset painting of two kids playing by a lake, containing the giant word NIXON. Below the painting is a pretty unusual band logo thing, almost looks like a fishing depth finder diagram? Not entirely sure. But enough here to be interesting, the painting is really cool honestly.
3.5/5
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Here's a big one, a classic I've been waiting to see on here for a while. I know that these guys, and this album in particular, made a big splash in the '60s psych rock scene. There are two big hits on here I knew, and they're pretty different. "Somebody to Love" is a pretty cut and dry rock anthem, and then "White Rabbit" is a sort of horrifying acid trip kind of song, which I'll always remember from The Game with Michael Douglas. Some great stuff on here, and it's obviously a cut above some of the more generic, cut and paste psych rock albums we've had. Not sure why but that genre is otherwise overrepresented on this list. This one's great though, and deserves its place!
Favorite tracks: White Rabbit, Somebody to Love, 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds, DCBA 25, Embryonic Journey, Go to Her.
Album art: It's a very unassuming, black and white band photo. You get a sense that these guys are weird, just because of the funny poses and faces. One guy turned to the side, one guy blocking his eye, just quirky stuff. The font for the title is cool, and yeah, the title itself suggests psychedelia when nothing else here really does.
4/5
John Lennon
3/5
It was only a matter of time, huh? Ol' John Lennon and Ms. Yoko Ono involved in the background. There are a few songs on here that I really enjoyed, and I can tell a lot was poured into this. As a whole, not as engaging as any Beatles albums, that's for sure. But I do appreciate what he was going for here, even if I didn't connect with it all that much.
Favorite tracks: Mother, Isolation, Well Well Well.
Album art: Is that John and Yoko laying under the tree? It's a really nice scene, though the picture quality isn't great. Guess I can't fault them since it's 1967, but still. The sort of album that looks like it has ringwear even when it's brand new, like jeans sold with holes.
3/5
3/5
A nice departure from the usual fare, into that dark alley of noise music. Decades after the Throbbing Gristle album we had, but just as abrasive and to me, even darker. Somehow I've developed a taste for this kind of evil music, more than I have for metal. And this one is pretty good if you ask me, though it lacks a bit of bite. As usual, a few good songs I'll keep, but I wish it went a little harder. For reference, I'm always comparing albums like these to Pharmakon, specifically her album Bestial Burden. That one is absolutely a "must hear before you die." This one? I'm not so sure. But I had a good time.
Favorite tracks: If You're a Wizard, Read the Book that Wrote Itself, Flow My Tears the Spider Said.
Album art: Really, really love this cover. Bizarre embroidered image, looks to be an eagle with an ocean and lightning below, and a volcano behind? Then some other freaky things like a hanging man and a skull. The font is wicked, everything about this cover is awesome to me.
3.5/5
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
A few tracks into this, I was like "man, this just sounds like an Arctic Monkeys ripoff." Turns out it's a supergroup with Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys and some other dudes I've not heard of before. It's pretty good, a few tracks I dug. But if you asked me to distinguish these Turner songs from anything by the Arctic Monkeys, I'd fail miserably.
Favorite tracks: Standing Next to Me (read that in the same cadence as "crawling back to youuuu"), Calm Like You, I Don't Like You Anymore, Time Has Come Again.
Album art: A woman from the '60s shot in black and white, in case you weren't sure what kind of era they are shooting for. The font is fine? Reminds me of some other website I've seen before, can't remember which one. Nothing too special here.
3.5/5
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Another from the legendary duo. Not sure why, but it struck me today that these guys were making albums in the '60s, for some reason that's impressive. This one's great though, it's got a bona fide all-timer in Mrs. Robinson, along with a handful of other great tracks. It's not as impactful for me as Bridge Over Troubled Water (and maybe below Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme as well), but these guys are consistently great and enjoyable.
Favorite tracks: Mrs. Robinson, Save the Life of my Child, Voices of Old People, Fakin' It, A Hazy Shade of Winter.
Album art: Glamor shots by Deb energy. Two turtle neck boys, looking as if it's their first day on earth. It's a very good "band photo," as far as those go. Art Garfunkel looks like a bit a of a menace.
4/5
Big Star
4/5
I really liked this one! For some reason I thought we just had an album from this group, but I'm thinking of T. Rex. Not even sure how similar they are, it's just a similar category for me in mind. But this was nice, a rock album to be sure but with a few pleasant sonic departures into acoustic territory. Really not much to say about it, but I had a great time.
Favorite tracks: The Ballad of El Goodo, Thirteen, Don't Lie to Me, Try Again, Watch the Sunrise.
Album art: In more ways than one, a big star. Neon lights shaping the star and the word "BIG" inside. I also like that they called it "#1 Record" though I doubt it actually went number one, sounds like they had some release issues.
4/5
Fugees
4/5
Hell yeah, most definitely a classic hip-hop album, and one of my favorite of 1996. Multiple beats that have served as classics for a long time, and Lauryn Hill's as sharp a rapper as she is an excellent singer, like on "Killing Me Softly," you'd almost think that was her song. Though I may have been surprised to say this at one point, I prefer Miseducation. Nevertheless, this is an excellent album.
Favorite tracks: How Many Mics, Ready or Not, The Beast, Fu-Gee-La, Killing Me Softly, The Mask.
Album art: Definitely iconic. Quick sidenote rule of thumb to follow - if Marvel hasn't done a cover variant of your hip hop album, it's not iconic. Anyway, yeah, three disembodied heads floating in darkness, plus the Godfather-style font. It's powerful, foreboding.
4.5/5
Elastica
4/5
Really enjoyed this one! '90s punk-y rock band, so definitely later in that space, but they've got a unique sound to me, something sharp that cuts through the noise. Part of it may be the female vocalist, which seems less common (though we've had albums from Le Tigre, X-Ray Spex, and Sleater Kinney as well). Love that there are a few women in this band. I think I liked this more than most of those other ones though, some great melodies and great energy.
Favorite tracks: Annie, SOFT, All-Nighter, Stutter, Never Here.
Album art: Actually really cool band photo, great contrast, the bandmates look cool as hell, I'd wanna hang with them. Font is nice too.
4/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Interesting, the debut from the Rolling Stones. I'm putting this against the Beatles' With the Beatles, as we've also had it on this list and the two albums are very similar. That wasn't their debut, but it had six covers, where on this album, all but one track is a cover. Let's get one thing straight: these British Invasion bands all got their start doing covers and interpretations of rock and roll and blues artists in the US, often black artists whose music had not yet crossed over to white audiences. Elvis did this too, and in hindsight it's obviously troubling, but somebody had to do SOMETHING. If our world had never crossed that racial divide musically, we'd have some pretty awful music, guaranteed. And between bands that did covers and credited artists (the Stones, Beatles, Led Zeppelin) and bands that just did their own shit that's very blatantly ripping off artists (look up my review of the Yardbirds' Roger the Engineer), the former is much more ethical. That said, this isn't the most interesting album. Yes, important to the Stones' legacy, as it put them on the map, but why not the originals? The US version has "Not Fade Away," one of my favorite Buddy Holly songs. Is Buddy Holly on this list? We haven't had him yet, I'll wait. What about Chuck Berry? Willie Dixon? I'd rather hear the progenitors, personally. I do like this album, and I think it fares a hell of a lot better than With the Beatles, simply because Mick Jagger's voice is 100x more suited to the blues than Paul or John. All in all, it's a good cover album and I can what the hype would have been, but I don't know how necessary it really is, some 60 years later, when we can channel hindsight into platforming the artists who created that sound to begin with.
Favorite tracks: Not Fade Away (US version only), Mona I Need You Baby (UK version only) Carol, You Can Make It If You Try.
Album art: Just a band photo, nothing crazy. Interplay of light and shadow is prominent, anything to do with them bringing American blues/rock songs into a new light?
3.5/5
New York Dolls
3/5
Really good actually! I've heard the name and wasn't certain what to expect, but it's solid glam-rock stuff, arguably predating a lot of the hair metal sound in the '80s, so they should probably get some credit for that. Yeah this one's cool, I can totally see why it's included.
Favorite tracks: Personality Crisis, Looking for a Kiss, Subway Train.
Album art: Very bold and very fitting for a band with this name to debut in drag on their album cover. Wouldn't be surprised if this is a reason why the album initially performed poorly, people are scared and the hard rock scene was probably not welcoming of that stuff. But long run, it paid off. This is one of the stronger band photo covers I've seen, and the lipstick font is a great touch.
3.5/5
Dirty Projectors
4/5
Oh man, I really like the Dirty Projectors. I first heard their album from 2018, Lamp Lit Prose, which I really dug. The lead vocalist has such a unique quality to his voice, something sharp about his timbre that I really enjoy. This album is really awesome too, such an unpredictable ride. What genre can you even call something like this? Really glad it was included.
Favorite tracks: Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise, Stillness is the Move, Useful Chamber, No Intention.
Album art: Two women, one's face obscured with a blue blob, the other with red. Are they crips and bloods? Democrats and Republicans? Doesn't matter, looks cool. Dirty Projectors seem to do some self-referential covers, as there is a previous one that is two connected, round shapes, and then Lamp Lit Prose is that again, repeating the red and blue scheme. Just a fun little easter egg.
4.5/5
Einstürzende Neubauten
4/5
Everybody's favorite genre: evil noise. I've made mental note of this album based on seeing it on the global Worst Rated Albums list on this site, and I always look forward to finding out why. What we get here is an industrial noise album from the early '80s, and wouldn't you know it, I really dig it. I know I've mentioned Pharmarkon's Bestial Burden in another review, and I mentioned it to Alex as we talked about this album, but it's a reference point for me as this sort of vile, bitter noise that represents really harsh, negative emotion. You'd think it would be unpleasant for me, and in a literal sense it definitely is, but it's also an expression that I really respect and feel like I understand, to the point that I geniunely have grown to love albums like this. Most would say it's not even music, and I don't know if I can make a case to the contrary, but damn I love this stuff. Albums like this ABSOLUTELY belong on a list of things you must hear before you die, even if it literally kills you. I'm keeping a good handful of bangers. I think the album got a little tame and same-y on the back end, but overall a great ride.
Favorite tracks: Tanz Debil, Steh Auf Berlin, U-Haft-Muzak, Draussen Ist Feindlich, Schmerzen Horen, Kollaps, Vorm Krieg, Spionagedub.
Album art: What the hell am I looking at? A little cyclops freak? Is that even supposed to be a person, or just a symbol? Not much to it, but it's kind of memorable for that same reason.
4/5
Slade
3/5
Right after getting the evil Kollaps album, we get this shit. Just another classic rock band, British guys with a few rock anthems. No, it's not a bad album, it's decent. But why should this list be so packed with decent albums? Even if you give Kollaps one star, it made you FEEL something, right? The violent urge to cut your ears off is still a feeling, this album is the exhalation of air through the nose when your friend sends you a meme. We don't need this.
Favorite tracks: Look at Last Nite, Let the Good Times Roll, Man Who Speaks Evil.
Album art: This is actually quite clever, a play on confusion as to the band's name. Is it Slade? Are they saying "slayed?" Who was slayed, Slade? Who's on first? Band photo made a lot better by the bit, the guy on the right is goofy as shit.
3/5
George Harrison
4/5
Wow, this was really great. Kind of insane that the Beatles had so many great songwriters, right? Paul and John were the obvious titans, meanwhile George was waiting in the wings and totally capable of this too. Impressive to me that the *third* songwriter in the group put out an album this solid. Is this the best solo Beatle album? "My Sweet Lord" has to be his biggest hit, but there are just a lot of great songs on here, and the music all sounds great - not sure if that's mixing or engineering or what, but this guy knew what he was doing. A bit long, but still a great album. Glad we got it.
Favorite tracks: My Sweet Lord, Wah Wah, Isn't It a Pity, What is Life, Run of the Mill, Beware of Darkness, All Things Must Pass, I Remember Jeep.
Album art: Guy is sitting in a field under an umbrella, surrounded by stone gnomes. Not super special, but I do like this one.
4/5
Dagmar Krause
1/5
This is a big moment for me. I've had a handful of one-star albums across this journey, even some that I'd give a 1 out of 10. But not until today have I heard an album on this list without even one redeeming track, not a single song worth saving. This one's not on Apple Music anyway, and I will NOT be going out of my way to download any of this. What the hell are we doing here??? This is an album from the '80s, a German singer doing showtune renditions of old German war-time folk songs. That description reads like the worst idea for an album Tom Waits could ever have. Yeah of course, I recognize the talent and effort that goes into this and its value as a preservation of old music. But good lord, this is a nightmare to me. Listed as "cabaret" on wikipedia, remind me to avoid that genre tag like the plague. Just a culmination of things that I can't stand here. I'm all for variety on this list, and just this week we got another German album with Kollaps, but that was a lot less painful than this. Get this out of my face and out of my ears.
Favorite tracks:
Album art: Kind of a cool design, just Ms. Krause's face obscured by shadow, the framing and splashes of red are nice.
0.5/5
Killing Joke
3/5
Not bad. This one's billed as "post-punk," and I think I'm starting to understand it. It's like a nuclear war fallout version of punk rock, the aftermath in a sense. It's got a lot of the grit but a very different energy. Couple songs I'm saving, but overall this album didn't do too much for me.
Favorite tracks: Bloodsport, Requiem.
Album art: Black and white shot of what appears to some guys on and below a wall. Maybe some rebels trying to blow it up? Not sure. I think part of my "nuclear war" aftermath analogy is attributable to this cover, I'm getting that vibe for sure. The grafitti-style title is pretty cool.
3/5
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
Yes! Or better yet, hell yes! Was just last week that I was lamenting the fact that we had no Buddy Holly on here yet, while we did get the Stones album with a cover of "Not Fade Away." Buddy was a pioneer in his own right, a master of the rockabilly style and an actual songwriter. He didn't write all of these songs, but some of the best he did, like "Not Fade Away" and "Maybe Baby." I love getting albums like this as a true time capsule of what was hot back then. A lot on here that actually rocks, and I can just imagine kids going brazy at the sock hops. It's a shame Buddy Holly died so tragically, I would have loved to see what his music would have evolved into as he got older. He was ONLY 22 YEARS OLD when he died in that plane crash, if he had lived just to 50 he would've been making music in the '80s, what a crazy alternate timeline that would be. Rest in peace, this album rocks and rolls.
Favorite tracks: Not Fade Away, Oh Boy, Maybe Baby, That'll Be the Day, I'm Lookin for Someone to Love, Send Me Some Lovin, Last Night.
Album art: Nothing really crazy, just a band photo, but man, look at these young dudes. Buddy Holly having the time of his life, like 20-21 years old here. Just unbelievable still that he died when he did.
4.5/5
3/5
Country departues are always nice. I don't really know Loretta Lynn, but I think she did a lot of duets with guys like Conway Twitty so she's gotta be credible in her own right. Stylistically, nothing super notable here, but the songwriting is really fun and confessional. Multiple songs on here that are just unique perspectives and cool to hear, like the title track and "I Got Caught." One song about "stop spending all your nights drinking with your friends and then expecting me to just have sex with you when you come home drunk in the middle of the night" and a song about mutual cheating, "you got away with so much, but of course the one time I do it I get caught." Laser-specific stories here, and the relationships are toxic as hell. This kind of country music can be really fun. Good album.
Favorite tracks: Don't Come Home a-Drinkin, Tomorrow Never Comes, I'm Living in Two Worlds, Get What Cha Got and Go, I Got Caught.
Album art: Plain jane cover, just Loretta with a bit of a crooked smile, basic font and styling. Certainly more effort put into the music than the album art. Then again, it's 1967.
3.5/5
CHVRCHES
4/5
Didn't expect to get this on here, but I'm not complaining! CHVRCHES is a really cool band, they've got an indescribable magic to their sound, and it comes through on a lot of these. Especially "The Mother We Share," that will probably be their top dog hit forever. It's a pretty great album, enjoyable ride. Will be saving quite a few.
Favorite tracks: The Mother We Share, We Sink, Gun, Under the Tide, Lungs.
Album art: Spirally logo with what I assume is the V that serves as their U? Colors are great, design is bold. It's a strong cover for sure.
4/5
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Feel like this was inevitable. A mystifying one hit wonder - seventeen minute jam track with a gibberish title occupying the entire side B of the album of the same name. These guys are weird as hell. Iron Butterfuly is such a cool name though. This album started slow for me, but thankfully had a couple hits near the end before The Big One began, and of course the big one is a classic in its own right. Truly no idea how it came to be a big deal, but I respect it.
Favorite tracks: In-a-Gadda-da-Vida, Termination, Are You Happy.
Album art: Bizarro psycho rock art behind a band photo, and the font here actually looks dumb as hell. Very DIY if you ask me, and I can't fault them for that, but not very good.
3.5/5
Dr. John
4/5
Oh man, what the hell is this?? Tagged only as a "rock" album, and given that it's 1968, I assumed it would be some more psych rock stuff we've heard dozens of times now. But this one's very different, it's like some bayou blues and jazz mixed with psych rock elements. Never heard of Dr. John or his gris-gris before but that's a shame, this guy is wild. He's doing a voodoo doctor character, it's awesome. This is EXACTLY the kind of album that I'm glad I listened to before I died, kicking the bucket before taking this in would've been a travesty.
Favorite tracks: Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya, Danse Kalinda Ba Boom, Danse Fambeaux, Croker Courtbullion, I Walk on Guilded Splinters.
Album art: Again, had me expecting typical psych rock stuff. Very creepy image of this guy Dr. John, and it took me a few looks to notice that his picture is a combination of a profile shot and a headshot, really cool effect. Love the font with the "text box" border still there, too.
4.5/5
Fiona Apple
3/5
You guys remember the pandemic? Crazy, right? This album is pandemic-core, in a similar vein as that celebrity "Imagine" singalong, or the video of Sam Smith crying about lockdown after like two days. This album was lauded to high heaven when it dropped, and I really didn't get the hype then. Okay, Fiona is stuck in the house and going insane, I guess that makes this album interesting. But musically, it feels not just disorganized but whimsical to a point that I just don't really like. Think Tom Waits if he were doing a character of a carnival barker going insane. I liked one more song this time than I did the first time I heard it (and a few other songs I almost liked, but then they just got too annoying), but I'm still not really into this album. I'll give it three stars because I respect the craft, and it's not bad by any means. But it's dated, and it's not for me.
Favorite tracks: Relay, Rack of His, Heavy Balloon.
Album art: I do like the cover, it conveys her madness pretty well. Bold, contrasting colors between the font and the little gold ribbons or whatever. She looks like she's auditioning for the Joker, and she kinda sounds like it here too.
3/5
Django Django
3/5
This one was interesting, not entirely sure what genre we are in. Some really exciting drum sequences, there's a groove to this album that's unmistakeable. I know nothing about this group, but I'm enjoying their style. Django Django Django Django Django? What does it all mean?
Favorite tracks: Firewater, Waveforms, Wor, Silver Rays.
Album art: What am I looking at here? This image is about as indecipherable as the genre of the music. Some whirling, twirling thing in a sand dune, at first glance I thought it was supposed to be some kind of creature but it's...I don't know, energy? Very cool cover, I like not knowing what I'm looking at.
3.5/5
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
As always, a continental departure outside of North America/Europe is very welcome. We've had an album from Ali I believe, that's cool to get a second. I dig this one too, a nice relaxed style but still great skill and musicianship poured in here. I got sucked in in the middle and probably missed out on some gems as it slipped into the background, but this is a great listen.
Favorite tracks: Bonde, Soukora, Banga, Ai Du.
Album art: Nothing remarkable going on here, just some guys vibing in the studio. The framing is a little puzzling. It looks fun and comfortable what these guys are up to, but the album looks like a bad insert in a history book or a museum exhibit.
4/5
King Crimson
4/5
Screamy red man album. This one is the stuff of legends, it's up there with Dark Side of the Moon as the album that your pretentious music nerd friend won't shut up about. Memed to oblivion, but I haven't heard it in full yet, so let's see if it's worth the hype. Of course, it's got "21st Century Schizoid Man," infamously sampled by Kanye West on "Power." That's a cool song, sounds nothing like "Power," which is why sampling is so fun. A few other great tracks on here too. I'm into this prog stuff, I'm not entirely sure if I like this album or Larks Tongues in Aspic more, but safe to say I'm a fan of these guys. That said, I also don't see this as "best album ever" by any stretch, so it doesn't quite live up to the pedestal in the way Dark Side of the Moon absolutely did. But it's still a great ride, and knowing this is one that I'm sure would grow on me too, I'll give it the half-star bump. Glad we finally got this!
Favorite tracks: 21st Century Schizoid Man, Moonchild, The Court of the Crimson King.
Album art: Screamy red man. This poor guy looks like he just noticed the door of the room he's being wheeled into is labeled the "Penis Explosion Chamber." 100% iconic, no notes.
4.5/5
Suede
3/5
I mean, yeah. One of these albums. The Britpop, British alt-rock stuff that plagues the list, overrepresented and underwhelming. Not bad, liked a couple on here as is usually the case. But "just alright" is not alright on a list like this.
Favorite tracks: Animal Nitrate, The Drowners, Where the Pigs Don't Fly.
Album art: Two people kissing, are they boys? Are they girls? No one knows, but it's provocative. It gets the people GOING.
3/5
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Not on Apple Music, but it is on Spotify, but the version on Spotify is missing the title track, which is also missing from the album playlist on youtube - what's the deal here? I listened to the album proper, which is pretty good! It's some nice (albeit unremarkable) jazz, and though I was hoping for some more overt African influence (this guy is South African), it's still enjoyable. I'm keeping a few tracks in my playlist, but those are cobbled together from compilations, reissues, etc. so I'm not even sure if they're real. This kind of thing is exhausting, and even though it's a good album, I don't think it was quite worth the hassle.
Favorite tracks: Mandela, Tuang Guru, Water from an Ancient Well, The Wedding.
Album art: Looks very cool, art of a plain or field, maybe an arroyo? Where my real heads at, who knows what an arroyo is?
3.5/5
Napalm Death
2/5
Here we go, I'm always game for an album on this site's global best or worst list, we're ever approaching the end of our journey so each one we get feels like a critical milestone. This one is the fourth worst, and surprisingly the three rated lower are all albums I really enjoyed (Kollaps, Throbbing Gristle, Duck Stab were all cool as shit). This one, I'm afraid, fails to hit the mark. Granted, I'm not much of a metal fan to begin with, but this one is all gas no brakes in a way that's not just exhausting but hard to grasp. The average track length is not much longer than a minute; each is a sprint to the finish line with instruments played as hard and as fast as humanly possible. I don't hate that, but most of the songs end before I can even really appreciate them. No surprise, then, that the one I liked was one of only three that was over two minutes long. I can't give this a one star because I know there's merit here, I know this is a style that is intentional and meaningful in its own way. But as far as listening experiences go, it's pretty bad, and to me something of a failed experiment. They didn't make a fan out of me.
Favorite tracks: Instinct of Survival.
Album art: Really cool cover, black and white heap of horrors. Some politicians or industry leaders gathered around, I don't know, starving children walking with a messiah? Skulls in the foreground (with nice little corporate logos nestled throughout), industry in the background, and who's at the backs of the men but the angel of death. Incredible how much is going on here, and how none of that cut through the music to me. But I'll be damned if this isn't a great album cover. SCUM indeed.
2/5
Nico
5/5
I've been properly obsessed with "These Days" since I first heard it in The Royal Tenenbaums years and years ago. Just remembered, too, that Drake (yes, that Drake) released a cover of "These Days," thought I dreamed that for a second. Anyway, I love Nico. I only know her for that track and her work with the Velvet Underground, but she's got this great spooky '60s voice that's just unmistakeable. She sounds like a ghost or something, she'd fit right in in Night Gallery (doesn't hurt that she looks a bit like frequent star Joanna Pettet). But I don't know what else to say, I'm totally on board with her frequency. I think some people hate her, I guess that comes with being singular. I had this explanation prepared about how it was just shy of five stars but maybe would grow on me more with time, but then I listened a second time and it was already growing on me, and that's from a place of loving it already. This one's a tenner.
Favorite tracks: These Days, The Fairest of the Seasons, It Was a Pleasure Then, Chelsea Girls, I'll Keep It With Mine, Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams.
Album art: Fits right in with my theory that she's a ghost. Huddled in the corner, haunted by her own visage. This is an iconic cover for sure.
5/5
The The
4/5
Our second album from this group it seems, and while I don't remember much about the previous, this one seems better, right? More funky, electronic, new-wave type sounds than the previous is what I got, and quite a few on here that I'll be keeping. For an album with not that many tracks, that's a great sign.
Favorite tracks: I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow, This is the Day, The Twilight Hour, Giant.
Album art: Very, very cool. Bold art style, bold image. Had no idea what to expect based on the visual, but I'm not mad. Surely, this is their best album cover, right?
4/5
The Adverts
2/5
Nothing burger. A punk album without much to distinguish it from all the others we've had. Can't say it's bad, won't say it's good. Moving on.
Favorite tracks: Bombsite Boy.
Album art: The one on Apple Music sucks, it's just a close-up shot of a disheveled incel. The album cover on here is really cool though, I love the brightly-colorful border.
2.5/5
Kid Rock
1/5
What if the Beastie Boys were just one guy, and what if that guy was racist? This is another entry on this website's shitlist, and I totally see why. Sonically, it's abrasive in a way that thinks its cool, but is mostly boring and dated. Lyrically, it's pretty dogshit. How about that one song with autotune crooning? What was he thinking there? I'm keeping two tracks, mostly for laughs, but the rest of this is so devoid of value to me. The last track had me intrigued - "Black Chick White Guy," I was sweating and tugging at my collar as soon as it started. A story-telling type of track, is he going to be sticking up for his partner or black women in general? Well right out of the gate we are treated to a litany of troubling tropes, and then two minutes in he drops the N word. I looked at the runtime......NINE MINUTES LEFT. What the fuck? I couldn't do it, couldn't finish it. If I become a spy and a foreign nation wants to extract America's secrets from me, force me to sit through that song and I'll sing like a canary. The craziest part of all of this is I don't think he's actually racist, I think he's just an idiot. That song was going for something decent, arguably even noble, but he doesn't have the tact or talent to pull it off. Flash-forward 25 years, he's out here telling Joe Rogan that Israel should start bombing Palestinian civilians 30 to 40 thousand at a time. He's like the Dorian Gray painting sitting in America's attic, hosting all of our worst tendencies and stereotypes as a culture. Detroit has produced some fantastic artists, but also some of the most bizarre white boy heroes in all the land: Kid Rock, Ted Nugent, and Eminem. Nugent has some heat in his catalog, but he might actually be insane now. And Eminem has some great albums as well, but he continues to serve as hip hop's (unwilling) Elvis, so the worst guy you know can say he doesn't like rap, but loves Eminem. Em and Kid are like bug zappers - their low hum and neon glow call out to every kid with a Cookie Monster flatbrim hat, Etnie shoes, and a collection of Monster energy drink cans to punch a hole in his wall, call his mom a bitch, and believe the world is out to get him. But my response to them, and to Kid Rock in particular, in the words of Tim's Kitchen Tips, is "no one cares, no one's listening."
Favorite tracks: Cowboy, Wasting Time.
Album art: Look at this scuzzball. The lighting is cool, the neon sign with his name in the back also cool, but Kid Rock himself....white boy with wheat-thin braids and a stupid cigar. What is he looking at? Someone to call the N word? I'm out.
1/5
Japan
3/5
Somewhere between new wave and punk, lots of long songs from the most emo kid at a prep school. It's alright, a couple nice tracks but nothing too eye-opening. Quiet life indeed.
Favorite tracks: Fall in Love With Me, In Vogue, Alien.
Album art: Really like this one, a guy standing in the fog, trying to reach out. Maybe it's not fog at all, maybe he's just sad. But the picture is striking, the font is bold, it's a good one.
3/5
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Apparently our second from this band, could've fooled me. It's decent, it's a heavier sound for sure, but with some good melodies that cut through the noise. Middle of the road though, don't think I liked it as much as the previous. Nothing all that memorable, just like yesterday's album. Can we leave purgatory?
Favorite tracks: Just Like Honey, The Hardest Walk, Never Understand.
Album art: Pretty terrible in my opinion, font looks dumb, picture poses are lame too. Immediately forgettable.
3/5
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Nice, glad to get this one on here. The title track alone is worth the price of admission. A song I know very well and have loved since I first heard it many, many times on classic rock radio while working at the dry cleaner. I got to thinking - it's interesting that, of all the Beatles music and the solo work from each guy, THIS song more than any other seems to be the biggest classic rock staple. Are the Beatles too soft, too experimental? I'm sure they have a couple in the rotation, like "Eleanor Rigby" or "Hey Jude" or something, and "My Sweet Lord" from George Harrison's album that we had recently surely gets some play, but this is such a big one for classic rock radio. Must be the memorable riffs, that's what dads love. Tangent aside, this album's pretty great. More than a few great songs, instrumentation is crisp and really enjoyable. Not exactly Beatles level, but it's a really great album nonetheless and I'm glad we got it.
Favorite tracks: Band on the Run, Jet, Bluebird, Let Me Roll It, Picasso's Last Words.
Album art: Cheeky pic of the band on the run. Love that they're all in matching fits, love the guy on the far left pointing a finger gun. The spotlight, the brick wall, the neon font in the blackness, this is just an excellent album cover. No question.
4/5
Skepta
4/5
Hell yeah, really love this one. Skepta has to be my favorite UK/grime artist, I don't care how mainstream of a pick that may be, he kicks ass. I heard this album years ago and loved it, glad that's it's on the list. Can't even claim British bias here because it's just a super hard album.
Favorite tracks: Konnichiwa, Corn on the Curb, Numbers, Man, Shutdown, That's Not Me, Detox, Text Me Back.
Album art: Not very interesting, but it's well-designed. A sort of stamped envelope look, a bit of passport vibes, is that Skepta's head and hat featured on the stamp? First time I'm noticing that.
4.5/5
Eric Clapton
3/5
Better than I expected, this is a nice album from Clapton. At least one cover in "I Shot the Sheriff," and it's pretty good, but given that we've had three Bob Marley albums on here, I don't need it. Not going to go out of my way to learn whether there are other covers on here, but the style is nice, flipping around in rock and blues territory. Pretty good album.
Favorite tracks: Motherless Children, I Can't Hold Out, Mainline Florida.
Album art: I take it that's Eric by the tree, in front of some beach house. Pretty bland cover, but I don't mind it, it serves its purpose and fits the vibe.
3.5/5
Skunk Anansie
4/5
Very interesting! Not quite metal or punk or some other obvious category of rock, but with a peculiar edge heading that way, they call it "alternative rock" and I get it. Not used to hearing women fronting bands like this, let alone a Black woman, so that's really cool. British too apparently, I wouldn't have guessed. Really like the progression of some of these songs though, seemingly calm but then exploding with anger. Very cool album, bumping to four stars for the strength of the opener.
Favorite tracks: Charlie Big Potato, We Don't Need Who You Think You Are, Secretly, And This is Nothing.
Album art: The band hanging out in a hotel room or something, lead vocalist staring at us from her chair in the foreground. Nothing crazy here, but I like it. A bit foreboding, as it should be.
4/5
Ananda Shankar
4/5
Another interesting album, I'm a sucker for the sitar. This is from a Shankar I'm not familiar, and it's a combination of that sound with more rock and pop-type music, including the Doors' "Light My Fire." Quite a few hits on here for me, as I expected, but I can't pretend I like this as much as the real-deal Hindustani stuff we've gotten, like that Call of the Valley album. Still, it's a great departure.
Favorite tracks: Jumpin' Jack Flash, Snow Flower, Metamorphosis, Sagar, Dance Indra.
Album art: What you see is what you get: sitar. Plus a nice descriptive paragraph of what they're going for. The font and colors are really cool. Not the most creative cover, but it gets the job done.
4/5
Beatles
4/5
About damn time, huh? We still have Sgt. Pepper's waiting in the wings, but Rubber Soul is a great one. This one doesn't have as many immediate or big hits as many of the other Beatles albums, but it's really, really solid. The deep cuts are strong, and this album was the beginning of their shift to more pyschedelic (and more interesting) music. Some awesome melodies, "I'm Looking Through You" actually shocked me. Also, was "Michelle" sampled by Drake on "Champagne Poetry"? Crazy flip. The final track is bizarre though, should've left that one off. Otherwise, Love Rubber Soul, obviously not their best, but I'd put it in top five.
Favorite tracks: Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, You Won't See Me, Think for Yourself, Michelle, Girl, I'm Looking Through You, In My Life.
Album art: Lightly psychedelic band photo, leaning into the hippie aesthetic. Font and forest is cool, nothing crazy.
4.5/5
Kanye West
5/5
Life-changer alert. I wrote in my review of Channel Orange how that album changed my life, and mentioned Yeezus - this album is the yang to the yin, the second in the one-two punch of 2013 that made me reevaluate my relationship with music entirely. Even more important, this one gave me a curiosity and appetite for hip hop like no other. An odd album to make that occur, but hear me out. Prior to 2013, I was a casual fan of rap music, I had a taste for guys like Ludacris, TI, and G-Unit when I was younger, and near the end of high school I was getting into Drake, B.o.B and Kid Cudi. All fine artists, but I wasn't really invested in the culture of hip hop. Then, on May 18, 2013, a weekend where I was home from college, I tuned into to SNL to see Kanye West as the musical guest, and he performed two new songs, "New Slaves" and "Black Skinhead." I was floored. Electrifying performances, aggressive lyrics, it all seemed so punk or metal or I don't know what. But my first thought was: he makes music like THIS? Hip hop can do THIS? I had no idea. It made me embarassed that I hadn't listened to Kanye's catalog, and that I really hadn't taken time to dive into hip hop in a serious manner. The album dropped not too long after that performance (I remember even listening to a leak on youtube), and it was just as electrifying. Rage, noise, vitriol. I hadn't heard anything like it, and when it comes to artists of his stature and fame, I haven't since. Some call it a ripoff of Death Grips, but I disagree - it's more melodic, more Kanye if you will - and whether that works for you may depend on what you like about their music. For me, it's perfect and brilliant. Will always be one of my favorites from Kanye.
Favorite tracks: All of them, but songs like New Slaves, Blood on the Leaves, On Sight, Send It Up are forever seared in my mind.
Album art: Billed as the "open casket funeral" for the CD format by Kanye and Virgil Abloh. Again, it's aggressive, it's brilliant. Truly iconic.
5/5
Ice T
4/5
My first Ice T album, and it's great. I know him more for Law and Order and his tweets, even his role in Rick and Morty, but now I see why he's in the position he is: he's got it. The raps are hard, the rock edge is cool too. He's in a lineage of activist West Coast rappers, a lot like NWA. A few too many skits on here, but that's a product of the generation. This is a really strong album, glad we got it.
Favorite tracks: Ziplock, Mic Contract, New Jack Hustler, Bitches 2, OG Original Gangster, Midnight, MVPs, Escape from the Killing Fields (probably #1 on here), Street Killer.
Album art: Hard. Framing is dope, pictures are dope, font is dope. This is an era classic.
4/5
Queen
4/5
Nice! I think we've had another Queen album on here but can't remember. I believe I listened to all of their albums a few years ago, in the wake of that biopic, and this is definitely one of the highlights in their catalog. I think most treat it as their best, and I'm not sure I feel the same, but it's up there. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a classic, as is "You're My Best Friend," and those aside some other great tunes. It definitely feels like their version of or answer to a Sgt. Pepper's kind of concept album, and they pulled it off really well. Great album!
Favorite tracks: Bohemian Rhapsody, You're My Best Friend, Death on Two Legs, '39, Seaside Rendezvous, Love of My Life.
Album art: Very cool cover, a bit minimalist in framing, but the image is really ornate. Great colors and design, and the font is cool too. Not quite as memorable as I wish it was, but it's a good one.
4/5
Digital Underground
3/5
I know of these guys, they were discussed heavily in the Hip Hop Evolution documentary series on Netflix, particularly Shock G and his "humpty" stuff. I hadn't heard their music until now, but it's mostly great. Old school hip hop to be sure, but almost with a prog bend to it; most of the songs are 6-7 minutes long, and the sound evolves as you listen. That said, I do think the album runs too long overall. I'm fine with a handful of long songs as an album, but I think this was over 80 minutes total. Plus, the overall theme and sex stuff is strange. Aside from "Humpty Dance," which is surely the best track on here, the other sex-related songs are just weird. "Freaks of the Industry," who can really sit through that? The "Sex Packets" concept seemed interesting at first, but then they started talking about simulating 17 year old girls. If you cut out "Freaks" and the whole Sex Packets suite from the back of the album, I think you'd be left with a great album, but then you'd have to rename it. I'll give this three stars - there's enough on here that I'm glad I heard it, but as an album it's weird in a way I don't want to return to.
Favorite tracks: Humpty Dance, Rhymin on the Funk, Gutfest 89, Doowutchyalike.
Album art: They really went all-in on this sex packets concept, huh? So strange that it doesn't even come through in the music until the end of the album. As far as covers go, it's interesting. Guy holding the technology of a future - apparently a little glowing condom thing that lets you commit crimes with no real victim? I don't know man, it's just odd.
3/5
Aphex Twin
4/5
Epic. Glad to finally get an album from Aphex Twin, I'm only tangentially familiar with his work, but I know this is a big album from him. It's really nice, "ambient" is a fairly accurate descriptor but there is more drive to these songs, it's really engaging. Great album.
Favorite tracks: Xtal, Tha, Green Calx, We are the Music Makers, Ptolemy, Actium.
Album art: Is that a capo? That icon has persisted in memes for music nerds for a long time, that's all I really see though, a capo. Solid cover though.
4/5
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
Country departures are always fun, this one's got some cool Mexican music elements to it, especially on that song with Buck Owens, another guy we've had on the list oddly enough. I know nothing of Dwight Yoakam except that he's got a funy name. As far as album's go, this one's alright. Doesn't do much for me, but still a fairly refreshing inclusion.
Favorite tracks: One More Name, Buenos Noches from a Lonely Room, Streets of Bakersfield.
Album art: Not entirely sure what we're looking at, think it's just two action shots of Dwight. One his head and shoulders, the other his legs. He seems to have on a mariachi type outfit, which is dope. I was in Cancun recently and we saw a Mexican heritage show, and there was an all-female mariachi band that performed and absolutely killed it, incredible show and music. Made me think I need to do some research to find the best mariachi album ever made, that should probably be on this list (maybe even in place of this one).
3/5
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
Very troubled, sad guy music. Reminds me a bit of Nick Cave, Sun Kil Moon, etc. It's not bad, but it's a style that I think others do better. Still, a couple tracks I'll keep so not a total loss.
Favorite tracks: Nomadic Revery, Death to Everyone.
Album art: A freaky dinky ahh skull. Seems almost like a collage of small images, but not sure. Very simple cover, not bad though.
2.5/5
Liz Phair
4/5
Wow, really enjoyed this one. I've heard Liz Phair's name before but not her music. Lots of great melodies driving this one, and the lyrics are strong too. This has to be a seminal indie rock album, right? I feel like this has to have influenced tons of artists working today. It's really strong. Glad to have heard it!
Favorite tracks: Help Me Mary, Glory, Never Said, Explain it to Me, Shatter, Stratford-On-Guy.
Album art: Liz seems to be angry, and my response to this is like that Seinfeld episode with Elaine's Christmas card...."I may be wrong, but I think I see a nipple." It's a decent cover, black and white isn't my favorite here.
4/5
Garbage
2/5
I mean.....I wouldn't personally call it "garbage," but it is pretty boring.
Favorite tracks: A Stroke of Luck.
Album art: Cool. Pink flowers, with a stencil sprayed "G" in the middle (but it doesn't actually seem sprayed on). Very bold and memorable, unlike the music.
2/5
Gang Starr
3/5
I know the name, not the music. Didn't know until today that Gang Starr is a duo, consisting of rapper Guru (with whom I'm not familiar) and producer DJ Premier, who is an absolute legend. As you'd expect, the production is top notch, some great scratching as is his signature. I liked the sample of "California Soul," that song from GTA. It's a good album, not too much jumped out at me though. There's a note on wikipedia that in 2007, IGN called this the greatest hip hop album of all time, I don't know why that's so funny to me. IGN is just goofy.
Favorite tracks: Step in the Arena, Who's Gonna Take the Weight, Here Today Gone Tomorrow, What You Want This Time.
Album art: Looks vaguely familiar, could've swore we got an album from Gang Starr before, but I guess I was thinking of Cypress Hill, they've got a slightly similar logo thing going on. Primo very hunched over on the right, but they both look cool. The sepia-style filter isn't a great choice if you ask me, but it's fine.
3.5/5
The Beach Boys
3/5
Another from the Beach Boys, but this one is very different. Later in their timeline, and it feels more somber and existential. Beach, this time, refers not to a fun place to hang out, but the shores of existence. These are the Shores of Existence Boys. I like it though, it's pretty good. Didn't know they made stuff like this, but it's cool. Not super memorable or anything, but I had a good time.
Favorite tracks: Long Promised Road, Disney Girls, Feel Flows, Surf's Up.
Album art: Really, really love this one. I've seen it before, but never realized this was the Beach Boys. A defeated warrior on a weary steed, "surf's up" has a completely different meaning here, it's all over and done. Instant classic.
3.5/5
Elton John
4/5
Another strong showing from Sir Elton John! Maybe not as many hits as Yellow Brick Road, but it's very solid. Didn't realize I knew "Levon," but obviously "Tiny Dancer" is legendary. Gets a little same-y, but some would call that cohesion. I like Elton's style, so I'm calling it good here, same-y-ness isn't bad when you like what you're hearing.
Favorite tracks: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Rotten Peaches.
Album art: A classic, love this text and font, color is great too. Pretty simple all things considered, but it's really effective.
4/5
Sparks
3/5
Shocked to see this is an American band. Never heard of them, and the style tells me why, it's very quirky art-rock stuff, like the more fanciful side of Queen minus the heavy-rock edge. It's pretty good music, and a good handful of songs I'll keep, but I'm not a huge fan of this style. Bit too "fancy-pants prick" for me, veering into baroque territory or something. But it's good!
Favorite tracks: Amateur Hour, Falling in Love with Myself Again, Thank God It's Not Christmas, In My Family.
Album art: Two girls in kimonos I suppose, we're doing the whole "kimono my house" pun, so I get it. I can't tell for sure if they're actually Japanese or what. It's a cool cover though, I like it.
3.5/5
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
Holy cow, really loved this one. An interesting blend of styles, veering into almost classical territory with the traditional instrumentation. A good chunk of this album is presented as a musical suite too, which is something I always enjoy. Not sure what else to say, but this is some kind of hidden gem. Wikipedia doesn't have much at all about this one, but I'm really glad we got it.
Favorite tracks: Penguin Cafe Single, Surface Tension, Milk, The Sound of Someone You Love, Chartered Flight.
Album art: Really, really dig the cover for this one. A guy pretending to be a bird (not doing a great job of it) hanging out at the Penguin Cafe and trying to blend in with the locals. A painted art piece, the colors are great, and the bold blue framing is great too. Just a really solid and memorable piece of art.
4.5/5
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
Almost shocked to say it, but I kinda dig this album. I'm not a big punk fan, and I know we had one other album from these guys (though I don't think that was as punk) and it wasn't as memorable. This one though, it's unique to me. It takes the freewheeling, DIY nature of punk and stretches it to extremes of length, to a few tracks that are long and droning to give time for melodies to breathe. Hard to explain why it worked so well for me, but it really did. Especially "Fodderstompf," that song almost seems like they were doing a bit, as the percussion and "beat" reminds me of some kind of new-wave pop, but it's still this gritty punk song talking about "we only wanted to be loved." Damn, something about this one just got under my skin, in a good way. The tracks I didn't like were basically skippable, but the ones I did were enough to elevate this pretty significantly.
Favorite tracks: Fodderstompf, Theme, Religion II, Public Image.
Album art: Guy's face, up close. It looks like they made a very light effort to create a magazine cover style, emphasis on "light" though because there isn't much to it. The guy's eyes are piercing though, something unnerving about that picture. Not a bad cover, font is nice and bold, but it's also not super distinct.
4/5
3/5
Back to back punk I suppose. This one's not bad, a couple good songs, but there's certainly nothing as distinct to me as the Public Image album from yesterday. Female vocalist, which I do appreciate in the genre, but yeah. It's alright, I'll save a few tracks, but as a whole, nothing special.
Favorite tracks: Some Other Time, Adult Books, Year 1.
Album art: Really like this, it looks super modern, super contemporary. Would not have guessed '80s based on the clarity of this picture, seems more like a late 2000's indie rock album cover shot. Colors are great, looks like mostly wrapping paper on everything. Great to look at.
3/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
I need to smoke that shit that made Stevie wonder. Great, great album. This one comes to us amid Apple Music's publication of their "100 Best Albums" list. Lots of great albums on there, including many from our 1001 list over here. They have Innervisions from Stevie (another excellent one), but no Songs in the Key of Life. I'd call this one a third excellent entry from Stevie, third place behind Innervisions (Songs will always be top dog). Not dramatically different than his other albums, at least to me, but when you do what you this well, who could possibly mind? "Superstition" is such a classic. He really is one of the greats, man.
Favorite tracks: Superstition, You are the Sunshine, Big Brother, You and I, Lookin' for Another Pure Love, I Believe.
Album art: Classic for sure, love this one. Cool outfit, cool pose, chilling in the wild somewhere. The framing and text really makes this one pop.
4.5/5
Public Enemy
4/5
Hell yes, our third from Public Enemy but it's the big one, their magnum opus according to most. I love it, as usual you get some fantastic sampling at the root of these songs, and the rapping is excellent. The initial run of 4-5 songs is so, so great. The back end wasn't quite as bombastic to me, but it's still a fantastic ride all the way through. I was expecting this could've been a 5 star on first listen, but it's not there for me yet. Maybe with time though, I know this one is pretty timeless. Very glad to have heard this, finally.
Favorite tracks: Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Cold Lampin', Terminator X, Mind Terrorist, Show 'em Whatcha Got, Security of the First World, Rebel Without a Pause.
Album art: Iconic, classic, everything. Chuck D and Flava Flav behind bars, they both look not just cool but cold. Logo and font, all the periphery is bold and powerful. I forget sometimes that Public Enemy was basically just two dudes (plus some producers here and there).
4.5/5
Sebadoh
3/5
Some pretty cool alt-rock stuff, nothing really spectacular to suggest why the inclusion, but quite a few tracks I dug enough to keep so no complaints. Some quirky instrumentals mixed in, and that's not always a bad thing.
Favorite tracks: Fantastic Disaster, Emma Get Wild, Homemade, No Way Out.
Album art: Really cool, a sort of burned-out painting or something with more art beneath it. Not entirely sure what I'm looking at, but I like it.
3.5/5
The Style Council
4/5
I like this one quite a bit! Listed only as "sophistipop," for blending jazz, neo-soul, and some other stuff, my first thought was bossanova or lounge music, but I'm obviously not an expert. Regardless, it's a very cool album, and a smooth departure from the usual fare. Great vibes, great crisp instrumentals. Vocals aren't too powerful, but that's not really a bad thing here. This one's great.
Favorite tracks: My Ever Changing Moods, Mick's Blessings, The Whole Point of No Return, The Paris Match, Here's One That Got Away.
Album art: A blue (bleu?) image of two boys walking around, perhaps at a cafe? It's simple, but it gets the job done I suppose.
4/5
The Offspring
3/5
Not bad honestly, somewhere in the space between punk and metal is how I would describe this one, there's at least one track I knew, "Self-Esteem," most likely from a Tony Hawk game or something. The energy on here is strong, and coming out of this with a few tracks saved is all I could really ask for. Not entirely my style, but it's pretty good.
Favorite tracks: Self Esteem, Nitro, Genocide, Smash.
Album art: Very cool image of a skeleton, surely passed through some kind of medical machine. I don't know what it is, not thermal imaging though. But it has a great effect, and it leads to some nice bold colors. Paired with the font, this is a really strong album cover.
3.5/5
The Zombies
4/5
Whoa, hell yeah! I didn't recognize the name, but when I saw the tracklist, "Time of the Season" was all the reminder I needed. This is honestly a great album, very bright and clear instrumentals, with just a dash of that psychedelic edge. Not every track works, and there were a few that I'd almost skip, but enough heat on here for me to call this a great album. The first three songs especially, that run really had me going.
Favorite tracks: Time of the Season, Care of Cell 44, A Rose for Emily, Maybe After He's Gone, Changes, This Will Be Our Year.
Album art: Classic psychedelic '60s art style, I like the figures mixed in here, an ape man in a hospital gown, what seems like Goku with his ass out on the right. Just an excellent collage style, this one perfectly typefies the style of the time.
4/5
Primal Scream
4/5
Giving this one the bump to four stars because why not? We've had another from Primal Scream, and I don't remember it being this kind of music at all. This one veers more into electronic sounds, a good bit of it dark and foreboding. Quite a few grooves that I managed to sink myself into, and I was hung up for a long time on "Trainspotting," that song has a sample used in it a few times (see 1:09 for the first reference) that I recognized immediately from Pusha T's "Lunch Money," a loosie produced by Kanye West. I'm pretty sure they both used the same underlying sample from a '70s album called Moog Indigo, which I absolutely need to listen to now. But yeah, some really cool tracks on here, great depth of electronic instrumentals, love having albums like this appear on the list (especially when they're good).
Favorite tracks: Burning Wheel, Out of the Void, Medication, Trainspotting, Long Life.
Album art: Not fantastic, the one on here is a collage of urban images, streets, signs, and some electronic instruments. Too much going on to really make a statement, but the font at least is good. Apple Music has a different cover, and it's really just the street shot from the bottom right corner of this album. Not necessarily better, but definitely less cluttered.
4/5
Santana
4/5
Oh hell yeah, wasn't exactly expecting Santana on here. I forget sometimes that he was this virtuosic guitarist who performed at Woodstock, because my introduction to him was the poppy stuff he did in the 2000s. But the man can shred! I knew "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va," which I thought came out a lot later - maybe he rerecorded at some point. Hell of an album though, so many tracks I'm saving. This is hard as hell and I'm really glad we got it.
Favorite tracks: Singing Winds, Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, Se a Cabo, Samba Pa Ti, Hope You're Feeling Better.
Album art: Love, love, love this one. Insane artistic piece, a nude woman in the center of….no idea what, it's like a "name one thing in this pic" challenge. Brilliant colors, awesome font, just pure art. Fun fact: looking at the vinyl, there's some images on the back of women that were also featured on the back cover of Miles Davis' Btiches Brew.
4.5/5
R.E.M.
4/5
Damn, okay. Number three from REM, still no sign of "Losing My Religion." But this has to be my favorite that we've had so far. A few big hits, like "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon," plus some others that I hadn't heard before but loved, especially "Nightswimming." I really love Michael Stipe's voice, and this album is just really excellent. I'm not holding my breath at this point for the "Losing My Religion" album, but if they all sound this good, I'm chilling.
Favorite tracks: Everybody Hurts, Man on the Moon, Nightswimming, Drive, The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite, New Orleans Instrumental.
Album art: Not entirely sure what I'm looking at, some sort of spiky block or something, over a mostly blank, grey backdrop with a bit of texture. Not too elaborate or memorable, but the bold font helps a lot.
4.5/5
Moby Grape
3/5
The internet has been really wonky for me today, this site, other sites, my phone, everything. Maybe we got hit with a low-grade EMP. Anyway, I looked this one up on Apple Music, and there's a version of it that contains only one song from the actual album, then a handful of bonus tracks, and they are numbered correctly but 90% of the album is just missing? I'll have to circle back on that, but I pieced together what I could from a greatest hits, which was maybe 65% of the album, and it's decent. Another typical '60s rock album though, nothing very special. Not worth digging harder if it's not readily available, I'd replace this one.
Favorite tracks: 8:05, Omaha.
Album art: Cool guys chilling on the street, looking sort of tough but also like refined art school hippy dudes. Label stamp is cool, this is a solid cover, especially compared to most band photo covers.
3/5
5/5
Big dog. One of those ones that was just inevitable, though funny that we didn't get this until 925 albums into the list. Also funny that yesterday's album, Moby Grape's self-titled, is also from 1967 and the gulf of creativity couldn't be wider. This is another pinnacle for the Beatles. It followed Revolver, which is still my favorite, but they went for this concept album style, which wasn't necessarily the first but it was definitely a landmark for pop/rock artists to do so. As such, it's very consistent. Not as high of highs as Revolver to me, but almost every song is enjoyable (save for a couple of duds). The opening three tracks is a perfect sequence too. Has to be five stars, no way around it. I'd still rank Revolver higher, but for one band to make both of these is pretty insane.
Favorite tracks: I'm keeping all but two, but my favorites are Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, With a Little Help from My Friends, Sgt. Pepper's (Intro), She's Leaving Home, A Day in the Life, Mr. Kite.
Album art: Iconic, classic. Lots of great details here - the band is here twice, and I love how weird they look on the left in black (especially Ringo). Who else can I see? Edgar Allen Poe, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, Karl Marx, quite the rogue's gallery. Love the bright-colored fits, the drum, the rose garden, it's a spectacular cover.
5/5
Turbonegro
3/5
Some decent rock from this group, fairly heavy stuff but good catchy riffs, pretty accessible. "Good Head" was really funny. I'm a little concerned at the name of this band, considering it's a group of white dudes from Norway. They've stated it's an anti-racist message, and that they're combining terms for "fast" and "black" as a descriptor of their music, but it's odd. Their other idea for band name was Nazipenis - real Sophie's choice between those two, huh? Anyway, the album's alright.
Favorite tracks: The Age of Pamparius, Zillion Dollar Sadist, Good Head.
Album art: A cool stencil-type drawing of a six-headed cobra. Gives it this old, homegrown sort of feeling, like it's a drawing you'd find in an ancient text or almanac. It's cool, and fairly memorable too, so I'd say it gets the job done.
3/5
Van Morrison
4/5
Awesome album, been waiting for some Van Morrison. This one's got some big classics, the title track is such a bizarre but undeniable hit, the jazzy nature of it is so unique. "Caravan" is another big one, and beyond those there are still gems to be found in the deeper cuts. I love the texture of his voice, it feels nostalgic even on tracks I haven't heard before. Not sure how many more ways to say I love this, it just hits the spot.
Favorite tracks: Moondance, Crazy Love, And It Stoned Me, Caravan, Come Running, These Dreams of You, Everyone, Glad Tidings.
Album art: A few headshots of Van himself I'm assuming, one big one on the right and four smaller shots on the left, photo booth printout style. It's nothing crazy at all, but definitely more creative than the average portrait shot cover. Font is fine.
4.5/5
Billie Holiday
3/5
Always appreciate getting an album from the '50s. We haven't had any Billie Holiday, and I have no idea how this ranks in her catalog, but it's pretty good. She's got such an interesting and emotional voice, and she sounds really old, was she old when she made this? Damn, she was 43 I believe, and she died the following year. That makes this hit a bit harder. Apparently drugs and alcohol had damaged her voice quite a bit, which is what I was hearing. Really tragic to be able to tell from a recording that someone isn't doing well, even when hearing it some 65 years later. I'll be keeping a few songs from this one, and I'll have to listen back with that tragic background in mind. Rest in peace to Billie, her talent is undeniable even through the pain.
Favorite tracks: For Heaven's Sake, You Don't Know What Love Is, It's Easy to Remember, Glad to Be Unhappy.
Album art: Just a picture of Billie, typical '50s style cover. She looks very world-weary though.
3.5/5
R.E.M.
3/5
Number four from REM, and that's four albums without "Losing My Religion." Alex was really hyped on this one, telling me it was his favorite we've had so far. To me it's one of the bottom two, maybe my least favorite. I knew listening to it that it was either very early or very late REM, because it sounds much more subdued, lowkey. Stipe isn't singing as strong, either because he's getting old or because he's not sure of himself yet. Turns out it's their debut, so I'm right. And even though it's my least favorite I've heard from them, still a good handful of tracks I'm keeping. Subdued vocals aside, the melodies are great, and you could tell from a debut like this that these guys were going places. The last few tracks on here lost me a little bit, if this were trimmed to end before that point I'd be rating it higher for sure. I feel bad saying this on the one REM album that Alex liked the most, but this would probably be my pick to replace with Out of Time, to get both "Losing My Religion" and "Shiny Happy People" on this list. Shoutout to REM though, serious hitmakers, haven't heard a single album from them less than a 3.5, which is really good.
Favorite tracks: Radio Free Europe, Laughing, Moral Kiosk, Perfect Circle, Catapult, Sitting Still.
Album art: Some mysterious dried out forest shot, creeping vines and stuff all over the place. It's unsettling, actually reminds me of the creature from that Night Gallery episode, Brenda. I like it though, it's effective.
3.5/5
TV On The Radio
4/5
Quirky album in the best way. Apparently our second from this band, and I'd personally say keep this one and nix the other one. They're both solid (I gave the other one a 4 star rating as well), but this one is dramatically more interesting. Very cool and strange stuff around every corner, I like that.
Favorite tracks: The Wrong Way, King Eternal, Ambulance, You Could Be Love.
Album art: Is that tail lights, made to look like lightning? I can make out a house, sort of. I love this, love looking at it. The lightning effect is awesome.
4/5
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Somewhat unremarkable pop album, but Christina has a great voice. I didn't think I'd know any tracks on here, but I definitely recognized "Beautiful." I'm saving four tracks, which is pretty good. I'm not sure if this really belongs on a list of this magnitude, but as far as pop albums go, it was a pretty good time.
Favorite tracks: Walk Away, Fighter, Beautiful, Soar.
Album art: Christina posing in front of a white background. She looks pretty powerful here, goated one might say. The look and picture are somewhat iconic for her, but as an album cover it's not super interesting to me.
3.5/5
Tim Buckley
4/5
Another from Buckley, Sr. and it's great. Some really interesting stylistic choices on here, which I'm just now realizing remind me of Tom Waits, but just not as cheesy. There was a lyric on here that really struck me, on "Move With Me" he's signing about a girl drinking alone in a bar and says "what a waste of sin." Not sure why I found that line so profound but I really like it. Tim Buckley definitely has the sauce, all three that we've had are four and above for me. Keep 'em coming.
Favorite tracks: Move With Me, Get On Top, Hong Kong Bar.
Album art: An inset picture of the LA cityscape, quite hazy too. Nothing crazy but the bold yellow backdrop is nice.
4/5
2Pac
4/5
Loved it. Kinda surprised that this was our first 2Pac album, I thought we would've had All Eyez On Me by now as well (would be pretty surprised if that's not on here too). Great old school hip hop beats, and the lyrics are excellent - doesn't take much to remember why Pac is as revered as he is. Especially loved hearing bits of live guitar in the beats, it's just really well-produced. I know there will always be a debate of Pac vs. Biggie, and for me it's just no contest. Tupac has an undeniable presence, powerful lyrics, maybe not as technical a rapper as Biggie but I'd rather listen to this than Ready to Die, frankly. Don't care if that's sacrilege, it's the truth.
Favorite tracks: It Ain't Easy, Dear Mama, If I Die 2Nite, Me Against the World, Heavy in the Game, Old School, Fuck the World.
Album art: Just Pac chilling, leaned against a wall or something. The sepia art style is nice, I like this one. Not super memorable though.
4.5/5
Jazmine Sullivan
4/5
Really cool to get this one! I heard it when it came out and really enjoyed it, liked it a bite more this time around. I dig just about every non-interlude track, and even though I could go without the interludes, I appreciate what they add to the narrative, everything fits. Nice R&B concept album, well executed.
Favorite tracks: Price Tags, Girl Like Me, Bodies, On It, Lost One, The Other Side.
Album art: Really great cover, slight Virgil Abloh vibes. Cool portait picture of Jazmine, and the font and color is nice. Strong.
4/5
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
For some reason, not on apple music so I had to piece together what I could from other albums. Not bad stuff, but it's in that territory of '80s rock that we've already had enough of a dose of, nothing really distinct here. Very middle of the road, think I'd axe it, and not even being able to access the full album doesn't help.
Favorite tracks: Strange Boys Play Weird Openings, Malibu Beach Nightmare.
Album art: Cool, fine, whatever.
2.5/5
Girls Against Boys
2/5
Very droning, forgettable grunge-y rock stuff. Keeping just one song, barely remember it. Not for me.
Favorite tracks: Satin Down.
Album art: Weird, man. Looks like a blurry photo of some of the ghosts from the Carnival of Souls, plus a map and compass overlayed on the image. I don't know man, I just don't care.
2/5
Roni Size
3/5
This one was very cool, a nice electronic departure. A bit longer than it needed to be, but some solid grooves on here. Also, yet another song featuring the same sample that was in our recent Primal Scream album, which was also sampled by Kanye West on the beat for Pusha T's "Lunch Money," I feel like I'm going insane.
Favorite tracks: Brown Paper Bag, Matter of Fact, Beatbox, Morse Code.
Album art: Not much of anything going on here, not sure what I'm looking at. Minimal in nature, some mild digital art, the color scheme reminds me of dishwasher pods.
3.5/5
Sonic Youth
3/5
Damn man, album number five (!) from Sonic Youth. This one seems marginally better than those we've had before, could even be the best in the bunch. Still, it's not super distinct and not a sound that deserves this extensive of a representation on the list. I'd cut these down to three albums MAX, realistically maybe just one or two. Who needs five on here? Spread that real estate to more interesting artists.
Favorite tracks: Shoot, On the Strip, Chapel Hill, Purr.
Album art: I like this one quite a bit, a little red guy made of yarn. He's a nice fella with a nice grin, and the border/text is solid.
3.5/5
Julian Cope
3/5
Interesting project, it's a rock album but with a nice mix of energies and styles. Exactly the kind of distinction that yesterday's Sonic Youth album lacked. I'm giving this the same rating, but it's definitely something I'd be more likely to return to and relisten.
Favorite tracks: Double Vegetation, East Easy Rider, Promised Land, Beautiful Love.
Album art: Wow, it's bold, it's off-putting, but I respect it. Looks to be a woman on a cliff, her clothes torn to shreds. Her expression is dark, the background and sky is dark, there's an ominous aura to this one. Definitely memorable.
3.5/5
Paul McCartney
3/5
Can Paul McCartney make bad music? Remains to be seen. This album isn't bad at all, but there's not much from it that sticks out to me. I appreciate that he sounds a lot different than I'm used to hearing, but it's nowhere near as impressive or interesting as Band on the Run. That said, "Maybe I'm Amazed" is a classic rock staple. I wouldn't be surprised if there's another, better McCartney solo album out there. I'm just losing trust in this listmaker.
Favorite tracks: That Would Be Something, Momma Miss America, Maybe I'm Amazed.
Album art: Really cool art here, undeniably so. Looks like a bowl of cherries has been ransacked and spread over a marble counter strip, but behind that is just a black void. It's very striking contrast. How many times must I note that I love red/white/black combos? This one's got some color too it, not true white, but the effect is real.
3/5
Afrika Bambaataa
2/5
A classic in the hip hop sphere, but it's a lot more dated than others we've heard. The title track was such a force, but aside from that it's harder for me to find much that I enjoy sitting with. Some of the samples start reappearing, all the songs adhere to a similar formula. It's just a style of hip hop that I don't think works as well in album form. That early DJ scratching stuff is great fun, but it's done better by others - hell, we've had those others, look at the Gang Starr album, DJ Premier is an absolute wizard in that field. Bambaataa is a bit enigmatic, in part due to the fact that he's been accused of child molestation and the response from hip hop contemporaries was just like "....yeah, we always heard rumors," and nothing ever happened to him? Weird stuff. Music is fine and important, I totally understand the inclusion, but it's a classic that I'm not really feeling, particularly at album's length. You do a song list like this without including "Planet Rock," you lose all credibility.
Favorite tracks: Planet Rock, Go Go Pop.
Album art: Really dope cover to be honest, some mystical figures in space beaming records down to earth. A classic in its own right.
2.5/5
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
I know Anohni, the transgender artist formerly known as Antony, for the song she made that almost won an Oscar, "Manta Ray." Really, really cool song, I was mesmerized by her style immediately. This album puts me in a similar space, such a unique voice and sound that I'm almost surprised that I enjoy. I'm not saving too many songs from this one, but it's really good and enjoyable to me. Cool that this made the list.
Favorite tracks: Hope There's Someone, My Lady Story.
Album art: I'm not sure if that is Anohni (or, at the time, Antony) in the bed, I'm leaning toward "no" but don't ask me. Anyway, it's a black and white picutre of what seems to be a woman in a bed with some flowers on the covers. The heavy eye makeup makes this spooky - second time in a week or so that I've been reminded of the zombies in Carnival of Souls. It's a good cover though.
3.5/5
Beyoncé
4/5
Somehow I don't think I'd heard this album in full before now. I know some of the big hits, like "Drunk in Love" (great but the Jay-Z verse kinda sucks) and "Partition" (fantastic song), but most if not all of the rest was new to me. And, yeah, Beyonce delivers. Enough bangers on here to tide me over. I'm still not a huge fan of Beyonce - she's definitely talented and makes a lot of great stuff, but sometimes I'm just not that interested. Still, great album, glad we got it.
Favorite tracks: Partition, Haunted, Heaven, Blue, Drunk in Love, Jealous, Superpower.
Album art: Beyonce. It's bold, memorable, and boring as hell.
4/5
The Birthday Party
2/5
Garage punk but the singer is in the garage across the street?
Favorite tracks: She's Hit, Junkyard.
Album art: Really love this one, such a cool and wild piece of art. "Junkyard" is right, it's some weird gremlin freak driving a hot rod, plus a putrid rat on the hood that's shooting a cat with a machine gun? I could look at this shit for hours, it's repulsive and it's perfect.
2/5
Fugazi
2/5
Fine, I guess. A couple songs I liked, but not all that much. Just some rather generic rock music to me. No man's land between good and bad.
Favorite tracks: Repeater, Song #1.
Album art: About as nothing as the music. Just the name of the band and album, some kind of picture serves as the text, looks like someone face down on a stage? I don't know, I'm moving on.
2.5/5
Ray Charles
4/5
Damn, actually a ton of hits on here. Ray Charles doing mostly (if not all) covers, including plenty of songs we know and love. Not sure how much this is really "country and western music," but it's 1962, who am I to judge? Regardless, great collection of great songs, Ray was the man.
Favorite tracks: Bye Bye Love, Half as Much, Born to Lose, Worried Mind, Hey Good Lookin, Don't Tell Me Your Troubles, Oh Lonesome Me.
Album art: Just a picture of Ray on a red background, with text describing the album. Again, 1962, so I'll give some grace, but it's certainly not memorable.
4/5
T. Rex
3/5
A second from T. Rex, which I don't think is necessary. I'd rank it slightly below our first. It's pretty good classic rock music, but that's where my review begins and ends. It's also British, which explains why mediocrity was rewarded two slots on the list.
Favorite tracks: Rock On, Baby Boomerang, Buick Mackane, Main Man.
Album art: Pretty solid, classic red/white/black scheme. Person looks a bit freaky.
3.5/5
Barry Adamson
3/5
This was an interesting one! Apparently an instrumental soundtrack-type album for a non-existent crime or horror movie? Really cool concept, and that concept is apparent in the music and the song titles, I love that. Reminds me of the conceptual efforts of Tom Waits, minus his cheesy vocals. Here, the quirk wasn't too much for me, the music is cool and creates the desired mood pretty effectively. Oddball stuff like this is welcome.
Favorite tracks: On the Wrong Side of Relaxation, Central Control, The Swinging Detective, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.
Album art: Unfortunately not as interesting as the music, but I do love the quote - "In a black and white world, murder brings a touch of color..." Badass. I also do like the picture of the guy, even if it's not a very distinct cover. Font is solid too.
3.5/5
4/5
Hell yeah. Excellent album. I was a little disappointed looking at the tracklist to not see "Whip It," if that gives you any idea what kind of Devo fan I am. But the first track I recognized instantly from a Tony Hawk game, absolutely love "Uncontrollable Urge" and would never in a million years guessed that was Devo. Loved their rendition of Satisfaction, and overall it's just a really cool exploratory album. It's more punk rock than new wave, but you can hear the origins of new wave forming - this was made in 1978! That's so crazy to me. Just a really creative album, totally worth including. Also, funniest track title maybe of all time award goes to "Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin')." No way they could've known what that would mean 45 years later.
Favorite tracks: Uncontrollable Urge, Satisfaction, Mongoloid, Jocko Homo, Come Back Jonee, Sloppy.
Album art: Absolutely love it, iconic for sure. Bold, bright colors, a nice '50s utopian style portrait of a man's head on, what, a golf ball? Not sure the rhyme or reason to any of this, but it rocks.
4.5/5
Lightning Bolt
3/5
Never heard of this album or group, but I feel like I've seen it around before on lists of great albums, or maybe some random topsters or something. Some really nice songs in the first few, it sounds like some really strong, melodic metal riffs working their hardest to burst through a wall of fuzz and noise. It's a cool effect, unfortunately the album got a little same-y and I didn't find as much enjoyment after the first half. But it's a decent album, I appreciate the inclusion for sure. Always down for something different.
Favorite tracks: Assassins, Dracula Mountain, 2 Towers.
Album art: Again, looks extremely familiar. A rainbow of sorts poking out over the top of this messy image of grey doodles. Perfectly represents how I felt about the sound of the music: just flashes of bright, powerful rock peeking through all the noise. From this cover I was expecting something more indie rock, like Fleet Foxes, Animal Collective, or maybe even Avalanches. Regardless, really cool and memorable cover art.
3/5
Fever Ray
3/5
Certainly not what I was expecting, I think I read it as "Sugar Ray." This does not contain any feel-good poolside summer anthems, instead it's some cavernous electronic art-pop. I thought it was two vocalists at first, a man and woman, but it's just a woman using various vocal effects. Sometimes she sounds like Bjork, which unfortunately isn't a compliment. Some cool, spooky type of songs on here, I especially dug the first track. Pretty good album, not sure if it's "must listen before death" material but I do like it.
Favorite tracks: If I Had a Heart, Dry and Dusty, Concrete Walls.
Album art: Cool, picture, a modern woman in a hoodie standing in front of an old village. She's doing some sort of wizardry with her hands, creating "Fever Ray" before our eyes. It all makes sense to me.
3.5/5
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Found myself liking this a lot more than I expected. Initially I assumed they were British, but nope - American. The album has a lot of dud songs, but also a handful that really caught me. It's this kind of grungy alt-rock that isn't always distinct, but they do a few cool things with it.
Favorite tracks: Boys Better, Minnesoter, Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth, Good Morning, Hard On for Jesus (love these track titles).
Album art: Part of why I wasn't expecting much, this cover's about as indistinct as the more forgettable tracks on here. It's, what, a shot of a wall from an angle? I see a TV up there, it just sucks.
3.5/5
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Surely one of the great albums from Lynyrd Skynyrd, yes? It's got a few of the huge hits, "Tuesday's Gone," "Simple Man," and "Free Bird" especially. Short of "Sweet Home Alabama," I don't think I know any other Lynyrd Skynyrd than what we heard here. The album truly rocks, and holy cow, it's their debut?? This band debuted with "Free Bird"???? Good lord. Yeah, this is a classic.
Favorite tracks: Free Bird, Tuesday's Gone, Simple Man, Things Goin' On.
Album art: Band photo, but it's not bad, being outdoors and with a lightning bolt in the background (real or not) is a really nice touch. I also love the "title," which is just a pronunciation guide for the band's name. For some reason that made me think this was a few albums into their catalog, like they were getting buzz and wanted to set the record straight. But no, they had the foresight to put that on their debut! Another point to LS.
4.5/5
Meat Loaf
3/5
Good ol' Meatloaf, maybe the worst artist name of all time? Jury's still out. I don't know much Meat Loft music; the one song I knew for sure ("I Would Do Anything For Love"), isn't on here. The title track is great, and I respect that so many of these are long tracks. Sometimes they meander into really melodramatic territory that I'm just not really into, but I respect the unique nature of his music. He seems like an odd guy, nothing wrong with that. Not quite classic rock because he's doing a lot of devastated piano balladry. It's a decent album, though I won't return to much.
Favorite tracks: Bat Out of Hell, You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth.
Album art: Though I may not know the man's music, I sure as hell know and love his album covers. Look at this motorcycle blasting off from a cemetery in the depths of hell. Incredible imagery, you'd expect the music to sound more like Dio or Iron Maiden or something.
3/5
The Fall
3/5
Liked this quite a bit more than I expected to. Learning to identify post-punk because I'm pretty sure that's what this is, some great riffs and songs though, enough that it's not just reduced to fuzz and background noise for me. Good album.
Favorite tracks: Mansion, What You Need, My New House, Paintwork, To Nk Roachment: Yarbles (feel like I'm having a stroke reading and writing that one).
Album art: Interesting picture effect going on here, a hyperrealistic depiction of a city scape (not quite a picture thought, is it?) and then a very minimal drawing of the sky with a horse drawn chariot. Don't have time or energy to parse the meaning of this one but it's definitely cool.
3.5/5
LTJ Bukem
3/5
We doing compilations now? I saw a runtime of like 3 hours plus and started sweating, thankfully it's just some complete mix/medley tracks tacked on the end - don't scare me like that! Never heard of LTJ Bukem, though some of these tracks did sound kind of familiar. Nice long grooves, a few I really enjoyed. Not sure this album can or should be on a list like this though; a compilation feels like cheating. That, and it's really not all that interesting as an album.
Favorite tracks: Above & Beyond, Universal Music.
Album art: Pretty nice shot of Earth and the sun. I was just about to call it "the world" but that felt wrong, isn't that weird? Once you leave the world it gets weird to call it the world, maybe because your "world" in that sense is no longer so limited.
3/5
Throwing Muses
2/5
Not on Apple Music, so I listened on youtube, and while it's certainly better than that Dagmar Krause album, this might be the second on the list where I won't be saving any songs. Well, I mean I would, but the one song I liked isn't streaming, and I don't think I like it enough to justify the time and energy to download and add it to my library. If we weren't 950+ albums in I probably would, but we're in the eleventh hour here, give us the good shit please. This one's exactly what that Nation's Saving Grace album wasn't - punk that devolves into fuzz and background noise. Moving on.
Favorite tracks: Rabbits Dying.
Album art: This doesn't seem like the correct album cover, it says "In a Doghouse." That said, the actual cover for this album kinda sucks, it's this weird, blocky wall of text. This "doghouse" cover is kind of neat though, it's like a kindergartener's drawing of an alien dog or something.
2/5
John Lennon
4/5
Here we go, the big one from Mr. Lennon. Leaving aside that nightmare compilation of celebrities singing "Imagine" that really just embodied the insanity that COVID caused in all of us, the song is fantastic. A couple other great tracks on here, “Jealous Guy” is a cool one, Pusha T sampled a cover of that on “Dreaming of the Past.” I like hearing the love for Yoko too, cheesy but it’s genuine.
Favorite tracks: Imagine, Jealous Guy, Oh My Love, How Do You Sleep, Oh Yoko.
Album cover: Really wispy, washed out picture of John. Kind of ominous as it looks like a shot of someone who had been murdered.
4/5
The Smiths
3/5
Another from the Smiths, really not much else to say aside from that. They have a style they make music in, when you've heard one Smiths album you've kind of heard them all. That "Unhappy Birthday" song made me laugh out loud, it was just stupid. Other than that, decent album, I'll keep a few.
Favorite tracks: Death of a Disco Dancer, Stop Me If You Think, Paint a Vulgar Picture.
Album art: Is that Morissey? I've always assumed it was, but looking again I'm not sure. Regardless, it seems to be a rather ancient picture of a nondescript man looking down. That's about it, pretty boring cover.
3/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Starting to think this guy might be more annoying that Tom Waits. That typical "troubador" type style that just doesn't work for me, at all. Opening with an absolute dud of a track, "Papa Won't Leave You." I think Henry would prefer a little alone time, maybe some peace and quiet (don't worry: I confirmed that Henry is not actually the name of any of his sons, this one's fiction so I don't feel bad poking fun). Aside from that, yeah the album is more or less just shitty goofy songs from a guy who's convinced he's in some higher plane relationship with music. Can you tell I'm becoming a hater? Ghosteen was great, I think I kinda liked Skeleton Tree too, but the bit has worn very thin for me, I just simply cannot be bothered with this, frankly, pretty awful music.
Favorite tracks: Straight to You.
Album art: Part of me likes this for the color and variety, but another part of me just sees it as a stupid picture of Nick Cave on a billboard.
1.5/5
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Yet another entry in the "too many '60s psych rock albums" category. I definitely don't hate this one, and wouldn't say it's bad, but good lord I never thought I would be this OVER IT. We get it, LSD right? Hippies? Okay, cool, whatever. You'll never be the Doors, or Jimi Hendrix, or any of the other 15-20 more impressive psych rock acts that we've certainly had on here. We do not need to be this far in the weeds, especially when there are way better albums out there.
Favorite tracks: Train for Tomorrow, Luvin.
Album art: Band photo, looks cool, they look pretty cool but also kind of square. I dig it. I like the inset, art within the art, kind of thing going on. Wish I wasn't so fatigued about '60s rock to enjoy this more, then again, there's better stuff out there. Cover's cool though.
2.5/5
Elvis Presley
4/5
Elvis' debut, a huge moment for music. I've been listening to all of the number one songs in the country, going back to 1940, and I don't know if people really realize how big of a shift he represented. Same with the Beatles, but just going from big band and crooner stuff, some light doo-wop, to this guy from the South who sang the blues like no white boy had any right to. Unsurprising that we call him the King, and I know there's controversy because so much of what he did was covers of (often) black artists to appeal to white audiences ("I Got a Woman" is Ray Charles, "Money Honey" is Jesse Stone, "Tutti Frutti" is Little Richard, "Blue Suede Shoes" is Carl Perkins), but the other thing to note is that Elvis was sort of a necessary evil. Yes, in a perfect world, those Black artists would've achieved the fame and status in their own right, but we don't live in a perfect world; in fact, America in the 1950's was an undeniably racist world. Someone had to break through that stylistic barrier, and Elvis does a wonderful job with his covers. Imagine if we just had Pat Boone, his covers are often criminally terrible. His version of "Ain't That a Shame" going #1 instead of Fats Domino is, ironically, a tremendous shame - sounds godawful, Pat! Shut the fuck up! Anyway, I think this is an excellent album, an excellent introduction to Elvis. Love him or hate him, he's got the sauce.
Favorite tracks: Blue Suede Shoes, Blue Moon, I've Got a Woman, Tutti Frutti, I Love You Because, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry.
Album art: Absolutely iconic, I'm honestly shocked sometimes that this is the original cover and not a reissue, it's ageless. Excellent color combo. Spoofed very notably by the Clash with London Calling, it's a bona fide classic. Can't imagine there's a better Elvis cover out there.
4.5/5
Method Man
4/5
Cool! Definitely wasn't expecting a Method Man album on here, but I'll take it. A lot of this has that signature Wu-Tang, dusty sampling type of sound, and it works well. Had not heard any of this before but I'll be walking away with a few songs and a bit more respect for Method Man. Great album!
Favorite tracks: Tical, Biscuits, What the Blood Clot, PLO Style, Mr. Sandman.
Album art: Couldn't tell what this was on my phone, but I see now it's half of Meth's face from the side, as he's maybe blowing some smoke? Upside down Wu-Tang logo, an old timey banner across the middle, and a much smaller pic of Meth's face in the bottom right. A bit of a mess to be honest, don't love this cover.
4/5
Portishead
4/5
Really loved this one! I think our second from Portishead, and I liked the first one too, but this one hit me even harder. Much darker, spookier in my opinion, and functionally some of these beats could serve as hip hop instrumentals. "Plastic" actually reminded me of a song from Liquid Swords, not sure if it's a sample overlap or what. Just really great stuff, bravo gang.
Favorite tracks: Silence, The Rip, Plastic, We Carry On, Machine Gun, Threads.
Album art: Bare minimum, pretty terrible. That's two albums in a row that I really dig with covers I don't.
4.5/5
FKA twigs
3/5
No way! Love FKA Twigs, this isn't her best album (that title ABSOLUTELY goes to Magdalene), but it's a great introduction to her catalog. I always thought "Water Me" was on here, but that was an EP before this. The big one I return to is "Two Weeks," but some other great songs on here too. This gets a strong 3.5 stars from me, with the acknowledgement that my version of this list almost definitely replaces this album with Magdalene.
Favorite tracks: Two Weeks, Pendulum, Lights On, Give Up.
Album art: Love it, very bold and striking. Excellent colors, extremely surreal image. To this day, I'm not sure if it's a picture or CGI of her fact, but I also don't want to know. I like being freaked out.
4/5
Justin Timberlake
4/5
Love getting artists that I just never expected to see on here! We all know Mister Timberlake, most recently for his mugshot that the world has been memeing. The second debut album from a white boy with an unusual amount of soul in about a week (the first was Mr. Elvis Presley). It's pretty damn strong for a debut, love the presence of Pharrell and Clipse, and of course production from the Neptunes and Timbaland. A lot of JT's best work is with Timbaland, we'd see that as the years went on. "Cry Me a River," for example, obviously THE big hit on here, that's Timbaland. But then you've also got "Rock Your Body," which frankly I didn't know was the Neptunes. Kudos to the goats. Anyway, great album. JT has a few really strong albums in his catalog, even if the most recent few are weak as hell.
Favorite tracks: Cry Me a River, Rock Your Body, Senorita, Still on my Brain, Let's Take a Ride.
Album art: Just a portrait shot of JT, nothing fancy. It's memorable I suppose, but really not very creative. Definitely emblematic of the era.
4/5
Stan Getz
3/5
I can dig it! A little jazz departure is always welcome. Was really confused by the name Charlie Byrd, thinking it was Charlie "Bird" Parker, but it's not. We've gotz another Getz album on here, I think it was the Getz/Gilberto one that I really loved. This one, it's nice, but not much staying with me. Still, a good album and I'm glad to have heard it.
Favorite tracks: Desafinado, Samba Triste, Samba de Uma Nota So.
Album art: Another of those old classic jazz type covers from the '60s. It's a framed abstract painting with the text above. That old school Verve logo is great too. Solid.
3.5/5
The KLF
3/5
Pretty cool album, nice electronica departure. We get such a mixed bag of these kinds of albums, but this one was cool. Interesting vocals mixed in, and some of the instrumentals are just weird, in a good way. I think "No More Tears" was the wackiest standout to me. A few I'll keep, nothing crazy but a good listen.
Favorite tracks: Make it Rain, The White Room, No More Tears.
Album art: Apple Music has some deluxe with a purple cover, text only, but the original is four speakers stacked into a T, set in what I imagine is not just "a" white room, but "the" white room. Not a bad cover, it's fairly distinct.
3.5/5
Anita Baker
3/5
Three 7/10 albums in a row, wonder if we'll keep the streak alive? I know Anita Baker in name, but I'm not really familiar with her music. Case in point, I just had to look up if she made "Killing Me Softly with His Song," but no, that was Roberta Flack. Anyway, this album is cool. She's got a killer voice, and the sounds on here a nice cruise through Adult Contemporary Nation. As usual, a few that I really enjoyed; not enough on an album scale for me to call this "great," but it's smooth sailing.
Favorite tracks: Same Ole Love (awesome song), Sweet Love, Been So Long.
Album art: Anita chilling on the floor. Actually, she looks pained, maybe not so chill after all. Is she missing someone? Perhaps a baker? Is that the meaning behind her name? I should be PUNished for that one. Cool portrait shot though, great mood setter.
3.5/5
Van Morrison
4/5
Another great album from Van Morrison. I have a friend from school named Vann after Van Morrison, I'm starting to understand why. Such a unique voice, just an unmistakeable texture to his sound. I like the kind of jazzy guitar work on some of these, it's different. "Sweet Thing" is actually one of my favorite Van Morrison songs, aside from that I didn't know much on here but there's a lot to love.
Favorite tracks: Sweet Thing, Astral Weeks, Madame George, Ballerina, Slim Slow Slider.
Album art: Really dig this one, could be his best. Very contemplative shot of (I assume) Van layered in with a shot of trees. The framing around that shot and the text are great, nice color choices.
4/5
Ute Lemper
1/5
Holy shit, it's the holy grail of bad albums. This one's on the bad albums list on this site, and I was curious why. I started listening, realized it was in that same category of weirdo cabaret type music that I can't stand. My first thought was that she was like a female Tom Waits (derogatory). Towards the middle of the album, I looked at the cover: SONGS BY the following artists, a rogues gallery of some of my most despised artists that I've had to listen to on this list [I'm leaving out Philip Glass and Kurt Weill since I don't know them]:
- Nick Cave (recently wrote about how I'm over him, pretentious prick)
- Elvis Costello (had a couple decent albums, but wafty fart music, also he ruined that dope elephant cover by saying the N word on a song, cringe lord)
- The Divine Comedy (can barely believe this one but he's all over this album, easily the worst artist I've learned about through this process, two albums with no redeeming qualities, again - pretentious prick music)
- Tom Waits (the godfather of this goofy cabaret stuff, he's got a cool voice but it's not enough to make me sit through the spectacle, couple decent albums though)
- Scott Walker (the first artist on this list to get a true 1 star review from me, he redeeemed himself elsewhere but good lord that album sucked)
So I guess this album is like the Avengers but for hoity-toity musicians that I can't stand. Seriously, this list of artists is collectively responsible for EIGHT of my (only) 27 albums to get a 1 star review. Check my summary page, their names are almost all in my "Worst Artists" list. I'm honestly impressed. If only they squeezed in a Dagmar Krause feature. I'm keeping two tracks for posterity, but this is going in the dumpster where it belongs. Punishing piss.
Favorite tracks: Passionate Fight, Scoop J (actually a cool song).
Album art: White woman in black trenchcoat, standing by an industrial silo or tank of some kind. Is this the terrible music factory? That looks like their employee list there.
1/5
John Martyn
4/5
Whoa, super dope album. Our second from John Martyn (and my second 4.5 star rating for him). Such a fantastic vibe this guy creates, I love how often his vocals can sound like mumbling nonsense, but no, he is actually saying stuff, just in a weird, ethereal ghost type voice. Also was blown away by the choice to close it with a long ambient track. Just really cool all around, this one makes me grateful for doing this list.
Favorite tracks: Certain Surprise, Small Hours, Dealer, One World, Couldn't Love You More, Dancing.
Album art: An insane swirl of water transporting what looks to be a mermaid and a bunch of fish to a distant shore. This shit is crazy, is John Martyn goated?
4.5/5
Beatles
2/5
Alright, so I guess it's time for another early Beatles project. I maintain that aside from "Yesterday," the Beatles weren't doing a whole lot pre-Rubber Soul. Yes, they were making a name for themselves and driving girls wild with songs about, let me make sure I'm getting this right, "love is more than just holding hands." We get it, you guys got laid before this album. Still, the music is very rote, bubblegum pop stuff, and if I wanted that, I'd want it from, frankly, better singers. Like the Everly Brothers or the Supremes or something. Sidenote: are the Supremes even on this list?? I listened to "Where Did Our Love Go" recently, has to be one of the greatest pop songs ever concocted, better than every track on here for what it's worth. I liked two songs, the rest on here were boring and bland. I get that it's important to their evolution and "story" or whatever, but I don't have to like it.
Favorite tracks: Hard Day's Night, Any Time at All.
Album art: A collage of the lads' faces. Very much late '50s, early '60s pop style. Keep it moving.
2.5/5
Anthrax
3/5
Was expecting some super thrashy metal based on the name, I don't know much about Anthrax aside from I guess "Bring the Noise." A couple tracks I'll be keeping, but otherwise, this one's just alright.
Favorite tracks: Caught in a Mosh, I Am the Law.
Album art: Pretty cool, it's a weird old guy lifting his hat in a crowd of mophead dudes all looking down. Some sort of message about conformity I assume. Very cool art style though.
3/5
The Associates
3/5
Wasn't sure of this one at first but I settled into it pretty well. Some refreshing electronic-type grooves, it can be hard to distinguish albums like this from one another (sadly, it's becoming like a '60s psych rock monotony sort of thing), I feel like the list man included a handful of electronic albums to show that he's got diverse taste, but he failed to vary those albums significantly enough for me to not think he's a poser. Pretty good album though, not sure if I'd keep it. I'd definitely whittle down this specific genre pack a bit or spice it up.
Favorite tracks: Bap de la Bap, Club Country, Love Hangover.
Album art: I really dig this one, great colors. Two flamboyant dudes sitting on what appears to be sheet-covered furniture in a garden lit with incredible lights. It's a very striking cover, I like it a lot.
3.5/5
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Certainly wouldn't have been my first choice for a Peter Gabriel album (that title belongs to So, which BETTER be on here), but I really enjoyed this nonetheless. Peter Gabriel is awesome, his music always reminds me of dad (who loved to play his songs for us and show us music videos when we were kids). "Games Without Frontiers" is the one song on here I knew, but a lot of other cuts that I'll be keeping too. Hell yeah, here's to hoping we get So as well.
Favorite tracks: Games Without Frontiers, No Self Control, I Don't Remember, And Through the Wire, Biko.
Album art: AHHH HE'S MELTING! Not a bad shot, not super interesting either but it'll do.
4/5
Hot Chip
4/5
Nice! I've got this album on vinyl, through a club I was once in. It's really cool, Hot Chip is a nice electronic artist/group (not sure which), some excellent grooves and sounds on this one. I was just complaining about the uniformity of electronic/dance type albums on this list, but this one is actually refreshing. Great album!
Favorite tracks: Look at Where We Are, Flutes, Now There is Nothing, Ends of the Earth.
Album art: Really like the colorful collage style. Absolutely my kind of cover.
4/5
Jack White
4/5
Two in a row in my record collection! I'm such a fan of Jack White, he's really an incredible guitarist and songwriter. While I don't think his solo stuff ever hits quite as hard as the White Stripes, he's still got undeniable chops and a few bangers. "Love Interruption" and "I'm Shakin" especially, those are seriously great. Just another great album, I'm riding the high.
Favorite tracks: I'm Shakin, Love Interruption, Missing Pieces, Freedom at 21, Sixteen Saltines, Take Me With You When You Go.
Album art: He committed to this color palette on a couple albums, and I respect continuity like that. As far as portrait covers go, it's pretty solid. Is that a buzzard or a vulture on his shoulder? I don't know the difference.
4/5
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
As much as I love Fleetwood Mac and welcome any inclusion on this list, I can't lie: I thought I'd enjoy this album more. Some great songs, don't get me wrong, but a few chunks that just weren't memorable at all. You really can't say that about Rumours, and I personally think the self-titled and Tango in the Night may both be more enjoyable overall. Still, a really good album overall (feels weird to be this critical of an album from which I'm saving 8 songs, but that's 8 of 20), and I'm always grateful for a dose of Fleetwood. Maybe this album needed more Nicks/McVie vocals? Felt like a lot of the guys being dudes, which is a lot less interesting to me. Can't deny that title track though.
Favorite tracks: Tusk, Sara, Think About Me, What Makes You Think, Not That Funny, I Know I'm Not Wrong, Beautiful Child, Walk a Thin Line.
Album art: Never was a huge fan of this one, it's a speckled, sand looking canvas with a photo of an angry dog. I don't know, it just does nothing for me. Considering this is called Tusk, you could've done more. Petition to swap this cover with that Elvis Costello cover of the Elephants? That album sucked, this'll be a perfect swap.
3.5/5
Big Star
2/5
Yeesh. I think we had another from Big Star, and it was pretty good from what I recall. This one though, no thanks. Very whiny, grating vocals, music feels unfocused. I liked the cover of "Femme Fatale," the voice fit that one, did NOT like the cover of "Nature Boy," that's an atrocity compared to the likes of Nat King Cole. I don't know man, generic '70s rock from a band apparently in decline. Doesn't need to be here in my opinion.
Favorite tracks: Femme Fatale (yeah, not a good look when the only song I like on your album is a cover).
Album art: A bunch of ladies laying in a sort of sun or star pattern on a beach. Think this was a reissue cover too, the original is just two guys. I read that the name "Sister Lovers" was maybe a band name change they were contemplating because the two dudes were dating girls who were sisters. No idea, too much lore for an album I'll never listen to again.
2/5
Os Mutantes
4/5
Very cool album! The kind of variety to '60s psych rock that we need, something in a different language. "Bat Macumba" is such a banger, I've heard the chorus part a million times based on it being in Nacho Libre, but good lord that guitar piece is insane, the effects are otherwordly. Really enjoyed this one!
Favorite tracks: Bat Macumba, Panis et circenses, Adeus Maria Fulo, Trem Fantasma.
Album art: A couple of spooky folks in a green room. Very strong design here, love the Halloween font style as well. Makes me think of that show Los Espookys.
4/5
Duke Ellington
4/5
As much as I'm usually predisposed against live albums, this one bangs. Love Duke Ellington, not sure if I know any studio albums that would replace this. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I could name any original songs from him either, but I love his style of play. This is a great jazz show experience, I listened to the expanded version that had a lot of talking in between songs. It actually worked and made sense, but the last 10 or so songs weren't even part of the performance so skipped those. That said, the performance songs were excellent, including some of the ones with vocal guests, like "Day In, Day Out" and "Tulip or Turnip." Really an excellent album, this one's getting the live album pass because it's super dope.
Favorite tracks: Black and Tan Fantasy, Festival Junction, Blues to Be There, Newport Up, Day In Day Out, Diminuendo in Blue, Tulip or Turnip, Skin Deep (INSANE drumming).
Album art: Really nothing to shout about, just a headshot of Duke. Then again, it's the '50s, most album covers at this time were lame.
4.5/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
Is this the first prog rock album to explicitly mention the Holocaust? Has to be a short list, right? Anyway, love ELP, I'm actually surprised this is our first from them, I'd probably put another album on this list. Very cool prog album, love the long, multi-part suite that is "Tarkus," the heart of the album. After that, you get some loosies that veer into just bog standard rock, and they're mostly good too. It's a great album, probably not my favorite from ELP but it's a classic! Also have to take a quick beat to once again call out that doofus in the reviews for Common's Be who claimed to not get hip hop because he's a STEM major (and also saying people with humanities degrees think prog rock is for losers). Prog is dope! As is hip hop, you buffoon, grow up!
Favorite tracks: Tarkus, Bitches Crystal, The Only Way, A Time and a Place.
Album art: Definitely one of my favorites of all time, ever. Iconic, unforgettable. An armadillo tank just ripping through a rainbow field. The art style is spectacular, I love it so much. I actually bought this album a couple years ago, a picture disc just because I love it so much, I don't even think I'd heard it before that point.
4/5
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Woof. We didn't need two albums from Christina Aguilera (come to think of it, I don't think we needed one). This one's nearly 80 minutes long, and it's a loose concept album of her aiming for old-school jazz singers. It doesn't really work with her vocal style though - she's someone that sings with an emphasis on power, that's like her whole thing. Jazz singers go more for soul or some kind of atmosphere. I counted maybe two or three tracks on here where she scaled it back a bit but not enough. Also, the second half of the album explodes into this crazy circus type thing, reminded me of what I don't like about Tom Waits. That said, "Nasty Naughty Boy" was so funny, had me smiling the whole time, that gutteral modulated trumpet or whatever it is just kills me. Not really a good album, not really bad either. But we'll keep it moving.
Favorite tracks: Still Dirrty, Save Me from Myself, Nasty Naughty Boy, Makes Me Wanna Pray.
Album art: I've seen this before, it's just a shot of Christina laying down, very white-washed vibe. It's decent, pays homage to the old school album cover style too.
2.5/5
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Love the variety! Almost certainly our first Senegalese album, right? Really cool music, feels folksy but with a strong groove. Only four tracks too, and three of the four I enjoyed enough to save. Sometimes the list is great!
Favorite tracks: Immigres, Taaw, Badou.
Album art: The original cover is just the picture of (I assume) Youssou with a black void background, and a stamp with his name near the title of the album. Looks fantastic. This is a reissue I think, and it's got this blocky museum-style look to it, doesn't look bad but certainly feels unnatural.
4/5
Orbital
4/5
We get such a strange assortment of European house/techno type albums, I had no idea where this would fall (and this is actually our second from Orbital). This one's great though! Some really bizarre and interesting textures on here, surprised how many of these long songs I really liked. Great album! I'd say nix the previous Orbital album in favor of this one, we really don't need two.
Favorite tracks: I Wish I Had Duck Feet, Sad But True, Kein Trink Wasser, Are We Here.
Album art: Wasn't keen on this at first glance but it's growing on me already. It's all grey, but looks to be some wires or headphones contorted into the shape of a person? Some little cars driving around the perimiter too, not sure what's going on. This is cool though.
4/5
Nanci Griffith
4/5
Another really nice album! Country is another genre that's been a bit of a mixed bag on this list, but dang this one was cool. Never even heard of Nanci Griffith, but she's got a clear, strong voice and some solid songwriting. Not sure if I'd put this on a list like this, but dammit it's another great album to me. That's three four-stars in a row.
Favorite tracks: The Last of the True Believers, More Than a Whisper, Banks of the Pontchartrain, One of These Days, The Wing & the Wheel.
Album art: Really like this one, looks to be a vintage photo of a woman standing outside of a Woolworth's. I assume it's vintage because of the filtering but also because I don't think Woolworth's existed even in the '80s. If so, is that woman Nanci? Don't know, but I like the nostalgia.
4/5
Megadeth
3/5
Nice, I always welcome a good metal album to expand my taste. I recognize that this is a classic (mainly because I recognize it at all). For my money, I can't readily distinguish it from some other metal acts like Iron Maiden (I'm getting the sense that these guys were basically just American Iron Maiden), but it's pretty good. I'm saving three tracks, which is good considering there aren't very many on here. Nothing super special or groundbreaking for me, but it's a good album.
Favorite tracks: Holy Wars, Five Magics, Tornado of Souls.
Album art: Absolutely love this one, 100% a classic. Very much feels in the spirit of all those Iron Maiden covers too. Iron Maidon had Eddie as their mascot, and apparently this is Megadeth's mascot, named Vic Rattlehead. This seems like a sketch comedy bit when I read it out loud. Anyway, love this cover: love the alien in the tube, the antsy businessmen watching as our boy Vic lifts a glowing green gem over the tube (hilarious that Vic is in a suit too). Font is perfect.
3.5/5
G. Love & Special Sauce
3/5
Pretty cool album! It's got that semi-tropical white boy tinge like some Sublime or Sugar Ray or something, and it mostly works really well. Quite a few hits on here that I'll keep, while the rest of it kind of faded into the background for me. But it's a nice not-quite-rock album (not sure what genre they'd call this), feels like summer.
Favorite tracks: The Things That I Used to Do, Blues Music, Baby's Got Sauce, Cold Beverage, This Ain't Living.
Album art: Very unassuming, just a shot of some guys at a diner it looks like. But it's got the summer scumbag feel, is this what Chet Hanks means by white boy summer?
3.5/5
Dr. Octagon
4/5
Whoa, this is a big underground classic. Makes it even more puzzling that Madvillainy isn't included, right? Anyway, this is a persona of rapper Kool Keith, and I can't say I know much Kool Keith outside of Dr. Octagon. But I've heard this one a few times before and really enjoy some other Dr. Octagon stuff as well. It's weighed down a bit by the skits, that's for sure, but I'm saving about half of the songs. "Blue Flowers" is such an earworm track, my favorite for sure. Awesome album.
Favorite tracks: Blue Flowers, No Awareness, Technical Difficulties, Dr. Octagon, Wild and Crazy, Blue Flowers Revisited, Waiting List, 1977.
Album art: Really love this one, it's a sort of mad scientist doctor examining a skull, but he himself is also a skeleton. The art style is perfect.
4.5/5
Joan Baez
5/5
Holy cow. I've certainly heard of Joan Baez, but don't think I've listened to an album before. This is her debut from 1960, quite a while ago, and good lord it's incredible. She's got this ethereal voice that reminds me a bit of Joni Mitchell (no doubt there's some influence on her), but more so of The Wicker Man or something, she sounds timeless in a way that's almost scary. It also reminds me of this song from a Twilight Zone episode, called "Come Wander With Me." She's a perfect fit for the songs, which are mostly traditional songs and folk standards. I know a few here: "House of the Rising Sun," obviously, "Girl of Constant Sorrow" is cool, and what the hell, "East Virginia"??? I didn't realize that was a folk song, I thought it was made by some wacky band in the '60s or '70s. She kills that one, and so many others on here, it's just unbelievable. Wikipedia says she's also a songwriter in her own right but as far as folk/cover albums go, has anyone done better than this? And apparently it was recorded in a few days in a hotel room, with just a couple microphones and guitars. I'm just in awe, incredible album, easy 5 star for me. Amazing what someone can create with an acoustic guitar and a voice, I'm such a sucker for minimalist endeavors like this.
Favorite tracks: East Virginia, Donna Donna, John Riley, Silver Dagger, House of the Rising Sun, All My Trials, Mary Hamilton, Henry Martin, El Preso Numero Nueve, I Know You Rider.
Album art: Not much to it, frankly. It's a purple-filtered, but otherwise washed out, picture of Joan holding a guitar over her shoulder. Text looks like an anthropology text book inset. There's apparently another, possible original cover, but it's not much better, just a black and white silhouette style concert shot. But hey, who cares, it's 1960, and the album more than makes up for it.
5/5
The Thrills
2/5
Love following an epic Joan Baez debut with some humdrum boring rock. Were this released like 20-30 years earlier I could see the appeal, but it's just not pushing anything in any direction. So middle of the road that it's off the road and on the median. Replace this immediately.
Favorite tracks: Don't Steal Our Sun.
Album art: Just a bunch of people sitting in a field, filled with ennui. Framing is fine, everything is just fine. I'm unmoved.
2.5/5
David Bowie
3/5
Really just don't get why almost every David Bowie album is on this list. I do think this is a good one, quite a few songs I enjoyed and "Changes" is a good hit, but how many have we had now? And do we have more? You could whittle his inclusions down to like 3-4 and that would probably be getting rid of HALF of these, that's so weird. This one would be near the chopping block for me, even though it is good. It's not as interesting or impressive as the highs we've had like (ironically) Low, Station to Station, or Heroes.
Favorite tracks: Changes, Oh You Pretty Things, Andy Warhol, Queen Bitch, The Bewlay Brothers.
Album art: Pretty weak as far as Bowie's goes, but it makes a lasting impression. Just a picture of Bowie looking androgynous as ever.
3.5/5
Norah Jones
3/5
Norah Jones has a great voice, this was a nice, relaxing album. Nothing really spectacular or groundbreaking that stuck out to me, but a smooth and enjoyable ride. Good album.
Favorite tracks: Don't Know Why, Shoot the Moon, Nightingale.
Album art: I've seen this one many times, it's just a portrait/profile shot of Norah, but its ubiquity has almost rendered it a classic for me. As far as portrait or headshot covers go, this one's really solid.
3.5/5
Elvis Costello
1/5
Listen, I've been a good boy, I've listened to every single album we've gotten to the best of my abilities, and I've saved at least one track from all but two albums (Dagmar Krause's piece of dogshit and another one that wasn't one Apple Music and wasn't good enough to warrant a download). I listened to this, of course, but I almost wish I hadn't, and I can't say that about any other album on this list (not even Dagmar Krause). This sucks. Elvis Costello has done the opposite of growing on me. He's gone from this quirky artist to one of the most annoying recurring nightmares this list has to offer. His voice SUCKS. I don't normally say that, I understand people have different voices, but I geniunely hate his, more than almost any other vocalist maybe ever, ever. Incredibly whiny tone, and the music surrounding it is just a complete nothing-burger. I will remake my own version of a list like this, and who knows, maybe *one* of his albums will make the cut (I know at least one was pretty good). But not however many are in this list, and certainly not this one. There was one track I liked for a bit (think it was "Clown Strike"), and then--like a clown striking out from the darkness--his voice smacked me in the face full force and I had to skip. I skipped most of this. The guy who made this list should've skipped this album.
Favorite tracks: .....
Album art: Little kid standing with arm around another little kid. Picture is fine and all, but with the text portion it honestly seems like a fake cover. Or like some garage punk band's cover, it's very low effort, and not in a way befitting this extremely melodramatic prick.
0.5/5
Miles Davis
4/5
Another great one from the Great One. Only two tracks, and they're all over the place. Parts of this feel surprisingly modern, like a blend of jazz with some pop or rock elements. Really cool honestly, Miles Davis is just consistently that guy.
Favorite tracks: I liked 'em both.
Album art: Sort of an ominous headshot of Miles, looking....what would we say here, worried? Forlorn? It could even be a positive emotion, hopeful? Really hard to read this guy, he's an enigma. I hate that this picture reminds me of some bigger account on twitter that has this cover as their profile pic.
4.5/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Damn, okay shawty, here come the big guns we've been missing. This is the last in the Zepp quadrilogy for us. Some regard this as their best, but to me you just can't top I and II, those are so incredible. Then again, they certainly tried, because there's some heat on here: "Stairway to Heaven," the bona fide classic heard the world over being played by amateurs at Guitar Center, "Black Dog" is arguably one of their most iconic riffs, and "When the Levee Breaks" is always a cool one to me, sounds way ahead of its time. Also like "Going to California" as a nod to Joni Mitchell, it feels like the vibe of that song is the inspiration at the core of Greta Van Fleet. Anyway, this is an excellent album, just shy of the five star mark for me. I just don't love it as much as the first two, and honestly I'm not sure overall if I'd prefer this or III. But is there a better four album run in existence? I'm not sure.
Favorite tracks: Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, When the Levee Breaks, Rock and Roll, Misty Mountain Hop, Going to California.
Album art: Iconic, drop dead classic. Little painting of a man carrying a big bundle of sticks on his back. Something mysterious about this one, but it fits the music so perfectly.
4.5/5
k.d. lang
3/5
Redemption time for k.d. lang. This is our second from her, and I think her more prominent/famous album, it's certainly more country than the previous (which was "cabaret" style pop). It actually sounds nice, I could see her being a sonic influence for someone like Orville Peck. Some of these songs sound like timeless classics, the kind of music that could play in Fallout. Well, what do you know, I think they're all covers. That deflates me a little bit, but it's still an enjoyable ride. There were a couple tracks that start to veer into that cabaret, burlesque-type vibe, and it's just not for me at all. Had this album leaned even more country/western, I think a 4 would've been in order.
Favorite tracks: Western Stars, I Wish I Didn't Love You So, Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes.
Album art: Just a headshot of k.d. (wow, four of our last six albums have just been headshot covers). Black and white works well here, very striking with her hair. Font is decent too, obvious throwback to the era she's seeking to emulate. Not a very interesting cover, but it's fine.
3.5/5
The Byrds
3/5
Our fifth (!) album from the Byrds, and it's their debut. A good chunk of it is covers, and Dylan covers to be precise. Those happen to be my favorites, because I already love those songs. Otherwise, a lot of this sounds like imitative Beatles music. Obviously their sound evolved from here, and this one's decent, but we don't need it here frankly. Five from the Byrds and two from Gene Clark solo (so far), who needs all of that on here? This is our 999th album, so the end is in sight, at least until we start doing user submissions. But I look forward to crafting my own version of this list when it's all said and done. The Byrds will be there, but certainly not 5 times.
Favorite tracks: All I Really Want to Do, Chimes of Freedom, Mr. Tambourine Man (perfect place for a Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, and Dylan joke).
Album art: Fisheye shot of the band. That's it really. Text is very of-the-era, black framing is a strong, bold choice. But overall, forgettable cover.
3/5
Suicide
2/5
Oh man, this started out with so much promise. The opening track has such an incredible guitar tone, I was hooked. But slowly but surely, it just lost me. Very melodramatic punky, melodies buried under noise, it just didn't have much for me to hold on to. I could've swore "Cheree" was a cover, but in hindsight I think it's just that it reminded me of that "Louie, Louie" song. Anyway, yeah, disappointed with this one overall. Not the worst, not even bad necessarily, and damn that first track rips, but as an album, I'm unmoved.
Favorite tracks: Ghost Rider, Cheree.
Album art: It's just the band/album name written with a bunch of blood dripping off and around it. Nothing too special, but it works.
2.5/5
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Putting the "eh" in Neneh, eh? Look, I understand what she's going for here, it's that hip, cutting-edge hip hop-adjacent sound that would come to define a good chunk of pop music for the five years or so - maybe she was slightly ahead of the curve? But it's a style that doesn't have a tremendous amount of depth, and the lyrics on a lot of this hit me as goofy, almost cringe-worthy from time to time. Of course, there are a few good songs, I'm saving three. But it's just not a style that appeals to me that much, and it's pretty dated. Not necessarily her fault, but the whole thing makes me think of the recent Olympics breakdancer from Australia, some woman with a PHD in "cultural movement" or whatever the hell putting on a show for spectators to give them a glimpse of "cool." I don't know anything about Neneh or her background, but I feel like this music gives audiences the same sort of superficial glimpse at "cool" culture. I don't really find it to be that cool, sorry. But it's a decent listen.
Favorite tracks: Manchild, Kisses on the Wind, So Here I Come.
Album art: Just a portrait shot of Neneh, looking cool and tough. Very, very '90s. Perfectly fitting for the music.
3/5
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Been waiting on this one, Stones albums are always welcome for me though mileage may vary. Exile on Main St, often heralded as their best, was our first, and it was a bit of a dud for me. This one might actually be my favorite, at least of those we've heard in this process. This one incorporates the blues, similar to what they were doing on Exile, but with the addition of some actual classic songs. "Brown Sugar" and "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" are both bangers I've heard before, and the deeper cuts on here are great too, including the bluesy explorations. I think we could probably cut one or two Stones albums from this list, but certainly not this one, I'm giving this the crown. Just a really strong, hearty blues-rock album, and yeah, where Exile lacked hits, this one does not. Excellent work from Mick and the gang.
Favorite tracks: Brown Sugar, Can't You Hear Me Knocking, Wild Hordes, I Got the Blues, Bitch, Dead Flowers.
Album art: A dangerous close-up on a pair of jeans. There looks to be something in this guy's right pocket, PLEASE tell me there's something in his right pocket. It's an iconic cover, sure, but best Stones cover for me has to be Let It Bleed.
4.5/5
Kings of Leon
2/5
Woof. Kings of Leon beyond the one album with the hits is like that old joke about reading Playboy for the articles. Who gives a shit? Apparently the guy who made this list, and I don't know why. Look, it's not like they're bad at music, they're just....Kings of Leon. The kind of music playing in the airport as you're hustling to the terminal, it doesn't even register with you that music was playing. Been loving the phrase "nothing burger" lately, that's what this is.
Favorite tracks: Pistol of Fire, Soft.
Album art: Looks like an homage to that Queen album cover, Night at the Opera, except it's, what, some kind of mix between a flower and an animal skull? No idea, I'll forget it about this as quick as I've forgotten about the music.
2.5/5
Another U2 album is fine by me. It's got "Beautiful Day," one of their biggest and best hits. Beyond that, nothing I recognized, but a few deep cut tracks that I did enjoy. Listening to "New York," for some reason I thought of Radiohead; not really that it sounded like Radiohead, but that I don't think U2 and Radiohead are all that different. Just a couple of UK rock bands doing their thing, obviously U2 is more anthemic and bigger than Radiohead for it, but some of the softer cuts on here aren't a far cry from what Radiohead is doing.
Favorite tracks: Beautiful Day, When I Look at the World, New York, In a Little While.
Album art: Four guys standing in an airport or something? I've seen this one plenty, it's not that great but it's recognizable at this point. Tim Heidecker's got that joke about U2 standing for "untalented 2" just because we don't know anyone aside from Bono and Edge. I really don't though, these other two guys could be related to me for all I know.
3.5/5
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
Here's a shot out of left field! Departures are always welcome, especially when it means something not from the US/UK. Oops, wait a minute, it's an English artist. But it's got a world music feel, Indian influence I believe. Apparently it's all about nuclear weapons, and I got that only with the Oppenheimer quote at the end. Aside from that though, a couple neat tracks, especially the hectic vocal performance on "The Conference," that's incredible. Worth the price of admission for sure. Wish I could say there was more that registered with me, but a good bit of it is just wafty jazz-type music, and not the exploratory, challenging jazz that I love.
Favorite tracks: THE CONFERENCE, Letting Go, Tides.
Album art: Horrifying, haunting. Plaster cast of a guy from the shoulders up, wailing in agony from what it looks like. Immediately distinct and memorable.
3/5
Billy Bragg
3/5
Honestly, not a bad ride at all. I know we're oversaturated with UK albums, but we don't get muck UK folk, do we? I love American folk music, and to hear it from the UK is interesting. As a whole the album didn't grab me too much, but I appreciated a few songs here and there and the thematic writing for the working man was cool. Compared to all the copy-paste UK rock albums we get, this one's worth a listen.
Favorite tracks: Deportees, There is Power in a Union, Greetings to the New Brunette, The Warmest Room.
Album art: A sort of lo-res image from what I would guess is a political cartoon, looks like a big stump or something guzzling cash. The white and blue striped overlay makes this seems sterile, like a museum exhibit, we've had a couple like that before. Not sure if that was a reissue touch or what.
3/5
Grateful Dead
3/5
Oh boy, our second from the Grateful Dead and, of course, it's a live album. Granted, I know these guys are known for their live music moreso than anything in the studio - the Dead Head lore for concert tapes is crazy. This one's not bad though, I mean I wouldn't return to it because I don't like live albums (or the Grateful Dead) to begin with, but a couple tracks on here that I dug. It's all really long jam session tracks too, which is neat I guess. Decent album, wouldn't put it on this list personally but it's all good.
Favorite tracks: Feedback, Dark Star, The Eleven.
Album art: This one's cool, old English type font and design going on, and there's an image of a woman rising out of a coffin draped in sheets. Solid cover, not super memorable but I like it.
3/5
The B-52's
4/5
Surf punk? Is that a thing? This album's answer is an emphatic "yes." "Rock Lobster" is such a fun, funny relic, and I'm glad the world over knows that tune. Aside from that, some great deeper cuts on here too. Just a fun ride all the way through, such an anomaly of an album and band, I'm not sure what else they did but I want to pretend it was just this, like a meteor striking earth. Not true though, but this is their debut! Talk about dialed in from the get-go. Also the B-52's is such a great name for a band, they really nailed that.
Favorite tracks: Rock Lobster, Lava, 52 Girls, There's a Moon in the Sky.
Album art: Drop dead classic, iconic cover. Bright, vibrant yellow, and I'm assuming this is a band photo but nothing like any other band photo, looks like a lounge-style ad from the early '60s. Perfect aesthetic choices made all around.
4/5
Jean-Michel Jarre
4/5
Never heard of this artist but this album is great! Awesome instrumental stuff, reminds me of those '70s giallo films, a few of these tracks sound like they could've been in Suspiria, and that's a huge compliment! More like this please, and less milquetoast copy-paste rock BS.
Favorite tracks: Pt. 2, 3, 6.
Album art: A skull emerging from the globe, the Earth's surface peeling away like skin. Really, really dope.
4/5
Doves
2/5
A weird alt-rock type of album, it almost felt like different bands making so many of these songs. I really don't know what to make of this one. A couple tracks I did enjoy, but scratching my head at this inclusion.
Favorite tracks: Here It Comes, A House.
Album art: Looks to be a guy on stage, lights casting shadows far behind him. The lights are most of what you can see. Also, black and white. Doesn't add up to much.
2.5/5
Mercury Rev
3/5
Honestly, about as puzzling as the Doves album the day before. Who's picking these? I do like this one more because it's weirder - some really engaging instrumentals that hit me out of left field, and some that remain in left field for me to laugh at. The variety alone elevates this above the previous, but again, don't think I understand why it's here. We're at album 1011, the end is (theoretically) in sight, and yet we're still getting British rock slop.
Favorite tracks: I Collect Coins, Opus 40, Pick Up If You're There.
Album art: Very mysterious picture of what seems to be a guy on a coach. Is he smoking something? Holding a gun? Some other "Device?" Not sure at all, just can't see. Not enough light, and the whole thing is filtered through blue. Decent cover though, to match a decent album.
3/5
Yes
3/5
Catching up on half a dozen reviews so the next few may be quick. This one's pretty good! Didn't realize how much music from Yes I've heard before, but I recognized some on here. Love the long suites.
Favorite tracks: The Clap, Starship Trooper, I've Seen All Good People.
Album art: Strikingly more modern than 1970, looks like it would be right at home in the mid-90's. Wouldn't have guessed it was a '70s prog band in a million years. Great cover though, green is nice, as is the film border.
3.5
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Always game for Peter Gabriel, still waiting on So. This one's got "Solsbury Hill," a classic that we grew up on. Some other deep cuts that I enjoyed too, this guy just makes cool music.
Favorite tracks: Solsbury Hill, Excuse Me, Here Comes the Flood.
Album art: Moody brooding shot of the hood of a car covered in rain drops, and wait a minute, there's a guy in the car. Is that Peter? Moody and brooding is right. This is a great cover though, really dig this one.
3.5/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
We've had a few from CCR so far, and this one I know is a big one, by name at least. Not too many big famous tracks, but their cover of "Heard it Through the Grapevine" is really cool, love how long they spend exploring that groove. I get it. Great album.
Favorite tracks: Lookin Out My Back Door, Up Around the Bend, Who'll Stop the Rain, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Long as I Can See the Light.
Album art: The gang hanging out in what I assume is a studio, one of them on a bike. The bike is striking enough that I always thought they were hanging out in a bike factory, Cosmo's bike factory to be precise. Arguably iconic though, this has to be their best, right?
4/5
The Stooges
3/5
Another from the Stooges, it's a good one but doesn't hit the highs that their debut did for me.
Favorite tracks: Down the Street, Dirt, 1970.
Album art: Really love this album cover, looks like a sort-of band photo engulfed in waves of flame or something. Awesome color and text.
3.5/5
Baaba Maal
4/5
Shocked to see that this is number two from Baaba Maal? The other was a collab album with someone else. Anyway, a welcome departure from the usual fare, very cool textures and sounds all over this thing. Great album, I'm grateful that we're still getting a few cool, unexpected picks this late. That said, do we have any big hitters that haven't appeared yet?
Favorite tracks: Yela, Daande Lenol, Hamady Boiro, Gidelam, Olel, Minuit.
Album art: Just a floating head with some script text. Nothing special really.
4/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
ELP always a treat, I have this album and do enjoy it, but not sure I always knew it was a live album. That docks it a little bit for me, but I really enjoy the concept, and there's some great music on here as you'd expect. Fun to revisit this one.
Favorite tracks: The Gnome, The Sage, The Old Castle.
Album art: Well, it's certainly pictures at an exhibition. A few blank canvases hanging in ornate frames on a nice wooden wall. Continues onto the back of the album as well. I've always dug this one.
3.5/5
Bad Brains
2/5
I know this is an important, formative punk album, but unfortunately it didn't do much for me. I've been intrigued by the name and the cover for a while but it just didn't hit like I had hoped. Still, glad we got it.
Favorite tracks: Secret 77, Sacred Love.
Album art: Definitely an iconic cover, two faces close to the camera with some great, authentic hand-written font. Love the colors and the contrast.
2.5/5
Scott Walker
3/5
Was bracing myself for some BS, after his second self-titled I get a little triggered when I see the name "Scott Walker." But honestly, this one was pretty good. It seems like he took that cabaret-style from the earlier work and transfigured it a bit into something darker. The word that came to mind for me on a few was "desperado." This was a good listen overall.
Favorite tracks: The Seventh Seal, Hero of the War, The Old Man's Back Again.
Album art: Just a headshot of Scott (I assume), but the pose is more brooding, more indicative perhaps of the darkness. Color grading is good.
3.5/5
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Our second from this group, and I distinctly remember the other album being more electronic, with a techno edge, so I take it they changed their style up. This one is more adult-contemporary, very pleasant music. Easy on the ears, with a few songs that really grabbed me. The singer has a great voice. Really enjoyable listen, though not sure how I would compare it to the other we got from them.
Favorite tracks: These Early Days, Oxford Street, Shadow on a Harvest Moon, Lonesome for a Place I Know.
Album art: Just a picture of two people. Is this the group? No idea, and it's not interesting enough for me to look up.
3.5/5
Adele
4/5
Big one! Probably my favorite Adele album, though it doesn't have my favorite Adele song ("Chasing Pavements"). I'm honestly shocked that "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You" are on the same album, as singles they were only released two months apart but in my mind they are two completely different Adele eras, not sure why. I never liked "Rolling in the Deep," but some serious bangers on here, especially "Set Fire to the Rain" and "Lovesong." I didn't know she did a cover of "Lovesong," and it made me realize she would or could be a fantastic cover artist. Her music is a bit bland, but she's got an exceptional voice - pair that with classic songs, you've got gold.
Favorite tracks: Set Fire to the Rain, Lovesong, Someone Like You, Rumour Has It, Turning Tables, He Won't Go.
Album art: All of her albums are just portrait shots. This one's arguably her most memorable, but really just because the album was so huge. It's fine.
4/5
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
Woof. Our third from Pet Shop Boys, and none with "West End Girls"? What the hell are we doing? The other two albums were fine, this one kinda sucked. Only one song I sort of liked, the rest was too waifish for me.
Favorite tracks: A Different Point of View.
Album art: Orange, with dots. What else to say?
1.5/5
Peter Gabriel
5/5
With each and every passing Peter Gabriel album, I've asked when we would get So. The day has finally come, and my life is better for it. So many memories attached to this album, Dad played this all the time. He loved to do this bit with "Sledgehammer" where he'd turn the volume up extremely loud to hear the flute bit at the beginning, then the proper song would come in blaring and we'd laugh and dance like maniacs. Honestly absurd how many hits are on here, "Sledgehammer," "Big Time" is a great song, "Red Rain," "Don't Give Up," and the undeniable "In Your Eyes," one I'd put on a short list of greatest songs ever. The deep cuts are good too, I ended up saving all but one track. Wasn't sure on first listen if it would be a 4.5 or 5, second listen locked it in. Drop dead classic, one of my absolute favorites from the '80s.
Favorite tracks: In Your Eyes, Big Time, Sledgehammer, Red Rain, Don't Give Up (shout out Kate Bush), That Voice Again, Mercy Street, This is the Picture.
Album art: Just a shot of Peter Gabriel, but the stark contrast with the bright white background adds a lot. Turns an unassuming portrait into something bold, almost mystical. His clothing is pure black too, I'm kind of obsessed with how much of this cover is just black or white.
5/5
Supergrass
3/5
Kind of inexplicable that we would get two albums from this band, right? Who the hell are they? Anyway, this seems to be the better of the two, at least to me. "Alright" is very familiar to me, not sure where from though. In general, just some cool and enjoyable rock music. I think I'd nix the other Supergrass album and keep this one.
Favorite tracks: Alright, Lenny, Sitting Up Tonight, Time to Go.
Album art: A trio of seemingly evil (but certainly alarming) faces, especially the screamer in the middle. Not a bad cover at all, pretty memorable.
3.5/5
The Coral
2/5
Quirky Tom Waits type music but with a more modern rock band. Sometimes tolerable, often annoying. No thank you.
Favorite tracks: Dreaming of You, Waiting for the Heartaches.
Album art: A collage of a ton of pictures, colorful but I don't know what I'm supposed to make of it. Are these band photos? No idea.
2/5
Queen
4/5
Nice, a great Queen album. I really like some of their earlier stuff like this, even though they really didn't have much identity and were (pretty obviously on this album and their first) imitating Led Zeppelin. Still, some good music came out of it. Very solid album here.
Favorite tracks: Father to Son, Ogre Battle, Nevermore, March of the Black Queen, Seven Seas of Rhye.
Album art: Cool shadowed band shot, all the gents' faces coming through the void. Was this the first like it? Because it seems like a popular style. Given that this album was a Led Zepp attempt, I'm going to boldly assume that they didn't invent this cover style either. But it's an iconic look.
4/5
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Damn, another from Captain Beefheart and it bangs again. Quirky rock with enough of an edge to stand out from the pack some 50-60 years later. Looks like they get the last laugh, eh?
Favorite tracks: Sure Nuff, Zig Zag Wanderer, I'm Glad, Electricity, Plastic Factory, Dirty Blue Gene, Korn Ring Finger.
Album art: Very unassuming, nondescript, especially for a weirdo band of this stature. Unsurprising given it was their debut, but still unfortunate because just seeing this I would've never been intrigued enough to play it.
4/5
The Beta Band
2/5
Beta Band is 0/2 in trying to justify the case for inclusion. Mediocre rock, who really thinks we need to hear this before we die?
Favorite tracks: Lion Thief, Out-Side.
Album art: Fairly cool comic book-style cover, but a little soulless. Compare, for example, to the Czarface comic book covers. This is decent, but also dated.
2.5/5
David Crosby
3/5
I'm sure we've had a few from Crosby and his cohorts. This one is cool though, has a bit of a mystic edge to it, especially near the end. Lot of blues instrumentation, blended with psychedelia. Cool album, worth a listen for sure.
Favorite tracks: Cowboy Movie, What Are Their Names, Song With No Words, I'd Swear There Was Somebody.
Album art: Perfectly matches the vibe, sunset over the ocean piercing through an overlay portrait shot. Love this one.
3.5/5
Wild Beasts
3/5
Quirky album for sure, sort of indie rock in style, but the singing reminds me of someone like Anohni. I didn't come away with too many tracks but this one was decent, I'm not mad. Worthy of this list? Maybe not, but I had a fine time listening.
Favorite tracks: The Fun Powder Plot, Two Dancers II.
Album art: Faces seemingly blended together in some abstract art shape, one might call it a smudge or a stain. Look, I'm not sure what I'm looking at, but as far as covers go it's fairly striking.
3/5
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Helllll yeah. Love Booker T, presumably the MG's as well. What this man did for the Hammond M3 organ should have made him the CEO or something. The title track is GOATED folks, inclusion in Sandlot should tell you all you need to know. Aside from that, it looks like quite a few of these are covers, and they work pretty well. I have to say the novelty of the sound wore away after about the first half of the album, so I can't rate it higher than a 4, but this album is great and important, and "Green Onions" just rips so much else to shreds.
Favorite tracks: Green Onions, Mo Onions, I Got a Woman, Rinky-Dink.
Album art: It's green onions. Honestly, these cover looks and feels so dramatically ahead of its time, does it not? A self-referential image like that, and a photo as opposed to some art, it just feels like an '80s or '90s rerelease or some indie band joke or something, and that's a huge compliment.
4/5
Syd Barrett
3/5
Yet another psych-rock type album, the vocals remind me of the Beatles a bit. Not bad, but it doesn't stand out to me, this market has been dramatically oversaturated to the point that I just smile and wave at these late '60s, early '70s psych rock albums.
Favorite tracks: No Man's Land, Here I Go.
Album art: Guy squatting in a room with a cool lined floor style. It's a decent picture, not super memorable but I like it for what it is.
3/5
SZA
5/5
So glad this was included. I became a fan of SZA when she first signed with TDE in 2014, at that time I was obsessed with the label and trusted them with anyone. Her debut tape Z was really solid, but I had no idea what was coming. Everything leveled up on this project: songwriting, vocal range, production, you name it. This album is extremely personal and vulnerable, it's a kind of R&B that steps aside from the usual tropes to self-examine and self-actualize. Almost every song on here I love, but to me none are as brilliant as "20 Something." Such a beautiful ode to growing up. SZA has one of my favorite voices in the history of ever, and to date this is still her masterpiece. I'm not sure if I've realized it before now, but yeah, this is a 10/10 album.
Favorite tracks: 20 Something, Garden, Supermodel, Doves in the Wind, Love Galore, Broken Clocks.
Album art: SZA sitting in the grass among a heap of junk computers. Youth decaying. It's a classic and iconic already.
5/5
LL Cool J
3/5
Ladies Love Cool James. He's a sort of classic hip hop icon that doesn't exactly hold up in conversations, maybe because it's more of that radio-ready rap style of the early '90s, but this is a pretty good album. Really loved hearing the James Brown sample on "Boomin System," and the title track is a classic too. It's a good old school hip hop entry, of course there are better but this is a nice one.
Favorite tracks: Mama Said Knock You Out, Boomin System, Cheesy Rat Blues.
Album art: Very sweaty shot of James' chest (I think it's funny to call him James). He looks tough, certainly cool.
3.5/5
Morrissey
3/5
At least our third from Morrissey, more than that if you count the Smiths albums too. It's pretty good, some solid tracks on here for sure. Don't need all of these on here (maybe one solo project would be enough), but this one is on the better side.
Favorite tracks: The National Front Disco, Certain People I Know, We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful.
Album art: Another sweaty chest album cover (coming right after LL Cool J). It's a fine picture, nothing special. I like the title "Your Arsenal," seems like an arse pun.
3.5/5
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Forgettable. I just listened to this but forgot what it was like, so I have to listen to the tracks I saved while I write this. Some light alt-rock stuff, adult contemporary vibes. I don't hate it at all, but then again I'm listening to the tracks I liked. Something just feels off this late in the list when we get what feel like filler albums. We're past the 1001 mark, so obviously a bunch of these albums have been cut, which ones? This one could have been for all I know.
Favorite tracks: Love Goes On, Streets of Your Town.
Album art: A few people sort of standing/floating in a white void. Weird cover honestly.
2.5/5
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Pretty funny to me that we had another Fatboy Slim album and I started by saying "I know the hits and they aren't here." Well, we found them. This one's got the big ones, and it's just a great ride. Sonically feels like a perfect album to soundtrack a JSRF game. "Rockafeller Skank" is a classic from my youth, as is "Praise You," we love that one too. Hadn't heard "In Heaven" before but that's a certified jam too. Great album!
Favorite tracks: Praise You, Rockafeller Skank, In Heaven, Right Here Right Now, You're Not From Brighton.
Album art: Apple music has this lame cover of a bunch of shelves of records, but the OG of the fat boy with a shirt that says "I'm #1 So Why Try Harder" is so epic, such a classic.
4/5
Pink Floyd
4/5
Starting to get the idea, that Pink Floyd is the real deal. This album, like a few others we've had, is fantastic. So many great tracks (more that I recognize than I would've guessed), and it's got a great connected flow throughout. A bit long if I had to complain, but I really don't have to. I'm not sure how I'd rank it against Wish You Were Here, but it's got some undeniable heat. These guys were the real deal, huh?
Favorite tracks: Comfortably Numb, Hey You, Another Brick in the Wall, Thin Ice, Goodbye Blue Sky, One of My Turns, Run Like Hell.
Album art: It's a white brick wall with the text in a sort of blood font. Extremely simple, but it sticks with you so easily.
4.5/5
Saint Etienne
3/5
Feel like I've seen this one before, but haven't heard or heard of it. Fairly unassuming indie rock type of album, but a good few on here that were really interesting. Better than the usual fare.
Favorite tracks: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Girl VII, Stoned to Say the Least, Like the Swallow.
Album art: A woman holding up the name of the album on a picket sign. Good border going on, solid cover.
3.5/5
Iron Maiden
3/5
Iron Maiden's debut. Certainly not as strong as Number of the Beast, and honestly I'd imagine they have better albums in their catalog that could take this spot. Not bad by any measure, but I'd need a little more to love this.
Favorite tracks: Prowler, Transylvania, Strange World.
Album art: Is this the first Eddie, or is this pre-Eddie? No idea, but seems to be the same art style. Say whatever you will about their music, if you're into metal or not, but the commitment to this art style and the sort of covers they have is super cool.
3/5
Arcade Fire
3/5
We've had a couple from Arcade Fire by now, right? Think it's number 3, and it's solid as you'd expect I guess. I think I always gave them a bad rap, and unless I'm misremembering something Win Butler turned out to be a bit of a scumbag, but the music is really solid. "No Cars Go" was the highlight, good album.
Favorite tracks: No Cars Go, Keep the Car Running, Intervention, (Antichrist Television Blues).
Album art: It really is a neon bible, props for dodging any false advertisement claims. Very cool cover though, possibly my favorite from them. Between this and Reflektor.
3.5/5
Talk Talk
2/5
Some more (likely British) '80s pop-rock stuff, a bit ho-hum overall. Feel like I know the name Talk Talk but I couldn't name an album or song if I tried. A couple cool ones on here, but it's really nothing special to me. One of those "why are we listening to this" inclusions.
Favorite tracks: Life's What You Make It, Give It Up.
Album art: A bunch of butterflies framed. I like this one quite a bit.
2.5/5
Pere Ubu
2/5
Number two from Pere Ubu (assuming that rhymes). Like the first, I don't really like it at all. Can't say that I hate it, just not a strong enough reaction. But I wouldn't miss it at all and wouldn't return to it either. Oddball rock.
Favorite tracks: Laughing.
Album art: This is a cool cover, sketch-type drawing of a guy dancing with a flag, with a skyline behind. It's a good cover art, I like it.
2/5
Scritti Politti
2/5
Very quirky album. Is it reggae? Is it indie rock? I can't really pin this one down. I don't think it's as bad as this website would have you believe, but it's a little too all over the map to make a real impression on me.
Favorite tracks: The Word Girl, Don't Work That Hard.
Album art: Extremely boring, just the band name stamped a couple of times. Moving on.
2.5/5
Morrissey
2/5
How many more Morrissey albums could there be? This one's on the lower end for me, but "America Is Not The World" was really funny, so much indignation and disgust, you can hear it in the way he says "burger." Funny that Obama was elected two years later, and ultimately Morrissey became the racist. Album is okay at best, but we've had enough Morrissey that this wasn't necessary.
Favorite tracks: America is Not the World, I'm Not Sorry.
Album art: I quite like this one, one of his better covers for sure. Morrissey posing with a tommy gun. This actually looks a bit like the picture you'd see on the front of a packaged Halloween costume for "disinterested mobster."
2.5/5
Small Faces
3/5
Bringing an end to our cold streak (four albums in a row that I rated below a 3/5, and all of them I'd boot from this list). The first track gave me a Jimmy Neutron brain blast, and I realized it's because I know it from GTA5. Also "Happiness Stan" was a cool journey of a track. Decent enough album that I'm glad I listened.
Favorite tracks: Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, Song of a Baker, Happiness Stan.
Album art: I've been intrigued by this one for quite a well, once I saw it was on this list somewhere I had to know what it would be like. Looks to be an old-fashioned label for a tobacco can or something, I really love the aesthetic. Very cool.
3/5
Mylo
4/5
Dope album! Never heard of this one, and honestly was expecting some metal or something post-punk based on the cover and title, but pleasantly surprised that it's dance-y electronic music, and so much of it bangs. Keeping a really significant chunk of this album, and special shout-out to "In My Arms," which seems to build on the Kim Carnes song "Bette Davis Eyes," which is an absolute favorite of mine. I had to run that song back a few times. Awesome.
Favorite tracks: In My Arms, Valley of the Dolls, Sunworshipper, Drop the Pressure, Otto's Journey, Zenophile, Need You Tonite.
Album art: In bold, spray-painted stencil text, "DESTROY ROCK & ROLL," over a pink facial silhouette of (I assume) Mylo. It's bold and memorable, though maybe not that creative.
4.5/5
The Band
4/5
Always a fan of the band. Think I liked the other album more, which is surprising because this has my first favorite of their songs, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." Then again, my favorite version of that song is actually from the live album. Anyway, still a great album, they've got such a solid sound, and I really loved the more acoustic guitar stuff that popped up on here.
Favorite tracks: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Across the Great Divide, Rockin Chair, Jawbone, The Unfaithful Servant.
Album art: Pretty unassuming, just a band photo (or Band photo) in sepia, brown frame. It's actually a bit of a classic to me, but yeah, nothing too special.
4/5
The Beach Boys
3/5
Very early Beach Boys, sounds a lot like early Beatles, and I'm not a huge fan of either. But a some good songs on here, and the "Bull Session" is a pretty fun glimpse into behind the scenes. Pretty good album overall, but they've got much better.
Favorite tracks: When I Grow Up, Help Me Rhonda, I'm So Young, Bull Session.
Album art: Pretty weak, very of-the-era "we need to have some kind of cover" image. Reminds me of the Everly Brothers.
3.5/5
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
Wow, where the hell have they been hiding albums like this? The first few tracks I was just staring at my phone with my mouth agape, this stuff is huge. Really wild fusion of genres, especially jazz mixed in with the rock. I love that, it works really well. Had no expectations going into this (except maybe some typical psych-rock) and was genuinely blown away. Bravo, gang. This one's fantastic.
Favorite tracks: Variations on a Theme, Smiling Phases, Sometimes in Winter, More and More, God Bless the Child, You've MAde Me So Very Happy, Blues Pt. II.
Album art: At first thought it was just some guys outstanding in their field. Now it looks to be ghosts? Very old pictures of ancestors or something. Pretty cool effect, but overall an unassuming cover, not unlike the Band cover we had recently.
4.5/5
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
Our first Pakistani artist? Not sure, but really good album, always a welcome change of pace to get something beyond US/UK. Really great grooves and energy all over this thing, love the acoustic guitars that give it a Mediterranean feel.
Favorite tracks: Woh Hata Rahe, Yaadan Vichhre, Haq Ali Ali Haq.
Album art: Nothing too special, it's got that "museum exhibit" vibe. Cool colors though.
3.5/5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Another banger from the goats. Lots of people rank this as their best album, and though it's not that for me personally, I can't really argue. Some genuine bangers throughout this, ESPECIALLY "Kashmir," easily one of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs. I shouldn't even have to describe what this sounds like because we all know these songs, right? Or is that just me? Anyway, classic album. Not a five-star from me, that's reserved for the first couple installments of the self-titled series. But awesome album nonetheless.
Favorite tracks: Kashmir, Houses of the Holy, Trampled Under Foot, The Rover, In My Time of Dying, In the Light, Down by the Seaside, Night Flight.
Album art: A couple of squashed apartment buildings, in New York these would be called brownstones I think, in the UK maybe flats? I like the vinyl copy of this dad has because the windows are actually cut out and you can see through to the inner sleeves. Pretty cool.
4.5/5
Van Morrison
2/5
No, Van, it's never too late to stop. Like when we've already had a couple studio albums, and then get thrown a live album with songs we've already heard. We don't need this shit.
Favorite tracks: Wild Children, Saint Dominic's Preview.
Album art: Aging rockstar standing on stage, looking weary. That's how I felt seeing this was a live album.
2/5
Iggy Pop
2/5
Not necessarily a bad album, but much more languid and disengaged than some others we've had from Iggy (and his stooges). You can tell Bowie was involved in that way. Confusing that this is his "debut," though I guess just solo debut. But yeah, I didn't like much here.
Favorite tracks: Sister Midnight, Mass Production.
Album art: Iggy standing in the rain, gesturing to something we can't see. I've seen this one before, it's alright and I guess memorable enough but doesn't do much for me. Fits the album I guess.
2.5/5
Kings of Leon
2/5
Genuinely what the fuck? Is the guy who made this list the uncle of someone in the Kings of Leon? No one on God's green earth NEEDS to listen to this many albums from this band. Their big one, fine, I understand. A second album, whoa, somebody's a fan. THAT one I said was unnecessary. Then we get a third? Leave us alone.
Favorite tracks: Red Morning Light, California Waiting.
Album art: Ghostly heads. Don't give a shit, I'm just mad.
2/5
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Okay, if the price of getting an album like this is a Kings of Leon album the day before, I guess I'll pay the toll. Should be no surprise that I love this album (TPAB is one of my favorite albums ever, ever). In my mind I'd always give it a bit less than a 10, and I think the reason is the song "Real." That song annoys the hell out of me, the hook sucks. But what I forget is that EVERY other song on the album proper is a banger, 11 for 12 if you ask me. And quite a few of the deluxe tracks are incredible too. Kendrick locked the hell in on this album, and it really is a rap classic, it's a pretty expertly-woven concept, storytelling album but with enough bounce and accessibility to be a huge pop success. This one still charts on the Billboard 200, and you can tell why. So, so many bangers. "Money Trees" is probably my favorite, but in the years I've been listening to this that has changed many times. There's no denying for me, today, that this is a five star album, even with "Real." An album can have a skip and still get a 10/10. Fight me.
Favorite tracks: Like I said, everything but Real, plus The Recipe, Black Boy Fly, and Now or Never from the deluxe tracks. Wait, that's all the deluxe tracks too. Good lord.
Album art: The deluxe cover is a fan parked on the street. The color contrast is great, and recently Drake crushed a replica van in a music video during their beef, that was cool. The standard cover I think is even better. Little baby Kendrick being held by some family members, eyes censored out. Really cool.
5/5
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Interesting album. It's a sort of avant-garde rock project, a bit ambient (I feel like a snob just describing this thing). But just listen to "Two Weeks" and that will heal that feeling. I've never really dived into Grizzly Bear but they're pretty solid based on this one.
Favorite tracks: Two Weeks, Cheerleader, Foreground.
Album art: Multicolor art wall installation thing going on. I do like it, though I don't have any clue how the title should be pronounced.
3/5
Alice Cooper
4/5
We all know the title track, especially from Guitar Hero for me. But I was impressed with the variety and depth to this one. I don't know much about Alice Cooper but he (they?) seem weird enough to be worthwhile. Great album for sure, glad to hear it.
Favorite tracks: School's Out, Gutter Cat vs. the Jets, My Stars, Public Animal #9.
Album art: A carved and marked up school desk. Perfectly fitting, well done. Again, this Alice Cooper guy (group?) may be the real deal.
4/5
The Zutons
2/5
Who picked...... this album? It's a weird one, and not the kind of weird that I seek out. It's got a bit of a theatrical edge, like Tom Waits or Panic at the Disco or something, other than that it's just some alt-rock stuff. Have we had multiple Zuton albums? If so, someone should stand trial.
Favorite tracks: Zuton Fever, Nightmare Part II.
Album art: It's got that vintage Vaudeville feeling, the guy with the mustache about sums it up. Not a bad cover honestly, but the desaturation is frustrating.
2/5
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Kind of disappointed in myself for not connecting with this one much today. I do like, I've purchased it too on vinyl, and I'm a Marvin Gaye fan. But I'm not sure what it is about this album that just isn't hitting today. Maybe in the aftermath of Let's Get It On, I'm just looking for more infectious grooves. This one is airy, ethereal in comparison, and there are more poignant political lyrics (of course, not a surprise that this wasn't the case on an album full of sex songs). Even on a day when I enjoy this more, I still prefer Let's Get It On. I think there's a tendency in music nerds and critics and whatnot to automatically assign extra points to an album for its message. I get it, but I don't think this is better than his album of sexy songs. Still, a great album, an undeniable classic, even if I didn't save many tracks today.
Favorite tracks: What's Going On, Flyin' High, God Is Love.
Album art: Headshot of the guy standing in the rain, in a raincoat. What is going on, Marvin? I'll listen to the rain any day.
4/5
OutKast
5/5
Instant 5. Maybe my favorite album from Outkast, though that really is a tough question. This one's got so many classic hits that I've been in love with for as long as I can remember: "Ms. Jackson," "B.O.B.," and "So Fresh So Clean" are the titans, but seriously the depth beyond that is excellent too. Was struck this time around by "?" because Andre's flows are just dizzying. These guys aren't just two of the best rappers from the South, they're two of the best rappers ever. The only critique I can give this is a generic "cut the skits" request, but that's the nature of this era of hip hop, and frankly these skits are a LOT better than some other albums (looking at you, Ready to Die). Anyway, I'm gushing, I'm a bigtime Outkast fan, and this is one of my favorites from them for sure. To be honest, after hearing Speakerboxxx/Love Below again on this list too, I'm learning it's harder and harder to say what's their best.
Favorite tracks: Ms. Jackson, B.O.B., Gasoline Dreams, Xplosion, ?, We Luv Deez Hoes, So Fresh So Clean, Snappin & Trappin, Spaghetti Junction, I'll Call Before I Come, Humble Mumble, Gangsta Shit, Toilet Tisha.
Album art: Iconic, undeniably so. Andre and Big Boi standing in front of a black and white American flag. Immediately memorable, recognizable. One of the great album covers ever, I dare say. No idea where it would rank, but it's on the list.
5/5
The Slits
3/5
Enjoyed this one. Feel like I've heard of this band before but didn't know what to expect. Love a good all-girl punk band, they nail the sound pretty well, not to mention a few interesting deviations like "Liebe and Romanze," that was really cool. I think this project has helped me refine my palate for punk because I'm developing a taste for some of these acts. Also kudos for the Marvin Gaye cover!
Favorite tracks: Spend Spend Spend, Shoplifting, Heard It Through the Grapevine, Liebe and Romanze.
Album art: A classic, I've definitely seen this before. Cro-magnon woman? Bold if this is, in fact, the band. They're in loincloth hunter mode. The purple frame and text is good too.
3.5/5
Big Black
2/5
Not quite punk, but a noise adjancency. Not really my cup of tea but still a couple songs I enjoyed.
Favorite tracks: Stinking Drunk, Passing Complexion.
Album art: Really like this one, a nice cartoon/comic style drawing of big evil machine and some matches to light the fuse, to "atomize" the Earth. Seems like something out of Looney Tunes or Tom and Jerry. The art style and colors are awesome.
2.5/5
1/5
Not on Apple Music or Spotify in my country (small little place called the United States of America). Found it on youtube, British album that sounds quirky as hell. I liked one song, most of it was tolerable, some of it was downright terrible. How about the song that starts with "H-A-T-E, is that how you spell 'love' in your dictionary?" My eyes almost rolled out of my head. Lame album.
Favorite tracks: I'd Like That.
Album art: Looks to be a peacock feather, and that's about it. It's fine I guess.
1.5/5
Neil Young
4/5
A big one from Mr. Neil Young! It's wild how many of his albums are on this list, honestly. American David Bowie I guess. But this is a classic album, it's one I'm sure I own. "Old Man" and "Heart of Gold" are both big time bangers from Neil, maybe his biggest songs. It's a great album.
Favorite tracks: Old Man, Heart of Gold, Harvest, There's a World.
Album art: Very simple, but in a good way. Old timey font, yellowed paper effect, orange moon. What more do you need?
4/5
Soft Machine
5/5
This is why I started this project in the first place, to find incredible albums I'd never heard before. I know nothing about this band, just four tracks but it's jazz/rock stuff and it works exceptionally well. Reminds me of that Blood Sweat Tears album, which also was jazzy, but this one is all in. Just four tracks, each one an odyssey filled with wild and captivating sounds. Of course I'm saving every song. I don't know what else to say, this is all the way up my alley. First new album five-star in a while but very deserving.
Favorite songs: All of them, don't ask me to pick a favorite because each has moments that caught me in my tracks.
Album art: How often do we get these amazing albums with totally boring covers? It's just the word Third, with a bit of a shadow and path effect going on. Burnt orange all around. It's extremely minimal, and I can't say I'm mad at it, but it gives no indication whatsoever of how incredible the music is.
5/5
Taylor Swift
4/5
My preferred of the two COVID-era Taylor albums (they call it the "folkmore" era I believe). I do appreciate her commitment to a more stripped-back sound, while still having a crossover pop hit or too ("Long Story Short" is an all-time favorite for me). But then you have songs like "Happiness" that really showcase her songwriting. The maturity displayed on this album was entirely missing from her most recent, the Tortured Poets Department (easily the worst thing she's ever created). But I know this artist still exists under layers of irony and solipsism and more than a billion dollars. Long story short, great album!
Favorite tracks: Long Story Short, Happiness, Dorothea, Evermore, Ivy, Willow, Gold Rush.
Album art: One of her better covers, her face turned away. A cool flannel jacket as she stands at the edge of a dead forest.
4/5
Barry Adamson
3/5
Genuinely bizarre album, don't ask me what genre this is. I saved three songs, one is just a straight jazz tune that seems pulled from a video game soundtrack or something, the other two are evil noise. Dark energy emanating from this project, but I do appreciate the inclusion because it's certainly interesting.
Favorite tracks: Miles, Dirty Barry, Business as Usual.
Album art: A woman holding or hugging a boy? Surrounded by...I don't know what, just looks like a void. It has an effect on you, that's for sure. But I don't love it, a little bland.
3/5
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
The most recent album from this group, doesn't hit the highs that Loveless does, that's for sure. I'm frankly non-plussed by this. Saved a couple songs, but just unnecessary to me. Might be harsh, but don't care because I've got a lot of reviews to catch up on.
Favorite tracks: She Found Now, If I Am.
Album art: Hard to tell what we're looking at, heavy blue filter over what, a wall of pictures or something? The font is so juvenile, not sure if they were trying to be funny with it or not.
2.5/5
Deee-Lite
4/5
Really great album! May have vaguely heard this name before but didn't know what to expect, some really great electronic/dance stuff here, at times felt some early hip hop bounce in here too. Keeping quite a few from this one, really glad to have heard it.
Favorite tracks: Good Beat, Try Me On, What Is Love, ESP, Who Was That, Build That Bridge.
Album art: Funky shot of three funky people with a starry backdrop. Very hip, very vibrant. Fitting.
4/5
Radiohead
4/5
Another from the Radio Head Boys. I honestly really loved this one, probably near the top of pack for Radiohead albums we've had. It's more glitchy, ambient than some of their other stuff, and I appreciate that departure. "Hunting Bears" was a big time highlight. I never see this album in the "best RH album" conversations, why am I not surprised that my opinion is out of step with the music nerds? Maybe because I don't worship these guys, I just think they're pretty cool. Regardless, this one was excellent.
Favorite tracks: Hunting Bears, Packt Like Sardines, Pyramid Song, Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors, Like Spinning Plates (loved the instrumental tracks).
Album art: My favorite album cover color palette strikes again: red, white, and black. This one looks a little yellowed, and looking at this closely I'm noticing for the very first time that it's not just a Rothko-style red rectangle but what appears to be the cover of a worn book turned sideways. Really cool!
4.5/5
Neil Young
3/5
Yet another from Neil, and so soon after Harvest. Not as good, but it's alright. That means it's really not necessary to have on this list.
Favorite tracks: Oh Lonesome Me, Don't Let It Bring You Down, Cripple Creek Ferry.
Album art: Shot of (I assume) Neil walking the street. Looks like he's wearing a creepy mask, is that the original or just this animated Apple Music edit thing?
3/5
Kraftwerk
3/5
Always down for some Kraftwerk, these guys are wacky. "The Robots" goes stupid hard. Lost me a little as it went on but still a good time overall.
Favorite tracks: The Robots, The Model.
Album art: Anything red/white/black is always a hit with me. Cool font, design is minimal graphics but color scheme saves it.
3.5/5
The Stone Roses
4/5
Enjoyed this a good bit more than I thought I would. British rock from the '80s is a hard sell at this point, but some great melodies and textures all over this. Pleasantly surprised, great album.
Favorite tracks: She Bangs the Drum, Waterfall, Don't Stop, Elizabeth My Dear, Shoot You Down.
Album art: Can hardly tell what I'm looking at, you've got red white and blue stripes (France?) and some lemon slices on a Pollock painting or something. It's pretty cool but not that exciting.
4/5
Love
3/5
Once again, the '60s psych rock bug rears its head. We've had so many albums from this era, it's a bit tiring. But this one's pretty good, some interesting things going on here. Some unconventional instruments, clear acoustic guitar throughout. I like it.
Favorite tracks: Andmoreagain, The Red Telephone, Maybe the People, The Good Humor Man.
Album art: Fairly generic '60s fare, just some psychedelic faces mashed together.
3.5/5
Shack
3/5
Extremely British album, this one taught me that a band from Liverpool is called "Liverpudlian," what the hell? Only the Brits, I tell ya. Anyway, I liked when this leaned into the more folksy sound, other than that, fairly generic.
Favorite tracks: Comedy, Daniella, Streets of Kenny.
Album art: A little drawing of a ship superimposed on a burlap sack or something. Not much going on here.
3/5
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
Punk Elvis.
Favorite tracks: Skunk, Wail, Fuck Shit Up, Firefly Child.
Album art: Honestly quite terrible. A really elaborate crest with the artist/album name, but it's off-center over a black void, and then an even more off-centered picture of, one can only assume, Jon Spencer. It's so bad it's alright kind of thing.
3.5/5
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
One of those instances where I'm not quite sure why we get an album from a band that doesn't include the big hit(s). Granted, I'll always give them a chance, but there's nothing on here that comes close to "Love My Way" or "The Ghost in You." Not a bad album by any means, just a little puzzling.
Favorite tracks: Dumb Waiters, She Is Mine.
Album art: Really like this cover a lot, some scattered colors over an otherwise desaturated shot of the guys. Love seeing the "compact disc" logo on the image too.
3/5
Suzanne Vega
4/5
Two albums in a row where I'm struggling to comprehend why THIS album from the artist was picked. Suzanne Vega is known for two huge songs: "Tom's Diner," which has even resurfaced recently on tiktok, and "Luka." Both bangers, both on the same album, but not on this one. That said, this album is still pretty great. I love her vocal/songwriting style, it's like poetry is just spilling out of her and she's trying to keep up. I especially loved that on the opener, "Cracking." She's awesome.
Favorite tracks: Cracking, Small Blue Thing, Knight Moves.
Album art: Off-kilter framing is excellent, colors go together well. Not a whole lot going on but it is effective.
4/5
Joanna Newsom
4/5
Really awesome album. I've heard about this one, and Joanna, for quite some time but never dove in. All I really knew is that she's married to Andy Samberg, which is really cool. She's a bit of an American Bjork, in a way that I really enjoy. Very intricate, folksy songwriting and unpredictable melodies, like the songs are just unfolding and not even Joanna knows where they'r going. Just a few long songs and I dug almost all of them. This is definitely a keeper.
Favorite tracks: Emily, Sawdust & Diamonds, Only SKin, Cosmia.
Album art: Great cover, Renaissance-style painting of Joanna. Crow on the sill, sickle and butterly, the painting is about as detailed and as intricate at the music. I love that.
4.5/5
Haircut 100
3/5
Funky '80s pop album. Explores all kinds of disparate musical sounds too, very tropical and danceable. Didn't find much worth saving but this one's alright.
Favorite tracks: Lemon Firebrigade, Love Plus One.
Album art: Six guys, no burgers or fries in sight. They're laying down on a bunch of leaves, probably talking about the last day of high school tomorrow. Framing is kind of cool.
3/5
Lucinda Williams
3/5
Country selected for this list is so hit or miss, and this one's right in between for me. Not good enough that I think it should be here, but not bad enough that I disliked it. A couple good songs, the rest just forgettable. I'd remove it from the list, but it's decent enough. Just a strange pick.
Favorite tracks: Right in Time, Can't Let Go, Joy.
Album art: Picture of a house with, yep, you guessed it, a gravel road or driveway leading up to it. Looks very DIY, not necessarily a bad thing. The font being a little jumbled is cool.
3/5
The White Stripes
5/5
Instant five for me, and I'm sure I mentioned it in one of the other White Stripes reviews, but I think this may be my favorite of their albums. Such a fun degree of variety on display here. You get the heavy rock, plus some more folksy tunes, and then a few that kind of defy category, like "The Nurse," one of my fav White Stripes songs ever. I remember hearing it for the first time in high school when an English teacher was playing it for us and making comparisons to Macbeth or Hamlet or something and all I cared about was the guitar screaming to get out. Jack White is one of my favorite guitarists ever, such a unique style and so much soul. "Instinct Blues" is a great showcase of that, the guitar sounds like drunk person just meandering and sputtering out random notes, suddenly forced to sober up and belt out the appropriate riffs. Anybody who can make an instrument sound alive and with its own will contrary to the player is a wizard.
Favorite tracks: The Nurse, Instinct Blues, Blue Orchid, The Denial Twist, Little Ghost, Passive Manipulation, My Doorbell, Forever For Her, Take Take Take, Red Rain.
Album art: Another entry in the red/white/black saga. They committed to it well. Jack and Meg standing back to back, sort of reaching out to each other. Meg is holding a white apple, I have no idea what Jack is holding. Which one of them is Satan?
5/5
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Leonard's last stand. I heard this in 2016, knowing next to nothing about this guy and really dug it, especially the title track. Hearing it now, after all of his other albums we've had (and after the grim election day), it hits even harder. Great album from, frankly, one of my favorite artists making music in this vein. I prefer him to guys like Nick Cave and Tom Waits.
Favorite tracks: You Want It Darker, On the Level, Traveling Light, It Seemed Better That Way, String Reprise/Treaty.
Album art: Really cool, the aged, smoking star hanging his arm through a window or portal of some kind. The effect is that of a portrait hanging on the wall in a black void of a room, except the subject is just hanging out, literally. It's cool.
4/5
3/5
Have we had another from Suba? The name is familiar, but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's Brazilian music, but more contemporary than traditional, with some funky grooves and sounds throughout. I enjoyed it!
Favorite tracks: Voce Gosta, Sereia, A Noite Sem Fim.
Album art: Can barely see it, but seems to be a guy walking across a dark street at night. Nothing special really.
3.5/5
Pavement
4/5
I feel like Pavement is one of those bands that nerds rave about. From my vague recollections, this is their big album, and I actually really dig it. Nothing really crazy or groundbreaking about it, but just good solid rock. I saved quite a few and would definitely return to this, there's absolutely something to it.
Favorite tracks: Summer Babe, In the Mouth a Desert, Zurich is Stained, Loretta's Scars, Fame Throwa.
Album art: Definitely iconic, seen this one hundreds of times. A curved set of piano keys, plus some alarming script of the band and album name, seems like graffiti written by someone about to die.
4/5
The Smiths
2/5
Yet another from Morrissey and Co., that makes quite a few on this list if you include solo albums. Only saved two tracks on here, one just for the funny lyrics of "I'd like to drop my trousers to the Queen," hilarious. Around that time I was talking to Joey and Jack and we started doing bits of Morrissey lyrics if he was as randy as Austin Powers. "I was looking for some strange, and then I found some strange, and heaven knows I'm randy as hell." "If a randy Mr. Bean, sucked my willy clean, to die with a bonk-on would be the randiest way to die." That's about the gist of it, more entertained by that bit than this album. Also the title track with cows mooing is so lame, reminds of that PJ Harvey "war album."
Favorite tracks: I Want the one I Can't Have, Nowhere Fast.
Album art: I do like this cover, a bit of a classic. Soldier in the trenches, with the title on his helmet, plus the title is also on the side. It's good.
2.5/5
Happy Mondays
3/5
Pretty unremarkable British rock album. A couple good tracks but "just fine" is really not worth including on this list, man. Though shoutout to "Bob's Yer Uncle" for just being a great track name. Also Wikipedia says this is part of a genre called "Madchester," which is a psych-dance movement from Manchester. How full of yourself do you have to be to claim your city's music is its own genre (especially when it's just reviving existing things)?
Favorite tracks: Grandbag's Funeral, Loose Fit, Bob's Yer Uncle.
Album art: Love how colorful it is, though makes it pretty hard to read. Can see they leaned all the way into this madcap, psych aesthetic.
3/5
The xx
4/5
Honestly shocked to get more than one album from the xx on this list. Then again, they are British. Anyway, this one does have my favorite track from them, "Say Something Loving." Outside of that, some other great songs too. It's a really solid album, I'm feeling generous in giving it four stars today but I really don't think we need two from them on here.
Favorite tracks: Say Something Loving, I Dare You, Lips, Dangerous, Brave for You.
Album art: The classic X, but it's a reflective surface and I take it that's the band members in the obscured reflection. Here I thought it was just a duo (brother and sister? not certain).
4/5