Journey Complete!
Finisher # to complete the list
358
Albums Rated
3.13
Avg Rating
40
5-Star Albums
33%
Complete
Rating Speed
4
Per Week
625
Days Active
Reviews
355
Written
99%
Review Rate
vs Global
-0.14
Avg Diff
3.13
Avg Rating
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Britpop
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Balanced
Rater Style
24
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Flight | 5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
| All Hope Is Gone | 5 | 2.7 | +2.3 |
| Maverick A Strike | 5 | 2.75 | +2.25 |
| Headquarters | 5 | 2.87 | +2.13 |
| The Contino Sessions | 5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
| Os Mutantes | 5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
| Maxinquaye | 5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
| Scum | 4 | 2.07 | +1.93 |
| Queen Of Denmark | 5 | 3.14 | +1.86 |
| Here Are the Sonics | 5 | 3.16 | +1.84 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Californication | 1 | 3.71 | -2.71 |
| The Score | 1 | 3.68 | -2.68 |
| The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill | 1 | 3.63 | -2.63 |
| The Wildest! | 1 | 3.54 | -2.54 |
| Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
| Synchronicity | 1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
| Ready To Die | 1 | 3.37 | -2.37 |
| Debut | 1 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
| Channel Orange | 1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
| B-52's | 1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixies | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 | 1 | 2.2 |
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | 2 | 1.5 | 2.4 |
5-Star Albums (40)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
William Orbit
4/5
I often wonder whether albums like this are made for people to actually enjoy....or whether they're made for hi-fi nerds to boast about how great the plinky-plonks sound through their speakers (they sounded awesome through mine)
33 likes
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1/5
I mean it was popular at the time. But mullets were popular at one time. so was blood letting with leaches. Just because it was popular doesn't mean it was good.
26 likes
Pulp
5/5
Tales of sexual betrayal, inadequacy, regret, shit raves and class. I'm going to say it's the best album of the 90s. Prove me wrong.
26 likes
Coldplay
5/5
Is it still socially acceptable to admit you like Coldplay? I'd give this album 6 stars if i could.....
23 likes
1-Star Albums (24)
All Ratings
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Warhol house band stop being angry and start singing about god and girls
Muddy Waters
3/5
The sounds of Hendrix and Led Zeppelin in prototype form.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Wasn’t popular at the time....proved more popular with rappers
Sade
2/5
Blaaaaaaaand
Lauryn Hill
1/5
avoids melody like she avoids tax
MGMT
3/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Enjoyable light weight background music
Tears For Fears
4/5
I used to think the 80s was crap. I was wrong
Laura Nyro
2/5
too much singing.
Wu-Tang Clan
2/5
the musing on how they would torture each other at the beginning of "method man" is a highlight. it's a pretty puerile album. I actually like their later stuff. but this hasn't aged well.
Steve Winwood
1/5
too much synth. when you think of crap 80s.....this is the soundtrack to it.
Slipknot
5/5
my 3rd favourite slipknot album but still by far the best listen yet.....
Mekons
4/5
really enjoyed this. great production on the album too
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
sounds dated. but in a good way.
Bob Dylan
3/5
A nice way to air your dirty laundry publicly
Frank Ocean
1/5
The dire ramblings of someone with too much time and not enough tune
Os Mutantes
5/5
Loved it. listened to it......then immediately listened to it again
Ash
4/5
Reminds me of the burning issue of the nineties. Who was fitter: Charlotte from Ash or Hillary from JJ72 (it was Hillary). Fun album but loads better from that particular decade
Pink Floyd
3/5
Not sure why this Pink Floyd made the list ahead of others, but when it's not a bit boring, it's good
The Temptations
2/5
Papa was a rolling stone was 11 minutes of fun. the rest of it came and went
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
This album was a war crime
Pulp
5/5
Tales of sexual betrayal, inadequacy, regret, shit raves and class. I'm going to say it's the best album of the 90s. Prove me wrong.
Funkadelic
3/5
interesting flatulence on final track. found the rest of the album interesting. It wouldn't have taken much for Funkadelic to branch out into funky black sabbath territory- that would have been a 5 star album!
Coldplay
5/5
Is it still socially acceptable to admit you like Coldplay? I'd give this album 6 stars if i could.....
Jane's Addiction
2/5
I just don't like Jane's Addiction. boring and tuneless.
Can
3/5
enjoyed the first handful of tracks much more than i thought i would. You can definitely see the influence of this sound in post OK Computer Radiohead. The latter songs however were just noise.
3/5
sure it is more important because of the period in his career and the venue etc than it is because of musical greatness. but.....i enjoyed it
Steve Earle
2/5
more middle of the road than a central reservation.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Bruce means more to the yanks than he does to me
Stereolab
2/5
Stereolab are a weird concoction. like sticking cola bottles on a pizza. Doesn't need to be done. no one wants it.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
4 stars for abattoir blues for having a couple of bangers. 3 stars for lyre of orpheus for being a bit too arty for my taste
Thundercat
2/5
When Robert Trujillo left suicidal tendencies....he joined Metallica. When this guy did it.....he wrote some weird jazz funk shit. I'll stick with the Bass Crab.
The White Stripes
4/5
Loved this album. One star knocked off as it sounds a bit quaint these days
The Jam
4/5
Listening to this album made me listen to "decent days and nights" by futureheads for the first time in 15 years. Love that song. Love the sound..... all started by The Jam
Nirvana
5/5
classic
Roxy Music
3/5
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I always had in the back of my mind that Bryan Ferry was a foppish dandy that should be ignored. But the album had more heft than i thought it would
Garbage
4/5
Still sounds fresh. And Shirley Manson used to give me the horn.
Supergrass
3/5
not as great as i remember it being
The Notorious B.I.G.
1/5
System Of A Down
4/5
i love SOAD, but this album has always been a bit too quirky to be 5*
Can
2/5
no bangers on this one. just an album of noise dressed up as art
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
2/5
meh
Frank Sinatra
2/5
smooth but belongs to a bygone era
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1/5
Annoying.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
i enjoyed this one. might seek out some more
William Orbit
4/5
I often wonder whether albums like this are made for people to actually enjoy....or whether they're made for hi-fi nerds to boast about how great the plinky-plonks sound through their speakers (they sounded awesome through mine)
The Avalanches
2/5
I owned this album first time around. it remained largely unplayed. Frontier Psychiatrist is a banger. the rest no so much
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
it was fine. but. His daughter is more famous than he is now
Earth, Wind & Fire
2/5
boring
George Michael
3/5
I used to be pretty dismissive of George. in hindsight, that was misplaced snobbery
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
one of a handful of genuine mavericks gone before their time
Pink Floyd
3/5
I am increasingly a fan of Pink Floyd
Stevie Wonder
3/5
pleasant
Black Flag
4/5
I've only ever known Henry Rollins for his talking. I'll listen to more Black Flag now
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
one of a very small number of genuine innovators
Nick Drake
4/5
he'e been the discovery of the generator for me
Fela Kuti
3/5
It was fun but to be honest i'd got a bit bored my the midpoint of the album
Jeru The Damaja
1/5
I turned off at "Da Bichez"
Tori Amos
3/5
A little bit less MOR than I remember it.....but not by much
The Blue Nile
1/5
This album is everything that's wrong with the music of the first half of the 80s. tuneless, wordy nonsense.
Richard Hawley
2/5
I really like Richard Hawley. Particularly Longpigs era. But this is straight up crooning.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
like a Tom and Jerry soundtrack. But in a good way
The Cure
5/5
5* because Simon Gallup is a Reading fan. Also. They're just great in general.
Chicago
3/5
too much brass for my tastes.....but i can see how this would have been super fresh in its day
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Really enjoyed it. can see how the sound lives on today, "carcass" in particular sounds like a female-fronted Hives
Cat Stevens
4/5
Very relaxing
Liz Phair
4/5
never heard of Liz Phair, but this was fun. Like.... an indie Alanis Morrisette
Finley Quaye
5/5
Definitely in the top ten of my favourite albums of the 90s. An absolute Eton Mess of styles and sounds all mashed together deliciously.
Genesis
3/5
The first track was a hoot. I mean..... it's almost a parody of the worst excesses of 70s prog. Something Bill Bailey would come up with. Great musicianship though. the joke wore thin by the end.....and it wasn't meant to be a joke in the first place. But I enjoyed it anyway
Cheap Trick
2/5
I have a problem with live albums of Bands I don't know. If I don't know the source material I'm rarely moved. As in this case.
Justice
2/5
I bought the album at the time......didn't play it much.....my opinion hasn't changed
Sebadoh
3/5
lo-fi was one of my favourite styles in the 90s, but Sebadoh was always somewhat eclipsed by Pavement. For me, Pavement are definitely the more essential of the two with the passage of time. Still. this album's a decent example of a great genre
The Undertones
4/5
Enjoyed this- "over you" being my favourite. The Vaccines doing a good job of keeping this sound relevant today
The Only Ones
3/5
I had in my mind that these guys were a one hit wonder.... after listening to the album my opinion hasn't changed
The Undertones
3/5
Fun, zips along at quite a pace....but i probably won't return to it
The Cure
3/5
I prefer pop cure to goth cure
Anita Baker
3/5
meh
Miriam Makeba
4/5
I always wondered who sung Pata Pata. Now I know! really enjoyed the album
Röyksopp
2/5
The second half of the album is much better than the first....but still, I felt at the time that this album's success was based more on hype than hits.....still feel that way
Aretha Franklin
3/5
a massage for your inner ear
Nina Simone
3/5
pleasant
Soul II Soul
2/5
hasn't aged well
Depeche Mode
2/5
apart from the 2 obvious bangers on this album I find the rest to be droney and yawnsome
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
a bit arty for my liking. too much jazz in with the rock
Fairport Convention
2/5
is it prog-folk? Whatever it was..... I wasn't a fan
Queen
5/5
This is the album The Darkness wish they wrote
The Byrds
3/5
Always been a bit confused by The Byrds..... do they really deserve reverence for being a band that took Dylan songs and made them janglier?
Bobby Womack
2/5
It's smooth blandness
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
Without this album there probably wouldn't have been the stone-cold-classic "Bing Bong" by SFA
Marilyn Manson
4/5
YESSSSS
Metallica
4/5
I think this album was Lars reaching peak narcissist- his drums are pulled far too forward in the mix, but the album still sounds fresh today. Probably my 3rd favourite album by the band
The Go-Go's
4/5
Bright, breezy, catchy..... like a prototype Kenickie without the snot nosed attitude. Enjoyed it immensely
Moby
3/5
I like it slightly more than Natalie Portman does, it's pleasant but it's very bland. Vacuous almost.
Nirvana
4/5
Feels a little too much like Nirvana proving they know more than 3 chords.... they were a lesser band when they weren't raging but still a really enjoyable listen
The White Stripes
5/5
Has aged like a fine wine. Still amazes me the breadth of noise and creativity that Jack and Meg produced. Top of my list of "bands that should reform" alongside Pulp and Pavement
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
I can't really explain why I don't like this. I find it just a bit irritating. Maybe too many trumpets.
The Lemonheads
3/5
Never really caught the hype for the lemonheads at the time.....although I'd have been 12 when this album came out. Listening back, it's alright...... but I can't see it being particularly notable for any reason
Sex Pistols
5/5
5* for it's importance as a piece of social history as well as an album full of bangers
Dirty Projectors
2/5
too clever by half for me
The Pogues
4/5
imaginative and chaotic
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Looks like Martyn Poliakoff
Black Sabbath
5/5
Not my favourite Sabbath.....but still can close my eyes and imagine how revolutionary this would have been at the time
D'Angelo
1/5
not for me
Joan Armatrading
3/5
just seems so MOR to be on a list like this. Maybe it's notable because just how boringly pleasant the music is? Give me Tina Turner any day. Also, I think Joan is one of those that's more popular in the USA than she is in her home country. Like Bush.
Tom Waits
4/5
demented, dark, growly and percussive. Sounds like it was recorded in a nuclear bunker 3 days after the last of the rations ran out. Not an easy listen by any stretch.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
I know it was their thing......but the songs would be much better without all the feedback muddying the melodies
Isaac Hayes
3/5
the 70s was probably the golden era of the film soundtrack.
Lou Reed
5/5
The high water mark for glam. clever tunes, smart lyrics dealing with the underbelly of society and Bowie on production duties. One of my favourite albums of all time
Def Leppard
4/5
The drummer from Def leopard only has one arm. But. I saw them at the Wolverhampton civic hall and they rocked hard. Were supported by the darkness too. This album is too slick and not hard rocking enough for 5*.
Merle Haggard
2/5
the only place I would be exposed to music like this in the UK is in a Frankie & Bennies.
Turbonegro
3/5
Is the first song about a pizza restaurant?
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Without the historical context, when listening to this in isolation.....it's difficult not to just form the simple conclusion that it sounds nice. sort of 3* levels of inoffensiveness
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
In its day this was pretty fresh. A combination of raw jagged beats and Dizzee squawking about uniquely British things (like Happy Shopper). It wore pretty thin pretty quickly, and then Dizzee released "Holiday"
David Bowie
4/5
A big change after The man who sold the world, this one trades the harder edge for the catchier tunes. Contains my favourite Bowie tune: Queen Bitch
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
I'd not listened to this album before but I really enjoyed it. Much less drenched in reverb than Psychocandy allowing the melodies to shine. You can almost hear the beach boys in some of the tracks.
The Beach Boys
5/5
The GOAT
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1/5
I mean it was popular at the time. But mullets were popular at one time. so was blood letting with leaches. Just because it was popular doesn't mean it was good.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
I remember reading at the time that this was meant to be the second album in a series of albums for every US State. Having gone back and checked...... that didn't happen. But I do like the grandiosity of the arrangements on this album. Reminds me of The Flaming Lips at their most orchestral
10cc
2/5
I didn't get it. Not quite "The worst band in the world", but certainly not for me. A miss.
Abdullah Ibrahim
1/5
I don't like jazz
Milton Nascimento
3/5
As a double album..... it's a committed listen but I enjoyed the Brazilian tinge to what was a pretty relaxing 90 minutes or so
Beatles
3/5
I've always thought of Rubber Soul as being the end of "old beatles" before Revolver kicked it up a gear.
Hawkwind
2/5
Just couldn't get into it. Too dense by half
Cream
4/5
very bluesy rock, a prototype for loads of 90s garage bands. really enjoyed it
Rush
4/5
Really enjoyed this album- particularly the drumming. Was a lot more accessible than I thought it was going to be, and some moments of balls to the wall rock as well
Ryan Adams
2/5
Just seems to belong the genre of MOR American singer songwriters that are pleasant enough but nothing more. The lyrics to "Nothing Girl" don't look so clever in the light of the sexual misconduct charges against him and his subsequent "cancellation".
3/5
Less essential than the debut, also sounds very much of its time
The The
2/5
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
2/5
Nope. Not for me.
The Kinks
5/5
Ray Davies crafts an absolute treasure trove of 60s pop nuggets whilst indulging his fascination with Englishness and class.
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
It's a country music album. From 65 years ago. Listening it in 2021 in Stockport, I'm transported to a time and place where everything was different. I wouldn't listen again though.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Sounds dated these days.
The Pretty Things
2/5
Had no idea what this was when I loaded it up to stream, but I guess this was out around the same time as The Who’s Tommy. That one is a classic. I’d never heard of this one before which suggests it was overshadowed by Tommy then as well as now
Tricky
5/5
Bleaker than Portishead, more inventive than Massive Attack, one of the albums of the 90s in my view- Dummy edged it out at the Mercurys but whilst the Portishead album was adopted by the mainstream, Maxinquaye remained the choice of the trip hop connoisseur. Dark, deep, drenched in atmosphere. Black Steel and Hell is Round the Corner are the 2 standouts.
3/5
This was the album before Blur got good. It's all a bit derivative. A pound shop Ray Davies.
John Prine
2/5
I just find this type of country music boring. no edge apart from some dodgy lyrical content. Can't imagine why this is on the list. What marks it out from all the countless other similar sounding (to my ears) albums?
The Pharcyde
4/5
the antidote to gangster rap. creative, fun, no misogyny. what's not to like?
Deep Purple
4/5
Would love to have been around with Sabbath, Zeppelin, and Deep Purple touring and releasing music. Deep Purple are my least favourite of the three but this album is chunky, loud, epic.
Aerosmith
2/5
Aerosmith represent a total lack of new ideas or willingness to push boundaries
Paul Weller
3/5
I mean....the album itself is fine in isolation.....but this is the main driving force behind The Jam making a collection of songs that are polished melodic and maybe even slightly middle aged? If you're going to listen to one Weller album....it wouldn't be this one.....and it wouldn't be a Style Council one either
Yes
2/5
I'm all for a bit of prog. but this sounds dated to the point of quaintness.
Ananda Shankar
1/5
this is a crossover that didn't need to happen
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Led Zeppelin at their creative zenith, but this isn't an entry level album, one for the connoisseurs
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
a bit of a dirge- as is their style- but just like the last one, I enjoyed the moments of melody
Aimee Mann
4/5
mid tempo pleasantry. slightly over-wrought in places but I like her vocals. From a similar mould to Tori Amos with the alt turned down and the country turned up and that's no bad thing
Paul Simon
3/5
I don't care what people say. Graceland is a stone cold classic. Parts of this album sound almost like a prototype of what was to follow. I enjoyed it..... but the followup is the genuine classic. not this one.
The Clash
4/5
Clearly a super influential album and still sounds remarkably fresh today. Difficult to really imagine the impact this album had at the time now we've been subject to endless imitations
U2
5/5
I haven't listened to this album in 15 years, and listening back to it, I'm surprised at how essential it still sounds. Particularly because U2 have become utterly irrelevant in recent years..... but this album stands out as being a classic of its time. A reinvention that kept the band at the top of their game
Joni Mitchell
4/5
I enjoyed this greatly. Simple arrangements and an evocative voice. Subject matter was a bit mehhhh but I can see why this was ground breaking in the early 70s. Still sounds fresh today
Dolly Parton
2/5
I find it difficult to get excited about most country music. This album was no exception. meh at best
Elvis Costello
3/5
Apparently there are 6 costello albums in this list. I like his style, I like his music, but...... is he responsible for 6 of the greatest albums of all time? no. obviously he isn't.
Muddy Waters
3/5
I'm imagining this must have been released towards the end of his career given that it was in the late 70s but this doesn't play like someone trying to keep themselves relevant. It has a confidence and strut that sounds fresh today
Marvin Gaye
4/5
This album set the benchmark, and now listening back it feels like it soundtracked late night chilling sessions across the world for decades following its release
Blur
4/5
If you ask most people who were around in the 90s to list the top 5 Britpop era albums. This would be on it. Probably deservedly so but there's an annoying amount of filler on the album when listened to as a cohesive work. And for that, I'm knocking a mark off
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
There is absolutely no way this album should be on here ahead of "songs for the deaf". Having said that, this album did kind of invent "stoner metal" and for that we should be eternally grateful
Jeff Beck
4/5
Really enjoyed this album, a bit of a mish mash of styles- covering everything from some pretty heavy blues to a cover of greensleaves but the album captured my attnetion whilst i was working and i often found myself stopping what i was doing just to listen and enjoy
Iggy Pop
3/5
I find Iggy Pop more palatable in small doses. A whole album in one sitting gets a bit janky
Grizzly Bear
2/5
I lost patience with this album pretty quickly. just required too much effort to elbow my way past the noodling to find a melody.
The United States Of America
3/5
It's difficult to listen to this and appreciate how it sounded in the context of the time. Hearing it now, it doesn't sound particularly unusual or ground breaking, but it's enjoyable nonetheless
Bee Gees
4/5
Much more depth than the beegees bangers everyone knows.
Air
3/5
The only way this should be ahead of Moon Safari is because it marks itself out by being a film soundtrack. Still having said that, I do love Air. Remember seeing them at Brixton Academy back in the day and it being a great live experience too
Soundgarden
4/5
As joint pioneers of grunge, Soundgarden deserve their place in the history books but their version of the Seattle sound displayed their influences to a much greater degree than Nirvana ever did. You can close your eyes and imagine Black Sabbath in much of their music. It's all the better for it too
Motörhead
4/5
Like being repeatedly pummelled round the head with a sledgehammer. But. Also......Oddly charming and enjoyable. Released the same year that Metallica formed. Kill 'em All came a couple of years later. There's a lot of Motorhead in early Metallica.
The Young Rascals
3/5
It’s fine. Can’t imagine it’s particularly memorable from a decade of such prodigious innovation and quality though
Tortoise
4/5
I’m partial to a bit of post rock here and there. Mogwai being my go-to choice. In my mind Every Mogwai album sounds like it should be a soundtrack to a zombie apocalypse film like 28-days later. Tortoise dials down the soundtrack to the end of the world thing, it’s not so bleak…. But it is just as slow burning.
Blur
5/5
This album came out the same week as Pavement's Brighten the corners. The two best indie albums of the decade in my view, and both share a sonic signature. It was definitely Pavement influencing Blur rather than the other way around, but it doesn't matter. This is my favourite Blur album by a country mile, and just edges Pulp's "a different class" for best britpop album
Deerhunter
4/5
This album was great, with particular highlights being Revival and Desire Lines (sounding very VERY similar to Arcade FIre's Rebellion (Lies) ). lots of late 90s / early 00's influences in here to enjoy- the aforementioned Arcade Fire being one, The Breeders another
Pere Ubu
1/5
This album is the main influence behind the Shooting Stars "Song in the club style" round. I hit the dislike button.,
Minutemen
3/5
Had to read up about this album after loading it up to listen to. 43 songs that vary wildly in tone and style veering from Punk to country to instrumental. That's still to this day only available physically in vinyl. I'm confused and impressed in equal measure, as a feat of artistic anti-commercialism it gets 5* but its mish mash of styles makes it a bit of a tiring listen. so 2 stars off for that
Aretha Franklin
3/5
This lady deserves her place in the annals of popular music fame, but whilst i can appreciate her story and her vocal strength, it's a style of music that doesn't get my pulse racing
Pink Floyd
4/5
I really dislike concept albums in the main. They seem to bring out the worst in Band's "creativity" leading to them just demonstrating how smart they are and sacrificing song-craft. This album though is bearable from that point of view. You can really see the shadow that Syd's departure continued to cast over the band from the lyrical content
Air
5/5
I always used to think French pop started and finished with Serge Gainsbourg. This is the album that changed my mind
Ministry
4/5
I've always been aware of Ministry as they have often been cited as influences for bands I really like today- Volbeat being one. And you can hear the rockabilly thing that Volbeat have taken to the next level. Enjoyed it immensely
The Who
3/5
I've often wondered who had the bright idea about the album cover. How did Entwhistle get his todger away so much quicker than the other 3? What is Daltrey looking at? Why is Moon staring at Daltrey whilst still buttoning up himself? Did Townshend drip on his flairs?
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
I've always found Rufus to be one of those American Singer / Songwriters that is far too clever for my simple palate. Too much going on- all very impressive- but doesn't add up to a cohesive album to my proletarian ears
Isaac Hayes
4/5
It's like a massage for your inner ear
Missy Elliott
2/5
I think this album came out after she’d annoyed the entire world with Get ur freak on. I quite like the samples being drawn from absolutely everywhere- there’s a sort of mad scientist vibe to that. But the rest of it. No.
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
Gentle, melodic, indie pleasantry. this and Boy with the Arab Strap are perfectly created indie masterpieces
Pantera
4/5
The first half of this album is MASSIVE. Riffs so chunky you can beat people over the head with them. A slight tailoring off in the second half can't change the fact that this is one absolute beast of an album
Pavement
5/5
Just love the whole Pavement sound. Also love their Anglophile leanings (otherwise they'd be called Sidewalk)- inventors of what we now consider to be "indie". Absolutely love the inpenetrability of the lyrics. On this album, the lyrics to the final verse of Range Life are my favourites. Particularly starting Beef with Billy Corgan (something Corgan is still bitter about today) and Malkmus announcing he's hot for the Stone Temple Pilots. Genius. Just noticed they're doing a reunion tour of the UK next year.....time to get my tickets!
2/5
a full length album with only 3 songs was a red flag, and so it turned out. Too much trying to be clever, not enough balls out rock.
The Band
3/5
I took turns in being mildly diverted by the country / blues blend to being completely switched off.
Don McLean
3/5
It's difficult to sustain an entire album when you put your stone cold classic on it as the first track, but the rest of it is stands on its own two feet well enough to complete a solid effort
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
quaint museum piece
Steely Dan
3/5
Enjoyed this jazz/rock mashup and will hunt out some more material
Todd Rundgren
4/5
had never heard of this album, but was pleasantly surprised by the utterly batshit songs. i also note he's released literally dozens of albums since.... I wonder if they're also as mad as this one?
The Rolling Stones
3/5
As an album opener, it's pretty hard to top Paint it Black. I'm not sure the rest of the album keeps up that level of awesomeness but as an early stones album, you can hear their transition in progress to globe shagging rock icons
The Who
4/5
Rock Operas are usually a by-word for naff. But this one is ace
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Thought this was great. Had it on whilst I was writing a proposal for work.... not one of my favourite tasks but it's impossible to be miserable with this soundtracking whatever you're doing
Van Halen
4/5
Obviously Jump is a stone cold classic, but the rest of the album is surprisingly strong and not as synth-heavy as the opening track suggests. A really enjoyable glimpse back to the good-ole-days
Bauhaus
4/5
Surprisingly accessible and clear to hear how Bauhaus have influenced other bands. The Bravery, Interpol. lots of Bauhaus in their sound. I always had Bauhaus pegged as a band that were impressive but difficult to love, that's changed after spending time with this album. I'll definitely be dipping further into their work
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Is this on the list twice?
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I like their blend of electro and rock, but LCD Soundsystem are one of those bands for which I've never really understood the critical acclaim. The album's fun, the lyrics transgressive, but I'm not sure the sound is particularly unique or pioneering
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Neil Young is one of those very few icons that has been at the top of his art form for multiple decades. On this album the melodies play a supporting role to the man and his lyrical prowess.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
folk at its peak
R.E.M.
5/5
The album that saw REM confirm their place as global megastars. An album packed full of melancholy and beauty.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Bob Dylan is the type of artist that that has so much material to dive into, it's pretty intimidating for the uninitiated as to where to start. Invariably in these cases, people start with greatest hits compilations, and then it becomes difficult to assess individual albums because you've listened to all the bangers in one place. That said, this albums first track became the anthem for an entire decade. So..... props for that
Taylor Swift
5/5
Every single song on this album is an absolute pop banger......are words I never thought I'd say about a Taylor Swift album..... but this album is great in a genre that has spawned WAP, to have a collection of songs as catchy, light hearted and positive as this is a rare treat
Depeche Mode
3/5
I used to work alongside an obsessive Depeche Mode fan. She would constantly bleat on about her devotion and mainly because of this I couldn't be less interested in the band
Tom Waits
2/5
This album feels like Tom Waits being too smart for his own good. A mish mash of styles make it feel like it lacks the cohesion of bone machine
Red Snapper
2/5
I owned this album first time around, at the time I was hoping it'd be an interesting collision between Trip Hop and Big Beat. It disappointed in that regard. Red Snapper always used live drumming rather than computerised loops and for that, I'm giving them a bonus mark. But I'll forget this album for the second time in relatively short order having listened through it 20 years or so after I last did
Beastie Boys
4/5
A perfect follow up to Licence to Ill. You can spend weeks tracing the origins of the samples on this album. This was the album that set the Beastie Boys on their path to alt-rap greatness
Little Richard
3/5
I just can't imagine a time when this was deemed cutting edge. enjoyed it though as a museum piece
Happy Mondays
3/5
no need for this album to be on this list when Pills n Thrills exists
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
An indie version of the beautiful south. With extra tweeness. Having said that, I do enjoy some B&S from time to time. This isn't my favourite though
The Doors
4/5
The album with my favourite closing song of all time
Solomon Burke
3/5
I understand he's one or the pioneers of soul, but. not a musical style i've ever showed any real interest in. That said, the album was a pleasant listen
Green Day
5/5
I'd written Green Day off as a one album wonder before this came out...... but this was a ferocious return to form
The Beau Brummels
1/5
Whoever put this album on this list was having a laugh. Absolute toilet.
T. Rex
3/5
Always partial to a bit of Glam Rock, and there's no better place to go than T Rex when you need to scratch that itch
The Pogues
3/5
I don't know much about the pogues other than Fairytale of New York.....but I quite enjoyed this. I would like to see them dial down the folk and dial up the punk, but it was an experience i wouldn't mind repeating
Jethro Tull
2/5
not enough rocking out. too much whittering about religion
Fugees
1/5
Absolute claptrap
Boston
4/5
YES! Any album that opens with a song like "more than a feeling" will have a tough time keeping up the stadium destroying level of ROCK.....but apart from what to me was a slight misstep with the 7 minute noodling on foreplay / long time this album keeps up the pace
Massive Attack
4/5
Whilst I prefer Portishead, this album is still fresh today. Still sounds as dark and oppressive as it did back in the day
The Monkees
5/5
Always loved The Monkees. they're a band with no pretence or delusions of grandeur, just a bunch of musicians thrown together by a record label....that worked.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
Not my bag at all, but there's weighty issues in the lyrics and musicianship on display. I respect it without enjoying it
Elton John
3/5
I'm not into Elton enough to do anything other than spin a greatest hits album once in a blue moon
Waylon Jennings
1/5
Disposable Country for Texans
Syd Barrett
4/5
Not sure when this album was released on the timeline of Syd's spiral into madness but this proves his songwriting capabilities outside of Pink Floyd
Kid Rock
2/5
I went to a kid rock concert in Brixton once. It was a good show. During one song, he rotated around all the instruments taking turns to play them himself. And he had Rockettes in cages dancing. Belongs in a previous era when we mistakenly believed his blend of country rap and metal was a good thing
Various Artists
4/5
all you need all under one roof!
Johnny Cash
3/5
Seems an odd choice for inclusion given there's only a handful of songs and there's even a better prison album available....but....imagine a band performing at Strangeways these days!
The Kinks
4/5
This album encapsulates my view of what the music scene in the late '60s was like (not having been around at the time). Jangly, poppy, a whiff of beach boys. Very nice
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
Not for me
Method Man
2/5
Should stick with Wu-Tang
Bob Dylan
3/5
Bob Dylan is one of those musicians whose back catalogue is so big it can be difficult to work out as a newcomer where to jump in. This album will do it, but..... I'd still rather go to a curated collection rather than take it album by album
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I've always been a bit confused as to why Americans hold Bruce Springsteen in such high regard. I don't hear anything particularly innovative, different, or special
Queen Latifah
3/5
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I really enjoyed the creativity on display in many of the songs and also a bonus star for achieving success in what must have been an extremely male dominated (and misogynistic) genre
Bad Brains
3/5
had no idea what to expect when hitting play, but enjoyed this from start to finish.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
With the exception of "for what it's worth" I think Buffalo Springfield is most notable for what came after it disbanded.....Neil Young''s solo career and Crosby, Stills, and Nash.
The B-52's
1/5
Cannot stand the B-52's. Rock Lobster is a total abomination.
Derek & The Dominos
2/5
pleasant mix of rock folk and blues. just a shame Clapton is a total shit. colours my opinion whether i like it or not.
Tom Waits
4/5
Tom Waits back catalogue has been one of the discoveries of this whole exercise for me.... I think this is now the third album, and whilst it hasn't got the weird grandeur of bone machine, it's once again a gravelly voiced work of art. 3 is enough though....let other artists in on the list!
Kate Bush
4/5
enjoyed this much more than i thought i would. waves of lush instrumentation and Bush's unique voice all add up to something that is wonderful rather than weird
Ice Cube
3/5
Less of a marathon than i thought it was going to be. But something to which i won't return
Eminem
1/5
puerile ramblings haven't aged well
Beastie Boys
3/5
It sounds suuuuuper dated, and looking back this is probably by far the Beastie Boys weakest album both for the frat boy lyrics and the dodgy musicianship. having said that, Fight for your right and No sleep til Brooklyn are bangers
Christine and the Queens
3/5
Never heard of this band before, but their music is more proof that not all French pop is crap.
Aphex Twin
2/5
I know Aphex Twin for two things. First for his music videos which are the stuff of nightmares. Secondly for making music that doesn't exactly make you want to tap your toes.
Supergrass
4/5
A big Supergrass fan, and you have to wonder what would have happened to their careers had Spielberg followed through with his plan to install them as the "new monkees". Great upbeat Britpop that should have had a longer legacy
The Hives
4/5
Remember seeing The Hives in Brixton around the time this album was released. They were a breath of fresh air in terms of style if not in terms of music. They didn't really kick on after that initial wave of hype, but at the time they seemed fresh and didn't take themselves too seriously at all. This album is full of perfect snotty pop punk shoutalongs
Joy Division
4/5
The album that launched a million t-shirts
Morrissey
4/5
Whilst it's becoming increasingly hard to divorce the art from the individual, I'm still not yet to let Morrissey go. This is certainly not the album I'd choose to make a greatest albums of all time list, but it does represent an interesting point in his career with vestiges of Smiths sounds evident in much of the content.
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
This album is a perfect example of why I don't like live albums. Far too much self indulgent jamming.
Killing Joke
4/5
This feels like an awesome amalgamation of 70s Punk and 80s Goth and New Wave with a bit of Motorhead sprinkled over the top. Overall result is something that must have sounded like nothing else in 1980s and still sounds fresh today. You can hear the influence in contemporary industrial metal bands like Rammstein for sure
The Specials
2/5
sounds almost twee nowadays.
Living Colour
3/5
Just lacks the swagger and melody of similar late 80s rock bands.
Portishead
2/5
Big fan of the first 2 portishead albums, and the live album..... Dummy is probably my favourite album of all time. but this effort represented the point that Portishead disappeared up their own behinds. I was so excited to listen to it on the run up to its release.....and then.....disappointment. Listening back to it now, it's not as dire as I remember it..... but it's still an act of sabotage on everything that made Portishead so wonderful
Pixies
5/5
Doolittle is one of high water mark albums of Alternative music to have come out of the US in my lifetime. None of the songs outstay their welcome. a stoned classic
Buzzcocks
3/5
an end of the 70s punk album. meh.
Manu Chao
2/5
Just find Manu Chao a bit.....boring.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Bob Dylan is another of those artists whose back catalogue is intimidatingly large, but this album seems like a good entry point with a number of all time classics.
Suede
4/5
The real battle wasn't between Oasis and Blur. It was between Blur and Suede. There was a time when it looked like Suede would be the ones that took on the mantle of Brit Pop deviant champions, but Blur eventually pulled up their socks and left Suede as museum pieces. This album though made a strong case for Suede- distinctive sounds, smart & subversive lyrics, innovative sound.
The Police
1/5
The Police make music for people that don't like music
Peter Frampton
2/5
Boring. Live album. Brit who was bigger in the USA than he was in the UK. Paved the path for Bush to pull the same trick. Boring. Baby I love your way is also a war crime.
Elbow
5/5
Elbow are a perfect combination of Mancunian sensibilities with a soft core of romanticism smoothing out the northern swagger. Garvey's voice is like one of those throat lozenges with anaesthetic in it. Soothing. Although this album won the Mercury music prize, it's their earlier work that I'm keenest on. Asleep at the back was one of the greatest debuts of the decade. Live they are incredible too. A national treasure.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Was hooked right from the start when Cohen intoned "first we take Manhattan.....then we take Berlin". I really didn't expect this to feature synths at all, let alone have them as prominent as they are.
The Who
3/5
A good intro to early Who..... but I much preferred their later releases
John Lennon
4/5
How do you sleep? is perhaps the saltiest song of all time, and for that, I am awarding this album 4 stars.
Fishbone
2/5
punky, metally, funky ska. Whilst that sounds like a cool combo...... I found this whole album jarring
John Grant
5/5
Ever since I saw John Grant on telly perform Marz live at Glastonbury, I've loved his music. Taking Marz as an example- on the surface it's a long list of sweet treats overlaying a pretty basic chord progression. Scratch the surface though and it has things to say about abrahamic images of heaven being entirely based around male adult fantasy. 80,000 servants and 72 virgins or a trip to your favourite sweet shop?
Dusty Springfield
4/5
I had no idea Dusty was English. Still the ultimate icon of the swinging sixties. Enjoyable album even if she was brought up closer to Doncaster than Detroit
Japan
2/5
pretty tuneless synth pop
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
I know they have a cult following, but i'm not a subscriber. doesn't sound particularly groundbreaking to my ears
Deee-Lite
2/5
Sounds like Americans trying to do Madchester. Not a bad facsimile, but still not the same.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
this is the album-for-dinner-parties album, and it's none the worse for it. Accessible, sensitive with a depth of lyrical content belying its accessible instrumentation. Still prefer him when he's angry though
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
There are a dozen or so albums in the last 70 years that are pure perfection. This is one of them.
The The
3/5
When I was entering my teenage years, the cool older kids were all wearing The The T-shirts. It's a band that had peaked by the time I was wearing Band T-shirts myself and everyone's focus (myself included) had moved on. Listening now, I enjoyed the album- it was a totally different sound to what I was expecting. Fuller and richer. Not sure it's enough for me to dig out other albums, but I enjoyed my time with Infected
George Michael
5/5
Was basically tantamount to committing cool-kid suicide by admitting to liking George Michael when I was younger. However, now I'm ready to come out of the closet. This album is pretty great. Wall to wall.
Orbital
2/5
I like Orbital in bite sized chunks. Especially their versions of the Saint and Doctor Who themes. they're bangers. Satan and The Box slap too. This album though. too long. too boring. too self indulgent.
The Smiths
5/5
A fine swansong for the best band of the 1980s. well the best band from the 1980s that comes from Manchester anyway...
Johnny Cash
3/5
I think this is the second of 2 prison albums..... like.... did he play to the inmates? What kind of prisoners did the jail incarcerate? Can't imagine playing to an audience of murderers. Anyway. As live albums go, this is fine. Give my love to Rose being particularly poignant. Can't get away from the feeling that this album is most notable for where it was played rather than the recording itself
Beth Orton
3/5
I'm not sure this is particularly groundbreaking, but is pleasant enough and Beth's vocals are distinctive
David Bowie
5/5
the level of creativity flowing from this man for his entire career spanning decades is phenomenal
Tom Waits
3/5
I've enjoyed the variety of the Tom Waits albums on this list. This one leaning towards the experimental side. Still enjoy his gravelly yelps but I still prefer Bone Machine as the "unconventional" choice from his back catalogue
An early 70s banger. full of swagger and self confidence. Particularly album highlight "stay with me"
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
i expect this to be played on repeat in tapas restaurants the world over
Richard Thompson
2/5
Like The Pogues, but not as good
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
It was pleasant enough background music. I'm sure the lyrics were pretty deep and meaningful, but I never caught the urgh to stop what I was doing and listen to them. it just came and went
Napalm Death
4/5
the album that influenced an entirely new genre. Indecipherable grunting over the top of crunching metal. Not for everyone therefore. But...... gets my vote
Little Simz
4/5
I'd never heard of Little Simz before listening to this..... and had low expectations, but I really enjoyed this. Loved the creativity and depths to the arrangements.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
It's just boring
Erykah Badu
4/5
i found this quite soothing. soulful, introspective, distinctive vocals (until Macy Gray came along and did a pound shop impression of her). What's not to like?
OutKast
2/5
the musical equivalent of corn syrup
Ice Cube
3/5
Ice Cube turns out not to be a joke act after all.
James Brown
2/5
Just not a fan of live albums in the main unless they're of bands that i'm super familiar with. James Brown's back catalogue more familiar than some, but still lacked that connection to enjoy the live album
The Who
3/5
Some stone cold classics on here, but there's too much filler and in my view, concept albums are rarely as good in reality as they are in principle.
Peter Tosh
2/5
Wailers-lite
The Doors
4/5
Bluesy back to basics album with Morrisons vocals allowed to take the lead. Really enjoyed the collection
Koffi Olomide
3/5
I had to look this guy up on Wikipedia as I'd not heard of him. I can see that he's a bit of a cad from the antics listed on his page, but his music has a lightness of touch that makes it really pleasant listening
The Smiths
3/5
I think this is the Smiths highest charting album. it's also my least favourite.
Björk
1/5
I know Bjork is idolised but to me this is an extended play of irritating noise that's akin to nails on a blackboard
5/5
Transcends music to stand on its own as a work of art
1/5
take a bad idea, distil it, repeat it over the course of an entire album
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Jazz. Nice.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
enjoyable nerd rock
Harry Nilsson
5/5
Wall to wall pop perfection
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
loved this album when it was first released and listening back, it still sounds effortlessly cool to my ears
Motörhead
3/5
pummelling, growly, groovy
The National
3/5
I do like the national. A lot, but i find sitting through an entire album quite hard work, whilst there is undoubtedly beauty within, and also a lightness of touch. it's a bleak listen.
Mercury Rev
4/5
I really like Mercury Rev. If anything more than Flaming Lips who they share much of their DNA with....and production duties. This album is their poppiest and the songs never outstay their welcome and are enjoyably melodious.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Pleasant songwriting. I find Tim generally unremarkable although I'd happily listen to his work for an extended period of time without complaint.
The Auteurs
4/5
I bought this album aged 13. Thought it would make me look edgy and cool and intellectual and all the babes would want a piece as a result. It didn't achieve any of those goals. But it did soundtrack the beginning of years of rejection from the local female-folk. sad times.
The Isley Brothers
2/5
It's unoffensive, but there's not much that stands out to grab your attention
Jane Weaver
3/5
I was listening to this album whilst trying to bash out a particularly complex proposal for work. I found that I'd quite often stop thinking about the presentation I was writing and pay more attention to the music. A little bit avant-garde and too-smart-for-you-peasant for my taste but i did find it demanded attention at least
1/5
Trumpet-jazz-noisecore bullshit
The Cardigans
3/5
The Cardigans are the least offensive band from a nation that specialises in inoffensive pop
Miles Davis
2/5
Trumpet Jazz that's less vomit inducing than John Zorn but still it's a NO from me
Funkadelic
3/5
track 4 has the weirdest song title in all of music history. The rest of the album is more enjoyable than the other one I listened to- Maggot Brain- mainly because the fusion between funk and rock is much more enjoyable here
Death In Vegas
5/5
I was obsessed with Death in Vegas's first album- Dead Elvis. It just seemed effortlessly cool. I was counting the days for the release of their second album, and it didn't disappoint. This album started their move towards a more commercial sound and amped up the guest appearances but this release maintained the effortless cool.
Louis Prima
1/5
just sounds far too quaint for my ears in 2022. lost attention very quickly
Sonic Youth
2/5
Crappy tuneless nonsense that sounds even worse now than it did before
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
At the time I thought Fever to Tell was an astonishingly good debut both in terms of the music but also the style of the band. I enjoyed the following 2 albums, but then hadn't thought of them since. Revisiting their debut many years later and it hasn't lost any of its urgency and cool. Love it.
The Stooges
4/5
When you listen to the album now, you can pretty much hear the birth of punk over the course of the album. I wonder what it would have sounded like at the time, must have sounded completely new, subversive- dangerous even.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I've always felt that the Pet Shop Boys would benefit a little bit from being less serious, but their undoubted ear for memorable pop is on full display here. The problem is that the whole album feels too long and self indulgent.
Goldie
2/5
I appreciate Goldie for many things. Appearing on Come Dine With Me, accidentally giving away Banksy's first name, being in Eastenders. Musically, when he's at his most focused his output is exceptional. When i say focused..... I mean restricts his tracks to 7 minutes or less. I just feel that he sometimes veers into self indulgence and the more ambient side of his music just becomes a bit.....boring
Led Zeppelin
4/5
An album years ahead of its time. What I particularly like about this album is that as a second release, LZ have yet to believe their own hype and descend into self indulgent track lengths. Probably my favourite LZ release and possibly the best entry point for the uninitiated
Gorillaz
2/5
I never thought Gorrillaz would amount to anything more than a novelty. I was right.
Alice Cooper
2/5
Alice Cooper just seems a bit lame by today's standards. Like if Disney did Cradle of Filth
Kate Bush
2/5
I like Kate Bush, but I hold this album responsible for Bjork. it's too weird, too tuneless, too "arty" for my tastes
Silver Jews
5/5
Fans of Pavement will immediately feel at home with Silver Jews. Same languid, country tinged lo-fi indie. I'd not heard this album before, but I'll be returning to it. Mainly because I'm a sucker for the Pavement sound rather than this album being anything particularly unique
Pixies
5/5
The Pixies are a band that gave the world everything good about 90s indie rock. Without their loud-quiet-loudagain style there would have been no Nirvana either. A band to cherish.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
the album that ruined Creation records. I don't even think Kevin Shields is all that..... pound shop smashing pumpkins
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Distinctive voice. Undoubted talent. Spawned an army of imitators. Dead before her time. Not for me though
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
No Jimi on Youtube music.....
Ice T
2/5
I'm sure it's trailblazing, but.... just not my jam
LL Cool J
3/5
title track a banger. the rest not so much.
Beatles
3/5
With a back catalogue like theirs I'm surprised this one makes the top 1001, this to me is The Beatles.....before they actually became The Beatles. this is pretty run of the mill stuff compared to their later work
Elliott Smith
2/5
One of those artists who never were destined for a long spell on this planet. I'm not a massive fan of his vocals. They seem paper thin and stretched
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
I'm presuming they've been included as a joke. because there's NOTHING on display here of anything resembling musicianship or song craft. truly awful
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
I don't really know enough about reggae to position this album in terms of its importance to the genre, but the fact this reached a much wider audience points to Marley's influence and talent. I can appreciate it without really liking it very much....
Common
2/5
Aprreciated as it seems to be an album of quite some depth but I just wish it had been distilled a bit further to reduce the noodling and filler. had it been half an hour shorter it'd have earned an extra star.
The Strokes
4/5
The Strokes were the freshest thing to happen to the early noughties, and after a few albums I thought that's where they left it..... but apparently they're still going and just not particularly relevant any more. Anyway back to this album, spiky, jangly, great style, great attitude......naughty cover art. It was great!
Leonard Cohen
3/5
The folk Tom Waits.
The Sonics
5/5
Never heard of them before, but hailing from the 60s, they must be one of the garage rock pioneers. Visceral, exciting, and there hasn't been much change between then and now with obvious echoes of their sound in bands like The Black Keys. Ground Breaking, enduring, influential
Radiohead
5/5
A classic. Radiohead have traded off the goodwill of The Bends and OK Computer ever since releasing album after album that got progressively weirder and less listenable.....but their live shows would still sell out because when they stick to the basics, no one else can do it like they can.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
I can't ever picture a day where this album won't sound fresh and relevant.
Linkin Park
3/5
I was all in for nu-metal back in the day. Particularly Papa Roach who i think i saw 3 times in a single year when I should have been studying for my university finals. Linkin Park though..... not much fun, and listening back my feelings are tainted by the untimely death of the frontman too. A bit too serious, not enough fun.
Randy Newman
4/5
This guy is basically a machine churning out songs for movies that stick in the mind long after the movie has faded...... I think he also works as a film composer so that would make total sense. As an album though, Sail Away is a collection of short but sweet songs showcasing Randy's vocals. Loved it.
David Bowie
3/5
My feelings towards Bowie's latter part of his back catalogue is mixed. On the one hand, I applaud his experiments with modern sounds- Little Wonder being a case in point- but quite a lot of it lacks the innovation that he was known for in his first few decades. This album just appears to pander to the masses, and on that basis- it was always bound to be lapped up by the massed ranks of Bowie fans. This album is definitely influenced by his own back catalogue rather than trying to push the envelope.
The Killers
4/5
At the time I thought the Killers might have been a flash in the pan. A bit like The Bravery were..... but the band and this album have stood the test of time. I've often wondered whether the people that enthusiastically site "Mr Brightside" as their personal anthem actually know what the song is about...... I presume they don't....
Massive Attack
3/5
Massive Attack albums are a bit of a trial. Wall to wall oppressiveness means listening in a single sitting is more hassle than it is rewarding
R.E.M.
3/5
The transformation of REM from alt-jangle easily ignorable shoe gazers to stadium humping mega stars was a sight to behold in the 90s. This album were REM in their former state and as such is pleaant enough but unremarkable
The Flaming Lips
4/5
This album is a highlight of the flaming lips back catalogue for me where the weirdness is perfectly balanced with catchy and accessible tunes. Whilst it sounds good on record, Flaming Lips are at their best live
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
A lot of good stuff came out of the 70s. Prog rock was not one of them.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
I wish we still had this type of album these days. Soundtracks that are a cohesive work of art as a standalone product. I've never seen the film, but the music for it makes it sound like it will be A LOT of fun
Taylor Swift
4/5
This is the second Taylor Swift album on this list.....and..... I really enjoyed the first one, and that trend continues with this one. I particularly enjoyed the collaboration with The National
Gary Numan
3/5
Cars is a banger. The rest..... pretty much covering every 80s synth cliche
Parliament
3/5
What happens when you triple distil a funky album to make a super strength funky spirit. Just like Whiskey though, consume too much of this funk and you'll end up in a bit of a state
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
If I was to describe this album in a single word it would be "evocative". Spectacularly recorded and produced by Paul SImon, you can see why this album was a global smash. Unlike most crossovers though, this one feels like it keeps most of its spirit without falling into the trap of diluting the sound to appeal to a western audience
Kanye West
2/5
Kanye just isn't for me, despite his regular public combustions. I know he's very influential and all that, but his self aggrandizing quickly becomes grating
Charles Mingus
2/5
I'm just not a jazz man. so don't ask me.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Although one of his last recordings, this is a great entry point to people new to Cash. A man in the twilight of his life producing a collection of covers that are super emotionally resonant. I don’t have much respect in general for covers, but these somehow have an aura of artistic integrity belying the fact that he’s just singing someone else’s work
a-ha
2/5
Starts off with a banger. goes downhill from there.
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
I quite like alt-country. Jessie Sykes for example is a songwriter of endless depth. This leans towards a poppier end of the spectrum however.... and is the country music equivalent of a Mcdonalds Big Mac meal. Tasty, but you're quickly left wanting something more substantial after the initial buzz has worn off. Like her voice though.
2/5
I've never been a big U2 fan. Growing up I was more of an REM guy..... and like Blur and Oasis, you had to be on one side or the other. This album though has a collection of tracks that in isolation nail the "stadium anthem" sound. All lumped in together though, it doesn't make for a cohesive listen. 1 star off for Bono being a knob
Deep Purple
3/5
70s Rock before glam came along and made it all a bit silly. Maybe I'm a Leo sounds like a proto-Black Keys / Royal Blood stomper. A sound that's stood the test of time and still shifting records today