161
Albums Rated
3.42
Average Rating
15%
Complete
928 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2000
Favorite Decade
Soul
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
25
5-Star Albums
8
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Third/Sister Lovers
Big Star
|
5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
|
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
Fire Of Love
The Gun Club
|
5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
|
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
|
5 | 3.06 | +1.94 |
|
Another Green World
Brian Eno
|
5 | 3.11 | +1.89 |
|
Dear Science
TV On The Radio
|
5 | 3.16 | +1.84 |
|
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
|
5 | 3.16 | +1.84 |
|
The Predator
Ice Cube
|
5 | 3.26 | +1.74 |
|
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
|
5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
|
Tommy
The Who
|
5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
|
1 | 3.26 | -2.26 |
|
S&M
Metallica
|
1 | 3.26 | -2.26 |
|
Make Yourself
Incubus
|
1 | 3.08 | -2.08 |
|
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
|
1 | 2.96 | -1.96 |
|
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge
Mudhoney
|
1 | 2.85 | -1.85 |
|
In Utero
Nirvana
|
2 | 3.82 | -1.82 |
|
One World
John Martyn
|
1 | 2.81 | -1.81 |
|
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
|
2 | 3.72 | -1.72 |
|
The Cars
The Cars
|
2 | 3.66 | -1.66 |
5-Star Albums (25)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Bruce Springsteen · 28 likes
5/5
“The screen door slams/Mary’s dress waves”
This will always be a magic album for me. The way everything builds to the climax of Born to Run and then the denouement that follows is perfectly sequenced and a testament to Springsteen’s talent as a storyteller. It’s hard to pick a favourite, but this time around, “Backstreets” was the one that grabbed me the most.
Jamiroquai · 16 likes
1/5
Jamiroquai is an artist I haven't really engaged with before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. This is an album that really draws into focus the fine line between appreciation and appropriation. Unfortunately, I feel like it's more the latter.
While the funky grooves are fairly bespoke and well-made, I can't help but feel like the singer is cosplaying as Stevie Wonder circa 1972, and that makes me deeply uncomfortable. Why not just listen to Stevie, instead? The generic "socially conscious" lyrics feel more unintentionally Flight of the Conchords than Marvin Gaye. It's a disservice to all the Black artists they freely lift from.
Further, the name (a lazy mashup of jam and Iroquois) and the Indigenous iconography used for the group's buffalo man logo just amplifies my disdain. I'll take a pass.
Favourite track: "Blow Your Mind"
The Who · 16 likes
5/5
The tale of a boy who endures abuse, reaches stardom, becomes a messianic figure, and ultimately has his cult turn on him feels like some kind of loose metaphor for the 60s.
There's something really admirable about the ambition and execution of this record: the first real rock opera. And for the most part, I think the Who hit the mark (barring a few tracks that don't quite stand up as well). I particularly appreciate how the band works so well within their musical language, rather than taking too many ill-advised detours. At its highest highs, this album is something almost otherworldly. This era, 1967-1971, is the Who at their best.
Rating 4.5/5
Favourite tracks: "Go To The Mirror!", "I'm Free", "Pinball Wizard", "Amazing Journey", and "Underture"
Billy Bragg · 15 likes
4/5
This record has some special alchemy. Between Billy Bragg's passionate street poet lyrics about romance and politics and the sparse, but purposeful arrangements, I was captivated throughout. With lines like, "Woops there goes another year/Woops there goes another pint of beer" how could you not be charmed? Not to mention the tasteful Johnny Marr and Kristy McColl features on "Greetings to the New Brunette". I feel like his message--equal parts cynicism and collectivism--is as relevant as ever in 2021. Really appreciated this opportunity to get to know Billy Bragg a little further than his Mermaid Avenue collaboration with Wilco.
Favourite tracks: "Greetings to the New Brunette", "Levi Stubbs' Tears", "There is Power in a Union" and "Help Save the Youth of America"
Missy Elliott · 14 likes
4/5
This album was a super fun listen with immaculate production and delicious retro-future sampling. Some of the tracks don't quite hold up, but the highlights are so, so high. I can really hear the influence on Janelle Monae.
Rating: 3.5/5
Favourite tracks: "Work It", "Back in the Day"
1-Star Albums (8)
All Ratings
Supertramp
2/5
Sounds like someone was listening to a lot of Dark Side of the Moon. Fits neatly in the proggy realm of Pink Floyd and Steely Dan, which isn't entirely my cup of tea, though I can appreciate the intricacy. I feel like it's almost oppressively "playful" in the sense that every song has it's own peculiar production and instrumental choices and look-at-me performances undergirded by a white blues aesthetic that does not appeal to me that much, personally. In the immortal words of Taylor Swift, "All I ever do is try, try try."
Favourite track: "Dreamer" or "Asylum" up until about 5:45 when it just goes off the rails, man.
4/5
Ah, a total classic!
Favourite track: "Ziggy Stardust"
David Bowie
5/5
Would it be sacrilegious to say I might like this record better than Ziggy Stardust? It's a little more free, somehow, but maybe less consistent, too.
Favourite track: "Life on Mars"
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Funky, dark, and ahead of its time. It’s at once dense and really loose and free. I feel like I need to go back andre-listen a few more times to really be able to assess it — but I’m sure I will.
Favourite track: Family Affair
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
"Piece of My Heart" is the real winner here. Not really my cup of tea -- I can appreciate the once in a generation voice but don't love the rambly, jam band songs.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
This record is like a balm. By the time Keep Gettin' It On rolls around, there's no turning back.
Carole King
5/5
The ultimate singer-songwriter album of its time. It’s flawless and testament to Carole King’s incredible talent.
Spiritualized
4/5
Hazy, dreamy record with beautiful melodies. So ahead of its time!
The Gun Club
5/5
Like some of the best albums we've heard so far, this one feels so ahead of its time. Really lays the foundation for a myriad of garage punk acts to follow. I can hear the influence on Japandroids, the White Stripes, and loads more.
Ash
3/5
Miles Davis
3/5
Is it fair to say I need more time with this album for it to settle? I recognize it as a progenitor of jazz-rock fusion and it's certainly interesting to listen to, but I also feel like its sprawl is a bit of its undoing. My favourite jazz records (which admittedly are few) feel like they have a sense of movement, resolution, etc, whereas I can't really grasp onto the moments here. I reserve the right to someday change my rating, but for now it stands at a three. I definitely appreciate the impetus to finally listen to this one, it just didn't do a lot for me at this moment in my life.
The Smiths
3/5
Curious pick for a Smiths album to include in this list. I like it, but it's not their best (or my favourite). Some interesting textures and a few really standout tracks to dig into. "Girlfriend in a Coma" is just pop perfection.
Ananda Shankar
4/5
What a compelling blend of influences and styles! Jumpin' Jack Flash blew my socks off. I love the fusion of Indian, rock, and electronic elements. 3.5 rounded up.
John Martyn
1/5
This album is really not my thing. Small Hours and Couldn't Love You More are pretty good, but I think my appreciation for the most divergent tracks is telling. The production is well-crafted in the sense that it's interesting, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what it adds up to. I feel like there's more artistic merit than the Supertramp record, but it's still a little indulgent and navel gaze-y. 1.5/5
Julian Cope
2/5
This was an interesting deep dive into the world of an artist whose name I've heard, but never really engaged with before. It feels really effortless, eclectic, and yet cohesive in a way that can be alternately compelling and also long in the tooth (see "Hung Up and Hanging Out to Dry"). I really respect the inclination to experiment here, but it strikes me as a little less on the mark than Spiritiualized, who were working in the same kind of era/arena. Ultimately, as is the case for most double albums, this collection would have benefitted from some editing down into a killer 10 to 12 song collection. Unless you're just super into what Julian's laying down. 2.5/5. Favourite track: "Pristeen".
Elvis Presley
3/5
Really strong record from the King. Versatile and well-heeled but maybe a little less immediate rock and roll energy than his earlier records. 3.5/5
Favourite track: "Such a Night"
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I really love this era of Leonard Cohen. He's at the top of his game. Favourite track: "Famous Blue Raincoat"
Lauryn Hill
5/5
This album is a masterpiece. Lauryn Hill's transcendent talent is on full display with top notch songwriting, beat-making, arranging, lyricism, singing, and rapping. The music is personal, political, and utterly self-assured. Her blend of hip hop innovation and classic soul/pop sensibilities has left a monumental legacy evident in artists ranging from Kayne West to Janelle Monae.
Favourite track: Too many to name, but I can never get enough of "Ex-Factor"
The Sonics
3/5
There's a real Nuggets feel here. I can hear how this may have influenced later punk and garage rock bands. Cool sound but I’d be more impressed if they had the originals to match. Maybe if they’d stuck around longer they would have produced something really amazing. 2.5/5
Favourite track: Do You Love Me
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
I'm not quite sure what to make of this one. It's a bit of a curio. A cool artefact of its time, but not necessarily something I'll come back to. I appreciate the intent to bridge folk, classical, and rock ideas, but I can't say that it spoke to me in a significant way after a few listens.
Favourite track: From the Colonies
Rating: 2.5/5
Miles Davis
4/5
To be honest, this Miles record felt a lot more satisfying to me than Bitches Brew. It's clear he's pushing the edges of what qualifies as jazz with some interesting guitar work, but the structures just work a lot more for me. At least from my current vantage point -- I once again reserve the right to change my mind after spending more time with both.
Scott Walker
4/5
Really enjoyed revisiting this one. Scott Walker has such a striking voice and singular perspective in his writing. I was surprised that I found it a little less compelling than I did when I first listened to this album maybe a decade ago. Still, a really strong collection of memorable songs. My favourite is either "The Seventh Seal" or "Hero of the War". 4.5/5
The Youngbloods
3/5
At the cusp of psychedelic and country rock lies Elephant Mountain. It feels like a curio the straddles the line between Woodstock and the disillusioned singer-songwriter diaspora that would arise in its wake.
Favourite song: Darkness, Darkness
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
This album was a bit of a revelation to me. Celebratory, brimming with ideas. It was like a window into a whole new realm of music.
Favourite track: Africa Brasil (Zumbi)
David Crosby
2/5
Pleasantly surprised by this one, overall. But it's a low bar to clear. David Crosby has such an interminable reputation that clouds my perception of a lot of his music, so I really tried to approach this with an open mind. That said, there's a few clunkers here, too. "Cowboy Movie", while admirably raucous, is such an obvious, casually misogynist and racist metaphor for the dissolution of CSNY. It's kind of insulting how thin the metaphor is and how easily he throws around this "Indian girl" character to suit his own self-important ends. Blech. You lulled me into a false sense of enjoyment with Music is Love!
Favourite track: Laughing
Bert Jansch
3/5
This is a really robust and enjoyable folk record. I really love his guitar work. I can hear some John Fahey, but perhaps a little less intricate.
Favourite song: Finches
3.5/5
Neil Young
4/5
Buzzcocks
3/5
Primal Scream
3/5
Primal Scream feel like a different band on every record. Here, the 90s British dance influence seems to coincide with an injection of Spirtualized-style space rock. It's an interesting listen, but it didn't click with me as much as some of their other material and it's hard for me to say that this one is as essential as others in the top 1001 albums.
Favourite song: Long Life
Sepultura
3/5
I was taken aback by this record. Can't say that I expected to be listening to 90s Brazilian death metal today! While it's hard to imagine what it would take for me to love a metal album, I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to. Still better than John Martyn. Perhaps it was just the Friday afternoon productivity boost I needed. Maybe I'm on to something here... Join me next week for my TED talk on "death metal in the workplace."
Rating 2.5/5
Favourite song: Desperate Cry has got some serious twists and turns
Yes
3/5
Another pleasant surprise. Overall, I'm just not that enamored by prog rock, but there's some genuinely moving and creative moments here that I can't really deny. The theatrics can sometimes feel grating, but other times, it all really works. I can feel how this kind of music would weave back into punk to influence math rock/post-rock bands. Can you hear a little Blessed on some of the more guitar-driven tracks?
Favourite song: "Heart of the Sunrise"
Brian Eno
5/5
If I could take with me only one recording Brian Eno had a hand in creating throughout his accomplished career, this would be the one. There's something entirely entrancing and transporting about this record. I feel like it represents so much more than the album itself, but a steadfast belief in the process of making music. I'm always inspired and calmed by this record. It's been too long since I've revisited it, but those days will be behind me for quite some time.
Listening through this with fresh ears, I'm struck by just how influential this record may be in so many realms of music from electronic/ambient to shoegaze and even the aesthetics of some hip hop.
Favourite song: I think The Big Ship takes it this time around, but if you ask me another day, my answer would be different.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
Tracey Thorn's career is so varied and rich. I was surprised by the subtle, minimal electronica but it works really well. It's a satisfying contrast to her haunting vocals and leaves me feeling some kind of way. I'm really impressed with how such a drastic shift in instrumentation doesn't feel like a lark, but a fully realized vision that's also alive with a sense of discovery. I can hear how this record bridges singer-songwriter and British house music in a way that has influenced a lot of millenial pop music that followed.
Favourite song: Before Today
3/5
This is kind of a curious addition, but I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised to see a live album make the list. It's kind of hard to evaluate this on the same level as the albums we've had so far because it feels more like a document of an important moment in popular music history than an album. The fact that it wasn't officially released until 1998 kind of supports this. I'm also kind of struck by the fact that, after all the smoke over folkies being *shocked* about his electric turn, the acoustic disc is has significantly more plays. I know popularity doesn't infer quality, but it's kind of striking that those recordings seem to have more staying power into 2020.
It somewhat delivers as a document of Dylan's status as a provocateur. But also, why does this release cut out the key "Judas" drama from before they play "Like a Rolling Stone"? I can't contain my disappointment that they cut out such a critical part. It's like watching an airplane version of a favourite movie.
If they included the "Bootleg Series" version, I think this would be more justified. Ultimately, I can't help but feel other records deserve this spot on the list over this one.
Favourite track: "Ballad of a Thin Man" and "Like a Rolling Stone"
The Go-Betweens
5/5
This album was the perfect accompaniment to walking to work in the April sun. There's something so summery about this album. I think the simplicity and acoustic textures highlight the strength of the songwriting on this record. It just hit so well for me today. I'm going to go ahead and round up that 4.5 this time.
Favourite song: The Devil's Eye
Public Enemy
5/5
What an album! Just overflowing with ideas. It's playful, political, and makes really inventive and extensive use of samples. Another bridge record that feels like it's connecting 80s rap to its future directions. Flava Flav's interjections are the perfect counterbalance to Chuck D's hard-hitting lyrics and I feel like makes them even stronger.
Favourite track: "Night of the Living Baseheads" among many!
Mudhoney
1/5
This album was not my idea of a good time. I felt like I was grasping for straws of things to hold onto. And maybe part of it is the outsize influence this kind of music has had on terrible bar bands I've had the misfortune of playing with, but this just felt like a major slog to me. Kind of a stoner-grunge mashup. I know grunge was a major moment in the early 90s, but I'd much rather be listening to almost any other emergent contemporary music scene (shoegaze, indie, hip hop, Britpop) instead.
Favourite track: "Move Out"
The Verve
3/5
I have some mixed feelings about this record. I felt it was a little milquetoast taken as a whole--the autumnal melancholy only takes things so far before it starts to feel like background music. The singles are brilliant, but some of the other songs feel a little like aimless throwaways. The production is really surehanded and clear, but I credit that to Youth moreseo than The Verve. I also sense an air of self-importance, not atypical among Britpop bands of this era, which never leaves a great taste in my mouth, especially for a band that's ultimately indulging in a bit of revisionist pop history. For better or worse, I hear this album's influence the most on the likes of Coldplay in the years that followed.
2.5/3
Favourite track: "Bittersweet Symphony" by a mile, but "Space and Time" and "Lucky Man" are also strong
Small Faces
4/5
What a deeply weird record! This was a really fun album to listen to, especially following a fairly safe outing like Urban Hymns. I have to admire an artist that goes out of their way to make something so strange with such commitment. And it wouldn't work if they didn't have the songs and musicianship to match. Lost half a point because I found the narration on side two kind of grating as it wore on.
3.5/5
Favourite tracks: "Afterglow" and "Lazy Afternoon"
Ice Cube
5/5
The way this record grapples with systemic racism and police brutality feels haunting and prophetic listening in 2021. It's a reminder Black people have been saying this for *decades*, but White people have only started to listen. It also helps that, musically, this record is a real joy to listen to. Can't believe I've slept on this one for so long.
Favourite track: "Check Yo Self"
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
“The screen door slams/Mary’s dress waves”
This will always be a magic album for me. The way everything builds to the climax of Born to Run and then the denouement that follows is perfectly sequenced and a testament to Springsteen’s talent as a storyteller. It’s hard to pick a favourite, but this time around, “Backstreets” was the one that grabbed me the most.
TV On The Radio
5/5
A lot of great records lately! This album is packed with ideas and a sampling of flavours across the indie, funk, soul, and rock spectrum. I can't help but imagine Prince grooving to this. There's something so rooted, yet forward facing about the music. This album holds up remarkably well 14 years later--it sounds like it could have been released last week.
4.5/5
Favourite track: "Halfway Home"
fIREHOSE
2/5
This record seemed like a lot of fun to make, and a little less to listen to. I can appreciate that energy, but there wasn't a lot here that inspired another listen from me. It kind of oscillated between half-decent, folk-inspired tunes like "Riddle of the Eighties" to irritating drivel like "What Gets Heard" or "Mas Cajones," which suddenly takes a turn for the better when it predicts Pavement from 1:10 to 1:25. I feel like it was a 50/50 shot of whether I'd like something or be intensely annoyed. It didn't help that I mostly hated the bass playing. I can imagine someone really digging this, but this record doesn't exactly seem essential to me.
1.5/5
Favourite song: "Riddle of the Eighties" or "Vastopol"
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Man, what a killer opener. Hard to get on to the rest because I just want to keep listening to it on repeat. It really sets the tone for what follows: a significant departure from the sound and themes of previous Nick Cave records. It just feels so personal and intimate. I feel like he must have been listening to a lot of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen at the time. Shades of Scott Walker, too.
3.5/5
Favourite songs: "Into My Arms", "There is a Kingdom"
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Sinatra is really a master of his craft and his talents are on full display here. I appreciate his quieter moments better than the bombast, especially on the opening track. At the same time, I found this record, as a whole, to be pleasant, but kind of forgettable.
Favourite track: “Last Night When We Were Young”
The Kinks
5/5
I love this album, front-to-back. It's the Kinks at their most self-consciously uncool. The backwards-looking approach gives it a unique place in the 60s pantheon. The sidestep from psychadelia, prog, and heavier rock coming into vogue pre-sages decades of power pop to follow. While, in some senses, the Kinks music would become more vaudeville and theatrical in years to follow, this concept record hits a sweet spot of thematic consistency, playfulness, and exquisitely melodic songwriting.
Favourite songs: Picture Book, Starstruck, Monica
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
Really felt this one. Hard to think of a better sounding big band recording and the feel is spot-on. Somehow arrives in that perfect moment when this style of music felt essential and yet recording technology had caught up enough to make it really sing.
Favourite song: Midnite Blue
Pulp
3/5
Pulp is leagues ahead of Oasis and Blur in my internal Britpop rankings, but I don't think this is their strongest album. Some excellent tracks, but it doesn't quite hit with as much urgency as Different Class or His N' Hers.
Rating: 3.5/5
Favourite song: The Fear
Waylon Jennings
3/5
Did a little background reading to get a better context for the album. Apparently Waylon was once Buddy Holly's bass player! I digress. I can appreciate the feel and attitude of this record. Origins of outlaw country, indeed, but I think I still prefer the cosmic American music of Gram Parsons and his crew from this era. Also, "We Had It All" kinda sucks.
P.S. That's a particularly premature fadeout on "Lowdown Freedom," eh?
Favourite track: "You Ask Me To"
Primal Scream
5/5
Now we're talking! This album brings together some classic rock influences ("Inner Flight" feels like 90s Pet Sounds) with acid house production. It immediately brings to mind that dance episode of Spaced and memories of being able to actually go out dancing with friends. It's such a memorable listen and the Primal Scream album that sticks with me the most. Step inside and let yourself be free.
Rating: 4.5/5
Favourite tracks: "Loaded", "Moving on Up", "Damaged" and "Inner Flight"
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Another excellent record from Leonard Cohen with a couple of all-timers in the mix. It feels of apiece with Songs of Love and Hate. Musically, it's very stark, and the lyrics standout more than any of the melodies or arrangements. It kind of makes it difficult to grade on a similar scale as other albums on here that are more musically interesting because it feels like it's a different artform altogether.
This isn't a record I have a lot of experience with and I suspect my appreciation will stretch and deepen over time the more the lyrics sink in, as is the case with many of his records. For now, it's siting comfortably at a 3.5.
Favourite songs: "Bird on a Wire" and "The Partisan"
The Style Council
2/5
Man, that opener really made me feel like I was in store for something very different than I got: half a breezy, jazzy new wave album, then half a grab bag of different soul/pop experiments. I enjoyed the guest Tracey Thorn vocals, but felt like it was a little forgettable, overall. When it wasn't, it could be kind of cringe-inducing, like the pseudo hip hop of "A Gospel." I did NOT need to hear Paul Weller rapping today!
Favourite track: "Here's One That Got Away"
Jamiroquai
1/5
Jamiroquai is an artist I haven't really engaged with before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. This is an album that really draws into focus the fine line between appreciation and appropriation. Unfortunately, I feel like it's more the latter.
While the funky grooves are fairly bespoke and well-made, I can't help but feel like the singer is cosplaying as Stevie Wonder circa 1972, and that makes me deeply uncomfortable. Why not just listen to Stevie, instead? The generic "socially conscious" lyrics feel more unintentionally Flight of the Conchords than Marvin Gaye. It's a disservice to all the Black artists they freely lift from.
Further, the name (a lazy mashup of jam and Iroquois) and the Indigenous iconography used for the group's buffalo man logo just amplifies my disdain. I'll take a pass.
Favourite track: "Blow Your Mind"
Beatles
5/5
Unassailable. A masterpiece of a swan song from one of the most innovative pop acts of all time. Both Georges really shine on this record, but Paul's downright magical medley is the starring attraction. There's something really appealing about just how coherent this record is in spite of the obvious reflection of each member's unique style. I'm using this opportunity to revisit the 2019 remaster and there's a lot of wonderful detail I'm hearing on these mixes. For example, the little acoustic stereo hits during the Something bridge (starting at 1:15).
I'm not sure there's a lot I can say that hasn't already been said about this record, but it's that rare one that deserves all the praise it gets.
Favourite songs: Something, Oh! Darling, Here Comes the Sun, Because, You Never Give Me Your Money, Golden Slumbers, Her Majesty
Hole
4/5
I think I can admit, to my own shame, that it's likely I haven't really listened to Hole because of the patently sexist media narratives peddled about Courtney Love. Everything I heard made it seem like her music wouldn't really be worth listening to. Boy was I wrong. This is some grade A 90s alt-rock in the realm of Smashing Pumpkins, Breeders, and their ilk.
It's particularly striking the way Love's lyrics about rage, desire, and inequity really speak to the unfair way she's been painted. The double standard is a damn shame, too, because this record kicks. There's some really lovely melodies and I even hear shades of Bruce Springsteen on "Boys on the Radio".
Favourite songs: Awful, Northern Star, Boys on the Radio
4.5/5
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Sprawling, eclectic, and teeming with ideas, Hendrix's last studio album bottles lightning in an instrument-defining moment. You can hear the different directions pulling at the edges of his interest: deep blues dirges ("Voodoo Chile"), sci-fi odysseys ("A Merman I Should Turn to Be"), hard rock ("Crosstown Traffic"), psychadelica ("Burning of the Midnight Lamp"), R & B ("Rainy Day, Dream Away"), and his transcendent and transformative cover of "All Along the Watchtower." Of course, Band of Gypsies would further showcase what might have come next, but there's something so raw and wonderful about this album. In that sense, it reminds me a little of The Beatles' 1968 record. Something in the air, maybe. Anyway, listening to this record really makes you reckon with just how innovative and genre-defining his guitar work has been over the years.
Favourite tracks: "All Along the Watchtower", "Gypsy Eyes", "House Burning Down"
The Go-Go's
4/5
This was a super fun album. Great early pop-punk songs and really well produced. This record casts an unacknowledged and long shadow on guitar pop bands to follow.
3.5/5
Favourite track: "Skidmarks on My Heart"
The Cars
2/5
Not my cup of tea, per se. This record just doesn't inspire a strong reaction from me: it's just kind of inoffensive, middle of the road. There's not much here that would make me stand up and notice. I can appreciate the meticulous production and radio-friendly songwriting, though. There's something about it that feels exceedingly well-crafted, but lacking any particularly stirring artistic vision or compelling expression. The lyrics are particularly boring.
Favourite track: "Just What I Needed"
B.B. King
3/5
Solid live outing from BB King. The blues are well delivered but a little rote if it wasn’t for his immense voice. Again, I have a hard time considering most live albums in the same context as these others. Interesting document, but not entirely essential.
Favourite track: “Help the Poor”
Devendra Banhart
2/5
I feel like Devandra Banhart is kind of like best-case-scenario for open mic night at the gulf island coffee shop. His vaudeville, psych folk instincts are in turns brilliant and grating. The free-association wordplay is more often pretentious than deep or insightful. I can definitely appreciate him in smaller doses, but the results here are really mixed to my ear.
Favourite song: "Todos Los Dolores"
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
This record feel likes the definitive representation of CCR's Louisiana-inspired bayou rock and roll. The performances and production are outstanding and the feel is unassailable. At the same time, I can't help but feel that, for all of its stone-cold classics, this album has a few weak tracks as well that make me reluctant to give it a five. I find myself more drawn to Cosmos' Factory and Willie and the Poor Boys for that reason.
Favourite tracks: "Green River", "Commotion", "Lodi", "Bad Moon Rising", "The Night Time is the Right Time"
Pink Floyd
4/5
Tim's right, this album is hard to deny. And yet...
Just kidding! This is a really remarkable work and I think the best representation of what Pink Floyd are capable of at their best. It's coherent and focused, and really tells a narrative over the course of its tracks. At the same time, there are small moments when I feel like this record verges on indulgent and certain choices in the arrangements and overdubs don't quite sit as elegantly as they could. Especially in the first half of the record. An unfortunate tendency that would grow into quite a monster by the time The Wall came around.
Listening to this so closely after Abbey Road, I'm struck by how much of the production choices are indebted to the former. I don't think this record could exist without this particular forerunner. They also have similarly incredible medleys making up their second sides.
4.5/5
Favourite songs: Us and Them through Eclipse
Minutemen
4/5
"Our band could be your life."
A landmark underground record whose DIY ethos exerts an influence on some of my favourite bands: Guided by Voices, Uncle Tupelo, Pavement, and every second band to play Carport Manor. That said, its influence is more to do with approach than anything else. This sprawling double album masks an underlying sophistication and skill that comes through in every track, no matter the generic lark Minutemen throw our way. Ultimately, there's such an abiding love for making music together clearly evident here. And so while I can appreciate the freeing legacy this record unlocked for many of my favourite artists, I have to confess that not everything lands for me. A lot of this comes from the occasionally ridiculous bass work (much like their successors, fIREHOSE). There's no doubt this album deserves a place on this list, but there's a few tracks I'd skip when replaying this one.
Favourite song: History Lesson Part Two
The Blue Nile
4/5
I found this album to be an unexpected delight. Languid, sparse, and with unconventional structures and arrangements. All these songs feel tinged with sadness or melancholy in a way that cultivates a very distinct mood.
3.5/5
Favourite track: "Easter Parade"
Tracy Chapman
4/5
In its best moments, this record is a powerful, personal, and haunting examination of social issues. Champan's distinctive vocals and unique perspective carry the day, like on "Fast Car", "Behind the Wall" and "For My Lover". It also feels like a super against-the-grain record to be released in 1988 and seems to have cast a long shadow. But there are a few times where the production choices are cloying or Chapman's incisive perspective feels flattened into platitudes (most jarringly on "Why?"). Definitely an essential album, but there's a few aspects that make me hesitate before giving it a perfect five.
Favourite songs: "Fast Car", "Behind the Wall", "For My Lover"
John Grant
4/5
John Grant's sweeping melancholy, rich baritone, and almost orchestral arrangements remind me a lot of Dennis Wilson's solo records. There's something so beautifully broken at the core of his music. I noticed I'd saved a more recent track by John Grant off a Spotify playlist, but regrettably never dug deeper until now. What a remarkable surprise that continues to unfold fresh beauty and heartache over every track. I hear echoes of Jens Lekman, Dennis Wilson, Louden Wainright III, Harry Nilsson, and many more tenderhearted piano pop crooners. It's like a more sincere Father John Misty. Every touch is so elegant and gorgeous. This album stopped me in my tracks. That major key turn into the chorus of "Where Dreams Go to Die" floored me. I wouldn't be surprised if my assessment grows over time.
Favourite songs: "TC and Honeybear", "Where Dreams Go to Die", "Sigourney Weaver", and "Caramel"
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
A little bit of a swing and a miss on this one. I agree with Tim that the lyrics, often such a focal point in hip hop, are pretty thin here. And while there are some good beats here, there were a few that didn't quite blow me away either.
Favourite track: "D. Original"
The Roots
4/5
A typically strong neo-soul outing from this consistently rock solid hip hop band. There's some really nice jazzy and even prog. rock touches throughout this record, but a couple of weaker moments (e.g. "Pussy Galore"). Like maybe 80-90 per cent of albums that run longer than 45 minutes, I can't help but feel this would have been a better album with a little editing.
Favourite tracks: "Sacrifice", "Rolling With Heat", "The Seed (2.0)", and "Break You Off"
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
An emblematic, career-defining record from the Boss that would come to cement his place in the pop culture pantheon. In a way, I also see this record as setting the template of possibly half of the Springsteen records to follow, oscillating between albums like this and folkie narratives in the vein of Nebraska. In that respect, it's an artist distilling what they do best, albeit into a more commercially appealing package. One the one hand, I think this makes it a crowning achievement, but this pinnacle feels like it represents a bit of a calcifying of what Springsteen has to offer. It's simpler, more direct, but that also flattens some of the urgent complexity of his earlier work. I think it also undermines the power of the E Street Band a little. Max Weinberg drums like a terrifying robot here and some of the others are buried in the mix.
Anyway, those reflections have more to do with what would follow than this album in and of itself. It's triumphant, and yet undercut by difficult stories of dreams deferred, unfulfilled, and utterly broken. There are sparks of hope that shine through, however.
I also feel like this album is a little backloaded. I'd argue that there's a few weaker tracks on Side A (i.e. "Working on the Highway") that nevertheless support the narrative in a way Side B doesn't necessarily do. I sometimes find myself reaching for the skip button on these ones. As anthemic as it is, I think this version of "Born in the USA" is somewhat undone by its arrangement compared to the sparse version to surface in the years following. "Dancing in the Dark" is still my favourite song about the creative process.
In short, while this isn't my favourite Springsteen record (that might be Darkness on the Edge of Town?), it totally deserves a spot on this list for its cultural significance and killer singles.
4.5/5
Favourite tracks: Dancing in the Dark, I'm On Fire, No Surrender, Glory Days
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
I suspect JAMC might be a little too cool for their own good. I appreciate that it's got some teeth, and there are a few real standouts on this record. It's not quite as good as Psychocandy and a gets a little repetitive at points, but still an enjoyable listen I'll likely come back to. Top notch driving music.
Favourite songs: "April Skies", "Happy When It Rains"
The Who
5/5
The tale of a boy who endures abuse, reaches stardom, becomes a messianic figure, and ultimately has his cult turn on him feels like some kind of loose metaphor for the 60s.
There's something really admirable about the ambition and execution of this record: the first real rock opera. And for the most part, I think the Who hit the mark (barring a few tracks that don't quite stand up as well). I particularly appreciate how the band works so well within their musical language, rather than taking too many ill-advised detours. At its highest highs, this album is something almost otherworldly. This era, 1967-1971, is the Who at their best.
Rating 4.5/5
Favourite tracks: "Go To The Mirror!", "I'm Free", "Pinball Wizard", "Amazing Journey", and "Underture"
Simple Minds
1/5
“ We heard the deacon's hopeful eulogy/
At least in dying you don't have to deal with New Wave for a second time” - The Hold Steady, “Multitude of Casualties”
Hard to argue with that sentiment when an album like this comes along. This list is bloated with indistinguishable New Wave records, and this one in particular seems to revel in the genre’s worst overindulgences. Some of the instrumentation is interesting in a sort of curio way, but there was nothing here to make me want to listen again.
Favourite track: “Promised You A Miracle”
Dennis Wilson
4/5
This album is something really special. Dennis Wilson's incredible voice and rough-hewn surfer soul conveys so much pathos. I don't know who would have realized the depths of feeling he would be able to convey with this record. There are a few songs where he veers a little too close to easy listening, but never over the brink. And the incredible highs more than make up for these moments. I feel like this record highlights how he was only starting to come into his own as an artist before his tragic death.
Favourite tracks: River Song, Thoughts of You, Pacific Ocean Blues, End of the Show, Farewell My Friend
Van Halen
3/5
Well, that was a ride! I appreciate the inclusion of this record on the list because it feels like a distilled representation of Van Halen and the sort of glam/hair metal scene they represent. And it brings the hits. Eddie's guitar work is otherworldly, but I can't stand David Lee Roth's vocals and inane lyrics.
2.5/5
Favourite tracks: "Panama" and "Jump"
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
This record does a great job of capturing the electricity of a Jerry Lee Lewis performance. You can almost hear the stage lights and beads of sweat rolling off his forehead. That almost manic energy feels like a kind of proto-punk.
Favourite tracks: "Money", "Long, Tall Sally"
The Auteurs
4/5
In spite of arriving amid the Britpop boom of the early-mid 90s, this record has the feel of a lost classic. I can imagine how this might get lumped into that category at a superficial level, but the details and approach make me feel like those associations are more a coincidence of when this was released than an indication this was part of a scene. I'm hearing some Robyn Hitchcock in the melodic instincts, intricate arrangement, and sneering vocals. Nice variety between the more acoustic and fuzzy numbers on this one. Overall, I really enjoyed this introduction to a new (to me) artist.
Favourite songs: "Don't Trust the Stars", "Valet Parking", and "Show Girl"
Bee Gees
2/5
I don't have a lot of context for pre-disco Bee Gees, so this helped me better understand their early work. That said, I found this album a little boring and safe, aside from a few standout tracks. Well-made, but lacking in urgency or unique artistic vision.
Rating: 2.5/5
Favourite track: Trafalgar, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
Early post-punk record with a lot to say. Fierce, eclectic, anti-pop, I still found a lot of moments to enjoy.
Favourite track: Public Image
Incubus
1/5
Generic nu metal with emo-inspired vocals. It reminds me of the most skippable NHL '99 tracks. No thanks!
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
I really enjoyed this peaceful, pastoral record. The narrative of a day in the life of a farmer is so gentle, but compelling. It's also pretty much perfectly produced, each instrument has incredible clarity while still fitting into the whole. Hard to believe it was recorded in 1967!
Favourite tracks: The Shepherd Girl, Stars Twinkling Within, and Glacier Waters
James Brown
4/5
About as good a live album as you can get with an incredible performer and band. It transports you to front row of The Apollo for one of the best live sets ever recorded. And yet, I still can't really bring myself to give this kind of recording a perfect grade. For me, a live album just lives in a different category than the others we're listening to and rating. So on its own terms, its a five, but in the context of this list, I'm going with a four.
Favourite songs: "Lost Someone", "I'll Go Crazy"
Solomon Burke
4/5
All hail King Solomon! I've always admired Solomon Burke's music, but was admittedly more familiar with his late-career efforts. This album was a revelation to me. The way he integrates gospel, country, and folk influences into soul music feels sui generis, even today. I really appreciate the range and passion behind the music. Ahead of its time in 1964, that's for sure!
Favourite songs: "Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)", "Cry to Me"
3/5
Did you ever notice how "Where the Streets Have No Name" kind of lifts its intro build-up from "Pinball Wizard"?
Solid pop crossover record. As Tim put it well, this signified the end of one era for U2 and the beginning of one full of mainstream success that often blunted their more insurgent, early sensibilities. This album ushers in an era that produced some of the best and some of their most cringe-inducing music, but it's hard to hold that against this record in particular, because it's altogether well-done, if not a little too well-done.
Favourite track: "With or Without You"
Queen
3/5
This was a really varied and fun album that bridges Queen's glam rock/live band chops and some inventive studio trickery. I was taken aback when someone other than Freddie Mercury started singing on "Tenement Funster"! Some of the transitions are pretty remarkable. While a few songs are a little indulgent, I enjoyed the overall experience of this record.
Rating 3.5/5
Favourite tracks: "Killer Queen", "Now I'm Here", "She Makes Me"
Blue Cheer
3/5
Feels like a "missing link" sort of album branching between psychadellic/hard rock/blues rock and proto-metal. There's passion and urgency to the performances, but the songwriting is a little too predictable and jammy for my taste. Worth a listen, but maybe not too many more.
Favourite track: Doctor Please
Dire Straits
2/5
Interesting listen, but I found it a little difficult to get through. The band is really talented and the guitar playing in particular had a beautiful, tactile quality. But the vocalist felt like a Dylan ripoff without the same depth of poetry.
Favourite track: “Sultans of Swing”
Air
3/5
Based on my prior encounters with Air in several soundtracks, I was surprised how eclectic and varied their style is from track-to-track. Not all of it clicks for me, but there's a handful of excellent lite electronic pop songs. That sample of "Do It Again" on "Remember" came out of nowhere! The duo's attention to detail and arrangement choices are consistently intriguing and tasteful, as well, which pushes it up a notch for me.
Rating: 3.5/5
Favourite tracks: "La femme d'argent", "Kelly Watch the Stars", "Remember"
Suzanne Vega
3/5
The speak-singing really threw me for a loop at the beginning of this record and I'm not sure if I ever recovered. The lyrics are personal and fairly compelling, but there wasn't a lot that drew me in. Nothing particularly bad, either. It just didn't really resonate for me.
Rating: 2.5/5
Favourite tracks: "Freeze Tag", "Marlene On the Wall", "Knight Moves"
Fugazi
3/5
Much like The Minutemen, I appreciate Fugazi more in principle/theory than in practice. Their ethos and philosophy are really admirable. While I can also appreciate their influence on alternative rock bands to follow, I'm not moved by their music in the same way I am by Hüsker Dü and others. The snarling vocals are a little too grating for me. It probably belongs on this list, but I doubt I'll revisit it.
Rating: 2.5/5
Favourite songs: Merchandise
Big Star
5/5
Third is a record that has only grown in my estimation over the years. While previous Big Star records represent the pinnacle of 70s power pop, Third deconstructs their approach amid the band's disintegration. Third stands on its own, but lands much better in context of the band's previous work. It's loaded with the cynicism of a band with so much unmet potential ("Thank You Friends") and yet contains so many moments of broken beauty ("Big Black Car", "Nighttime", "Take Care"). This tender/caustic tension is at the heart of this record's power. Its influence is evident on artists from REM to Wilco and Yo La Tengo. In fact, I often think of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as a spiritual successor to this record. Their similarly fraught creation and off-kilter production follow much more pop-oriented efforts by each band.
Favourite songs: "Big Black Car", "Kanga Roo", "You Can't Have Me", "Blue Moon", "Nightime"
Radiohead
4/5
The Bends is a transitional record for Radiohead, still operating in the alt-rock mode of Pablo Honey but suggesting the more experimental work to follow with Ok Computer. It's quite a trajectory and while perhaps the Bends doesn't reach the heights of Ok Computer, I'm enjoying it's more straightforward arrangements and pop songwriting quite a bit. Maybe that's an unfair comparison. "High and Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees" are obvious highlights but the title track and "Street Spirit" are also really moving.
Favourite tracks: The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit
Missy Elliott
4/5
This album was a super fun listen with immaculate production and delicious retro-future sampling. Some of the tracks don't quite hold up, but the highlights are so, so high. I can really hear the influence on Janelle Monae.
Rating: 3.5/5
Favourite tracks: "Work It", "Back in the Day"
CHIC
4/5
When this record flies, it soars! Even for "Good Times" alone, it deserves a place on this list. But I also can't help but feel like tracks like "A Warm Summer Night" fall too easily into this kind of soft radio disco mode that just hasn't aged all that well.
Rating 3.5/5
Favourite Tracks: Good Times, My Forbidden Lover, My Feet Keep Dancing, Best
The Fall
3/5
Mixed feelings on this one. I can't help but feel like a little editing would have gone a long way on this one. The material doesn't really justify the run-time, but there's some really excellent moments as well. I can appreciate the disaffected post-punk energy, but it just feels a little muddled to me while giving off a greater air of artfulness or importance than it can back-up with the songs.
Favourite track: To Nk Roachment: Yarbles
Bob Dylan
3/5
I like this album well enough, and some of the poetry is really compelling. But I feel like most of the music is Dylan-by-numbers, vaguely bluesy rambling. Highlands is the worst offender: a 16-minute storysong where Bob complains about having to explain that he reads women authors. It may be lauded as his return to form, but I don’t think it really touches his 60s and 70s output for originality or significance. Worth it for Dylan acolytes but maybe few others.
Favourite track: Not Dark Yet
Nirvana
2/5
I've been a Nirvana skeptic for as long as I've known them. So I thought this would be a good opportunity to approach their music with an open mind and try to take it on its on merits.
And I did try. Unfortunately, this record did almost nothing for me. Sure, the band sounds *huge* in a way that became inescapable for most alt-rock bands to follow. And Kurt may have the soul of a poet, but the musical translation of his painful disaffection is a dreary slog that I find almost impossible to appreciate or relate to. These songs seem to mostly bleed and blend together to my ear. Maybe it's a generational issue. Then again, there's tons of other 90s bands I love. For now, I remain unmoved. But maybe the additional Nirvana records on this list will make a deeper impression.
Hot take #1: In Utero (and perhaps Nirvana itself) is less than the sum of its parts
Hot take #2: Hole is (so far into this journey) a better band
Rating: 2.5/5
Favourite songs: Heart-Shaped Box, All Apologies
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
This one's a bit of a nostalgic listen for me. Ultimately, I think I prefer their next two records over this one, but the energy here is undeniable. From the spiky riffs and vocal flourishes to the clever, sardonic lyrics, Franz Ferdinand cut a striking figure. Drawing on Orange Juice and other influential UK bands, they also produced something that felt really of its time and like a shot of espresso today.
Favourite tracks: Take Me Out, Jacqueline, Michael, Darts of Pleasure
Ray Charles
4/5
A compelling mix of late period big band and piano ballads tied together by Ray Charles' soulful delivery. Not everything lands perfectly, but it leaves a warm impression. Ultimately, I think some of his strongest work is elsewhere.
Rating: 3.5/5
Favourite tracks: Let the Good Times Roll, Come Rain or Come Shine
Rod Stewart
3/5
This era of Rod Stewart dovetails so closely with the Faces' records that it didn't surprise me to learn many of his bandmates also played on his solo albums. I *was* surprised to hear the "Your love is fading/I can feel it fade" like pop up on "(I Know) I'm Losing You" and then found out this is the song Kanye samples on "Fade", albeit a different version.
This album has its moments of brilliance, but is bogged down by covers and a few wildly problematic lyrics (*cough* "Every Picture Tells a Story" *cough*). Still, this is my favourite mode of Rod Stewart: gritty vocals, slide guitar, and working class aesthetics.
Favourite songs: "Maggie May" and "Reason to Believe"
Billy Bragg
4/5
This record has some special alchemy. Between Billy Bragg's passionate street poet lyrics about romance and politics and the sparse, but purposeful arrangements, I was captivated throughout. With lines like, "Woops there goes another year/Woops there goes another pint of beer" how could you not be charmed? Not to mention the tasteful Johnny Marr and Kristy McColl features on "Greetings to the New Brunette". I feel like his message--equal parts cynicism and collectivism--is as relevant as ever in 2021. Really appreciated this opportunity to get to know Billy Bragg a little further than his Mermaid Avenue collaboration with Wilco.
Favourite tracks: "Greetings to the New Brunette", "Levi Stubbs' Tears", "There is Power in a Union" and "Help Save the Youth of America"
Def Leppard
3/5
Absolutely ridiculous pop metal record - but it does what it sets out to do with a level of meticulous attention to detail that helps set it apart somewhat. I've got to admire, or at least gawk at, just how seriously everyone involved seems to take such a fundamentally goofy exercise. I mean, "Pour Some Sugar on Me" is undeniably fun. As with the whole record, don't look too closely at the lyrics. Favourite groaner? "Are you getting it? I'm Armageddon it." No wonder so many dads go crazy for this band. My biggest complaint is the length. This album did not to be more than 35 minutes and would, I think, be much stronger with a little trimming (looking at you "Excitable").
This one's gonna mess up my algorithm, isn't it?
Favourite song: "Pour Some Sugar on Me"
Rating: 2.5/5
Metallica
1/5
This album should not be on this list. I mean, I guess hardcore Metallica fans might find something to like from a different spin on some of their favourite tracks. I'm hard pressed to support any live album inclusion, let alone something like this, which feels like somehow the worst of both classical and metal worlds? Orchestral embellishments really can work with different genres of popular music, but the symphony and the band generally seem more like they're fighting each other than working together. Hard to get through this half-baked exercise. Certainly makes me feel like Metallica's reputation for pretentiousness is well-earned.
Goldie
2/5
"This is a Bad" - Goldie
Sorry, I couldn't resist. The fact that this nearly two hour record starts with lines that would come to be the centerpiece of a Flight of the Conchords track did not help me take this album seriously. Nevertheless, I have to admit that it's fine, I guess. There's some interesting moments, but I feel like it mostly washed over me. I can appreciate that this is regarded as an influential record in the history of drum and bass music, but I just don't find it all that compelling to listen to.
Favourite track: "Sea of Tears"
The Streets
4/5
Mike Skinner possesses a really distinctive flow and a uniquely British, working class take on millennial rap. While some of the beats and tracks have aged better than others, A Grand Don't Come for Free still holds together as a rap opera grounded in everyday concerns incredibly well. But in spite of its ambition, I think Original Pirate Material is ultimately the more essential Streets record.
Favourite tracks: "Could Well Be In", "Blinded by the Lights", "Dry Your Eyes"
Louis Prima
4/5
This is precisely the kind of discovery I most appreciate about this exercise: a hidden gem I would have most likely never sought out otherwise. The Wildest! is a freewheelin' mish-mash of early rock, 50s jazz, soul, and a whole lot more shot through with exuberance. It's sounds like the best party you've never been to.
Favourite tracks: Just a Gigalo/I Ain't Got Nobody; Jump, Jive, An' Wail; Bouna Sera
Machito
3/5
This was a lively, groovy record, sure to get people out of their seats. I loved the early blend of big band and latin American styles. At the same time, I felt like the bombastic horns detracted from some of the nuanced playing.
Rating 3.5/5
Favourite tracks: Kenya and Conversation
Elton John
4/5
"Tiny Dancer" might have one of the greatest build ups of all time. Over 2:30 to get to the chorus! Unreal restraint and talent on display here. And then Elton outdoes himself and goes straight into "Levon". The record loses a little steam with "Razor Face" but bounces back with the title track, which is heavier and more atmospheric than I expected. This album almost gets a five from me for its first two tracks alone. It feels like a classic, near-masterpiece to me. "Indian Sunset" is compellingly cinematic if you can ignore the stereotypical representation of an Indigenous warrior written by a white British dude with very little in the way of meaningful perspective or insight. It's not particularly problematic, but it hasn't aged well. I can't quite bring myself to give the record a five, but it's a worthy inclusion and I really enjoy how dark and introspective Elton gets here. Especially "Goodbye". Chills.
Rating: 4.5/5
Favourite tracks: Tiny Dancer, Levon, Madman Across the Water, Holiday Inn, Goodbye
Janis Joplin
3/5
Wow, this is so much better than Cheap Thrills! It's like night and day for me. Still not my favourite style, but there's much more to appreciate here. The band is super tight, the production is really crisp, the songwriting is really solid, and there's nary an extended blues jam in sight. And how about that runtime? A lean 33 minutes with a lot of variety in store. Pearl feels like a really well-crafted document of Joplin's appeal. It's so much more mature, unique, and self-assured. Given this was her last album, it really makes me wonder where she would have gone from here.
Favourite tracks: Trust Me, Cry Baby, Me and Bobby McGee
Björk
5/5
Sui generis. What a stunning debut from an utterly distinctive artist. It really feels like it lays the foundation of all of her work to follow. For a record that came out in 1993, Debut feels surprisingly contemporary. Some of the more straightforward house numbers don’t pack as much of a punch in the context of the more experimental tracks, but the highlights are absolutely breathtaking. Venus as a Boy is just so beautiful and off-kilter. Not having spent a lot of time with Bjork recently, and never having listened to this album before, I was surprised how much I vibed with this.
Rating: 4.5/5
Favourite tracks: Human Behavior, Venus as a Boy, Come to Me, The Anchor Song
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
Oh man, they bought off-brand Grateful Dead!
I ultimately felt like this was a bit of a middling piece of hippie ephemera. The production is pleasantly ramshackle, and it sounds like they're having fun, but there's not much for me to grab onto. There's nothing unique or compelling enough to justify its inclusion on this list. Nothing particularly unpleasant either, aside from the unnecessarily long jam tracks peppered throughout. It was just a little boring.
Favourite tracks: Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine, Sad and Lonely Times
The Police
3/5
This album really cemented The Police as a singles band for me. I felt like most of this record was well-heeled, but ultimately kind of boring. Side B really picked things up, though, particularly Synchronicity II > King of Pain.
Rating: 2.5/5
Favourite tracks: Synchronicity II, Every Breath You Take, King of Pain.
4/5
This is our second Yes record out of our first 100 or so. I was really surprised by how much better this one held together for me. The intricacy of the arrangement feels much more melodic and restrained than Fragile. It's like they toned down the goofiness and came out the other side with a much more cohesive and moving record. Now I see what all the fuss is about.
Favourite track: Close to the Edge
Method Man
3/5
The debut solo outing from Method Man is unrelentingly dark with densely layered samples and bars. It makes for kind of a difficult listen. At the same time, I can't help but appreciate the attention to detail and inventive arrangements. That sample on "Release Yo' Delf" really made me sit up and take notice! Wanted to give this a four but find myself hovering closer to a three. Chalk it up to personal taste -- this one likely still deserves a place on this list.
Favourite tracks: Bring the Pain, All I Need, Release Yo' Delf, Mr. Sandman
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
I found myself wrestling with what separates Jon Spencer Blues Explosion from Gun Club or even early Black Keys in terms of punky, garage-y blues. And I think it's the songwriting and vocals. I just don't feel like Jon Spencer has all that much to say, and he says it in a kind of grating way. It's all attitude and no substance. Nevertheless, I wouldn't turn down an opportunity to see this band melt some faces at a packed tavern in their prime!
Rating: 2.5/5
Favourite tracks: Wail, Rocketship
Happy Mondays
3/5
I enjoyed this well-marbled slice of Madchester. I feel like scene records like this are difficult to fully appreciate out of context. Which reminds me of a general challenge with the randomly generated album approach of this project. I feel like a chronological order and slightly slower pace would allow more time to listen to contemporary albums or the artist’s broader discography. I try to this a little bit anyway, but feel a little pressured to move forward.
Anyway, most of that doesn’t have anything to do with this record in particular, which after a somewhat rocky start, finds a fairly unique groove. The Stone Roses are my favourite band of this era, which might have led to a somewhat unfair comparison. The songwriting and vocals here aren’t quite as strong, though the unique arrangements and production are pretty compelling. What I appreciate most is the sense of playfulness and discovery that animates Happy Mondays’ work here. There feels like an insatiable desire to integrate such a range of psychedelia, funk, and dance music. That interpolation of “Ticket to Ride” on “Lazyitis” was cool and unexpected.
Favourite tracks: Performance, Wrote for Luck
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
A pivotal hip hop record that feels very much like a relic of it's time. The one-word tradeoff raps just feel a little awkward. While the divorce from disco/soul samples opened the door for so many other acts who pushed rap forward, I'm not finding a lot of replay value outside of some of the big hits. It's Like That is a heavy-hitter, though!
Favourite tracks: It's Like That, 30 Days, Sucker M.C.'s, Rock Box
Billy Joel
3/5
Ah, Billy Joel. Our love-hate relationship continues with a mighty fury! He certainly knows his way around a melody, and when everything clicks into place, it makes for a moving and memorable experience (Only the Good Die Young, Movin' Out). But the schmaltz factor is real (Just the Way You Are, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant). Curiously, She's Always A Woman feels like it occupies the exact middle ground between his best and worst impulses.
Favourite tracks: Movin' Out, Only the Good Die Young
Neneh Cherry
4/5
I really enjoyed this record! It sits within this liminal space between hip hop, R & B, and dance while also feeling like the perfect decade-spanning record. There's a few misfires, but overall, the vibe was something I could get behind. "Buffalo Stance" has not been far from my mind since my first listen!
Favourite tracks: Buffalo Stance, Love Ghetto, Phoney Ladies, So Here I Come
Blur
3/5
Decent outing from Mr. Alburn! I can see why it made the list. It gets a little long in the tooth and the lyrics are a little unrelatable and navel gaze-y at times, but some of the pure pop guitar moments are undeniably great.
Favourite tracks: Beetlebum, M.O.R., You're So Great, Look Inside America
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
This album opens with such an excellent statement of purpose that the rest suffers by comparison. The guitar work throughout is uproarious and distinctive, but this is a vibes album more than a songs album for me, in general, barring a few exceptional tunes. I get it, but I could live without "Don't" making the album. I associate Dinosaur Jr. with the 90s, and I think it's telling that they were so ahead of the curve with their mid- to late-80s output. A strong album that cast a long shadow over future indie guitar heroes. A worthy inclusion on this list and a lot of fun to listen to 35 years on!
Fave tracks: Freak Scene, They Always Come, Budge, Keep the Glove
Sex Pistols
2/5
I feel intense "meh" about this record. I have a hard time properly contextualizing this album. To me, it sounds like a hollow re-tread of The Stooges, or the New York Dolls. My impression is that they might have been a more important band for what they represented and opening the floodgates for punk to break into the mainstream, than for their music itself. Which is *fine* I guess. There's some vital playing and guitar parts, but the songs are just okay. Maybe I'm just in a sour mood, but I'm feeling severely underwhelmed by this.
Rating: 2.5/5
Fave tracks: Sub-Mission, God Save the Queen
Jurassic 5
4/5
A lowkey, note-perfect hip hop record. Great samples, grooves, flow, and chemistry between the members. This album was a joy to listen to, front-to-back. J5 may not have been the most innovative group of their era, but their vibe is infectious and undeniable. It's never a bad time to put on this album!
Rating 3.5/5
Fave tracks: A Day at the Races, Hey, If Only You Knew, What's Golden, React
The Beach Boys
5/5
The yearning! The beauty! Sweeping, vulnerable, heartbreaking, and singularly brilliant at every turn, I will always love this record and find something new to appreciate about it every time I listen. The way the strings come in one minute into "Don't Talk". The bass switching to a single note for most of the last chorus of "Sloop John B". The subtle key changes throughout "God Only Knows". What I feel like sometimes gets lost in the grandeur of it all is how personal and individual this work of art is. And maybe that's why it's hard for me to feel like this record is overrated -- I feel like I connect with it in a manner that's difficult to describe. After all that's been said about this record, what more is there to say?
Favourite songs: Caroline, No, Wouldn't It Be Nice, God Only Knows, Sloop John B, You Still Believe in Me, Let's Go Away for a While
OutKast
5/5
This was a compelling listen! Lots of layers that reveal themselves on multiple listens on this funky outing. The range is really remarkable. Andre 3000 is such a distinctive performer in top form here. The production is on-point throughout. I've only ever really heard the singles before, but I can see why this is an enduring favourite for many.
Rating: 4.5/5
Fave tracks: Ms. Jackson, B.O.B., Humble Mumble, Cruisin' in the ATL
Metallica
3/5
🤘🤘🤘
Buzzsaw guitars, ominous howls, breakneck drumming, odd time signatures. This record is certainly a mood and a half. Easily the best metal record we've gotten so far -- it's hard for me to know whether this a genre I'll ever meaningfully connect with. And to be honest, the runtime got a little long for me on this one. There's a few tracks that stood out for me, but the overall impact was a little blunted by the length. It's surprisingly proggy. The musicianship and vision are really vivid, which I can appreciate. I feel like it's one of those things of trying to judge an album on the merits of what it seeks to accomplish. And on that count, I can't find any fault with this album. It's not really my taste, but it definitely deserves a place on this list. There's something about it that feels essential.
It's also striking to me how diverse the inclusions from the 1980s are here. You can really see the blueprint for all the subgenres still going until this day across these different releases.
Personal rating: 3.5/5
Does it deserve to be on this list? 5/5
Fave tracks: Master of Puppets, Disposable Heroes, Orion
Portishead
4/5
I once tried to buy this album from a thrift store, but when I got home, I realized someone had swapped in a Joni Mitchelle CD. Court and Spark I think. So my Portishead experience was deferred until now.
What a lovely, moody record. Feels like a balm. It's so delicate. The vocals are gorgeous and reflective (except "Numb"... just, why?). It reminds me a lot of the Everything But the Girl record we had earlier. I love the electronics and drums as well. The turntables are losing me a little bit -- I don't know if they've aged as well as the rest of this record has. They're the one thing that feels overwhelmingly of its time.
Fave tracks: It Could Be Sweet, Wandering Star, Roads, Glory Box
Johnny Cash
4/5
There's way too many live albums on the list. But this one deserves its place. The audience is an equally critical part of this performance as is the Man in Black himself. The interplay between Johnny Cash and the audience is really compelling. The songs take on an added resonance and impact given the circumstances. A fun listen!
Fave tracks: A Boy Named Sue, The Wreck of the Old 97, San Quentin
Kraftwerk
3/5
The distant future/The year 2000
I think Flight of the Conchords might have ruined this band for me.
Despite that, I can see how this album would have been really innovative for its time. And the influence on new wave, electronica, and bands like Daft Punk is apparent throughout. Listening in 2023, it sounds a little dated, goofy, and retro, but still clearly well-produced and realized and an important steppingstone in modern music. Iconic almost to the point of self-parody. In fact, I feel like the biggest hits on this record (The Robots, The Model) are the most annoying songs of the bunch. Yet the album is still a lot of fun if you're in the right mood. 🤖
Should it be on this list? 5/5
Personal rating: 3/5
Favourites: Spacelab, Metropolis, Neon Lights
Digital Underground
2/5
I wasn't really feeling this one. Overlong, a little one-dimensional, kinda corny, and maybe kind of shallow? It doesn't feel as essential, innovative, or fresh as a lot of its contemporaries that have found their way onto this list. The beats are often pretty solid, but I'm not loving the rhymes or flows. "The Humpty Dance" is a jam for sure, though.
3/5
Blur draws thematic and melodic inspiration from The Village Green Preservation Society, casting themselves as modern successors to the Kinks' particular backward-looking approach to pop. "For Tomorrow" is a particularly smart homage. While I can appreciate the Ray Davies worship and feeling inspired by his songwriting, this record lands more like a well-studied tribute than personal evolution/expression. I can appreciate Damon Albarn's obvious talent, but I don't often find his work resonates with me on much of an emotional level. This record also does not justify its nearly hourlong run-time. Trim 3-4 of the weakest ones (Resigned, etc) and you would be left with a more impactful set of songs.
Fave tracks: For Tomorrow, Star Shaped, Blue Jeans
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
A bit of a mixed bag, but Shining Star is easily worth the price of admission. For once, I feel like a track could actually benefit from being even longer! This album contributes to my impression that Earth, Wind, & Fire might ultimately be more of a singles band for me, though. The ballads are mostly interminable, but there's some highlights sprinkled throughout that I enjoyed a lot.
Fave tracks: Shining Star, Africano, Yearnin' Learnin', Reasons
SAULT
4/5
I'm surprised to see such a new record make the list, and such an excellent choice at that. This was one of my favourite albums of 2020 and it was a joy to revisit. Very timely, thoughtful, and evocative release from the mysterious British collective. It's such a compelling stew of heterogeneous influences thoughtfully recontextualized into something profound and meaningful. I feel like I'm also impressed at the ambitious scope of this album. While it occasionally feels a little more stylish than substantial (which, it is EXTREMELY stylish), the passion and care are undeniable. The more obvious moments are consistently overshadowed by this record's many highlights and clarity of vision.
Fave tracks: Hard Life, Wildfires, Bow, Miracles
Iggy Pop
3/5
What a fascinating record! I can't believe I haven't listened to this before. The late 70s Bowie instrumentals are not what I expected from an Iggy Pop record. It's like I've just uncovered the lost companion album to Low. That said, Pop's vocals suffer from the comparison. I enjoyed it but couldn't help but feel like I'd rather hear David sing these songs. I suppose we get the chance later with Bowie's version of China Girl to follow sometime later. Is this interesting? Yes. Is it transcendent? Not as much.
Fave tracks: Sister Midnight, Mass Production
Arrested Development
4/5
A really enjoyable, if not totally consistent, listen. When it hits, it really hits! The southern soul and funk aspects make it stand out from other contemporary hip hop. I loved some tracks a lot: Tennessee, Give a Man a Fish, and People Everyday are outstanding. The album's themes of unity, peace, and revolution are resonant but sometimes err on the side of cloying or oversimplified positivity. Dawn of the Dreads was a bit of a low point for me -- that particular flow feels really dated and I imagine a bit of a throwback even at the time.
Fave tracks: Give a Man a Fish, Tennessee, People Everyday, Eve of Reality, Fishin' 4 Religion
Beastie Boys
4/5
Pretty great! I haven't listened to the Beastie Boys all that much, so this was a welcome surprise. Some really inventive and unique songs here at the crossroads between hip hop, hardcore, and jazz. A little long in the tooth, but also an undeniable and critical album in the development of hip hop. Loved the Q-Tip feature as well!
Fave tracks: Sure Shot, Root Down, Sabatoge, Get it Together
R.E.M.
4/5
Probably a top five R.E.M. record, there's a lot to love here. The production feels a little more polished than their earlier work, which I might be more inclined towards, but remarkably crisp for 1987. Michael Stipe's vocals take centre stage with a commanding presence and expressiveness. The track list is pretty stacked (psyched) here and it was great to revisit this one. I think they have stronger albums, but there's some all-timer songs here.
Favourite songs: Disturbance at the Heron House, Exhuming McCarthy, The One I Love, It's the End of the World, King of Birds
R.E.M.
5/5
Two R.E.M. records in a row! What are the chances?!
This is a formidable debut. The band feels so fully formed and distinctive right out of the gate. My personal preferences for jangley guitar make this a really nice listen. It's a sparer version of the R.E.M. that would come to dominate the airwaves in the 90s, and I appreciate what it reveals about the band's musical dynamic. It's right in my wheelhouse. Some interesting range here, too. I'm hearing more of a post-punk vibe than I expected from R.E.M. on tracks like "9-9" and the triumphant piano-powered "Shaking Through". Of course, Stipe's vocals and lyrics are characteristically personal, introspective, and haunted throughout. I feel like this record gets a little lost in R.E.M.'s long career. If this was all they ever made, it would be a cult classic.
Favourite songs: Radio Free Europe, Talk About the Passion, Moral Kiosk, Sitting Still, Shaking Through
Rating: 4.5/5
R.E.M.
3/5
Listening to three R.E.M. records in a row makes me feel like some people might connect with them the way I do The Smiths, particularly the lean, occasionally jangly music and the idiosyncratic frontman with introspective lyrics and a penchant for drama. I enjoy and appreciate R.E.M., but they rarely move me the way The Smiths do often, despite these apparent similarities.
This feels like R.E.M. at the height of their powers but presenting a vision that is a little too polished despite its gestures towards intimacy. The writing and performances are stellar and impossible to fault, but the production leaves me a little lukewarm. That said, when it transcends, it really takes me somewhere (see: \"Nightswimming\").
Favourite songs: Nightswimming, Man on the Moon, Everybody Hurts, Star Me Kitten
Rating 3.5/5
The Jam
4/5
The Jam feel like a bit of a missing link between the British Invasion and Britpop, while also supplying some angular punk energy that would be so successfully carried forward by mainstream (The Police) and indie (The Smiths) bands alike into the 1980s. Excellent Kinks cover in the mix! I also love the way the \"It's Too Bad\" pre-chorus interpolates \"She Loves You.\" \"Down in the Tube Station at Midnight\" sounds like a lost Clash track, in the best possible way. The record feels referential, but also fresh, vibrant, and original.
Favourite tracks: Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, English Rose, David Watts, In The Crowd
Dolly Parton
4/5
This record showcases Dolly's storytelling prowess and impassioned delivery really nicely. While some of the gender politics haven't aged so well (it's never the man's fault, always the "other woman's"), her distinct perspective shines through and there's some moving tracks. My hot take is that Dolly is a better songwriter and performer than singer. The persistent vibrato that is her signature is just not my cup of tea. That said, there's a lot to enjoy here: classic country arrangements, compelling songs, tight runtime.
Rating: 3.5/5
Favourite songs: Here I Am, My Blue Tears, Coat of Many Colors
Various Artists
4/5
A stone-cold CHRISTMAS classic. MAXIMUM JINGLE BELLS. 10,000 TAMBOURINES.
Beyond the hits, there's a lot to love throughout. But Darlene Love really steals the show!
Favourite tracks: White Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home), Winter Wonderland
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
5/5
A pleasant surprise! I'd not knowingly listened to Orchestral Manoeuvres in The Dark but found a lot to love on this idiosyncratic synth pop record. It's alternately eerie and triumphant, with odd but thoughtful arrangement choices throughout. The sequencing is really sublime as well, drifting into a meditative and atmospheric mood before hitting you with another dose of sugar. At times, it feels a cousin to Bowie's lauded late 70s albums, at other times a precursor to Spacemen 3 or The Cure's Disintegration. But what really sells it for me is the band's ability to deliver a perfect hook when the moment calls for it. I listened to this album a few times days apart and was left humming many of the melodies to myself in the interim. Best discovery in a while!
Rating: 4.5/5
Favourite tracks: She's Leaving, Souvenir, Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)
The Who
3/5
The Who at their most psychedelic, jangley, and sardonic. The highlights (actual songs) are among their best. However, the skits and jingles, though amusing, are so goofy they threaten to capsize the whole damn album. "Silas Stingy" also kinda sucks. This record is absolutely worth a listen, a couple of times, but its most satisfying rewards are best enjoyed in a playlist.
Favourite songs: I Can See for Miles, Tattoo, Mary Ann with the Shaky Hand, Armenia City in the Sky, Sunrise, Rael Pt. 1
Sparks
3/5
A wild ride! Theatrical, self-assured, and deeply weird, I can see what the fuss is all about with this band. That said, it's not necessarily landing for me as much as I'd hoped. I think the record starts to lag towards the back end of its runtime. I reserve the right to change my rating in the future because I might just not be in the right mood for this to have a big impact on me.
Favourite tracks: This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us, Falling In Love with Myself Again, Amateur Hour
DJ Shadow
5/5
An absolute classic. The masterful layering of diverse samples cultivates this ethereal atmosphere. It feels like entering the mind and living room of a deeply knowledgeable and eclectic music lover eager to showcase remarkable moments rendered in a new way. I feel like this is going to stay in rotation for a while!
Rating: 4.5/5
Favourite tracks: Organ Donor, Building Steam with a Grain of Salt, Mutual Slump, Midnight in a Perfect World
Tears For Fears
3/5
A meticulously crafted and very sophisticated 80s pop record. I do feel like it loses a bit of steam towards the middle/end, but it's hard to find any particular fault with this piece. That said, I'd generally say this fits into the category of I can appreciate it, but it's not really my taste. Given how much of a staple these songs have gone on to be, it definitely has earned its place on the list.
Favourite songs: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Broken
Radiohead
3/5
Sometimes I feel like a philistine when I see all the praise heaped on Radiohead. When the band hits, they really hit. But many other times, I just feel like I'm missing something. I just kind of fail to connect to what they're doing in the way I'm led to expect a lot of the time. While undeniably beautiful, this record unfortunately lands a little more in the forgettable category (no pun intended) for me. Despite the standouts, there's plenty of wheezy electronica and ponderous meandering kicking around this one that really starts to blend together for me. It's not a bad record by any means (I'd take this over Deep Purple any day), but not their strongest showing either, at least to me.
Rating: 3.5/5
Favourite songs: I Might Be Wrong, Knives Out, Pyramid Song, Life in a Glass House
The Charlatans
2/5
A competent, but forgettable Britpop record. It feels like a minor, late Oasis LP. Nothing wrong with that, but nothing right enough to warrant this placement either. I also found the singer's voice to be a little grating, which didn't help either.
Favourite song: Only Teething, North Country Boy, One to Another, Get On It
Donovan
4/5
I feel like Donovan gets slighted in critical reviews of the 60s, but it's a real shame to write him off. There's some really lovely, gentle psychedelic folk here. While a few tracks don't quite hold up to the test of time ("Three King Fishers" and "The Fat Angel"), this is a confident and understated exploration of the softer side of the peace and love era. And amid that softness, you get Season of the Witch, which just absolutely rips.
Favourites: Season of the Witch, Legend of a Girl Child Linda, The Trip
Deep Purple
1/5
"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should."
A live album so dumb, so indulgent, so pyrotechnical it is almost transcendent. Almost. I was waiting for mini-Stonehenge to descend from the ceiling.
I have never felt so much whiplash between thinking "Good grief! This is entertaining!" and "Good grief! When will it end?!"
And then there was "Space Truckin"... I guess when your shortest song is 7 minutes, you better go for it with the 19-minute grand finale.
Y'know, I bet this would have been a fun live show. Do I feel like my life has been enriched by hearing this record? Not really.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
With this record, I can begin to see the way in which Run-D.M.C. influenced the future of hip hop. The flows are inventive and start to break out of the early 80s talky style, a little. However, this particular still style feels a little one-note compared to my other favourites to follow. The production is minimal and sharp (thanks Rick Rubin!) but I think the drum treatment wears a little thin as the album runs on. Worthy addition to this list at any rate!
Rating: 3.5/5
Favourite songs: Proud to Be Black, It's Tricky, Is It Live, Peter Piper
Jeff Beck
2/5
Jeff Beck stakes his claim as a virtuoso blues-rock guitarist. While I can appreciate his skill and approach, this record falls a little flat for me between the abundant covers and mostly lacklustre original compositions. Surprised to hear Rod Stewart, who turns in a solid performance throughout. Overall, it feels more like a promo reel for Beck intended to convince other musicians and producers to bring him in as a hired gun. And it certainly does the job. But he needs a better songwriter in tow to pull off this album.
Favourite songs: Greensleeves (an odd, but pretty moment), Beck's Bolero
Lou Reed
5/5
I love this record. It deftly creates a very particular mood: glam rock refracted back through Lou Reed's unique personality and lyrical perspective. He evocatively summons and communes so many memorable NYC characters throughout the run-time. It's a compelling portrait. Enlisting Bowie and Mick Ronson in a sort of full circle moment injected Reed's career with some much-needed mojo here. "New York Telephone Conversation" is probably the lowest point, but it's an acceptable quirk that only lasts 90 seconds. Really enjoyed revisiting this one today.
Favourite tracks: Satellite of Love, Walk on the Wild Side, Hangin' Round, Perfect Day, Vicious
Ute Lemper
1/5
Münster representation!
This album is an odd choice. Shmaltzy and very dated covers of some (mostly) excellent songs. Pure Grammy bait if you ask me. But also: there's something quintessentially German about the way high camp is presented so seriously. It's very competent, but artless, kind of inoffensive to a fault. I'm not feelin' it!
Die Dreigroschenoper: Tango Ballad actually made me feel like I was losing my mind. 😵💫
Favourite track: Passionate Fight, Couldn't You Keep That To Yourself, Scope J
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Perhaps Mayfield's answer to What's Going On. I'm not used to hearing Curtis Mayfield in such a mellow mood. This new-to-me side is revealing greater shades of his artistic range and character. The performances, arrangements, and production are all incredibly intimate and close feeling. It feels like he's confiding in you a lot of the time. The songs occasionally meander a bit, but maybe that's part of the point. The social message and confiding mood come together in a really compelling and surprising way. I love getting introduced to unsung records like this through this project!
Favourite tracks: Blue Monday People, Hard Times, So In Love, When Seasons Change
An aside: I've only heard the Baby Huey version of the Mayfield-penned Hard Times. It was cool to hear this mellower interpretation.
The Avalanches
4/5
Avalanches + Stephen Merrit = early Jens Lekman. Prove me wrong!
This is a classic, especially the opening track, which never fails to put me in a good mood. Some really stylish and adept sampling work on this record that is truly a joy to listen to. This sounds like a party I want a standing invitation to.
Favourite tracks: Since I Left You, Stay Another Season, Radio, Frontier Psychiatrist
The Cure
5/5
The Cure at their most nihilistic and gothic. When Yasi Salek said that this album being in your Spotify Wrapped should be grounds to initiate a wellness check, I find it hard to disagree with that assessment. To me, this album represents a pinnacle of a certain approach and style the band truly mastered before moving on to different, poppier, but no less affecting fare. While my preference is for the heavy hitters of that era (Disintegration, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me), the power of this album is desperate, dark, and undeniable.
Rating: 4.5/5
Favourites: One Hundred Years, The Hanging Garden, The Figure Head, A Strange Day
Fela Kuti
4/5
Throw down your troubles and dance your way to freedom! Funky, political, and new-to-me. This is the kind of album I'm here to hear.
Favourite songs: Zombie, Mr. Fellow Fellow
Frank Sinatra
2/5
Easy-going, well-made, but a little boring. I'm not sure whether or how this stands out from Sinatra's other albums, but it didn't exactly wow me. The shtick just gets a little old for me, despite his obvious talent as a performer.
Rating 2.5/5
Favourite tracks: It Happened in Monterrey
Michael Jackson
3/5
How do you follow up an album like Thriller?
Regardless of his musical ambitions, it's so hard to step out of the shadow of the cultural impact of an album like that (which I also feel is far from perfect despite having quite a few perfect songs). Bad is serviceable, but frequently kind of boring? I love the title track, The Way You Make Me Feel, and Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal, but a lot of the rest is underwhelming and kind of kitschy somehow (MITM works despite this fwiw). Influential sure, but a little light on the substance for me. Maybe MJ is a singles artist after all?
Favourite tracks: Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror, Smooth Criminal
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Despite its occasionally indulgent moments, this is undoubtedly a special record. I think that the Soft Bulletin may be the Flaming Lips album most deserving of a place on this list, but I welcomed the chance to revisit this album. There are some all-time indie-psych tracks on this one and it's just super fun to listen to when it isn't tearing your heart in two.
Favourite songs: Do You Realize??, Fight Test, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1