My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Rock Bottom Robert Wyatt	5	2.39	+2.61
Logical Progression LTJ Bukem	5	2.52	+2.48
OK Talvin Singh	5	2.57	+2.43
Medúlla Björk	5	2.72	+2.28
Our Aim Is To Satisfy Red Snapper	5	2.74	+2.26
Isn't Anything My Bloody Valentine	5	2.75	+2.25
Chris Christine and the Queens	5	2.82	+2.18
A Wizard, A True Star Todd Rundgren	5	2.83	+2.17
BEYONCÉ Beyoncé	5	2.86	+2.14
Greetings From L.A. Tim Buckley	5	2.86	+2.14

Album	You	Global	Diff
System Of A Down System Of A Down	1	3.27	-2.27
Roots Sepultura	1	2.79	-1.79
White Blood Cells The White Stripes	2	3.68	-1.68
Slipknot Slipknot	1	2.67	-1.67
The Clash The Clash	2	3.54	-1.54
GI Germs	1	2.54	-1.54
Gorillaz Gorillaz	2	3.53	-1.53
Black Metal Venom	1	2.46	-1.46
...And Justice For All Metallica	2	3.43	-1.43
You've Come a Long Way Baby Fatboy Slim	2	3.35	-1.35

Artist	Albums	Average
Radiohead	6	4.67
Beatles	7	4.43
Tom Waits	5	4.6
Pink Floyd	4	4.75
Björk	4	4.75
R.E.M.	4	4.75
Prince	3	5
Arcade Fire	3	5
Sonic Youth	5	4.4
My Bloody Valentine	3	4.67
Nirvana	3	4.67
The Cure	3	4.67
Depeche Mode	2	5
A Tribe Called Quest	2	5
King Crimson	2	5
The Smashing Pumpkins	2	5
Fiona Apple	2	5
PJ Harvey	4	4.25
U2	4	4.25
The Doors	3	4.33
Kate Bush	3	4.33
Queen	3	4.33
Pet Shop Boys	3	4.33
Kanye West	3	4.33
Tim Buckley	3	4.33
Jimi Hendrix	3	4.33

Artist	Albums	Average
Sepultura	2	1.5
Slipknot	2	1.5

Kendrick Lamar

4/5

There's no other music I know that so completely blends the old and the new. Like, so many of the chords and styles refer back to older jazz and soul and funk, but the production and beats sound eternally fresh and unexpected. The mix is playful, something like Janelle Monae, I guess. Hard to describe better than that.

Modern Life Is Rubbish

Blur

3/5

Parts are harder/louder/more like Bush than I expected. Like, I thought Britpop all sounded like the Trainspotting soundtrack, which is fine, but I like some of this harder stuff even more. Still, I think I would like this a lot more in a fast car, rather than as background music while working. I like that the drums sound like live drums, in a room. Ok, the wild piano-driven instrumental moment on track 7 is the first time I thought, "Something unusual and special is here." Starting to get it. Only other really special moment is this 6:12 final song: mellow, with like an organ or accordion or something, long and repetitive and nice.

Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)

Bob Dylan

2/5

Margo hates Dylan's singing, and I always think, "Oh come on, it's fine." But 3 songs on, I'm kind of agreeing with her. He sounds strained, tired, so far. Yeah, one song into the electric set and it's already SO MUCH BETTER. Kind of shocked to read on Wikipedia that the crowd heckled this half. He just sounds less nasally, more certain, more musical.

Music for the Masses

Depeche Mode

5/5

YEEESSS! So glad to see this pop up!! I mean, it's hard as always to separate good memories from contemporary responses to music. Like, when track 2 "The Things You Said" starts, right away it's comforting and perfect--but is that me or the music? I also put so many of these on mixes in high school, since of course DM on a mix is like auto-cool points. I really do like this more as I'm older. Even the mega-weird final track "Pimpf" is delightful in its weirdness, not off-putting. I guess I want to give it a 4.5 but I can't quite figure out why I'm hesitating from the 5.

Selling England By The Pound

Genesis

5/5

I mean, I'm 3 minutes in and I've already learned that Genesis did prog and that Peter Gabriel sang for them, and that's on top of the fun Renaissance-y start of this album that has already morphed into organ-heavy awesome rock. What I'm saying is that I'm really pleasantly surprised. "Firth of Fifth" just paused 3 minutes in for a bass-and-flute solo moment. I swear, this album is amazing. Throughout, it's those unexpectedly awesome instrumental jams that really make the album. I'm kind of shocked I've never heard this until now.

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Fatboy Slim

2/5

Well, I thought Fatboy Slim was a hip-hop artist, so that shows how much I know about music from my junior/senior year of high school (!?). But ok, I recognize track 2, and I see "Praise You" is coming up too. It's like the Prodigy-style stuff. Ah. It's not that I don't like this stuff. I do! It's just that after digging into the more complex stuff that came after this (drum-n-bass, glitchy modern electronica), this just feels very calm and repetitive and regular. I like it, still! But you know. (Only 3 songs in so far, though.) Ok, yeah. Plenty of songs have an immediate feeling of, "Ooh!" followed by an eventual feeling of exhaustion.

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

4/5

Doesn't work as well as background music as I hoped/expected--just too engaging. Oh, track 4 was sampled by Moby or someone: "I've been downhearted, baby." Ok, that was pretty rockin. Especially like the variety of moods and styles, and his powerful roar.

Crazysexycool

TLC

3/5

Never liked this one as much as #1, but skimming Wikipedia taught me a lot: Left-Eye's alcoholism and arson and rehab, all the producers who were part of it, how many copies its sold, etc. Makes me go in with a bit of a fresh eye. Track 3 "Kick Your Game" is immediately better than I expected. I wonder if it's all the Mariah I've been listening to, with that 90s Jermaine Dupri beat. I guess this is the key: if I listen to it alone, not as "the 2nd TLC album," it's really great. But if I listen to album 1 and then album 2, I'm disappointed. Gotta note how much I love the idea of including interludes on these albums. That was so 90s hiphop/R&B and so important.

Elvis Is Back

Elvis Presley

3/5

This is why I love Wikipedia. Didn't know he was in the army for 2 years while old material was released. So this really is what people were waiting for! (Also cool that it's from just 4 days of recording.) Fever!? He recorded Fever??!! I like it. I find I'm enjoying this the way I've been enjoying all Elvis in the last couple years: more than I'd expected but still probably wouldn't put in all the time. It's pretty solidly 3 stars for me in that way. Except this last track "Reconsider Baby," which is a KICKIN 12-bar blues sax piece. (Do I like it better when Elvis isn't singing? Say it ain't so?)

Tellin’ Stories

The Charlatans

2/5

I don't ever remember hearing of this band before. Looking at this album cover and 1 minute in and reading Wikipedia, that doesn't seem like such a shame. This guy's voice is really annoying. Did I love the 90s? Do I? Do I really? I actually just popped over to see if it was over, since I thought it was probably over, but it was just the end of song 5 out of 11. Still, this is helping me try to decide the difference between a 1 and a 2 star album. Ok, def a 2-star. When it's instrumental, it's not really that bad. I just don't like his voice.

Back In Black

AC/DC

3/5

Had no idea this was as old as 1980. 2 songs in, this is less annoying than I expected, since I've never really loved their singing. It's striking me as fine/nice/pretty good--not how they want to come across, I know. Yeah, it just stays like that. It's all the same emotional note, like a flat buzz that doesn't change much in the background. It's like the definition of a 3-star album.

1999

Prince

5/5

Great Wikipedia article for context--didn't know this was his big breakthrough, etc. Quote from there: In a Rolling Stone review, Michael Hill praised Prince for "working like a colorblind technician who’s studied both Devo and Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force, keeping the [1999's] songs constantly kinetic with an inventive series of shocks and surprises." 3 songs in, I see why this is described as so cross-genre. It's been synthy, soully, and now track 3 is like an updated 50s sock-hop. I like it! I'm dancing in my chair a lot! It just gets so good as it keeps going. I was thinking 4 stars for so long, but it's just SO CREATIVE and varied that I think it needs a 5?

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

A Tribe Called Quest

5/5

I have no idea if I can get work done with this on, but shoot, let's try, because this album kicks. The thing is, it's just so FUN. Casual and laid-back and makes you smile at the music and the rhymes. I think it's a 4-star album to me, listening today. But if you think of it in context, it's a 5 in terms of importance. Usually I'd lean toward 4 here anyway, but I think it deserves a 5. It just does. Rewards multiple listens, right?

The Doors

5/5

Is it a 4-star album with 5-star memories? Maybe--but those long songs take it to the next level, right?

Moondance

Van Morrison

3/5

Track 1: "Oh yeah, ok, very 1970, nice piano, no complaints" Track 2 (the cover of Moondance): oh, he was not the person to sing this song. What genre is this album, anyway? Also, he was 25, which makes it seem even less fitting. But ok, as it goes on, it's often mellow and peaceful in just the right ways. Glad Moondance the song was a fluke. This harspichord flute thing on Everyone is nice and fits the overall mood. Enough to lift it above a 3 star album? HAHAHA nope.

Follow The Leader

Korn

2/5

This is the least excited I've been yet at listening to something. The first track is . . . more familiar than I expected? I don't think I've actually heard any of this, but if you've heard Korn you've heard Korn, right? I guess I'm saying it's silly but less intensely offensively awful than I thought? Still, what can one do while this is on . . . except be mad? And I'm not mad.

Let's Get It On

Marvin Gaye

3/5

His *13th album*??! He was shot BY HIS FATHER when he was 44??! Only one song in, I'm loving those angelic floaty background vocals he recorded. Laughed out loud when a song started that sounded like the same chords and bass line as "Let's Get It On," only to see that yes, one of the 8 songs is called "Keep Gettin' It On." But I love it. Love those bongos on track 5.

The La's

3/5

Never hearda this one. (I mean, of course, "There She Goes," but that's it.) 4 songs in, it's not offensive--like, I'm not annoyed by his voice or the songs or anything. But on the other hand, I'm so bored that I'm inclined to go 2 stars anyway. Doesn't 3 imply that I enjoyed it in at least SOME way? As it goes on, 2 is starting to seem harsh. I really am not disliking this silly, boring album. Let's do 3.

Hms Fable

Shack

3/5

It's just really boring. But unlike The La's, I'm actively annoyed by this guy's whiny voice. Some instrumentation (strings!) is kinda nice, but it's a solid 2. Hmm.. Track 6 "Captain's Table" is nice and thoughtful enough that maybe it alone can pull the album into 3-star-land. Oh, and track 7 is actually thrashing some cool guitar solo stuff around in the middle of quiet music as if they're the Pumpkins. 3 stars for sure.

Shake Your Money Maker

The Black Crowes

3/5

2 songs in, bored. (This may be a problem with this project....) I mean, I guess if you're someone who liked 80s hard rock and occasionally dips into country, you'd like track 2's nods to both. But you know. Ok, after the whole thing I'm realizing that mid-tempo, same-dynamics rock has very little to offer, especially from this period. When the songs got quiet, they got interesting--maybe because I like quiet, or maybe because SOMETHING HAPPENED. So yes, I occasionally liked it. But was often bored.

My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts

Brian Eno

4/5

Just reading about how much sampling is on here (as I teach a class inspired by remix), I'm shocked I haven't actually listened to this before. Pumped. I find I'm LOVING the variety, and artistry, the coolness of it. Am I MOVED, like in a 5-stars way? Perhaps not so much. So probably a 4.

I Should Coco

Supergrass

3/5

I was bummed to see another white-guy band from the 90s singing alternative rock, but this was surprisingly pleasant: pop-punk that I could see myself putting on again to clean the house too, and often with a 60s vibe to the undercurrent. Nice surprise. (A 3.5, if I could.)

Rain Dogs

Tom Waits

5/5

I'm afraid of over-doing 5-star ratings, and maybe it's just because I listened to this in headphones while doing yard work, but dang this is cool. Such wild instruments, unique production, and an all-American update of the blues. And what really puts it over the top is that he also does actual ballads that actually work in the midst of the wildness.

Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Terence Trent D'Arby

4/5

One of those 3.5s that is hard to figure out which way it rolls. It's funkier and more interesting than I expected--certainly not your typical 1987 R&B, more like Prince instead--which makes me lean high, even though I'm not like singing along. And his voice is gold. Oh yeah, as it goes on, it's so obviously a 4.

Grace

Jeff Buckley

4/5

I'm probably not listening as carefully as I should be, but I'm enjoying this a lot. It's of course largely his voice--so clear and unique. But it's also the mellow peace of the production, like a lot of calm, likeable people sitting in a room together. And it just gets more eclectic, which is why it obviously deserves the 4: the accordion, the acapella, the shift to ROCK (done well). Want to relisten again.

Sticky Fingers

The Rolling Stones

4/5

3 songs in, lots of thoughts: I like the busy, full mix, the Pearl-Jammy guitar solo, the American feel, the "this is clearly what bands I like were listening to" feel, and the certainty that Counting Crows could cover this album and make it sound even better. But sheesh, these vocals are kind of annoying. But yeah, it really is the variety of type of song that really makes this album go from good to great. Wild Horses, I Got the Blues, etc. (How is this not "southern rock"?) And I love me some keyboard (Sister Morphine).

Viva Hate

Morrissey

4/5

Right away, track 1 says, "this is an album that would grab anyone." And then track 2 switches gears so perfectly, with such interesting percussion/production. Love it. Strings! How awesome! I love these "expected chord progressions," too. Expected but powerful. It's a 4.5.

Joan Armatrading

3/5

So there *are* women on this list. This album strikes me as a great example of 70s singer-songwriter albums...I just don't get really into that genre. Ho hum. 30 seconds in, I already like the bluesy final song "Tall in the Saddle" more than anything else on this album. Well, that might be pushing it, but it's contrast that's so important, you know?

Kick Out The Jams (Live)

MC5

2/5

Sure, this sounds way advanced for 1969. Never heard of them before and glad I did. But I'm here in my office reading emails and it's just a wall of noise; perhaps driving down the road (and 18 years old?) I'd be catching more, interested in more. As it is, ok, sure, glad I heard it, move along. As this never-ending final track meanders on, I'm actively waiting for it to be over. That slip into annoyance puts this in the 2.5 range for me, which will probably weigh down to a 2.

Dookie

Green Day

4/5

No idea if I'll be able to separate memory from new experience (or if I want to). I remember thinking it was so shallow, taping it from a friend anyway, and listening to it outside while trying to get better at basketball. Very middle school. 1 song in, the drums are better than I expected. Highish hopes? (But really, a grammy??) Definitely enjoying this more than I ever would have expected.

Californication

Red Hot Chili Peppers

4/5

I guess I'm trying to listen to this as RHCP FANS must listen to it. To me, it's like, "Oh yeah, this is that nice/ok song I used to hear on the radio all the time!" Like, Otherside is especially nice. But for whatever reason, it never really got me very excited. Ok, the fast funk of Get on Top has got me dancing in my chair more than I expected. Feels kind of old-school/classic Peppers? I guess I don't really know. (This is their 7TH album??)

Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches

Happy Mondays

3/5

Oh look, a ho-hum 90s British band??! On THIS list?? "But there's a teensy bit of electronic production, which was really something in 1990!" Ok whatever.

Brothers

The Black Keys

3/5

Ok, Muscle Shoals story on Wikipedia is cool, though I don't see how that affects the album itself yet. 2 songs in, I'm feeling critical of this over-produced sound. Hoping to get past myself. I mean, it's fine. It's doing what it's trying to do: bluesy rock done so perfectly that it almost sounds computerized--and thus not bluesy at all. How could this possibly be higher than 3 stars?

Mama's Gun

Erykah Badu

4/5

I just love learning--had no idea that she was in a collective with Questlove, Q-Tip, Common, D'Angelo, etc. Embarrassed how little I know her work. Plus, she co-wrote AND co-produced this thing. First song musically is perfect, ups and downs, danceable, groovy--but I admit her voice took me back a bit. Let's see how it seems after . . . 71 minutes. It's just so fun and groovy, so clearly proto-Monae. I love the feel of a band in a room. Still not in love with her voice, though it grows on me; it's the music I love most. 4.5.

Elastica

3/5

Song 1: meh, ok. 2: ooh, I'm starting to see why people like this. 3: Oh right THIS is the reason I didn't like them in high school--but the nostalgia still makes it fun. Oh, I remember this 2:1 song and like it more than I expected. Maybe the first time I've really smiled. And it's track 12.

Tubular Bells

Mike Oldfield

4/5

Getting an instrumental album is like a breath of fresh air; I find I'm always a little afraid I'll get some brash, annoying, loud album--so this is perfect. 11 minutes in (with headphones), it's great--but especially when it's weirder and more surprising and less . . . ambient. Second half of first track is so great, bassy and fun and perfect. Great choral bits on second track, and ends so fun--just an all-around great album. Would love to buy a record.

Dry

PJ Harvey

5/5

Immediately grabs you with that instant singing and bass. Intrigued. Yeah. This is something else. It feeds the Nirvana part of my brain (and, you know, it's from 1992). Gotta return to this one day.

Is This It

The Strokes

3/5

Reading Wikipedia, I'm intrigued by their recording strategy of going simple, playing live and using few tracks. Yet 2 tracks in, that also makes it sound (to me, 20 years later) boring. As it goes on, it's indeed fun, as reviewers said. I don't dislike it, and at a party or a show it might be good listening. But yeah, I'm just not really grabbed.

Group Sex

Circle Jerks

2/5

I guess I get why people like this live, but listening on a recording, in an office, while working--it's just awful. Ok, as it goes on, I can see that there are occasionally moments of guitar solos and drum fills that are better than awful. It's when he shuts up that it can be better. Right now thinking it's a 1.5 that leans toward 2.

Parallel Lines

Blondie

4/5

The hard thing is that I keep trying to imagine this is Pat Benatar, which makes it seem like kind of a watered-down Pat. But it's a great album in its own right!! I'm enjoying it a lot. Am I enjoying it 4-stars, though? So far, not sure. Leaning toward 3.5, but don't know which way to go.

Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi

4/5

So this is the question: You Give Love and Livin' On a Prayer are such epically great songs, how bad would other songs have to be to pull the whole album's rating down? Interesting! As it goes on, it definitely tends to continue in 4-star vein, often with really catchy tunes. But never into 5-star realm except in those 2 early tracks.

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo

Devo

4/5

Oh man this cover of Can't Get No Satisfaction--so off-putting in the best possible way. This is tons of fun, of course, but one comment on Wikipedia jumps out at me: that it lacks emotion. Felt that a little when Space Junk (#4) began, since something about the chords DID seem emotional, in a way hard to explain. So yeah, I think I get how this could feel detached, distant--yet still awesome!

NEU! 75

Neu!

5/5

Read Wikipedia, was excited, but on listening to the first track I'm so much happier than I even expected to. If you told me it was Saxon Shore, I wouldn't be surprised. How completely happy and delightful. 3 songs in, it continues to be just right: melodic, hummable, moving. And here I thought I'd like the second set of 3 (weirder) more. Oh. When he starts singing on track 4, it all goes downhill. Whiny and weird. If there were no singing, this would be on its way to 5 stars. When he shuts up, it goes back to awesome.

Ocean Rain

Echo And The Bunnymen

3/5

Why did I think this was an electro-pop band? Oh well, the strings are nice, if I'm a bit bummed. The Pitchfork review is what's in my mind: just so much mid-tempo whatever-ness. I know that's unfair; there's some interesting stuff going on here, but even with headphones on I don't find my attention grabbed. Sorry.

Africa Brasil

Jorge Ben Jor

3/5

This is fun . . . but perhaps, I don't know, less fun than I expected? I was like, ooh, Brazil, yeah, but instead it's more just fun. Probably still 4 stars because of its variety. But that's hard to defend, since I really only gave it 3 stars of attention--it didn't reach out to grab me.

Hounds Of Love

Kate Bush

5/5

Wikipedia has got me VERY interested: post-progressive, a "suite" of 7 songs on side B with a mystical, Tennyson-like vibe, blends of synths with classical and tribla things--YUP. It's so clearly pre-Tori Amos that I can't believe I didn't know about her / this album. So dramatic! So unexpected! Yet . . . is it 5 stars? Probably, just for being so ITSELF. Though I'll go back to it less often than other 5 stars, I suspect. So part of me wants 4. Ok, the Irish fiddling on Jig of Life just answered that question.

Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Lucinda Williams

3/5

First impression: typical 90s post-alt-rock (worst of Counting Crows, Gin Blossoms) with a very Southern, slightly drunk singer telling interesting stories over it. By the end: that's still a lot of it, but I get it more, and there are moments of better-ness: an accordion that pops in here and there, and some some slower/more straight-up country songs that succeed more than the crossover stuff. And while her voice is, whew, an acquired taste, she's also got the lungs. I really get how someone could love her, especially when compared to more corporate/slick stuff like Sheryl Crow.

Le Tigre

4/5

Not something for every day / context, but still really fun and varied and weird. Best when the electronics come in. Cool and progressive enough to be 4 stars, I think.

Phrenology

The Roots

4/5

So fun and varied--but it's track 8 "The Seed (2.0)" that got me dancing in my chair. Yeah, it's the EXTRA stuff that's so wild and unexpected and cool, like the extended guitar soloing on the 10-minute "Water." It's a 4.5 album for sure.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ray Charles

4/5

It's just great, high-quality, fun music. Surprised I've never listened to these before! Will return. (Still, and maybe this is because I'm working and listening in the background, I don't feel . . . shocked or moved or surprised.)

The Downward Spiral

Nine Inch Nails

3/5

It's just as innovative and important as always, but I just don't have the stomach for a lot of this kind of stuff any more. Not sure how to rate that. In the end, Hurt was amazing, but a lot of the rest feels like a wall of noise (though not all). Too much.

Fuzzy

Grant Lee Buffalo

3/5

Wikipedia made this sound more interesting. It's just plain old 90s whatever rock. Not bad, but so what?

Savane

Ali Farka Touré

4/5

FUN! I didn't even know there was an African blues scene. This is the kind of thing I want to hear when I start a project like this. It's just so great to listen to while working--chill, friendly, repetitive in the background but ever-changing in the foreground. I like it a lot.

Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols

Sex Pistols

3/5

Listened with headphones on, focusing on the 1977ness of it, and . . . I think I mostly get it. It's better than I expected, worthy of 4 stars. But the next day I'm like, "Really? 4 stars? Maybe to others, but not to me. I'm not rushing out to listen again." 3.5, rounds down.

Faith

George Michael

4/5

Didn't realize how much this would sound like New Jack Swing--glad the Wikipedia page helped explain its crossover appeal on the R&B charts. Fun either way, but even more fun knowing that.

Songs The Lord Taught Us

The Cramps

2/5

This first track is just awful. The second track, though, makes me think maybe it's 2 stars instead of 1, since it's yet another weirdo update of 50s Jerry Lee Lewis-style rock. Same on track 3: they're interesting when they're updating surf rock, etc. But whew takes warming up to. OMG there's a Fever cover, I don't know if this is a good idea or not.

Beauty And The Beat

The Go-Go's

3/5

Fun, but less . . . groundbreaking than I expected. In that sense a disappointment, though I'd be happy to have it on again one day.

Imperial Bedroom

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

3/5

If I were 30-something in the early 80s, I think I would have listened to this. I was "too cool" in high school, but it's fun and varied in a way that helps me get him a bit more. It's his not-great voice that hurts it. Yeah, finishing the album the next day I find myself really pleased at all the instruments and variety (kind of next-gen Beatles, right?) but . . . not wanting to listen to it every day. Like Beirut.

Sunday At The Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio

4/5

It's just so gentle and nice and lovely. Wikipedia says the takes with more bass are here because the bassist died soon after--wow. Just love the piano tone.

Peggy Suicide

Julian Cope

3/5

After the awful album name and title and Wikipedia description, I was expecting to really hate this. But as it goes on (and on), I find it's actually not so bad, and has some variety. Doubt I'll go above 3, but even that is nice after expecting to give it a 1.

Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

5/5

I love learning the history on Wikipedia: this is their 2nd album, 1st with Neil Young, and it's darker than the previous one because of 2 SO breakups and 1 death. And Jerry Garcia playing steel guitar on 1 track! 2 songs in, it's gentle and just right. Really enjoying it. Man, the guitar solos elevate it. So good. And then some scatting on another track?! It's so pre-Phish I can't believe it.

Unknown Pleasures

Joy Division

4/5

Am I weird for not realizing that this album is part of a punk legacy? Oh well. There's a lot to love here, but for me it's those extras: the unusual sounds you hear in the background (like the ray guns on track 4). I like the QUALITY of his voice, but when it's flat and not a steady volume . . . whew, that's hard.

Rattus Norvegicus

The Stranglers

2/5

After a promising instrumental intro to the 1st song, we get a promise of domestic violence. So there's that. As the album goes on, I can see why people like it. There's an energy (and some keyboards) I could get behind. Maybe I like this kind of 70s punk more than harder later-punk? But still: it's fundamentally pretty unlikeable. Ok, the Disneyland keyboards in track 7 are nice. First time I've actually actually enjoyed it.

Nick Of Time

Bonnie Raitt

3/5

Me: This must be her 1st album. Wikipedia: HER 10TH. First song is much nicer than expected--mellow, cool rock, not the roilin' country I expected. As it goes on, it's like, "Oh, yeah, this is fine." No bad feelings--but no excited feelings either. It's like the definition of a 3 star. Track 9 "I Will Not Be Denied" is perhaps the 1st time I thought, "ooh, yeah." Track 10 is nice too.

Ananda Shankar

4/5

This is so weird and perfect. Exactly the kind of thing I'd love to have on vinyl and put on all the time. Wikipedia has some great quotes from reviewers, including one begging us not to dismiss it as kitsch, even though it's right on the line. Yup.

Let It Be

The Replacements

4/5

I'm probably not giving this the attention it deserves. But 3 tracks in, I'm having without being bowled over (first really noticing things in the fun slow-down/speed-up moment in track 3 that kind of explodes in a way that makes you stop and listen). The piano of track 5 similarly breaks things up in an important way. Liking it more and more as it goes on--"Black Diamond" is a legit awesome track. Wow, "Seen Your Video" is also really, really good.

Miriam Makeba

3/5

Track 3, The Click Song, is better than the previous 2 songs, but it's all pretty good. As it goes on, and when I think about it in 1950, I start to get it: some of these rhythms and genres (many of which are surely Caribbean) weren't nearly as ubiquitous as they are now, making this more of a ground-breaker than it sounds like now. As it is, sure, I'll listen to it here and there again, but I wouldn't spend much on the record.

Dig Me Out

Sleater-Kinney

3/5

I mean, I think I get this album. (I think?) I see how it could be important and powerful, and I can imagine them in concert, and it's recorded well and sounds good. But...I think I like melody more, and nuance, and variety more. Honestly I'd go 2.5 if I could.

Giant Steps

The Boo Radleys

5/5

This is much, much better than I expected, and I'm barely listening while I work.

The Fat Of The Land

The Prodigy

3/5

After the stupidity of "Smack My Bitch Up" (had to skip it), I found myself liking this more than I expected. (Yes, younger Kyle would be surprised at my surprise, but whatever.)

Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space

Spiritualized

5/5

Well, this is the best album title of all time, we can all agree on that. 3 songs in, I'm SO enjoying this. Why wasn't I listening to this in high school? Who kept it from me?

Power In Numbers

Jurassic 5

3/5

I like the flute! It goes between "Ooh, this groovy beat is really grabbing me!" and "Oh, forgot to pay attention." Pretty good, better than I hoped, though. In the end, it's a 3.5 that I'd like to pay more attention to another day. But I'll probably round down to 3?

Either Or

Elliott Smith

4/5

I definitely like this more after all the Phoebe I've been listening to. It's just what I expected, but also really nice; wish I got around to listening to him more.

Like Water For Chocolate

Common

4/5

I love how it's like Tribe for the 21st century. Maybe not quite as invigorating and fresh as them, but still exactly the hip-hop I want to be listening to. Really great.

Home Is Where The Music Is

Hugh Masekela

3/5

The afro-centric stuff in the final track is especially fun, but besides that it strikes me as a fine, nice jazz album, 3 stars easily.

The Hour Of Bewilderbeast

Badly Drawn Boy

4/5

If this guy wasn't doing his own singing, it could be great.

For Your Pleasure

Roxy Music

3/5

Pretty boring. Maybe in 1972 it was better, but it's kinda like "we want to be Beatles 2.0 but with worse songs and worse singing." 2.5 stars.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Red Hot Chili Peppers

4/5

Well, I've never listened to this album, so now's the time, even if it's 73 MINUTES LONG. Short answer: yes, it's really good. No, it doesn't seem "dangerous" like it used to in 1991. But it's also too long and too similar, with not enough of those slow-down moments that make the quieter songs really stand out. Overall, super impressed but I'm not like going to relisten tomorrow.

Ill Communication

Beastie Boys

3/5

What makes this awesome are those funky instrumental tracks, and wow Sabotage really does kick as much as I guessed. But too many sound the same, and too many effects are repeated, putting this at a 3.5 that rounds down.

A Northern Soul

The Verve

3/5

Jaw DROPPED when I looked to see what track I was on, since it was surely just about over and sounded like the final song, and Spotify laughed and was like NOPE it's track 7 of 12, on a 64-minute album with 4 6-minute+ songs and 5 more in the 5 range, which normally I would love but sheesh it's pretty boring stuff (well, this track 7 quiet song that grabbed my attention is much better than everything else beforehand). In this final track, they think they're the Smashing Pumpkins playing Drown. Ok, it's not bad, but not enough to save them.

You Are The Quarry

Morrissey

3/5

Meh.

Maxinquaye

Tricky

5/5

It's a crime that I've never listened through this album before. 3 tracks in, it's so perfect--but especially because 1 and 2 gave me what I expected from what I know of Portishead and Massive Attack, but then track 3 turns into this danceable pre-Grimes action track, and I love it. The song "Pumpkin" has a Smashing Pumpkins sample. . . . How did I not know this again? Track 9 is where he's talking/rapping over a beat, and it's interesting that this is the track I've liked least so far, and it's most like that Tricky album I got in high school and never loved.

Quiet Life

Japan

3/5

I find myself enjoying this as much as I enjoy any 80s synthy new wave stuff, like a fine Duran Duran album or something, with the added interest that it's from 1979. But I guess my life isn't being changed, either. I'd call it a 3.5 that rounds down.

C'est Chic

CHIC

3/5

Hard to judge 40+ years later. Like, the first 2 songs are really fun, danceable disco. But . . . that's it? It's played well, recorded well, and I love the bass. Still.

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Soft Cell

3/5

There are high points, including some of the great synths and of course Tainted Love, which is for sure the best song here. But he's off-key more than he ought to be, with a "quick production" feeling that sometimes detracts. 3.5? 3.3?

Kilimanjaro

The Teardrop Explodes

3/5

Maybe I'm listening too quietly without enough attention, but this strikes me as perfectly good early-80s indie rock, like something that Smiths fans would go ga-ga over. Still, even if it's good enough to warrant a 3.5, and it's too good to call "forgettable," I expect I'll probably . . . forget about it. Nothing offensive, nothing changing my life.

Pump

Aerosmith

3/5

That was not enjoyable, but I guess it wasn't offensive, either. So one-note, almost never sounding different.

Cheap Thrills

Big Brother & The Holding Company

4/5

Wait, Janis Joplin was in a BAND?? I'm enjoying the bluesy feel, the jumpy bass, and the guitar solos. Not sure if that elevates it to 4 stars or not (since I've never been the biggest fan of Janis's voice), but it's close. Oh! This is where Piece of My Heart comes from! I know this one! Love these solos.... Ball and Chain OMG. This album is great.

Eagles

4/5

Jon Stone once said he loves how 70s albums sound, and this is a good example: those distant thick harmonies, clear bass lines, and acoustic plucking make it sound nice. And really, I'm enjoying this more than I expected as it goes on, especially the different speeds and feels, which reminds me of Fleetwood. It's nice.

Cross

Justice

3/5

First track, I was like, Ooh wow, this is new and fun. But as it goes on, I'm a lot more bored than I expected. It's just . . . background music. The concept of all the microsamples is special and I want to study it more, yet I don't plan to seek this out again.

Rising Above Bedlam

Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart

3/5

Some parts were way better than I expected. Probably a 3.5 or 3.6, really. Worth another relisten one day.

Van Halen

4/5

So THIS is where Eruption came from! Quote from Wikipedia: "With the music world split between punk, disco and prog rock, Van Halen combined a dazzling live show with a party-hearty motto and, in Eddie Van Halen, a guitarist who redefined what was possible on six strings." Those 1st 3 songs are ordered really well: the slower but still rocking Devil song, then the instrumental Eruption, and then You Got me. The guitar really DOES sound special. I'm still not the biggest hard rock fan, but this is clearly more interesting and varied than other stuff from that time.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen

4/5

I like this more than I thought I would. I thought it would be gentle and whatever, but instead it's generally gentle and beguiling. On "The Stranger Song," he's even too close to the mic, picking up plosives and stuff, and it makes him seem more personal and real. One to return to.

If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears

The Mamas & The Papas

3/5

I guses I'm working and not listening THAT closely, but this strikes me as perfectly really good music that isn't changing my life. I'm not listening to the lyrics, but it has that sheen of a 3.5?

Rust In Peace

Megadeth

3/5

I had a bad attitude about this one, but it actually ended up better than I expected--like, even if not my cup of tea, I could see why it's praised. At least until he started singing.

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground

3/5

Ok, I've never actually listened to this whole thing...and I didn't know Lou Reed was in this band, oops? I mean, it's pretty good! The weirder stuff is better. But it would still be a lot to call it a 4, for me.

A Night At The Opera

Queen

5/5

Just reading the intro paragraphs on Wikipedia--wow, glad I'm listening to this weird thing. Honestly, I never realized until today how post-Beatles this is. It makes so much sense, that in 1975 all British rock musicians would have them over their shoulders, but it's so clear here--but in the best of ways, with so much variety and verve. I'm really impressed. Bohemian Rhapsody really doesn't steal the show; it's the natural culmination of everything that's come before it. So good.

Natty Dread

Bob Marley & The Wailers

3/5

It's really just fine. Maybe I should have been listening more carefully to the words (sorry, Bob), but in the background it's completely unoffensive but not changing my life.

Locust Abortion Technician

Butthole Surfers

2/5

First half: "Ok, this is better than I expected. Glad it's not actively annoying as I thought." Second half: "OMG this needs to end soon."

OK Computer

Radiohead

5/5

Excellent as always--even especially those songs in the second half that I remember less but which still add so much to the overall experience. I still can't figure out why I wasn't listening to this more in high school (though the answer is probably economic?).

Headquarters

The Monkees

3/5

I mean, this is just fine. There's nothing wrong with it. In many ways, it's natural that this would come out so soon after the first 3ish Beatles albums--though of course the Beatles were long gone in new directions by now (St. Pepper came out the next week). 3 stars, obvs.

Wild Wood

Paul Weller

2/5

3 or 4 songs in, just sounds like some dude singing at the bar, with a fine voice but boring songs, and you kind of wish he'd turn it down so you could talk. So boring that it's ultimately offensive. Also intriguing to see a Wikipedia entry so clearly edited by him or his team or a super-fan. Surely he's a friend of the book author.

Fragile

Yes

4/5

Lots of variety and fun, worthy of more careful listening another day. Pretty wild to imagine that this is 1971--feels so much newer than that.

The Yes Album

Yes

4/5

As always, I love a 9-minute song, and I love an acoustic instrumental solo set. This is a great album. But yikes, when it's clearly a 4.5, which way do you go????

When I Was Born For The 7th Time

Cornershop

2/5

With Indian/electronic influences, this should be better than it is. Some high points, including the clever redo of Norwegian Wood by actual Indians, but overall not worth listening to.

Trans Europe Express

Kraftwerk

4/5

So Wikipedia points out that people REALLY LIKE this album. Look at those reviews! Excited to dig in! Ultimately, it was great, but perhaps not LIFE-ALTERING in the way I had hoped. Worth another listen, but not in a huge rush.

Teenager Of The Year

Frank Black

3/5

Didn't know this was the Pixies guy. I mean, I guess a few songs in it's fine, generally not annoying, but I'm also not very moved. We'll see. Yeah, as it goes on, this is the definition of 3 stars. Occasionally nice on the ears, rarely exciting.

Destroyer

KISS

3/5

I mean, the moves away from stereotypical hard rock are nice: the Beethoven-inspired song, the softer stuff here and there, the strings. But I mean, how nice is it really? Just a little. So 3 starsy it hurts.

Bandwagonesque

Teenage Fanclub

3/5

Can't believe Spin said this album was best of 1991, over Nevermind and Out of Time. But actually, as it goes on (5 songs in), it's much better than I expected--not annoying power punk as I expected, but actually melodic and varied indie rock. But still, is it 4 stars? 3.5 at least, sure, but I don't think it rises quite to 4.

American Pie

Don McLean

4/5

His voice is nicer than I remembered. Songs 2 and 3 don't really sound familiar, but I know I had this record in high school. It's another one of those 3.5 dilemmas. 3 songs left for him to push me up or down. WHOA this last track: folksy version of Renaissance choral piece "Babylon."

Hot Rats

Frank Zappa

5/5

This is what this project is all about. Didn't know what to expect, but certainly not a 6-track, mostly instrumental, pre-Phish jazzy weirdo album. 1 song in, loving it. It holds up. So energetic and interesting and varied. Love it.

Dusty In Memphis

Dusty Springfield

4/5

So calming and . . . soft. I mean, yes, it's a white woman singing music clearly inspired by Black women, but despite that weirdness it's still a really great record.

Bitte Orca

Dirty Projectors

4/5

4 songs in, SUPER intrigued. I mean, the first 3 were interesting in an Arcade Fire / Cinematic Underground sort of way, but now track 4 "Stillness is the Move" is really remarkable. Ultimately a 4-star album I want to hear a lot more.

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

The Incredible String Band

2/5

Whew. Most of this does not actually make very good listening. But how could I go down to 2 stars on an album with so much fun/unusual instrumentation? Hm. Whew. As it goes on, it's just too often actively annoying for a 3.

Remain In Light

Talking Heads

4/5

It just SOUNDS GOOD, you know? Bright, jaunty, varied, intriguing. I guess if I were listening in headphones while focusing I might even go up to 5, but as it is it's one of those 4s that I really hope I'll come back to later.

Vento De Maio

Elis Regina

3/5

Is it weird that this album doesn't even have its own Wikipedia entry, and that it's hard to find on Spotify? Why this album, specifically? Maybe I need to shell out for the book.... Ultimately, it's fine, but without the verve of "OOH, SPECIAL" that shines over many in this project.

Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem

3/5

This just strikes me as the same kind of "yeah whatever" stuff that there was so much of in the 2000s. Not bad or offensive....

Jazz Samba

Stan Getz

4/5

So delightful I just restarted it when I got to the end. Maybe a BIT more sax than I'd love, but still great.

Os Mutantes

3/5

Weird and sergeant-pepper-y but generally likeable. Maybe if I were paying more attention I'd more LOVE it, but as it is it's like, ok, yeah, 3 stars, nice, whatever.

BEYONCÉ

Beyoncé

5/5

Loving these beats so much, and kind of shocked that I haven't been listening to this more. In some ways, it's like listening to a modern Mariah Carey album, but with better beats, more variety, and more memorable hooks. Every song is a surprise. And oh, this final build in the final track--it's got me really feeling something.

Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine

Cee Lo Green

3/5

Best when it's soul-y, dance-y, which it usually is. Less impressed with the rapping than the music/production.

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Pink Floyd

4/5

Excellent, interesting, perfectly weird, and better than I expected . . . yet perhaps without the unified excellence that would make me give it a 5. Really, a 4.3 or something.

Fleet Foxes

4/5

Ultimately, this is a really nice album that's done well and consistently communicates an intriguing mood. Maybe I'm not listening hard enough, though, but I don't think I quite get the GUSHING that Wikipedia says happened when it came out. It's probably for me something like a 3.8 that I'll happily round up to 4, but I'm certainly not gushing.

Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin

4/5

It's best when it's surprising, like when the song structure breaks down completely for a solo or something. Yet sheesh, his voice; I keep wondering if I would like this more with a different singer. As it is, I'm impressed more than I expected but not out of my mind. Could go 3 or 4 depending on how Side B goes.

Time Out Of Mind

Bob Dylan

3/5

Kind of generally nice, not annoying. I like the sound of the room, the keys, the drums. His voice is not great, but oh well whatever. Still, it's not like I ever plan to return to it again.

Behaviour

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

Loving it. Well, loving tracks 1 and 2, and the track 3 ballad is a little cheesy so far. Oh well. Some songs are just good, but there are more than a couple that are really great. 4.5.

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

5/5

Is this their best album? No. Is it still an undeniably 5-star feat? Yes. (Especially enjoying listening in headphones for the first time.)

Revolver

Beatles

4/5

I mean, it's great. Fun to listen and read along to Wikipedia's detailed notes on each song. Great in the car. But . . . to me, it's not a life-changer. 4 stars easy.

Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Buzzcocks

2/5

I was actively annoyed at the 1st two songs, took a breather, and then in the afternoon I'm . . . not ENJOYING the album, but disliking it less. Still wavering between 2 and 3, but 1 is off the table.

Here's Little Richard

Little Richard

4/5

Hard to hear it in its original context, right? It strikes me as a great record, but not like one of the best of all time. If we were doing half-stars I'd give it a 3.5, but I'll round up to recognize its big-deal-ness.

Odelay

Beck

4/5

5 songs in, I'm enjoying this far more than I ever did in the 90s. Glad I'm giving it this re-listen. It's the variety that does it for me.

Bongo Rock

Incredible Bongo Band

4/5

SO COOL to see how they've sampled a lot--read that Wikipedia article again, future-self! In the end, this is definitely one to pick up if I see it at a record store, so I'll give it 4 stars for that. Not sure if it's really ground-breaking or anything, but I still had a good time.

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

PJ Harvey

4/5

I'll feel like it's a 3 for a bit and then something like the howling on track 6 happens and I'm shocked into realizing it's gotta be higher than that. Same thing on track 9, which just kicks.

Court And Spark

Joni Mitchell

3/5

I guess it's fine. Surprised at the glowing praise on Wikipedia, but I know I'm listening in my own time.

Welcome to the Afterfuture

Mike Ladd

4/5

Came in with a bad attitude, but 2 tracks in (and a lot of Googling) have got me a lot more excited. Yeah, as it goes on it's really the unexpectedness of it all that keeps it interesting and fun. Like, I'm loving this 10-minute intstrumental, even though I dreaded it at first, on this long album.

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Ice Cube

2/5

Yes, I'm listening to the clean version. Honestly, I'm not very impressed--maybe it's the attitude and the content, but actually the music/production grabbed me less than I expected, too.

Coat Of Many Colors

Dolly Parton

3/5

I mean, that was nice and all.

Kenya

Machito

4/5

Super fun, perfect for a party

This Nation’s Saving Grace

The Fall

2/5

In the first song or 2, I thought, "ok, this is better than I feared, probably even a 3 star." But as it went on, it became a slot. Perfect example of a 2 star piece.

The Velvet Underground

3/5

Am I awful if this strikes me as just ok? I mean, it's nice, and I like the long weird song to break things up, but to look at the universally amazing reviews on Wikipedia, I thought it might be. . . more?

System Of A Down

1/5

It's probably not fair that I'm listening to this before 9 a.m., but it just feels like an assault. Maybe some days it would be a 2, but right now it's a 1 (my first). I'd better pause it and figure this out later. . . . Nope, even then it's awful.

Debut

Björk

5/5

What an absolute delight to see this album pop up today. Ah. And really, it's so clearly a 5-star album, which makes it all the more wonderful that her later better albums are like off-the-charts, supercharged 5-star albums.

The Gershwin Songbook

Ella Fitzgerald

5/5

Even with 57 tracks before the alternate takes begin, this just doesn't get old. So varied, so lovely, such a moment in time. If I see this on vinyl, too bad, I'm picking it up.

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

4/5

I do miss the groovy instrumentals of other albums, but it's still wild and disparate and totally impossible to classify. Good stuff.

Done By The Forces Of Nature

Jungle Brothers

4/5

I'm enjoying this! I knew there were people who were in the collective with De La Soul and Tribe, but I didn't realize it was these guys, making me feel like it's important historical research to listen. Still, some tracks are more insistenly interesting than others, 5 tracks in--like track 5 got me dancing, while the previous ones were more, "Yeah, cool, that's fine."

Elvis Presley

3/5

I mean, I think I see the appeal--the vocals-forward production and his fun/weird/engaging style. Like, when you're a kid you think Elvis is a joke, but when you get older you start to realize his eccentricity is part of the appeal.

Vauxhall And I

Morrissey

3/5

I mean, 5 songs in it's just fine, but it's SO EASY for it to just fade into the background. Little is really captivating, nothing is annoying. Ok, track 6 is better, "Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself"

Tigermilk

Belle & Sebastian

5/5

I know this one so well that I was sure it would be a shoo-in for a 4, but as it went on there were so many more 5-star moments than expected. Really loved it.

Goo

Sonic Youth

5/5

I know this one so well that I was sure it would be a shoo-in for a 4, but as it went on there were so many more 5-star moments than expected. Really loved it. Loud and wild and powerful and perfect for the car, plus those noise sections and tracks that take it to the next level.

British Steel

Judas Priest

3/5

A couple of moments rise above the rest (e.g. the guitar solo on track 8, or maybe any time when the singer isn't singing), but generally it's kind of a not-awful bore. So very 3 stars (or 2.8).

Live And Dangerous

Thin Lizzy

3/5

Pretty bored. Perked up a bit at the original Dancing in the Moonlight, since I've only heard the cover, and then the quieter track 7 actually got my attention ("Still in Love with You"). But sheesh, people listen to this whole thing? Okay, enjoying the guitar solos and overall feel of track 9, Cowboy Song.

Double Nickels On The Dime

Minutemen

2/5

I thought, "This awful album has been going for forever, but since the songs are all like 1-something, I bet I'm half done! Turns out I'm on track . . . 8 of 43. . . . Made it to 18. Do I have to finish?

Fromohio

fIREHOSE

2/5

Seriously, Mike Watt's bass a second day in a row? This had better be better..... I mean, it's not AWFUL, but it's certainly not good. It's the kind of thing that someone might try to convince you is good without any evidence. I think if his voice wasn't awful, I'd give this a 3 stars under "just plain boring early alternative." But this kind of thing can't be ignored.

Tuesday Night Music Club

Sheryl Crow

3/5

3 in, perhaps I like the songs more than her voice? Definitely true for "Strong Enough," track 3. Ok, track 5 sounds inspired by . . . Coolio? And then track 6 is like . . . fake punk, at least in the vocal delivery? This is not a good idea. Nice to get a slow song in track 10. But it's too little too late for this 3-star album.

Arrival

ABBA

3/5

I love the 2016 Pitchfork review of this, helping me see some of the darkness and weirdness of the album--but 6 songs in, not really listening too closely, I'm not sure I see it. The minor-key track 6 "Money, Money, Money" has been my favorite by far, but I still don't see how this could be better than 3 stars. And as the review points out, the final 2 tracks--Tiger and the instrumental Arrival--are interesting and worth thinking about. But they're not enough to pull this to a 4.

Music From Big Pink

The Band

4/5

Didn't expect to like this, but gotta say that the first 2 minutes of the album, with this slow soul burn, are better than I expected. Wikipedia says that Pink Floyd was heavily influenced by them, and I can hear that in the organ, the mood, the guitars. Bummer to read about Manuel committing suicide in Winter Park.

Very

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

After 3 songs that are just a bit too enthusiastic and early-90s for my taste, track 4 was more what I was hoping for. And then 5 is a little cheesy sound-wise, but I love the lyrics. A couple later songs are definitely more what I was hoping for, with that PSB attitude/vibe more present (rather than a C+C Music Factory vibe), e.g. track 10 with its darkish/positive joltiness.

Something/Anything?

Todd Rundgren

4/5

Obvs, when I see a double album come up, I get worried. But 1 album in, I'm enjoying myself. It's creative, varied, and worth spending time in. Perhaps not as amazing as some say, but probably 4 stars. (Yep, definitely 4 stars.)

Run-D.M.C.

3/5

Really intrigued by Wikipedia, talk of how bare-bones the music is, which is really notable--not sure if I like it or not. But Rock Box (track 2) is clearly interesting and ahead of its time. Otherwise, I like it but don't love it.

Paranoid

Black Sabbath

4/5

Had no idea they were doing this in 1970. Huh! 2 songs in, I'm digging it--you really can hear how Billy Corgan was listening to this stuff. Especially interesting to hear track 3 mellow out and sound more psychedelic, something I can't imagine many 80s and later metal bands doing in this way.

Songs For Swingin' Lovers!

Frank Sinatra

4/5

It's hard to hear this in context, of course, but it strikes me now as just a really well down vesion of this kind of thing. It's like French food: the standard moves done to excellence.

Funeral

Arcade Fire

5/5

I love this whole album, but listening today fresh, track 2 really is a masterpiece. Also funny to hear his earlier recording/singing style (more frantic). Sheesh, track 4 is also a masterpiece. Really, this is one of the best album-opening tracklists ever. As it goes on, every song is delightful. I know I'm not a neutral observer, but I just love this album so much.

OK

Talvin Singh

5/5

Was afraid this would be cheesy / low-quality Asian electronica, but 3 tracks in it's just right: beautiful and mellow and perfect background work music. Absolutely want to return to this again. (In fact, I'm starting it over again immediately in headphones this time.)

One World

John Martyn

4/5

I mean, it's weird to hear this white guy appropriating all these sounds. But it's also more interesting and delightful to listen to than I expected. Mellow and interesting.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

It's just so nice and gentle but also smart. 4.5, but which way does it lean? Really hard to say.

Tommy

The Who

4/5

As it goes on, I'm really enjoying it and noticing its varied, interesting styles--but I'm also working while it's on, not giving it the due it deserves. Lots of fun, pleasantly surprised, with my real lack of Who knowledge. (But yikes, a weird ableist sort of premise for an album?)

White Light

Gene Clark

3/5

Remarkably bland and unoffensive at the same time. Nicest when he sings higher and sounds like the guy from the Byrds. The most 3-star album ever.

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

4/5

Already learning stuff: didn't know SD was so jazzy. Really enjoying this first Rikki song. And some fun surprises, like this track 5 instrumental toodle-oo about E. St. Louis. And the title track really rocks.

In A Silent Way

Miles Davis

3/5

It's intriguing and weird in all the right ways, and it deserves more attention than I gave it (even with headphones). But still, is it really that life-changing to ME?

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

Marty Robbins

4/5

I mean, this is really so much better than I expected. Fun stories, pleasant voice, strong production, etc.

Thriller

Michael Jackson

5/5

It's hard to imagine that this is 1982; it feels so much newer and fresher. So much variety, such clear production. And don't forget that Beat It starts side B, which is a KILLER opener.

Back At The Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith

4/5

Organ-based jazz! I'll take it. Enjoying it a lot as it goes on: bluesy, boppy, but always organny. Probably a 3.5 so far in my book, but definitely something to put on while working in the future.

Superfly

Curtis Mayfield

4/5

Immediately grabs you. Exciting, interesting, perfect to listen carefully to or as background.

From Elvis In Memphis

Elvis Presley

3/5

It's . . . just fine. Noticeable how much this is what people stereotypically think of as "elvis" than his rocking early album I heard earlier.

The Blueprint

JAY Z

4/5

Just as creative and interesting as the Wikipedia page says. Nice listen, wish I had it in the car where I could give it more focus, though.

Dr. Octagonecologyst

Dr. Octagon

3/5

Ok, some of this is better than I expected, and I'm actually interested in listening to the instrumental version that was apparently released. But I'm too old to be intrigued by the bizarre-o lyrics (while I'm glad they're outside the box).

Loveless

My Bloody Valentine

5/5

There's nothing else that sounds like this.

Sign 'O' The Times

Prince

5/5

3 songs in, it's already so, so fun. Can really see why Mike Perry is such a fan--it's pre-new jack swing. As it goes on, just so much variety it's amazing.

The Score

Fugees

4/5

The interludes and skits age poorly, but the beats, creativity, and skills are in high form.

I’m a Lonesome Fugitive

Merle Haggard

3/5

I mean, it's fine and all. Not really for me, but I see why it's good.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

5/5

I keep trying to give this a 4, but so much really is so creative and varied that it's hard to defend that (though I did switch to the clean version eventually). 4.5 for sure.

Let It Bleed

The Rolling Stones

3/5

I guess it's fine?

The Grand Tour

George Jones

3/5

Not super my thing, but not bad. Didn't dislike listening, didn't feel excited.

Ingenue

k.d. lang

3/5

I like that the big lead single is the final track. Otherwise, I don't really have anything to say.

Black Sabbath

4/5

Ok, I didn't really expect to like this, but it's a pretty rocking album. Not sure if it's just because I'm listening in headphones or what, but it's really great.

Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

I'm only on the first acoustic half so far, but it's nice. Not amazing, but 3.5 stars at least. Really, the first and last track are the best, especially the rock version on the final track.

Brown Sugar

D'Angelo

4/5

2 songs in, it's just so groovy and fun to listen to. Smooth, creative. EASILY 4 stars, and might even hit 5 if I listened more carefully or with just a smidge more variety.

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Wilco

4/5

I admit I'm enjoying this more than I expected to, remembering quite a few tunes from the couple of times I tried to get into it in the past. The headphones help, emphasizing the rhodes, etc. Still, it's pretty clearly a 3.5 in my mind, especially with his lousy singing--or maybe it's just a lack of energy/interest.

Blue

Joni Mitchell

4/5

So interesting to hear how much she must have influenced later artists I know: Tori Amos, Fiona Apple, Regina Spektor. This album is really nice, but I don't think I'd give it a 5 unless I read Wikipedia and saw how everyone in the world loves it. Definitely a 4, probably a 4.4 or something, for me.

Physical Graffiti

Led Zeppelin

4/5

It's fun listening to this along with the original track listening, seeing where the double album began and eneded (e.g. Kashmir as the album 1 closer). But generally, I just . . . don't get Zeppelin. It's generally ok but rarely better than ok. Ok, In the Light is nice, and really disc 2 is just overall more mellow and musical. Liking Black Country Woman a lot too . . . so fine, I'll go up to 4 stars simply because of the variety of styles.

Inspiration Information

Shuggie Otis

3/5

Groovy and excellent. Really enjoying it. Yet as it went on, it was groovy in the same way, for the whole album. Clearly a 3.5, but I think I need to round down to 3 for variety's sake?

Sound Affects

The Jam

3/5

A blend of Revolver and Off the Wall? Intrigued.... PLUS THAT COVER IMAGE. As it goes on, it's enjoyable but ultimately not very memorable. I've never not-enjoyed it, but whatever.

White Blood Cells

The White Stripes

2/5

So I've gone this long without ever listening to a White Stripes album.... Ok, 5 songs in I can't believe this has only been going 5 songs. I'm just . . . not impressed. Oh, the Napoleon Dynamite song! That's nice! Proves that they're better when quieter.

La Revancha Del Tango

Gotan Project

3/5

It's fun, but I guess the early 2000s thing should have warned me that the electronic additions are . . . less excellent and surprising than they could be in other hands. Is that fair? I'm enjoying it but won't rush to put it on again.

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

4/5

This is a . . . weird album. So much of it sounds like a Halloween album. And Cohen's voice is just weird (and not really very good, mostly that half-talky stuff). But it's interesting enough that it's surely more than 3 stars...?

Made In Japan

Deep Purple

3/5

So I had no idea that that well-known intro to Smoke on the Water was actually a song called Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple. Otherwise, that was . . . just ok. Sure, some nice guitar and drum solos and stuff, but it's just not really my thing.

Dust

Screaming Trees

3/5

I guess in the 90s this wouldn't sound so derivative? 2.6, barely squeaks up to 3.

The Rise & Fall

Madness

3/5

You know, I expected to love this more than I did. I mean, the horns were nice, so maybe I was too synth-hopeful? Certainly higher than 3, but not quite a 4.

Kimono My House

Sparks

3/5

Ugh, that cover and title.....Otherwise, it's very energetic and unusual, especially for 1974--very post-Beatles. But I don't know, it's not grabbing me. Maybe if I gave it more attention, but ....

Homework

Daft Punk

4/5

It's funny how in some ways it's not like THAT GREAT--it's the kind of repetitive, not-as-much-happening electronic stuff that I remember listening to a lot in college and loving. Maybe that's why I find myself half-inclined to go up to 4, to mark it as an important early step in that genre I remember so well.

Violator

Depeche Mode

5/5

This whole album is TOP NOTCH, but "Enjoy the Silence" is really a masterpiece, a "top 50 of all time" for me.

The Soft Bulletin

The Flaming Lips

5/5

I've gotta admit, I'm enjoying this more than I expected. It's really varied, with a lot of fun, interesting sounds mixed in (and we're only 6 songs in). I don't love his voice, and I haven't listened enough to really know or love the songs themselves yet, but overall I'm impressed.

New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)

Simple Minds

4/5

One of those great albums that is on the in the background while I work, which I bet I'd like better if I paid more attention to. My gut says 3.5, but I'd better round up....

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Arctic Monkeys

3/5

It's fine, I guess in the way that I like Pep Squad--light, whatever music, but sadly without the rough edges I associate with 90s versions of this stuff.

Buena Vista Social Club

5/5

I can't tell if this is really 5 stars or if I just already loved it. Such great songs but also such great SOUND, like real people in a room.

Billion Dollar Babies

Alice Cooper

3/5

This isn't as awful as I expected, probably because it's so much more 70s than I expected. But I mean, whatever.

Midnight Ride

Paul Revere & The Raiders

3/5

In general, I'm not too excited--it's just 60s Monkees-style rock, nice and fine. But the time changes on All I Really Need Is You grabbed me more. Still, when the Doors are out there, why go for this cleaned-up version?

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

George Michael

4/5

This is nice. It's 3.5 nice, but maybe I'll round up because . . . I don't know, his voice is so nice, and it's such a pleasant album. I like how the Wikipedia entry points out how different this was from other dance-heavy music on the radio in 1990, so he gets points for that, too.

Metallica

4/5

After 3 songs of whatever, "Unforgiven" was better than I expected, and now "Anywhere I Roam" is really landing. Remembering more than I expected. (Am I actually going to give a 4 to a metal album? Who am I?) Yeah, and "Nothing Else Matters" is actually really good....

...And Justice For All

Metallica

2/5

After enjoying the Black album so much yesterday (yesterday!!), this is . . . dragging. I enjoyed parts of "One" as expected, but the rest is just an annoying blur. Sure, it's impressive, but there's no way I can even give this 3 stars. Just . . . stop. . .

Out Of The Blue

Electric Light Orchestra

4/5

Probably a 3.5, since it's a mix of "sounds the same" and "breaks past their mold." I'll go up, though, because of the fun Rhapsody in Blue sample on "Birmingham Blues."

Ten

Pearl Jam

5/5

It's just too close: I'm entirely unable to tell if it's a 5-star album or not. I THINK it is, though I prefer the next two albums even more, since there's some variety, excellent performances all around, etc. Part of me suspects it might be 4-point-something, but that might just be in comparison to Versus.

Isn't Anything

My Bloody Valentine

5/5

One quote from Wikipedia: "a noise like nothing you've ever heard, but everything you've ever felt." That's it: it's just so very, very good. Why don't I listen to them more often, again?

Every Picture Tells A Story

Rod Stewart

3/5

It's not quite ANNOYING, but I guess I just can't get into his voice. Hard to imagine anyone giving this higher than 3 stars.

Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye

4/5

Don't forget to read Wikipedia on this one--it's a chronicle of a divorce. Musically, I'm really digging it--so mellow and slow in the background. Worth remembering.

Elephant Mountain

The Youngbloods

4/5

I mean, this is varied and fun. Not changing my life, but it's better than I expected.

Heavy Weather

Weather Report

3/5

So after reading the personnel (Zawinul! Jaco!) I was really pumped and eager--but it instantly has a lot more cheeseball feeling than I expected. It's not too far from the worst songs from the Flecktones, so maybe there's just something about soprano sax that I instantly turn away from. Ultimately, not bad, but not my style. Sadly, I'm starting to realize that when something says "jazz fusion" I'm not as likely to like it as I thought....

Innervisions

Stevie Wonder

4/5

Some really nice moments blended with some less-impressive moments (at least as I listened while working). A 3.5 that I'll probably round up.

Immigrés

Youssou N'Dour

4/5

Really groovy and danceable and nice. Track 2 better than 1. 3 is just as good or better. It's great.

16 Lovers Lane

The Go-Betweens

3/5

Interesting that the first track that really made me sit up and listen carefully was #6, which turns out to be the big single with the most Spotify plays, "Streets of Your Town." Besides that, it's just . . . a nice album. A 3.3 or something. Would be nice to have on while driving up the CA coast in a convertible, but otherwise I don't have much to say.

Bat Out Of Hell

Meat Loaf

4/5

So I had no idea this was so good. As Wikipedia points out, it's more like Springsteen than heavy metal, but also with some theatrical Queen mixed in, like you could really imagine it on stage. It's that variety that makes it so fun.

Fever To Tell

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

3/5

This is better than I thought it would be from Wikipedia. Clearly a 3.5, but I'm not quite sure which way to go. Like, there was a time in my life when I'd put this on while cleaning . . . but now? How do you score things you would have liked more in the past than you like now?

Heaven Or Las Vegas

Cocteau Twins

4/5

For some reason, I didn't know this is what the Cocteau Twins sounded like (dreamy? female vocalist?) but I'm here for it.

Hypnotised

The Undertones

3/5

Meh. Pretty surprised this is on this list.

Dig Your Own Hole

The Chemical Brothers

3/5

I remember there was a long period where I really thought this kind of music was my thing. After all, it's 90s, electronic, and requires some patience--sounds perfect. Yet as I get older, I see through it more, I think, perhaps because I know how great electronic music is going to get after this. When it ended, I said, "Oh finally" out loud.

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

Otis Redding

4/5

That was fun! Can't wait to listen again or buy on vinyl one day.

Ace of Spades

Motörhead

3/5

I mean, I really do see why people who love this kind of music love this album. It's especially wild to imagine this in 1980, and it's really energetic and listenable (without the annoying vocals of some bands in this genre). Still, it's just not really for me. So I'll give it a 3, realizing that if I were strictly grading MERIT without any personal feeling, it would be higher.

Wonderful Rainbow

Lightning Bolt

4/5

Surprisingly powerful and engaging. I could really see myself turning this on when I need something instrumental to push me through a hard time.

Penance Soiree

The Icarus Line

3/5

I guess it's fine, but I felt bored, even though it was noisy and intense. Maybe I was just tired. Don't trust me.

London Calling

The Clash

3/5

First 7 songs, I'm feeling, "Ok, this is fine, but THE BEST EVER??" I never quite get punk and it's relatives. But then Lost in the Supermarket at 8 and Clampdown at 9 have got me bobbing my head more . . . am I learning how to listen, or are these songs more my style? (They seem more "80s" and less punk.)

The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys

4/5

I like it! It's probably a 3.5 that I'm rounding up because Wikipedia makes it sound like it should be higher and I'm not listening like REALLY carefully? Like, anything that adds album-mentality, more instruments, complexity, etc. is great.

Hunting High And Low

a-ha

5/5

I remember loving this album when I had it on tape in my old college car, so I expected to like it . . . but this much? It's just so excellent.... Sun Only Shines on TV is really a top favorite.

All Directions

The Temptations

4/5

Ok, that 12-minute song is pretty awesome. And even though they didn't like singing it, I love that there's a white flight song on here from 1972....

Rock Bottom

Robert Wyatt

5/5

This is a weird and delightful album, and I'm so, so glad I heard it. It's like a weirder Pink Floyd, I guess? But still mellow and keyboard-focused instead of guitar-focused? I don't know how to describe it, which is what makes it a 5-star album.

Tusk

Fleetwood Mac

5/5

I listened to this twice, trying to decide if it's a 4 or 5. Ultimately it's probably right in the middle at a 4.5, but some songs are SO GOOD and there's SO MUCH variety that I might as well give them the benefit of the doubt.

Groovin'

The Young Rascals

3/5

It's fine, but the only song that really stands out at all is Groovin'. No reason for this ok album to be on this list.

Tragic Songs of Life

The Louvin Brothers

3/5

I mean, it's nice for what it is. Good record to have around when you need it. Kinda eye-rolly but that's ok.

Da Capo

Love

4/5

I'm enjoying this: he sounds kinda like a Jim Morrison wannabe, but that's not a bad thing, and there really is some legit jazzy stuff happening here.

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

Joni Mitchell

3/5

I mean, that was fine. The jazzy elements were generally interesting. I never really connect with her voice, but I know I ought to. Oh well.

Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin

4/5

I just don't like his voice, and I'm not impressed by the hard rock. But wow, the acoustic stuff, and here on track 4 "Since I've Been Loving You," I find myself much more interested.

461 Ocean Boulevard

Eric Clapton

3/5

Some of this strikes me as really nice. But a lot of it as perhaps too easy to drown out as I worked. 3.something, but rounding this one down.

Red Headed Stranger

Willie Nelson

4/5

Wow. These quiet, under-produced songs are just really, really sweet. They're all good, but it's stuff like "Just As I Am" and "Can I Sleep in Your Arms" that's getting me. It's worth picking up if I see it out.

Raw Like Sushi

Neneh Cherry

4/5

Really fun and energetic, better than I feared by far. Hints of early New Jack Swing, kick-butt attitude, and more. Big fan.

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady

Charles Mingus

4/5

Intriguing. Listened twice, still know there's a lot I'm missing. Not my language, but surely unusual enough to earn a 4 from me?

School's Out

Alice Cooper

3/5

So 70s it's not "scary" at all. I can see why people would like it a lot. But you know--I'm not very moved.

Femi Kuti

3/5

That was fun! I'm glad it's in the mix. That said, as I worked, not a lot JUMPED OUT AT ME . . . oh well? Fun times.

Step In The Arena

Gang Starr

4/5

That was fun! Smart, light, more 80s than 90s. Worth giving another listen.

My Generation

The Who

3/5

I mean, I heard some good songs, but nothing along the lines of the awesomeness that this Wikipedia entry suggests is coming....

Coles Corner

Richard Hawley

4/5

Wouldn't say I love his voice, but I like the album a lot more than I expected. It really is as varied and sweetly old-fashioned as Wikipedia says.

Blonde On Blonde

Bob Dylan

3/5

I'm just really struggling to think this is better than ok.

MTV Unplugged In New York

Nirvana

5/5

Impossible to judge impartially. But amazing for all the reasons, especially the unexpectedness of it all.

Let Love Rule

Lenny Kravitz

3/5

4 songs in, it's both: typical Kravitz-style rock that doesn't do much for me, but with some cool unexpected extra instruments on track 2 and a cool slow bluesy piano jam on track 4. Unfortunately there's a lot of fairly boring rock after this. (I know in context it must have sounded better, and HE'S certainly impressive, but....)

Nebraska

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

This is a lot nicer than I expected--so soft and inviting. And then I read Wikipedia after I started listening and saw these were originally just demos, and it's like, yep, that's the way to go. I'm also thinking of these as being in 1982, with 50s and 60s rock and folk not really having happened that long ago, and these being kind of responses / next steps to that.

Underwater Moonlight

The Soft Boys

3/5

Almost the very definition of a 3.5. Heard with the Wikipedia entry in mind (its influence on R.E.M. and tie-backs to The Byrds and Syd Barrett), it's nice and good and I bet in the car with more attention, I'd really like it. But I mean, it's not like . . . surprising?

Siembra

Willie Colón & Rubén Blades

4/5

I mean, this is really great. Do I like salsa enough to give it a 5? But isn't it better than a 4?

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

4/5

Right away, track 1 Blowin' in the Wind is nicer than most other Dylan I've heard, helping my bad attitude. And I love that this kind of political song was new at this point and he helped get it along. 2 songs in, thinking I could get into this.

Chris

Christine and the Queens

5/5

What a find! I love her voice most of all, but especially her beats/melodies/etc.

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

4/5

This strikes me as a very well-done version of this particular kind of blues album. 4 stars for sure.

Junkyard

The Birthday Party

1/5

I've never been less interested in listening to Nick Cave.

Abbey Road

Beatles

5/5

It's just wildly good and weird, the end, bye.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

4/5

I've heard this CD so many times but am enjoying it more than ever today. Maybe if I were listening to the words more carefully it would even round up to a 5, but it's feeling more 4ish this time around.

Highway to Hell

AC/DC

3/5

Wikipedia points out that the title song has new meaning since the singer is going to die soon from all the lifestyle choices he's celebrating here.... And yes, I guess I like his voice better than the later guy, more than I expected. Still, it's just so, so not for me. Kinda boring.

Out of Step

Minor Threat

2/5

This album is 9 tracks, 22 minutes, and after 5 I was like, "SURELY THIS IS OVER BY NOW" but no, there are 4 more tracks.

Berlin

Lou Reed

3/5

With this on in the background, I find I'm enjoying some of the music just fine, and I like its variety, and I like what Wikipedia says about how it's a concept/story album. Ultimately, though, I don't love his talky style of singing and am not blown away. Probably a 3.3.

Eliminator

ZZ Top

4/5

Enjoying this first track more than I expected, with its Huey Lewis vibe. Here's a quote on Wikipedia: "ZZ Top is a joke [...] but they're in on it. ZZ Top is like metal, but its blues roots are truer, and there's no bullshit. ZZ Top is not into the devil, leather, chains, or angel dust. They're into fun." Hey I can get into that. It's 3.5, so . . . I guess I'll round up, though I could just as easily round down.

Crooked Rain Crooked Rain

Pavement

4/5

Hard to judge. I get why people liked it so much, I think, especially for discerning listeners in the age of Weezer. But I mean, his voice isn't exactly for me, and I just don't have the context of listening to these guys. I'll put down a 4, I guess, though it could easily round down, too.

Opus Dei

Laibach

2/5

"Is this serious?" I just said out loud. It just got worse and worse....

Arise

Sepultura

2/5

I'm certainly not enjoying this--but I don't think I'm 1-star not-enjoying it. I can imagine someone enjoying it, in other words, even though I think that's ridiculous.

Kala

M.I.A.

4/5

Apparently I knew like nothing about M.I.A.: didn't know she's British from South Asian descent, didn't know how much that global perspective makes it into her music, didn't know how good it is to have on in the background for its repetitive energy. I like it a lot (but perhaps don't LOVE it).

Strangeways, Here We Come

The Smiths

3/5

It strikes me as pretty good but not world-changing...

Melodrama

Lorde

4/5

This strikes me as a fun, very Jack Antonoff album that I imagine I could like the same way I like Taylor Swift's Lover, but without the immediate interest of Taylor's voice. Still, probably a 4-star, right?

Vincebus Eruptum

Blue Cheer

3/5

This certainly isn't changing my life, but 3 songs in, I kind of see how it could hit people in 1968. It IS really loud and wild for that time--rough and bare bones, but that's an aesthetic. Still, it's clearly 3 stars for me, but less annoying than I expected when I read "proto-metal."

The Holy Bible

Manic Street Preachers

4/5

Ok, for an alternative rock band with an album title and cover designed to annoy and shock, this is better than I expected. Yes, it's 90s, but not awful 90s. Could it even be a 4-star album for me? Not sure.

Technique

New Order

5/5

This is really great. Why have I not been listening to it?

Mermaid Avenue

Billy Bragg

4/5

The songs where the woman sings are so much nicer than the ones where she doesn't. Quiet ones nice too. It's really the variety that pulls this up to a 4. (Wikipedia is good reading too: Woody Guthrie lyrics to new music.)

Deloused in the Comatorium

The Mars Volta

4/5

There are things I don't love: his voice, most of the time, and the "this was a bit too carefully produced" feeling that comes through at times. Yet I could see myself really listening carefully to this (if I liked his voice better), especially when younger, and getting into the rambunctious intensity of it. 3.5, don't know which way to go.

At San Quentin

Johnny Cash

3/5

It's fine? I didn't listen to the entire mega version so I'm not positive I heard every song from the original LP, but I heard plenty.

Let's Get Killed

David Holmes

3/5

No matter how great it sounds on Wikipedia, 90s dance music is never as good as you think it will be.

Being There

Wilco

4/5

Better first impression than I expected, 3 songs in. Digging the mellow first song, and the horns on song 3. Through disc 1, continuing to enjoy it. Is it my attitude that I like this more than the Yankee Foxtrot one? Or is it really better? He's singing better, right?

Nilsson Schmilsson

Harry Nilsson

4/5

Really digging this fun, very Beatles-esque album (read the Wikipedia entry!), and kind of shocked I've never heard of him before. Plus: a "Without You" cover! And wait, THIS is where the "lime in the coconut" thing comes from?

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

4/5

The guitar solo on this first track, omg--life-changing.

Lam Toro

Baaba Maal

3/5

It's hard since I know this genre so little--but yeah, it's fun and nice. Track 5 is perhaps the first to grab me. Worth coming back to.

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem

3/5

I mean, yeah, it's catchy. As a "cleaning my office at the end of the semester" soundtrack, it's groovy and interesting. But it's also childish and mean, which is hard to just . . . ignore. 3.5 stars, really, but I'll round down.

Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette

3/5

This is why reading Wikipedia is so great: didn't know this was her 3rd album, is one of the best-selling of all time, and she was 21! But I mean...I still don't like her voice. I'm not quite disliking it enough to go down to 2 stars, since it's recorded well and some of it was unique enough in the moment. But whew.

Hysteria

Def Leppard

4/5

Better than I expected, and I even own the record.

Roxy Music

3/5

So I honestly wasn't listening as closely as I should have, and I definitely didn't know they went back to 1972. As seems to happen so often, though, this strikes me as an interesting post-Beatles album with a willingness to be weird--but none of the songs actually struck me enough to honestly go to 4 now, though it probably is a 4.

Beach Samba

Astrud Gilberto

3/5

I'm glad this was on here, and I like her voice, but it seemed rather . . . unremarkable otherwise?

Millions Now Living Will Never Die

Tortoise

4/5

That was fun! Very eager to dig deeper into these post-rock pioneers (with such a cool instrumental lineup). Still, this album itself didn't quite rise to 5 stars for me, though it often got close.

Bubble And Scrape

Sebadoh

4/5

Liked this a lot more than I expected to--definitely should have been listening in 1993, when it would have hit home even harder. I like it in the way I like the Pixies, I think.

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

4/5

This is really delightful--the kind of thing that I want to come back to and get to know better. It's creative, weird, mellow, and groovy.

Live Through This

Hole

4/5

Pretty awesome in the ways I expected: great guitar sounds, raw emotions, and so on. The low point is Courtney's really definitively off-key singing on track 2, but generally that stuff isn't so bad.

World Clique

Deee-Lite

3/5

Love the colorful cover. Love that it's a woman from NYC and DJs from Ukraine and Japan. Track 2 almost sounds like a videogame remix. As it goes on, it's just what you'd expect: positive, fun 1990 house music. That means it's fine to have on, but perhaps a bit surprising to find it in this list.

Butterfly

Mariah Carey

3/5

Some highlights, and fun to have on in the car, but ultimately not sure it's quite as great as the surrounding albums. 3.5 for sure.

(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)

Lynyrd Skynyrd

4/5

I'm honestly really surprised at how much I'm enjoying this. It's varied and not just stupid background music--really creative and moving at times.

In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson

5/5

So surprisingly good. Not sure if it's 4 or 5 but going high to ensure I come back again later.

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

Disc 1 is big and loud. Too big and loud? I don't think always; there are days when I could see myself getting a lot out of this. Still don't love his voice but liking it more than I used to. Disc 2 quieter but also fairly nice. Not going to buy it, but wouldn't be opposed to trying again. 3.8 stars.

Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

50 Cent

3/5

There are more and less interesting/creative songs, at least coming from someone listening 19 years later while working. Like, I like the mallets on P.I.M.P., etc. But overall, sure, whatever.

Blackstar

David Bowie

4/5

Really deserves another listen. Didn't remember that he died 2 days after it came out--wow.

Elephant

The White Stripes

3/5

When they're quiet it's ok. And in theory I like their lofi aesthetic. But I don't like the tunes or his screamy voice. At all. 2.7.

Back To Black

Amy Winehouse

3/5

I get her more now than I used to get her. That's about all I've got.

New Boots And Panties

Ian Dury

2/5

Not always annoying, but usually annoying. Can literally not understand the gushing that's happening on Wikipedia.

The Last Of The True Believers

Nanci Griffith

2/5

I guess it's fine if you're into it, and I respect it as fine work, but I can't see myself even giving it a 2 if I didn't really enjoy it.

Destroy Rock & Roll

Mylo

4/5

Most are pleasantly fine, but so far 2 and 6 have been especially/actually engaging. Ok, 7 and 8 hit pretty hard too. Ooh, and 12. Ok, this is definitely a 4-star album.

Emergency On Planet Earth

Jamiroquai

4/5

Hard to judge. Clearly a 70s homage in a way that I don't really appreciate, not having been there. Very danceable lots of times; I often enjoyed myself. I'm a little weirded out by the "white guy singing funk and wearing Indian feathers" thing, if I'm getting it right. Hm.

Aqualung

Jethro Tull

3/5

I think I thought Jethro Tull was a person, not a band? And by 1971, they had been around long enough for this to be the 4th album? I keep learning. 5 songs in, though, it's just . . . fine? The funky, flutey track 5 is fun, but nothing pushes me past 3 stars yet. Ok, the weirdness of the middle of track 7 is something special. Go, flute!

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

5/5

I've been listening to this for 30 years, yet driving around yesterday, with the CD turned up loud, still had me hearing instruments and background vocals I hadn't consciously processed before. A moody masterpiece.

O.G. Original Gangster

Ice T

3/5

The hard rock samples on Body Count are interesting. And I read an engaging review of the album from someone who LOVE-loves it in all its bloated excess, and who argues wisely that it's smarter and more interesting than what NWA folks were doing. I can see all of that. Still: it's so mean at times. I can respect it without wanting to listen.

Crime Of The Century

Supertramp

4/5

I might have liked this album better in a different mood--it definitely has a bit of that proto-Pink Floyd vibe, which I like. But I also was rarely MOVED, you know? So it's a 3.5 that I'll probably round up.

1984

Van Halen

3/5

Started out loving it, but then it got a little more old as it went on. Great for sometimes, but not an everyday food.

Figure 8

Elliott Smith

3/5

I've been wanting to listen to more Elliott Smith (inspired by Phoebe), but this one . . . just didn't seem to have much going on. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention?

Copper Blue

Sugar

3/5

It was okay. Nice sound. Familiar voice I couldn't place, since none of the songs sounded actually familiar. 3.2 or something.

Bug

Dinosaur Jr.

4/5

It sounds so much newer than 1988! Really digging the energy and groove. And creative sound stuff here and there. It's a 4.5 for sure.

If I Could Only Remember My Name

David Crosby

4/5

Halfway through, really enjoying that this is mellow and enjoyable but also varied and rich, not just some boring old singer-songwriter album. Like a 3.6 for me, probably. Sure, let's round it up.

Electric Warrior

T. Rex

4/5

This was really fun, a great discovery. It's SO post-Beatles and SO David Bowie-ish, at least to my ears, but those are both good things. Much more chill and weird than I expected after all the "glam rock" talk on Wikipedia. 4.4.

Imagine

John Lennon

3/5

I don't really see how this could be framed as any better than "just fine."

Hot Buttered Soul

Isaac Hayes

5/5

So I had no idea that that Hooverphonic song relies SO MUCH on this first track--which is a good thing. And dang, as that track continues, with the organ and guitar solos, it KICKS. Whole album really kicks.

S&M

Metallica

3/5

I feel like I've been listening to Metallica all day, and it's just 6 songs into the 21 on this 2:13 overlong double album. How in the world can I get through it all. . . . Ok I was being a downer and some parts were kind of nice, but I wish I could get a no-guitar, no-singing mix?

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

That was so nice and sweet and interesting that I can't decide if it's 4 or 5 stars.

Street Life

The Crusaders

2/5

SO MUCH better when there are keyboards than when there's sax. Pretty much evens itself out. Ok no, as it goes on there are enough sax moments that I'm actively disliking that this has to go down to a 2, I don't make the rules.

Born In The U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

Overall, a bit more pleased than I expected to: nice keyboards in the first song's intro, a couple other moments of "oh, that's nice," and Dancing in the Dark really is a tremendous song. Still very firmly a 3-star album for me, though.

Heroes

David Bowie

4/5

Really glad I heard this. First side is "just pretty good" rock, solidly 4 stars, and then the second side is this weird, excellent, instrumental stuff.

Pieces Of The Sky

Emmylou Harris

3/5

Some delightful little moments that elevate it (like the guitar solo in For No One), even if a lot of it is just . . . fine.

Roots

Sepultura

1/5

Only 1 song in: reading Wikipedia, I'm glad there's going to be Brazilian influences (which I barely heard with a little bit of percussion in track 1) . . . but omg it's just so ridiculously loud and screamy and melody-less. How will I get through SEVENTY-TWO MINUTES?? 6 tracks in, I've heard precious little Brazilian influence, which is the only thing making me waffle between 1 and 2 stars.

Five Leaves Left

Nick Drake

4/5

I never really knew his bio before, though of course I recognize his voice from movie soundtracks, etc. But man, these tracks with strings really elevate it. It's a pretty incredible album.

Queens of the Stone Age

3/5

5 tracks or so in, it's clear that this is a fine example of late-90s alternative rock but really oughtn't to have been in this list.

Palo Congo

Sabu

4/5

How fun! I don't really know how awesome it is in comparison to others of its kind, but it seems impressive to me.

Swordfishtrombones

Tom Waits

5/5

Just as with the other album of his I listened to for this project: I'm blown away by the variety, instrumentation, and storytelling, making it hard to imagine not giving this 5 stars--even though his voice is still just too weird for me, oh well.

Bayou Country

Creedence Clearwater Revival

3/5

It's okay and all.

At Newport 1960

Muddy Waters

4/5

Felt pretty good, 3ish+ stars, for a while--but dang, when he gets into Got My Mojo Working on tracks 7 and 8, its awesomeness starts shining even more.

Parklife

Blur

3/5

Clearly something like a 2.5, but sheesh I'll round up since I wasn't listening that closely.

Entertainment

Gang Of Four

3/5

Not my speed, but not actively annoying. 2.8?

It's A Shame About Ray

The Lemonheads

4/5

Had no idea Juliana Hatfield played bass for this band! And the first track is really fun and upbeat--and I was bummed when I saw it come up. And this is their 5th album?? In the end, it's not like an album I'm going to return to, but dang if I had bought this in the 90s I would love it today.

Brilliant Corners

Thelonious Monk

4/5

Even though I already owned this one, it's hard to say how to rate it. It's fun and lively, and I love the celeste on that one track, but it's also not super hummable or easy to grasp. That leaves me in the 3.5 region.

Ritual De Lo Habitual

Jane's Addiction

4/5

Just as when I listened to their first album for the 1988 thing and was surprised at its quality, I'm really surprised at how good this is. Long, meandering, prog songs on side 2, but also plain-old good alternative rock on side 1. Why wasn't I listening to this in the 90s, again? Because of the somewhat dumb 2 lead singles?

Merriweather Post Pavilion

Animal Collective

3/5

3 songs in, I'm intrigued by the sounds but not emotionally moved yet. Hard to decide what I think. By the time it's over, exact same feeling: intrigued by not moved. 3 stars.

Darklands

The Jesus And Mary Chain

4/5

Really digging the Starflyer-ish vibes. Track 3 "Happy When It Rains" is awesome. Yeah, the whole thing gives me that "cool, dark vibe that I should have been listening to before now" feeling.

3 + 3

The Isley Brothers

4/5

Loving the variety of sounds--so rich and variable in song style and instruments. "Summer Breeze" especially excellent. Dang, this is good.

B-52's

The B-52's

4/5

I think I really had to be older to get these guys--the fun, the quirk, the complexity of what they're mocking and celebrating. Really like it a lot.

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks

3/5

I didn't perk up at all until the long solo section on track 6, Australia. Then I didn't perk up again at all.

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

3/5

Nice background music with a couple of really memorable moments. Almost the definition of a 3 album, or maybe 3.2.

This Year's Model

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

3/5

It's probably the most I've ever enjoyed Costello, who usually is pretty underwhelming . . . but just 3.5, still.

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

Ok, yes, the long songs occasionally hit home, with some solo moments elevating them. But dang if this isn't generally mid-tempo yawn fest. Considered 2 stars for a while until I realized I was just in a bad mood.

In Rainbows

Radiohead

5/5

I've never really known if I like this album so much because of how good it is or because I got it when they were giving it away back in the day and thus listened to it a lot more than any other album that I didn't happen to have on my hard drive. Listening this time around, I'm pleased to say that I'm pretty sure (but not totally sure) that it actually is, yes, an amazing, innovative, complex album.

Surrealistic Pillow

Jefferson Airplane

4/5

Really good--definitely elevated above all the other late-60s rock bands on this list. How do I forget Grace Slick is in this band, and that Somebody to Love and White Rabbit are both on here?

The United States Of America

4/5

Trippy and interesting in all the right ways. Rounds up to a 4.

Pretenders

4/5

Hey, that was fun! Didn't listen closely enough to really listen to lyrics, but I get it, especially as a pre-Pat band.

LP1

FKA twigs

4/5

Really hard to rate. Like, I was PUMPED when I saw this come up; I've been wanting to listen to the whole LP for years and never got around to it. And it's as creative and innovative and ground-breaking as I expected. And yet . . . I wasn't always as interested as I expected to be. I think it's probably the perfect example of a 4.5, but I need to go down just because of that little bit of interest that isn't there.

Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds

3/5

That was fine and all.

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

4/5

Why haven't I bought this yet?

Cafe Bleu

The Style Council

3/5

I guess I wasn't listening very hard but this is a weird very 80s collection of weird, but that's not as good as it sounds.

The Stooges

3/5

Look, I like long experimental stuff. I do. But even the long, experimental song here isn't very engaging. And whenever Iggy "sings" it's awful. I'm only rounding this up to a 3 because it does occasionally kick, with some cool guitar solos that sound newer than 1969.

Floodland

Sisters Of Mercy

4/5

Someone on Wikipedia says essentially, "It's silly, of course, but that doesn't mean it's not good," and that's certainly my first impression.

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

4/5

I think if I had grown up with this album it would be 5 stars to me. As it is, I'm loving it, but not with the awe and surprise (or personal history) I associate with a 5. But dang, I need to listen to it more.

At Folsom Prison

Johnny Cash

3/5

I still wouldn't call myself a Cash fan, but this is the most I've ever enjoyed him. Personally, it's still a 3.5 that rounds down, even though I know that it's me, not him.

Vespertine

Björk

5/5

Maybe my 4th or 5th favorite Björk album, and yet still so obviously 5 stars (especially with headphones!!) that it's ridiculous.

Safe As Milk

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

3/5

This is not nearly as interesting as Wikipedia makes it sound. More random, plus a healthy dose of white guys trying to sound Black. 2.7.

Public Image: First Issue

Public Image Ltd.

2/5

That was so awful. Only 2 stars because of one interesting song and some rocking instrumental moments. 1.5.

Music For The Jilted Generation

The Prodigy

4/5

This whole project has made me leery of 90s house/electronica, which I thought I loved but which often has disappointed. So I was pleased that this overlong album was more what I was hoping for, with plenty of pleasant surprises and few annoyances. 3.7.

Melody A.M.

Röyksopp

3/5

Sigh...yet another album that sounded SO GOOD on Wikipedia but was a bore-fest when I actually listened. Not really any better than that old Commuter Grooves album Margo bought so long ago. Am I just getting old? Did electronic music really have so much more growing up to do?

Night Life

Ray Price

3/5

I really enjoyed this sweet background music, especially the title track. Hard to say if that makes it a 4; compared to its genre, sure, but compared to everything else?

Gasoline Alley

Rod Stewart

3/5

Oh WOW that was boring. 2.6?

The Dreaming

Kate Bush

4/5

Love it, as a weird pre-Tori experiment, and it deserves to be heard again. But it definitely didn't grab me QUITE as hard as the one I heard on here a while back. 4.2.

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Wu-Tang Clan

4/5

I've got this quiet enough as I work that I'm not really listening to the lyrics, but man, the beats and music are so much better than I expected--more fun, lively, energetic, and relatable than I expected (or what you would have heard around then from west coast folks around then). You can really hear the pre-Nas sound, etc.

Cypress Hill

3/5

Better than I expected for sure--would be even better as an instrumental album, you know? I'll say 3.5 and go up or down based on how I feel tomorrow.

No Other

Gene Clark

3/5

The story is interesting, and occasionally there were almost Pink Floydy moments, and I didn't listen all that carefully, yet still: ho him?

Tanto Tempo

Bebel Gilberto

3/5

Meh.

Now I Got Worry

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

2/5

That was not really very good. It's a 2.5 that I think I'm going to round down, because it was actively annoying more than once--the kind of thing for people who like the White Stripes, whoever they are.

Tapestry

Carole King

3/5

I'm really not a Carole King fan, it turns out. Less than 3, rounding up.

Rubber Soul

Beatles

4/5

Dang, this is a collection of good songs. Pretty much every one hits in one way or another. And yes, if you read Wikipedia (or had just bought Help! recently and this was your next album), you can see how groundbreaking it was in other ways... yet to my ear, so much of that groundbreakingness just isn't there yet, making this a 4.4 in my book.

Deserter's Songs

Mercury Rev

4/5

Wish I had listened more closely, but I intend to go back one day for that. Interesting and evocative, and I have no memory of ever hearing this in the 90s. Good stuff.

Shaka Zulu

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

4/5

That was lovely and calming. 3.6. Should listen more closely again one day.

Actually

Pet Shop Boys

5/5

DANG. It's time to start buying PSB albums when I see them, pronto. It's so catchy I'm falling apart.

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

5/5

I admit that I've never heard of this artist or album, but I'm really glad I did. When I listened on Friday I thought it was 4 stars for its throw-back vibe and smooth listenability, but today on Monday I want to go up to 5 for its unexpected variety, and that feeling of, "If I listened to this once a week the rest of the year, I'd love it more, rather than ever getting tired of it."

Solid Air

John Martyn

4/5

Really a lot smoother and groovier and nicer than I expected, almost like an early Tracy Chapman, Sade, that "I don't wanna fall in love" guy. Want to revisit.

Songs Of Love And Hate

Leonard Cohen

3/5

Let's admit that this is pretty boring stuff. Occasionally his voice is so bad that it made me want to drop to a 2, but on average this is low-3, high-2 content without a doubt.

Bummed

Happy Mondays

2/5

This all sounds the same and is fairly annoying. It's a 2.5 that probably should round up, but if I'm in a bad mood forget that.

I Against I

Bad Brains

2/5

I just don't like punk, I'm learning. Sure, occasional moments sound really good at first, instrumentally (track 7, track 10), but when he starts singing and it just grates on and on . . whew, I'd be happy to never hear this again.

The Specials

3/5

Sure, it's interesting that there was ska in 1979; I had no idea. However, this is the only interesting thing about this album.

Stand!

Sly & The Family Stone

4/5

Some "ok but fairly good" tracks punctuated with moments of awesomeness, especially that 13-minute track.

The Nightfly

Donald Fagen

2/5

On Wikipedia, people are gushing and gushing about this album. But I'm here to tell you that it's really, really annoying, in that "all the worst things about 80s smooth jazz" sort of way.

Broken English

Marianne Faithfull

3/5

It was fine. Her voice got annoying at times, but that cool final long song made up for it.

Bad Company

3/5

Liked it more than expected, perhaps because it was on headphones as I worked outside. But still not QUITE enough to round up.

Dirt

Alice In Chains

3/5

Eye-roll. Sure, a couple of rocking moments that reminded me of my youth (and "Would?" is still their best song). But as an adult, it's just a little . . . silly? And really, why would a bunch of guys give their band a name about a woman in bondage? And with a cover that shows one of their ex-girlfriends being buried alive? Red flags....

Talking Book

Stevie Wonder

4/5

A classic that sounds so good, with some nice variety, too. Worth more listens in the future.

Gris Gris

Dr. John

3/5

Okay I guess, but it's hard to get past the story: that he knew he was appropriating Black music and voodoo culture and wanted a Black leading man but didn't get one so just stepped in and embraced the character himself? Is that off-topic or not?

The Message

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

3/5

Some surprises (some 70s sounds, some Stevie Wonder-inspired stuff, the really cool electro-voiced "Scorpio"), but ultimately not changing my life (though I see how it could change lives).

Mothership Connection

Parliament

4/5

Energetic, varied, creative, and always funky. Better than I hoped.

xx

The xx

4/5

That was mellow and pleasant. Eager to listen again when driving through thoughtful fields.

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

Well I certainly don't like this album. I can't decide if I actively am annoyed by it, though. I guess it's a 2.7 that rounds up. (Why do I feel bad about not liking Springsteen?)

Frank

Amy Winehouse

3/5

It wasn't a BAD album, and she doesn't have a BAD voice, and maybe in 2003 I'd have felt differently if I had paid attention back then, but . . . you know. Ho hum.

Scott 2

Scott Walker

4/5

Surprisingly old-school Sinatra vibes with a sound that veers RIGHT on the edge of cheesy. Much more of a fan than I expected.

Fear Of A Black Planet

Public Enemy

4/5

I knew this was a hard-hitting album, but I forgot how varied and fun it can be too. Definitely worth having in regular rotation.

Rage Against The Machine

4/5

I think without the nostalgia factor I wouldn't like this quite so much. But man I sure did like it.

Station To Station

David Bowie

3/5

Wikipedia was so glowing that I decided to listen in headphones, and... Well... It was pretty good. But I didn't feel grabbed the way I expected to.

Songs From The Big Chair

Tears For Fears

5/5

It's just so good. Why haven't I bought this yet?

Club Classics Vol. One

Soul II Soul

3/5

Excited to see that Nellie Hooper was part of this group, and yet . . . I mean, in 1989 I'm sure I would have found it a lot more exciting and fresh, but today it sounds kind of sadly dated, like early rap without the power.

Young Americans

David Bowie

3/5

I mean, it asks an interesting question: if a white man pulls together awesome Black musicians to play traditionally Black music but with him at the lead, is it weird? Yes of course it's weird. But what about the songs? They're fine, some even pretty good, but it never stops being weird.

The Clash

2/5

I just do not understand this band, I admit it.

Master Of Puppets

Metallica

3/5

I guess I'll round up this headache-inducing barrage of sound to a 3 because it's occasionally varied and technically masterful. But sheesh.

Moving Pictures

Rush

3/5

I read it Wikipedia in depth, was really pumped, and... I don't think I quite get it. Instrumentals were good!

Endtroducing.....

DJ Shadow

5/5

Was obvs inclined to love the first album ever made entirely from samples, but I've been burned before on this list so I was worried... But it delivered. I should have been working with this in my headphones for what, the last 25 years?

Black Holes and Revelations

Muse

4/5

Look, there's really so much variety and excellent playing that it's hard not to give this a 4, so I guess I will. But there's something I don't like here... The studio-perfection, I think? The weirdly perfect vocals? So I'll give it a 4, but I'm not planning to return to it.

A Rush Of Blood To The Head

Coldplay

4/5

I had a pretty bad attitude about this, but it's clearly better than I expected. I mean, it's not regular rotation, but it's certainly as varied and unoffensive, as, say, late Counting Crows. Going up to 4 because it really is so varied.

Since I Left You

The Avalanches

5/5

Yet again, I can't believe I didn't know about this. Maybe not a full 5 stars (4.5?), but always varied, with some tracks hitting a lot harder than others. Want to return to it over and over.

Psychocandy

The Jesus And Mary Chain

4/5

Lush like a blanket. Should be a favorite.

The Lexicon Of Love

ABC

5/5

So audaciously fun I can't believe it. Maybe it's but really a 5 but I like it that much. Surely the inspiration for Music and Lyrics?

Fear and Whiskey

Mekons

3/5

Kept going back and forth between "how could anyone listen to this guy's voice and think it's a worthwhile album" and "ok I see how this is kind of innovative" (with a healthy dose of "it's ridiculous that Wikipedia keeps calling this a country crossover album").

At Budokan

Cheap Trick

3/5

I keep thinking that since I'm from Rockford I should get more into Cheap Trick, but the little I've heard seems just . . . ok? This album especially is extremely just ok.

Paul Simon

3/5

I guess if I had listened more carefully, or if I felt more invested in Simon, I would have liked it more. It's certainly fine. But it didn't jump out at me.

All Mod Cons

The Jam

3/5

First song: Ooh, this could be good! All middle songs: Oh, is there still music playing? Last couple: OMG is this still on?

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

3/5

I really wanted to love this. I listened twice, even once with headphones! But it never rose above ok for me. I'm confident this is my own fault.

Future Days

Can

4/5

I liked this a LOT and want to listen to it more often, but it's kind of a 4.4 for me, something that despite its coolness perhaps didn't elevate itself to awesomeness, if that makes sense.

Protection

Massive Attack

4/5

This would have been so important to me if I had discovered it back in the day. As it is, it's a 4.5 that for some reason my heart tells me to round down; it feels important without having that attention-grabbing intensity of a 5.

evermore

Taylor Swift

5/5

It really is as good as I think it is, isn't it? Varied yet unified, fun but touching, old- and new-sounding at the same time?

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Genesis

4/5

Should have listened more closely, since there was definitely magical, interesting, varied stuff going on. But it's so long, all that is buried in less-important stuff, it seemed. Worth returning to.

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

King Crimson

5/5

I was committed to not giving another KC album 5 stars because who does that with a band you don't even know, but DANG, especially on side B, this goes places you never would have expected. So good.

Live At The Witch Trials

The Fall

2/5

Is it just because I have a headache, or is this the worst drum sound of all time?

Murder Ballads

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

Occasionally interesting, but i just can't get into Cave's non-singing, which is almost anyways annoying.

Illinois

Sufjan Stevens

5/5

I love all these songs, but i love them even more in order, as an album, gluing them into a masterpiece.

Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan

3/5

I just don't see myself ever enjoying his voice. And the rest is just ok. 2.7.

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Public Enemy

4/5

Everyone remembers this as hard-hitting and important, which it is, but I always forget how FUN it is too.

The Cars

4/5

Hey, that was pretty fun! Why don't I listen to this more? 3.7.

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

4/5

That was fun! Perhaps not the BEST ALBUM EVER like people on Wikipedia seem to think (and where the actual ARTISTS are mentioned so much less than the producer, sheesh), but one I wish I had around.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Beatles

5/5

What else can be said? Nothing else had ever had this much variety, creativity, humor, and heart, all jammed together. I just wish I could have heard it the way people originally did.

Untitled (Black Is)

SAULT

4/5

Mellow and strong at the same time, really should have been listening to this all along. Why have I never heard of them?

Abraxas

Santana

5/5

I knew this would be good but I didn't know it would be this good.

The Suburbs

Arcade Fire

5/5

It really is that good, I think?

Bringing It All Back Home

Bob Dylan

3/5

I'd call it "better than the other Dylan albums I've heard on here but I probably wasn't listening that closely either."

Ready To Die

The Notorious B.I.G.

3/5

I mean, sure, the beats and production are better than I expected, never really being a fan. But it's also just exhausting and so overlong. 2.6.

Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear

4/5

Enjoyed this, and I really want to listen again while paying more attention. Sorry, fellows.

Dog Man Star

Suede

3/5

Pretty unnecessarily extravagant. Chill out, dude.

Sea Change

Beck

4/5

This was good, simple music (with occasional Highlights), the kind of thing that I imagine Grant really likes. That means I'd be happy to listen to it again but am not rushing. 3.6.

With The Beatles

Beatles

4/5

This really is a top-notch collection of well-recorded, well-performed songs. I don't think it's just history that is making this sound so much better than all the other 60s albums I've heard on this journey.

Freak Out!

The Mothers Of Invention

3/5

Never thought I'd say too weird for me... But when it's 60s-pop, you can't tell if it's satire or not, and they can't really sing, and the weird stuff at the end goes too far. I'm being negative, like sometimes / usually it's fine, but [eye roll].

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Stereolab

3/5

I came into this feeling not . . . negative about Stereolab, but maybe a negative. So this was far better than I expected, if still not quite awesome enough to get me to bump it up to 4 stars.

Reign In Blood

Slayer

2/5

That was awful. I guess I'll see it as 1.6 and round up for technical proficiency and production quality, but sheesh.

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

3/5

Was not bored exactly, but not really sitting up straight, with this obviously post-Beatles, white-guy-blues, but then track 7 "Key to the Highway" had some legit soloing...

Diamond Life

Sade

3/5

After loving their 1988 album so much, perhaps I had too-high expectations for this debut, which rarely is elevated above what you'd expect in a hotel lobby.

Tago Mago

Can

4/5

That was great fun. Need to return to it later.

The Madcap Laughs

Syd Barrett

2/5

You know how sometimes you read on Wikipedia how chaotic and weird a recording session was, and then you actually listen to the album and think "this just sounds like an album, I never would have guessed"? This is not that album. It's bad.

The Idiot

Iggy Pop

3/5

Was hoping it would be better? I mean I liked it and will happily listen again! 3.4! But still...

That's The Way Of The World

Earth, Wind & Fire

3/5

That was fine!

Tracy Chapman

4/5

It just cuts through the noise of the day with clarity and subtle beauty.

Vanishing Point

Primal Scream

3/5

So, it's better than I expected: much more 90s-electronica than SCREEEEAMM as I feared from the name. Kinda pre-Moby? But is it good enough to bump up to a 4? Feels 3.5 to me, but I'm going down, for whatever reason--I guess because I wouldn't run from listening to it again, and I like the variety, but I can't see myself going after it.

Fishscale

Ghostface Killah

4/5

I didn't expect to really like this, but it's so varied and creative than I expected. (I think I see "Killah" and think it'll be super hardcore angry, but it's not.)

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

3/5

The first song made me say, "Oh man! This is going to be great! One of my new favorites!" And then literally every other song didn't grab me. Was I not paying enough attention? In any case, I've got to say 3.5...

Face to Face

The Kinks

3/5

Fine? I guess when you listen to too much Beatles and then too much "everyone else" you start to realize just how much better the Beatles were...

Sheer Heart Attack

Queen

4/5

Better than expected, and eager to listen again. I'm realizing how much I value hard rock that's varied and isn't...I guess I want to say hyper-masculine, but there's a lot packed into that phrase. Like, I like the ROCK, which this album has, but I never want it to just be about the rock, or to act like the rock is what matters most.

Orbital 2

Orbital

4/5

Really hard to judge. I always want to go higher on albums that I already own, plus Halcyon is one of the best electronic songs of all time. Yet the rest of the album is . . . ok? Pretty good but slightly disappointing? At least through a modern ear? I think what bumps it up to 4 is the repeating/out-of-sync dialogue lines in the first and final tracks, making it an ALBUM with a POINT.

Bryter Layter

Nick Drake

3/5

Occasionally very nice, but occasionally too poppy. A 3.5 that I think just barely rounds down, though I kind of wish I'd listened twice to make sure.

Odessa

Bee Gees

3/5

Ambitious, and I never knew they even HAD albums in the 60s. But did I love listening to it? Meh, whatever.

Machine Head

Deep Purple

3/5

You know. It's pretty good. And I forgot that one song was by them. But I'm not like a fan.

Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan

3/5

I guess it's better than some Dylan and worse than other, but I sent l admit that I turned it off, annoyed, as I tried to work while the last song kept whining on and on. 2.8.

Raising Hell

Run-D.M.C.

3/5

Good stuff, but it's hard for it to hit now the same way it hit then. Worth a relisten but less compelling than some rap from even a year or two later.

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe

5/5

It's just absolutely iconic and masterful. So many genres, with such an "album feel," and such awesome instrumentalists, and Janelle's voice.... Top-notch.

This Is Hardcore

Pulp

3/5

There are things going on here that are better than I expected--especially the variety of speeds/types of songs, but also occasionally his voice (even with his deep, deep desire to be David Bowie). But ultimately, the songs themselves aren't very memorable, at least in this single listen. So it's a 3.5 that rounds down. (Though even as I say that, the final track just AMPED ITSELF UP, and I'm here for it!)

Dummy

Portishead

5/5

What can you say? It's just unequivocally one of the best albums of all time: constantly unexpected, with moments of beauty and sadness that threaten to take over everything you've ever known. I can't ever get enough.

Blood, Sweat & Tears

3/5

I'm glad I learned that BS&T is a 9-piece band with lots of brass. I'm glad too that this begins and ends with variations on Satie, which I never would have guessed. And it was fun recognizing a couple of big hits when they played, and I liked the long blues track. But really, in the big picture, it's still not something I need to return to. 3.5.

Here Are the Sonics

The Sonics

4/5

Ok so honestly it DOES stand out in some hard-to-define way: for 1960, it's really loud and intense, with a distortion that's somehow pleasing? Wild to imagine it as a bridge from the 50s to punk, but I get it.

Haunted Dancehall

The Sabres Of Paradise

3/5

Sigh. I always get so excited about 90s electronica, and it's so often like this: inoffensive but boring. I tried to like it more, really!

1989

Taylor Swift

4/5

I tried this once before years ago and was so bored by track 1 that I never gave it the attention it deserved--or maybe I'm just more of a T.S. fan now--but dang, this was fun. Some tracks blew me away more than others, others were fun and whatever, but it's clearly at least a 4 and one I'll go back to.

Kind Of Blue

Miles Davis

4/5

So familiar, so good, so much more to discover every time. So why not a 5? Because the rating is about me, not a judgment of the album, and as much as I love it, I don't love it the way I could love a 5.

There's No Place Like America Today

Curtis Mayfield

3/5

Great album! Guess I should have listened more carefully to know if it's a 3.5 that goes up or down? I mean, I enjoyed it all, but I never stopped what I was doing to say, "WHOA."

Vivid

Living Colour

3/5

Impressive sound, big energy, not really my thing.

Suede

3/5

Track 5, Pantomime Horse, is making me turn the volume higher and higher.... But after that it was more of what I expected: perfectly adequate britpop.

Moon Safari

Air

4/5

Pretty nice. Maybe just a 3.7 or less, the kind of thing that became normal on CDs like our Commuter Groove, but which feels somewhat more...real? here. Worth knowing about and turning on in the bg every once in a while.

Different Class

Pulp

4/5

Ok, I'm generally disappointed in britpop whatever, but this was a lot better than I expected: exuberant, catchy, and varied. Worth returning to.

Chicago Transit Authority

Chicago

5/5

Truly more excellent than I ever imagined. Real musicians, and real brass that isn't just for show, but is for power. Would love to buy on vinyl one day.

Hail To the Thief

Radiohead

4/5

Really great stuff, with all the variety and interest you'd expect. Especially liked listening after reading Wikipedia, how they recorded in 2 weeks with a purposefully lower-key style than before.

Cut

The Slits

3/5

Not my cup of tea in a few ways, but rarely actively annoying enough to warrant a 2 (though close, like a 2.6).

Konnichiwa

Skepta

3/5

For the first half, I was convinced it was 4 stars, with such cool beats and an interesting voice rapping over it. But as it went on, it felt more and more monotonous, like he wasn't pushing himself to try new sounds. 3.5.

Seventeen Seconds

The Cure

4/5

I think I have this view of early Cure as being so much more poppy, almost silly, Boys Don't Cry and stuff, like that tape I used to have in the car. That's fine, but it's never been ALLURING--but dang, this is just album 2, and it's alluring. Want to keep returning more and more.

Want Two

Rufus Wainwright

4/5

More lush, varied, and beautiful than I expected. I could even use a bit less singing and more of these arrangements! Something I'd like to listen to on a long car trip, giving it full attention.

All Hope Is Gone

Slipknot

2/5

So every 2 or 3 songs there's a verse or chorus that's actually sung instead of screamed. And those moments are the only reason this isn't a 1.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Eurythmics

4/5

Why exactly haven't I had this on repeat for years?

Under Construction

Missy Elliott

4/5

So much better than I even expected. So positive, so danceable, all in one package. One to buy on CD if I ever see it.

Let's Stay Together

Al Green

3/5

Love the opening song, and the rest is pretty good too. 3.4, kinda hoped to be more wowed?

Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

3/5

Perfectly fun! No problems with this adequate, not unenjoyable album!

The Slim Shady LP

Eminem

2/5

Whew. That was . . . not good. My comments on his subsequent album were that the beats were great even if the meanness and nastiness weren't, but this one doesn't even have notable beats to slightly redeem it. Just annoying and childish.

Germfree Adolescents

X-Ray Spex

2/5

If this were instrumental, I could see it being occasionally powerful and fun to jam to. But her voice is just....too much.

She's So Unusual

Cyndi Lauper

4/5

Just delightful in so many ways. Especially interesting to see how many covers are on here (including one by Prince?!). Time after Time really elevates it, too, with the contrasting tone. 4.3.

Screamadelica

Primal Scream

3/5

Ok I guess. Kind of disappointed after liking their other album on here better.

Beautiful Freak

Eels

4/5

After remembering loving them at Lollapalooza 1998 and not really engaging since then, I didn't know what to expect. What I found is varied, interesting rock that sounds newer than the 90s and deserves a more careful listen than I gave it.

Greetings From L.A.

Tim Buckley

5/5

Honestly, even though it feels wild to give this a 5, it's just so unexpectedly interesting and energetic, in the spirit of The Doors, that it's hard for me not to go there. Had no idea it would hit so hard.

Chemtrails Over The Country Club

Lana Del Rey

4/5

My first-ever Lana album, and I'm so glad I heard it! Soothing and interesting and lovely. Since this was album 7, makes me want to listen to all the rest.

Myths Of The Near Future

Klaxons

3/5

I kept going between, "I'm too old for this," and, "I need to stop turning off my heart by saying I'm too old for something that's clearly fun and dance-worthy." 3.5

Rum Sodomy & The Lash

The Pogues

4/5

It's hard to get past this guy's singing, but after that, it's really fun. Not a genre I know much about, so it's hard to know if it's really better than others, but hey, I had a good enough time to slap a 4 on the table, why not.

L.A. Woman

The Doors

4/5

It's just so good, you know? Not sure if it quite rises to the level of 5 stars, but it's close.

Blue Lines

Massive Attack

4/5

Excellent in so many ways, but honestly the singing holds it back?

The Who Sell Out

The Who

3/5

So I love that there are commercials here, just the right kind of humor. But the songs themselves seem . . . no better than fine. Sure it's a 3.5, but it's hard for me to go higher?

Moby Grape

4/5

Pretty good! I think I'll bump this 3.5 up to a 4 mostly because the bass player was really wild, in a Mike Mills sort of "walking around" way. A lot of it still just sounds like any late 60s "we sing in harmony" rock band, but I can see why it's at least a little elevated above that...

The Visitors

ABBA

4/5

Ok, that was far better than I expected. Sure, a bit of the cheesy Abba things you'd expect show up here and there, but there are enough head-bobbing bangers that it's worth remembering.

Feast of Wire

Calexico

5/5

That was more varied and mind-blowing than I expected. Really want to go back and listen again ASAP.

Doggystyle

Snoop Dogg

3/5

So the music is better than I remembered. And yes, I'm troubled by how many of the lines I remember (especially in the skits, which I must have really taken to heart with my own soundwriting). But no matter how good the sounds, it's SO mean and anti-woman that there's no way I could go higher than a 3, even privately. Ugh.

Bad

Michael Jackson

4/5

Listening today, I find that what I like the most are the synth sounds--so cool and 80s, sort of proto-Forever Your Girl in a way. Would love to drive down the road with the windows down listening to this. "Dirty Diana" was a surprise favorite.

Playing With Fire

Spacemen 3

3/5

There was one point where I was annoyed enough to give this a 2, with grating guitar. And the vocals are never great. But there were other places that felt like proto-post-rock, and a whole bunch of forgettable parts. I'll land in the middle.

Strange Cargo III

William Orbit

3/5

Oh, the 90s: full of electronic music that looks on Wikipedia like it'll change my life but turns out to be just so-so.

Shaft

Isaac Hayes

4/5

Really good stuff. Didn't realize it was mostly instrumental, honestly. It's like what you wanted it to be and more.

Ellington at Newport

Duke Ellington

4/5

Really, really excellent. The kind of thing you wish you had on vinyl to pop on every once in a while (even if it's the truncated original version).

Calenture

The Triffids

3/5

Occasional moments of complex brilliance overshadowed by a lot of boringness. The very definition of a 3.5.

Surfer Rosa

Pixies

4/5

I'm not quite sure what it is about this album that just works so well for me, because I feel like there are other albums by bands like this that I WOULDN'T like. I mean, the singing isn't great, the songs are more powerful than catchy, and so on. Yet it makes me feel young, like I'm listening to Nirvana for the first time in middle school, and that's not something to ignore.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

David Bowie

4/5

Intense and excellent, a clear 4.5. Yet actually shorter than I expected, and a little more like an epic Beatles album than an epic 70s album, if that makes sense. Needs more listening, ideally in the car.

Pelican West

Haircut 100

3/5

Occasionally pretty good, never excellent (and too much sax, yikes).

At Fillmore East

The Allman Brothers Band

5/5

I had no idea this would be so remarkable--so proto-Phish, so full of ups and downs. (And 7 tracks across 4 sides!) And honestly, for the longest time, I was convinced it was a 4, since the blues at the beginning were really good blues but still just blues. But then as the solos continue, it just grows and changes. Plus: so much organ.

Autobahn

Kraftwerk

4/5

Maybe I should give this a 3, but I mean it's KRAFTWERK, and I've listened to this record for so long, it's hard to imagine not bumping to 4?

Clandestino

Manu Chao

3/5

That was fine, but it sounded better on Wikipedia than it sounded in practice. That is, the idea of all these languages, all these styles, melding together is amazing--but then it's actually just sort of okay music.

Music From The Penguin Cafe

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

4/5

I'm glad this exists! I'll say that for quite a while I thought it was more on the boring side, but it got more actually-emotional toward the end. Want to listen again. 3.8.

Stardust

Willie Nelson

4/5

Really quite a lot nicer than I expected--always mellow and quiet, both in the arrangements and his delivery, like he's sitting down and talking more than singing.

Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers

3/5

As it went on, I could see why people like it; some songs are pretty 90s-good, and the production sounds good, just as Wikipedia told me it would. But still, it's ultimately not doing much for me?

Oxygène

Jean-Michel Jarre

4/5

Really much better than I feared it would be. Like, my hopes were high, and he didn't disappoint.

Tres Hombres

ZZ Top

4/5

I was a little bummed when I saw ZZ Top show up as my album today, not really knowing them much--but dang, this really IS well-done southern boogie/blues rock. Much more into it than I expected to be.

Buffalo Springfield Again

Buffalo Springfield

4/5

I honestly had no idea Neil Young was in this band, and that it was from the 60s. (Isn't there a Buffalo something band from the 90s? Is that still these guys?) In any case, despite my silliness, this was interesting and varied and cool, worth another listen for sure.

Penthouse And Pavement

Heaven 17

4/5

Really top-notch 80s synth-pop that I really wish I had known about earlier. Laughing out loud at track 9's "for a very long time, for a very long time, for a very long time."

Appetite For Destruction

Guns N' Roses

3/5

Ok, I liked the guitar riffs and sound more than I expected. But it's still surely not better than a 3.4 or so?

Exodus

Bob Marley & The Wailers

3/5

I've wanted to listen to more Bob a lot in the last few years. This did not convince me that I ought to.

Your New Favourite Band

The Hives

3/5

Better than most things with a punk background, I guess? I like it the way I like someone like Squad Five-O, which these days isn't much.

Hunky Dory

David Bowie

4/5

Really good and varied and interesting. It's like if the Beatles kept making good music together.

Street Signs

Ozomatli

3/5

Some standout tracks (especially the 2 next-to-last) but overall not something I'd write home about.

Another Green World

Brian Eno

4/5

Listened twice and still missed a lot. Best with no singing, but oh well. Occasionally moving.

Post Orgasmic Chill

Skunk Anansie

3/5

Gotta admit, much better than I expected after reading Wikipedia. Kind of Evanescence-quality, with a strong female vocalist and actually engaging hard rock. But it's still just a 3.5, right?

Rejoicing In The Hands

Devendra Banhart

4/5

That was really nice! Sounds so different than most albums on here, so mellow and acoustic. Perhaps his voice is a learned taste, and perhaps some songs start to blend together on the first listen, but still worth of respect.

Mott

Mott The Hoople

3/5

I guess you can hear hints of post-Beatles, early Bowie, Bob Dylan-y stuff. I guess there are a couple of nice guitar solos and it's not almost ever offensive. But whatever.

Throwing Muses

3/5

I'll admit that I was so excited about getting into some of Tanya D's pre-Breeders, pre-Belly work, which perhaps made this feel especially . . . so-so.

São Paulo Confessions

Suba

4/5

I've been burned by so many 90s electronica-related albums on here that I didn't get my hopes up, but this is the real deal. A 4.5 that on more listens I might even bump up to 5. So chill, so just right.

Franz Ferdinand

3/5

It's fine and fun, but I mean not THAT fun. 3.1?

You're Living All Over Me

Dinosaur Jr.

5/5

An infectiously powerful sound that's hard to explain--it just resonates in my heart in some way. Even with the less-than-great vocals, I've got to lean high on this one to reflect that feeling.

Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman

John Zorn

2/5

Whew. That's a lot of sound pounding into your ears at once. Yet occasionally there are moments that are more interesting than others, especially when it feels like a parody of other genres of music. I'd like to put a 2-minute track of this on a mixtape, is what I'm saying, and leave the rest.

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

5/5

It's hard to imagine an album can be this good. Everything sounds fresh and bright and different, and then there are the layers beneath that if you actually listen to the lyrics over and over. I'm so sad that this hasn't been on constant repeat through my whole life--think what I've been missing.

Live At The Harlem Square Club

Sam Cooke

3/5

That was fun, especially since it was lost for so long and because I'm listening to the 500 songs rock podcast. But I mean, I don't quite see why it's supposed to be one of the best albums ever?

Superfuzz Bigmuff

Mudhoney

4/5

Hey, it's got a really powerful sound--very pre-Nirvana for sure. I guess it's ultimately a 3.5 that I'll round up just because I suspect I'd like it more if I were giving it more attention.

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

Raekwon

3/5

It's fine but not really very interesting. Forgettable.

The Stone Roses

3/5

Pleasant, but I didn't notice much to NOTICE, even in the two really long songs at the end. Surely I'd go higher on a re-listen, but today it's a 3.3.

Foo Fighters

3/5

I mean, it sure sounded 90s. This was actually the first time I listened to the whole thing, and no, I didn't know Dave recorded all the parts himself. And it struck me as . . . better than I expected, I guess, and occasionally interesting (like where the rhythms did things you didn't expect). But it also felt longer than it was, making it a 3.5 that rounds down.

Connected

Stereo MC's

3/5

So early 90s you almost can't believe it. And in that context, I mean, it's fine? I like it more than I dislike it? But no, I'm not going to make this part of my regular rotation, though maybe I would have in 9th grade or something. 3.5.

Atomizer

Big Black

2/5

Sigh. More punk. Better than a lot of punk! But generally not something fun to listen to; like, at no points did I say, "Ooh, let me pay more attention to THAT!" 2.5.

Exile In Guyville

Liz Phair

3/5

There's something nice about low-fi, simple recordings. There's something about singing kind of relaxed, like you don't really care. But I don't know--I guess I was expecting something more PJ Harvey-ish, and it's really missing all that creativity and energy. Occasionally interesting, but never all that much. 3.3.

2112

Rush

3/5

Look, I love a single track taking a full side of a record. You know I do. But you also know I can't get very far with AC/DC style scream-singing. It just takes everything else down a notch.

Hearts And Bones

Paul Simon

3/5

Pretty smooth, with those Simon vocals on very 80s sounds, almost a Phil Collins vibe. Good enough to get it to a 4? Not quite, but I wouldn't be sad if it came up on a shuffle some day.

Stankonia

OutKast

4/5

Glad I heard this, tons of creative fun, but still too long in that 90s-hip hop way. Deserves a more careful listen.

Bert Jansch

4/5

This is so interesting and refreshing and complex. It's a 4.5, despite the simplicity--just one guitar and one voice, right?

good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick Lamar

3/5

Fun and creative, but somehow less memorable than I expected? It's a solid 3.5 for me, hard to know which direction to go... maybe if I listened with more focus.

Skylarking

XTC

3/5

Track 5 with all the strings was the first place I really noticed what was going on. Then once or twice I thought, "Oh, that's varied, even if it's not particularly grabbing me," and then it ended me with the surprise "Dear God" song, which is the best on the album.

Neon Bible

Arcade Fire

5/5

What is there to say that hasn't been said? One reviewer on Wikipedia suggests that it takes itself so seriously that it can't itself be taken seriously, but it's the opposite: something that knows it matters so much that it ends up mattering even more. Love it.

D

White Denim

4/5

Much nicer than expected--varied and interesting, but light and fun, too. I know I write this a lot, but it would be great to listen to while driving across the country. Never heard of this band before, but now I want to check them out.

Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)

Loretta Lynn

3/5

Perfectly fine, nice, sweet little album. Liked it more because I've been listening to the 500 Songs Rock History podcast. But on the same day as something like Neon Bible, how could it compete?

Rio

Duran Duran

4/5

So much fun it's like it automatically gets a 4. But I'm completely unable to say how "great" it is or isn't. Oh well.

Caetano Veloso

4/5

Really fun and vibrant, definitely need to check out again.

A Seat at the Table

Solange

4/5

Groovy, bassy, calming, yet focused: with those super positive interludes and strong Black power songs. Really great, and would be even greater with a bit more variety.

Djam Leelii

Baaba Maal

3/5

Good in the way that a lot of this style of African music is to me: nice, interesting, but ultimately not something I quite understand enough to love, a lot like those 2 Bela Fleck albums.

E.V.O.L.

Sonic Youth

4/5

Delightfully loud and powerful, yet ambient and emotional at times, too. Like the Pixies but somehow maybe better? Gotta do a more careful listen soon.

More Songs About Buildings And Food

Talking Heads

4/5

Fun and engaging and it's hugely sad that I don't listen to them more and wait this is from the SEVENTIES??!

Purple Rain

Prince

5/5

Well THAT was sure a classic that I waited far, far too long to listen to. That song Mariah Carey covers, and When Doves Cry, and lots of unexpected awesomeness in between. And that long final track is perfection.

Mask

Bauhaus

3/5

Almost the definition of the line between 3 and 4, with some engaging Joy Division-esque stuff that's appropriately catchy and moody, along with a lot that's just . . . ok.

The Last Broadcast

Doves

3/5

Oh I see a Coldplay clone how nice

Oracular Spectacular

MGMT

3/5

Mostly okay with a fair bit of yawn. Standout track was #8, "Of Moons, Birds & Monsters."

If I Should Fall From Grace With God

The Pogues

4/5

You know, I liked this a lot more than I did when I was doing the 1988 year, especially because of the variety of instruments and types of songs. It's still hard for me to get past the punk-y singing, which just strikes me as silly and untalented in most cases, but it's still a really good album. 3.8.

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Dead Kennedys

2/5

On many punk albums, my thinking is, "How could someone like this?" For this album, my thinking is more, "Okay, when this is really smoking, I can see why someone hearing them live in a crowd might really like it." But then: the voice is just so, so bad. Just can't.

The Gilded Palace Of Sin

The Flying Burrito Brothers

3/5

Nice to read about it (sure, country and rock blending in 1969 was important, I get it), but ho-hum to listen to.

Eternally Yours

The Saints

3/5

When I saw "70s punk," I was worried, but it was actually more palatable than a lot of that. Not memorable, but palatable!

Aja

Steely Dan

3/5

The funny thing is that when I listened to this on vinyl (Janet's old copy) a while back, I thought, "That was so much better than I expected!" But today, it's less . . . gripping. Like, I love the jazz/rock combo idea, and the unusual structures, and interesting solos, and all that, but when they "jazz," they often mean "smooth jazz," or something that's reminiscent of it. Leaving me at more of a 3.5....

Nothing's Shocking

Jane's Addiction

4/5

Just as it was in my 1988 year, this rocks so much harder than I ever would have expected.

Apocalypse Dudes

Turbonegro

4/5

I admit I wasn't listening to the words, and these song titles are ridiculous. But DANG, I'm really digging pretty much every solo--these guys do instrumental rock breaks really well, and even the singing isn't that bad. It's probably a 3.8 or so, but sure, I'll round up!

The Undertones

3/5

It's like, okay. Blank fine rock that if you saw them live you'd never consider buying a CD, but you wouldn't be sad they were there, even though the band you WANTED to see is like 4 bands later.

Southern Rock Opera

Drive-By Truckers

2/5

Look, this is 3-star music that digs hard into the country-rock scene, fine, but guys, there's just too much of it, so you're down to 2 stars, I don't make the rules. The last couple tracks were good enough that it almost convinced me to change my mind, but not THAT good.

Heartbreaker

Ryan Adams

4/5

I don't know that I've ever listened to a Ryan Adams song before? And I'm inclined to dislike him so much because of #phoebe . . . yet dang, this is actually really good music, with variety and heart and all the right ups and downs.

The Notorious Byrd Brothers

The Byrds

4/5

Really creative and lovely. Listened twice, could easily have restarted. Should buy on vinyl. 4.4.

Trout Mask Replica

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

1/5

I got through 22 of 28 tracks. Just couldn't. The worst album of all time.

Histoire De Melody Nelson

Serge Gainsbourg

4/5

Beautiful, evocative music that's so clearly pre-trip-hop that you can't believe it's 1971. But hey, why does no one online talk about how the story glorifies STATUATORY RAPE, including a cover image of a sexualized child? I just can't believe so many people choose the music over the content.

Cloud Nine

The Temptations

3/5

For a while I was going to go 4, since it's so bass-y and groovy and a perfect example of its genre. But as we got into side B, I stopped noticing as much interesting, amazing stuff. I'll say it's a 3.5 that rounds down.

White Ladder

David Gray

3/5

I guess it's weird to feel like I've never heard any of this music when Wikipedia and Pitchfork are like "HE'S EVERYWHERE, EVERYWHERE." Voice sounds familiar. And I mean, sure, it's . . . inoffensive music. Singer-songwriter with a mellow drum machine. Forgettable.

Felt Mountain

Goldfrapp

3/5

Kind of Commuter Grooves meets Combustible Edison, making it the most 3.5 album of all time. I wasn't giving it the attention it deserves, probably, but I don't remember being particularly TAKEN with the many interesting sounds I heard, if that makes sense?

Sail Away

Randy Newman

3/5

I guess the chamber instruments are nice, but I've never understood his chummy style.

A Short Album About Love

The Divine Comedy

3/5

Perhaps the very definition of "takes itself too seriously." I guess I feel mean writing that, and perhaps with a different singer it would seem more emotional in the ways it's supposed to, rather than "middle of the night in Vegas."

Vulnicura

Björk

4/5

So hard to rate, since it's so hard an album. Much of it is more "interesting to listen to" than "something I want to listen to often," but dang, it really IS interesting, right? The key problem, as with so much later Björk, is the lack of melodies. You feel it in that magical moment with the solo violin and viola in "family," how you've been missing more than just mood-evoking strings and beats and vocals sung like recitative. The first song is the best, because it's the most hummable. But still, the album is an event, a thing to be remembered.

Bluesbreakers

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

4/5

Ok, when it comes to white Brits diving into Black blues in the 60s, this is really as good as it gets, right? So groovy and infectious and bluesy. Impressive.

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis

3/5

I've read the book. I own it on vinyl. But there's always a disconnect between what everyone says about this album and how it actually hits, which is overwhelming, chaotic, hard to process, even random-seeming. I like it best when it gets most like rock, when it most quiets down... But that's not often. 3.2.

The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks

3/5

Really nice, Beatles-esque 60s rock. Liked it more than I expected. It's a solid 3.5, but I guess since I can't name a particular thing I loved about it or remember a particular song, I'll go down? But I'd like to listen again.

They Were Wrong, So We Drowned

Liars

2/5

Did I once or twice kind of appreciate the deep beats and sounds? Sure, once or twice. Is that enough to bring this up from an awful, noisy, music-less 1 to a 1.5 that rounds up to 2. Sure, whatever.

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Stevie Wonder

3/5

Occasionally transcendent, but less often than I expected and hoped.

Treasure

Cocteau Twins

3/5

I guess I was hoping for that to be better. Moments of beauty and wonder just as I'd hoped, but also a lot of "just ORDINARY ethereal vocals and mellow shoegazey stuff, rather than EXTRAORDINARY ethereal vocals and mellow shoegazey stuff."

Reggatta De Blanc

The Police

3/5

Message in a Bottle really is that good (and is from 1979??!). The rest is . . . fine.

Idlewild

Everything But The Girl

2/5

This is not a good album--think Natalie Merchant lite with fake-synth instruments. Is that enough to go down to a 2? Um, probably; it's a 2.5.

The Sounds Of India

Ravi Shankar

4/5

As good as an album like this gets, right? Traditional and lovely.

The Sun Rises In The East

Jeru The Damaja

3/5

I guess it's fine. Honestly, it's mixed badly, so I often can barely even hear the lyrics over the beats, but those beats are fine, perfectly 90s, etc.

Beyond Skin

Nitin Sawhney

4/5

Really quite unique. Occasionally falls into the typical disappointing "90s downtempo" funk where everything sounds like Commuter Grooves or bad mall music, but much more often is surprisingly jazzy, subtle, and Indian. Deserves another listen.

Among The Living

Anthrax

2/5

Really not enjoyable to listen to, but unlike some metal, I can hear some of the craft. The more thrash I listen to, the more I appreciate the complex song structures. But . . . that might be just about all I appreciate? Well, it's recorded pretty well, too. Just so repetitive, so blah.

Queen Of Denmark

John Grant

3/5

Coming into it after reading on Wikipedia, I had fairly high hopes: the backing band Midlake sounded cool, with its jazz and "real chops" background, and the quiet introspection described sounded good. And for a few songs, it was mostly on track to deliver: his voice is okay, and when he's quiet, he's engaging (if not SO engaging). Yet there are more upbeat songs than expected, and those tend to sound either post-Beatles or post-Crosby, Stills, & Nash. In short, I didn't connect the way I expected to. 3.3.

Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos

5/5

So many powerful, important moments in just a single album. Maybe it's a 4-star album with 5-star memories attached, but who the hell cares.

Third/Sister Lovers

Big Star

4/5

For never having heard of these folks before, I really enjoyed this more than expected. I see why R.E.M. likes them, and I'm surprised it's from the 70s--feels newer and fresher. Plus lots of nice orchestrations and variety. Solid 4.

Close To You

Carpenters

3/5

Wikipedia is fascinating, with all its talk about how uncool and "white bread" they were perceived to be, even as critics and listeners loved this album. And Karen was so young (19 or 20 when recording)! And, um, did I know they were siblings? Yet despite all that outside interesting, it's a pretty boring album, almost dipping into annoying territory. 2.8.

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

3/5

The thing is, if you can ignore the violence and sexism (not that you should), the beats and samples are way more catchy than you'd expect from something packaged as being so angry.

American Idiot

Green Day

4/5

Honestly better than I expected. Perhaps still not musically at a level that I'd be inclined to give it a 4, just because of personal preferences, but it's so much more creative and meaningful (with 8- and 9-minute songs!!) than how I normally think of Green Day that they deserve the 4.

Live At Leeds

The Who

4/5

When you think of this as essentially a Pearl Jam live album, it makes more sense (though obviously, I know I'm thinking like me, not chronologically, when I say that). I mean, it's good! It would rock to be there! It doesn't grab me as much as it probably could, but for whatever reason I feel like going higher today rather than lower, though it's really kind of a 3.5. Also worth considering: why do I find I like these guys more than Zeppelin, when they're so similar in so many ways?

Rocks

Aerosmith

3/5

It sounds really good, much more like a modern rock album than I expected. Great riffs. Better than most Aerosmith. But dang, I don't know, it just doesn't grab ME enough to go 4. It's more like, "Good job for making good music for people who want this!" I wasn't listening close enough, I know, it's not fair.

Back to Mystery City

Hanoi Rocks

3/5

If I was in middle school in 1983 and this were one of my first albums, I can see how I might have loved it (which is surely how it ended up in this book). But otherwise, it's just . . . ok? Good, fine hard rock. You know: whatever.

Slayed?

Slade

3/5

Omg more British hard rock from the 70s, yawn-fest. (One day I should compare what I wrote about bands like this earlier in the project rather than later, but sheesh.)

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Iron Butterfly

4/5

Don't love his voice, but that's as close as I can get to a real critique. It feels Doors-y, but in a good, groovy way. Both the short songs and the one long song are better than I expected/remembered.

american dream

LCD Soundsystem

3/5

Pretty boring. Like someone who listened to a lot of Talking Heads and decided to make it less interesting, more "exact" in that modern way.

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water

Limp Bizkit

2/5

Really awful stuff in so many ways. Most palatable when it quiets down, and there's like, singing? But generally sheesh.

Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

Spirit

3/5

Fine 70s rock without ever really grabbing my attention.

Bone Machine

Tom Waits

5/5

Again, I'm kind of in awe of the bizarre creativity mixed with occasional moments of emotion and tenderness. When did I begin liking Tom Waits? Who even am I?

Meat Is Murder

The Smiths

3/5

That was good, fine, entertaining. It's a 3.5 and part of me feels like I'm supposed to go higher because it's The Smiths, but I think deep down it's more of a 3 for me, at least today?

American IV: The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash

4/5

I've never been a fan of Cash's voice, but this one had me feeling the things it wanted me to feel. Impressed.

Vol. 4

Black Sabbath

3/5

Plenty of this is better than I hoped, with plenty of those "ooh, yeah, I hear how the Pumpkins were listening to this" moments, especially the excellently long instrumental part at the end of the final track. It's also nice that there are some breathers here, with quiet songs and instrumentals. That puts the whole thing at least at a 3.5. But is it really good enough to go to a 4? Close, but I'm not sure.

Scum

Napalm Death

1/5

It's hilarious--hilarious!--to me that Wikipedia for this album lists all kinds of details about the differences between side a and side b, which apparently had totally different bands except for the drummers--only to discover that both sides are equally utter unlistenable trash, and I don't say that about very much.

Remedy

Basement Jaxx

4/5

Pretty 3.5 throughout: none of the eye-rollingly-bad stuff that 90s dance music often brings, but still little of the real creativity that the form is capable of. So I was honestly planning to round down, but then the last 2 tracks but 1 (which is only on YouTube) were so engaging that I think it convinced me to round up.

69 Love Songs

The Magnetic Fields

4/5

Impossible to judge an album like this when it was just on in the background for over 3 hours.... But I'll say that as it went, my "okay, this is so-so/whatever" feelings morphed into more and more moments of little joys at cute or beautiful little songs. I liked it best when the women sang, too. Fun and varied and interesting and wildly huge enough to deserve a 4.

Trio

Dolly Parton

3/5

That was sweet, simple music done well. I think I liked it more than I would have 1 or 2 or 3 years ago, somehow. Yet . . . I think because it's not my genre, it just didn't hit home too hard. Well done, ladies! I hope others appreciated it more!

All Hail the Queen

Queen Latifah

4/5

So excellently top-notch, just what you want from a positive 1989 rap album. 4.5.

Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite

Maxwell

3/5

Pretty easy to summarize: "Ascension" is an ascendant track, so groovy and perfect that I could listen to it all day. But almost nothing else is that good, and I don't know, the often-present sax just makes it feel a little too elevator-y, in a bad way.

Grievous Angel

Gram Parsons

3/5

That was nice, I guess. It's weird to me that steel guitar and harmonies with Emmy Lou Harris make something sound "country," but I guess they do. Sad he died so young. "Love Hurts" is a funny, nice little song. Shrug.

Nevermind

Nirvana

5/5

Obviously it's been part of my life forever. But what I really listened for today is all the stuff people talk about online: its poppiness, lightness, even its progressive attitudes--all things that I didn't get AT ALL with no musical context before it in 1991, but which I heard today. Which made me love it even more.

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Aretha Franklin

4/5

Really lovely--yes, for her voice and power, but also for the slow, bluesy grooves that I wasn't expecting. Varied and delightful.

Bright Flight

Silver Jews

3/5

The intro to Track 6 is the first time I've thought, "Ooh, this is interesting music that I should pay attention to." That's telling. . . . Yep, now it's over, and that was literally the only interesting moment.

Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black

Public Enemy

3/5

So I'll admit that I listened to this mostly through laptop speakers while doing "first day of class" jobs, so take that for what it's worth. But it strikes me as a perfectly good early-90s rap album: cool beats, important lyrics, a fun radio station interlude, and more. 3.5, but I didn't notice enough to round up.

The Rolling Stones

3/5

That was kinda fun. I think a little better than I expected, and especially good after hearing the first Stones episode of the History of Rock Music podcast. I'm still not like excited about it/them, but it's nice.

Foxbase Alpha

Saint Etienne

4/5

It's a crime that I'm listening to this on cheap laptop speakers. Because of that, my 3.5/3.6 inclination is going to go up. After all, I can hear hints of Orbital and Hooverphonic here, and what could go wrong with that as a base?

A Walk Across The Rooftops

The Blue Nile

4/5

Was glad I listened with headphones. Kind of a Police meet David Bowie in an alley in the 80s vibe. Always good, rarely great. A 3.5 I'll round up, but maybe that's because the Wikipedia praise affected me.

m b v

My Bloody Valentine

4/5

Moody and lovely in all the right ways. Sounds so much like the earlier albums, even in 2013! Can't wait to become a super-fan and listen to all 3 in a row all the time.

Odessey And Oracle

The Zombies

4/5

Fun and fresh and varied. Perhaps none of it is quite as good as the final "Time of Season" track, but it's still worth returning to repeatedly.

Electric Prunes

The Electric Prunes

3/5

Perfectly fine 60s rock. Occasionally attention-grabbing (e.g. nice little guitar solo, interesting sounds, weirdly cartoony final track), so it's a 3-point-something. But rarely transcendent in any way.

Juju

Siouxsie And The Banshees

4/5

Honestly quite a bit better than I expected. I think I've learned through this project to distrust anything with the label "punk" or "post-punk," but this felt more like Pat Benatar than anything else in my musical vocabulary, and that's a really, really good thing. Powerful ups and downs and interesting sounds throughout. Definitely a 4 for me, but I wonder if I listened enough if it would grow into a 5 in my heart.

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

3/5

I mean, that was nice! I enjoyed having it on! I never disliked it! And maybe it would have felt more IMPORTANT in the way Wikipedia describes it if I had been following along with the lyrics, the story, etc.

Fire Of Love

The Gun Club

2/5

Wikipedia is all "look how it's blending punk and roots!!!" and I'm all "Look at how it's not really as deep and unique as all that!"

Before And After Science

Brian Eno

3/5

Bizarrely boring for the first half, much better when it gets quieter and ambienter in the second half—yet when are two halves so different they don't match???

Basket of Light

Pentangle

4/5

I like the folksy instruments, the sitar, the hand drums, and even the songs and arrangements (so much modalism!)--so I GUESS I'll lean toward a 4. Yet I guess I wish I liked the lead singer better, or maybe it's the way she's recorded, SO central to the mix, and so flat.

Go Girl Crazy

The Dictators

3/5

Occasionally as silly as I expected "the first punk album" to be, but occasionally really nice, like the punk-y covers of Beach Boys-style stuff and I Got You Babe. 3.4.

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg

Jerry Lee Lewis

4/5

Hey, that was fun! Lots of classics and energy. Maybe not "best live album ever" level as Wikipedia says, but still worth returning to.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

The Smashing Pumpkins

5/5

So much could be said, but two big thoughts were on my mind on this listen (in the car on and off over a couple days): 1) How when you listen to music as a teenager, it's without influences, it's the prototypical music that simply sounds as it sounds. And I notice that when I listen to this now, it's still like that: I still have trouble hearing the Black Sabbath that's supposedly there, and so on. Sure, occasionally you say, "Lily is in the style of ____," but for most it feels like it was birthed out of nowhere. Somehow I struggle to move beyond my 15-year-old impressions. That's often good and sometimes bad. 2) The lyrics really *are* silly. It's hard to imagine anyone EXCEPT a 15-year-old singing along without some cringing and laughing. I think as I got older, I started to think that BC's writing got sillier, but now I'm thinking it's always been silly and I'm just the one growing up. And yet: what is like this?

The New Tango

Astor Piazzolla

5/5

Really astonishingly good. It starts like I expected: lovely mellow tango-inspired vibe stuff. But on the energetic pieces, it's modern and string-heavy and just wow-level at every level. I really need to buy this ASAP on vinyl.

Wild Is The Wind

Nina Simone

4/5

Varied tones and emotions and instruments, all with power. Liked it even more than expected.

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

4/5

Love the different moods of the two sides, and the intensity and greatness of the instruments. Another that's worth getting on vinyl for SURE.

Rhythm Nation 1814

Janet Jackson

5/5

Really a true delight. Danceable in all the ways you'd expect, but with some depth and occasional variety. Even the long, slow, elevator-y final track feels right, you know?

Head Hunters

Herbie Hancock

3/5

It's a 3.5: a 4-track, funky instrumental album with precursors of the Flecktones and things like that in it, but perhaps without quite enough to GRAB ME.

Traffic

4/5

For a lot of it, I thought it was a 3: kind of Doors-y, pre-Phish-y, standard-ish bluesy rock. But there were a couple tracks toward the end that stood out as feeling more meaningful, and I admit I wasn't listening that closely, so I'll round up!

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

3/5

Am I weird for not knowing that "Breakdown" and "American Girl" were called that and were also Tom Petty songs from his first album? Probably. The problem is that those two songs are pretty good (Breakdown actually really good) but not good enough to pull a perfectly-fine-but-whatever album up to the next level.

Tarkus

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

4/5

You had me with "one side of the record is just one long track," but I liked that it was so organ-heavy, deserving more listens just from that alone. And then on Side B, "A Time and a Place" was this clear proto-Pink Floyd moment that I loved, and the album closes with a weird, raucous Jerry Lee Lewis-style track, like it's in space? I'm here for it.

The College Dropout

Kanye West

4/5

Obviously a problematic figure, but I can really see why this broke ground in 2004. It feels newer than that, with a lot of fun variety and creativity that's clearly different from the harder, more gangsta-style stuff that was still in the air then.

Highly Evolved

The Vines

3/5

"Sounds like Nirvana," says someone on Wikipedia. Um, maybe once or twice for 5 seconds each, and never with a comparably powerful sound. It's really just rather ok alterna-rock from its era, nothing to dream about forever.

Peter Gabriel 3

Peter Gabriel

4/5

Needs a relisten in headphones to catch all the variety and psychedelic-meets-the-80s vibes. Artful and impressive.

Sex Packets

Digital Underground

3/5

Merely fine. Once or twice, in this very long album, I looked up and thought, "Hey, this is better than just generic 80s hip-hop—there's something noticeably artistic and fresh going on." But usually not. Part of it might be my response to the lead rapper's voice, which just sounds kind of . . . silly?

Scott 4

Scott Walker

3/5

Interesting effect: his weird voice and even some of the instrumentation comes across immediately as cheesy, like a past-his-prime nightclub singer. But then as it goes on, and there's so much variety, it kind of grew on me? Not enough to go seeking it out again much at all, but enough to actually respect.

I See You

The xx

5/5

Dang, I loved this. It's especially the woman's vocals, which instantly grab you, but it's also the subtle, powerful electronics beneath them, with a certainty that comes from not BLOWING YOU OUT OF THE WATER but from knowledge that you could with just a look.

All That You Can't Leave Behind

U2

3/5

I guess I wasn't exactly BORED, and at least once I thought, "That's nice music," and "Peace on Earth" is really good. Maybe I didn't listen closely enough. Or maybe in 2000 it sounded like these guys were getting old already.... (Don't tell Deb.)

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

Sinead O'Connor

4/5

Strongest when she's powerfully mellow, like on the opening track. Often lovely and thoughtful—for me, probably like a 3.7 or something, one that I'd welcome hearing again but am not dreaming of.

Crosby, Stills & Nash

4/5

Really nice, and I bet it was even more important in its context, where, according to Wikipedia, it was a purposeful push against LOUD versions of blues-rock. Harmonies are lovely, and many of the songs (especially the quiet ones) hit just right. I'm a fan.

Closer

Joy Division

4/5

I thought today would be the day that I could say, "After years of not QUITE seeing why this is as loved as it is, this is the day that I listened so carefully that I finally really understand." But today isn't that day. It's great, and I liked it, but there's still a bit of, "Yeah, that was good, even better than average, but so?"

S.F. Sorrow

The Pretty Things

3/5

Another of those "clearly post-Sgt. Pepper" albums, but actually with some positive/interesting moments. And yes, it's intriguing to think of this as the first "rock opera" ever, with a connected story that matters over time, and no, I didn't listen closely enough to give that the credit it deserves. Still....

War

U2

5/5

My memories of listening to this on cassette in the car all focus on its intensity, those unexpected moments where you can't believe it's hitting SO HARD AGAIN. And listening today in my office, while working . . . it was just that good. I think what makes it a 5 instead of a 4 is that the hits just keep coming, with no duds on the whole thing.

Killing Joke

3/5

Definitely better than I would usually expect from something labeled "post-punk." Honestly, I can see how in the right mood, this kind of bass-heavy, distortion-heavy, drum-heavy rock would hit just right, like on a road trip, or turned up loud. So it's a 3.5, but I think I'm going down simply because the SONGS THEMSELVES aren't what's grabbing me, it's the sound/production.

The Wildest!

Louis Prima

4/5

It's Vegas! I'm dancing! There are 2 great vocalists! And instrumentals! And it's New Orleansy! Fun!

I Am a Bird Now

Antony and the Johnsons

4/5

Ah, so THIS is where that person from Bjork's albums comes from! It's gentle and chamber-y, with a fun mix of instruments you wouldn't expect on indie-style music. Worth coming back to some day.

Chelsea Girl

Nico

3/5

So I realize that it's rude and dirty to add instruments to someone else's work without their knowledge, so they cry at the flute when they hear the album for the first time, but dang if that stuff isn't to me the most interesting thing here, and dare I say the only thing that keeps me from bumping it down to 2 out of sheer dislike for Niko's voice, is that mean?

Music

Madonna

3/5

Sure, there were a couple of moments where I could hear and notice the supposedly ground-breaking/unusual/weird production and electronic tricks that Wikipedia and contemporary reviewers talk so much about. But on the other hand, this is 2000; Bjork existed, for example. When heard in that context, it's just pop music on the "just barely more than boring" level, certainly nothing to write home about (at least to my 2023 ears). 3.1.

Logical Progression

LTJ Bukem

5/5

I'm not even sure if I listened to the right stuff or not, but dang it was good regardless (mixed the album linked to here, with the songs I could find on Spotify that Wikipedia says were on both original discs, with a YouTube video claiming to be the almost complete original disc B). The point is that this kind of mellow, background dnb is exactly what I like, and even more what I would have wanted to hear in the 90s. So while part of me feels it's 4 stars (since after all there isn't THAT much variation or anything), I'm going 5 because of that historical way it touches my past.

Pink Moon

Nick Drake

3/5

That was nice! Mellow, simple, no fancy instruments, etc. I want to start over and listen again, because it's right in that 3.5 range for me. I'll go 3 now and change to 4 later if necessary.

Let England Shake

PJ Harvey

4/5

Powerful, weird, creative, percussive. Kind of the 2011 version of Fetch the Bolt Cutters, perhaps? Love that it was recorded in a church, because once you know that you start to hear it, I think? Deserves another listen, since I think in headphones I might have bumped it up to a 5.

The Rising

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

On this overlong, 15-track album, I didn't really sit up straight and pay attention until track 14 "Paradise," which gently uses the melody of "Sound of Silence" over acoustic picking and ghostly synth waves from the distance. Really nice. But overall, this just isn't for me. Sure, maybe in 2002 some people did need this help processing 9/11, and that's great; I respect the album. It's just so dad rocky, and that's from someone who is generally ok with dad rock. Pretty bored.

Exile On Main Street

The Rolling Stones

3/5

I really just do not see what's so great about this band. This was my "Wilco" moment, listening today, where I realized I just don't see what the superfans see.

At Mister Kelly's

Sarah Vaughan

4/5

A master of her craft, with a lovely trio. Worth picking up if I see it on vinyl somewhere.

Talk Talk Talk

The Psychedelic Furs

4/5

Did I like it more because it's Friday and I needed some 80s rock to jam out to in the afternoon before I drive to Wisconsin for the weekend? Probably! But it's still good!

(What's The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis

4/5

Ok I'll be honest and say that much of this was much better than I expected. Was that because it dropped little nostalgia bombs I didn't expect? It's possible, but if so I think they were less about the songs on the radio (Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova didn't do anything for me today) and more about the production, the loud guitars, the sound. So really, it's songs like Morning Glory and the first one or two that made me sit up and say, "Wait, I thought I didn't like Oasis!" All in all, I'm still tempted to round down to a 3 because, as I said, I don't like Oasis. But the music here hit me more positively than that. 3.8. And that deserves a 4.

Take Me Apart

Kelela

4/5

Wow! Such powerful beats, with such a lovely voice. Definitely the updated R&B that I never knew I needed, but now I can't wait to keep listening. I'm going to round my 4.5 down, though, simply because more variety in sounds would have been even more amazing—though maybe on a relisten I'll regret that.

Doolittle

Pixies

4/5

I honestly can't explain why I like this band so much. It's like I feel nostalgia for something I didn't actually listen to back then. Worth writing an essay about. Just so raw and powerful without flipping into annoying, which is harder than it seems. 4.5

GI

Germs

1/5

For the first 5 minutes I assumed this would be a 2 star punk album, like so many others: respectable, but not my thing. Now I'm 25+ minutes in and it just gets worse and worse, so I'm going to give it 1 out of spite. If it hates me, I hate it more. Can't even finish the last 10 minutes (but I'll skip ahead a bit just in search of variety). Sheesh.

Aladdin Sane

David Bowie

3/5

I guess I wasn't listening as much as I should have, but I remember Queen-like rock more than anything else. It was fine, but seemed far less good than so much of his other work.

The Poet

Bobby Womack

3/5

That was fun: a strong example of that late 70s R&B genre, doing everything it's supposed to. Fun to hear "If You Think You're Lonely Now" on here, didn't realize that was him. I mean, I doubt I'm going back to relisten, unless something goes on a mixtape. 3.5.

Graceland

Paul Simon

4/5

Such a fun, lively album; I can see why Janet likes it so much. The colonialism/apartheid stuff is a little icky, but I see how it could seem okay with the songwriting credits and large payments, etc. Music-wise, it's varied and sounds just 80s enough, with lots of interesting sounds, to be a 4.4.

Murmur

R.E.M.

4/5

Oh Murmur, you're so great; I'm sorry I was confused by you when I first got that CD in middle school or high school from BMG Music. Of course, I'm completely unable to judge this apart from my experience listening over the years, of listening carefully after reading the 33 1/3 book, and so on. But I'll say that on this listen (over 3 car rides), West of the Fields was my favorite track by quite a ways. And Mike Mills is amazing. And I noticed Bill singing more than usual, for some reason. And I wonder who's playing the piano. And....

The Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd

5/5

What else can be said about this? Listening today, it's just as exciting and weird and powerful and moody and affecting as ever. No wonder that in high school I labeled it the only album I could think of without a single less-good-than-the-rest track. A favorite forever. (Thanks, Matt's dad.)

Kid A

Radiohead

5/5

I've listened to this quite a few times, and every time (every time) with a feeling of regret that this hasn't been more of a permanent, well-known and well-loved album in my regular repertoire. I can only blame cheapness and patience as reasons for not picking it up in the past; now, as a working adult who knows how to find inexpensive CDs easily, it's almost criminal. It's varied, beautiful, moody, and real in all the right ways. A classic forever.

Fifth Dimension

The Byrds

4/5

What I liked most about this is that it's not just the folksy stuff you think when you heard "The Byrds." Wikipedia may have influenced me, but I liked the upbeat rocky stuff that was almost R.E.M.-ish at times, and always pretty and interesting. Worth returning to for sure.

The Predator

Ice Cube

3/5

You know: pretty much what I'd expect. It's just that many of the beats/production don't feel particularly creative or interesting to my ears; "Check Yo Self" stands out so much because it actually uses a more prominent soul sample and brings in Das Efx for the chorus, giving it more sonic interest. I do appreciate the cool vocal remixes of news clips to show white hypocrisy when it comes to talk about violence; could use those in class, perhaps. Still, it's like the definition of a 3-star album.

Gentlemen

The Afghan Whigs

4/5

Better than expected! Sonically intriguing! Only occasionally annoying vocals! (And no, none of the purported r&b influenced talked about on Wikipedia.) Yet somehow this alterna-grungey album is right on the line of 3 and 4. I guess I'll go 4 because of the long instrumental stuff at the end.

The Modern Lovers

3/5

A 3-star whatever 70s rock album that veers lower than that because of the occasionally awful singing, sheesh.

Ragged Glory

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

There's a lot that I really liked here: the long songs, that beautifully weird final song riffing on an old hymn, and that generally fun feeling of a band rocking and rolling together for the excitement of it. (You can hear how Pearl Jam was influenced by Papa Neil, but more later PJ than earlier; this sounds nothing like Ten or Vs, even though this came out just before them.) Still, it's really, really hard for me to get past his voice, which is just ridiculously bad. Because of that, I can't go to the 4 it probably deserves.

Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

Bill Callahan

4/5

I've never heard of this Bill Callahan guy, but that was such a mellow, lovely album. A little surprised to see it in a list of 1,001 super important ones, but maybe that's just my own bias or something. Glad to experience it, especially on a cold Autumn day.

The Scream

Siouxsie And The Banshees

2/5

Wikipedia helps me a lot here: noticing how bass-driven it is, how it's proto-New Order and Cure in ways I wouldn't have noticed. And as I listen to the final track, I find myself sort of enjoying it for those reasons . . . but for the first time. It's really the vocal style, and the general disregard for conventional harmonies and melodies. I can respect it but can't love it.

The Renaissance

Q-Tip

4/5

Fun and laid-back, exactly as I'd hope from him. I like the unusual and prominent bass lines too, and the consistent vibe throughout (and, I admit, that it's 43 minutes long unlike some earlier 90s and 2000s rap albums).

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OutKast

5/5

It's just . . . such an accomplishment. It seems impossible that something could have 1) this much content, while also being 2) this varied and 3) this catchy. For that reason, it feels insulting to go less than 5 stars. Maybe I won't listen to every song on repeat for the rest of my life, but I know if I come back later it'll be with the greatest respect.

Guitar Town

Steve Earle

2/5

I guess 80s country twang singers just aren't my thing. I guess I respect him ok? I guess?

Green Onions

Booker T. & The MG's

4/5

What fun! Dang I wish I had this on vinyl! So much organ!

Colour By Numbers

Culture Club

3/5

I was excited going in: after all, I always see this record at Toad Hall, and Karma Chameleon is infinitely catchy, and that one Wikipedia reviewer said that every song is fun, even if it's not weighty. But maybe my expectations were too high; the actual music strikes me as perfectly fine, 3.4 maybe, but nothing to return to.

New York Dolls

2/5

Sheesh: kinda dumb, blues-insired, punk-inspired 70s rock that started as "3 stars that thinks too much of itself" before devolving into "2 stars that goes on for far too long and when will he learn to sing?" Glad it's over.

Permission to Land

The Darkness

4/5

Huh! Better than I expected, even if I'm not itching to go back to it. But it really is a fairly unique sound: pretty loud, rocking guitars (almost Linkin Parky once or twice) but with glammy, falsetto-y vocals that are more Queen than anything else. Never heard of it before, but I'm intrigued. A 3.7, probably.

White Light / White Heat

The Velvet Underground

4/5

I . . . don't know. I almost wish I hadn't read Wikipedia, because part of me suspects if I didn't know this was supposed to be "important," I might not have heard it that way. But . . . I think I would have, at least a little bit? There's that pre-Sonic Youth, pre-Pavement, pre-Pixies kind of noisiness here that is infectious and surely before its time. I mean, I don't want to buy this or listen again soon, and wow surely never with Margo in the room--but I'm glad I heard it.

Welcome To The Pleasuredome

Frankie Goes To Hollywood

4/5

This is clearly elevated above other 80s synth-pop albums, for so many reasons: the genre-bending approach to song length (many way too long for radio play), the blend of instrumentations and tempos for variety, and just the overall musicianship. It's good stuff that deserves more attention.

Nighthawks At The Diner

Tom Waits

4/5

Sigh....it's too dang long, and he's just . . . Tom. But there's so much of him, too much of him. But what a creative idea for an album (excellent jazz combo in a fake cafe setting), with such good musical accompaniment! And maybe if I actually listened more carefully I'd like it more? Thinking of going to a 4 just for the creativity and uniqueness of it, even if I don't want to listen again.

Talking Heads 77

Talking Heads

4/5

Just what you'd expect? 3.5

Metal Box

Public Image Ltd.

2/5

Mostly forgettable. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood, but whatever to this thing.

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Mudhoney

3/5

At times I was really pleased in the way I expected to, with a My Chemical Romance meets the Pixies vibe. But a lot of the time, I didn't really notice it, with a sound that was indeed so much grungier than other grunge. So it's a 3.5 that I really am having trouble deciding which way to go—but I know as I listened I thought 3, so I guess I'm going 3.

So Much For The City

The Thrills

3/5

Tricky to judge. It's nice—legitimately nice, happy indie pop from 2003 with a twee singer in the Polyphonic Spree mode, and some nice harmonies, and nice piano and slide guitar and all those things that make this kind of group sound good. I can't complain. And I guess I'm not exactly bored . . . but it just seems like there are a million of these bands out there? Aren't there? Am I missing that? I think it's a 3.4 that rounds down, sadly.

Are You Experienced

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

There's nothing like it. Varied, energetic, beautiful, and weird in all the right ways. It's a bit like when you hear the weirdest Doors songs and just kind of look at the speakers in awe, but, you know, with guitar solos.

I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail

Buck Owens

3/5

It's fine for what it is? Wild to think the Beatles existed and people were still listening to this, but it's just my bias, obviously.

Boy In Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal

4/5

It's both unique and a lot. That is, I love how it sounds like nothing else, and how weird/grimy the beats are, and how it's just all over the place. But whew, it doesn't take long for it to feel a bit like an aural assault, too. It's not something I'll turn to much in the future, except maybe for a single song here and there.

High Violet

The National

4/5

Powerful, mysterious, sonically rich, and extremely worth returning to—surely it's as good as Boxer, I think? Still, why don't I feel I can give it a 5? I guess there wasn't that consistent feeling of OMG/surprise/enjoyment that I associate with them, even though it's a 4.5 for sure. I think I want to go 4 but feel Thomas over my shoulder yelling that I'm an idiot....

Ramones

3/5

I've got to say, this project has taught me that I don't like punk, so I was really bummed to see this come up... only to discover I like it! It's more of the Green Day vibe, with chord structures that make sense and actual, non-awful singing! It's a 3.5 that I actually considered moving up to a 4, for it's nice updating of the 50s rock sound, but I couldn't quite go there.

Wild Gift

X

3/5

As I worked, here on a Monday morning in my office, this seemed like completely unexceptional punk-lite, something that Courtney Love probably put on a lot of mix tapes and told her friends about but that few others really cared about as much as she did.

Off The Wall

Michael Jackson

3/5

Am I the only person alive who didn't know that Track 1 ("can't stop till you get enough") was Michael Jackson? And really, that's kind of my feeling through the whole album: it's so much more disco than I realized he ever did. And that's . . . fine, I guess? But not as compelling as I might have hoped.

More Specials

The Specials

3/5

Some parts strike me as much more interesting than others. Like, track 10 has almost a Combustible Edison vibe, and the multiple instruments throughout are fun and engaging. Still, I don't feel like it grabbed me overall. Maybe if I listened more carefully, but today it's a 3.5 that's rounding down.

Paris 1919

John Cale

4/5

That was nice! Varied, and clearly not just dialed in, but with interesting instruments, etc. His voice isn't the best, but that's ok. Want to try it again one day.

Liege And Lief

Fairport Convention

4/5

Really fun and interesting: it's like the music Loreena McKennit was listening to in 1969, and maybe even some of the Ensemble Galilei folks on their days off. So folksy and Irishy and British and Robin-Hoody. 4.3.

Casanova

The Divine Comedy

2/5

Pretty ridiculous, in exactly the same way the cover photo is. It's like a mockery of itself, but I don't think it's supposed to be that way? The thing is, I'm being mean because of how often I rolled my eyes, but there are actually some interesting musical things going on here that are ruined by the singing. Still, the one and only time I was like, "Yeah, this music is grabbing me!" was Track 9, "Through a Long & Sleepless Night." And I guess the final track is a little interesting in an orchestral/big sort of way, though still with the mockable singing. 2.5.

The Trinity Session

Cowboy Junkies

5/5

I'm torn between 4 and 5. On one hand, I tend to give 5 to albums with a lot of variety, unexpectedness, etc., while this album is one mood done really, really well. No, I mean it: listen in headphones, future Kyle, and you can hear the church they recorded it in. And it has that wonderful blend of old styles (doo-wop ballads, blues, folks) with the perfectly mellow dream music of a quiet Starflyer or Mazzy Star record. So I've got to go 5, right?

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry

Billy Bragg

3/5

Rarely annoying (though his voice is RIGHT ON THE LINE), but the one time I looked up with pleasure was at an interesting melodic line (on keyboard?) in track 5, "Levi Stubbs' Tears." Besides that, it sounds pretty extremely normal. Maybe it sounded more special in 1986?

Harvest

Neil Young

3/5

At least the two most notable songs are right next to each other: A Man Needs a Maid is jaw-droppingly ridiculous, with dramatic orchestral instruments making it sound so, so important as he sings, "I was thinkin' that maybe I'd get a maid / Find a place nearby for her to stay / Just someone to keep my house clean / Fix my meals and go away." (It's fun to see people on Genius try to find deep meaning in it, oh well.) But then "Heart of Gold" is instantly recognizable as a single and a classic, I think even if you'd never heard it before. It's just a fun, good light rock / pop song. After that I was bored.

Pornography

The Cure

5/5

Powerful, creative, intense, bizarre, moody, emotional, and all the things. Begs for a relisten.

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

The 13th Floor Elevators

3/5

My guess: this is on the list because it's one of the first uses of "psychedelic" in an album title, which, okay, but it should probably be better, too. Muddy sound, annoying Rolling Stones-ripoff singer, jangly/garagey/surfy music that is consistently uninteresting. I'm sure if I were 14 in 1966 I'd feel completely differently, but I'm not.

Aha Shake Heartbreak

Kings of Leon

2/5

Throughout, the interesting bass lines are really prominent in the production. That's the one and only thing I like about this album, which is plagued especially by a whiny baritone who thinks it's good enough to just kind of fake-croon into the mic in a somewhat-bluesy way. But it's not. I was actually leaning toward a respectable 3 stars, but the "omg make it stop" singing on "Day Old Blues" pushes it down. That was a really long 35 minutes.

Tea for the Tillerman

Cat Stevens

3/5

I came into this somehow not really being sure what Cat Stevens' voice sounded like, but I guess I expected something . . . gentler? Folksier? More like a friendly tenor plucking a lute? I guess the music itself was sometimes like that, but he's a lot more grating and rough than what I expected, which is maybe why this never felt elevated. Honestly, I don't remember any moment when I paused my work to listen more carefully.

Roger the Engineer

The Yardbirds

4/5

Less interesting and wonderful than I expected, but still creative and rock-bluesy in just the way (which means it sounds more like the Doors than the Stones), with some weirdness in (like that final track 12) that pretty much forces me to bump it above a 3.

Planet Rock: The Album

Afrika Bambaataa

3/5

I mean . . . pretty good? Nice for what it is. I like the long songs (7 tracks and 40+ minutes, yeah!), the classic sound, the mix of instrumental moments and rapping moments, and more. But somehow it didn't seem to elevate itself to 4-star level for me. (And once you've read about some of the awful things he's done, it's harder to ignore....)

Microshift

Hookworms

4/5

For the first song or 2 I was just kind of grooving along, thinking it was just a fun copy of that band that starts with a P with the Listztomania song where everyone dances on the roof—something I'd enjoy hearing on Sirius XMU but wouldn't seek out. But as it went on, there were more unexpectedly interesting song structures, and some ambient creativity, and fun blends of synths and other instruments, and dang it's pretty interesting stuff by the end. A 4.5 that I have to admit I might be going down to 4 because the band broke up because of allegations of sexual abuse, what?

Ágætis Byrjun

Sigur Rós

5/5

Ok yes the only negative thing I can say is that it's thematically a bit one-note, like you really need to want to feel THIS WAY for 70 minutes. But nothing else is negative: the instruments, the soaring, the slow pace. Powerful and fresh, especially considering when it came out. There was nothing like it yet!

Nixon

Lambchop

4/5

One of those times when I'm painfully aware that I wasn't listening as carefully as I should have. But I'm going to go 4 because that's what I *think* it is, with so much variety and gentle thoughtfulness built in. (Or is that just because I read a more-detailed-than-I-usually-read Pitchfork review by someone who really likes it? Oh well.)

Shleep

Robert Wyatt

3/5

I guess ultimately this is an album that sounds better on paper than as music? It's not bad—I don't think I was ever annoyed—and there are even little proggy moments that remind you of his 70s Pink Floyd connections. But I still wasn't ever really grabbed out of my grading, feeling compelled to notice whatever was going on. Ho hum.

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

The Flaming Lips

4/5

I know people LURRVV this album, but it strikes me as between "okay" and "pretty good," a 3.5 that I'll round up. What's best is the variety, the mix of instruments and beats and sounds in more mellow and more intense combinations, which makes it at least fun. But I'm not a huge fan of the most boring of the electronic-ish drum beats (very 90s?) or his whiny voice.

Survivor

Destiny's Child

4/5

A blend of "really surprisingly good" (Nasty Girl, Dangerously in Love, Gospel Medley, Outro more) and ho-hum, fine, no big deal. So it's a 3.5 that I'll round up, since it clearly has hints of brilliance to come, but not really as fleshed out and perfected as it could be. (Also, on their THIRD album, Beyonce was 19??)

Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

TV On The Radio

4/5

Really intriguing and engaging, especially in the second half (and those acapella bonus tracks at the end, yeahhh). Bluesy and rocky at the same time, all with this muddy production that somehow feels humid and just right. Hard to explain, but certainly not just some boring indie rock band, as I used to think.

Spiderland

Slint

4/5

I honestly wasn't excited about some random early 90s rock album by a band I've never heard of, but dang if Wikipedia wasn't right: this really IS the music that clearly inspired Mogwai, Explosions, GSY!BE and more. I can't go 5 stars because of the awful singing, but luckily the singing is so rare that it's still powerful in all the right ways. So glad I got to learn about this one.

Truth And Soul

Fishbone

3/5

I can see why people would like this: there's some variety, and it's often fun and upbeat, and the bassist is good. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood or something, but this blend of punk and ska and 80s rock with a Bon Jovi twist just isn't striking me AT ALL right now. Whatever.

The Man Who

Travis

4/5

Clearly a Radiohead / Coldplay clone as one would expect, but . . . actually pretty listenable and enjoyable! No, I'm not going to buy it if I see it somewhere, but if it were on in a room at a party I'd somewhat enjoy myself.

Meat Puppets II

Meat Puppets

3/5

I hate listening to this simply as "an album Kurt Cobain clearly really liked," but it's hard not to, and it's clear why, with its mix of rawness and sweet nostalgia. That helps me enjoy listening to it, even though I'm not going to seek it out again soon. Sorry, Kurt.

Modern Kosmology

Jane Weaver

3/5

That was fine and all, but come on, no one is seriously calling this one of 1,001 albums to listen to before you die. Best when it's most electronic/poppy (like the Seven Bells group), worst when it's conventional rock/pop.

Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Aphex Twin

5/5

It's just so delightful: moody, jaunty, ethereal, dancey, spacey-outty, and more. Sometimes by turns, sometimes at the same time. It's a classic for a reason. (Would I say the same if I hadn't been listening to 7 of these tracks for the last 15 years? I have no idea how to answer that.)

First Band On The Moon

The Cardigans

4/5

So at first I thought the album with Lovefool should of course not be in this list, and the first track (a disco/ABBA-inspired track that may or may not have been tongue in cheek?) didn't say otherwise. But as it went on, it grew into this weird mesh of Combustible Edison and Sixpence with a 90s vibe, and I really started to understand so much more. Some lyrical eye-raisers, and I DID listen in the car with more attention than I usually give, but it earned a 4 from me.

Third

Soft Machine

4/5

This is exactly what this project is about: a band and album I've never heard of giving me weirdo prog-jazz I never would have experienced otherwise. Definitely worth another listen. I mean, when it's a double album with only 4 tracks, you've got to give it a shot, right?

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

3/5

Really it's the definition of a 3.5 album. On the plus side, I really dig how RESTRAINED "What's Love Got to Do With It" sounds, and I love the covers of Let's Stay Together and Help, neither of which I expected. But on the other side, there's a thing called "too much synth," as in it starts to sound (to modern ears at least" like it's a Casio keyboard demo, which almost every song here suffers from. You want Prince or Pat Benatar's band to jump in and rerecord some of the instruments, which for me would bump it up to a 4.

Blood And Chocolate

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

3/5

Look, I could take his silly voice if the songs were amazing and captivating and powerful in all the right ways, but they're just not. 2.8.

Electric Ladyland

Jimi Hendrix

4/5

Dang, those last 2 tracks ("All Along the Watchtower" and "Voodoo Child") hit just as hard now as they ever did. They're some of the most unique and powerful rock records ever made, I think? The thing is, up until here I was thinking this was a 4-something album, filled with great tracks but not as many MIND-BLOWING tracks. I think because I thought that for so long I'll record a 4, but as that final solo continues, I wonder if I'm being ridiculous.

Talking Timbuktu

Ali Farka Touré

5/5

Really, really good stuff. What's lovely is that it sounds African but also American-bluesy, sometimes by turns and sometimes at the same time. Such perfect background working music that I'm going 5 just to ensure that I never ever forget about it (even though if I'm honest it might be a bit lower than that).

The Contino Sessions

Death In Vegas

3/5

So 90s it hurts, and I don't mean that in a good way. So much 90s EDM just repeats and repeats without any variation, it's wild. I mean, it's not actually PAINFUL as background music that mostly just disappears, but it's hard to imagine that in retrospect this should actually be on the list.

Happy Trails

Quicksilver Messenger Service

4/5

Another example of why I like this project: an awesome SF jam band I'd never even heard of, doing a Phish-style jam live on the entire first side of a record. Love it.

Signing Off

UB40

3/5

It really just doesn't strike me as very interesting. . . . It's exactly what you'd expect, except for Track 4 "Burden of Shame," which is CLEARLY based on "Moondance" even though Wikipedia says only some releases acknowledge that.

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones

3/5

I mean, it's still a Stones album, which means it's fundamentally not that interesting. (Is that mean to type out?) But yeah, sure, after reading Wikipedia I see how it's a little more interesting that what came before, with more musical and instrumental variety. To me that bumps it up to a 3.5, and who knows, maybe tomorrow I'll let that round up to a 4. Or maybe the misogyny should hold it back?

25

Adele

4/5

I can see why people like this so much: it's perfectly produced, with a blend of the ballads I expected with danceable, memorable grooves. I probably won't run out and listen again soon, but I'll welcome it whenever it's on.

My Aim Is True

Elvis Costello

3/5

I guess on a lot of these songs I sort of get it. Like, there's some engaging stuff that makes you notice on Alison, Watching the Detectives, and especially I'm Not Angry. And I like the 50s throwbacks. And I'm sure in context in the late 70s it would have made more of a splash. But to me, it's really hard to imagine this as higher than a 3.5, since it's just fairly ok songwriting with no real noticeable instrumentation and a singing voice so silly it's almost bad.

New Forms

Roni Size

4/5

The kind of thing I wish I knew about in college—I was yearning for this kind of bread-and-butter dnb. I love that it's great and long and something I could listen to forever. Of course, it doesn't, well, *do* much beyond exactly what you'd expect. But at least it does it really well!

Black Monk Time

The Monks

4/5

Wow--it really is weird and powerful in ways I didn't expect for 1966. You know how sometimes Wikipedia builds you up by claiming an album is so important and then it's just kind of a let-down when you hear it? This one stood up to the claims there. I'm especially intrigued by how it keeps being called proto-punk, when I've found through this project that I generally don't like punk albums. But I DO like the energy and all the wild organ stuff going on here, so maybe that's the difference.

A Grand Don't Come For Free

The Streets

3/5

Huh: first time I thought I saved comments yesterday and they didn't show up here today. Essentially, it's true that there's nothing like this, as a Wikipedia person writes, and that makes it hard to rate. But to me, the music is usually interesting and inventive (even sweet?) and the rapping/talking/ugh singing usually isn't. (I read a synopsis of the album-long story, and I'm not interested.) So: inventive, yes, but I can't go above a 3.

The Only Ones

3/5

Once or twice I thought, "Oh, I can see how if I listened to this when it came out I would have loved it, in the same way I love R.E.M. songs that might not really strike others now as that great." But that was only once or twice; mostly I was annoyed at his voice.

New Wave

The Auteurs

3/5

I never disliked it. Maybe someone somewhere needs this early-90s rock in a way that I didn't quite understand. Oh well.

The White Album

Beatles

5/5

So yes, Wikipedia helped me hear a few things in a new way: how it's so ROCK-y and even stripped down at times compared to Sgt. Pepper, how it's so much more piecemeal and scattered, how it's at times bizarre without clear purpose, etc. And really, I've still never really gotten to know disc 2 the way I know disc 1, which is weird and wrong. But you know, none of the criticisms stick for me. The overwhelming bigness and ridiculousness (and Sufjan-ness) of the whole thing make it so lovable and great to me. How could it possibly be less than a 5?

Play

Moby

4/5

As always, I can't judge this outside of my history with this album: buying it at Park Ave CDs (what led me to that purchase?) and listening to it so much through my first year of college. Yes, I cringe a bit at the problematic sampling now, and some of the beats are so very 90s in that repetitive, not very interesting way, but on the balance, I really do love this and even feel moved at some of it. Glad it's on this list.

Chore of Enchantment

Giant Sand

3/5

There are nice things about this album, especially its generally muted, chill tone (which is often but not always there, which I support). It's like nice, thoughtful, acoustic rock stuff, but more interesting than it sounds when I type that. The singing isn't great, with kind of a Lou Reed impression going on, never really belting much at all. All in all it's like a 3.3 that I wouldn't mind hearing again but am not excited about.

Timeless

Goldie

4/5

Yep: it's awesome drum-n-bass, done well. Don't really have too much to say beyond that. Glad to know what people more expert than I am say is a classic.

3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...

Arrested Development

4/5

Oh! I listened a few weeks ago and forgot to score it! Essentially, it's one of those "really hard to judge" albums—so much brilliance and interest and positivity, but mixed, I have to admit, with less-than-the-best beats, even by 1992 standards. So it's like a 4.3 or so.

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

A few moments of "yeah whatever" (like the 7-minute opening song that doesn't really make a musical case for itself to be 7 minutes long), but at least 3 songs that make you sit up and say, "Dang, these guys know what's up," especially the extra-long Heard It Through the Grapevine toward the end. Worth a 4, at least the way I'm feeling right now!

Don't Stand Me Down

Dexys Midnight Runners

3/5

That was ok! I see how ambitious they were being, with these 7 tracks lasting 45 minutes, and lots of variety and shifts and all. I just . . . wasn't particularly grabbed by a lot of it. So I'm thinking, "Good job, you!" and also "Not rushing out to buy THIS one, amiright?"

Goodbye And Hello

Tim Buckley

4/5

Really nice and interesting. A couple tracks (esp. "I Never Asked to Be Your Mountain") are in the great camp, I think, though it's hard to say after just one listen. His high voice is so clear and bright, but it's not just one-note folk, but varied in ways that are hard to explain.

Rock 'N Soul

Solomon Burke

3/5

I like it! Just what I expected from early-60s soul/R&B! He has a nice voice! What, am I supposed to be in love with this or something?

Soul Mining

The The

3/5

Electronic! Varied! Some long song, some short! Also: [oh, this is going to sound mean and I don't mean it that way] forgettable?

Sulk

The Associates

4/5

So much interesting variety, so many fun sounds, and all with catchy beats (danceable!) and good singing. It's a bit weird, in just the way you want 1982 to be weird. Really nice find.

Shalimar

Rahul Dev Burman

4/5

Such a wild and fun album, sometimes sounding old-fashioned, sometimes like a Western, sometimes like Bollywood, and rarely what you expected. Makes me really want to see the movie. For me it's a 4.5 that I'm going down simply because I don't always love the high-pitched singer's voice.

GREY Area

Little Simz

4/5

DANG that was good. Now I have to go and listen to all her other albums. It's so groovy and vibey and bassy and beat-y, often with the feel of real instruments in a room mixed with more complex electronics. A 4.5 that I'm going to let go down, only because it was consistently great but without any moments that literally pulled me away from my work to focus with a dropped jaw—though it's close.

Can't Buy A Thrill

Steely Dan

3/5

If someone said, "Let's put on Steely Dan," I would say, "Oh yeah, awesome, that sounds like a great idea!" but if someone said, "What's your favorite Steely Dan song?" or even "Let's go spend money on things related to Steely Dan!" I would take a small step back and reconsider my choices. 3.5, rounded down, almost a perfect example of that.

Pictures At An Exhibition

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

4/5

I really expected this to be an album just metaphorically inspired by Mussorgsky, but no, it's actually a live reinterpretation and performance of music that in many ways actually includes Mussorgsky (and ends with a weird carnival/prog/rock version of a Nutcracker tune??!). It's so weird and so lovely and it's exactly why I'm doing this listen-through.

Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

The Pharcyde

4/5

You know, I think I was kind of avoiding this album, thinking that even though Wikipedia calls it fun and jazzy and laid-back, it was probably going to be harsher and more hardcore and, I don't know, Onyx-y. But now that I listened I feel silly for putting it off; this was just the right kind of "not quite as good as De La Soul or TCQ but not so far in the other direction" that I wanted. So while it might not really be a 4-star album, deep down, I'm going to give it that as a reward for surprising me so happily.

Blur

3/5

I admit I'm struggling that this barely ok band gets THREE albums on this list, but I'm glad I at least heard them somewhat in order to help me see how they progressed. See my earlier reviews for how this one feels too: occasionally but rarely interesting, and just ok.

...Baby One More Time

Britney Spears

3/5

For most of this album, I can't say I enjoyed it. Like, I've TAUGHT myself to like the title track over time, as part of getting over my own high school snobbishness (and haunted by that repeated line, "My loneliness is killing me....."), but whew . . . it's still overall not a very engaging collection of work, is it? 2.5 that I'm rounding up in support of Britney (even though no one will ever see this review but me).

Nowhere

Ride

4/5

Multiple times, I thought, "This is something I would have loved in college." I mean, I still do, but it's definitely more reminiscent of Denison Marrs / SF59 / Kerith Ravine than what I spend more time with these days. Still, that doesn't mean I shouldn't spend more time with this. Shoegaze, yes, but almost shoegaze-light, or "less loud and ear-bleeding shoegaze." Which is occasionally really nice!

...The Dandy Warhols Come Down

The Dandy Warhols

4/5

So much better than I expected! Why did I think this was that band with Evan what's-his-name (the lemonheads??)? Instead, even though I didn't recognize the songs, this was all proto-shoegazey and noise-y and interesting! I really think I would have loved this in the 90s.

Virgin Suicides

Air

4/5

There's this thing with non-orchestral film scores I've noticed, where I get really excited about what they'll sound like only to realize they're . . . a mixed bag. This one is a better mix than most, with some unusual sounds (and processed dialogue thrown in too) complicating the whole album in a really interesting way, but I admit that some of it sounds more late-90s than I expected it to. Still, it's something I want on in the future while working and I'm glad I know about it! (But is it weird that there's THIS soundtrack on the list and so few others?)

Disraeli Gears

Cream

4/5

Bluesy, creative, rocking, and psychedelic all at the same time. So 60s. Loved the reminder that "Sunshine of Your Love" is by them, and loved listening to Side A from Janet's vinyl, loud and in stereo, sitting on the rocking chair at home.

Deep Purple In Rock

Deep Purple

4/5

It's definitely remarkable to hear this today and realize it's from 1970 and sounds this hard/loud. Still, despite that "Oh!" I think I'd land on 3 stars if it weren't for one thing: the ROCK ORGAN. So much organ, so many good solos with it, that it immediately feels more appealing to me than other 70s hard rock with screamy singers (looking at you, Zepp). Glad I heard it.

Ghosteen

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

5/5

Hauntingly weird and moody, as if someone is singing over the Blade Runner soundtrack. Could use more variety and a cut in length, but those are piddly concerns against the moving and surprising wall of sound weighing me down like an entire ocean.

Axis: Bold As Love

Jimi Hendrix

4/5

Just as good as you'd expect, and sure, I think I liked it better knowing that this is a record Janet owned and passed on to me, especially since I've been listening to those records a lot more lately (even though, um, I streamed this one). Powerful, groovy, just right.

Celebrity Skin

Hole

4/5

It's possible that my very positive response to this album came because I was listening in the car while driving around to errands at night, or because my expectations were fairly medium-to-low. But DANG there's so much that I really, really loved here. The recording itself sounds great, with lots of use of the Pumpkins-y technique of a great-sounding guitar being suddenly enlargened by another layer of guitar that sounds a bit different. And there's so much more acoustic than I expected. And so many, you know, happy chords—like, this isn't a downer at all. It's thoughtful and warm, like a mix of Pumpkins and Foo Fighters and even occasionally Gin Blossoms and R.E.M. Who would have thought? Yes, her voice is very Courtney Love. At times I thought, "Okay, I see how she's singing in the Breeders ecosystem of singing styles," and that was okay, but there were a couple of times when a Margo reaction leaked through my mind and I wondered why she didn't just clean it up a little bit. That's probably the main thing keeping this from a 5 for me. But yeah: it's so good (especially tracks 9 and 10, "Boys on the Radio" and "Heaven Tonight") that I was actually considering a 5.

The Atomic Mr Basie

Count Basie & His Orchestra

4/5

Really as good as this kind of big band album gets—and who knows, maybe since it's from 1958, like a nostalgic look back at this "old fashioned" style of music, maybe it has an extra umph, and extra-good production quality? I mean, it really does sound good. Definitely will buy if I see it in a store.

Fisherman's Blues

The Waterboys

4/5

A 3.5 that I'll squeak up just because it's often great, with that nice fiddle and other instruments spicing up the light rock world. Sometimes the long songs were a bit annoying (making me think Counting Crows may have listened to this album), but then the next-to-last track "The Stolen Child" was long and actually worth it. So: enjoyed it, even if I'm not planning to buy it.

Cupid & Psyche 85

Scritti Politti

2/5

Wow, this is not a good album; it's remarkable that it's on this list. In some ways I guess it's proto-Bobby Brown, with lots of cheap-sounding 80s synth and high-voiced singing over it. But imagining that lineage is the only reason this isn't a 1. Sheesh.

Two Dancers

Wild Beasts

4/5

When I hit play the first time, I was all ready not to like this album. Something about, "Oh no, another British indie rock band" turned me off, and the surprising falsetto singing wasn't amazing. But as it went on, I started thinking, "This is a 3.5 that I'll still round down," before that evolved even more into bobbing my head and enjoying the two different singers' very different voices and the unusual, interesting beats and music, and it's nice!

Electric Music For The Mind And Body

Country Joe & The Fish

4/5

A 3.5 that I'm going to round up for a few reasons: the fun variety, the awesome bluesiness, the occasional funniness, and the basic fact that I didn't dislike anything but often smiled. Honestly, I had to remind myself a couple of times this is from 1967; feels newer.

Low-Life

New Order

4/5

Songs 1 and 2 were kind of disappointing, then 3 was better, then 4 ("Sunrise") was so amazing I thought it was the best thing I'd ever heard, and 5 kept that up, and really 6, 7, and 8 were amazing too. I think if he sung on key more often I'd say this should be a 5 despite the slow start, but those 2 things together force me to round down.

Yank Crime

Drive Like Jehu

4/5

I've got to admit that I was dreading this a bit. I sat on it for a couple days before listening—I mean, screaming, from the 90s, for 69 minutes? Hoo boy. But somehow I found myself digging it, bobbing my head and feeling more of the energy than I expected. I heard echoes of Mogwai's harder moments and other Dave Jones-y bands, with well-recorded but still really raw guitars and bass and drums using alternating rhythms and lots of variety. The screaming wasn't the best part, but it also wasn't as ubiquitous as I worried or particularly bad. It's too long by far, which is the worst thing about it. Give me the best 40 minutes and I want this in the car when I'm angry.

Darkness on the Edge of Town

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

I mean, I guess I liked it more than most Springsteen: lots of noticeable piano from the first to the last, and a track 2 (inspired by East of Eden, partly) that kicks in a way that grabs your attention. But still, what is it that just feels . . . boring about this stuff to me? Partly I just don't like his voice, partly it's probably just the earliest version of stuff that was used and developed by others later, and partly I just don't get it. That's ok; I respect it, at least.

Faust IV

Faust

4/5

Weird and boundary-pushing in all the right ways. Do I have to say anything else?

Duck Stab/Buster & Glen

The Residents

1/5

As bad as they come.

Steve McQueen

Prefab Sprout

3/5

I guess after all the praise on Wikipedia I was expecting something else, like some kind of 80s-tastic Death Cab for Cutie or something. Instead it was . . . ok?

Blunderbuss

Jack White

3/5

For quite a while, I had a bad mood, thinking thoughts like, "This guy listened to too much Led Zeppelin growing up" and "I'm not engaged by any of these riffs or melodies—they're just there" and "Could he sing well if he just sang NORMAL for a minute?" Eventually, in the 2nd half, things picked up some, especially when there was fun piano and when he seemed to be taking himself less seriously. So it's fine, but dang I'm not a fan.

The Coral

4/5

What fun! Yes, clearly influenced by The Doors and Animals, as everyone on Wikipedia says (at times, I suspect, purposefully trying to sound more Jim Morrison-y). But it's much more than that, delightfully, with the fun, tongue-in-cheekiness of The Decemberists, Combustible Edison, even SNZ, which shows up in surprise changes, fun instrumentation, and silly lyrics. A great romp.

Amnesiac

Radiohead

4/5

This is a little silly, but I think I like this one less than Kid A is only because I know the songs less well, for whatever reason. That keeps them from jumping out at me quite as well, though of course they do sometimes and would if I were listening more carefully or in headphones. All that to say that it's a 4.5 that I feel strangely pulled to round down on (even with the very very welcome addition of the brass there at the end).

Gorillaz

2/5

I'm trying to find a reason to go up to 3 stars for this middling, occasionally annoying, never interesting album. Then I realized: that's what 2s are for!

Tank Battles

Dagmar Krause

3/5

It's . . . what it is: an 80s recording of old 20s-40s songs from . . . well I guess it's not clear. Plays? Popular protest songs? Making it unlike anything else on this list, which makes it feel almost too far afield, you know? Why this recording and not others like it? Unless, I guess, if there's nothing like it. Shrug. It's not bad, just distractingly unlikely.

Dub Housing

Pere Ubu

2/5

Once or twice, if his falsetto-scream-singing wasn't so annoying, the music beneath him was probably good enough to warrant a 3. No, it definitely was. But I can't support this kind of thing.

Whatever

Aimee Mann

3/5

Wikipedia had me legit interested to hear this long-term important artist I had never heard of.... But then it was more 1993 then I expected, kind of a Sheryl Crow knockoff with even worse vocals. 2.6.

Dear Science

TV On The Radio

4/5

Pretty exactly a 3.5, meaning that I recognize some interesting variety in instrumentation and songcraft that on some level I feel like ought to make me love it, yet for whatever reason I don't find myself loving it. Reminds me a bit of the National, a bit of Arcade Fire, which I guess makes sense since it's the only real reference points I have for 2000s-decade rock. One day I'll listen with headphones on or in the car and love it more, I'm sure.

3/5

Listened on Friday and forgot to take notes, and by Monday all I remember is that there was one, maybe two songs that were at all slightly memorable, and it took a while to get there.

Infected

The The

3/5

I always thought of The The (if I thought of them at all) as new wave, kind of synth-heavy danceable 80s stuff, so I got worried when Wikipedia described them as post-punk instead. But then listening alleviated the fears, since this kind of post-punk is certainly more like the new-waviness I expected. (I'm learning a lot about how little I really understand about genres, especially the nuances of 80s genres.) But even with that pleasant surprise, and the generally fun/interesting energy throughout this record, I still . . . never sat up straight, eyes widened or anything. I guess it's a 3.4?

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

3/5

For one of the highest-selling albums of all time, this is pretty dang boring? Or maybe that's a requirement of something that sells that much, but hold on that's not a nice thing to say.

Django Django

4/5

Fun enough that I wish I had listened to the first half more carefully (was working in a bad mood, oh well). But when I listened in, it's of course got that 2000s sheen of overproduction, but with enough quirk and laughter that I could get past that.

We Are Family

Sister Sledge

3/5

Who knew that the "We Are Family" song is like 8 minutes long??? And that . . . is the most noteworthy thing about this album.

The Köln Concert

Keith Jarrett

4/5

Interesting, unique, mellow, intense, all at the same time. Definitely worth more listens or picking it up on vinyl.

Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys

4/5

It really is lovely--so calm and orchestral and creative and emotional. I still don't think I really know it well enough to give it 5 stars (even after listening for the first time all the way through a couple months ago and twice yesterday when it came up here); there's still a bit of distance between me and the Beach Boys, with them feeling more like a band my mom listens to than one I can immediately connect to completely (though often). Still, I'm glad I know how good it is.

A Date With The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers

4/5

It's really just a nice, nice album. Such a collection of sweet pop songs, doing the pinnacle of this kind of thing. No, I won't listen every day, but perhaps I should return more than I might have.

One Nation Under A Groove

Funkadelic

4/5

Didn't listen as well as I should have (and did the YouTube list George Clinton's account uploaded sound less bassy than it could have?), but what I heard was powerful, full of cool prog-rock-y solos, and danceable.

Third

Portishead

4/5

So utterly weird, especially when you listen to it loud and in order in the car, as I just did for the first time in forever. Fascinating how it implicitly challenges you to ask what it has in common with previous records (Beth; the embracing of imperfections) and what it does new (its leaning in to ugliness, and to low fidelity, and its NOISES). Perhaps it's a 5 that I have trouble labeling that way because the earlier records exist?

Me Against The World

2Pac

3/5

I guess I was more excited. "Dear Mama" is the clear standout, both musically and lyrically. Otherwise, I don't know, I wasn't enthralled.

Stephen Stills

5/5

Pretty remarkably good from start to finish. Really surprised how often I was bobbing my head, digging a guitar solo (track 5!), or feeling moved (final track)! Rounding up since I'm in a good mood.

90

808 State

4/5

Listened twice. Liked it a lot. Occasionally loved it. Just about what I expected. Intriguing (especially for 1989). But . . . somehow short of a masterpiece. Hard to say why.

Brutal Youth

Elvis Costello

3/5

Oh wow this is a booooring album.

Music Has The Right To Children

Boards of Canada

4/5

Randomly, I've been listening to BC tracks from that 90s soundtrack that starts with A?? lately, and this album is incredibly reminiscent of it: a bit weird and ethereal, with some very 90s beats and some that are a lot more timeless. Definitely something to keep in rotation and check out again later, but these days, clearly something of much less quality than, say, my entire recommended stream on SoundCloud. So it goes.

Winter In America

Gil Scott-Heron

3/5

Wikipedia helps a lot here: I like the power, the message, the cool collaboration between two artists at the top of their form. But ultimately, it suffers (to my ear and tastes) from the lack of musical diversity and a bit from the singing voice.

Rapture

Anita Baker

3/5

Kind of exactly what you'd expect. It's fine.

Iron Maiden

4/5

When I saw this come up I had a really bad attitude. Plus, I was catching up after the weekend, so I kept knowing that I was going to end the day with . . . metal. So what a fun surprise that this was so much better than expected, with some legitimately great solos and riffs, and even some fun/psychedelic variety (especially loved tracks 5 and 6, both alone and next to each other). It's like metal hadn't realized that stupid Megadeth-style stuff was possible yet, so they just did good rock, loud. I like it.

Smash

The Offspring

4/5

Ah, this old question again: when an album hits me with nostalgia-boosts every 90 seconds or so, showing me that there's more in my memory than I ever knew or expected, can I legitimately rate it *at all*, much less decide if it's a 3 or a 4? Don't I have to give it a 4? Wouldn't you?

Country Life

Roxy Music

3/5

Some interesting moments! Which I don't remember! Therefore it's probably a 4! But not today!

What's That Noise?

Coldcut

4/5

So 1989, but also so what I needed this day. A mix a cheesier beats with really evocative remixed sounds. Should have been listening to this since middle school, a shame I haven't.

Fetch The Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple

5/5

It's remarkable that an album this good exists. It's the RHYTHMS, mostly, but also everything else. A true game-changer. I need to buy the CD.

The Colour Of Spring

Talk Talk

4/5

Wasn't looking forward to another random British 80s whatever band, but dang, this was actually really good. I think it's especially because his voice is really arresting, but also some of the songs are just dramatic and moving. Track 5, "Living in Another World" is a real standout.

Fuzzy Logic

Super Furry Animals

3/5

Well that sure wasn't memorable.

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

The Byrds

3/5

Doesn't really sound like The Byrds, which makes sense if you read about its history. Not bad as gentle 60s country-rock, but should have a different name on it.

Get Behind Me Satan

The White Stripes

3/5

Better than their awful earlier albums, but still definitively Not Good. 2.8.

Frampton Comes Alive

Peter Frampton

4/5

Glad I cleaned this up and listened on vinyl, as is intended. But I mean also, it's really good and fun. Am I getting sick of writing these, with 200+ more to go??

Shadowland

k.d. lang

2/5

I...did not enjoy this album. It's not that she's doing anything wrong; I read it almost as a Harry Connick, Jr. type 80s/90s revival thing, just with old-school country. But to me, the sheen of the 80s sounds just doesn't blend with that style, at least to my taste. Nothing is annoying about her voice, yet I was annoyed when she sang.

Second Toughest In The Infants

Underworld

4/5

So really very excellent (4.4). It's like the things I like about 90s Orbital but without the annoying bits. Need to return again and again.

Dance Mania

Tito Puente

4/5

Absolutely top notch.

The Joshua Tree

U2

5/5

It's really as good as its reputation. First 3 songs are in the running for best 3-song run anywhere.

Low

David Bowie

5/5

Side A, with the poppier songs, is really quite good, though with perhaps only one song that's VERYVERY good (at least in my little half-list while working, you know). But Side B takes it to a new level, with ambient sounds that aren't just "intellectually interesting" but are actually things I want to listen to, often. Huge and great and new.

Siamese Dream

The Smashing Pumpkins

5/5

What can I say that hasn't been said before? I listened in the car, turned up loud, and noticed: --That, to my great surprise, the overall effect was more monotone than expected. I know, I know, I know, there's Disarm and Soma and Luna and all that. But in my head, e.g., Mayonaise is completely different from Cherub Rock, but that same grinding, high-frequency, overdubbed forever guitar sound is on both, giving them a somewhat similar vibe, in a way. Had never occurred to me. --Disarm is more groundbreaking and powerful and brilliantly weird than I think I've been giving it credit for in my head for the last couple decades. Those strings, those chimes--how does it possibly work? But it does. --Compare that to the lousy fake strings on Spaceboy, omg. --The drums really are the most consistently standout part to me these days, just as they are on MCIS relistens. Not sure if I'm just older and like drums more, or if I can more honestly assess awesome musicianship, or what. Obviously, it's still and always a 5 for me. But whereas in the last many years I haven't hesitated to say, "This is probably my favorite album ever," now I don't think I'd say that anymore. And that's ok.

The Bends

Radiohead

5/5

Fine, it's a 4.5, since not every song hits quite as hard as every other. But I have to go high because the songwriting is so powerful and evocative, and because the singing is so weirdly great, and because they had the wisdom to take it up and then take it back down again.

Urban Hymns

The Verve

3/5

Pretty boring stuff.

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Lupe Fiasco

4/5

Positive, upbeat, varied, important. All the things it should be. Worth another few listens.

In Our Heads

Hot Chip

3/5

A very clear 3.5: occasionally interesting, with a variety of intriguing sounds and unusual song structures . . . but somehow too polished? Too 2012? Weirdly sung? I can't put my finger on what bores me here when I ought to love it.

Dire Straits

3/5

Sultans of Swing is a very very very good song. The rest is pretty forgettable 70s rock with that warm 70s production style.

Space Ritual

Hawkwind

3/5

I see why this is here, and I respect it, and I ought to like it. For 1973, it's delightfully prog/weird, and the harder bits sound a LOT harder than 1973, and it requires a patience that not enough albums ask for. And yet . . . it's still not very good? The sound of the instruments, the songs themselves, the singing itself--it's often more "interesting" than "something I want to listen to." Poor fellas.

This Is Fats Domino

Fats Domino

3/5

Fun, strong, danceable, just right. Still: it's so far from my lived daily experience that I almost need an event to listen to it, like a party or something.

Duck Rock

Malcolm McLaren

3/5

Some good music collected in such a weird way (see the book's entry) and of such uneven quality that it's hard (impossible?) to really see it as "important." Even if it is indeed "unique."

The Bones Of What You Believe

CHVRCHES

5/5

What else can be said? I listened yesterday morning in a bad mood while working and typing away, and STILL I couldn't help but dance dance dance in my chair. Plus, I think I've started selling myself on this narrative of "Lauren's voice sounds better in the later albums," which is true if you mean "it's recorded more carefully"--but really, on some of these songs she sounds as powerful and kick-ass as always. A classic forever.

Scream, Dracula, Scream

Rocket From The Crypt

3/5

I dreaded this one for days, worried about more awful punk, especially punk that the book claims is a hard-edged response to pop-punk like Green Day. So I was pleased to find that it was more poppy than expected (maybe that's just what mid-90s punk is like?), and the trumpet helped, too. But still . . . even with those positive feelings, this was too long and too monotone and too boring.

Tom Tom Club

3/5

So very weird, but I guess that's what you'd expect from a 1981 side project from Talking Heads people, including that song from which Mariah Carey entirely took the music for "Fantasy." It's not quite as low as a 3, due to the general quirky weirdness of it all—like, I'd put this on at a weird party and not be embarrassed—but let's be honest, it's not a 4.

Smile

Brian Wilson

4/5

Very enjoyable. Creative. Important. But as a "this is my first time listening through and only first even HEARD of Smile less than a year ago," I find I'm not quite as emotionally connected as I could have been if, say, I had been listening to bootlegs through high school. One day maybe I'll love it more.

Sweet Baby James

James Taylor

3/5

Definitely in the category of "I guess this must have sounded more revolutionary when it came out, because it's mostly just meh to my ears today." Sorry Sweet Baby James....

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John

4/5

Sure it's too long, and maybe even a bit too one-note as it goes on and on, but it's also so much better than I expected. That first long track is probably the best, and then that sweet-but-whatever single after it, and then Benny and Jets?! What an opener. Here and there I even got a bit of proto-Ben Folds vibes. Really glad I heard it.

Green

R.E.M.

5/5

It's so very good and so very weird. As I get older, I find I increasingly love the playfulness of the silly/poppy songs, which feels like some kind of twisted ultimate rebellion and refusal to play the game others want them to play—brilliant. But of course it's more than that too, with the legitimate ROCKERS and legitimately moving acoustic songs. Perhaps not a coherent statement, but a collection of excellencies (or 3 coherent statements?).

Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Koffi Olomide

3/5

Fine for what it is, but I don't think I have the musical vocabulary to "get it" in all the right ways.

Come Find Yourself

Fun Lovin' Criminals

3/5

Certainly not a good album, and one that it's hard to imagine having a place on this list, but maybe that's just because I would have been rolling my eyes at "Scooby Snacks" even in 1996. Not quite annoying enough to go down to a 2, but a 3 is certainly a round up, sheesh.

Crocodiles

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

Moments of brilliance and fun occasionally cut through the "just pretty good and what you'd expect" moments, putting this at a firm 3.5 for me, which might go higher if I listened again.

Countdown To Ecstasy

Steely Dan

4/5

Such a cool band. 70s sound to their core, but so smooth, such great bass and guitar and keys, with super performances all around. Not always the songs I would choose to listen to, but when it hits right, it hits right.

Too Rye Ay

Dexys Midnight Runners

3/5

Worse than you'd think. Often it's his voice.

Scissor Sisters

3/5

Gotta admit that after reading Wikipedia I was ready for a new favorite and thus was disappointed. Just ho-hum nu-disco for the early 2000s (though dang that Comfortably Numb cover is something ELSE).

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

4/5

You can see why this varied, wonderful-sounding, occasionally astounding, usually moving album is called one of the best of all time.

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)

Motörhead

3/5

For most of this album, I actually couldn't figure out why it's on this list. That is, I wasn't just "not enjoying it" (though I wasn't), I also wasn't understanding how it could be better than a studio album. Halfway through I started to get it, or the solos got better, which will round it up to a 3 from a 2.6, but sheesh.

If You're Feeling Sinister

Belle & Sebastian

4/5

Those first 4 tracks are like <<chef's kiss>>, so catchy and wonderful in so many ways. (Why don't I play them on the piano all the time, again?) But after that the album . . . not exactly falls asleep, because there are still some great tracks later on, but it gets a little more comfortable, a little less surprisingly excellent, if that makes sense. So it's a 4.4 for me.

Zombie

Fela Kuti

4/5

Fun and lively (though I know "fun" is a weird word to use for a protest album). Still: it's upbeat jazz/funk that's easy to work to and bob your head to. Pleasantly surprised and interested.

Hejira

Joni Mitchell

3/5

Some really interesting sounds (especially, say, on the title track), but she's suffering from what I guess I could anachronistically call "the later Bjork effect": melodies that kind of hop all over in a not-very-hummable way. By the end of the album, her voice is almost even starting to grate: it's just always there, in those same few notes she's most comfortable with. I'd give an instrumental version 4 stars, no doubt.

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul

5/5

Sure it's long and a bit uneven at times and super weird. But guys, it's super weird and I LOVE that! What an amazing collection of sounds, laid down for us to enjoy whenever we want. How did this even happen???

Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter

4/5

Lush and always-intriguing, with unexpected little reminders (is that bit shoegazey? is that 50s rockabilly?), which are usually welcome. (The singing occasionally veers too close to unwelcome...) Worth a careful relisten, maybe on a long drive.

Call of the Valley

Shivkumar Sharma

4/5

So beautiful. When I read that the Western addition of guitar and flute made the whole thing more accessible to Western audiences, I bristled a bit, thinking, "I'm a true lover of international music! I don't need to be catered to like that!" But then, I admit, it was really nice to have them smoothing things over--but without ever taking away from the drone, the immersive experience. 4.5.

The Wall

Pink Floyd

5/5

I'm sure I partly feel this way because I grew up with it, and because of that important memory of listening to it with headphones at Ed & Diane's, literally in a bed in the room where my mother slept as a child, and understanding so much of it for the first time—but there's nothing like it. Even the "last 1/4 slump" I was expecting was slumpish than I remembered, and the high points were even higher.

Tonight's The Night

Neil Young

3/5

I actually can't believe they let him sing. So it's a 3.5 music album with 2 singing, sheesh.

Devotional Songs

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

3/5

As usual with world music albums, I find myself really digging it but also very aware that I lack the internal vocabulary to make much of a quality analysis. Yes, it's awesome (once I found the right album in a playlist on YouTube). Yes, if it were on in the background, I'd be grooving a bit. But do I like it enough to really rank it highly? I don't quite think so. Is that bad?

Lust For Life

Iggy Pop

4/5

This is a classic case of "when you read enough to really learn about it, it's hard not to like it more." Like, reading about how Pop and Bowie worked together on two previous Bowie-driven albums, and then reading about Pop taking the lead here (and them recording and mixing it in 8 days) makes me appreciate it more. Still, I was almost going to give it 3 stars just for not striking me TOO much musically, but then track 8 "Neighborhood Threat" was so awesome (and the title track, of course), that I had to go up.

Life's Too Good

The Sugarcubes

4/5

Actually, legitimately, really fun and good—perhaps more like listening to Joy Division than anything else. And it's not just Bjork (though of course it's her, too): it's the whole thing combined, with weird, intense, danceable, ironic energy throughout.

Hot Fuss

The Killers

3/5

I continue to not quite be sure what rubs me the wrong way about these guys (and all their clones from around this time). Sure, the production sounds *really good*—but somehow it's too good, with a weirdly polished vibe throughout that's hard to entirely appreciate. Some songs are better than others, and it's easy to imagine a full-on dance party where you let yourself go—but is there anything here that's deeper than dancing? 3.5, round down.

Close To The Edge

Yes

4/5

While his voice is a bit too Zeppelin-adjacent for me to really love it, the music itself is trippy and full of all the ups and downs I would expect. Worth many repeat listens to catch all the things I missed while working.

Good Old Boys

Randy Newman

2/5

Say this were an instrumental album, and thus without his voice and without the distasteful repetition of the N-word in the first track. Then it would be a 3-star. With those things, petty as it might seem, as dismissive as it might be of his complex storytelling-based rhetoric, it's hard to imagine going higher than a 2.

1977

Ash

5/5

So remarkably better than I ever expected. Like, I read "punk updates to Britpop" and yawned, but this is more like everything teenage-me was thinking and feeling when this came out in 1996, music that Dave Jones really should have introduced me to, what's up with that? Maybe it's more of a 4 because there isn't THAT much variety to it, but come on, these guys were 19, and it's one of the happiest surprises I've run into on this listen so far, which is saying something.

Youth And Young Manhood

Kings of Leon

3/5

So you're telling me—you're seriously telling me—that when this came out in 2003 people were like, "Yeah, this is really important music"? With that voice? 2.7.

The Libertines

3/5

Certainly enjoyed listening to this more than the similar-era/similar-style Kings of Leon I got the day earlier, but there's still something . . . boring about it. I feel bad using that word, since there's clearly an energy and even a fun attitude exuded throughout here. It's just that the songs . . . don't seem to do anything or mean much or change much or even offer much that hasn't been done over and over. Why did we need this album in 2004, again? I DID like the slow, acoustic song at the end, but it was too little, too late.

Guero

Beck

4/5

Pretty enjoyable! Still has a bit of that hard-to-define "soullessness" that I feel from a lot of Beck's music—like it would be fine and fun to drive around to, and it's sonically interesting / diverse (especially this album!), but I can't imagine ever being, you know, moved by it. Holds it back. 3.7.

Slanted And Enchanted

Pavement

4/5

There's so much not to like here; it's almost like an experiment in being as off tune as possible with the singing and solos. Still, a part of me gets it and feels the energy and ideas of it. 3.5 that I'll round up because it was good driving music.

Forever Changes

Love

4/5

As I find myself more and more interested in listening to more of the Byrds, I need to remind myself that this album is RIGHT THERE, waiting for more repeated listening as well. It's just the right mix of beautiful, rocky, and weird.

You Want It Darker

Leonard Cohen

4/5

Weirdly beautiful and profound. It helped that I listed loudly in the car on a drive to clear my head, but I admit I was shocked by the choir, the strings, the subtle beats, even the 50s throwbacks. His "I'm mostly talking" voice is still not my cup of tea, but here, so perfectly recorded, so poignant and powerful, it hit home. 4.4.

The Age Of The Understatement

The Last Shadow Puppets

3/5

I was very excited after reading Wikipedia—inspired by all 60s French soundtracks??!! I'm here for it. Yet it ended up sounding a lot more like so-so indie rock, unfortunately (but maybe I wasn't listening closely enough?).

Want One

Rufus Wainwright

4/5

I think my problem with Rufus in the past has been that I like his voice less than I think I should, and that so many of his songs and melodies just . . . meander, without going anywhere too much. Those are still problems (for me) here, but alongside so much goodness: beautiful orchestrations, subtle/thoughtful songs (my favorite), and so much variety.

The Pleasure Principle

Gary Numan

4/5

So weird and delightful, like the dance party in an early 80s horror movie.

Peter Gabriel

4/5

One of the Wikipedia quotes mentions how every song sounds different, and it's totally true; there's a sense of "how exactly is this a coherent album, again?" in many of the songs. But ultimately, I see that as a good thing, especially when more than half are like, "Yeahhhh! I could get into THIS!!"

Licensed To Ill

Beastie Boys

3/5

As a 43-year-old, this sounds like a 3 rambunctious kids having THE TIME OF THEIR LIFE with their new mics and guitars and drum machines and samplers. Which is occasionally just as obnoxious as it sounds, and occasionally inviting and engaging. I'm wholly unable to hear this with 1986 ears, I should also admit.

Heartattack And Vine

Tom Waits

4/5

When exactly did I start really like Tom Waits albums again? The thing is, when I hear him start singing, part of me still recoils a bit, but it's in the context of such punchy, wild, guitar grooves and such heartfelt ballads that it's hard to say no.

Legalize It

Peter Tosh

3/5

I'm not annoyed by it, but I'm just not hearing why it matters.

Like A Prayer

Madonna

4/5

Almost entirely strong, with just one weird little song that seemed a bit ridiculous, and more than one extremely good song. Danceable, deep, even occasionally weird in the right ways. I like it.

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

3/5

I just listened to a Peter Tosh record 2 albums before this, and my feelings are exactly the same: that this seems fine and good and pleasant as far as I can tell, but nothing jumped out at me as particularly meaningful or powerful (probably because I wasn't paying enough attention to the words, I get it).

Bossanova

Pixies

4/5

It's hard to imagine that in 1990 I was listening to more Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith than this, and that PEOPLE I KNEW were making the same choice. Also, in my (very new, very undeep) listening to Pixies in the last couple years, I notice they're a band where I really pay more attention to everything but the vocals. That's like the kind of thing I would have told my mom in middle school, but it's somehow true here: it's the weird-yet-perfect harmonic changes, the ominous arpeggios, the grating clash, the melodic bass. Who cares what the singing sounds like? Could I even describe it?

Heroes to Zeros

The Beta Band

3/5

Nothing here is offensive, and occasionally it's interesting. It's just that it's interesting in the way that a bargain CD you bought because of the cover, that you listened to twice to try to convince yourself you really liked it, because there are definitely some interesting sounds here and thus it seems to deserve it, only to find that years--YEARS!--have gone by without ever putting it on again. 3.2.

Sheet Music

10cc

4/5

This kind of thing really is the exact reason why this project exists; it's weird and varied and hits you from every angle, and it just sounds good, you know? If you like that polished, pseudo-Queen sort of 70s pop rock sound? Which I didn't think I did? 4.5, only going down with uncertainty and trepidation.

Armed Forces

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

3/5

I'm quite sure I'd like this album 5-8x more if Elvis himself weren't the singer. Whenever I listened to the music and the arrangements, it was like, "Ooh, yeah, I see, that was nice." Then again, when "What's So Funny" came on as the final track, the only song on here that I already knew, I was dancing in my chair. So yes, I get it, you can train yourself to get past the voice, like drinking beer for the first time. But why?

I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

Richard Thompson

3/5

Not as . . . dark? as I expected after reading Wikipedia. And, I don't know, just not as unique and moving, either. (Maybe I should stop reading that stuff before listening?) Not that it's bad, just okay.

Sunshine Superman

Donovan

3/5

Mostly . . . ok? Sure, the sitar and tabla (or tabla-sounding something) were interesting, and track 5 "Bert's Blues" was so good that it just about carries the whole album, but overall I was underwhelmed by the songcraft, and by his singing. It's a 3.5 square on the dot, but I'm going down.

Leftism

Leftfield

4/5

So 90s, but always in a creative, groundbreaking way. Some tracks clearly more standout than others, and whoa didn't expect the singing on more than one, but definitely worth returning to, leaving on every once in a while.

The Slider

T. Rex

3/5

That was ok I guess. Some interesting/fun moments, but I guess I wasn't paying enough attention. Nice to read recently that Michael Stipe liked these guys, which I think colored how I listened a bit. But you know: it's fine.

The Infotainment Scan

The Fall

3/5

Weirdly uneven. Track 4 "I'm Going to Spain" is sung so badly I almost posted it online to make fun of it, but then Track 6 and Track 9 are so amazing that I want to star them. Balances out.

Triangle

The Beau Brummels

4/5

Clearly weird, and the kind of thing that Mighty Wind was making fun of, but . . . I don't know, I'm weirdly engaged by many of these songs, unexpectedly. On just the right drive through the right mountains, I'd love to hear it again.

Movies

Holger Czukay

4/5

Weird in ways that are hard to put into words, which is why I like it. Definitely one where you need to read the book entry, not the sparse Wikipedia entry (he played music along to TV shows and turned it into this album, wuuut?). Worth digging into more. Would be better with no singing.

Seventh Tree

Goldfrapp

3/5

I like the concept: upbeat electropop duo quiets things down, what could go wrong? And I guess nothing is wrong, but as someone not invested in the group at all before this, the contrast didn't really hit, leaving us with an album that's kind of Commuter Grooves, in its "pleasant but boring" way. Don't get me wrong: at least twice I was intrigued. But not much more than that. 3.3.

Rings Around The World

Super Furry Animals

3/5

I must just be in a bad mood or something, because my mind says, "Oh yeah, I hear all this variety and innovation," but my heart says, "So what?"

Hybrid Theory

Linkin Park

3/5

I kinda get it (in a way that I don't "kinda get" all the awful rap-rock that's out there): fairly "standard" chord progressions/harmonies, and lots of Boy Emotions without turning TOO dark? I'm not going to go listen to this again, but I guess it's there for some people. (And did other people know he committed suicide, just a few months after Chris Cornell died? I didn't.)

Marquee Moon

Television

4/5

I think I get it, to some extent. It's taking punk to a new level, so far that it's almost not punk any more, with lots of creativity. Because of that, I'll give it a 4, but it's more of a 3.6 for me, as someone who wasn't personally all that emotionally connected or impressed. Glad it exists for everyone else.

I See A Darkness

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

4/5

Delightful, beautifully dark, and kind of just like its album cover? With some early Bon Iver vibes. Why haven't I ever heard this before? 4.5.

Honky Tonk Masquerade

Joe Ely

2/5

Just . . . not my cup of tea. Nothing is particularly annoying, but this is probably a case where the genre itself—however well he's playing it—will make me go down to a 2. Just no thanks.

Smokers Delight

Nightmares On Wax

4/5

That was . . . okay. As often happens, 90s electronica sounds so amazing on paper but then feels a bit underwhelming in practice. Like, one of the best trip-hop albums ever? Are you kidding? Still, for nice, chillout, background music, this is perfectly fine. A 3.8 that I'll happily round up.

Golden Hour

Kacey Musgraves

3/5

Listened with headphones while cleaning, and while she's not someone I'll personally go back to, I think I get it: excellent production, heartfelt songwriting, lots of variety. 3 stars from me, but a high five to anyone who goes higher.

Truth

Jeff Beck

3/5

As it went on, I felt tempted to go 3 stars, with a sort of, "I get it, and I hear the excellence here, but something about British blues/rock just doesn't do it for me, especially with Rod Stewart singing." But then that next-to-last 7-minute "Blues Deluxe" was so good that I started to think I was being rude with my polite thanks-but-no-thanks attitude. But then the final song actually cemented my initial impression, sorry guys.

Ctrl

SZA

4/5

Delightful, boundary-breaking, perfect mix of bass and beats and vocals in ways that feel unexpected.

Back to Basics

Christina Aguilera

3/5

It's ok. Really! Just fine. Her voice is good, and the beats are fine. It's just not the "inspired by the 40s" thing that Wikipedia makes it sound like it'll be. Oh well.

Synchronicity

The Police

4/5

I have some Police record (this one??) that I bought a while back and was immediately disappointed by, making me wonder if my general feeling of "I bet I'd like listening to more of The Police" was actually false, deep down. But this album is so strong that I'm embarrassed at how wrong I was. It's a 4 today, but I suspect if I had it on CD in the car for a few spins, I'd like it enough to go to 5. Just not there yet.

Who's Next

The Who

4/5

First and last songs (Baba O'Riley and Won't Get Fooled Again) are the clear standouts, and not just because they're the songs I've heard before—synth, changes, variety, power, all that. The rest of the songs seemed . . . alright.

Architecture And Morality

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

4/5

Who even knew this band or album existed? It's so great. Even after 1.5 listens, I might give it one more spin tomorrow before I rate, because it's right at 4.5 for me right now.

Arc Of A Diver

Steve Winwood

2/5

It's never a good sign when you keep looking back at the album to see if the main album (blessedly, only 7 tracks) is over and we're onto the bonus tracks yet. Just the worst kind of cheese early 80s adult pop you can imagine.

Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin

4/5

I still don't think I'm particularly much of a Zep fan (is that what they call themselves?), but on this "most popular among non-fans" album, there's a lot to like: Stairway, When the Levee Breaks, and a couple of other acoustic-y numbers that were better than I expected/remembered, giving the whole thing some variety.

Daydream Nation

Sonic Youth

4/5

Whew! Big! Loud! Long! Mostly good things! There are days when this would grate (as it started to toward the end), and days where it would be exactly what I needed. Imagine 7YO me screaming it into the suburban night, and it starts to hit even more.

Slipknot

1/5

Remarkable how bad it is. How could there possibly be a market for 60 minutes of this? As awful as possible.

Suicide

4/5

What a weird delight. I've been thinking for years that I need a playlist or mix of "weird newer music obviously inspired by 50s Elvis-style rock" and yet here is the pinnacle of that and I had never even heard of it. Not "easy" to listen to, but hypnotizing and fascinating always.

A Love Supreme

John Coltrane

4/5

One of those complex pieces of art that you need a few hours with, carefully studying, to really fully appreciate. I've never done that, so it's a 4 for me, though I know there's a 5 lingering under the carpet.

Black Metal

Venom

1/5

lol

Here Come The Warm Jets

Brian Eno

3/5

First couple songs I was convinced this was a 2-star, since I felt actively annoyed. Then there was more variety and weirdness, which bumped it up to a 3. But I certainly can't imagine seeking this out again. Sorry BE.

Supa Dupa Fly

Missy Elliott

4/5

Really nice beats and melodies throughout. Have to keep reminding yourself how early this came out, as a beginning that influenced later people. Pleasantly surprised by how much singing there was alongside the rapping, not something I always associate with Missy. Glad I heard it.

On The Beach

Neil Young

3/5

So complicated. The first side, as usual with Young's stuff [ducks] is so blah that's practically a 2/5, especially when he sings. (Seriously, who decided to let him sing?) But then we get the long songs on Side B, especially tracks 6 and 8, and there are these heartbreaking solos and slow, thoughtful moments, and I start to get it a lot more.

Who Killed...... The Zutons?

The Zutons

3/5

Whatever-yawn-fest, right? Early 2000s rock didn't have to try very hard to be recognized, it sometimes seems.

Devil Without A Cause

Kid Rock

2/5

I waited days to listen to this, terrified at how awful it would be. And guess what: it's just a 2-star, not 1! So that's something! I say that because if the whole thing was instrumental, it would be interesting, with more variety than I expected. But . . . he doesn't actually keep his mouth shut.

The Real Thing

Faith No More

3/5

Unlike what happens with some 3-star albums, I can actually see why this is well-regarded. Wikipedia quotes a great line that I can hear played out in the album: "Faith No More is a band with a punk-rock bassist, a classically trained keyboardist, a punk-funk singer and a drummer who would probably rather be playing Ghanaian tribal music, which goes a long way toward explaining the band's diversity." And yes, there's a variety of musical styles here, and cool guitar (some of which is really clearly pre-SP) and powerful drums. But his voice is awful, and honestly, most of the songs were more, "Oh, I can appreciate that some people like that" rather than "I actually like this myself." Not planning to replay for years and years and years. So it's a 3.

Olympia 64

Jacques Brel

3/5

I mean . . . it's pretty fun and all. Yay for French singing! Enjoyed reading along with the French lyrics to one song. But I don't know, I'm not bowled over? But I'm not the audience?

James Brown Live At The Apollo

James Brown

3/5

Favorite song: the 10-minute "Lost Someone," where he asks the audience to scream along with him. Otherwise: yes, this is great, peak James Brown. That's all I have to say.

#1 Record

Big Star

3/5

It's ok. At least a 3.5. Maybe higher if I had listened more closely. But the longer this process goes on, the more you're like, "Oh, another jangly 70s rock band, huh? Ok."

The Modern Dance

Pere Ubu

2/5

You know that thing where "this is really pushing artistic boundaries" becomes "this is barely listenable"?

Pearl

Janis Joplin

3/5

Much better than expected; really, the Joplin episode of the History of Rock Music podcast did SO MUCH to help me appreciate her more, and I think also to just better understand the landscape of late 60s/early 70s rock in the U.S. Still . . . even though I can see why people would love it, I'm still not enthralled. It's a solid 3.5, but today I feel like going down.

The Seldom Seen Kid

Elbow

4/5

Better than most of the "random rock albums by bands I've never heard of." Has a bit of the "It's 2008 so we should sound like Coldplay to be successful," but only a little, and there's so much variety here that it deserves the 4. Some of it is more boring than other parts, but I did occasionally pay attention.

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon

4/5

Why have I never listened to this before? Powerful, raw, varied, and weird. Need to go back again.

Ambient 1/Music For Airports

Brian Eno

5/5

Track 1 is notably better than 3 and 4, especially, but I can't complain: this is so much part of me that it's automatic 5 whether I listened or not (though I did). Be sure to read Wikipedia about this again, future Kyle, especially the quote about how it's in part about accepting death??!

Music in Exile

Songhoy Blues

3/5

Fun, creative, glad I heard it, but as I often write here, I feel like I lack the context to judge its awesomeness or not.

Real Life

Magazine

3/5

That was ok I guess. More rocky that "Send Me an Angel." Occasionally good. A 3.5 that I'll round down.

L'Eau Rouge

The Young Gods

3/5

I actually was really close to giving this a 4, probably largely because on Friday afternoon it's what I really needed: heavy without being annoying (except for his stupid doom-metal singing). Plus, there's weird ambiance! Stuff that you can't quite put your finger on! Cool! But here's what left it at a 3: the question, "If I ever put all the albums I gave 4s to in a playlist, would I want to come back and hear this again in that context?" And, um, the answer is no.

Maverick A Strike

Finley Quaye

3/5

Remarkably underwhelming. Fine but forgettable. 2.8.

Pink Flag

Wire

3/5

Hey, it was ok! So often I see "punk" and "post punk" and worry, but it was . . . fine. But the only time I perked up was the original of "Strange," the song R.E.M. covered. And I guess that says something.

Eli And The Thirteenth Confession

Laura Nyro

3/5

So on the positive side, there's this really kind of shocking energy and excitement (and horns!) to this recording that just so strongly doesn't seem to be implied by the goth-y cover. Or maybe that's not on the positive side, but I really wasn't ready for this. And usually that was a positive surprise, at the energy and intensity of it all. But her voice strikes me as just . . . ok? Kind of maybe the definition of "blue-eyed soul," like someone who has listened to a lot of soul but is still, just a little, copying those methods. Not that I listened carefully enough to really make that argument very powerfully, but there it is.

Sister

Sonic Youth

4/5

What a rush. When you need this band, you really need this band. (No, I haven't been able through this listen to adequately notice what differentiates one of their albums from another, oops.)

There's A Riot Goin' On

Sly & The Family Stone

4/5

Just love the sound. Powerful and exactly what you'd hope. Just sad that it was recorded in such a sad context.

Lady Soul

Aretha Franklin

4/5

Just what you'd expect, with all the excellencies deserved. Fun party music to turn on, but then it gets serious and powerful, too.

Dirty

Sonic Youth

5/5

I love that this is called Dirty, because after it's over I feel like I've been in the ocean, knocked completely over into the gravel by the waves. As usual, I don't think I quite know how I'd differentiate it from all the other Sonic Youth albums I've heard a total of one time each, but DANG: I kept turning this louder and louder, which has to mean something.

Better Living Through Chemistry

Fatboy Slim

3/5

It's fine. You know: typical 90s electronica, with all the repetition that that implies. I'm actually a little surprised seeing that when I listened to another of his albums earlier in this process (though a later album), it eventually got so annoying that I went down to 2 stars. Here, I was never annoyed, but rarely actually engaged, you know.

Songs From A Room

Leonard Cohen

3/5

I guess you had to be there.

The Next Day

David Bowie

3/5

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I think something about the 2013-ness of the sound (polished, perfect, exact) turned me off? But again, I wasn't listening THAT carefully? At least 2 songs were really quite good, but most were ok. 3.5.

Jack Takes the Floor

Ramblin' Jack Elliott

4/5

Somehow it hit harder as it went on. Really glad I heard it, and some of these songs deserve to be on a regular rotation.

Only By The Night

Kings of Leon

3/5

The thing is, it's albums like this that are why I stopped listening to new to new rock for so long.

Rumours

Fleetwood Mac

4/5

Listened in the car with C, and in that context I found it so so good as expected, but less... emotional? Powerful? Not sure. So it's a 4.5 that unbelievably I'm rounding down.

Garbage

4/5

Ok, so on one hand there's a part of me that struggles to get past the production, which in some ways sounds great, but in other ways just sounds TOO great, you know? Exactly perfect drums, exactly perfect guitar riffs, and so on (except perhaps the vocals, for some reason). It's shiny and perfected. But dang, the songs really ARE catchy. It's funny how much less "dangerous" it all seems now, partly because the album is so much more FUN than it pretends to be (though there's indeed a lot of sex and a lot of talk about God/the spiritual). So: I'm not like, "I'M RENEWING MY FANDOM IN GARBAGE," but I AM like, "I want to keep listening through to see where things went after this and 2.0!"

Disintegration

The Cure

5/5

There's no other mood like this mood. Yes, maybe (MAYBE) when you hear it all at once there's a bit of a sameness to it, but this is a time when that's just right. I love the sound, the production, the length of the songs, the melodies, and all the memories baked into it. 5 stars and then some.

Sunshine Hit Me

The Bees

3/5

Next to last instrumental track: cool! interesting! wow! The rest: Oh, was music playing? It was so unnoticeable (ok, except for the brass and stuff) that I didn't really notice.

California

American Music Club

2/5

Now I see where Hootie and the Blowfish came from.

Be

Common

5/5

What a fantastic record. So cool and unique and strong. It's a 4.5 that today, in my good mood, I feel like rounding up.

Trafalgar

Bee Gees

2/5

At times this is so clearly a 3 that it's hard to imagine giving it anything less. Even 3.5 at times! Fine (if kinda weird) early 70s folk-and-Beatles-inspired rock! I get it! But the bad parts are so laughably, embarrassingly bad that it becomes impossible to raise the whole thing to the level of a 3. Sheesh.

Exit Planet Dust

The Chemical Brothers

4/5

Definitely a 3.5—better than many of the awful 90s electronica albums that I never knew I didn't like before this project. I'll round up because there's some singing that isn't annoying?

Violent Femmes

4/5

Kiss Off is so good that I started it over again after the whole album was over. I mean, it's so weird and lofi and kind of sweet in its simplicity, but with that weird sexual energy behind the whole album, and it's just great y'all.

Risque

CHIC

3/5

Lovely recording, for some hard-to-define reason—it's just produced in a way that sounds good. And that's . . . all I have to say about it.

Your Arsenal

Morrissey

3/5

Ok! Occasionally more than ok! But even here, I found I liked the songs that were most . . . 80s Morrissey, if that makes sense, and least rocky and rockabillyish. So maybe a 3.3 or something.

D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle

Throbbing Gristle

2/5

As I listened to this awful, nigh-unlistenable album, tempted to just skip it since after all it's #946 and I deserve that, track 9 was actually kind of good? Followed by 10 that was kind of interesting? Which somehow must have infected my brain to enjoy the repetitive screeching of a train going over the tracks in track 11 a little bit more than I had enjoyed the awful noises that came earlier. What I'm saying is that it saved itself from a 1 by a hair.

We're Only In It For The Money

The Mothers Of Invention

3/5

So I've heard a lot about them from my 500 songs podcast, and I really liked the Zappa album I heard earlier in this listen, so I was pretty pumped when this came up. And it's . . . something that demanded more attention than I gave it, I suppose. Mocking things that I don't have the full context for. Weird in ways that are probably both supposed to be silly and deeper. All of which made me say, "Yeah ok, whatever."

Band On The Run

Paul McCartney and Wings

4/5

Listened while doing emails first thing on a Monday morning, which is to say that it didn't get the attention I probably should have given it, especially since I've been thinking lately about a chronological listen-through of all Beatles solo albums. So with that context in mind I can say this: I noticed lots of variety, interesting instruments, moments both of feeling and silliness, and head-bobbiness throughout. But what I didn't really notice were any moments that reached out and grabbed me, that felt especially powerful or interesting in a fresh and important way. So I'll fall back on 4 stars because it probably deserves it, is what I'm saying, even if I'm not totally sure I'm right.

Sincere

Mj Cole

4/5

A 3.5 I'll round up, mostly because of the instrumentals (which are usually groovy in all the right ways), not the singing (which is usually dated and a little annoying).

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

Fun! I liked the horns, the variety, the danceability. Maybe I'm just in a good mood, but it struck me as better than I expected.

Getz/Gilberto

Stan Getz

5/5

We all know how good this album is, right? Why take the time to explain it in words?

Suzanne Vega

4/5

So much better (and even moving?) than I expected, and I expected a lot—just not that groovy fretless bass sound that makes it so 80s without ever taking the energy away from Vega's amazing, straightforward, just-right voice.

Fever Ray

4/5

A little slower and darker than I expected for electro-pop, with weirder vocals that keep it a bit at a distance. Still, it's a 3.7 that's worth returning to one day, even though it probably won't be a favorite.

The Band

3/5

I guess after listening to the 500 Songs podcast and learning so much more about these guys and seeing all the rave reviews on Wikipedia I was expecting . . . something more. I know, I know, you had to be there, it changed things so much that of course it sounds like other things that came after it, whatever. But listening today, it was clearly just . . . fine.

Document

R.E.M.

5/5

As always with albums I know well, I have no idea how to rank this—especially because in this case it's an album I know and love but love a lot less than a lot of other R.E.M. albums. Still, on this relisten, loud and in the car on CD, I noticed things: the loud, big drums throughout; the subtle acoustic guitar that occasionally adds a different flavor to the sound; the other little slices of instruments (the sax, a little bit of organ here and there, and that thing that almost sounded Beatles-y sitar-esque but which Wikipedia says is a dulcimer); Mike's better-than-ever background vocals; etc. I especially found myself enjoying the blend of variety within a consistent tone, even though I'm not sure if it's really there or if I'm just adding that. But still: so many of these songs *feel* the same, even though when I listen closely then don't *sound* the same, in terms of instruments and structure and tempo. Because really, there are quite a few WEIRD songs on here that stand out in their weirdness—yet don't multiple weird songs stacked atop each other equal consistency?

Clube Da Esquina

Milton Nascimento

4/5

Not exactly what I expected from Brazilian music, but in a good way. Worth returning to.

Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

MC Solaar

4/5

Fun! French! Early 90s-mellow, in a good way! Gotta listen while reading the lyrics one day, right?

Porcupine

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

Enjoyably gothy. Feels like it thinks it's very important, and I don't know, today I was here for that.

Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts

The Adverts

3/5

Actually better than I expected; I was dancing in my chair a bit—turns out I like "post punk" more than "punk." Still, it's a 3.5 that I can't quite make myself raise to a 4, which is me, not them, I'm sure.

Will The Circle Be Unbroken

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

4/5

So much better than I expected (though long). Exactly what I want when I turn on Bluegrass Junction, but with the added interest that it's recorded live in the studio. Should be a staple from now on.

The World is a Ghetto

War

4/5

Groovy and powerful and musically rich—all the things I would want on a War album (plus long songs and only 6 tracks). The kind of thing I'd pick up on vinyl if I saw it cheap.

Yeezus

Kanye West

4/5

So weirdly inventive that it feels like it was made yesterday, not 11 years ago. The very definition of musical variety. Why not a 5? Because I'm sick of the lyrics. What an absolute shame, to color this world-changing music with... brags about sexual prowess. And again. And again. Boring.

Definitely Maybe

Oasis

3/5

Yes, the guitars are bigger and more authentically-awesome-90s than I expected/remembered. Yes, "Supersonic" is a genuinely well-written song that grabs you and is fun to sing along to. But DANG his voice is annoying—and not just his natural tone, I mean the way he sings, those vowels doing all these really weird vowelly things that vowels should never do. Especially bad on the radio hit "Live Forever." So bad that if the things I liked were even a tidge less strong, this would be a 2-star album, sheesh.

Manassas

Stephen Stills

4/5

It's really, really well done. I actually like the "each of the 4 sides sounds different" model, but no matter if it's more acoustic, country-ish, or even Latin-inspired (?!), the sound just sounds . . . real, crisp, immediate. It's what Jon Stone must have had in mind when he posted once that he likes the sound of 70s music.

The Man Machine

Kraftwerk

4/5

I'm too tired to write smart notes, but just know it's as good as you expected and better than Autobahn but of course it's not like LIFE-CHANGING though it would have been in the 70s.

American Gothic

David Ackles

4/5

For most of this, it was a 3.5: intriguing piano and orchestral/chamber instruments, and sad/sweet Americana lyrics, but held back by his . . . I don't know, "Vegas lounge singer" voice. But then that final 10-minute song about looking for his ancestors on their ancestral farm in Montana, with the Copland-esque orchestration, that just got me worked up in the feels, so there's no way I could round down.

Tidal

Fiona Apple

5/5

It's just so remarkably good—her voice always detailed and perfectly recorded, the music both upbeat and sad, with a sound that's somehow both timeless and 90s. Perhaps 5 stars is a lot for something with only so much bizarre creativity/variety (which I so often look for in a 5-star album), but I'm feeling 5 today, so that's what it gets. I'm feeling like a criminal.

Born To Be With You

Dion

3/5

I'm not the audience here. I think in the 70s, I can imagine the audience of people thinking, "Ooh! A return to the Phil Spector days of not that long ago! Kind of old-schooly rock, with an adult contemporary vibe...?" I just can't quite put my finger on it, and thus I don't feel very moved. I mean, I'm not listening all that closely either so maybe that's in, but whatever.

Time (The Revelator)

Gillian Welch

4/5

I'm really moved by this lovely collection of songs. I never would have thought of it as something to pick up and listen to, but that's exactly what this project is for. Delightful.

Central Reservation

Beth Orton

3/5

If you had said, "There's a quiet 1999 album by an artist you've never heard of, but her singing voice sounds a lot like Sarah McLaughlin, but occasionally sweeter and occasionally more intense, and occasionally the acoustic elements are buttressed with subtle electronics," I would have said, "LET'S GOOOO." But in practice . . . I'm a little bored, a little underwhelmed. I like it best when it's most acoustic, when we can focus on her voice. So it's certainly a 3.something. Still.

Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

Just what you'd expect. Lovely and occasionally delightfully weird.

Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Frank Sinatra

4/5

What a true delight to listen to the album of the day on vinyl in your office. And it was just what I needed: soothing and lovely and minimally danceable, even. The Grammy's were correct to give best album to Sgt. Pepper, though.

Gold

Ryan Adams

3/5

Let's just say up front that it's hard for me to listen un-biasedly to an album by this guy, after his allegations. But that said, I guess this is . . . ok? I admit I've been curious who in the world this guy is, whose name I've heard but am not sure I've ever heard at all before. And nothing here sparked any memories, oh well. I guess it's like "Counting Crows in 2001," right? With a less-engaging voice (though still a good voice, I've got to admit) and fewer legit-emotional moments. 3.1, I guess.

Mama Said Knock You Out

LL Cool J

3/5

Probably my expectations for a fun 1990 rap album were too high. Best when it's melodic, when there's background singing, and when the fun dips into ridiculous (yes, I'm talking about the song filled with the names of breakfast cereal). But mostly soso.

Unhalfbricking

Fairport Convention

4/5

Listened to the first 3 tracks without really paying attention, so the next day I put in headphones and started over, and I'm so glad I did. It's like the best qualities of the Byrds, mixed with a gentle 60s vocalist and British folkiness, of course, but also a jam-band, excellent-musicians mentality here and there (esp. on the long "A Sailor's Life). Glad I heard it.

Picture Book

Simply Red

2/5

I kept thinking, "It's sad that I'll be giving 3 stars to such an annoying album," before I realized that I had all the power in my hands that I could ever need. There's a song called "No Direction," and that's a lot of it. What even is this weird collection of dated 80s tunes, with the cheesiest synths and dumbest emotions?

Green River

Creedence Clearwater Revival

3/5

I certainly don't have very strong feelings about this. I guess I like the sound—the stereo, the clear sound of each instrument, even the playing. But that's in a package that just didn't grab me all that much. 3.3.

Water From An Ancient Well

Abdullah Ibrahim

3/5

I fell for it: I saw the name and expected world music, not jazz, but it's definitely jazz. And it's fine, perfectly good jazz! Not overly 80s-sounding, by which I mean not too weirdly "smooth," but still well-played and written. But you know—surely (surely?) there are more important jazz albums to put on a list like this, with so little jazz? Kind of a weird choice? 3.4.

Justified

Justin Timberlake

4/5

It's funny, I keep trying to tell myself, "I'm enjoying this so much, but of course it has to get 3 stars." Like, it's obviously too long, and cool indie guys like me aren't supposed to like R&B/pop albums like this from 2002. But as it goes on, it's so varied, so creative, so fun—of course it's 4 stars. Glad I heard it, even as long as it is!

Rip It Up

Orange Juice

3/5

So there are plenty of times on this album where you think, "Ah nice, what a perfectly 80s sound," and you just soak it in for a second. But those moments 1) don't actually hold all *that* much value in the long run, 2) aren't enough to make up for the lousy melody-writing and singing, and 3) don't hide the fairly obvious "we're trying to be The Police" vibes. Sure, I can picture Michael Stipe listening to this on college radio in 1982 and digging it, but for me, unimpressed.

McCartney

Paul McCartney

4/5

Interesting to read Wikipedia about the bigger context (Let it Be not even out yet, so low-fi, etc.), none of which I really noticed while listening: to me, it just sounded like a nice, delightful collection of tunes ("unfinished" didn't cross my mind).

Darkdancer

Les Rythmes Digitales

3/5

You know that CD of electronic Christmas songs I burned in college? The one filled with anything I found while searching the old mp3.com for "electronic Christmas," no matter how dubious the content? So many of those songs sound immediately interesting, perhaps with instrumentation or a rhythm or something else that grabs you for a second. Then the second passes, and you realize . . . it's not that great a song. This is like a whole album of that. 3 stars to its core, as the average between the first impression and the actuality.

In The Wee Small Hours

Frank Sinatra

4/5

It's really like the platonic ideal of what this kind of thing should be . . . making it hard to "rate" the same way you would something else. No worries, and thus great.

Oar

Alexander 'Skip' Spence

3/5

Ok, there's something unsavory about listening to an album recorded right after someone got out of a mental hospital for attacking his bandmates with an ax. Still, I tried to listen with an open mind . . . and actually liked it so much more than I expected to. There are definitely songs that are in the 4 range, for their intriguing, low-fi vibe, feeling ahead of their time . . . but there are also ones (usually the ones where he sings lower) that really, really don't deserve the 4. So it's a 3.5 and I'll go down.

Marcus Garvey

Burning Spear

3/5

I like the recording quality—the crisp clarity of all the instruments in the mix. I like that it calls out racism. Besides that, I didn't really notice a thing.

Phaedra

Tangerine Dream

4/5

Exactly what I expected, with some weirder moments and some lovelier moments. Glad to know it's something I can pick up if I see it at a record store, without wondering, "Is this going to be SO WEIRD that I never want to listen to it??"

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying

Megadeth

3/5

It was actually better than I expected, I'll say. Some variety and excellent playing. So it's a 3.5, but it's still just not for me.

Hotel California

Eagles

3/5

I guess it's . . . less good than I expected? Sure, the title track rocks, but very little else grabbed me. Even felt a bit adult contemporary once or twice....

Repeater

Fugazi

4/5

Much better than I expected (maybe partly because I haven't listened to any of these for a while, or because I listened in headphones while in a good mood?). But clearly what a lot of T&N post-punk bands were listening to, modeling on.

Fred Neil

3/5

I guess it's fine.

Snivilisation

Orbital

4/5

Just what you'd expect, without the sometimes-happens-in-this-list-where-90s-electronica-is-bad thing.

Joan Baez

4/5

Such a difficult album to "rate." In some ways, what a lovely fact that this exists: recorded with 2 mics, mostly live, in a New York hotel ballroom (see Wikipedia!), in 1960, so early for folk music in the U.S. Her playing is excellent, and her singing is just what you'd expect a 1960 folk singer to sing. But . . . all of that doesn't mean I always enjoyed actually hearing it. Her voice isn't exactly my favorite for casual listening, as much as I appreciate what she does with it. I think the preponderance of the evidence is in her favor, so I'll go 4, but I'm sure I wouldn't on every day.

Parachutes

Coldplay

3/5

That first track from Garden State is so excellent, the height of what I imagine Coldplay to be. The rest is so inoffensive it hurts, the elevator music of rock.

Lost In The Dream

The War On Drugs

3/5

I appreciate the chance to really listen to an album by a band like this that I've heard mentioned for a while and never really paid much attention to. And . . . I guess I get it, partly: the long instrumental moments are especially nice, and yes, I could hear vestiges of Springsteen and the Police and other 80s rock hinted at here and there. But still, it's ultimately not very striking, it seems to me. Maybe I'm bored with rock that came out after 1999 or something?

So

Peter Gabriel

4/5

A fun, VERY 80S album that hit the spot today. Bookended by two incredible songs, with the middle less excellent but still fun. 4 stars to the core.

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

3/5

I used to feel bad for thinking the Stones are so mediocre. I don't any more.

American Beauty

Grateful Dead

4/5

Delightfully more like the Byrds than I would have expected. Worth returning to a few times, I think.

Morrison Hotel

The Doors

4/5

Clearly nowhere near their best or worst work—which in their case is still pretty good. Love those keyboards.

Kollaps

Einstürzende Neubauten

2/5

Simply shouldn't be on this list. It's noise art, and as such it's pretty much unlistenable unless you're like, "I want to think about the history and uses of noise." Because I occasionally have that academic thought, I'll round my 1.5 up to 2, and because 2 or 3 of these 23 tracks were mildly listenable (though I skipped through quite a few).

Henry's Dream

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

Maybe--MAYBE--I here and there better understood the whole Nick Cave thing better during parts of this album--the whole intense, alternate universe middle of the night in a scary bar screaming into the microphone vibe. But that doesn't make it my vibe, still.

Fear Of Music

Talking Heads

3/5

A 3.5 that I could go either way. I guess that's my entire relationship with Talking Heads: always fun and interesting, but rarely something I actually feel like putting on.

Ys

Joanna Newsom

4/5

So . . . the clear winner here is the orchestration, harp, and unusual (long!) song structures. The clear winner here is her singing voice, and the fact that there's just *so much of it*. I'm left feeling a lot of respect for the album but no eagerness to put it back on any time soon, which I think means it's a 3.8 that rounds up.

Woodface

Crowded House

3/5

Pretty clearly shouldn't be on this list. A ho-hum early-90s rock band with a singer who sounds like a mix of George and John, the end.

Kenza

Khaled

4/5

Fun, varied, dance-worthy, and "modern-sounding" in a way that I mean entirely positively—it's just what a late-90s listener might want as an update from the world music they knew from the 60s and 70s. Too long, though.

Moss Side Story

Barry Adamson

4/5

So, so cool. Loved his stuff on the Lost Highway soundtrack (where did that CD end up, anyway?), and loved it here. I was worried the little bits of dialogue and sound effects would be distracting during work, but it's fine. A 4.4 that might have been higher if I had been listening closer.

Punishing Kiss

Ute Lemper

4/5

I mean . . . this is an intense album, with all the variety of a Broadway cast album plus more. And obviously, I love covers and want them to be celebrated. So this is a great inclusion on this list! But here in my office today, listening to this in the background, I'm just somehow not very moved. I almost can't believe I'm writing that, because there's so much emotion here! Maybe it's partly that I don't know a single one of the originals that are being covered, or that I didn't pay enough attention (probably that one). But it's some kind of 3 that I sadly have to round down, when it comes to how *I* feel about it (though I'm sure it's *objectively* higher than that). But wait: now it's the next day and I'm thinking about it, and how unusual the whole thing is, and that wild final 10-minute song, and I changed my mind.

Raw Power

The Stooges

3/5

I think I mostly get it. Like, reading that this was Kurt Cobain's favorite album and listening through that lens, and reading all the other people who see it as so important, and remembering it's *1973*, got it, yes. How much did I, driving around in my car and listening in my office while reading emails, enjoy it? Some! Like I said, I think I get the appeal. But still, somehow, I don't think it's primarily for me.

Ray Of Light

Madonna

4/5

The title song is really annoying and has been since 1998, so I was sure this would be a 3-star album TOPS. Yet in the songs after that annoying track, I actually have to admit that the production is really good, and her voice often matches it well. I'm not going to buy it or anything, but quite a few of these songs I wouldn't mind hearing again. Even its annoying 90s 60+ minute length didn't feel long in practice!

Pyromania

Def Leppard

3/5

It's Def Leppard! To the core! Therefore, it's fun! Energizing! And . . . I don't know, just ok. 3.5, rounding down, sorry guys.

The Good, The Bad & The Queen

3/5

Kristin came in to talk after about 5 songs, and the album had been so boring up to that point that I didn't bother to hit pause, and that was the right choice. Ok, yes, there's a final 7-minute song that gets a bit rambunctious and all. But it's ultimately this: I've never been impressed by anything this Damon guy made. Somehow, despite his creativity and multi-genre stretching, he doesn't do it for me.

En-Tact

The Shamen

3/5

Look, it's better than a lot of 90s techno. I had a fine time doing taxes with it in the background and wouldn't mind it again, in a "reminds me of mp3.com and early college days" sort of way (even though this precedes that by 10 years). But none of that makes it seem . . . noteworthy, in a way that ought to be on this list, or even particularly praised. I guess I'm saying it's a 3-star album that I liked 3.7 stars, which somehow feels like it should round down.

A Little Deeper

Ms. Dynamite

4/5

Much more fun than I expected, clearly inspired by Lauryn Hill, but in a good way. So groovy and varied that I didn't even notice the long playtime.

In It For The Money

Supergrass

3/5

Mostly unenjoyable and boring. Occasionally the louder parts hit home a bit, but mostly it's one of those "if this list wasn't made by British journalists there's no way this would be on this list."

Liquid Swords

GZA

3/5

Certainly not bad. Occasionally the beats were genuinely fun (never too dark or grimy), and I thought the extended quotes from movies helped unify the album as a whole. Ultimately, though, GZA just isn't as interesting an MC as many others in the Wu-Tang Clan, with a bit more of a "bored" voice and a slowish flow. So even though I liked it more than I expected, I wasn't wowed.

Happy Sad

Tim Buckley

4/5

Happy Sad is actually a really good title. I'll just leave it at that.

Heaux Tales

Jazmine Sullivan

4/5

Always good, occasionally brilliant, needs hearing.

John Prine

3/5

It's fine! Old-style country done well. His voice is a bit more annoying than average, and his songs are a bit better than average, to my taste.

Hot Shots II

The Beta Band

3/5

Occasionally quite interesting! Occasionally not. 3.5!

Tical

Method Man

3/5

It feels like RZA used all his best beats for 36 Chambers and then gave Method Man all his less impressive ones for this album. Method Man also is in the solid middle of interesting-to-listen-to Wu-Tang members. Plus, the mix is weird, often making it hard to hear the lyrics, even in the car with it turned up. Forgettable.

It's Too Late to Stop Now

Van Morrison

3/5

I think I get it, especially after reading Wikipedia: a rock concert album with all those horns and strings, and un-embellished later in the studio, and taking its time on long, jazzy moments. I see why people love it so much. But here today in my office, I just wasn't too drawn in. It's a 3.5 personally that I'll bump down.

Machine Gun Etiquette

The Damned

4/5

You know me and "1001 albums punk" albums by now: I'm generally annoyed and disappointed. But this cut through that apathy, somehow. Was it the right time? Did it actually anticipate some of the college rock I liked so much, in ways I didn't expect? Is it just a fun album? Did I just not listen closely enough? In any case, right now I want this on my radar something to pull out when I need that vibe.

Teen Dream

Beach House

4/5

That's really nice. I don't quite get the "shoegaze" thing—more like a mildly upbeat Mazzy Star, which I see as a good thing. Glad I heard it.

The Sensual World

Kate Bush

4/5

What a delight. I guess, yes, I was a little worried after not super-loving the random LP of hers I picked up for a dollar, but this is Bush as I expect/imagine her to sound in my head. 4.4.

Alien Lanes

Guided By Voices

3/5

This is just ok. Garage rock isn't my thing. Short songs are a good idea, though.

Something Else By The Kinks

The Kinks

3/5

I guess I feel bad that this creative band is so often remembered just for "You Really Got Me Now" instead of this more creative stuff. Yet in 2025, so far away, it's also easy to hear this as kind of a "we want to try Sgt Pepper too," right? So I'm not really struck/amazed, though maybe I would be on another day.

Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room

Dwight Yoakam

2/5

Wikipedia helped: I can see why a "return to roots" thing would be popular and important, and is even something I'm in favor of! But . . . it's still not really for me.

Toys In The Attic

Aerosmith

3/5

I have to be honest: I came to this with a pretty bad attitude, since I'm still burned by so much of the awful 90s Aerosmith. And yeah, there's definitely a vibe of "There's not just the Stones and Zeppelin, we exist too!!1!!" here . . . but it's actually more engaging than I expected. A 3.5 that I'm still going to round down, but dang guys, that was a really good play you made for something higher.

Drunk

Thundercat

5/5

Dang, that was fun. So much lovely bass work, so many moods, just the kind of groove that I want to put on sometimes but don't know where to look. Exactly why I love this project. I'll say, though, that for the first half of the album I thought I'd be giving a 5, but during the second half I started feeling more toward a 4. I think that has something to do with a growing sense of sameness. I know, I know, I just said there's variety, but somehow it feel like both? It's weird.

Live / Dead

Grateful Dead

4/5

Really glad I listened! Liked a lot, and I'm sure I'd like more if I listened more carefully. Occasionally I think my brain started to expect Phish and was a little surprised (or even miffed) when it went in another direction, but whatever.

Dare!

The Human League

4/5

Yes yes yes that's what I want from my 80s synth-pop, exactly this.

Medúlla

Björk

5/5

It's just really so remarkable. I know it took me a while to warm up to it, not even buying it until fairly recently, so I really know the difficulties here. But what I noticed today, listening in headphones, is that its variety really saves it (which somehow I missed when younger). Personally, today, it was the heart-wrenching slowness of "Desired Constellation" that did it, right there in the middle of the album, where I'd say more of the radio-friendly / accessible songs tend to be. You just need to have the strength and course to get there to accept it. What else is like this?

In Utero

Nirvana

4/5

By now, I'm no longer sure if I'm just repeating myself or not, but sure, I'll try again: with albums I know—and I actually think especially with Nirvana—I simply don't know how to rate this. Part of it is that without that nostalgic/personal connection, the arguments for why this album is so important fall a little flat for me. If we were talking about, say, The White Stripes, and there was all this stuff on Wikipedia about how they were going for a more stripped-down, raw sound and mostly just accepted the first take of everything, I'd say, "Oh, that's kind of interesting, but kind of sad how rarely that actually produces really good rock music." This whole project has taught me how little I care to listen to any garage rock revival, etc. etc. But hey: it's Nirvana, on an album I got in middle school from BMG Records. I can sing along to every single song, and at times find that individual drum beats or guitar licks or climaxes are far more recorded in my brain than I expected. And there's a thrill in experiencing that. It's fun and lovely, and because of that I'll continue listening to this for the rest of my life. But do I actually like it as much as Nevermind and Unplugged, the other Nirvana albums on this list, which I already gave unadulterated, certain 5s to? No. Those albums just do something that I don't hear In Utero doing, even if I'm not sure I can put it into words. Even the supposed polished sheen, the sound-alikeness of Nevermind that Cobain himself and plenty of others mention—that's something I imagine in my head when reading words on the page but then don't experience when I actually turn it on and revel in its songs. At times, it almost feels like we're saying In Utero is better because the songs are harder to like. And I just don't think I buy that.

Transformer

Lou Reed

4/5

It's just so weird. His voice rarely seems to match the music behind him, as if he's this drunk or high quiet observer standing in front of a carnival. Still, I see how with time that could work more and more. Better than I expected.

Honky Tonk Heroes

Waylon Jennings

3/5

A little cheesy at times (like he's Elvis singing on stage in Vegas?), but certainly not distasteful or annoying. Not my thing, but I respect it.

Rid Of Me

PJ Harvey

4/5

What a trip this album took me on, especially just a couple days after getting In Utero on this list, recorded with Albini in the same space not long after this. In fact, I'm almost feeling embarrassed about some of my notes about that one, since so much of the draw of this album IS its "this is a real, loud band in front of you" sound, and there I said I wasn't really sure I was drawn to that or not, I think. In any case: everything sounds just right here: the grinding guitars, the active bass, the intense and wild and live drums, and more than anything else, her voice, which is the highlight. It's something like hearing some Bjork songs, where you wonder what blend of spirit and earth combined to allow a human to create these sounds naturally. So why not a 5? It's close. I think it's because of this feeling as I drove around listening to this on 3 successive commutes that I don't actually want to relisten to most of these songs soon. It's hard to say why—maybe I'm just too old, which is probably the right answer. That is, this kind of grind is mostly nostalgic for me these days, a reminder of how it feels to be overwhelmed by music's power, but not something that I really experience that much in this kind of angry mood on a day-to-day basis. And that somehow makes me think it's 4.4 and rounds down. Who knows.

John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic

4/5

It's good, jazzy rock music from the U.K. in 1970, which tells you everything you need to know.

Lazer Guided Melodies

Spiritualized

4/5

Didn't listen closely enough, which is a shame, since the long songs are Twin Peaksy in the best way. Improved as it went on.

Electric

The Cult

3/5

It's fine and all, but reading Wikipedia (without knowing this band at all) made me sad: sounds like they were a cool New Wave band who got turned into an AC/DC clone (and to my ear, a Billy Idol clone?) by Rick Rubin on this album. Thus, it's forgettable.

Oedipus Schmoedipus

Barry Adamson

4/5

The first two tracks worried me a bit, sounding too "90s electronica" for my tastes and for what I expected. But then, deliciously, most of the album (all the way up to the silly final track) delivered: noir, creepy, jazzy, surprising, and just right.

Fly Or Die

N.E.R.D

2/5

It's so remarkably sub-par that I thought for days about what I should write here, but then it was so forgettable I forgot most of those thoughts. The key is that in a lot of 3-star albums, some things are badly done but with at least one thing that's really good. So if lyrics are really good, for instance, you ignore bad instrumentation or playing or production or songcraft or singing. But here it's all pretty lousy—like, you can really hear what Wikipedia told me, that they had just learned to play guitar and drums for the first time, giving this the feeling of a horny 14-year-old discovering 311 for the first time. The only thing I can imagine people liking is Pharrell's delivery, which is occasionally mildly arresting, and that's what keeps it from a one.

A Wizard, A True Star

Todd Rundgren

5/5

I actually didn't want to like this. At first it struck me as kind of full-of-itself; like, I don't know a single thing about this Todd Rundgren guy, but the little I've learned makes me think I wouldn't really want to hang out with him—to convinced of his own brilliance, etc. But . . . it's really hard not to like, or even love. Bizarre, post-Beatles, pre-Queen songs bleed into each other, but with some that are more like jokes and some that are really sweet. And then the completely unexpected switch to soul ballads for the B side is the last thing I'd expect, but it all sounds so very good. Gotta listen again one day.

Boston

4/5

It really does just sound good, doesn't it? I guess on the downside is that past "More Than a Feeling," I wasn't SUPER hooked by many of the songs, but I think the sound and excellent playing/singing means there's potential for more in my heart. Let's round a 3.5 up.

Achtung Baby

U2

4/5

I've, um, never actually listened to this whole album until now? And I actually liked it so much more than I expected; in my head it was always "the flashy, corporate album" (though I guess that's probably Pop or something later?), like Coldplay or something, so I never really bothered. But it's so much better than that; my bad.

Pacific Ocean Blue

Dennis Wilson

4/5

Just as lovely as I was hoping. There's something cool about an album that has the vibe of a singer-songwriter but with the lush additions of multiple instruments, with songs that go beyond standard, accepted structures. It's nice.

Mr. Tambourine Man

The Byrds

4/5

Delightful in all the right ways. One of these days I need to do a chronological listen-through of all the Byrds records and all the things these folks went off to do later.

Arular

M.I.A.

4/5

So invigorating and excellent—something I'd love to hear at a party or when walking purposefully through a dark alley (it's superhero music, right??) or in a friend's car. In fact, for the first couple of songs I was convinced it was a 5-star album, but only as it continued without quite as much variety as I would have liked (showing, probably, my small-mindedness) did I realize it didn't quite climb to those heights, for me.

Teenage Head

Flamin' Groovies

3/5

After such a run of excellent albums, I guess I was expecting it to last forever. Maybe in 1971 this mattered more, but I didn't see its importance.

Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby

Girls Against Boys

4/5

Dang—that hit harder than I expected.

Walking Wounded

Everything But The Girl

4/5

Really delightful. After reading a lot about the band on Wikipedia (who I knew pretty much nothing about), I was more excited about the beats than anything, but on the actual listening, it's really the lead singer's smoky vocals (more like Sarah McLaughlin than anything else?) that got me, with the beats sometimes landing and sometimes slightly cheesy. 4.3.

Queen II

Queen

4/5

ME: [never listens to entire Queen albums] ME, WHEN I HAPPEN TO LISTEN TO ENTIRE QUEEN ALBUMS: This is so fun and creative and powerful!

Rattlesnakes

Lloyd Cole And The Commotions

3/5

I think I liked it more because I read the whole Wikipedia page and came to this thinking, "It's like a British R.E.M., sort of: early 80s college rock." From that perspective, it was nice, and I noticed, for instance, the creative basslines. But overall, it didn't really grab me, guess it's not 1984 any more and things seem different, oops.

Ogden's Nut Gone Flake

Small Faces

4/5

Always at least as good as other random 1968 psychedelia albums you've never heard, and usually quite a bit better. Really pleasantly surprised. I know I'm old because I could have left the story parts from Side B behind, but they didn't hurt anything, so whatever.

Our Aim Is To Satisfy

Red Snapper

5/5

Some absolute 5-star bangers mixed with 3.5- and 4-starsies, but I've got to go high just to remind myself to come back to it later. Over and over, I thought, "This is what I need on vinyl in my office." It's like Moby's Play took the next step forward toward Free Moral Agents, maybe?

KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)

Ministry

2/5

Laughably bad, but in that way that I can actually occasionally imagine someone wanting to listen to it (or maybe play a violent videogame to it as a soundtrack). Still, I'm tempted to go down to 1 star just because I that much don't feel like it today.

Damaged

Black Flag

3/5

This last track is really awful, but for a lot of it I was kind of bobbing my head, wishing that Rollins's singing/screaming was better (Henry Rollins! Who knew?) but sort of getting it as long as I ignored him. I'll never listen again, but it's not awful.

Make Yourself

Incubus

2/5

lol

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse

Faces

3/5

I can't tell if it's just Rod Stewart's voice that throws me so much (have I ever liked a song he sang on??) or if it's everything else surrounding it. But it's like a 2.7 for me that I'm rounding up.

Come Away With Me

Norah Jones

4/5

Pretty much just what you'd expect, but I'm bumping up to 4 especially because some of the instrumentation was so nice and mellow and cool. (Yes, her voice is good and all, but I find I'm less enamored with it than other people are?)

Led Zeppelin

3/5

I increasingly think there's just something I can't quite latch onto with these guys (and a lot of other similar bands). I'm not going to over self-analyze it right now, but the two most obvious things that come to mind right now are this: 1) I love slow, bluesy, guitar solo moments, when we can pause and let things sink in, and 2) I don't love his voice (and really, don't love *any* 60s/70s/80s blues-rock/metal bands with high, screeching singers). Ho-hum.

After The Gold Rush

Neil Young

3/5

Look, I've only listened to Deja Vu once, and that was June, 2021, according to this history. But I remember LOVING IT—so how could a solo album produced in the wake of that success be so completely mediocre?

G. Love And Special Sauce

G. Love & Special Sauce

4/5

When I saw this pop up, I laughed out loud, wondering why/how such a ridiculous 90s rando-album made it onto the list. . . . But then I listened, noticing all the things they made out of this combination of guitar, upright bass, and drums—the funkiness, Phishiness, and plain old fun that I hadn't expected at all. It was not on my 2025 bingo card to enjoy this album, is what I'm saying.

The Boatman's Call

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

Better than most Nick Cave albums, I've learned through this listening adventure; the piano and bass-driven stuff is nicer on the ears, and honestly deemphasizes his not-great singing. It's a 3.5 that I'll round up as a show of friendliness.

Warehouse: Songs And Stories

Hüsker Dü

3/5

Surely a lot of my "ho-hum" feeling here comes from the surprisingly uninteresting vocals. Like, one quote somewhere (Spotify? Wikipedia?) said something like, "The two most important post-punk bands of the early 80s were R.E.M. and Husker Du, but everyone pays more attention to R.E.M." To which I thought: 1) R.E.M. is post-punk? I guess sometimes? 2) Do I hear anything in HD that compares to R.E.M.? I guess here and there, parts of the instrumentals could say they have a little bit of comparison . . . but I was so distracted by the worse-than-average vocals that I didn't give it enough attention to really notice that.

Lost Souls

Doves

3/5

I guess it's fine.

Stripped

Christina Aguilera

4/5

Wasn't excited about this 77-minute behemoth of an album . . . but it's actually really good. I like it in the way I like a lot of that era's Mariah Carey, but perhaps even with more variety. No, it shouldn't be this long, but I also would have trouble pointing to obvious filler.

The Number Of The Beast

Iron Maiden

3/5

Honestly, I enjoyed this more than most random 80s metal albums with satanic imagery on the covers. Better when he's not singing, as usual, but actually kind of groovy and . . . post-punky even? At times? 3.4.

The Healer

John Lee Hooker

3/5

Best when it's bluesiest; worst when it's 80sest. 3.5, rolling down, might go higher if I had listened more carefully.

Antichrist Superstar

Marilyn Manson

3/5

Shrug. More "tiring" than "scary," in that 77-minute-CDs-from-the-90s way, which makes any quieter moments stand out and so, so welcome. More moments than I expected were familiar, and yes, I kind of get the energy that sometimes needs expressed by this genre, and yes, I think it's interesting how this kind of industrial stuff helped silence the Nirvana-imitators for good (along with other forces). But it's still just kind of silly, too much, for me.

Lady In Satin

Billie Holiday

3/5

It's fine. To my ear, it's not the style that fits her voice best (kind of drab, string/orchestral arrangements of quiet songs, very easy-listening). But for what it is, it's exceptionally well done. 3.5 that I'm rounding down for lack of excitement.

Madman Across The Water

Elton John

3/5

Just ok, to my jaded ears. The gospelly repetition on next-to-last track "All the Nasties" was perhaps the only place where I paused my work to listen more carefully for a moment.

Apple Venus Volume 1

XTC

3/5

The kind of album that pretty much requires you to have even a passing knowledge of their earlier work (I think this is album 13 in 1999 from a band that started in the 70s). Which means it just doesn't mean that much to me, orchestral interestingness aside.

Horses

Patti Smith

4/5

That was fun, intense, and weird, in all the right ways. I can't even imagine what 10th grade would have been like if I had known about this album. (Margo walked in while it was playing and wasn't a fan of the whining, but that's just how things go sometimes.)

Illmatic

Nas

4/5

The music is the best part, always so varied and cool and 90s in the best way. His rapping strikes me as... Ok. When his rhymes are creative and flowing it can be great, but after a while it's like, yes, I know you like to smoke and drink, that's very clear, let's move on. He's young.

The Stranger

Billy Joel

4/5

Ok, that was actually really nice. Just what you'd expect, with so many more hits than you realized, done well. No, I'm not going to buy it, but if I were in a room and someone put it on, I'd nod my head in appreciation.

Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury

The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy

3/5

Very 90s socially conscious hip-hop from a guy who sounds remarkably like Public Enemy, delivered over music that is occasionally wonderfully jazzy and occasionally kinda boring. A 3.5 that I'll round down today, but which could have gone up on another day.

Life Thru A Lens

Robbie Williams

2/5

So mediocre that I kept thinking, "This 3-star album is boring me to tears so much that it ought to be a 2-star album." Then I thought that one too many times and realized that this actually means it IS a 2-star album. Also, I'm pretty sure I've written a comment like this before? After a while, it's all deja vu over here....

Red Dirt Girl

Emmylou Harris

3/5

A pleasant album, if somewhat jarring to hear Emmylou's voice over medium-good drum machine beats from the early 2000s. I liked some parts, didn't notice many others, never felt annoyed.

Fun House

The Stooges

4/5

Maybe it's my mood, but the chaotic energy of this album hit me better/harder than the other two Stooges albums did (the ones that came out before and after this). Not sure if I really think if it's a 4, or if that wild final track just made me think it is, but either way, let's go for it.

The White Room

The KLF

4/5

Glad I heard it. Yes, a lot of it sounds kind of dated by today's standards, but I remember how fresh this kind of dance vibe was in the early-early 90s. 3.7, probably.

Vulgar Display Of Power

Pantera

3/5

So I had a bad attitude about this, and for the first few songs I just chuckled at how silly it was. As it played, I read Wikipedia and all the stuff about, "We're trying to make the hardest album of all time" blah blah blah and "We're disappointed that Metallica got so soft on the black album" blah blah blah. It wasn't great. But then after getting through the first half in the morning, I came back in the afternoon to finish it up, and I found . . . I was more into it. Maybe I was more tired, maybe it was the student I was kind of annoyed with in my mind, maybe the songs are just better at the end (which disagrees with one Wikipedia review quoted that says the good songs are stacked EARLY). All of which to say, I had a 2-star experience followed by a 3.3-star experience, and I guess that's a nice surprise. I still don't like metal.

The Chronic

Dr. Dre

2/5

Ok, yes, fine: the production is amazing, and was ahead of its time. It's just a weird fluke of time that I happened to be in 6th grade and eager to be cool right when this was released—so there's the blend of nostalgic "I remember literally writing down the words to this skit" and "I actually can see how nothing else sounded like this back then." But it's so mean. It's just so, so, mean. I didn't enjoy listening to it. How could I give even 3 stars to something I didn't enjoy listening to?

A Hard Day's Night

Beatles

4/5

I love when we have the album of the day on CD.... Three thoughts today: 1) Yes, I really do hear that jangly Rickenbacker sound that Wikipedia talks about pre-dating the Byrds, cool! 2) Yes, I really do love all the unexpected chords throughout, which is probably the most interesting/important part of the record to me. But also, 3) I still just can't believe the Beatles happened. What tremendous luck.

Live!

Fela Kuti

4/5

Delightful, peppy, artful, all the things you want in a world music recording in a genre you don't know. I'm sure there was much going on I didn't even catch up on.

Astral Weeks

Van Morrison

2/5

Long songs? Check. 1968-style variety in instrumentation? Yes, sure, plenty. But the thing is, I barely noticed either of those positives because his voice is just not good. This must be how Margo feels when I listen to Counting Crows, and I'm really not even joking about that. It's a 2.5 that almost certainly needs to go down, and which would be at least a full point higher if someone else were singing.

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

4/5

Sweet, varied, creative, and surely worthy of many more relistens than the quick listen I just gave it. Fun to have Wikipedia open to remind myself who wrote and sang on each track. (Also, who even am I, enjoying these guys so much?)

21

Adele

4/5

That was actually really nice. I saw it come up, and I think part of me was expecting 90s-style easy listening (Toni Braxton or Michael Bolton or something), but it's not that: it's often fun (Rolling in the Deep continues to be the perfect pop song), legitimately sweet/moving when it's softer, and includes just the loveliest cover of The Cure's Lovesong that I never knew existed.

Superunknown

Soundgarden

3/5

So it's tricky. I know as a white, middle-class, music-loving 13-year-old in 1994 I should be all over this. But I wasn't excited to see it pop up for some reason, and mostly, listening didn't make me more excited. As the first two tracks played, I tried to figure it out. Maybe they're too much like old-fashioned heavy metal? ("But," I asked myself, "why didn't it bug me when SP used a similar Black Sabbath-y riff in one of their songs?") Maybe it's just some kind of gut negative reaction to ultra-high sing-screaming like this in any kind of metal music? (That plays out, but I don't know why.) Maybe it's just not melodic enough? (True, but I liked Pearl Jam....) Then, I admit, track 3 came on, and "Fell On Black Days" really convinced me that I was being too harsh. It's a really, really excellent song—but notice how much less metal, less screamy, and more melodic it is! It got my hopes up, which . . . mostly were unfounded. Later songs really just aren't that great, (Spoonman excepted). It's a 3.4. It just is.

Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam & The Ants

3/5

Kind of the most boring kind of new wave, if that makes sense. Probably a 2 that I'll give a 3 because I'm feeling nice here at the end of all things.

All Things Must Pass

George Harrison

4/5

Ok, it's a pretty slow start, with plenty of things that sound good (and even, as one reviewer quoted on Wikipedia said, surprisingly assured for 1970 George solo), but rarely extremely striking or star-worthy. But then it really picks up exactly halfway through, on Side D, never stopping after that through the awesome jamming. I was skeptical that we really needed 3 discs worth of material, but I get it now, and I'm so glad I went on the ride. Thanks, George.

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