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Featured Review
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes • 5/5
When I refreshed the page this morning and saw this album pop up on my screen I was so immensely happy. This is one of my favorite albums of all time and Fleet Foxes one of my top bands. To put it in perspective, 5 of the 11 songs are in my daily playlist (10 total by the band), and 4 made it to the playlist I made for my mom to get a better grasp on the music I love. All that to say it is an instant 5 for me and I am more than happy to give it another listen through with some long listening notes (song by song time! WOOT WOOT!). "Sun It Rises" - I love the traditional folk vocal intro to set the pace of the album in a way. The guitar intro is fun and uplifting and the ethereal vocals on the rest of the song fit my listening style of treating the voice as an instrument and not noticing lyrics right away quite well. The outro riff gives me a almost strokes vibe. "White Winter Hymnal" - It sounds like they are making an indie folk cover of a traditional folk song, but no its an original. I do love the Pentatonix version of this one too. "Ragged Wood" - This is one of the best songs on the album, certainly a departure from the first two song in terms of rhythm and BPM, it plays to its favor though pulling you back in after you drift off to dreamland during "White Winter Hymnal". The bass on this song is fantastic when it is poking through in the energetic parts it is captivating and then a simple but not overbearing bass solo as it then builds instrument on instrument back to that energy. I have listened to this song 62 times according to Spotistats and have never really had the reaction I just had to the bass on that song and I processed some of the vocals in a way I hadn't before. It sounds cheesy, but that moved me. Maybe it was listening through my studio headphones instead of speakers for once but it was amazing. "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" - This goes back to that traditional folk sound of the doubled guitars making a harp like sound is just purely gorgeous. When they sync up for a measure or two at a time it brings the contrast of the two together. It reminds me of the composition of Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair/Canticle". The near shouted vocals on the what I guess you could call choruses have such a visceral feeling to them. "Quiet House" - This is probably my least favorite track on the album. It has amazing instrumentation to it especially that bass it really pulls the other parts together. The "Don't give in" section is what really throws me off, I just hear "Donkey Man" over and over again. The guitar on the outro is also very fantastic. I still really like the track just not my favorite. "He Doesn't Know Why" - I can't quite place my finger on it but the vocals on the intro reminds me so much of another song. It has bothered me since the first time I heard this song and still does. Great song with more great instrumentation. I love the in sync rests they do just before the bridge. "Heard Them Stirring" - I don't have too much to say about this one. It is a good filler track. I don't have strong feelings either way it is just a meditative respite in the middle of the album. "Your Protector" - Another of my favorites. The vocal and flute intro is very gently powerful. The build of the chugging cymbal leading into the bass dig in and then an explosion of instrumentation. There is so much to dissect in this song and I love it more and more each time. "Meadowlarks" - Another one of my lower listen count songs. I love the guitar part under the vocals. They work as two different songs in one that just fit with each other. The chorus of vocals that come in for the middle of the song are very relaxing. The song as a whole is very relaxing. A little too low energy for it to be on my everyday playlist, but I love it. "Blue Ridge Mountains" - The song named for my favorite place on this planet. Is it my favorite for that reason or because it is just an amazing and beautiful song. A little combination. I do prefer the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina but close enough. Another traditional folk sound on the intro. I close my eyes and I am taken there while listening. I can't wait to go back. It is the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever been. Its fitting for one of the best Indie Folk albums to have a song about part of Appalachia one of the birthplaces of American music and particularly folk. Everybody should drive at least part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in their life. The rolling blue mountains for as far as the eye can see just have the most beautiful calming aspect. "Oliver James" - Another "lowlight" of the album for me. Doesn't mean it isn't a good song I just wish it was in a different spot and it ended with the fade out of "Blue Ridge Mountains". I was going to try to provide a little bit of an objective review at the end but that will not be possible. This is a top 10 album for me all time. It is just a beautiful indie folk album that is in my opinion and absolute must listen before you die. If for some reason you are still reading my long winded review I highly recommend that you listen to A Very Lonely Solstice by Fleet Foxes. It is one of my favorite live recorded albums I have ever heard. It certainly benefits from being recorded with no audience during COVID so not a live album in the typical way. I love this album, I love this band, I was having a stressful week and this just melted so much of my stress away.
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1950
Favorite Decade
Soul
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
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72
5-Star Albums
37
1-Star Albums
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By Genre
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By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Scott 4
Scott Walker
|
5 | 2.81 | +2.19 |
|
Southern Rock Opera
Drive-By Truckers
|
5 | 2.81 | +2.19 |
|
Time (The Revelator)
Gillian Welch
|
5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
|
Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
|
5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
|
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
|
5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
|
Teen Dream
Beach House
|
5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
|
Achtung Baby
U2
|
5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
|
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
|
5 | 3.43 | +1.57 |
|
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
|
5 | 3.44 | +1.56 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
|
1 | 3.4 | -2.4 |
|
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
|
1 | 3.4 | -2.4 |
|
Debut
Björk
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
|
1 | 3.35 | -2.35 |
|
Since I Left You
The Avalanches
|
1 | 3.28 | -2.28 |
|
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
|
1 | 3.27 | -2.27 |
|
Vespertine
Björk
|
1 | 3.17 | -2.17 |
|
Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
|
1 | 3.15 | -2.15 |
|
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
|
1 | 3.14 | -2.14 |
|
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
|
1 | 3.11 | -2.11 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 4.8 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 2 | 5 |
| Green Day | 2 | 5 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 | 5 |
| Fleetwood Mac | 2 | 5 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4.25 |
| Marvin Gaye | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 4.33 |
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 4.33 |
| U2 | 3 | 4.33 |
| Stevie Wonder | 3 | 4.33 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Waits | 5 | 1.2 |
| The Chemical Brothers | 2 | 1 |
| The Prodigy | 2 | 1 |
| Orbital | 2 | 1 |
| Björk | 4 | 1.75 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 4 | 1.75 |
| Kanye West | 3 | 1.67 |
| Bob Dylan | 5 | 2.2 |
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 2 |
| PJ Harvey | 4 | 2.25 |
| Brian Eno | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| My Bloody Valentine | 5, 2, 4 |
| Miles Davis | 2, 5, 3, 2 |
5-Star Albums (72)
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Popular Reviews
Jerry Lee Lewis · 17 likes
1/5
Ah yes, the racist, pedophillic, incestual, music stealing piece of shit.
That being said, for 1964 this is a fairly well recorded live album. That doesn't mean it's recorded well, just not bad for the time. I'm not quite sure why half the album is missing but I am also not complaining. The two songs he is credited as a songwriter on are the two weakest on the album and the others are about half as good as their originals.
Live albums in general just do not have a place as an album that I MUST hear before I die. There are very few worth listening to and this just isn't one of them.
Björk · 13 likes
3/5
Avant-garde is certainly accurate for this album. I don't dislike it but I have a hard time enjoying the vocals throughout all of it. If this was a instrumental album or even a limited vocal performance album I would enjoy it more. I'm confused as to how to rate this album. At times I get it and love the artistry and at other times I just feel like I'm about to be possessed.
Devendra Banhart · 7 likes
3/5
I would say that folk is my primary genre that I listen to and to me this is a decent early 2000s folk album. But as far as early 2000s folk goes there are much more notable albums missing from this list. Sufjan Stevens' Michigan had come out about a year before this and his album Seven Swans came out a little over a month before. Iron and Wine had also just released Our Endless Numbered Days which belongs on this list as well.
That all being said I think it's still a good album and I'm just being picky because it is my genre of choice. I think there is a good exploration of different instruments and playing styles without being overwhelming. Which is something more experimental folk musicians struggle to achieve.
Tim Buckley · 7 likes
4/5
Psychedelic-Folk crossed with Jazz Fusion is a combination of genres that I did not expect to see together. And I gotta say it's pretty enjoyable. I normally have a tendency to complain about albums having an excess of long songs. But I think it is something that both Tim and Jeff Buckley manage to do very well. "Love from Room 109 at the Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway)" Has as many words to the title as it does minutes in the song, but it was a great song to just sit there and vibe out to. "Dream Letter" is similarly wonderful to vibe to. "Gypsy Woman" is where it gets more experimental and feels like too long of a song. It isn't a bad song, but it's just not for me.
Happy Sad is basically how I describe my personal musical style of both what I make and what I listen to. So this album resonates with me very well.
Love · 5 likes
3/5
I am so conflicted on how I feel about this album. On one hand I like the style a lot and the music is pretty good, on the other hand I really don't vibe well with the sound of the vocals on most of the album. I think it is a pretty solid 3 for me. I do love that Carol Kaye played on this album, she is a legend of a session musician and bass player. Everybody should go watch the video Polyphonic on YouTube made about her.
1-Star Albums (37)
All Ratings
The Who
3/5
This is an ok album. Not much of it thrills me. "Baba O'Riley" is a all time classic track but not really anything special to me. "The Song Is Over" is a painfully long song. Probably long for the sake of irony but still so long. "Behind Blue Eyes" is also a classic track that I enjoy thoroughly. And "Won't Get Fooled Again" is an amazing song that is just a little too long. All in all a pretty good album but not something too special to me.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
This is a wonderful R&B/Soul album. You could say it just makes me feel much better. And I enjoy Earth, Wind & Fire much better when September isn't being shoved down my throat. Giving it a 4/5 because I didn't enjoy the funk parts of it as much.
Kanye West
3/5
This was the third album on my list, but I am rating it while I am currently on album 142. Finally Kanye has been out of the new long enough for me to be willing to listen to it.
I do have to admit it is a decent hip-hop album. It does feel very dated to the early 2000s. Still not my thing but better than I expected going in.
Nas
4/5
As somebody that is not a big fan of hip hop this was a very enjoyable album to listen to.
1/5
When I am reviewing these albums I try to not be overly critical about genres or artists that I am not familiar with. That being said I am damn near an expert when it comes to American Folk in the 1960s and 1970s.
And I cannot stand this album.
Now in full transparency I am just not a fan of Bob Dylan so that contributes to my dislike of this album. But there are so many more issues that outweigh that dislike.
To start with it is a live album which is bad enough, but add onto that the fact that it is a "Bootleg Series" live album released 32 years after the original concert. There are also not 1 not 2 but 5 songs that are over 7 minutes in length. I like long songs but that is ridiculous.
There are only two of his top songs played in the show and they were the worst versions of them I have ever heard. Even though it was early in his career he still had some of his top songs all time already released.
This album was terrible for all 95 Minutes and 18 Seconds of it. I'm not looking forward to the next 6 Bob Dylan albums on this list. But I am comfortable knowing that they aren't worse than this one.
I appreciate everything he has done for music and the genre of Folk and I admire his talent as a songwriter. But I just have never enjoyed him. And I despise this album.
Elvis Presley
4/5
All in all a pretty good album. Contains some essential Elvis songs but also contains quite a few filler songs that aren't at all memorable. But also a couple of underrated sleeper tracks. Just a good nice easy listen.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Good album. Nothing too special but a fairly easy intro to metal for somebody that hasn't really listen to metal before.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Not a genre I would have likely discovered on my own. I really like this album. Good arrangements with powerful significance behind the songs.
Eminem
3/5
Listening to Eminem reminds me of my angsty middle school years when I thought I was hard. It definitely has not aged well in terms of content. Musically still holds up very well though. And funny enough I got this album on February 13, 2022 the same day Eminem performed the Super Bowl Halftime show.
Queen
3/5
This is a very mediocre album to me. I just am not much of a Queen fan. It is certainly a listenable album but not necessarily one I'll come back to. It didn't have any bad tracks but certainly some mid tracks. Killer Queen is a fantastic song and obviously the best one on the album.
Bebel Gilberto
4/5
This album it a good example of why I really enjoy this list and this website. I would never listen to this album or have even heard of it otherwise. This was a really enjoyable album despite not being able to understand most of it.
AC/DC
3/5
This album gives me major flashbacks to middle school when I was a "my generation doesn't appreciate music" kid. And it is a good album that is certainly formative to the Hard Rock sound. That being said it is fairly consistent in sound throughout and the only really memorable track is Highway to Hell.
Tricky
2/5
This album is... interesting. I had high hopes after the opening track but then it just got kinda weird. I was still feeling the vibe musically until Aftermath when it got really weird with a flute interlude. And Abbaon Fat Track was... let's go with a "lyrical journey" hidden behind a very good jazzy track. The rest of the album after that was just a bit of a fever dream.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
This is a strange album to process through. The front six are as the album self-describes "A Bouquet of Ear-catching Melodies" that are very easy listening.
The second side is described as "The Cerebral Side" and I'm not quite sure that is the best description. Unless by Cerebral he meant "I've fucked up my cerebral cortex with too much acid" which then yes I agree. There are so many mood swings in these 6 songs but yet it's still enjoyable to sit through. Until you get to the Song of the Viking which just feels like a Ringo song. And then I Went to the Mirror drags you down into the trip with him.
"The Kid Gets Heavy" side is the return to rock roots if the first two sides are the weed album and the acid album respectively. It just doesn't really all flow together well. Feels a bit like the songs that couldn't fit on the other sides got thrown together with the hopes that it would work.
The back seven, otherwise known as the "Baby Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots (A Pop Operetta)" side was an ummm........experience. Not exactly sure why the 4th side needed to be a Pop Operetta but yet it is anyway. As a standalone album it might actually work really well, but it is just a strange way to end and album. But then again the whole album is all over the place so it is fitting. And to end your album with a song called Slut is a power move.
I think the first two sides despite their weirdness sit above a 4/5 for me. But the third side sits at a 2 and the fourth a 2 in this but a 3 or 4 standalone. So I honestly don't know how to grade it.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
This album might be responsible for more human lives than any other album. Just a classic album that makes you feel happy to be listening to, or doing other things to.....
Laibach
2/5
I understand just enough German to make this album enjoyable. It is just really weird. I just don't really get the appeal of industrial music. I don't think it's a bad album just not something that I will ever consider listening to again.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Side one might be one of the best single sides in music history. With the exception of Mother which is just a real quick downward mood swing. Which is still a really good song just fits strangely in the order.
Side two leaves a little more to be desired musically following that first side. But it is still a fantastic musical journey. And when you factor in the plot narrative of it as well it is just fantastic character development.
Side three is a bit strange and depressing which from a regular album standpoint is weird because it also contains two of the best songs ever written. But for the narrative of the rock opera it is fitting.
Side four really begins to feel like I expect a rock opera rather than just a regular album. Which is also still very fitting to the narrative as its where Pink's "show" actually occurs. And to end it a peaceful resolution to the story that loops back into the top of the album.
Just rating this as a top to bottom album it is a great album but probably like a 3.5 or a 4. It flows weirdly and has a lot of strange mood swings.
Rating this as the beautiful work of art that it is and the fantastic narrative story it is certainly a 5. It's influence on the music industry is and will likely always be lasting. It has three of their greatest songs which are just flat out three of the greatest songs of all time. I'm happy that this is my first 5 that I've given. I'm only on album 17 but I am surprised it took this long to get a 5.
Marty Robbins
4/5
This is THE ALBUM to show people who say they don't like country music. I'm not even a big country fan but this is a fantastic album. It reminds me of what my Grandpa would call "attitude adjustment" music. You just can't be mad while listening to it. El Paso invokes memories I forgot I had of childhood. The fact that this album was recorded in a single 8 hour session makes it all the more impressive just how good the album really is.
Sugar
2/5
It really just sounds like imitation pop punk/rock. And this is an era of that music that I like a lot. I feel like I've heard all of these songs before but don't actually know any of them. Just doesn't hold up as one of the greatest albums of all time.
This might be one of those albums/bands like Sparks where the average person doesn't know about them but all your favorite bands say they are a major influence, but I just don't see it. The only track that feels "individualistic" was Hoover Dam.
I think a 2 or 2.5 is fair. It's not an album I wanted to turn off but I don't see myself listening to any of these songs again.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
I enjoy the musical side of this album. I'm not the biggest fan of the vocals but it isn't too bad and is very fitting for the genre. My biggest gripe with this is the length of the songs. 2 songs over 9 minutes and another two over 7 is a bit much. Just gets stale after a little. I really like the first 4 and a half minutes on Luau but after that there were still 5 more minutes to suffer through. Sinews however I think does justify the length.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I'm not fully sure why we are taking Manhattan or Berlin but I'm pumped to do it! "Everybody Knows" is an all time great track. "Take this Waltz" is a beautiful song. "Jazz Police" however is a terrible track in the midst of beauty. Ironically I first found this album through a video of the worst songs on great albums (shoutout to Alfo Media). The album recovers in the last two songs though.
As a big fan of folk I know and love a lot of Cohen's early work. I do forget just how good Cohen's mid career was. Some of the songs are a little long and "Jazz Police" is what it is. I would give it a 4.5/5.
Richard Thompson
3/5
I'm a folk fan so I really enjoy this album musically. And its lyrically solid. I just am a much larger fan of American folk music and get tired of the English whine at times. It is still a really good album just not the vocal sound I enjoy.
Faust
3/5
This was better than I was expecting. Not having to try to remember my three years of high school German was nice and unexpected. And the one German titled song was French. Krautrock at least on this album feels like the 80s landed in German far before they hit the US. I liked parts of it and others were a little too experimental than I care to listen to.
Supergrass
4/5
This is a great album. Being raised on quite a bit of Brit-Punk this just gives me so many good vibes. Alright is just an all time classic. Only song I didn't really like was "We're Not Supposed To" which was just a really strange departure from the rest of the album. "Sofa Of My Lethargy" is a good track that just goes on for a little too long. This also might be the most upbeat punk album that I have ever heard.
The Charlatans
3/5
I liked this album well enough but it isn't too special to me. I likely will not return to any of these songs. My album yesterday was also a Brit-Pop/Rock album and I enjoyed that one significantly more.
The Stooges
2/5
I've never been a fan of Iggy Pop and I did not enjoy this album. Search and Destroy is a good track and Gimme Danger isn't bad depending on the version of it. But the rest of it is just growly and displeasurable. Giving it a 2 because I'm very picky about what I give a 1.
Stereo MC's
3/5
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from an album listed as Acid Jazz. Then I realized just how much I had heard the titular track. I think this is a nice groovy album that is very listenable. It gets a little repetitive at times and falls flat at others.
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
Biggie's flow is amazing and the beats are fantastic. Big Poppa is one of the greatest songs of all time. I'm not a huge fan of Hip Hop but this is a fantastic album. The interludes also made it real strange at times, I didn't need to hear what I really hope was simulated sex.
David Holmes
2/5
Holy Mother of long songs....
I find a lot of this album musically intriguing. But I just don't really vibe with instrumental music that much. Also as for my first comment, five 6 and a half minute plus songs is ridiculous. The James Bond cover is pretty good.
I just don't think this belongs on this list.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
This is by no means a bad album but it is in my opinion the weakest of Zeppelin's albums featured on this list. "In My Time of Dying" and "The Wanton Song" are very solid songs. "Kashmir" is of course an all time classic. Shining moments but very flat in others.
Paul Weller
4/5
I really like the bass on this album. "All The Pictures On The Wall" was really the first song on the album that pulled me in. "5th Season" is also a great song with a good solo. "The Weaver" follows it up with a groovy vocal line. "Shadow Of The Sun" grew on me in the second half with the instrumental jam on the outro it just feels like jamming the homies and brings out good feelings. "Holy Man - Reprise" is also a good feeling jam track. The album ends kinda flat after that, but overall it is a very good album. Having a track called "Instrumental Two" and another named "Instrumental - Pt. 2" is a weird idiosyncrasy, but neither are essential to the album in the way "Instrumental - Pt. 1" is. Having a song that is a reprise of a parenthesised part of another song is also a strange naming convention but that's a good song so I can forgive it.
Buzzcocks
2/5
I too love fast cars, but the only part of that song I liked was the bass. And that is about all I like on this album. It's classic Brit-Punk but isn't that formative to the genre to me. The Sex Pistols had come and gone by the time this album was released. And The Clash had put out one of their two albums on this list. It's a listenable album and fits the genre well. I mean they essentially started as a Sex Pistols fan band after all. For a debut album it isn't bad but their next album is significantly better than this one. Just doesn't really feel like it is one of the greatest albums ever.
Morrissey
4/5
Morrissey is a piece of shit and a sad excuse for a human being. But damn is he an amazing songwriter. If you are able to separate the art from the artist with Morrissey his catalogue is a fantastic lesson in music history especially in The Smiths era. And if you don't know how The Smiths wrote music it's worth learning because it is a strange situation that became wonderful art.
All that being said this is an amazing album. It opens strong and then "Spring-Heeled Jim" is a weird track and "Billy Budd" falls flat. "Hold on to Your Friends" has a beautiful guitar part. "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get" reminds you that Morrissey is a creep while backed by a great song. The next two tracks just feel like classic Morrissey but nothing too special to me. "Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning" is strange vocally but solid musically. The next two have that classic Morrissey sound again and "The Lazy Sunbathers" is my second favorite song on the album. "Speedway" I think is the most progressive song on the album, it somehow balances the Morrissey sound with a much more progressive musical sound that is an energetic masterful way to end an album.
Morrissey is a 0/5 person this album is a 4.5/5. If Morrissey wasn't a shitty person and was more of a musician I'd be inclined to give it a 5, but I'll stick to a 4.
Korn
3/5
I'm not a big fan of Nu Metal or Korn. But their cultural impact cannot be denied. I often think of the band before I think of the grain and I have never lived more than a mile from a cornfield. That backwards R is iconic as well.
"Freak On a Leash" is definitely the best track and probably the only Korn track most people know. It's not a bad album by any means just not something I vibe with very hard. Its impact is a 5/5 but personally I view it as more of a 2/5. Factoring both of those I'll give it a 3/5
The Sonics
3/5
This album sounds like the Beach Boys meet Punk Rock. Also in true punk fashion it sounds like it was recorded on the cheapest mic they could find. For a collection of screamy covers it is not too bad of an album. I get where it was a influential sound to early Punk. "Strychnine" is my favorite track and it's an original so that's cool too.
The Blue Nile
4/5
I wasn't sure what to expect from a genre called Sophisti-pop. But I actually really like it. I definitely hear the Peter Gabriel influences and at times I feel a bit of lyrical style similar to Leonard Cohen. At times it can be an overload of Synth tones, but it is a very musically progressive sound that I do enjoy when the overload isn't too much. I think it is one of my favorite synth basses I've heard recently. I was not expecting a song that said automobile noise over and over again but it was honestly kinda good.
I think my favorite part of this list is getting to discover new genres and actually enjoy more of them than I would have expected.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
As far as Springsteen albums go this is not the best. It isn't a bad album just not as good as a lot of his discography. It is also a really depressing album when you read the message behind it. I do have this to thank for one of my favorite albums of 2021, "Pressure Machine" by The Killers.
Donovan
4/5
This is a pretty good album. Psychedelic-Folk is a calmer launching point into Psych music than I really got. This is especially true as a large 60s and 70s folk fan. I've been trying to get into more psych and really enjoyed this album. And "Season of the Witch" is a classic psych track that everybody should know. Even though I enjoyed it thoroughly I have fewer thoughts than I expected to.
Sonic Youth
3/5
This is a pretty good album. I can hear so many different bands that too influence from it as it played. It definitely fits the Jam Band vibe that the recording sessions ended up being. The guitar can be a bit screamy at time and the feedback on some of the songs is not kind on the ears. All in all it doesn't really do that much for me. "Candle" is my favorite song on the album.
Tim Buckley
4/5
Psychedelic-Folk crossed with Jazz Fusion is a combination of genres that I did not expect to see together. And I gotta say it's pretty enjoyable. I normally have a tendency to complain about albums having an excess of long songs. But I think it is something that both Tim and Jeff Buckley manage to do very well. "Love from Room 109 at the Islander (On Pacific Coast Highway)" Has as many words to the title as it does minutes in the song, but it was a great song to just sit there and vibe out to. "Dream Letter" is similarly wonderful to vibe to. "Gypsy Woman" is where it gets more experimental and feels like too long of a song. It isn't a bad song, but it's just not for me.
Happy Sad is basically how I describe my personal musical style of both what I make and what I listen to. So this album resonates with me very well.
Rush
4/5
I've never really given Rush the credit they deserve. They are certainly masters of the Prog-Rock era. It still isn't exactly my thing, but I do think it is a masterful album and why it deserves a place on this list.
Björk
3/5
Avant-garde is certainly accurate for this album. I don't dislike it but I have a hard time enjoying the vocals throughout all of it. If this was a instrumental album or even a limited vocal performance album I would enjoy it more. I'm confused as to how to rate this album. At times I get it and love the artistry and at other times I just feel like I'm about to be possessed.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I think there are better Beach Boys albums, but I don't think it is necessarily a bad album. It flows a little strangely and is a bit more experimental at times than I really enjoy.
The Hives
3/5
I'm not the biggest fan of having compilation albums on this list, it just seems like a little bit of a "cheat" if that was a thing. I do think this is a great album as far as compilations go. The first two tracks are all time greats with "Main Offender" being one of my favorite Rock Band songs. "The Hives Are Law, You Are Crime" is my favorite track I hadn't heard before. It had some fun mixing with the back and forth guitar. Just a good punk rock compilation album.
Devendra Banhart
3/5
I would say that folk is my primary genre that I listen to and to me this is a decent early 2000s folk album. But as far as early 2000s folk goes there are much more notable albums missing from this list. Sufjan Stevens' Michigan had come out about a year before this and his album Seven Swans came out a little over a month before. Iron and Wine had also just released Our Endless Numbered Days which belongs on this list as well.
That all being said I think it's still a good album and I'm just being picky because it is my genre of choice. I think there is a good exploration of different instruments and playing styles without being overwhelming. Which is something more experimental folk musicians struggle to achieve.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
I will say a British lady named Susan Janet Ballion calling herself Siouxsie Sioux feels slightly problematic. It's not a bad album. It is very front loaded in tracks and blends together after a bit. I think most punk albums benefit from being about 30-35 minutes. This just feels a bit long at 41 plus the 12 minutes of bonus tracks. Especially because the last main album song is 7 minutes and is definitely where the album earns its art rock listing. I would say that I do like it overall. Surprisingly the 3 additional remixes were what brought the album back around for me.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Not a bad album just not as comparable to their other albums.
Deep Purple
4/5
035036503530!
Great album with some all time great songs. "Highway Star" is one of my favorite Rock Band songs to play even if it gets tiring by the end. "Smoke On The Water" is obviously one of the most well known songs of all time. I think every guitar player has played that classic riff at least once. My favorite track though is "When A Blind Man Cries" which unfortunately didn't make it on the original track listing. I just love the groovy band jam vibe of it.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Decent metal album. I think it's slightly better than the self titled that is also on this list. "Run to the Hills" is another great Rock Band track.
Megadeth
2/5
This is a pretty mediocre metal album to me. Not much else comes to mind to say about it.
OutKast
4/5
If they had separated this into two seperate albums instead of a double album both could very well be on this list. It's just good in every genre it touches. And on the second album even though I knew it was there I was not expecting "Hey Ya!" to come in where it did. All in all a great album and just a fun listen.
Tortoise
3/5
Though all parts of it were interesting a 21 minute fully instrumental intro track that had at least 5 different mood swings is not the right way to start an album. After that I was expecting lyrics, but then I read about the genre of Post-Rock. I am usually against instrumental albums because they lack that extra flavor that lyrics add. That being said I do quite enjoy the album because past the lack of vocals I enjoy the musical style. "Glass Museum" and "A Survey" were the top tracks for me. And if "Djed" had been split up into multiple songs a few of them would have fit on there too.
Slipknot
2/5
Nu Metal is just not my thing. I get this is a very formative album in the genre, but I can't get into it. The rappier tracks I like a bit more they remind me a little of Rage Against The Machine. Not something I will return to. If I had found this when I was first learning to play guitar and still wanted to play the heavier and shreddier sound I probably would have enjoyed it more.
Iron Butterfly
4/5
This is one of the milestones I've been waiting for since I started this journey. This is the first album that I get to listen to on vinyl instead of Spotify. My pre-relisten review is that it has a unmemorable A-side but the titular 17 minute B-side is a classic Psychedelic-Rock track that is fun to get super high and just jam out to. I think I will give it a 4/5.
Now for the relisten review. "Flowers and Beads" is better than I remembered and feels like it should be on a Peter Quill Awesome Mix. As for the rest of the front side "Most Anything You Want" is also a good track, but as predicted the rest falls flat. I could have done with a little less electric organ or at least slightly lower in the mix at times. The titular track is pretty much exactly how I remember it a groovy psych track with a great drum interlude around the 7 minute mark. The only detracting part is the strange elephant type of noise. I normally am against long songs, but this is how you do a long song right. It holds your attention the entire way through. The album as a whole held up to my expectations and I stand by my 4/5.
Q-Tip
2/5
Very 2000s Hip-Hop mixed with synth pop. Not terrible but not a single thing I latched onto.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
It's not bad, but I personally enjoy LCD Soundsystem's earlier work. Still an enjoyable album to listen to.
Eagles
4/5
A great classic album. The A-side is a collection of great songs, but it honestly drags a little bit on the B-side. I expected to have more to say about such a classic album but I don't. But it is still a great album.
Blur
3/5
"Song 2" is an all time classic song. However the rest of the album is pretty lackluster 90s alt rock.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
I don't give Pet Shop Boys the credit they deserve. I think "West End Girls" just made me immediately disqualify them as something I'd like. The front four were good but it was "Dreaming of the Queen" that really pulled me in. "To Speak Is a Sin" was also a great track. "Go West" is a fun song to listen to waiting for the bonus track was not as fun. I'm surprised at how highly I am rating this album based on my preconceptions, but that really is the beauty of listening to all of these albums.
The Shamen
1/5
This makes me disappointed to be Scottish.
Scottish Electronic music just should not be a thing. I just can't get behind most electronic music in general, but this is another level of painful. There were individual "instruments" on songs that I liked the sound of. The one song I actually somewhat enjoyed was "Possible Worlds". I'm selective about what I give a 1 to in these ratings...I do not feel bad about this one at all. I am in pain, but I somehow made it to the end without turning it off.
Beck
3/5
"Devils Haircut" is a classic Alt Rock song that I feel like I heard a ton as a kid. "Where It's At" is very much so the same in that regard. It's a decent album. There just wasn't anything I loved about it.
N.W.A.
4/5
This is an all time classic album whose legacy will last forever. I am not a fan of rap or hip hop and I am certainly not qualified to speak to the message of the album, but it is a great album musically and socially. Great album!
Talking Heads
4/5
David Byrne is a musical genius. The Talking Heads take everything I dislike about dance music, art pop, and new wave and do it in a way that I actually enjoy. This isn't my favorite of their albums, but it is a great album from a great band. "Once in a Lifetime" might be my favorite of their songs overall though. And if for some reason somebody is still reading this review and hasn't watched the Stop Making Sense film do yourself a favor and watch the amazing art that it is.
Ray Price
4/5
Just good classic country. A simple beat and melody that just make you happy. Another of what my grandpa would call "attitude adjustment music" type of album. And Willie Nelson played bass and sang on this album too which makes it even cooler.
Cheap Trick
2/5
I'm about 40 minutes away from Rockford, Illinois right now so I have to be careful about what I say or the Cheap Trick assassins will come for me. This is not a good album. It isn't recorded well, but it is a live album from 1978 so that is forgivable. The music isn't my thing either. But given that this album was the launching point for their popularity in the United States and formative to the hard rock genre in the US as well I understand its place on this list. But my rating is lowered because I hate live albums. "I Want You to Want Me" and "Surrender" are all time classic songs, but I still prefer the album versions.
The B-52's
3/5
"Planet Claire" sounds like a Bond song. "Rock Lobster" is honestly not a good song, but it's humor factor and bassline make up for the rest of it. All in all not too bad of an album just early new wave.
Wilco
4/5
This was a very enjoyable album to listen to. Just great Indie Rock. At some point I might come back when editing is added and give it a 5 after a few more listens, but right now I'm giving it a 4 because some of the scratchier sounds don't appeal to me as much.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
This is a strange album. There are moments where I think this is exactly what I enjoy musically and then something else comes into the mix and ruins it for me.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Paul McCartney is a musical genius. While his work with Wings doesn't hold up as well as The Beatles work. This is still a very very good album and I enjoyed it a lot. Paul McCartney's bass playing is one of my favorite parts of anything he's on and that is the case on this album as well.
The Smiths
5/5
Fuck Morrissey, but damn this is a good album.
It is so impressive to me that the music and lyrics are completely separate creative processes within The Smiths and still manage to be so damn cohesive. This album is a fantastic sound that keeps you encapsulated the entire way through. I just can't really put into words that make sense how good I find this album.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Fun easy to listen to R&B with a solid bassline. Nothing that I personally grasped onto but I still enjoyed it.
PJ Harvey
2/5
English Folk Rock is always a strange experience. I am the biggest fan of American Folk Rock that I know and I just can't get into the genre. This album sounds like if Björk was a folk artist. The can horn version of reveille playing in the background of "The Glorious Land" was a strange thing to hear I actually looked outside during the first one to see if somebody was being annoying in my parking lot. There are parts that I really love and musically and vocally. But there are also times where the vocals much like Björk just are too shrieky and strange for me to enjoy. Overall I didn't dislike it, but I just didn't like it and I have a hard time believing there is 3 more PJ Harvey albums if they are all like this.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
This album is very strange. Especially "The Gift" at least the stereo mix that is, where the short story and music are panned hard left and hard right respectively. I don't think it is bad and it was certainly an influential and critically acclaimed album, but I don't think it is The Velvet Underground's best album. I feel bad about ranking this low, but I know that the other two albums I'll end up rating higher.
Fever Ray
1/5
Wow that was bad. I had high hopes after “If I Had A Heart" and then it just got worse and worse and worse. By the end my ears were actually hurting. Why is this album on the list at all? Just a bad album.
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
I am drowning in organ music. I do however enjoy the bass on the album. But the only song I think I will ever listen to again is the titular track. Though I will probably listen to a different version of all of the covers at some point. Just way too much organ to want to listen to these ones again.
Meat Loaf
3/5
Not a big Hard Rock fan and I have always had prejudice against Meat Loaf because of the name. But I do have to admit that this is a pretty good album. More melodic than I expected it to be.
Rest In Peace Meat Loaf!
The Smiths
4/5
Fuck Morrissey!
But I do really really enjoy The Smiths. This is not my favorite of their albums, but it still is a very enjoyable album. Johnny Marr is an amazing musician and to be able to write as good of songs as they did without being in together while they write is so impressive.
Fiona Apple
4/5
I can't believe I putt of listening to the Fiona Apple albums I had in the backlog for as long as I did. This is fantastic. I need to get into her other stuff. No idea why I thought I wouldn't like them, but I do. Certainly will listen to this album again. I didn't like it as much as Tidal but it was still really good.
Fiona Apple
4/5
I liked this album more than I expected to. I don't know exactly what I expected from it. But it was in my backlog of albums I had to skip for one reason or another, right next to another Fiona Apple album. I put them off for months but I was so pleasantly surprised and regret putting it off. This will be an album I re-listen to at least one or two more times to pick it apart.
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
What a great listen. Ella is a Queen and this is just one of her crowning achievements. I choose to listen to the full three hour version rather than the best of and it was well worth it. Great album!
Depeche Mode
4/5
Some of these songs are ingrained in my brain from the countless times my parents played them throughout my childhood. The songs I didn't know going into this didn't do it for me. While I did enjoy "Waiting for the Night" it felt out of place on the album especially leading into "Enjoy the Silence". All in all I did really enjoy this album and the childhood memories it brought out. However the non-single tracks are a little harder to enjoy and at times are overboard with the synth. Though it is a Synth-Pop album so I should expect that, but I just am not the biggest fans of synths if they aren't used tastefully. With all that being said I am giving it a 4/5 because a 4.5/5 isn't a thing.
Björk
1/5
I just do not get Björk. It is just not my thing in anyway.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
Something I have noticed in the process of this project is that I am less critical of world music than I am of English music. I am not a big fan of dance music in general salsa I do think is the best of it though. I don't understand the album but it is fun and upbeat and it being the best selling salsa album in the history of salsa music certainly gives it a deserving spot on the list. I liked it though it doesn't have the relisten value that some of the other foreign language album that I have heard on this list.
Scott Walker
5/5
The front half is fantastic. Very melodic and calm. The warm smooth baritone of Engel/Walker's voice is so satisfying. "The Seventh Seal" finds a groove that I didn't expect from the intro to it. The bass manages to drive the song while not drawing undue attention to it in the mix of so much else. It is such a complex track that feels like it belongs in a old movie as a main characters theme. Which makes a lot of sense reading about what it was based on. "Angel of Ashes" is another very peaceful somewhat ethereal track. I really liked the song "Boy Child", my mom has called me that since I was young. The lyrics are pretty strange though for that connection.
The back half starts off strange. "Hero of the War" is a complete shift in style. "The Old Man's Back Again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist Regime)" fall somewhere between the sound of the first half and the energy of the opening to the B-side. That track has fantastic bass on it. "Get Behind Me" is another great bass driven track. Though I don't love his scatting on the outro. "Rhymes of Goodbye" was a good but nothing too special outro track.
I am conflicted on what to give this album. I love the way the album is mixed. The vocals for the most part are smooth and easy to listen to. The bass work on the album is fantastic as well. There is so much to pick out and dissect that I will need to listen to a few more times to grasp fully. I however don't love the back half as much. It jumps around and is a completely different mood to the front half. It still contains good songs, but the mood shift is a bit harsh. I think I do need to give it a 5 star rating. I love most of the album and certainly will listen to it again.
T. Rex
3/5
I want to like this album more than I actually do. It is a good album, but just not really my thing. I love a lot of artist that this album inspired though I don't love the album itself. "Ballrooms Of Mars" was probably my favorite track, the guitar work on it made the song shine. I think its cult status is persuading me to give it a better rating.
Beck
3/5
On paper I should love this album. It's chill, melancholy folk. It sounds like an album that I would write. It just has the right flourishes of alternative sounds mixed in like the strings or synths. But I just don't love this album. The flourishes can be a bit overpowering and I just don't like Beck's voice. Put some Sufjan Stevens or Ray LaMontagne vocals on this instead and it might be a 5 star album for me. Between the voice and the weirdness of some of the back half I just don't enjoy it that much.
Love
3/5
I am so conflicted on how I feel about this album. On one hand I like the style a lot and the music is pretty good, on the other hand I really don't vibe well with the sound of the vocals on most of the album. I think it is a pretty solid 3 for me. I do love that Carol Kaye played on this album, she is a legend of a session musician and bass player. Everybody should go watch the video Polyphonic on YouTube made about her.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
I put listening to this album off for a day because I was in the middle of finals. I'm glad I did put it off it is just what I needed to relax and wind down after two stressful weeks of projects, papers, and exams. It is not my favorite Marvin Gaye album, but it was a lovely way to spend my evening. It'll be a 4 for me today, but when a edit feature comes around it might get bumped up to a 5 on a second listen.
Judas Priest
2/5
I do not typically like Heavy Metal and this isn't exactly a exception to that rule either. I understand Judas Priest's importance to metal as a whole and I am sure the metal I do enjoy was influenced by them. Also "Breaking the Law" is an all time classic. The album cover drops the slight thought of a 3 completely out of my mind and settles it as a 2 for me.
The Chemical Brothers
1/5
Past "Leave Home" I just did not enjoy this album. I just cannot get into Electronica or House music.
Fugazi
3/5
Musically I enjoy this album, vocally not so much. The bass work is amazing on this album and the way it fits in the groove with the drums is magical. And the guitar work is fairly intricate and fun for a garage/hardcore band. It just is not a repeat listen album for me. Based off the vocals alone I would give it a 2, but the music and legacy of the album inclines me to bump it to a 3. I was pleasantly surprised with the music.
Miles Davis
2/5
Jazz is just not my thing. I know that is sacrilegious to music lovers but oh well. It is good jazz, but good jazz is still jazz. Miles Davis was a musical genius and I appreciate the impact he has had on music. Just not my thing.
5/5
Easy 5!
This is my second album where I am able to listen to it on Vinyl and this is easily my most valuable record in my collection. I don't think there is a bad track on the album.
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is a great opening track and leads into what is one of my favorite Beatles songs in "With a Little Help from My Friends" for uh certain relatable reasons. Then you have "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" which is an amazing song and as much as John insisted it wasn't a euphemism I do not believe him. The song flows way too much like an actual acid trip to not be 100% about one. I mean this is the Acid album afterall. "Getting Better" and "Fixing A Hole" are two of the weaker songs on the album, though neither is in anyway a bad song they just don't stand out as much. "She's Leaving Home" is one of the Beatles more underrated songs in my opinion, if you can even call a song that popular underrated. "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" is certainly one of the stranger songs, but feels right as a summation of the A side of this album.
"Within You Without You" also lands as one of the stranger songs, but I think these 'weird' songs are the beauty of The Beatles' studio bound years. The exploration of world music instruments and styles really is the beauty of the latter years. "When I'm Sixty Four" is certainly a departure from the sound of the previous two tracks. It's a fun bouncy track that if it weren't for the general strangeness of this album doesn't feel like it should fit. That and "Lovely Rita" both fit into the category of weaker songs on an amazing album. "Good Morning Good Morning" while maybe not your regular listening type of Beatles song is still a really great and fun song. Though the animal sounds on it do take it down a peg. The "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Reprise" I almost like more than the originating track. "A Day In The Life" is a great track and a good way to end the album.
Listening to albums I've heard before is great too because I get something new out of them. The exploration of different instruments and techniques in this album is what makes it one of my favorite albums. The mixing on the album is also very masterfully done. The hard panned vocals certainly throw you for a loop at times. Especially if like me you grew up on the bad digital stereo mixes that hard panned every sound and had no blending. If I weren't listening to the vinyl I would have assumed that was just the case. This is one of the few albums I have ever seen where every single song has its own Wikipedia article. Truly a masterpiece.
All in all this is an amazing album that should be rated no lower than a 5 and anybody that puts it lower than a 4 just shouldn't be trusted in their judgement of music.
Heaven 17
1/5
What in the actual FUCK is this album?
It is just so damn bad. Early 80s New Wave and Synth-Pop is always very hit or miss. And this is one of the worst misses I have had the displeasure of listening to. The first few songs are mediocre at best. "Geisha Boys And Temple Girls" is problematic. It is creepy and racist and I'm sad I left Spotify to be able to listen to it. "Let's All Make A Bomb" while a strange song to follow that up with is probably the best song on the album.
I do not understand how this album made it to the list. It wasn't even that influential to the genre. It's just terrible!
Tom Waits
2/5
"Singapore" sounds like if Leonard Cohen were trying to sing in the style of "The Monster Mash" but right after smoking an entire pack of cigarettes. "Clap Hands" was just weird and I can't believe there is a polka song following it. I listened to the rest of the album, but I couldn't be bothered to trying to assess it any further. I can see how some people like him. I am not one of those people. His voice is just gross to me. The music isn't terrible, but it's simple. Maybe his four other entries on this list are better, maybe I'm finally just accepting that Robert Dimery is a bad music critic.
Hanoi Rocks
1/5
Terrible album! How does this at all belong on this list. I don't care who it allegedly inspired. It is a badly badly mixed album and bad music. I can't understand why this is on here. These are the albums that make me consider if this project is even worth finishing. I mean it's so bad Spotify doesn't have half the songs and whoever made the YouTube playlist couldn't even be bothered enough to put playlist the right way up so I heard the first 5 seconds of each song at least twice. Xbox 360 headsets had better audio quality than the mics they used to record this album. I am still hesitant to give it a 1 because there are worse albums, but I am just so tired of getting so many bad albums so it gets what it gets.
Blur
3/5
Good album just nothing too special. I prefer later Blur when they got more alternative. Brit-Pop is just not really my thing, but this is a great Brit-Pop album.
Buck Owens
3/5
Good classic country that is just fun to listen to. Nothing to special on it, but it just puts a smile on your face and is an easy listen.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
Noise Rock is a different kind of genre, it certainly is not for everybody. I would not place it as one of my favorite genres but I do enjoy this album. "Assassins" feels like a Muse interlude or filler track. It is good it just is all build with no resolve. Honestly that entire sentiment tracks for the album, "2 Towers" is seven minutes of build which is anxiety inducing. The back half of "On Fire" was good minus the vocals on that. "Longstockings" is a great track until the scratchy breakdown at the end and again minus the strange vocal parts.
I want to love this album and at the same time I want to hate this album. Some of the noise was a little too much for me and other parts were amazing. It sounds like a lot of different artists most of the time I was getting Muse and I also heard some RHCP elements in there too and some others that I can't place but know. It is also a fairly quietly mixed album and I had to bump up my volume to hear it clearly.
Beastie Boys
4/5
There were two rules for music in my moms car, if Jack White comes on you have to call him a musical genius and if the Beastie Boys come on you crank the volume. So that is exactly what I did today. While this isn't my favorite of their album it is still a great listen and contains some deep cuts I haven't heard in years. I thoroughly enjoy getting the chance to re-listen to albums I've loved my entire life.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
My best friend is probably the biggest Cocteau Twins fan I will ever meet and formally introduced them to me last year. I can't tell you how many nights I've spent with him on one of our couches or in one of our cars stoned out of our mind just disassociating to "Lorelei" and more songs from Heaven or Las Vegas. This album just brought about some good memories.
While this is certainly their second best album and coming into it I only really knew "Lorelei" and the general sound of the band, I did enjoy this album. I found some tracks I like that I haven't heard before like "Pandora (For Cindy)" that were really good. All in all this was a great album to get blazed and vibe out so hard to.
The Avalanches
1/5
Fake record static and skips ruin an album for me, I'm just imagining someone that buys this on vinyl and then is just frustrated with why the brand new album is in such bad condition. About the only thing that made the album better was thinking about that and laughing. "Frontier Psychiatrist" was good just because it's honestly relatable. I don't get why this is on here. I was doing homework so at least I didn't fully waste an hour of my life.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
I liked this first half of this more than I expected. It was groovy and relaxing. The back half though I disliked thoroughly. It was strange and off putting to me. Speaking of off putting what the hell is this album cover.
Van Halen
4/5
A great classic album. RIP EVH!
"Eruption" is top 10 on the list of songs that made teenage boys want to play guitar. The cover of "You Really Got Me" is one of the best covers of that song. "Jamie's Cryin'" was also a great track. Overall I liked the album, but it is not my favorite Van Halen album I look forward to 1984.
Portishead
3/5
I wanted to like this album and some of it I really did enjoy. Some of it however I just can't get behind. I think that is the genre breakdown within the album, the experimental and psychedelic rock sides of it are great the electronica is where it loses me. I'm just conflicted on how to rate it probably needs more listens to appreciate it or hate it more.
T. Rex
4/5
I like this more than The Slider for sure. "Cosmic Dancer" is a classic and "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" is an all time classic. "Monolith" wa a somewhat deep cut on this album that I vibed with and "The Motivator" was the same way. Pretty good album.
Wilco
4/5
A nice chill album to sit and listen to. "Sunken Treasure" was a vibe until the noise breakdown at the end still my favorite on the album. I also do like that Tweedy cut most of his proceeds from the album so he could sell it at a more affordable price. Not my favorite Wilco, but still a really good album. The second disc really made it for me.
Lucinda Williams
4/5
I love Folk Rock so Americana and some Alt Country is fully in my lane. And knowing that she toured with Jason Isbell just makes me like her and this album more. "Right In Time" and the titular track were two of my favorites. I certainly attach more to the Americana aspects, but it is good Country music too. A very re-listenable album for sure!
Leonard Cohen
4/5
"Suzanne" might be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. In my opinion it is his best song very closely followed by if not tied with "Hallelujah". The rest of the album is beautiful, albeit not nearly as special as the the first. While the second most popular song on the album, "So Long, Marianne" just didn't do it for me. It would have been strange buying "Suzanne" as a single and then experiencing that on the B-side. A beautiful album by an amazing songwriter.
The Cure
3/5
My dad loves New Wave and particularly loves The Cure, so an album where I only know one song ahead of time is surprising to me. It is a good album, certainly not their best work but you can tell it is the foundation for a lot of New Wave and their later work.
Faith No More
3/5
This was an enjoyable album with a lot to listen for. I liked the bass line on most of the tracks and thought that it sat fairly well in the mix. I could see myself listening to some of the tracks again and possibly giving the album as a whole a second listen at some point and possibly boosting its rating.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
It is an interesting album, it's just not my thing.
The Black Keys
3/5
Pretty good album with some all time party bangers. Garage rock as a genre does tend to lose its allure for me around the 35 minute mark so this album being 55 minutes is just a little wearing. I still like the album, but prefer some of The Black Keys other albums more.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
People will continue to debate what the best Led Zeppelin album is. I put my money on this album, though I do understand the case for most of their others as well.
"Black Dog" is a beautiful way to open an album and it became an all time classic. "Rock and Roll" is a good track, though not my favorite. "The Battle of Evermore" I feel is an underrated track on this album, understandable why with the rest of the songs on here that it just doesn't quite hold up to. And then of course we have one of the top 5 greatest songs of all time on anybody's list. "Stairway to Heaven" is a masterpiece of a song. It alone could put this album at a 4 in the midst of bad songs, though obviously that is not the case. The only qualm I have is that it got so popular that it became the forbidden riff in guitar stores.
"Misty Mountain Hop" and "Four Sticks" are the two weakest tracks on the album and I don't have much to say about them. But "Going to California" is my favorite Led Zeppelin song and I could listen to it on repeat for days and not get tired. It is amazing how it balances sad and hopeful in such a beautiful and effortless way. "When the Levee Breaks" is tonally different than the rest of the album, but is such a powerful song. It is also a masterclass in recording a cover song.
This is an amazing album! It is an all time classic and one of the greatest albums of all time. I knew from the second it came up on my homepage that it was going to end up being a 5 star album!
Travis
3/5
Pretty good album. I enjoy the chill energy of a lot of their music. I knew "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" coming into this and it still is my favorite from the album. "Driftwood" and "Writing To Reach You" were also highlights of this album. Though I enjoyed the style and the album as a whole it really wasn't anything too special.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
A very good and very poignant album. I am not the right person to dissect the meaning of this album, but the message is important. Not to mention that the features on this album are insane from Thundercat to George Clinton to Snoop Dogg they all add special flare to their respective tracks. I will note that the fact that DAMN is not featured on the list is criminal. I'm not even typically a fan of rap and I know how important that album is. This album is good, but I don't see myself relistening to most of the album.
Madonna
3/5
I respect Madonna's fame and notoriety as a musician and her impact on music as a whole will last forever. I just do not enjoy most of her music past her hits. It is just not my type of music and most of it is just meh. She gets a 3 instead of a 2 just because of her impact on music.
Sebadoh
2/5
Wow that was not a good album. It had one or two good songs, but by the end I just had bad listening fatigue. I didn't hate it enough to give it a 1 so 2 it is.
R.E.M.
4/5
This album gets a boost by being constantly played in my home growing up. Songs like "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and "The One I love" are all time classics. The rest of the album is honestly a little bland, but the memories give it the extra point boost. An all time favorite!
Aretha Franklin
5/5
If there is a album with a more famed and established list of songwriters I would like to put it head to head with this one and watch the world explode. James Brown and Curtis Mayfield alone puts this album in a separate category, but you also have The Vegases and Jerry Wexler. And of course not to mention the combination of Carole King and Gerry Goffin who are one of the best songwriting combinations of all time. And I won't even begin to list out the legendary list of artists that played on this album, as I already know this review is going to be substantially long. But damn, is that just as impressive if not more impressive.
"Chain of Fools" is a fantastic opening track followed by a couple of solid fillers. Then you have the one and only "(You Make Me Feels Like) A Natural Woman" the fact that this is just the end of the A-Side is possibly the one disappointment of this album. It rightfully belongs as the culmination of a fantastic album (as Carole did on her fellow 5 star album Tapestry).
"(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" is a great open to the B-Side. But the groove of "Good to Me as I Am to You" speaks to me in a special way. What a work of art on the bass! "Groovin'" is exactly what it claims to be. "Ain't No Way" is the only song that I can understand putting at the end over "A Natural Woman". The only way to end an album other than a song that powerful is with a song this heartfelt and powerful in a completely different way.
All in all this is an album that you could apply every positive adjective you could ever think of to and it would be accurate. A masterpiece of an album! Anybody that gives it lower than a 4 star rating should be declared incompetent. That being said it should absolutely be a 5 star album!
Donald Fagen
4/5
I read Jazz Pop and then Steely Dan on the Wikipedia page and immediately rolled my eyes thinking I was going to dislike the album. I however was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. Right off the bat "I.G.Y." hits you with this groovy bass driven, borderline funky jam. I can see why this song is so loved by audiophiles and used as a reference song by so many sound engineers. It has so much to digest and I imagine in many more listens I will only continue to appreciate it. The next three songs are nice easy listens and then "New Frontier" is another fun energy boost right in the middle. The titular track is probably my least favorite on the album, but it still isn't a bad track. The final two tracks are a nice calm, but happy way to end an album.
This is the first album I have found on this list that I had no exposure to beforehand and I instantly want to get on vinyl. Right now this is a 4 for me but I need to give it a 5 upon a few more listens.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
One of the best modern country artists out there right now. Her list of artists that inspired her is a list that I loved to read from, John Prine (Rest in Peace!) to Alison Krauss (gotta respect somebody from my hometown who went to high school with my dad) to Jim Croce (my favorite songwriter) and even people like, Cake, Weezer, and ELO (the last of those you can hear on the song "Oh, What A World"). I'm leaving some notable country artists off of there but, the point is she has great taste in music. I also love a country artist that is willing to openly support progressive social movements, helps me not feel guilty about enjoying country music.
As for this album "Slow Burn" is a wonderful song that is enjoyable to listen to and to find out she was on acid while writing it makes me like her even more. "Butterflies" was intriguing song with a lot to pick apart and some nice bass fills. The middle of the album is peaceful but mostly forgettable. I also quite enjoy the upbeat yet chill energy of "High Horse", it maybe sits a little late in the album for me but I like the song. "Golden Hour" was calm with an interesting guitar line. "Rainbow" is the perfect peaceful, but powerful way to end an album.
All in all I enjoyed this album more than I expected to. I was expecting a 3 going in but by the end I felt it was a 4 for me. The calm energy that tows the line of country and folk is a musical spot that I love, though her voice gets a little twangy at points for my liking.
Radiohead
2/5
While I wholeheartedly believe that OK Computer is one of the greatest albums ever written and will certainly give it a 5 when it come up on my list, I do not enjoy much of their work that came after. I do admit the fact that it is largely due to my distaste for electronica, in fact my summary lists it as my worst genre. That being said I do feel there is a reason this album isn't as well known as their other albums like The Bends or Pablo Honey, or even their electronica albums of Kid A or In Rainbows. It feels like a lot less of a complete album as the other, its folly is likely that it was recorded in roughly two weeks. I think it also leans too heavily on the electronics at times, but I am impressed that they were mostly live recordings rather than overdubs. The electronics are overwhelming on some tracks and when they aren't, Thom often uses the whiney voice that I just despise to hear on any album. "We Suck Young Blood" is a good example of this, it is a lovely bass and piano song that is simple and erie with a surprising but wonderful uptempo break in the middle, but the song is just ruined by the whine.
Though I did not love the album it did have some favorable parts. The message of course is good I love when people take the opportunity to chastise the failings of George W. Bush, I mean I was a Green Day kid that loved American Idiot. I also enjoy the bass work that drives a lot of the songs. The tracks that incorporate what you might consider more typical rock aspects are also more appealing to me.
While I didn't hate the album the listening fatigue set in quick. I do feel as though my hatred of electronica is jading my perspective in giving it a low rating. Towards the end I started to appreciate it more for some of the musicality, but the fatigue made it too hard to give a second chance. Maybe it'll be one I revisit when I finish the list or after I give more of Radiohead's electronica albums a closer listen. It probably deserves better than a 2, but today that is just what it gets.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
The volume levels are horrendous on this. At times I have to crank my volumes by 20 to 30 percent to be able to hear anything and others I have to drop them below normal to be able to not burst my eardrums. It's a live album so that might be some of it, but I think it was mostly intentional. I didn't dislike this album, but I don't think it is necessarily belongs on this list. It wasn't bad but it isn't that great of an album in my opinion.
Basement Jaxx
1/5
There is no such thing as good house music, but if there was.....
This would still be bad house music.
Joy Division
3/5
Joy Division and New Order were bands that I was raised on. While it isn't the sound from my childhood that I latched onto the most, I do love their music. This album is not as good as Unknown Pleasures to me. It is also a tragedy that "Love Will Tear Us Apart" was never released on an album. All in all a good album that reminds me of childhood.
Depeche Mode
4/5
This is a great album! I grew up on 80's New Wave especially Depeche Mode. I can't say that much about this album other than I love it and have so many good memories of these songs.
Goldfrapp
2/5
I liked it more than I expected to. I hate electronica as a genre in general so this is still a bad album, but it was very melodic and dark so I enjoyed it in that regard.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
A pretty good album. I am not really a Lynyrd Skynyrd fan but this album contains two all time classics in "Simple Man", my personal favorite of the album, and "Free Bird". The latter is a great song, but I do think it is overhyped and it's just so long. It is also the bane of any gigging musicians existence so I like it less as a result of that.
It is a good album with two great songs.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I am a massive folk fan and I absolutely recognize how amazing of a songwriter he is. I however hate Bob Dylan. I think almost every Bob Dylan cover is better than his originals. That is certainly the case here with "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue", easily the best two songs on the album. Both of them were done considerably better by The Byrds.
Dylan's voice pre Royal Albert Hall concert is considerably better than after. But it is still just so nasally. And OH MY GOD put down the fucking harmonica once in awhile! After this list I will probably never intentionally play a Bob Dylan song again. This however does not deserve the one star that most of his other albums do.
D'Angelo
3/5
This was a fun and funky album. I liked the bass but most of the time I wanted it to sit a little higher in the mix. It was a good album, just not really my thing.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
This leans a little too country and less folk than I enjoy, but tows that line pretty well. I enjoy it more than I expected to at first. "Bluebird Wine" was the only track I knew well before this and it is a great song. "Boulder to Birmingham" was another standout track. "Sleepless Nights" based off listen counts is a underrated song on this album, it is calm and heartfelt. I really enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would.
MC Solaar
3/5
A lot cooler than I expected. It was very fun. I don't love hip-hop so it isn't that much of my thing. If I knew how to speak french it might be more interesting.
Small Faces
3/5
It is a good album, but certainty a very interesting and strange album. I got a little overwhelmed at times, but was very intrigued at others. I though enjoy other psychedelic albums and other concept albums from the era better.
Hugh Masekela
1/5
I hate Jazz, but the Afrobeat side of it was not too bad though. I just got listening fatigue way too early and I just did not like it. Might be a little unfair giving it a 1, but that is just how I feel right now.
Norah Jones
5/5
Great album! Very calm and groovy. I loved chilling out and just enjoying the smooth enticing vibe of Jones's voice. Great listen.
Public Enemy
3/5
A really good album, but just not my style.
Culture Club
2/5
Not a bad album, but not a good album either. Just very very meh. "Karma Chameleon" is a classic track, though very overdone as a meme and I'm over it. Nothing else really stands out to me on the album.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
This album has some all time classic songs. It also has quite a bit of filler. But for a grunge album from 1995 it surprisingly does not get tiresome after 45 to 60 minutes. It holds up for the whole two hours. The filler isn't bad, but if it was just the highlights this would easily be a 5 star album. The filler drops it to a 4 and Billy Corgan being such a dick makes me want to drop it to a 3 or a 2, but if we are separating the art from the artist this stands as a 4 star album.
David Bowie
3/5
A decent album, but not Bowie's best. The front half is fairly weak as far as Bowie's songwriting goes. The back half includes some fun ambient tracks that would be nice to chill out and vibe to while high as hell. Maybe will revisit it at some point in the future. Right now I feel it is a 3 star album, mostly because of the quality of his other work.
Metallica
4/5
While this is not my favorite Metallica album, that title going to The Black Album, it does contain what I think is my favorite Metallica song though with "One". I do agree with the criticisms of the mix and have laughed at my fair share of ...And Justice For All lack of bass memes. It just isn't there. The length of these songs for a metal album is also a point against the album. Despite these negatives there are way more positives and this is still a great album that certainly deserves its spot on this list.
Tears For Fears
4/5
I was raised on 80s New Wave, and while I never choose to listen to it on my own time I do have a soft spot for it. This is a pretty good New Wave album, it has a couple of all time classic songs in "Shout" and "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Another standout on the album was "The Working Hour", the rest of it didn't stick out much to me but was a nice chill listen.
Van Morrison
3/5
Not Van Morrison's best album. Not a bad album though. I am disappointed that this is on here but Blowin' Your Mind! isn't. Decent just not anything special.
Kraftwerk
1/5
Kraftwerk is what I would consider "good electronica" but then again there is no such thing as "good electronica" so still just not my thing.
Turbonegro
3/5
Norwegian Death Punk.....what a unexpected genre to see come up. It was actually a pretty good album and I was pleasantly surprised.
Les Rythmes Digitales
1/5
This is not a good album, I do not understand its place on this list. It was made well past the height of Synth-Pop and wouldn't even break the top 10 in the genre on anybody's list. And what the hell is Post-Disco. This might have ruined a Buffalo Springfield classic for me. I did not need a 4 minute synth version of it.
I do have to give him credit though. He produced some of my favorite albums and songs by The Killers. Luckily this album didn't quite seep into those to have enough effect to make them bad.
Pulp
4/5
A pretty good album. "Common People" was certainly the highlight of the album. It is a really good song that is pretty much my idea of good Britpop. I would listen to this entire album again.
Thundercat
3/5
A decent album. Not really my thing, but it is a groovy album with a wide range of features. Thundercat is a god of a bass player and I aspire to be a 10th as good as he is. And his main bass is just insane and I can't imagine trying to stretch my hands around that thing.
Steve Earle
2/5
Just meh, very mediocre. I didn't hate it but there is so much better country out there to listen to. A Guitar Town is my type of town though.
Robbie Williams
2/5
It's not a bad album, but I just don't see why I needed to listen to this before I die.
The Saints
3/5
Decent Punk from the 70s. It's good, but I don't have the formative memories of this album in the way I do with The Clash or Sex Pistols.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
This is a great album. An absolute classic. "It's Tricky" and "Walk This Way" are amazing songs. "Walk This Way" might be the best cover song/collaboration song of all time. Not all the tracks are classics, but every one of them is worth hearing.
Air
2/5
This wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. That does not mean it was good because it wasn't. "La femme d'argent" was certainly the highlight of the album. Some of the chill energy at the end was a nice vibe though not my favorite musically. Overall it had decent bass, but that was really the last of the positives for me. I just don't understand why Robert Dimery has such a affinity for Electronica.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
This was a good album. I really enjoy the energy of this album and would re-listen to pretty much all of it. "Electronic Renaissance" being one of the lowlights of the album. The first two tracks were probably the best of the album with my personal favorite being "The State I Am In". "I Could Be Dreaming" was a song that I enjoyed, but didn't necessarily feel as though it fit the album in the way I wanted it to. "My Wandering Days Are Over" was another song I liked quite a bit.
Overall a really good album that I would enjoy listening to again.
Gary Numan
2/5
I am just not a fan of 95% of the Synth-Pop/New Wave era of music. This is not an exception. It is just mildly ok Synth music. I have heard much worse Synth music, but also have heard much better. "Cars" is a good classic track though. That however is all I really enjoyed about this album.
Jerry Lee Lewis
1/5
Ah yes, the racist, pedophillic, incestual, music stealing piece of shit.
That being said, for 1964 this is a fairly well recorded live album. That doesn't mean it's recorded well, just not bad for the time. I'm not quite sure why half the album is missing but I am also not complaining. The two songs he is credited as a songwriter on are the two weakest on the album and the others are about half as good as their originals.
Live albums in general just do not have a place as an album that I MUST hear before I die. There are very few worth listening to and this just isn't one of them.
Def Leppard
3/5
While I would consider Hysteria their best album, this is a pretty good album. The highlights for me were "Photograph", "Too Late For Love", and "Rock Of Ages" the middle being my personal favorite.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
This was a fun groovy album that was nice to listen to. The bass was fantastic and really drove the album. I however did not love the length of some of the songs, I just think anything over about 5-7 minutes has to do a lot to justify the length. I think "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" did justify the song length, but nothing justifies a song title that long. "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" was also another lowlight it was just so slow and I don't love the talking over the cymbal taps. The second half of the song goes back to the form of the rest of the album and is chill and groovy. I'm between a 3 and a 4 so I'm going to give it the bump up and will be more likely to give it another chance.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Of CSN and sometimes Y (I laughed way too hard writing that, curse my Dad and his love of tagging me in dad jokes on Facebook), I probably listen to Stills the least. And I certainly hadn't heard of this band from one of their breaks. This is a good album, though it skews more bluesy than I typically prefer. I tend to like the more folk rock aspects of CSNY. Some of this hits that spot but most falls in that blues route. "Jet Set (Sigh)" was probably my favorite track, it was a great blues song that had an exciting turn at the end of it. I do find it hilarious that all four members of CSNY had an album in the top five at the same time, though two of them were together on an album.
4/5
This is my third and final Blur album on this list, funny enough I got them in reverse order of release. While the other two were certainly more commercially popular, I think this one is my favorite of the three. It is just so musically intriguing to me. Parklife and their self titled album are just a little more alt rock and loud while this is a slightly quieter and full of interesting instrumentation. The mixing is also very well done, some of the pans on songs like the guitar intro to "Colin Zeal" starting panned hard right and then panning over to the middle and then a second guitar that is panned more left. The bass intro on that track is fantastic too. I still can't quite get over the typical Brit-Pop vocal sound though on some tracks like "Villa Rosie" it flows a lot better for my ears. Great Album!
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
It is a decent album with some interesting aspects to it and good bass. But overall I don't think it is all too special. "I'm Glad" is probably the track that I like the most, but the one that feels like it belongs on the album the least.
Cypress Hill
4/5
I'm not a big hip-hop guy, but this is a fun groovy album with some great bass lines. I love the amount that this album talks about weed, because I just love weed. I also appreciate this album for giving me one of my favorite Rage Against The Machine songs which I also just learned was a cover. I really enjoyed this album.
The Prodigy
1/5
Wow this is just a terrible album. Only two songs of twelve are under 5 minutes and 7 over 6 and a half minutes. All of them too long. My ears were hurting after the first three songs and it never stopped. I don't get how anybody can listen to Techno. I really cannot believe this band has a second album on this list either. Just a really bad album, I will never understand Dimery's affection for electronic based music, there is just way too much of it on the list for the to all be musts.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
My mom is a big Elvis Costello fan and she was excited when I got this album today. Unfortunately I will have to be disappointing her, while I do think this is a good album it is really just not my thing. Costello is a wonderfully talented musician and I respect his impact on music and I know he is a particularly creative lyricist. It just doesn't really hit the spot for me.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
I did not expect to be reading about the history of "swinging" today, but that is the beauty of having the Wikipedia articles hyperlinked on here. Part of me likes to think that this was the reason for the choice of name.
Sinatra had such a wonderfully smooth voice. I normally have a lot more to say about my 5 star albums. This one speaks enough for itself without me talking too much about it. "You Make Me Feel So Young" and "I've Got You Under My Skin" are all time classics and cement my choice of a 5. I Would very happily listen to it top to bottom again.
Talking Heads
3/5
I love the musical genius that is David Byrne. This however is not his best work. I am constantly disappointed that Speaking in Tongues is not included in this book, its my favorite of the Talking Heads albums. Stop Making Sense is also one that should be included, but that is something that should be watched instead of just listened to. All that is not to say that I didn't enjoy this album because I did like this album. I think I'd only put two or three of the songs as essential to knowing the Talking Heads. Just a lot of deep cuts.
Eminem
3/5
This album aged better than the Slim Shady LP. I still find it hard to believe how into Eminem I was in middle school, I could have ended up much differently if I had kept listening to him religiously. It is a pretty good album, but I just hate the use of slurs in pretty much any music so it takes me out of it when it is just so prevalent.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
I don't love this album that's for sure, but it is not a bad album. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" in my opinion is one of the most overrated and overplayed songs ever. The message is good, but damn Cyndi I got it the first thousand times it was said in the song. "Time After Time" still holds up and I think it is a great timeless song. I never realized how great the bass on that song was. The bass on the album as a whole was the real highlight to me.
I think this is the perfect definition of a 3 for me. I didn't love it, but it was a nice listen that I didn't dislike. It has a couple of timeless classics (even if I was a little hard on one of them) that everybody should hear at least once. Though in reality a 3 ends up being a much more broadly assigned rank.
Fleet Foxes
5/5
When I refreshed the page this morning and saw this album pop up on my screen I was so immensely happy. This is one of my favorite albums of all time and Fleet Foxes one of my top bands. To put it in perspective, 5 of the 11 songs are in my daily playlist (10 total by the band), and 4 made it to the playlist I made for my mom to get a better grasp on the music I love. All that to say it is an instant 5 for me and I am more than happy to give it another listen through with some long listening notes (song by song time! WOOT WOOT!).
"Sun It Rises" - I love the traditional folk vocal intro to set the pace of the album in a way. The guitar intro is fun and uplifting and the ethereal vocals on the rest of the song fit my listening style of treating the voice as an instrument and not noticing lyrics right away quite well. The outro riff gives me a almost strokes vibe.
"White Winter Hymnal" - It sounds like they are making an indie folk cover of a traditional folk song, but no its an original. I do love the Pentatonix version of this one too.
"Ragged Wood" - This is one of the best songs on the album, certainly a departure from the first two song in terms of rhythm and BPM, it plays to its favor though pulling you back in after you drift off to dreamland during "White Winter Hymnal". The bass on this song is fantastic when it is poking through in the energetic parts it is captivating and then a simple but not overbearing bass solo as it then builds instrument on instrument back to that energy. I have listened to this song 62 times according to Spotistats and have never really had the reaction I just had to the bass on that song and I processed some of the vocals in a way I hadn't before. It sounds cheesy, but that moved me. Maybe it was listening through my studio headphones instead of speakers for once but it was amazing.
"Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" - This goes back to that traditional folk sound of the doubled guitars making a harp like sound is just purely gorgeous. When they sync up for a measure or two at a time it brings the contrast of the two together. It reminds me of the composition of Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair/Canticle". The near shouted vocals on the what I guess you could call choruses have such a visceral feeling to them.
"Quiet House" - This is probably my least favorite track on the album. It has amazing instrumentation to it especially that bass it really pulls the other parts together. The "Don't give in" section is what really throws me off, I just hear "Donkey Man" over and over again. The guitar on the outro is also very fantastic. I still really like the track just not my favorite.
"He Doesn't Know Why" - I can't quite place my finger on it but the vocals on the intro reminds me so much of another song. It has bothered me since the first time I heard this song and still does. Great song with more great instrumentation. I love the in sync rests they do just before the bridge.
"Heard Them Stirring" - I don't have too much to say about this one. It is a good filler track. I don't have strong feelings either way it is just a meditative respite in the middle of the album.
"Your Protector" - Another of my favorites. The vocal and flute intro is very gently powerful. The build of the chugging cymbal leading into the bass dig in and then an explosion of instrumentation. There is so much to dissect in this song and I love it more and more each time.
"Meadowlarks" - Another one of my lower listen count songs. I love the guitar part under the vocals. They work as two different songs in one that just fit with each other. The chorus of vocals that come in for the middle of the song are very relaxing. The song as a whole is very relaxing. A little too low energy for it to be on my everyday playlist, but I love it.
"Blue Ridge Mountains" - The song named for my favorite place on this planet. Is it my favorite for that reason or because it is just an amazing and beautiful song. A little combination. I do prefer the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina but close enough. Another traditional folk sound on the intro. I close my eyes and I am taken there while listening. I can't wait to go back. It is the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever been. Its fitting for one of the best Indie Folk albums to have a song about part of Appalachia one of the birthplaces of American music and particularly folk. Everybody should drive at least part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in their life. The rolling blue mountains for as far as the eye can see just have the most beautiful calming aspect.
"Oliver James" - Another "lowlight" of the album for me. Doesn't mean it isn't a good song I just wish it was in a different spot and it ended with the fade out of "Blue Ridge Mountains".
I was going to try to provide a little bit of an objective review at the end but that will not be possible. This is a top 10 album for me all time. It is just a beautiful indie folk album that is in my opinion and absolute must listen before you die. If for some reason you are still reading my long winded review I highly recommend that you listen to A Very Lonely Solstice by Fleet Foxes. It is one of my favorite live recorded albums I have ever heard. It certainly benefits from being recorded with no audience during COVID so not a live album in the typical way. I love this album, I love this band, I was having a stressful week and this just melted so much of my stress away.
Mylo
3/5
I'm surprised just how much I like this. I normally despise house music. This is just chill enough for me, probably those soft rock samples. Like most house music it does have really good bass synths they manage to not be overwhelming which tends to be a rarity in house. The rest of the synths find a somewhat peaceful balance too, again a rarity. It is a very very rare day when something listed as house or electronica gets higher than a two from me. The titular track is just weird, funny but very weird. Quite a few good names there (though some pronounced horribly wrong). Not sure I love that with the title itself makes me concerned. Though after reading the Wiki page about the song those both make so much more sense. But anytime you name drop my hometowns most famous band I'll like it. I have to be an REO fan by law. Though this being on the list and none of theirs being here should be against that law.
Suede
3/5
Decent album, really just more ok Britpop that good ole Bobby Dimery is obsessed with. This does fit on the better end of the britpop he put on here. The influences from The Smiths are very apparent, probably why I like this more than most Britpop. I liked it, but nothing stood out to me from it.
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
A good groovy album. Just a nice album to sit around and vibe out to. It's better than their self titled, but it is a shame that "For What It's Worth" didn't make an appearance on the list. By far their best song of course. I don't know if it quite makes the bump to a 4 star for me, but if I put it there now I'll be more likely to listen again and give it another try.
Eurythmics
3/5
The titular song is amazing. Past that it is just mediocre still gets the bump to a 3 because of the legendary song.
Fats Domino
4/5
This album is simplistic in the best way. It's very of it's time. It gives you weird nostalgia for the 50s even if you weren't alive then. Fats was great and very formative to the genre that became Rock & Roll and this belongs on the list even if it isn't as complex as later rock.
Le Tigre
3/5
Very meh album. I thinks its good just nothing special. "Phanta" was probably my favorite track. "Deceptacon" is also a good track.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
My initial reaction to opening the Wiki was "What the Fuck Rob Dimery, an Electronic album from 2019 has zero place on this list"
My sentiment remains similar, I think there are much better albums from the era that could take its place. It is not another horrible electronic album. It certainly leans more towards the Ambient genre it is listed as. The first three tracks are actually very good. It gets a little more forgettable after that. Didn't dislike the album, just not something that is a must listen. Especially considering he has four more albums on this list.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Unfortunately this is the only of Simon & Garfunkel's studio albums I don't own on vinyl and it's the first of the three on this list that I have gotten. The second I see it in a record store I will certainly be buying it. This is not my favorite of their album, but it is still a 5 star album.
"Bookends Theme" - A intro that is short and simple and sounds like a S&G instrumental track. (Reprise) - The way the note from the last song fades in. This is the instrumental at the start with the lyrics you'd expect to be there. Great way to do a reprise.
"Save the Life of My Child" - This sounds like somebody covering a S&G song. By that I mean it feels like a S&G song in the lyrics and rhythm, but after that it sounds like a psych band got their hands on it. I like it but it throws me off every time how little it feels like it belongs.
"America" - One of my favorite all time S&G tracks. Truly an all time classic and a example of perfect lyrical storytelling. I could write an essay on this song alone, but I will leave it simple and call it one of the most beautiful songs that has ever been written.
"Overs" - Definitely a deep cut in the S&G discography, a good chill out song. The guitar drives the track in the most beautifully subtle way.
"Voices of Old People" - Yeah....could have done without this one if I'm being honest. Just disconcerting. I could see this one being the reason it drops a star for some people.
"Old Friends" - Wow! I don't know that I have listened to this song with as much focus before. The strings tell a story within a story. They start more elegant and in tune with the story and lyrics and as the song goes on they become more chaotic. I also love how that last high note fades into the Theme Reprise.
"Fakin' It" - Another somewhat disconcerting start of a song. A bridge into the psychedelic folk world. It's a genre I as a folk head should like more than I do. I like psych music too which is why that confuses me even more. That aside it is still a good song.
"Punky's Dilemma" - I too wish I was Kellogg's Cornflake Paul. Not sure about the English Muffin though. I love the bass on this track. A different type of deepcut still a good one.
"Mrs. Robinson" - This song speaks for itself and is one of the greatest songs of all time. The guitar on this song is fantastic and I love trying to dissect it. Lyrically fantastic as well of course, no surprise there.
"A Hazy Shade of Winter" - The one S&G song that I think you can argue the cover version is better. The Bangles made this song their own. This is still a great version of it and yes the original, but it belongs to The Bangles.
"At the Zoo" - The walking bass line does a great job of driving the song from the background. There is so much going on that grabs your attention. The bass pokes through that haze but doesn't overpower any of it.
An immaculate album indeed. Not their best, but contains some of their best songs. An all time classic and certainly a must hear.
James Brown
4/5
Very few people can command a stage quite like James Brown could. And literally nobody I've ever heard before could translate it so well to a live recording. And damn is the audio quality great on this for a live album from 1963! Great performer, great artist, great album!
Butthole Surfers
2/5
The teenage boy inside of me really wants to love a band named Butthole Surfers, I just don't though. Noise Rock is just not my thing. "Human Cannonball" sounds more like a classic Punk track and is probably my favorite. It's an album that I get why some people like it and the name of the band is just awesome, just not my thing.
Dirty Projectors
3/5
I really love parts of this and then others get too experimental for my tastes and the noise rock aspects are overbearing. "Two Doves" was my favorite song from the album. Overall the bass was very good throughout the album.
The Beach Boys
3/5
An album of Beach Boys deep cuts. I mean it is still a good album, but it's just not an amazing album. I do like it more than Surf's Up which I also thought was a strange inclusion when neither of their first two albums got a spot. The influence of those two albums on Surf Rock and then the influence of Surf Rock on so many other genres makes me so confused as to why they didn't get a spot. The leading single on both of those albums have more streams by themselves than this entire album totaled. I however won't disagree with the inclusion of Pet Sounds. Good album just not anything more than a 3 star to me.
ABBA
4/5
I'm not the biggest fan of ABBA, but this is a pretty damn good album. "Dancing Queen" of course deserves the legacy it has earned. My other favorite songs are "Arrival" and "Fernando"
The Temptations
3/5
A good album over all and really good bass. It just is all deep cuts and not really anything too special. I like the Temptations, but there are other albums that belong on here over this.
Minor Threat
4/5
GOOD FUCKING PUNK!
Without the 80s punk scene in Arlington, Virginia and Washington D.C., Nirvana would not have been what it was. The Foo Fighters wouldn't exist and music would be a different world than what we know now.
I am a much bigger fan of MacKaye's work on this than I was on Fugazzi when that came up for me. Good album that I was happy to listen to.
Hawkwind
3/5
Interesting album, but after awhile it just drags on and on and on.
Britney Spears
2/5
Basic and Overrated.
The Strokes
5/5
Instant 5 Star album!
"Is This It" - A good LoFi sounding indie song with a very rounded bass sound that cuts through the faded sound of the rest of the song quite well.
"The Modern Age" - A good song but certainly not my favorite on the album.
"Soma" - I think this is a bit of an underrated song on the album. A very good intro though the rest leaves a tiny bit to be desired.
"Barely Legal" - A really good song and I like the guitar on the bridge and the bass work. The chorus guitar work is not my favorite though.
"Someday" - My personal favorite song on the album. It is an all time classic indie rock song that I listen to on a regular basis.
"Alone, Together" - In terms of deep cut tracks this is the one I would say is the best.
"Last Nite" - Another all time indie rock classic. While the most popular it is not the best to me. It is a great song with so much good energy to it.
"Hard To Explain" - My number 2 track on the album I would say. It is nice and bouncy making for a good listen.
"New York City Cops" - A good song that has a wonderfully accurate political message to it that sadly is still too accurate 21 years later.
"Trying Your Luck" - This is a lot more chill than the rest of the album which is also a good thing for me. It is one of the tracks that I notice more of the lyricism on. Also really good sounding bass and a nice chunky guitar tone.
"Take It Or Leave It" - Good song, but not my personal favorite song but has good energy. I would like it more a little higher in the track listing to end the album on the chill of the previous track, but that's just personal preference.
An all time classic album and one of my personal favorites!
The The
4/5
This was a good album. It was very intriguing to me I heard a lot of things I like and I look forward to listening to it again to try to pick out even more interesting sections.
Jane Weaver
2/5
Why the hell is this on the list? My issues with Rob Dimery are really highlighted by his modern additions to his list. I feel like I could make the most dogshit Britpop-Electronica crossover album of all time and he would add it to the list without a second thought.
The Search For Everything - John Mayer
The Nashville Sound - Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
Capacity - Big Thief
DAMN. - Kendrick Lamar
Stranger in the Alps - Phoebe Bridgers
Those are just 5 albums released in 2017 that aren't included on this list but absolutely deserve a spot on this list over another mediocre unheard of album. I could probably include more from that year but my point stand with those 5.
I did not hate the album so I am being a little harsh. I would listen to any of those 5 albums 10 times each before I replayed this one though. Its a 2 star album because I'm pissed about the disrespected albums, but it might deserve a 3 if I was in a different mood.
Yes
3/5
A very formative band to prog rock and music as a whole just not really my type of music. But I do really have to appreciate the arrangements on it and just how good some of the guitar is.
R.E.M.
4/5
Not R.E.M.'s best album but still a great album. "Radio Free Europe" is certainly the highlight of the album. It is a lot more chill of an album, while not what I think of when I think of R.E.M. I enjoy their softer side.
Dion
2/5
I really have nothing to say, this is just a very ok album. Not good not bad, but I don't want to give it anything more than a 2 star rating.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Chill indie music, just not the greatest.
Nirvana
5/5
All Nirvana studio albums are deservingly 5 star albums, and I cannot wait to get to the Unplugged album on the list that is one of the greatest live albums of all time. And so it is also time for a song by song review.
"Serve The Servants" - Not bad but just a week intro track for what lies deeper within the album.
"Scentless Apprentice" - This is where I could see a lot of people turning off the album because they don't have the patience to go further, not a good song.
"Heart Shaped Box" - Not only one of the greatest Nirvana songs of all time, just straight up one of the greatest songs of all time. Its musically speaking one of their more complex songs and lyrically is just a magnificently complex and painful love song. Or about cancer, but even if Cobain himself said that is what it is about, I just doubt it.
"Rape Me" - Made sure to turn the volume down on this one before it started. Don't need the neighbors asking questions. It is an amazing song despite not being one you can blast in public. It is a classic feminist track at this point and while crude gets the message across.
"Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle" - Holy hell is that a long song title. This is certainly as much of a filler song as the two opening tracks, but certainly in a more classic Nirvana tone that is much more digestible. Very painful and somewhat concerningly relatable lyrics.
"Dumb" - Whether you believe Cobain's interpretation of his song or the one his daughters interpretation 21 years after his death the meaning is sad and relatable. There are many people I can place in his description that I am just confused but oddly jealous of their contentment in life. But I personally relate to the outer view more always working to progress myself and become a better person every day. But it's not always easy sometimes I just want to space out and let the world go by around me and just be happy. His daughter's feelings towards the song are also relatable to the feelings of inadequacy I sometimes feel. A great song that has so much to think about despite its simplicity.
"Very Ape" - It is filler, but pretty good filler at that. Nothing more to say really.
"Milk It" - I think it must be the bass, but I just really enjoy this song. It doesn't quite feel like a Nirvana song but more of the later side of darker grunge music. I like that side of grunge too but usually think there is more separation between the eras.
"Pennyroyal Tea" - Another great Nirvana sounding somewhat filler track. The vocals also somewhat remind me of Chris Cornell, though very much so same genre same era.
"Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" - Just more filler. All I really have to say.
"Tourette's" - This is what I call bad filler. But really the only bad song on the album.
"All Apologies" - Maybe one of my favorite Nirvana songs. Just a great track. So beautiful and expressed with so much pain behind it.
All around one of the greatest albums of all time and certainly very deserving of a place on this list. One of my all time favorites too.
MGMT
4/5
A great album that was very of its time in the ironic way they intended. "Time to Pretend", "Electric Feel", and "Kids" have become cultural icons in music. The Youtube channel Middle 8 did a wonderful video essay on the band that I recommend to anybody that enjoys this album. "Weekend Wars" was a highlight track that I never noticed in my first few listens of this album, great bass and interesting melodies on that song.
Jurassic 5
4/5
This is a pretty damn good hip hop album. I love Jurassic 5's collaborations with Dave Matthews as well.
Ride
3/5
Decent shoegaze but there are significantly better albums in the genre. The highlights for me were "In a Different Place", "Polar Bear", "Decay", and "Vapour Trail" the last of those being the only one I knew before today. Good album but just not super special to me.
Steely Dan
4/5
I love the instrumentation on this album a lot. I don't love Fagen's vocals on this album. Though I did really love his solo album. I think I am going to give this the bump to a 4 just because I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. I highly recommend watching Polyphonic's YouTube video "Steely Dan: More Than Just a Band" if you want to learn more about Steely Dan. My favorite songs were "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Any Major Dude Will Tell You, and the titular track. Overall a really good album with amazing bass and drums.
Pretenders
3/5
Decent punk, decent new wave. Doesn't do either great though. It is a good album to just have on in the background.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Elvis Costello is just one of those artists where I respect him and his work, but it just is not my thing. "Alison" is a great track, but other than that it kinda falls flat.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Jefferson Airplane's impact on music is far greater than their actual music. This is by no means a bad album in fact it is a damn good album. I just don't think it gets the bump to a 4 or 5 star album for me. My top tracks were "She Has Funny Cars" and "Somebody to Love" the latter being the one that nearly bumped it to a 4 in my book.
Santana
5/5
If I don't give the album containing "Black Magic Woman" a 5 I would be insulting all guitar players. Santana is a God among men on the guitar. I still always find it hard to believe though that Fleetwood Mac wrote the song. "Oye Como Va" is another all time classic. My other highlights are "Incident at Neshabur" and "Samba Pa Ti" I could say more but its Santana and he speaks well enough for himself.
Pearl Jam
5/5
A legendary album! An all time classic that deserves a 5 instantly. So song by song time.
"Once" - A great grunge track that just rocks!
"Even Flow" - This one speaks for itself. That intro riff is one any self respecting music fan knows from the first second. The one thing I have always wanted from this song was more bass in the mix. Other than that it is a perfect song.
"Alive" - Another perfect song. I can't quite put it into words, but the song just speaks to you and it's impactful on many levels. Also a legendary guitar solo, one of the all time greats in an all time great song.
"Why Go" - This song makes up for the bass that is missing on the first few tracks. Certainly a deeper cut on the album, but it is still is a good song.
"Black" - For a grunge song from a grunge band it is just so melodic and beautiful. Vocally and lyrically it is also particularly gorgeous. If you close your eyes and let the song take you on a ride it is absolutely worth it. And good bass that sits too low in the mix.
"Jeremy" - Another guitar intro that everybody should instantly recognize. I love where the bass sits in this song in addition to great guitar and drums. It is also lyrically complex and sad.
"Oceans" - This is where we get to the more deep cut tracks. I don't have strong feelings either way on it really. The lyrics/vocal style take me out of it a little bit. Good instrumentation though.
"Porch" - For a deeper cut on the album it is a great song. I think the more uptempo energy of it is a bit off-putting compared to the rest of the album.
"Garden" - More good instrumentation with mediocre lyrics and vocals. It also contains a good guitar solo that I quite enjoyed.
"Deep" - Not bad just by a decent margin the worst song on the album.
"Release" - This is a good outro song. I love downtempo songs to end an album and this serves the job perfectly. Don't know that I love the hidden track though.
All in all this is one of the all time great albums. The back half is slightly disappointing given just how great the front half is. The front half automatically solidifies it as a 5 star album though. I will always enjoy giving this album another listen.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Man Q-Tip is just so much better on a project than he is in his solo work. Also when he is in the booth he thrives, man can produce the hell out of an album. This is an amazing hip-hop album and I look forward to listening to their second album when it comes up for me. The bass on this album was amazing. My top tracks were "Push It Along", "Luck of Lucien", "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo", "Can I Kick It?", and "Youthful Expression" the second to last of those being my favorite. Great Album!
Steely Dan
3/5
Good album with good instrumentation. I just didn't like it as much as Pretzel Logic or Fagen's solo album The Nightfly. I liked the album, but I do not see myself returning to it later.
Neil Young
5/5
I can't not give this album 5 stars. It is an all time classic and foundational to so much music. Especially a lot of the bands that I love. Every song is good but my personal favorites are; "Out on the Weekend", "Harvest", "Heart of Gold" (My number one on here and an all time great song), "Old Man", and "The Needle and the Damage Done".
An all time great album from an all time great artist. I would much rather have Neil Young on Spotify than Joe Rogan, but unfortunately they don't feel the same.
The Offspring
4/5
A classic formative pop punk album for sure. I think there are better albums in the genre and era and even from the band. The top tracks for me were; "Gotta Get Away" (which sounds like it should be a Nirvana song at the start), "Come Out and Play", and "Self Esteem". I think for me it gets the nostalgia boost to a 4 star rating, but I do think there are some much better albums from that year that are missing from the list.
Sister Sledge
4/5
This is a damn groovy album! I just love good bass work on any album and this is some damn exceptional bass work. And of course the titular track is an all time classic. "He's the Greatest Dancer" has to be my favorite song on the album though.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I think of the numbered Led Zeppelin album this is probably my least favorite. "Immigrant Song" is such a strong opener, but other than "Since I've Been Loving You" the rest of the album falls somewhat flat for me. I know that'll disappoint any hardcore Zeppelin fans but oh well.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
A pretty good blues album. Nothing more to say about it really.
Green Day
5/5
Didn't even have to think about my choice for a second. Instant 5 star album!
American Idiot: A great opening and titular track. A classic song that when listened to right is a wonderful protest song, and when listened to wrong becomes a beautiful form of irony.
Jesus of Suburbia: While the song doesn't compare to it's inspiration in terms of sound or legacy, it is a damn good song, that even at 9 minutes and 8 seconds long doesn't drag.
Holiday: If the fact that this is a protest album hadn't set in yet this track has to make it apparent.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams: This track really just speaks for itself. It is one that stands on its own as its single and while I don't mind the message behind the album it is nice to have a less political song.
Are We the Waiting: I think this song is super underrated just a nice melodic break in the middle of the punk.
St. Jimmy: Good classic punk sound for the first half and more rock opera like at the end. Not my favorite but good.
Give Me Novacaine: Also very underrated, I like melodies and I will not apologize for it. I love punk and pop punk but they could benefit from more melodic parts sometimes.
She's a Rebel: Not bad just not that special of a song on this good of an album.
Extraordinary Girl: This is probably the weakest song on the album, just nothing special about it.
Letterbomb: I like this song a lot, but I get why it isn't as popular.
Wake Me Up When September Ends: I mean it is the all time classic song. It is just such a damn good song. Though I hate the memes that get made from it and the annoying commenters that "inform" everybody what it is about even though we all already know.
Homecoming: This tries to do everything that "Jesus of Suburbia" did, but it just doesn't quite do it as well. It is supposed to be the wrap up to the story and it does have a lot of resolve to it, just not as much of a hitter on its own.
Whatsername: Just a nice closing song to a great album!
I love Green Day I love this album! Green Day was my first ever concert and I went with my Mom. Will forever be one of my favorite memories! This album is a 5 in so many ways and just never gets old. As a concept album and as a album with great singles it excels. Polyphonic on YouTube has a great video breaking down this album.
Bob Dylan
2/5
I love folk but damn do I just not like Dylan. The pre-Royal Albert Hall (1966 tour in general) era of Dylan is a lot more tolerable than his later work. Though better his voice is still whiny on this album and just wrecks what are admittedly really good songs at their core. And for the love of GOD if Dylan just never found the harmonica I might actually like some of his music.
I like this album more than most of Dylan and "Like a Rolling Stone" is an all time classic of course. And like most Dylan, it has fantastic lyricism and instrumentation, but I just would like all of these songs better covered by somebody else. I am overly harsh to Dylan and I think it would get a 3 or 4 depending on a different artist, but he gets a 2 today.
David Bowie
3/5
This feels like it's just on here because it is a Bowie album. It really isn't anything more than mediocre, especially when you compare it to the body of work that Bowie is known for. Just let the good Bowie albums speak for themselves and don't focus on the mediocre albums.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Certainly a formative album to the genre of Heavy Metal, but the genre isn't really my thing to begin with nor is it particularly exciting compared to others in the genre. Great guitar as to be expected. Not too bad of an album all together though. I did however skip out on the two unavailable songs.
Taylor Swift
4/5
You just can't really hate on T-Swizzle. The amount of time she's been in the public scene and hasn't gone absolutely crazy is just impressive. "Blank Space" and "Shake It Off" captured the cultural zeitgeist for long enough that even the most adamant "Taylor sucks" fans will find themselves humming along. And while I wouldn't say I'm a Taylor fan, or even that this is her best album, I found myself knowing all the words to "Style", "Bad Blood", and "Wildest Dreams" This album is a solid 4 star for me. As much as I will shit on Taylor for co-opting the Indie Folk genre, I know I will likely give her a 5 star for Evermore. She is just a great artist that gets a lot of hate because she's popular, though she deserves the hate for her private jet usage.
5/5
Sure you can argue what the best U2 album is, but if you are arguing any album other than this one then I'm afraid that you are just wrong. Easy 5 star album. I would normally do a song by song review, but today I'm just not in the mood. It deserves one and I'll get around to it when the edit feature comes around.
U2 is one of the two bands that I instantly associate with my Dad. I have so many good memories of listening to U2 in the house while I was growing up. The opening three songs are all time classics that instantly cemented this album's legacy. And tracks like "Bullet The Blue Sky", "Running To Stand Still", and "In God's Country" are all amazing tracks in their own right and just bolster the album's resume. And even the less popular songs on the album are pretty good.
Destiny's Child
3/5
There are certainly far worse albums on this list, and far worse albums with disappointingly better global ratings. That being said, I just have never really bought into the Beyoncé hype. I think she is a good singer and certainly very damn attractive, but just not as good as the overwhelming hype she gets every time a single word leaves her mouth. The first three tracks have all become classics, the titular song having gained an unintentional but extremely powerful message behind it. All in all it is a very mediocre album that even though it isn't my thing I can at least understand why it made the list.
The Triffids
4/5
This is a very interesting album. I am not exactly sure what to think of it. I certainly hear the Nick Cave influences in this album, I also hear a bit of Scott Walker at times. I do really enjoy it, but like when I got my first Scott Walker album on the list, I just have a hard time actually digesting it. I think it will get a 4 from me today and a revisit at a later date. Pretty good album.
The White Stripes
4/5
Jack White is a musical genius. This is a damn good album. Though I would say as far as his discography goes this falls fairly middle of the road. My top tracks in order are; "Fell in Love with a Girl", "Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground", "I Think I Smell A Rat", and "We're Going To Be Friends". Though I do not think there is a bad song on the album. Great album, just not quite a 5 star when I compare it to other White Stripes albums.
Pixies
3/5
When all you really know from Pixies is "Where Is My Mind?" this album is a bit of a surprise. That's not to say I'm complaining, I love me some grungy punk like this. The aforementioned song is by far the best on the album it is a damn all time great track! Other standout tracks are "Broken Face", "Gigantic", "Cactus", and "Tony's Theme" the last of those being a very fun song.
Linkin Park
3/5
I mean I know it is a formative album and "In The End" is an all time classic song. But I just can't get into Nu Metal. I don't know what I want to give it, but the aforementioned song is making me lean towards bumping it up to a 3 star.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
This album is a lot to process. Cole cited Bob Dylan directly as an influence, and while I don't hear this as much in the sound, I can tell from the lyricism. The good thing is the one thing I actually like about Dylan is his lyrics, I can't stand his whine or the egregious use of harmonica, but he can write a damn good song. He also cites Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which for that to be mentioned by name seems heavy for the one song I recognize their influence on. I might be mistaken, but I hear quite a bit of Elvis Costello's influence on the album, if the band name didn't hint at the like of him. I also get a bit of Nick Cave in the first half of the album, and if naming conventions do mean anything to this band, it also tracks.
All that wordiness behind me I do like the album, not sure if I'd give it another listen or if it is a "Must Hear", but it's good.
The Replacements
4/5
I had to listen to this one twice before I rated it, and I'm still not sure what to give it. It is at its core pretty good post-punk with some shining moments of great. But it is also a surprisingly socially progressive album that I quite liked. But kinda half zoning out my first listen and then suddenly being bombarded with chants of "Gary's Got A Boner" was shocking. I think it gets a 4 because with that I'm more likely to go back and give it an additional listen.
Beatles
5/5
I means its Abbey Road by The Beatles, need I say anymore?
I don't but I will anyway. "Come Together" is just a perfect song that I never tire of. "Something" is also a perfect track, one so good that Harrison thought he must have heard the melody and stolen it accidently. You can thank James Taylor for the intro line and George getting the motivation for finishing the song. "Octopus's Garden" might be one of the stranger Beatles songs, especially on this album, but it is such a damn good song. "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" might be some of McCartney's best bass work, and the rest of the track was, well, heavy and dark and just groovy as hell. "Here Comes The Sun" is yet another perfect song on this album, the contrast of the bright optimistic tone of this song in comparison to the prior song is the best way to open up the back half of the album.
I can admit that the back half of the album is a little weak, but that doesn't take away from it being a 5 star album. The sheer number of time this album cover has been recreated should immediately qualify it, I would venture to say this is the most recreated album cover of all time. Fantastic album by an obviously fantastic band. Justifiably the highest rated album on the website.
Björk
1/5
I just can't do Björk. I do not get how this album has a 3.42 star global rating. I hate all things electronica and Dimery's fascination with the genre constantly frustrates me. Her voice just annoys me and it isn't even bolstered by that impactful of lyrics. The shrieking just makes me want to turn it off the entire time. The vocals are horrendous and the music is just as mediocre barring a couple small shining moments. This just fits what I need for an album to get a 1 star rating. I wanted to turn it off the entire time. I was tempted to bump it up to a 2 for the importance, but I just can't betray the pain my ears went through for the last 48 and a half minutes.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Good and Groovy! Just a fun listen.
The xx
4/5
It's good chill vibey Indie Rock and I love that type of music so I enjoyed this album a lot. It won't be everybody's cup of tea I'm sure, but I will return to this album a couple times.
Don McLean
4/5
The album as a whole is just pretty ok. But the titular track and "Vincent" are all time classics and I know every single word of both. Other highlights for me were "Till Tomorrow" and "The Grave". All together I am putting it down as a 4, but the two tracks I mentioned first are both 10/5 star songs. I sat down with a glass of rye while listening, it just felt right.
The Kinks
4/5
A pretty good album. I enjoy this era of The Kinks quite a bit.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
It's Aretha, anything below a 4 would be criminal. "Respect" is by far the best song on the album and by a slimmer margin the best in her catalogue. I didn't like this album quite as much as Lady Soul, but this is still a damn good album. Other highlights for me were "Soul Serenade", "Baby, Baby, Baby", "Save Me", and "A Change is Gonna Come". All in all a great album from an all time LEGEND.
The Smiths
4/5
Fuck Morrissey!
Ok that out of the way, I do fucking love The Smiths. It is a bit disappointing to me that their self titled never made the list, I do prefer it to this one. I'm still giving this a 4 though because it is still so good. "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" is my favorite song on the album. "Girlfriend in a Coma" is also a good track and as a single guy getting this album on Valentine's Day it is a bit funny to listen to that song. And funny enough I listened to the album and The Queen Is Dead this past Thursday because I was craving some good Andy Rourke bass lines. They aren't the most impressive, but they are catchy and distinct.
3/5
I don't know what to think of this album. It just goes in so many different directions that I just can't grasp it. I do like it, but it's hard to listen to top to bottom.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
I am hesitant to ever deem myself an "expert" on any given topic, the genre of Indie Folk is one where I feel somewhat comfortable making that claim on. While William Oldham's works and this album are formative to the genre, he just isn't one that hit the mainstream music scene with the same impact as Elliott Smith's works, or later Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, and Fleet Foxes' works did. Its honestly disappointing because I do really enjoy this album. I can certainly hear things that Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker picked up more from him than Smith or Stevens. I had a very surface level knowledge of Oldham and I look forward to diving deeper.
As somebody who is in love with this genre and did enjoy this album I will be giving it a 4 and giving it a few more listens. If I am looking at it from a more objective position I don't necessarily think it deserves a place on the list, but does deserve at least a 3 global rating.
The Clash
4/5
Just a good classic and formative punk album. I don't think it quite holds up to London Calling, but it's still great.
Soundgarden
5/5
Chris Cornell is a musical god. I love everything the man ever did and I will always wish that I had gotten the chance to see him before he died.
This is just a perfect album, "Fell On Black Days" is the third most popular song on the album, but is by far my favorite on the album. "The Day I Tried To Live" would be my second favorite. "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman" are obviously fantastic as well.
It's just great. I want to talk more about it, but when I get too deep into the lyrics and symbolism of this album it makes me a little sad. I just can't praise the artistry and lyricism of Chris Cornell enough. He was a master of music and is dearly missed. Easily a 5 star album!
Silver Jews
2/5
This is one of those just "why?" albums for me. I don't dislike it, but I don't think it is a must hear. It's just mediocre and boring even for a guy that likes chill indie rock music. The vocals just don't do it for me either, his voice is just too "Tom Waitsy" for me. I don't like it and I don't hate it. I just don't think it belongs on the list. It isn't bad enough to earn a 1 but a 2 star is about where I'm feeling.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Good album just not as good as Daydream Nation.
New Order
3/5
Not my favorite New Order work. Still a good album that I enjoyed. Just nothing too special for me.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Great and Groovy!
The Cars
3/5
Good formative New Wave album. Top songs for me were "Good Times Roll", "Just What I Needed", & "Moving in Stereo" all of which I did know prior.
The Gun Club
3/5
It's good, just nothing too special
Burning Spear
4/5
Maybe it's just because I'm stoned as hell, but I love me some reggae. Pretty good album!
The Human League
4/5
It is pretty decent new wave. Not my favorite from the genre, but in the range of new wave it earns its keep. "I Am The Law" was my top song outside of the closing track. Speaking of the last track, it is fucking amazing and bumps this from a 3 to a 4 star album for me. At the start I wasn't sure if it would make it there, but damn "Don't You Want Me" is an amazing track.
B.B. King
4/5
It's B.B. King! He is the GOAT. This is a very well done live album in comparison to many. Just great blues and a nice calm listen. I just love B.B.
Elastica
3/5
It's a good post punk album and I liked listening to it. I tend to lean more towards grunge in the world of "Punk inspired genres", so I'm a little surprised how much I liked it.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
I shouldn't like this album just based on genre. But I was to some extent raised on Nine Inch Nails. My mo has been sideside at Lollapalooza when they were playing. "March Of The Pigs", "Closer", and "Hurt" are my favorite songs on the album. The last of which most people forget Reznor wrote, I drop that fact nearly anytime somebody mentions the Johnny Cash version (which is amazing). Best industrial rock album there is.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Decent blues.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
It's Stevie! I could listen to him all day everyday and just chill out. This doesn't stick out as much as some of his other albums, but it's still great.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
She has a great voice and it really shows itself on her versions of "You Don't Own Me", "My Colouring Book", and "Anyone Who Had A Heart". And as a Carole King die hard I appreciate the faithful rendition of her writing. I really did enjoy this album, it's simple but that's it's strength.
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Very good for a live album, very good for a Jazz album, and very very good piano. It starts to drag at times, but quickly overcomes that hurdle by switching moods completely. All in all I really enjoyed listening to this cross faded as hell.
Maxwell
4/5
Just a good groovy album, I'm just a sucker for some good bass. I also love hearing some tight envelope filter on "Dancewitme". I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting too. Great way to end my night.
William Orbit
2/5
As far as electronic music goes this is not bad. Maybe Dimery shoving a million electronic albums down my throat is opening me up to them. Or maybe it's the hip hop aspect that gives it more favor to my ears. Still don't really love it though.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
It's ok, just not my thing.
Public Enemy
3/5
Good meaningful album, just not really my style.
GZA
3/5
It's a good album and I enjoyed it, but I just don't understand it.
I'll give it another listen at some point when I have a better grasp of Wu Tang in general.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Admittedly this was better than the first of her albums that I got. Still not the biggest fan, but it's not bad. Very musically strong, Harvey's voice is not something I just can't get behind.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Zombie was the 8th album that I got from this project and I have touted Fela Kuti to anybody since that has expressed interest in anything similar to Afrobeat. Here at #257 I still enjoy the style a lot.
I normally don't enjoy live albums, but this is recorded quite well and makes it worth listening to. It was a good album and I want to keep listening to more from Fela Kuti.
Rush
4/5
I mean it is just a classic. "Tom Sawyer" is an all time great song and the rest of the album is super solid as well. Neil Peart is one of my favorite drummers of all time and this album just shows off his talents so well. "XYZ" shows off some insane bass shredding and makes me as a bass player want to bow down even further to Geddy than I already do. And I feel bad at this point for not mentioning Alex Lifeson so I will, dude can play! This is just a great album.
Deep Purple
2/5
I like Deep Purple and I like most of these songs, I just am vehemently against 99% of live albums. Just not essentials.
Guns N' Roses
5/5
It holds up!
Though I was born 14 years after the album was released this is one of the albums that is quintessential to my musical journey. In middle school I attached myself to this album and yes admittedly more the three all time classics than anything else on it. It is the album that first got my into slightly heavier and louder music, which is a far cry from my typical daily listen these days. But it was also the album and more specifically the song "Sweet Child O' Mine" that made me want to learn to play guitar. Though I never have learned that damn solo I still play and am constantly thankful that this album got me started in playing music. Of course "Welcome To The Jungle", "Paradise City", and "Sweet Child O' Mine" are by far the best songs on the album, but "Nightrain" and "Mr. Brownstone" are also amazing songs.
Realistically I do think this album falls more in the range of a 4 for me, but it's importance to my musical journey makes it hard for me to not bump it up to a 5.
Tom Waits
1/5
What the fuck is wrong with people who like Tom Waits!
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Very interesting, the mix of traditional blues with some local styles and instruments is good. Don't know that it would be a repeat listen for me, but I like it
John Coltrane
2/5
The list has really opened me up a bit more to jazz than I was willing to tolerate before. This is still a little much for me, modal anything is just hard to get into unless you are a different level of music nerd. I can appreciate what it is, but it's just not for me.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
Not their best album, but it is really good. "Teach Your Children", "Helpless", & "Our House" are the top songs on the album. "4 + 20" I like just cause 420. All together a good, but not necessarily great album.
The Black Crowes
3/5
Fairly mediocre late 80s/early 90s rock. Not bad, not great, just good.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
I am a guitar player, and as per the code of the ax wielders I must always bow down and pray to the good lord above Jimi! Man was just a magician, even his more simplistic playing you just can't replicate without his fingers. There is also some damn good bass and drum playing as well. Excellent album top to bottom and this is absolutely an album that you must hear.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Just sounds like they took the only bad aspects of Bowie and amplified them to the max.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Synth-Pop just isn't my thing. This isn't bad though, it is just kinda peaceful. Really great band name though!
New York Dolls
3/5
Good punk with a good progressive message. It leans a bit too heavy towards the glam side for my taste in punk, but I like it.
Cat Stevens
4/5
It's always a good day on this website when I get to listen to one of these albums on vinyl. Today is one of those days, this was 29th album I bought when I started collecting. It's just a great album! "Wild World" and "Father and Son" are all time classic songs and the latter has made many a strong man cry! It is a constant debate for me if this or Teaser and the Firecat are the better album, either way both are great! It's a disappointment that one isn't on the list.
Sonic Youth
3/5
I like it, but I just can't believe there are 5 total Sonic Youth albums on here. Daydream Nation absolutely deserves its spot, but I'm not as sold on the rest. That being said I don't dread the last two of their albums I still have coming because I do like them. Just not necessarily must hears.
Ryan Adams
3/5
I just do not know what to think of this album. I really like it at times and then a moment later I just couldn't care less. Just mediocre.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Kinda falls flat for me as far as Stones albums go. Not bad, just not great.
The Darkness
2/5
It's not bad, it's just not my thing.
Duran Duran
5/5
There's a lot of good New Wave and there's a lot of bad New Wave. This is among the best of New Wave.
"Rio", "Hungry Like the Wolf", and "Save A Prayer" are of course extreme classics, maybe a bit overplayed for the first two but still great. "Lonely in Your Nightmare" is a very underrated song on the album, "New Religion" has some fantastic bass playing on it, as does "Last Chance On The Stairway". All together I really like this album and it is deserving of the 5 stars it's getting from me.
UB40
4/5
It is good progressive reggae music. It has a good message behind it and is groovy as hell. A good listen!
Steve Winwood
2/5
Not bad background music, not something I'll choose to listen to again.
Elliott Smith
4/5
I got this two days after its 23rd anniversary!
Elliott Smith is one of my favorite musicians. Aside from him just being a masterful songwriter himself, he is the main inspiration for many of my top artists such as Sufjan Stevens and Phoebe Bridgers. This however I think is my least favorite of his albums, I would have placed XO on the list over it, but I'm glad Either/Or made the cut. I don't dislike it it's just not the 5 that his other albums are. Elliott's impact on me and the rest of my favorite artists makes this an automatic 4 star album for me.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
Just good classic Rock-and-Roll!
It's not anything special, but when you compare it to the music of its time you realize that it was a much more important and progressive than you'd think. Everybody has to like Buddy Holly just a little bit, Rivers Cuomo wrote a whole song about looking just like him. Jokes aside, this is still just a nice fun album to listen to.
Doves
4/5
I have never heard of this before and I love it. Great early 2000s indie rock. Very chill and I will listen again for sure.
Queen
4/5
Queen is great. This isn't their greatest album, but it has their greatest song so that just boosts it up a level.
The Who
3/5
The Who is classic, but just not my favorite of the 60s classic rock bands. It's a good album just not my favorite from the era.
Garbage
4/5
Garbage is great. I have long hated "Only Happy When It Rains", and to my family I will continue to pretend like I do. But I am man enough to admit that it is actually a good song and I understand the sentiment a lot more at this point in my life. "Stupid Girl" is easily my favorite Garbage song. It is just a really good album.
Machito
2/5
I'm just not a jazz guy and this is a little much for me.
Orbital
1/5
Why, just fucking why? What is wrong with Dimery that he gets off on electronica so much. 99.99% of electronica is just absolute shit. And the 0.01% that is worth listening to he just doesn't include on the list. Somebody with actual good music taste needs to remake this book. I think the only way I'd enjoy this is if I was on molly or a shit ton of coke at a club while also being like 10 drinks deep. Or in other words, I would need to be a literal monster to enjoy this absolute steaming pile of shit. What a waste of 65 minutes of my life.
Jazmine Sullivan
3/5
I have nothing against this album. It's just mediocre R&B. It's my personal opinion that nothing that is under 5 years old should be considered for this list. But that being said I still think there are many albums from 2021 that deserve a spot on the list over this. Not bad, just not great. My favorite song was "Price Tags" anything Anderson .Paak touches turns to gold and it just took what would have been a decent song and turned it great.
King Crimson
4/5
I've been on Reddit long enough to see endless memes about the Red Screamy Man, but I had never listened to it until now. It is a pretty good album but I will continue to laugh at the memes about it.
Radiohead
2/5
This is pretty much where I start to hate Radiohead in their discography. I just can't stand electronica and I blame them for really pushing the genre back into the mainstream after its birth in the 90s. This album just drags for me.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Just an ok album, "Solsbury Hill" was about the only song worth a re-listen.
Otis Redding
4/5
Otis is always a good listen. I hadn't realized he did a version of "Satisfaction" it was strange, but I'm here for it. Great album!
The Undertones
3/5
Good Punk!
The Birthday Party
1/5
I normally like post-punk, but this just does not do it for me. There are way worse albums out there, but this is just terrible. Why Rob, just fucking why?
Fatboy Slim
2/5
The only thing keeping this from being a one star album is "Rockafeller Skank"
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Sinatra's Bossa nova phase is criminally underrated. I could pour a whiskey and sit and listen to this any day of the week.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Not the best Marley album, but good nonetheless. "No Woman No Cry" is by far the best song on the album. A good listen overall.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Great album! "Down by the River" is one of my top Neil Young songs.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Cohen and Bowie both in the same year managed to write and release albums that were ponderous reflections on the end of their lives just days before they each passed. And both of them are just amazing. This album is a wonderful reflection on the life Cohen lived and his comfort in the end of it. Sad but great album.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Joni is just amazing!
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Not LCD Soundsystem's best showing. It's not bad it just isn't great.
The Stooges
4/5
This was Iggy before he really became Iggy Pop and that is a very good thing. I don't like Iggy Pop but I do really like this album. Especially the 10 minute gregorian chant that was something else.
The Yardbirds
4/5
I mean Jeff Beck makes anything great. This is a strange album that just does flow super well for me. It really shines at times and then at other times it's just a little "off". But overall I did enjoy it and would listen to most of it again. Jeff Beck is also just a god and that helps pull it together.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
My best friend Ben introduced me to this album a few years ago and I've been a fan of it since. Very good chill ambient music. As someone who loves to treat vocals as an instrument for the first few times I hear a song the gibberish that this album has for lyrics is perfect for me. A beautiful instrument in its own right. Great listen!
Moby
3/5
As far as electronica goes this is not bad at all. It certainly is not my favorite thing, but this is groovy and chill. The DoppleDeaner really hit it out of the park on this one, or the Fake Moby from HIMYM take your pick, it's the same dude.
De La Soul
3/5
Good groovy hip-hop. A nice listen with a lot of good samples. Not sure if it is something I will listen to again but I liked it.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
It is just ok. Not the best of The Boss.
Louis Prima
3/5
It's not bad, but I just do not like swing music that much.
Radiohead
4/5
It is an unpopular opinion, but this is the last of the great Radiohead albums. It is just a masterful album and the last one before it just got weird. Great listen!
Supertramp
3/5
I liked it quite a bit. The great side of Prog and Art Rock. Good listen.
Big Star
4/5
Good album! And as far as power pop goes it is very tame and I really like that about it.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
I hate Nick Cave and I hate PJ Harvey and this album has both of them. What the fuck is wrong with Rob Dimery. I get the title because I want to murder myself after listening.
Mariah Carey
3/5
Yeah she can fucking sing!
Emmylou Harris
4/5
She has such a peaceful and beautiful voice! I don't think most people would be able to guess this was released in 2000, it has the timeless 70s folk sound that she was known for from Pieces of the Sky, another great album on this list. I enjoyed spending a calm Sunday morning listening to this.
Metallica
4/5
The symphony really elevates Metallica to a different and very interesting level. Part of me likes it more than standard Metallica, but the more rational side of my brain knows that it just shouldn't really be compared in that way. It is very enjoyable of a listen even though it just lasts forever.
Joy Division
5/5
I own this on Vinyl!
Now that I've established my superiority, this is such a fucking great album. Also Peter Hook is a fantastic bass player, New Order's "Age of Consent" was one of the first songs I was able to figure out on bass without any sort of chart. It just so happened to be by complete accident trying to come up with some cool riffs and it caught my ear because I recognized it. Now that is technically a different band, but my connection to the music stands. I have heard the songs on this album so many times that nothing on it surprised me in how good it was. But it just holds up so much better than most of the post-punk albums of the late 70s. I will say the same as I did on my review of Joy Division's Closer, it should be a crime that "Love Will Tear Us Apart" was never released on an album.
This is just such a fucking good listen! 5 stars every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Just such a meh album.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
For the second time this week, I own this on vinyl!
I just like being able to say that. But as it usually goes, when I own it on vinyl it is going to get a very high rating. And in this case it will get a 5. It maybe isn't this iconic duo's best album, but they didn't ever put out a bad one. This is still a fantastic album and this is like the third time I've listened to it this year and certainly won't be the last time. "Scarborough Fair/Canticle", "Homeward Bound", and "The Dangling Conversation" are three of the best songs from the duo and catapult this album right to a 5 star album. I also love any album that insults both Robert McNamara and Bob Dylan in the same song, two people I hate for very different reasons, but I love to see them both put down. The abstract ending of "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" is just such a wonderful way to end an album so deeply ingrained but oft overlooked in the counter cultural movement of the mid 1960s. All in all a very very good album that I love listening to.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Joni is a living legend!
Just a great album top front to back. I had to listen to this one on YouTube and so of course there were comments. And many were rightly praising the talent of Jaco Pastorius, but Max Bennett's bass work on this album is equally impressive and deserves to be noted. Great bass players deserve their props and he earned them on this. Back to Joni though, her lyricism and vocal work is great on this album! I would return to this much more often if it was on Spotify still, but I also respect her decision and wish the jackass was gone instead of her and Neil.
Great album!
JAY Z
3/5
There is something a little interesting about a New York rapper releasing an album on 9/11. In general there was a strange number of iconic albums that either released or were set to release on 9/11.
That being said, JAY-Z just isn't really my thing. Good album, just not for me.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Great classic rock album! Holds up very very well. A wonderful way to end a week on the generator.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Just a fantastic album. Just such great songwriting and the legendary era bending voice that she had. I could and will listen to this over and over again. 5 stars all day!
Can
2/5
The first half of the album was pretty decent even with an 18 and a half minute song, but for that to then be followed by 17 and a half minutes of moaning was rough. Just a strange listen, every time Krautrock starts to pull me in it somehow immediately flips on itself and loses me again.
The Police
3/5
"Message In A Bottle" is a certified all time banger. The rest of the album falls a little flat though.
TLC
4/5
Good and Groovy and "Waterfalls" is an all time classic.
Nirvana
5/5
I mean this just has to be a 5 star album. If you give it anything else you are a crazy person. It is easily a top 10 album of all time. Even if you don't like Nirvana you have to be able to admit that this album changed the world! The leading song alone was such a moment in music that it cemented the legacy of this album. There are only a couple of song that don't have massive staying power. And even those songs still rip pretty hard. Great album from a great band!
Parliament
4/5
I love the use of a good envelope filter!
Elton John
4/5
I own this on vinyl!
Which in my case typically denotes a fairly highly ranked album. And this certainly falls into that category. Great listen!
Gene Clark
3/5
Good classic country.
Mj Cole
2/5
House music is trash!
The Doors
4/5
Fantastic album with a couple all time classic songs on it. You just can't help but groove to "Riders on the Storm"!
Thelonious Monk
2/5
I know Thelonious Monk is a legend and this is a solid album objectively, it just isn't my thing.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I'm not the biggest fan of The Boss, but I'd venture to say that this is his best work. Great album! It is a shame though that it has been twisted as a patriotic album rather than the true protest album that it is.
3/5
Groovy and a good listen. Just not really my thing.
The Byrds
3/5
It is a good and classic album, it just isn't the best Byrds album. It drags a bit more than their prior two albums and doesn't feel quite as genre defining as those either. Still a good listen.
David Bowie
2/5
Not Bowie's best work. Not bad just not amazing.
OutKast
3/5
Not my favorite OutKast album, but it is a decent listen. "So Fresh, So Clean" and "Ms. Jackson" are certified bangers though.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
r/vinyljerk makes so much more sense now!
I'd love to make my review a meme and give this a 5, but my love for accurate data can't do that to this website.
Steely Dan
3/5
As far as Steely Dan goes this is one of their best albums. Couple classics in the mix.
Deep Purple
3/5
Literally nothing about this album stands out to me. It's not bad, but they just did better.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Nice chill lounge music, I just don't enjoy jazz enough to feel like it was memorable at all though.
Probably one of the last two good U2 albums, just not one of their great ones. It starts strong but just kinda is just there after the first two songs.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
Great meaningful album and I know due to its impact I should like it more. I just am not overly into the style.
Scott Walker
3/5
Not as good as Scott 4 but still not a bad listen. Just a little weird at times.
The War On Drugs
4/5
Great chill atmospheric album. Love listening to this again.
Kings of Leon
4/5
It's easy to mock Kings of Leon and the whole mid 2000s era of Alt Rock, but I do have to admit this is actually a pretty decent album. The hitters, while overplayed, still hit and some of the deep cuts are better than they get credit for as a band.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Not Sonic Youth's best album but still a pretty good album. There just not really a singular song that feels like a big hit.
The Fall
2/5
Nothing about this was one bit memorable, I mostly forgot there was even music on.
LL Cool J
3/5
Good album but it starts dragging towards the end.
The Specials
2/5
That was rough.
George Harrison
4/5
While George is not considered the greatest songwriter of the Fab Four he is still a pretty damn good songwriter. And I think he was their best musician and he demonstrates that thoroughly on this album. A great listen top to bottom.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
Not too bad, not too good.
Peter Frampton
4/5
Live albums are always a toss up. This one was recorded in a very mediocre way, except for the guitar and vocals, by far the most important aspects of Frampton. This version of "Baby, I Love Your Way" is one of the most classics and a great listen. Frampton was an amazing guitar player and a pretty decent singer. If he had a studio album on here it would be so much easier to judge the total sound, but Frampton's playing shines through.
5/5
Bowie has a lot of album on this list, some more questionable than others. This one however undoubtedly belong on the list. Great album with a couple classic tracks. I still am not the biggest Bowie fan, but this album deserves a 5.
The Prodigy
1/5
Wow this sucks.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Good and groovy, just not Marley's best work.
Adele
5/5
I didn't think I'd be giving Adele a 5 today, but here I am because this is a fantastic album! For an artist to have one song with over a billion streams is an impressive feat, for that artist to have three on the same album is unbelievable. It is just a fantastic album that doesn't have a single miss in the lineup. Not to mention that is has the best cover of one of The Cure's songs I have ever heard. Great album, very deserving of a 5 star rating.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
"Piece of My Heart" is a classic. Other than that just an ok album.
Carpenters
4/5
Karen Carpenter is so fucking underrated! She is just a legend and deserves more recognition as a drummer and a vocalist. Not to mention the rare feat of being both at once. Great band, great album!
Patti Smith
4/5
Patti Smith is a punk legend! Great album!
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Decent album, just over the Boss.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
Terrible!
Billy Bragg
3/5
I should like Folk Punk a lot more. This just falls so flat. I don't dislike it but I had higher expectations.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
It is a great Stone album! Very good listen.
The White Stripes
4/5
It may not be his best album, but Jack White is a musical genius and you can't hate on him! Great listen!
The Killers
5/5
It is just a perfect album! Amazing every single time and it absolutely still holds up.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Great classic album!
Suede
4/5
I wasn't expecting too much, but I was fairly impressed. Really great instrumentation and groove. Great album!
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
Good Americana. Raitt is a legend for a reason. Very easy and peaceful listen.
Nina Simone
4/5
Nina Simone is fantastic! Great listen!
Beach House
5/5
Great album top to bottom. Very ethereal and I loved it! Just endless ability to re-listen to it.
Raekwon
3/5
Good album, just not super my thing.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Pretty decent psych music. A bit rudimentary but not bad.
R.E.M.
5/5
Fantastic album! An all time great for sure.
Pixies
3/5
Grungy, Groovy, and Good! Nice listen.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Good album, not Stevie's best, but still a great listen!
The Clash
5/5
Just an all time classic punk album! Great listen top to bottom. My mom raised me on this album and a bunch of British Punk and I am thankful for that. The way this album changed the landscape of music going into the 80s is indescribable. 5 stars all day!
Scritti Politti
3/5
I liked it but nothing really stood out too much.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
It is yet again, a great Stones album. All time classic album with an all time classic album sleeve.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Great album with some really surprisingly complex guitar work. Some good originals and some great covers to back them up.
Pixies
3/5
Good album, not their greatest though.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Great listen for something I had never heard of before.
The Stranglers
4/5
Great Punk!
Chicago
4/5
This is certainly Chicago Transit Authority's best work, whether or not it is Chicago's best work I'm less certain. Certainly one of their top though, a very good listen!
Franz Ferdinand
5/5
Fantastic freaking album! So unique for its time and influential to today's music! Great every time.
Ice Cube
3/5
Good album!
Lana Del Rey
3/5
I am a big backer of the modern folk revival. For once it was a trend I was ahead of the curve on. Lana tends to be hit or miss for me. I think this is a good album and honestly if I wasn't coming at it from an analytical perspective of a folk lover I would like it more. For me as a classic and indie folk lover it just has a bit too much of a pop influence at times. I think that does lend itself into its own space in music. I think the other thing that detracts from it for me is just how melodramatic her voice comes across in the slower parts. I like depressing music more than most, but her voice just depresses me in a way that my typical sad folk doesn't.
It is a really good album, but I am just overly critical of folk albums. I think a few more listens to adjust and I would probably rate it higher I'm just not there yet with it.
Hot Chip
4/5
I had never heard of this and had zero expectations going in. Reading synth-pop and indietronica did begin to worry me a little bit, but I was so pleasantly surprised by this album. Really good chill listen.
Beth Orton
3/5
Not bad but not something that I will be checking out again even as a folk fan, just doesn't stand out.
AC/DC
3/5
CLassic angry Elmo. Not my favorite but a classic.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Snoop is the GOAT, great fucking album!
Doves
4/5
That was a pretty good listen for an album I've never heard before. Will be returning to it again!
Dire Straits
3/5
Better than I was expecting.
Sam Cooke
3/5
I like Sam Cooke and I like pretty much all of these songs, I just don't enjoy live albums. It seems like it was a great performance, it's just too 1960's recording technology heavy for me. Great artist, bad recording.
Beatles
4/5
While I love The Beatles this is one of the places where I recognize that they maybe didn't need to have 7 albums on the list. It is a great album and is still going to get a high rating regardless. "All My Loving" is a top 5 Beatles song for me and I am always happy to listen to it. Great listen any day!
Solomon Burke
4/5
Good, groovy, classic, but just not fantastic. A good easy listen that I could be ok with hearing any day.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
This album was really really good. I am usually not a fan of the newer albums that make their way on here. This one was worth the listen for sure. So groovy and unique. Great album!
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Just ok, not as good as the sequel.
Billy Joel
4/5
Some of Joel's best work! Fantastic album.
Michael Jackson
5/5
I mean yeah this is just widely considered one of the greatest albums of all time and it deserves that praise. Great legendary album top to bottom!
Sex Pistols
5/5
Just a fantastic, legendary, and endlessly influential punk album! Always an amazing listen, and I own it on vinyl which is always a plus!
3/5
I have such a love hate relationship with Prog Rock. I like the style and the general vibe, but the weird interludes and just ridiculously long songs just ruin it for me. Still a good album, just not amazing to me.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
One of my favorite parts of this generator is being able to get introduced to beautiful world music like this. A very enjoyable listen!
Brian Eno
3/5
Good and chill, just not totally my thing.
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
Just very very meh Jazz.
Method Man
3/5
Not a bad album, just absolutely was not written with me as the intended listener. Method Man is a legend and this was a good listen.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Not my favorite New-Wave band, but a good album and "The Killing Moon" is an all time classic track.
Aimee Mann
3/5
It's a good album, however it comes across very dated. Just also kinda drags at times.
Christine and the Queens
4/5
Great Album! Christine is a very talented artist and their music is fantastic. Not quite a 5 for me, but a worthwhile listen. Highly recommend their 2020 album La vita nuova.
5/5
This album is just a masterpiece, just a gorgeous gorgeous piece of art. Fantastic listen any day of the week. The ways in which Muse affected the landscape of music in the early 2000s was something special. There isn't a bad song on this album and most of them deserve the love and notoriety that they have if not so much more. Great fucking album!
Frank Zappa
3/5
Zappa can be very hit or miss sometimes, and with that album cover and jazz fusion as the main genre I was worried. I was however pleasantly surprised. This was a good listen.
Barry Adamson
2/5
That was weird and bad.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
If this album were just a little bit shorter it would be amazing. It is still a really good album, just has some filler that drops it a slight bit. "Mr. Blue Sky" of course is an all time classic that has such a great place in history. Fantastic fucking listen just a slight mark short of a 5 for me.
Ryan Adams
4/5
It's a shame Adams turned out to be such a sexual harassing asshole, he made some really good music back in the day. It would be nice if he ditched his harmonica too, but in comparison to my other criticisms that can slide. All in all, good album, bad guy. Separating art from artist it is a 4 star for sure.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Not bad, just not Buckley's best.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Quite a few things demonstrate the massive effect that a divided Germany and Berlin had on the world. German industrial music is unfortunately one of those things. And man does it show the mental state of those people. Just strange strange stuff, how fucked up does your life have to be and how many drugs do you have to be on to go "you know what, we should make and album full of a bunch of clanking metal and power tools and call it music!" Because that totally seems like a logical choice. What a fucking terrible listen! It is the worst rated album on here for a reason.
Van Morrison
4/5
Great album with good vibes and some classic songs!
Iggy Pop
4/5
Do I like Iggy for once? Usually I just am not a fan of Iggy Pop, his later work just doesn't do it for me and his work with The Stooges is also just not my thing. But this album does actually do it for me! It is a great album in a way I wasn't expecting.
Giant Sand
2/5
Just a little too strange. Jumps all over the place and I just can't quite get to that enjoyment point without a spike in the wrong direction.
Brian Wilson
3/5
I mean it's basically just a Beach Boys album recorded a couple decades too late and it sounds just like that. Not great not bad, just ok.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Top tier post punk!
The Byrds
4/5
A very classic good album. Not necessarily the greatest album of all time but one that I'm happy to own on vinyl and give a it a couple spins a year.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Not a bad album, I'm just not super into Costello.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Musically it is pretty solid, however I have issues with the mixing. At times it is significantly too quiet and then the next song will nearly blow my speakers out before I can turn the volume back down. The mix also feels too busy on most of the songs, a lot of the instrumentation struggles to differentiate itself unless there is a specific solo moment. I don't think it is a terrible album, it just doesn't hold its own space in the way The Suburbs does.
John Grant
4/5
Good album, a little strange at times. I'm gonna need a few more listens to fully appreciate this album. I enjoyed it a lot though.
Television
3/5
Not bad not amazing.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Not my favorite Cohen album, but I still enjoyed it. It was a bit more of that talk singing that a lot of people don't like him for. I enjoy that side of him for the most part. Good listen just doesn't stand out in his discography.
Coldcut
2/5
I think the main source for this album being a YouTube account with a Wide Yoshi profile picture says pretty much everything you need to know about it. Weird dancetronica, come on Rob after this many "tronica" albums you need to submit yourself for psychiatric evaluation. It's not the worst one he put on this list, but it is still a rough listen.
Stereolab
3/5
Way better than I anticipated. Still not my thing, but I was pleasantly surprised.
David Bowie
3/5
I try and try but I just can't ever get myself to love Bowie. I like him, I respect the hell out of his talent, and admittedly he has put out some all time banger songs, but I just cannot love him as a whole. It just isn't my vibe. I want to love him, but watching Labyrinth too young probably is what soured me on him forever.
The Fall
4/5
God I love a good post punk drum part. Fantastic drums certainly carry this album, but as far as post punk goes this is a fantastic album even if the drums weren't as good as they are. The bass work is also pretty great throughout. The vocals are strange for sure, but I wasn't paying as close of attention to the content as much as the tonality and they very much so sound post punk so I can't complain.
The Young Gods
1/5
Just bad!
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
Fantastic album! An all time great, 5 stars all day.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Amy is just fantastic! Need I say anymore? Great album!
Missy Elliott
4/5
Great album!
Incubus
4/5
This holds up so damn well. Great drums throughout and the bass on "Stellar" is just so damn juicy. "Drive" is still a fucking banger, all time classic song with such a good hook lyrically and musically. Not sure it quite elevates itself to a 5 for me, but it is certainly a very high 4 star. Great album!
KISS
3/5
I just never got into Kiss. They are always just ok to me with a couple of shining songs. Given I'm not super into hard rock anymore, but even when I was much more into the genre they didn't do it for me. "Beth" is one of the greatest power ballads of all time, but it is also just the epitome of having a power ballad in the middle of a rock album trend in the late 70s and early 80s. It's a good album with some great moments, it's just not an all time great for me.
Gotan Project
2/5
I'm confused by this album and its origins in so many ways. It's not terrible just weird and draining to listen to top to bottom.
Beck
3/5
Probably my favorite Beck album I have gotten from the list so far. I still don't quite love the album but it was a pretty good listen.
a-ha
4/5
"Take On Me" is my go to blackout drunk karaoke song, and if I've sung along enough throughout the night and my voice is loose enough about 1 in 10 times I can still hit the high note. I miss when that success rate was a bit higher when I was still singing regularly. The rest doesn't shine quite as much and has a slightly different tonality, but I still vibe with it hard. Great album!
Willie Nelson
4/5
One of Nelson's best, great listen!
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
Great album, great band! I enjoyed this one a lot, being super stoned right now probably aided in that because it might just be a little too slow otherwise. Still great though.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
This one is interesting, not super my thing, but I think I like it? Good listen, different but good.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
All time fucking banger! An amazing album that I am always happy to listen to. Great message, great lyrics, great fucking guitar playing! Fantastic listen every single time!
Michael Jackson
4/5
Hard to believe he was only 20 when he recorded and released this album. Legendary artist, legendary album!
Leftfield
1/5
Wow bad just bad...
Nick Drake
4/5
One of the greatest "what if he had a chance at a full life"'s in music history. The 27 club gets a lot of attention, but the 26 club has taken its share of beautiful musicians from us as well. Nick Drake, Otis Redding, and Graham Parson all had their careers cut way too short.
This is in my opinion, Drake's third best album, which unfortunately makes it his worst as well. But I prefer third best, because they are all amazing. Just a great fucking songwriter and musician. Fantastic melodic folk. Great listen!
Liz Phair
3/5
Interesting listen, not totally my thing but I liked it. Good album.
Talvin Singh
2/5
Not as bad as I was expecting but still not good.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Different, but very interesting and enjoyable.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Great classic country folk. Not the most impactful, but still a good listen.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Not their best album, but I am not objective about the Beastie Boys and they would never get lower than a 4 from me. Great album!
Spiritualized
3/5
Interesting and different. I have a hard time fully placing it in any of its Wiki Genres, but it does actually blend fairly well as a combo of all three of them. It gets a bit strange for me at times in the more "space rocky" moments. Liked it overall just nothing overly lasting for me.
ZZ Top
4/5
Great classic rock! Legendary!
10cc
4/5
Surprisingly good! And my god is that bass juicy as hell!
The Electric Prunes
3/5
This is one of those album that feels like it should be better than it is. There is so much potential in this album, if it hadn't been prepared so hastily it might hold up a bit better. It's a good album, just not necessarily a great one.
The Thrills
3/5
Good, not great!
Orange Juice
3/5
It was just hit or miss for me. Just fell flat at times and was strange at others, good at others though. Solid, just not essential to me.
Def Leppard
4/5
Fucking classic!
Richard Hawley
2/5
Just meh, feels like it belongs in another decade. Just not that impressed.
Charles Mingus
2/5
I desperately long for the day when Jazz "lovers" pull the 20 inch dildo of pretention out of their asses and admit that their beloved genre is actually just steaming shit most of the time. There's about a good minute and a half per song, then 5+ minutes of crap. How this has a 3.3 is beyond me, it didn't offend me quite enough to drop it to a 1, but it was just straight up not good.
Lou Reed
2/5
I love The Velvet Underground, and I think Lou is a bit of a musical genius in that band. However, his solo work has just never done it for me. It flashes greatness but is so interspersed with just some weird ass and uber depressing vibes.
Elbow
2/5
Second one in a week I've had that just belongs in a different decade. Just doesn't feel like it should be on the list.
R.E.M.
4/5
Of the four R.E.M. albums I've had, I think this is the weakest entry of the bunch. Still a really really good listen! R.E.M. is legendary and I couldn't give this any less than a 4 though.
Fugees
4/5
Fantastic album!
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Where to even begin with this album, I mean it is an obvious 5 star album without a single doubt. I think John Mulaney has the best quote about this album, "an album written by and for people cheating on each other", which just sums it up pretty perfectly. There is so much more depth to this album than that quote of course, you could write a thesis on this album. Just a fantastic listen every single time with just some of the most legendary songs of all time on it. It deserves the love it gets and the hate it gets is just contrarians who hate on anything popular. Fantastic all time great!
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Ok not great.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Interesting, energetic, just not my thing. "Relax" is an all time classic though.
Coldplay
4/5
Coldplay gets far more hate than they deserve. I mean sure, they are not my go to and I am as tired as anybody of hearing the overplayed hits. But there are a lot of really good deep cuts in their discography that deserve love. Good instrumentation throughout and fairly lyrically intriguing. Great album!
The Pharcyde
4/5
Really interesting and different! Loved it!
Gang Of Four
4/5
I do love me some good post-punk. I don't think this is the best of the genre but I'm gonna give it the boost up because it is an essential piece of the puzzle. Post-punk drums will forever be one of my favorite things, and this delivers well on that so I'm happy!
Prince
3/5
Prince is great, this isn't. It was good, but just not special compared to some of his other work.
Queen
3/5
Queen has better, still good.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Meh.
Eric Clapton
4/5
Clapton is just a classic. Bad person, but a good album!
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
That was rough.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
I'm not a big fan of jazz, but I can acknowledge the beautiful artistry that is Herbie. This album slaps!
Green Day
5/5
All time fucking classic! Any day where I can actually spin my generated album is great one! I could write for days about this album, but I am in fact just stoned. 5 stars any day!
Dolly Parton
3/5
I can't hate on Dolly, but she just isn't my thing.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Just never been too into them. I usually like 2 or 3 songs per album of theirs and this is the same way. Just ok as a whole.
The Cure
5/5
I just absolutely love this album! Fantastic through and through! I love when I get to listen to albums from here on vinyl instead of Spotify! Great listen!
Yes
3/5
"Roundabout" slaps, rest is just a little better than good, but not quite great.
The Jam
3/5
Not great but good enough post punk ish. Just not sure it's a must.
The Libertines
3/5
The Garage Rock scene in the early 2000's were very interesting, it ranged from this to anything Jack White was involved in. And all of it was actually pretty good. I can see the formative aspects of it, but don't fully love it. It has a lot of potential, but ultimately just falls a little flat. Mick Jones being behind the board is always a little bit of a boost. Maybe with a couple of listens it might pop up to a 4 star, but today I'm not quite there.
k.d. lang
3/5
Not bad, not great. I should like k.d. lang more than I do, she always falls a little off the spot for me.
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
Below mediocre, above terrible...
Hookworms
2/5
Rob's modern picks are mostly shit, this included.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Even as someone who likes shoegaze and some britpop this just falls pretty flat. Not bad, just not what I was hoping for from it.
The Verve
3/5
Eh, The Verve is one of the most mid bands of all time.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Well, that was....something...
The La's
4/5
Fantastic album. "There She Goes" is a all time great! Great listen!
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
I love Jimi, but this is not his best work.
Lorde
4/5
I have a lot of criticisms over the modern albums on the list. However, this one really does belong. I don't listen to her a ton, but Lorde is such an incredibly talented artist. Great album!
Miles Davis
5/5
I am not a huge fan of Jazz, I have some exceptions to that, usually Jazz with vocals. But there is just something special about Miles Davis! I could sit and listen to him play for hours on end. Kind Of Blue is without a doubt one of, if not the, greatest pure Jazz album of all time. Davis and Coltrane together is nothing but pure perfection! 5 stars every single day!
1/5
Truly, truly, terrible!
I think Spotify removed this album to save the world from the pain it causes. YouTube of course had it, and by the end my ears were only bleeding a little. So maybe not the worst thing on the list, but it is pretty far down there!
Massive Attack
4/5
Interesting and different, will have to return to this one at some point for sure.
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Good, but not memorable.
Ozomatli
4/5
Not fully sure what to think about it, but I liked it quite a bit.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
I'm not a big fan of live albums. But aside from the vocals this one is pretty well recorded. And it is also just a fantastic guitar album, so not the end of the world about the vocals.
The Vines
4/5
This was really damn good. I expected to like it just not as much as I ended up liking it. Great listen.
3/5
Started strong but got weird. Seeing produced by Brian Wilson pretty quickly confirmed that I was not wrong in this assumption. Not bad, not amazing, just good enough to escape a 2 from me.
CHIC
3/5
Not super my thing, but "Good Times" is a classic for sure.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
A great and groovy album! Worth the listen!
The Cramps
2/5
What the fuck is this. It has the makings of a great album but just stays slightly shy of achieving those goals. Neo-Rockabilly isn't something I had heard of before this, and one that I hope to not hear much from again...
The Beach Boys
5/5
A stoned Brian Wilson was a wonderful thing in the 60s. Pet Sounds is an easy 5. Just one of the most impactful and formative albums of all time. Fully deserving of its place on the list!
Fantastic!
Kelela
3/5
Alright, just not great.
Pentangle
3/5
There were some really great parts of this album, but some of it was just really fucking strange. Overall I liked it well enough.
Traffic
3/5
Better than I expected.
Roxy Music
3/5
Good enough, nothing outstanding to me.
The Louvin Brothers
4/5
There's something special about this area of Country Folk. The things I can hear in this album that influenced the next 15+ years of Country Folk, and the two individual iterations of those genres, are too many to list. A brilliant album for its time and a classic sound that holds up well with time. Great Listen!
Roni Size
2/5
Drum and bass just gets painful to me after awhile. Just sounds like my anxiety.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Not my favorite of Joni's albums, but it is still a great listen!
Little Simz
2/5
Better than most UK Rap. But there is just a few things about it that really threw me off and took me out of it. Just doesn't feel like it should be on the list, most of the new entries aren't deserving. There have been a few that have caught my attention in a good way, but most of them just feel like an excuse to throw in some random artist he's into at the time.
Living Colour
3/5
"Cult of Personality" is a classic. The rest of the album just falls flat unfortunately.
The Soft Boys
4/5
That was a pretty good album!
Big Star
3/5
Not their best, but still pretty good.
Missy Elliott
4/5
Missy is always a classic!
Radiohead
4/5
I have a hard time deciding if this falls at 2 or 3 in my list of Radiohead albums, just depends on the day. It is a great album top to bottom. Doesn't quite push its way to a 5 for me, but I hold this album in very high regard!
Prince
5/5
I mean is it even legal to give Prince anything less than a 4? This is a masterpiece! Prince was just a wizard in all respects! Legendary!
The Pogues
2/5
Wow that was not good.
Suicide
2/5
Not horrendous put not really that good. And certainly a bit off putting of a title and band name.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Sure it doesn't compare to Rumors, but it is still an absolutely fantastic album. It has to be hard to write this good of an album, and still have it be the third best album you've put out. Great album! And the obligatory mention that I own it on vinyl of course.
Crowded House
4/5
I really enjoyed this album!
Screaming Trees
4/5
I've heard a number of Screaming Trees songs over the years but I don't think I've ever heard one of their albums in full. Pretty great listen though.
Daft Punk
3/5
Knowing how Daft Punk makes their music gives them a boost for me. It is generally not a style I am super into, but they do it as good as can be done usually. I do think Random Access Memories is a much better album as a whole. This should be a 3.5 or so, but I just can't bump it to a 4 star. Good album though!
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Good mid 60s rock, not much more to say than that.
The National
3/5
I like the national, but this just isn't one of my favorites of theirs.
3/5
Good listen, pretty interesting.
Simply Red
3/5
Decent album.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Unexpectedly good listen!
SAULT
2/5
Albums under 10 years old should have to be added to the book by a committee. Rob just can’t be trusted to choose newer albums on his own. The last song was the only one that stood out to me in anyway. And it was different than the rest of the album by quite a bit.
The Slits
3/5
It was alright. Weird fucking cover tho.
Eels
3/5
"Novocaine For The Soul" is a classic banger. The rest is good enough too. That cover is creepy as fuck though.
Nirvana
5/5
I mean is there even a question here? Anybody who doesn't give this a 5 is just kidding themselves. Great fucking album, an all time classic, easily the best live album of all time!
I frequently say that every Dylan cover is better than any of his originals. I usually say the exact opposite about Bowie songs, this is the exception. Who would have thought that a punk band could cover Bowie at all, let alone in an acoustic format that they were unfamiliar with and be better. Just magical!
An all time great album from an all time great band. For it to essentially be released as a posthumous tribute album is tragically beautiful.
Randy Newman
2/5
I do not like Randy Newman. Short People is a banger though!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Nick Cave fucking sucks!
Paul Simon
3/5
Paul Simon on his own just doesn't hit the same. Still a pretty good listen.
Deee-Lite
3/5
Just alright, "Groove Is in the Heart" is a banger, but that's about it.
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
Meh, mediocre 80s country.
Sigur Rós
3/5
I was worried going in based off of the album cover. I however was pleasantly surprised that it was actually kinda good.
Love
2/5
Bad
Janis Joplin
5/5
Janis is a absolute fucking legend! Great listen!
Finley Quaye
2/5
Not terrible, not good.
Skepta
3/5
For UK rap this isn't too bad.
Miles Davis
3/5
Because I had built up a little bit of a backlog I listened to this immediately after Kind Of Blue. It is not bad, but it just doesn't quite compare. Two nearly 20 minute songs are kinda rough.
U2
5/5
It isn't my favorite U2 album, but it is still damn good. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" is one of my favorite of their songs, and "Love Is Blindness" might actually be my favorite (especially The Edge's solo performance). Then you have "One", "Even Better Than The Real Thing", and "Mysterious Ways" are all also just fantastic songs. Just a fantastic album!
Ray Charles
4/5
Ray Charles is just legendary! Great listen!
Ramones
5/5
An all time great punk album! Very very deserving of a spot on the list. "Blitzkrieg Bop" is an all time Bop, pun very intended, but for real it is just an amazing song. Great album through and through!
Underworld
2/5
Not a great album...
Slipknot
4/5
I don't give Slipknot enough credit. They are pretty good, it is just hard for me as an Illinois native to support anything that Iowa ever produced. Great album though!
Cream
4/5
Great Classic Rock!
Tracy Chapman
5/5
Just fantastic. Tracy is a amazing human and musician. Just a great album by such an important figure in late 80s and early 90s folk. One of the greatest debut albums of all time!
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
It was alright. Not great, but a good listen.
System Of A Down
4/5
A classic genre defining album! Not overly my thing, but it is a damn good album, and certainly deserving of its place on the list.
Brian Eno
2/5
Brian Eno is a genius, but Brian Eno is also weird as fuck when he's making solo music. Not a fun listen.
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
Terrible!
Tito Puente
3/5
It is enjoyable, however I find it really hard to listen to dance albums in full. Tito Puente is a pretty legendary artist and this is good music, just not my thing.
Talking Heads
3/5
I love Talking Heads, but this just isn't my favorite of theirs by a bit.
Beatles
5/5
Easy 5! I unfortunately own one of the first US vinyl copies where a few songs were switched out so I went with the Spotify version because those are some essential songs. Fantastic album! Every single song is a classic.
Slade
2/5
Bad glam rock...
Jethro Tull
3/5
Solid album! The titular song is the best by far though.
Hole
4/5
Courtney love is the devil, but at least, unlike Yoko, she could actually put out some damn good songs. Pretty good listen!
Christina Aguilera
4/5
Christina Aguilera is a very talented artist. I'm a lot more familiar with her first two albums, but I love this genre shift. Great album!
The Beau Brummels
3/5
It's always amusing when it is apparent that a significant portion of the streams on an album are from the generator. It isn't bad, but I'm just not sure if it belongs on the list that much.
David Bowie
3/5
Bowie at his most mid...
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I prefer the Sesame Street version, Born To Add. But this is still pretty good I guess. All kidding aside the Boss is great. Deserving album.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Not a bad album, "Heads Will Roll" is a certified banger, but it just isn't their best album. Good enough of a listen though.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Like every Costello album, I like about 75% of it. Still a good album though!
Traffic
3/5
Decent listen.
Queens Of The Stone Age
3/5
I really remember this being a better album...
Alice Cooper
3/5
This is on the list for only the titular song. Not really that great of an album otherwise. Just kinda meh. Great titular song though!
Marilyn Manson
2/5
Marilyn is just disgusting. Hated that, still not the worst thing on here.
Rod Stewart
4/5
I don't give Rod Stewart enough credit. This is far far better than my expectations going into it. I still don't love his voice, but it does work with this style. The instrumentation and lyricism is pretty damn good. Enjoyed it quite a bit!
The United States Of America
4/5
I think I'm just high enough to enjoy and find a bit of brilliance in this album. For this to be released in 1968 I think is the biggest surprise. Parts of this particularly the vocals on "Coming Down" sound very 80s/90s New Wave/Pop. The psych is very 60s, but there is a surprising amount of complexity and clarity to the mix, something not super easy to achieve in 68. Overall I am fairly impressed. Probably not a sober 4, but weed does wonderful things.
3/5
Yesterday I had an album named The United States of America so the next day getting one with the British Empire in the title I can't help but laugh a little bit. Especially because this was released a year after.
Decent album overall, felt kinda repetitive at times and busy at others. I did enjoy my listen though!
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
There isn't a bad song on this album! One of, if not, CCR's best albums! Just a fantastic album front to back. I love a good 1001 Albums Vinyl day for me. Amazing album!
Kate Bush
4/5
Seeing Kate Bush being thrust back into the limelight in these past couple years due to Stranger Things, and in turn Tik Tok has been wonderful. She has always been great but underrated. Great album from a great artist!
Count Basie & His Orchestra
2/5
Just meh, not the worst jazz, but not amazing to me.
Röyksopp
3/5
Mid house music.
fIREHOSE
2/5
Do not understand this pick...
Morrissey
3/5
I really hate that Morrissey made a couple good solo albums. Makes my "Morrissey died after The Smiths and was replaced like McCartney" joke less accurate. Fuck him for being a xenophobic asshole, but dude can write some lyrics!
Björk
2/5
Björk is just a little too weird for me.
Primal Scream
3/5
Interesting but meh.
The Kinks
3/5
It's good, but The Kinks have just done so much better.
Arrested Development
3/5
Not my thing, but pretty interesting. I still like the show more.
Joe Ely
2/5
Just not good enough to be on here...
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
I like Opry style from time to time, but this just went on forever! Not great but just good.
Neil Young
3/5
Not bad, but not Young's best by a bit.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Nothing about this stood out to me. It was just neutral and non-offensive. At least Eileen didn't get herself involved with this album.
The Chemical Brothers
1/5
Truly, truly terrible!!!
Bill Callahan
4/5
I love Bill Callahan, and I really like this album. At the same time, I am a little confused by the inclusion of it on the list. Nonetheless, still a fantastic album!
Queen Latifah
4/5
Naming yourself "Queen" is bold but, if you then drop a banger of a debut album like this, I can let it slide. Great Listen!
Fred Neil
2/5
Eh don't really get the inclusion of this one. Not terrible, just not really good.
Dead Kennedys
4/5
Legendary Punk!
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
Early 2000s chamber pop is an interesting and very forgettable era. Pretty decent though.
Gram Parsons
4/5
Gram is great! He was gone way too soon, much like Croce, I often wonder what could have been. On a separate note, it is a crime that Croce didn't manage to land a spot on the list! Fantastic Album!
Neneh Cherry
3/5
Decent enough of a listen.
Animal Collective
3/5
I have always liked this album, but listening to it again in detail, I have better memories than reality. It's still a decent album, but just a little too out there in parts.
M.I.A.
3/5
Not really into it, but it was an enjoyable listen.
Paul Simon
4/5
I love Paul Simon, one of the greatest songwriters of all time. But just his voice without the harmonies of Garfunkel has never had the same emotional affect on me. Still a damn good album, "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" is a song that I have so many good memories tied to, I can't not like this album.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
The Armadillo Tank was underwhelming to me. I wanted it to be better, I know its a essential prog album, but it just didn't do it for me. Still not a bad listen, just kinda good enough.
The Mars Volta
3/5
I've been getting a lot of prog lately, and it is kinda starting to wear on me. This one was pretty good though. Solid album!
Elton John
5/5
I mean it's just a fantastic album! One of if not the best Elton has to offer. So many legendary songs. Easy 5 star album!
Radiohead
4/5
Mentally Radiohead's discography kinda ends at Kid-A for me, it's not that Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief are necessarily bad album, I just don't vibe with them the same way I did their first four albums. And then I remember In Rainbows and I am brought back to their earlier beauty. Sadly the discography does end for me again after that, for better reason than the first break. All that rambling to say, In Rainbows is a damn good album!
John Lennon
3/5
Fuck you Yoko! Anything John ever did should have been a 5. But the damn fool had to name an album after that bitch and earn himself a 3, because the only memorable song on this is really "Working Class Hero"
Saint Etienne
2/5
There is just wayyyyy too much going on here. Strange album, didn't enjoy it much. Felt like genre whiplash. If she had stuck with one of the genres it might have turned out great.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Wow, that was pretty damn bad!
Nick Drake
5/5
An absolute all time classic! Nick Drake is way up there on the list of artists that just died way too soon. This album is a masterpiece and a beautiful end cap on his discography. But we can only imagine the beautiful albums he would have been able to write with a few more years. If I own it on vinyl it is usually going to get at least a 4, this however is an instant 5 star for me. Great album!
Ian Dury
2/5
I really don't know what to think of this album. It was just kinda....there? The good parts musically were overpowered with weird vocals, and when the vocal were good the music was underwhelming. Just so meh.
TV On The Radio
3/5
It was pretty good. Just wasn't overly special for me.
The Specials
2/5
This was not good. Ska but 60s. Bleh!
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
CCR is always a great time! Banger of an album every time!
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
This is one of those albums where you really have to try to appreciate the reason the album was made and the genius of Zappa. That said still a rough listen. Zappa is a great artist, but just not his best.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
Not bad!
Iggy Pop
3/5
I don't like Iggy Pop, but this is one of the best I've heard of his.
Tom Waits
1/5
God Tom Waits is just terrible! Why did you insist on having so many of his shitty albums on the list Rob? Just bad and gross.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Dylan's best performance post voice shift. I have a hard time giving any of his albums a 3, this one I will give in. Top 10 song writer, bottom 10 vocalist.
Gillian Welch
5/5
Gillian is an underrated legend. I have loved this album and her for years. Just an instant 5 star from me. Great album!
2/5
Not terrible but not good either.
Drive-By Truckers
5/5
While this is before his tenure, I have been a big Jason Isbell fan for years and naturally have enjoyed Drive-By Truckers for quite some time. This album is just fantastic! I do think Decoration Day and The Dirty South are better albums, but Isbell certainly plays a factor in that for me. If you look at it as concept album as it was intended it adds another layer of great. But if you don't know that part it is still fantastic!
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
Great band name, great album!
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
Interesting that Eminem sampled this. But otherwise it was just meh.
Bee Gees
4/5
It's not my favorite Bee Gees album, but it still is a pretty damn good album!
Jack White
4/5
Jack White is a musical genius! That being said, this is not my favorite of his solo albums. Still a great listen and deserving of a place on the list.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
This was fantastic. The most surprising albums for me are always non-English music. Just a great album!
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
There is some filler on this album for sure, but there is also so many great songs on this album that I just can't give it anything less than a 5. Great fucking album!
Massive Attack
2/5
I did not enjoy this album. I didn't hate it enough to have that strong of feelings on it, but the few feelings I do have about it aren't overly positive. I get there needs to be a little of a lot of genres on here, but by the 10th trip hop and bajillionth electronic album I think it's enough of those two shitty genres.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
It was just kinda there.
Moby Grape
3/5
Not bad, not overly fantastic either.
Roxy Music
3/5
Decent listen.
Pavement
3/5
It wasn't bad, but it was pretty forgettable.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
An all time classic, just a great album through and through. In my opinion it is easily his best work. A great listen, especially when I can listen on vinyl!
Arcade Fire
4/5
I'm not the biggest fan of them as a band, but this is a pretty damn great album.
Megadeth
4/5
It isn't really my thing, but it is an essential album and a pretty good listen.
Mudhoney
3/5
Great pedal, ok album.
Justin Timberlake
4/5
I want to hate it, but I just can't. It is a great album.
ZZ Top
3/5
"La Grange" is a fucking banger, but this just isn't ZZ Top's best album.
David Gray
3/5
Interesting but nothing special.
Prince
4/5
It's Prince and it's fantastic, what more is there to say!
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
I'm not a big Tom Petty fan, but he always put out some really solid albums.
Bobby Womack
4/5
Bobby Womack is a legend, this album deserves more love!
2/5
Not great!
Paul McCartney
3/5
Solo McCartney is just not my thing.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Not bad for an instrumental album.
The Zombies
3/5
If not for "Time of the Season" this would not be deserving of a spot on the list imo. There is a lot of chamber pop that exceeds the majority of this album. But that song alone I think does justify the inclusion.
The Kinks
3/5
I like The Kinks, but this album is honestly just ok.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
Meh...
Todd Rundgren
2/5
That was not great...
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Not the Stones best.
Tim Buckley
3/5
I enjoy both Buckleys. This is good, just not my favorite of Tim's.
The Cult
3/5
Decent enough of an album. Nothing too special.
The Who
3/5
It's nothing against The Who, but I really just do not like having live albums on here. 95% of them are just not deserving of a spot on the list.
Ice Cube
4/5
I fuck with Cube! Great album.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Not the biggest fan of Young but this is a good album. Not great but solid.
Metallica
4/5
Not the best of their albums, but still a good album for sure!
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Just ok.
George Michael
4/5
It is just a great fucking album!
Jacques Brel
3/5
Typical 60s soft pop. Only really unique thing about it is the country of origin.
The Roots
4/5
The Roots used to be so much more enjoyable before Fallon made them too damn corny. Great listen!
4/5
It is easy to shit on Oasis, and I certainly have, but I would be kidding myself if I didn't admit this is a great album.
Kanye West
1/5
Fuck this Nazi, first album I have 100% skipped. The last one of his I got he was still being tame enough that I gave it the benefit of the doubt. As of April 2025 when I received this album it is far too hard to separate the art from the artist. Fuck Kanye!
The KLF
2/5
Not the worst electronica on the list, but it is still bad.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I just love Cohen. Great album!
Johnny Cash
5/5
This list contains three of the greatest farewell albums in music history. While Cohen and Bowie wrote about their own struggles, Cash took the struggles other artists had expressed and truly made them his own. I am a fan of Nine Inch Nails, but Cash's rendition of "Hurt" is one of the most special songs to ever be recorded. I would normally be against the inclusion of modern cover albums (everything in the 50s was so can't count those out), but this is the absolute most reasonable exception to that. A great and unique album that I am so grateful Cash blessed us with before he passed.
Anita Baker
4/5
Just a fantastic album!
Talking Heads
5/5
Everything Byrne has ever done has been a work of genius. He is just one of the greatest musicians of all time! This is up there among the best pieces he ever put out, just a fantastic album front to back. Any album I own on vinyl gets bumped to the top of the rating system and this is no exception. A great and absolutely essential album!
Tangerine Dream
2/5
Meh...
Steely Dan
4/5
Not the biggest fan of them but Steely Dan is iconic.
Blondie
4/5
Great album!
Ray Charles
4/5
Classic.
Tom Waits
1/5
Tom Waits blows!
Alanis Morissette
4/5
Great album!
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
"Layla" alone qualifies this album as a 4. The rest is good but obviously nowhere near "Layla". Great album!
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Not the best Stones album, but still a great album. "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" are all time classics though.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Not bad, but not too special.
Can
3/5
Solid album. Songs are a little long for my taste, but not bad in comparison to similar entries.
Metallica
4/5
Solid album. Wears on you by the end but has some all time classics! Great listen.
Ghostface Killah
3/5
Not super my thing, but it was a decent listen.
Brian Eno
2/5
Like all Eno albums on here, this is pretty bad.
CHIC
3/5
Solid album with a slightly overplayed classic.
2/5
PJ Harvey sucks!
Fairport Convention
2/5
Very forgettable
Motörhead
2/5
Meh...
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Solid!
The Zutons
4/5
Never had heard of this before, but I really enjoyed this album. Great folk punk vibes!
The Band
4/5
This album works to back up my claim of Dylan songs almost always being better as covers compared to his originals. The album is clearly carried by "The Weight" which is fine because it is a fantastic song. The rest of the album is good, but pales in comparison to that song. Overall still a great album!
FKA twigs
2/5
Not bad, just much better modern offerings that could have been chosen.
Kraftwerk
3/5
One of the better Kraftwerk albums I've heard.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Didn't understand a bit of it, but it was fairly good listen.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Dusty is just a classic! Great album!
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Gotta love some Wu-Tang!
The Doors
4/5
Not The Doors best, but still a great album!
Kate Bush
3/5
Kate Bush is fantastic, this album certainly isn't getting the same amount of love as Hounds of Love since that has had its revival recently. And I get it, this is a bit better of and album, but this is also a pretty good album.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
This is one of the times I really want a 3.5 rating. I liked it quite a bit, but just not enough to justify a 4. Good listen!
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
It was an enjoyable album to listen to. The first half was real strong, but it did fade toward the end of it.
Rod Stewart
3/5
I don't like Rod Stewart, but Maggie May is a great song. Decent listen if I but my bias aside.
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Fantastic formative shoegaze! Great album that is weird in just the right ways. I have so many fond memories tied to this album, I remember when my best friend Ben introduced me to it and the many stoned nights we have spent listening to it together. 5 stars all day for me!
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Not the best of their albums. Decent enough listen though.
Jamiroquai
2/5
Not my thing...
2Pac
4/5
2Pac is a legend. Great listen!
Beastie Boys
5/5
Easy 5, no question! One of the greatest albums of all time! And another vinyl listen for me, couldn't be better than that!
Pretty good.
Fairport Convention
3/5
Decent british folk.
Merle Haggard
3/5
Merle is a legend, just nothing too special to me here.
Throwing Muses
3/5
Alright Punk.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
Not an album that was really a must hear. Not a 1 though.
Manu Chao
3/5
Solid album!
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
Not a big jazz guy, but this is pretty good.
The Monkees
3/5
Not the album of theirs that should have been chosen for this list. Just ok, not great. Should have been More of The Monkees.
Kanye West
1/5
Fuck Kanye, only albums I don't even bother trying to stomach through. Separate the art from the artist until they become Nazis.....
3/5
One of the worst mental images that an album name can bring. Not a bad album though.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Just like his other offering on here, weird and not good.
Primal Scream
2/5
Not my thing.
Ute Lemper
3/5
This was interesting...not amazing but not too bad either. Decent listen.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Not his best.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Bob Marley will always be an amazing listen! Great album!
Ash
2/5
NOt great.
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
Just kinda bleh throughout, nothing stuck out to me as overly significant or impactful. The mix is also just quiet and muddy and the music is bland.
The Lemonheads
4/5
Always been a damn solid album. Thankful for the re-release too because I love this version of Mrs. Robinson! Great album!
Sade
4/5
Great voice! Great listen!
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
Meh
Black Sabbath
5/5
Legendary band, legendary album!
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
Great guitar on this album. Other than that it's just kinda ok.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
It was an alright listen.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
It was alright. Just not too memorable.
The Verve
4/5
Some all time classics on this one. While "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is far and away the most popular, "The Drugs Don't Work" is easily the best song on this album to me. Great album!
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
I don't understand french, but it's a decent album musically.
808 State
1/5
This was pretty bad...
Peter Tosh
4/5
Good Reggae with a great message!
Simple Minds
3/5
Just ok.
Motörhead
3/5
Not bad for a live album.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
This album is absolutely fantastic! So many beautiful songs. And it is an impressive feat when you can take a legendary song and make it ever more well known than the original. Amazing album to listen to on a calm evening.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Not as good as I was hoping for but still enjoyable.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
MBV is great, this is not their best.
The Beta Band
2/5
I don't get why this one is on here. It's tolerable.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I'm not the biggest Elvis Costello fan, but it is a solid album with some classics from him that I do enjoy.
Kid Rock
1/5
Not worth even listening to. Fuck Kid Rock!
ABBA
3/5
Not the biggest ABBA fan, but also not an ABBA hater. Decent listen, but it's nothing to write home about. "Slipping Through My Fingers" is an all time banger though.
Janet Jackson
3/5
Janet just never quite had the same impact that her brother did. Not a bad album, but nothing special.
Billy Bragg
4/5
A great way to honor Woody's legacy! Great album!
The Pogues
3/5
Solid album.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Great album! Also one of the coolest album arts of all time with the peelable banana. But I guess that's what you get when you have Warhol producing it. A very good listen, now to go listen to Chelsea Girl since I got that one a few weeks after this one.
Ice T
3/5
Never really listened to his music much before...interesting to see he's as mediocre of a musician as he is an actor.
It honestly isn't really bad, it's just not as good as I would have expected considering how much of a legend he is.
The Waterboys
3/5
Decent listen, but overall just ok.
Public Enemy
4/5
Very good album. Public Enemy hits every time.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Interesting name for a band...not a bad listen overall.
Beatles
5/5
"A Hard Day's Night" was one of my most played songs on my little childhood MP3 player. I have always loved this song and nothing has changed 20 years later. And there are so many other great songs on here as well. "And I Love Her" holds up with some of The Beatles best, "Can't Buy Me Love" certainly falls into more of their early 'kitchy' sound, but still is a great listen. Quite a nice way to spend my night!
Laura Nyro
3/5
Decent listen!
George Jones
3/5
George Jones is a legend, this however is just ok.
Death In Vegas
3/5
Meh, kinda forgot it was playing.
The Police
3/5
Growing up my sister and I would always call "Every Breath You Take" the 'Creepy Stalker Song', I still stand by that title. Still a pretty good song though. Kind of a mediocre album overall though. Gets lifted by the 3 billion stream song for sure.
Shuggie Otis
3/5
I enjoyed it, just don't see myself coming back to it.
Soft Machine
2/5
I can see the reason it is here, just very much so not my genre. 4 nearly 20 minute fully instrumental songs is rough.
Spacemen 3
2/5
Tolerable, not good though.
Randy Newman
2/5
Not a great album, and way too white of a dude to drop that many N-Words in a song, even in 1974.
The Byrds
3/5
I like the Byrds, but this is not at all their best work. Still a good listen, but could have put a different more deserving record instead of another Byrds album.
Miles Davis
2/5
Not his best....
The Everly Brothers
4/5
I love The Everly Brothers, just such wonderful peaceful songs. Great listen every time!
The Coral
2/5
Not that great.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Not my thing.
Dennis Wilson
4/5
Dennis was underrated. Great listen!
The Cardigans
3/5
I enjoyed it, couple classics, but just ok overall.
Madness
3/5
"Our House" is a banger! So many memories of my Dad playing that one growing up. Just kinda ok outside of that one.
Neil Young
3/5
Not Young's best work.
Brian Eno
2/5
Brian Eno is weird....
N.E.R.D
4/5
Early Pharrell, wonderful. A very solid album that I have unfortunately never heard before.
He is easily one of the greatest producers of all time. And I just can't hate on him, except for some of his solo work, this unlike some of that solo work is a fantastic album. I also will always be grateful to him for introducing us all to Maggie Rogers!
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Decent album.
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Classic punk album. Sleater-Kinney doesn't get enough love.
Stan Getz
4/5
I love the rare occasions where I don't know the album, but I do know multiple songs on the album. I really enjoyed listening to this one.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Legendary band name!
Ok album.
George Michael
3/5
It's no Faith, but it is a very solid George Michael album.
Orbital
1/5
This was terrible. I did not need to hear this before I died.
Pantera
3/5
Not my thing, but Pantera is iconic and this is a good album.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
I am a little confused on its inclusion on the list, but I really enjoyed this album.
Napalm Death
1/5
The best thing about this is how short it is. Titular song isn't terrible, but the album has its place on the worst rated albums list for a good good reason!
Black Flag
4/5
Good classic hardcore punk!
The Dictators
3/5
I understand its inclusion due to its significance to the genre of punk. However it is just not a great album.
Tom Waits
1/5
Tom Waits fucking blows!
Pere Ubu
2/5
I got both of the Pere Ubu albums on back to back days, that also was part of a 5 album span that included both of these albums and then two albums from The Who. It was such a strange coincidence in the context of this website. I left that grouping of 4 in my blacklog for a little while to laugh at.
This was the first in the series of 4, but as I waited a few weeks to get around to them I listened to both of the Pere Ubu albums in chronological order rather than generator order. That one I gave a three, mostly due to its role in developing the wonderful world of Post-Punk. This album confuses me though. It just is not good enough to belong, and did not have as deep of an impact. Not horrendous, just not great.
Pere Ubu
3/5
While they aren't always as good as song of the best albums on the list, it is absolutely essential to include such formative albums like this one. Albums that help develop a new genre belong on here for sure. That's not to say this is a bad album, because it is pretty good overall.
Germs
2/5
I generally like hardcore punk, however this feels like 40 minutes of mostly the exact same song. Just not much unique about it.
The Who
3/5
Really only has one well known track on the album. Certainly not their best work, but still a good listen.
The Who
4/5
Yeah this one is really damn good. They have so many offerings on this list and I got two in a row (in a 5 day span where I had two Pere Ubu albums and two The Who albums with one random in-between). This one was much better than The Who Sell Out. Still doesn't quite reach a 5 for me, but it's close.
Frank Black
2/5
I like Pixies, I do not like this nearly as much. Frank is much better in that band than he is here.
Kraftwerk
2/5
Better than average Kraftwerk, still not saying much.
Khaled
4/5
I love hearing such well known songs as "Imagine" in other languages. Being able to appreciate the beauty of a language you don't know while still understanding every word is a wonderful thing. Obviously they switched to english halfway through, but I think my point still stands.
Beautiful album! Great instrumentation throughout!
Mercury Rev
3/5
There is a lot going on here. Fairly solid for a good chunk of it, just some weird stuff towards the end.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Nick Cave blows, this blows less than he usually does.
Stan Getz
3/5
Solid jazz.
PJ Harvey
2/5
I did not like PJ Harvey before this album, I still do not like PJ Harvey after this album. But I will say this is better than some of her other showings.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
That was really good.
Digital Underground
4/5
I mean it's my chance to do THE Hump!
Always loved that song, my parents never really censored music around the house so my parents had a 5 and an 8 year old coming up with their own versions of the hump with no understanding of what it was really about. Didn't know another song by the band until this, but it was a great listen anyway, bumped a little for such an iconic song.
Slint
3/5
Decent!
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Better than I expected for the genres listed, still not amazing.
Soft Cell
4/5
"Tainted Love" elevates this album for sure. Still a great album though.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
It's a little bland, but it is quite a nice listen.
Bauhaus
2/5
Not a big Bauhaus fan...
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Great listen!
2/5
Meh, don't get the inclusion of this one.
Django Django
3/5
Pretty solid album.
Klaxons
3/5
Decent album.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Very mediocre.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
Not necessarily Kravitz best, but still a solid album with some great guitar as expected.
Wire
3/5
Decent post punk, but formative.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I am a card carrying Dylan hater. I do however have a lot more respect for the early part of his career before his vocals changed for the even worse. One of the greatest songwriters of all time having such a grating voice is such a shame. 5 Stars for the songs, max of a 3 for Dylan.
Neu!
3/5
Weird but not too bad.
Funkadelic
4/5
George Clinton is a legend. Great listen!
David Bowie
4/5
One of Bowie's most classic albums. Great listen!
Nick Drake
4/5
Nick Drake is a fucking legend. Fantastic listen!
Nico
3/5
Just listened to The Velvet Underground & Nico so while working through my backlog of albums this is the next natural place to go.
"These Days" is an amazing song, just an all time classic. Rest of the album is good, but just not quite great.
Justice
2/5
Not my thing...
The Flaming Lips
5/5
I was really confused why I was hearing "Father and Son" for a second there, had to go straight to the Wiki to confirm. Always rough when you have to fight a legal battle over such an obvious ohmage. Just own up to it and have an agreement before the album ever goes out.
Overall this was a great album! I've already had their other entry on the list and it was good, this is great. It's abstract in just the right ways. Fantastic listen!
Sepultura
2/5
I feel like thrash metal is a genre that is only meant to be enjoyed in person in the middle of a massive mosh pit. In album form it really just all starts to sound the same and drag after the third song.
While I haven't been to a thrash concert before, I've been in a lot of pits at hardcore shows and I love the vibe. Just not an album I must hear.
Jeff Beck
3/5
Jeff Beck is a 5 star guitarist. Mid album otherwise. Some sick bass at times though.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Muddy Waters is a legend!
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
It's not Loveless, but very few albums are as good as that one is. This is still fantastic, can't wait for the next album in 2035.
The Modern Lovers
2/5
Meh...
Boards of Canada
3/5
It is certainly a little abstract and trippy, and I enjoyed listening to it. However, it all just sounded the same after a bit and was dragging pretty hard by the end.
Spiritualized
2/5
Wasn't bad until the 17 minute song that sounds like a middle school band trying to tune up.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
It is a very interesting album musically. Didn't understand a single lyric, but I try to never really count that against my ratings of non-english albums. Good listen.
The Stooges
3/5
Not the biggest fan of Iggy or the Stooges, but this is better than some of the other stuff I've heard from them.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Yeah this is just a fantastic album. Stevie is a legend!
Tori Amos
5/5
Somehow my Spotify got set to loop and I got until the second play of "Winter" before I fully processed that it was looped. I've had a few albums lately that I just can't wait for them to be over. I ended up listening to the full album again just because it was that good.
I really enjoyed this one. And my mom is a love this album! She was my a year younger than I am now when this came out. Great album!
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
Meh not bad but not really good either.
Kings of Leon
2/5
Not that good of an album.
The Mamas & The Papas
5/5
Yeah this one is just fantastic! Great album!
Pulp
3/5
Mrh, not great, but not terrible.
CHVRCHES
3/5
Wasn't bad, wasn't great.
2/5
Meh.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
Quite the album art. Liked it more than I expected it to.
Air
3/5
Some weird shit to it, but pretty decent.
The Band
3/5
Love The Band. Music From Big Pink is just clearly a better album to me and I gave it a 4, so this has to be just a bit under it unfortunately.
The Icarus Line
2/5
Lotta noise...
Cornershop
2/5
It was weird but not terrible, but also was not that good.
Fishbone
2/5
Kinda just became background noise after the first couple songs.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Decent album!
Supergrass
3/5
Decent album.