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3.58
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29
5-Star Albums
4
1-Star Albums
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Metal | 5 | 2.47 | +2.53 |
| The New Tango | 5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
| Germfree Adolescents | 5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
| Forever Changes | 5 | 3.23 | +1.77 |
| Fun House | 5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
| Homework | 5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
| Tommy | 5 | 3.34 | +1.66 |
| Green Onions | 5 | 3.4 | +1.6 |
| Aqualung | 5 | 3.44 | +1.56 |
| James Brown Live At The Apollo | 5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| When I Was Born For The 7th Time | 1 | 2.91 | -1.91 |
| Can't Buy A Thrill | 2 | 3.72 | -1.72 |
| Highway to Hell | 2 | 3.66 | -1.66 |
| Timeless | 1 | 2.53 | -1.53 |
| Definitely Maybe | 2 | 3.52 | -1.52 |
| She's So Unusual | 2 | 3.48 | -1.48 |
| Imagine | 2 | 3.45 | -1.45 |
| En-Tact | 1 | 2.43 | -1.43 |
| Live And Dangerous | 2 | 3.32 | -1.32 |
| Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman | 1 | 2.23 | -1.23 |
5-Star Albums (29)
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Popular Reviews
X-Ray Spex
5/5
Touching on themes like capitalism, consumerism, scientific progress, advertising, young people, feminism, aging, fame, identity, and more. The critiques on this album are as sharp and relevant today as they were in 1978.
All of that is tied together in a nice little punk/new-wave packaged with wicked saxophone accompaniments. The music has a kitschy theatrical feel to it that drives the message home even further. I honestly couldn't ask for anything more. I am reminded of The Peptides when listening to this.
I had never heard of this band or album before, but this is a real gem, really glad to have found it.
NOTE: Youtube Music does not have the tracks arranged in the proper release order :(
Fav Tracks: Honestly ever track here is great. But if I have to choose: Plastic Bag, I Can't Do Anything, Identity
9 likes
Throbbing Gristle
3/5
I found this album to be quite interesting. While it's not something I would listen to regularly, I didn't find it to be the inaccessible barrage of noise a lot of "industrial" albums are. At times I found it to actually be almost relaxing, more akin to an ambient work.
The use of spoken word recordings on a couple tracks such as Valley of the Shadow of Death and Hometime had the feeling of being in a cafe or watching someone's old home recordings. The punk-like tracks Hit By a Rock and Blood on the Floor are pretty standard of the time. Then there are the tracks in the middle that experiment more with the synth and vocal effects, to varying degrees of success, but some are actually quite good. There are also a few tracks that lean more towards the noisy/industrial side like I.B.M, Dead on Arrival and Walls of Sound that I could do without.
Overall I think this is interesting piece of musical history. Very experimental, it gets a few things right and a few things wrong. I'm glad I got to listen.
Fav Tracks:
Hamburger Lady, AB/7A, E-Coli
8 likes
Steely Dan
2/5
I think "soft rock" is definitely an accurate descriptor for this. It's relaxing, easy listening type stuff without anything too challenging happening. That's not to say it's not enjoyable, but I think great albums need to make you think.
There are elements of various musical styles like Jazz and Latin incorporated here, but I feel like they get washed away in the overall sound instead of being featured.
Overall a couple of tracks I enjoy on here, but not enough to give it a solid 3.
Fav Tracks: Do It Again, Reelin' In The Years, Fire In The Hole
7 likes
Jethro Tull
5/5
One of my favourite albums since I was a kid. Rock solid through and through, there's an amazing mix of folky acoustic and crunchy electric riffs, all interspersed with Anderson's legendary flute playing.
The lyrics and imagery are also very vivid, with each song painting a compelling picture. Additionally all of the songs compliment each other nicely and the album has a great flow. To me this is a prime example of how to put an album together.
Fav Tracks:
Aqualung, Cross-Eyed Mary, Locomotive Breath
5 likes
Adele
3/5
Despite being criminally overplayed, this is actually a pretty decent album. Adele's singing talent is remarkable, although a few of her vocal flourishes can get a little grating.
The production is also quite good, a minimalist approach was taken here, which I think was the right call, to really focus on her vocals. The instrumental performances are solid, adding emotion in the right places to the songs and the mixing is great. The slight country edge is a nice touch too.
A few of these songs are just a bit too cheesy, and I found myself rolling my eyes at some of the lyrics.
I'll give it a solid 3, it does deserve to be here but I think it was released about 50 years too late to actually be anything groundbreaking.
Fav Tracks: Fire To The Rain, Lovesong
4 likes
1-Star Albums (4)
All Ratings
Aerosmith
2/5
Oh man... I used to think Aerosmith was the shit. In hindsight this is pretty bad. Steven Tyler's voice is extremely grating 99% of the time, and the songs are musically pretty boring.
Not giving it a 1 because there are a few classic on here amidst the monotony.
Metallica
4/5
\m/,
Wild Beasts
3/5
Singing is similar to An Awesome Wave, instrumentals remind me of Dark Eyes. But neither are as good as those examples. It picks up towards the back end, some stronger tracks there. Overall decent, probably not going to be a regular player though.
Massive Attack
4/5
This is a jam - feels a little more dated than mezzanine, less dark and more kitchy hip-hop vibes, but overall still great.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Album full of classic Sinatra tracks, what's not to like here.
Favourite track: I've Got You Under My Skin
1/5
This is not at all my cup of tea, sounds like the stuff pretentious jazz-heads pretend to like because they think it'll make them cool.
It's pretty much just unintelligible nose. And don't get me wrong, I love some good free jazz or industrial noise, but it's gotta have soul, and that's not coming through for me here.
On the positive side, the recording is pretty cool - drums are super full and deep, and I like how there's a different sax squealing in each of the stereo channels.
Overall though, the original arrangements from Coleman are much better, I think I'll stick with those.
The Saints
4/5
Really cool, well executed punk album. I enjoyed the experimentation and drawing elements of other styles in the first half, but the second half seemed to devolve into more straightforward Ramones-style punk.
Would have liked to hear a bit more of that diversity carried through to the end. Overall still very enjoyable, I am surprised I have not heard this before, will definitely be coming back.
Highlights: Know your Product, Memories Are Made of This, Run Down
The Who
5/5
This album is a pretty impressive accomplishment, a complete story told over an hour solid classic/prog rocks tracks skillfully composed using a number of interesting techniques such as reccuring motifs, lyrical themes and segues.
I did find it to be a little slow in parts, imo not all the tracks necessitate their inclusion on the album, but overall as one of the first rock opera / concept albums it stands up well and kicked off a style of musical composition that I love.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Absolute perfection.
Long live the Queen!
The Strokes
5/5
What a momentous debut. Everything about this album is iconic: the catchy songwriting, the crunchy and well mixed instruments and Julian Casablancas signature vocal distortions. It sounds phenomenal.
I think this album pretty much single-highhandedly kicked off the indie rock movement that is still going to this day.
I won't continue to gush, but I think it suffices to say that yes, this is it.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
I'm having a hard time with this one. I think I get what they're going for with the dissonance, experimental production and lazy vocals. Sometimes it comes together and works for them, but other times it just sounds really bad. Even when it does come together though, it kind of sounds like your generic 90s/00s alt-rock, but maybe that's a testament to it's influence, idk.
I'm kind of surprised it was as acclaimed as it is, but maybe it was just early enough that there was nothing else to compare it to. Either way imo their follow up, Loveless, is much better.
Likes: Cupid Come, sueisfine
Beatles
4/5
Probably one of the weakest offerings by the Beatles, and yet it still showcases what an awesome musical force they were.
Later albums are often the main focus of the Beatles catalogue, and yet I think there's still some really good stuff to get out of the earlier albums. The songs, while simple, are extremely tight and really catchy. The covers are also all very well arranged. George Martin's honorific of "The Fifth Beatle" is certainly well deserved. These guys knew how to do pop music.
I did listen to the remastered 2009 version, so it would be interesting to compare to others. I've heard mono is the way to go, but never really tried it out. *EDIT* I tried it, mono is waaay better.
This is for me a really solid 4, and only misses out on 5 because I know how much better they can get.
Besides the obvious hits from this album, I also enjoyed All I've Got To Do, Till There Was You and Devil In Her Heart.
N.W.A.
5/5
The lyrics are provocative, the beats are tight.
And I don't just think that because I'm white.
The message is evocative and the samples iconic.
This shit hits harder than the dankest chronic.
The world wasn't ready when album was dropped.
The sensible conservative hearts all stopped.
The FBI sent them a cease and desist,
and when they asked for security, no cops would assist.
Their use of hyperbole to make a point, glides through this album like a smooth joint.
And so they became the beats that they dropped, and etched their names as gods of hip-hop.
This album is definitely one for the shelf, so I'm gonna quit making a fool of myself.
Beyond that, I've got nothing else to say say.
Except, in closing, they live up to the name, NWA.
Tracks I enjoyed: 8 ball, I Ain't tha 1 and of course Fuck Tha Police
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Even though this is labeled as the Bill Evans trio, the real star of the show to me was the bassist, that man was riffing. Very sad to hear he died shortly after this recording.
I really enjoyed the muffled sounds of the bar crowd in the background, adds to the ambiance of this album, perfect rainy Sunday afternoon listen.
To me, this is a good jazz album with some good players, but it didn't do enough to stand above the crowd.
Blondie
4/5
Absolute classic new wave album. Super solid from start to finish.
I love Debbie Harry's growly voice, instantly recognizable. The play between the synths and the punk guitar riffs give these songs a really catchy feel, and the energy here is contagious.
I had no idea that Hanging on the Telephone was a cover - neat discovery from this session.
Favourite tracks: Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another, Heart of Glass and Fade Away and Radiate
Weather Report
2/5
As the originator of Birdland, this album definitely deserves a place on the list. Probably one of the most recent songs to make it in the Real Book, writing a jazz standard in 1977 is a feat in itself.
Taking a step back from that, I find a lot of the other music on this album to be kind of boring. It's a little too soft-jazz/elevator muzak for me. I think it's the sax player. I can get behind all the sections where the keys, drums and bass are laying down some sick grooves, then the horn comes in and I just check out.
I also don't get Rumba Mama, one live rumba track right in the middle of the album? Seems out of place to me, and throws me out of the groove.
Fav tracks: Birdland, Harlequin, Havona
The Waterboys
3/5
This was nice. Honestly don't have a lot to say... I enjoyed my listen, some good folk music done well. Didn't love it, didn't hate it, just a straight shooter.
Strong U2 vibes coming from We Will Not Be Lovers, enjoyed the inclusion of a few lines of Blackbird in Sweet Thing.
Had to dig a bit to find a version with the original track listing, ended up on a youtube playlist. Then I went through the extra tracks afterwards.
Fav tracks: Fisherman's Blues, Sweet Thing, When Will We Be Married
Small Faces
3/5
I had never heard of these guys. Pretty fun psychedelic-rock album.
The flanger/fade effect on the title track keys/synth sounds very modern, kinda reminiscent of Tame Impala. Afterglow is a surprise banger, super digging that one. The rest of the first half is basically standard psych-rock from that era.
The concept/story through the second half is pretty silly, but points for trying. I don't think I've even seen a half-concept record before, so that's something of note.
Overall I find the recording quality to be not great, the cymbals are quite washy and a lot of the big hits sounds echo-y, especially in the acoustic sections like Rene or Mad John. But it's an old album, I'll give em a pass.
Fav tracks: Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake, Afterglow
The Young Rascals
3/5
Pretty straight-forward late 60s pop album. I found the songs to be well written, performed and catchy, but nothing too remarkable. I enjoyed the slight-soul/psychedelic turn at the end of the album.
The recording quality is quite good, no complaints there.
The cover art is pretty weird, the faces are kind of unsettling.
Fav songs: Groovin, You Better Run, It's Love
Bob Dylan
5/5
What is there to say about Bob that hasn't already been said.
His songwriting and lyricism is unparalleled, and this is probably among his best albums, competing with Blood on the Tracks.
Each of his songs evoke the feeling of reading an entire novel to me, they are absolutely jam packed with story.
Fav Tracks: Rainy Day Woman, I Want You, Obviously Five Believers
Johnny Cash
4/5
I actually really enjoyed this - more than I thought I would at first.
The song selections and sparse arrangements are great, thought some of them work better than others (Personal Jesus was a bit of and odd choice for his style imo).
I was not aware of this series of albums by Cash, but I think this is a great idea. After a long and fruitful career, why not kick back and just play music for the fun of it, recording versions of songs you like with your signature twist.
Culture Club
2/5
Eehh wasn't super into this. I didn't find it to be necessarily bad, just not really my thing.
The music was a bit too upbeat and twinkly-sounding for me. Reminiscent of foggy dream sequence in a movie with a lot of lens flairs or something, not sure how else to describe it.
Karma Chameleon is definitely a classic tune though, and I'm glad this album is included, if only for that.
Fav Tracks: Karma Chameleon
Erykah Badu
4/5
This album is an incredible mix of classic funk sounds and modern hip-hop/R&B. The instrumentation, groove and recording techniques here are super good.
I can definitely hear the influence this album had on future recordings. Kiss Me On My Neck sounds like it would fit right in on Awaken, My Love! and Orange Moon evokes Hiatus Kaiyote.
I did find that some tracks where she is rapping like Cleva and Booty felt a little shallow/juvenile to me. I guess she's not particularly known for her lyrical prowess though.
Overall fantastic record, will definitely be coming back to this one.
Fav Tracks: Kiss Me On My Neck, Orange Moon, Green Eyes
Arcade Fire
5/5
A truly beautiful album. The incorporation of instruments beyond the typical rock 4-piece brings a lot of emotional depth and the lyrics cut just right all throughout.
Also a very minor thing, but I just love it so much when songs mix into each other, shows that extra foresight was put into the planning of the whole thing.
Definitely massively influential, this is a sound that every indie band since have been trying to achieve, with very few matching it's power.
I personally prefer The Suburbs to this one, but I would still never turn down a listen.
Fav Tracks: Neighbourhood #1, Crown of Love, Rebellion and In The Backseat
The Stooges
5/5
Wow, I thought I knew what I was getting into when I put this album on. I'm vaguely familiar with Iggy Pop, and can't say I've ever really been a fan. I figured I was in for some straightforward punk a la Ramones/Sex Pistols.
However, that was not at all what I got. The first couple songs sound like fast and dirty rock, with the song Loose reminiscent of a punk version of Gimmie Shelter. The album then quickly devolves into slower free-form improvisational jams with Patti Smith-like vocals layered over top. Then they bring in horns at the end of 1970 and carry those over into the rest of the tracks, was not expecting that one, but I'm here for it.
I love the recording, sounds so raw and the groove and power contained here is awesome.
In short: I listened to this twice back to back.
Fav tracks: Loose, Dirt, 1970, Fun House
Cornershop
1/5
Oh boy...
This record might have been hip in 1997 (although not even sure about that) but it has definitely not aged well.
It seems like it was an experiment in mixing traditional south-east Asian music with indie rock and hip-hop, but it simply results in jarring genre shifts like some stitched together Frankenstein monster as opposed to a cohesive mix of musical styles.
The record-scratch interludes combined with random vocal samples do not fit in here at all, and they get tiresome very quickly.
And there's like an alt-country song in here?? What is happening
Fav songs: Norwegian Wood
X-Ray Spex
5/5
Touching on themes like capitalism, consumerism, scientific progress, advertising, young people, feminism, aging, fame, identity, and more. The critiques on this album are as sharp and relevant today as they were in 1978.
All of that is tied together in a nice little punk/new-wave packaged with wicked saxophone accompaniments. The music has a kitschy theatrical feel to it that drives the message home even further. I honestly couldn't ask for anything more. I am reminded of The Peptides when listening to this.
I had never heard of this band or album before, but this is a real gem, really glad to have found it.
NOTE: Youtube Music does not have the tracks arranged in the proper release order :(
Fav Tracks: Honestly ever track here is great. But if I have to choose: Plastic Bag, I Can't Do Anything, Identity
The Byrds
3/5
Solid folk rock sound with a slight Beatles edge coming out of this one. Apparently this is the album that pioneered this vibe, which is near and dear to me, so points for that.
Beyond that, over half the songs on this record are covers (which I guess wasn't too unusual for the era), and the ones that are originals aren't anything to write home about imo.
Still enjoyed the listen, but doesn't particularly stand out to me.
Fav Tracks: Mr Tambourine Man, I Knew I'd Want You, It's No Use
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
I really enjoy the wide array of sounds incorporated into this album and the atmosphere it creates. Very effective "world building" using the music to paint a picture of the mental state of someone in a "downward spiral."
The use of repetitive, hammering noise, jarring shifts between loud screaming parts and soft whispering parts and dissonant tones all fit in extremely well in this album. I am not too knowledgeable in the industrial rock genre, but I know this album had a big hand in bringing it to mainstream audiences.
On the other hand, I find the lyrics here to be too edgy for my taste. I know that the intent was to depict someone in a deranged mental state, but I find that there is no subtlety here, it feels more like a caricature than an accurate description.
Overall, it's a middle of the road release for me, would definitely score it higher if the lyrics didn't feel like an edge-lord 4chan post. Which is a little disappointing because I want to like this more, musically there's a lot going on here.
Fav tracks: The Becoming, Eraser, Hurt
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Mmm not sure I get this one. To me this seems like a pretty straightforward pop-rock album. There isn't anything bad about it, the music is well written and the recording is quality, but I don't find it to particularly stand out considering the acclaim it has received.
The tracks kind of all sound the same to me, and nothing seems to be that progressive for the era. Talking Heads came out a few months earlier, Parallel Lines came out a couple months later, both I find to be infinitely more interesting albums in the pop/new wave/punk genre.
Overall, I think it sits comfortably in it's lane. Never really been a massive fan of Costello to begin with.
Fav Tracks: Pump It Up, (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
Parliament
4/5
Oh yea, this is some good stuff. Super solid album by Parliament, anything George Clinton does just drips with groove and style. So many layers, sounds and things going here, and you really get the sense they're just having fun with it.
The one minor complaint I have is I felt like the songs dragged out just a little long sometimes, especially with all the repeated chorus sections.
To me, this is a very strong 4. I feel like it's missing just a bit of a "je ne sais quoi" to push it into 5 territory, but it's still a great album.
Fav Tracks: P. Funk, Give Up The Funk
Devendra Banhart
4/5
This is a very beautiful album. Banhart's singing is quite unique. The hollow/echo-y recording of the instruments really compliments it well and the combination really creates a dreamlike atmosphere. The way the instruments are recorded kind of reminds me of Blonde on Blonde.
The songwriting is also good, enough variety to not get tedious over the 40 minutes of the album, yet maintains a consistent sound throughout.
This album seems to have been slightly ahead of the current indie folk wave, Fall sounds like it could be an Alt-J song, also evokes Tallest Man on Earth and Fleet Foxes. Although I wouldn't call it groundbreaking given the long history this sound has.
Overall, very much enjoyed, not excellent, but would definitely listen again.
Fav Tracks: A Sight to Behold, This Beard is For Siobhan, When The Sun Shone on Vetiever
Tori Amos
3/5
I have heard about Tori Amos, but never really taken the time to listen to any of her albums.
This seems like a pretty early example of the "confessional eccentric singer-songwriter" genre that became popular in the 90s/00s with acts like Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor. Also has definite elements of Kate Bush but with more stereotypical 90s production, which I feel has not aged as well as some of the listed examples. The big echo-y drum hits and washy guitar sounds remind me of a classic Disney soundtrack (looking at you Phil Collins).
Her musical talent, and songwriting prowess is unmistakable here. You can tell she is really laying her soul down onto this record. Unfortunately it doesn't quite resonate with me. I didn't dislike this album, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have, given that some of my all time favourites follow the same formula.
Also just want to note that the bonus disk has an unexpected cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit. Wouldn't exactly say it's good, but interesting that it exists.
Fav Tracks: Happy Phantom, Me and a Gun, Little Earthquakes
Björk
4/5
I think Bjork is either an alien, time traveler, or possibly both. Her music has an otherworldly ethereal quality that is just achingly beautiful. And her lyrics have a very outsider quality to them that feels like a non-human entity trying to capture the human experience, and yet is also perfectly spot-on in their observations.
I wouldn't consider this to be her best album, but it certainly deserves a spot on this list. The wide variety of styles here is impressive, and yet still manages to feel like a cohesive piece of work. Some of the harder dance tracks like Violently Happy feel a little dated to modern ears, although this was still like 10 years ahead of the curve before those sounds would be overplayed in clubs, thus making them seem dated now, so I can appreciate the innovation there.
Big shoutout to the producer on this one, who shares a lot of the writing credits and clearly had a big hand in shaping the sound. This is absolutely a massively influential album, and certainly needs to be heard before you die. I give it a very strong 4, although I think it falls just short of a 5 by missing out on the timeless element that a perfect album should have.
Fav Tracks: Human Behaviour, Venus as a Boy, Aeroplane, The Anchor Song
James Brown
5/5
Wow.
This is an absolutely stunning live album.
James Brown brings it all. The power, intensity and emotion here just rock me to my core. The track listing is basically useless, because this whole thing is the event, not to be itemized.
The screams of feedback from the frenzied crowd are an essential part of the mix here, basically acting as an instrument. I feel that this would be impossible to replicate now, truly a relic of a different era.
My only complaint is that it's not longer, but perfection is fleeting, so we must accept the rare moments when it does arise.
Fav Tracks: The whole damn thing
Def Leppard
2/5
I mean... This album isn't bad, but imo it's pretty boring.
Super standard 80s hair metal/pop rock. Couple of stone cold classics on here that get their fair rotation on any Dad rock station. Other than that I see nothing particularly progressive, influential or noteworthy.
Not sure this really deserves a spot on a list of must listen to albums, throw a dart at a wall full of 80s hair metal bands and you'll get more or less the same effect.
Fav Tracks: Photograph, Rock of Ages
Mudhoney
3/5
For an album named after two effects pedals, this does not disappoint. Super fuzzy sounding early grunge band. I had not heard of these guys before, but it seems like they were pretty well known to contemporaries.
The album itself is a little unpolished, recording sounds a little rough (although probably somewhat intentional). The grunge sound is unmistakable though, and clearly had a big influence on Nirvana. Short but sweet, the songs are well written and the atmosphere is nicely curated. A good listen, but probably not one I will listen to regularly.
Also special shout-out to the album art, this might be one of the coolest covers I've ever seen. The styling fits perfectly and the photo really feels like it's alive.
Fav Tracks: Chain that Door, Mudride, In 'n' Out of Grace
The Doors
5/5
From the first to the last note, this is the Doors operating at their very best. Very heavy into the blues, the atmosphere here just feels like you're sitting in some smoky dive bar drinking scotch with the band playing right beside you. I especially love the use of the organ throughout, and the guitar tones are just incredible.
This album is packed so tightly with great songs I find it hard to believe this is not a compilation, there is not a single piece of filler here. To me this really cements the Doors as one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
Fav tracks: Been Down So Long, Cars Hiss By My Window, Hyacinth House, Riders On The Storm
Thin Lizzy
2/5
I was thinking to myself that this album sounds very well produced for a live album, but according to Wikipedia there is some controversy surrounding the use of overdubs on the record, which would explain that.
Overall I think it's a decent album, Thin Lizzy had some good songs and their energy is captured well here. I don't really think it's notably different enough from any other live albums to vault it into a "best of all time" list though.
Beyond a couple extended guitar solos there aren't any crazy long jams or deviations from their original material, to me it feels like a worse-quality studio album. I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, but not what I personally want in a live album, so points docked for that.
Fav Tracks: Jailbreak, Dancing in the Moonlight, Still in Love with You
Steely Dan
2/5
I think "soft rock" is definitely an accurate descriptor for this. It's relaxing, easy listening type stuff without anything too challenging happening. That's not to say it's not enjoyable, but I think great albums need to make you think.
There are elements of various musical styles like Jazz and Latin incorporated here, but I feel like they get washed away in the overall sound instead of being featured.
Overall a couple of tracks I enjoy on here, but not enough to give it a solid 3.
Fav Tracks: Do It Again, Reelin' In The Years, Fire In The Hole
Adele
3/5
Despite being criminally overplayed, this is actually a pretty decent album. Adele's singing talent is remarkable, although a few of her vocal flourishes can get a little grating.
The production is also quite good, a minimalist approach was taken here, which I think was the right call, to really focus on her vocals. The instrumental performances are solid, adding emotion in the right places to the songs and the mixing is great. The slight country edge is a nice touch too.
A few of these songs are just a bit too cheesy, and I found myself rolling my eyes at some of the lyrics.
I'll give it a solid 3, it does deserve to be here but I think it was released about 50 years too late to actually be anything groundbreaking.
Fav Tracks: Fire To The Rain, Lovesong
Hookworms
3/5
This is a solid indie rock album that sits nicely in the niche of what indie rock does best: Layered soundscapes with a variety of instruments and styles folded in accompanied by existential pondering lyrics presented in a nice upbeat/dancy package.
The influences are numerous and clear on this record - elements of MGMT, Animal Collective, The Antlers to name a few. Overall I find that it draws together these sounds well and presents it in a way that is fresh enough to not just sound like recycled material, however it has not gone far enough to be anything progressive or influential.
Most of the songs are on the longer side, which is a risky move, but I find works well, especially with how they're all faded into each other. The only one I felt that dragged a bit too much was Opener.
Fav Tracks: Negative Space, Ullswater, Shortcomings
Saint Etienne
3/5
This album was quite enjoyable. I found it reminiscent of Portishead, except with a light and poppy sound where they are dark and ethereal, like the other side of the coin. I liked their selection of samples and inclusion of radio/film dialogue in a couple sections.
I did not particularly like the Neil Young cover, surprised it is their top song. The vocals are too far back in the mix, the bass is too forward and the rhythm is kind of clunky. All the other songs I thoroughly enjoyed and overall found this to be quite a soothing album.
Fav Tracks: Carnt Sleep, Nothing Can Stop Us
Coldplay
3/5
I can't say I particularly enjoy Coldplay, a lot of their songs are sappy as hell and a little too soft sounding for my taste. I came into this album ready to dismiss it, but after my listen I will admit I may have pre-judged a little too hard.
While this still isn't my particular taste, I found the music to be technically competent (although not virtuous), the songwriting is consistent, and the production is good throughout.
Additionally, given the time this album came out, it was certainly influential in shaping pop/alt rock for the two decades since. I will begrudgingly admit that without this album, we probably wouldn't have a lot of modern artists like Bon Iver, Kings of Leon, The Killers, Mumford and Sons, Half Moon Run, etc. These guys were, and still are massively successful, and I think that pandering to as wide of an audience as possible is a skill in it's own right.
Overall not my thing, but I do believe it has earned it's place on this list.
Fav Tracks:
Spies, Yellow
PJ Harvey
4/5
This is a very interesting folk album. The music is well composed and the lyrics are complex and cover a variety of themes that are not typically covered in commercial music like war, imperialism and nationalism.
I find Harvey's singing to not always be the most enjoyable, seems somewhat common of a lot of folk musicians.
Overall a good album, and it goes to show that there is still a place in modern society for good, meaningful folk music that's not just faux old-timey folk sounding pop like a lot of indie-folk outfits.
Fav Tracks:
The Last Living Rose, The Words That Maketh Murder, In The Dark Places
Kate Bush
4/5
Goddamn I love Kate Bush.
Just like Bjork, there are some people who transcend humanity and create art that is truly breathtaking. I can't help but feel deeply moved when listening to some of the tracks on this record.
The first half of the album is an absolute bombshell of art-pop anthems, opening with one of the greatest songs ever recorded and finishing with the driving snares and crescendo strings of Cloudbusters (which is actually a fascinating story, worth looking up. Patti Smith has also written a song about Peter Reich).
The second half is a little weaker in my opinion, moves more into the experimental side of things, with a very ethereal, dream-like feel to these tracks. Waking the Witch is notable for it's vocal manipulation, but not exactly a pleasant listen.
Had the back half been a little stronger, I would give this album a perfect score. However I still think it is still worthy of any best-ever album list just given the absolute influential force that Kate Bush is. She has inspired countless acts and continues to shape popular music to this day.
Fav Tracks:
Running Up That Hill, The Big Sky, Cloudbusters
Love
5/5
This is a stunning psychedelic folk album. Beautiful instrumentation, top notch recording quality and very interesting and deep lyrical themes exploring mortality and questioning the counterculture movement.
I had not heard this one before, it seems to be fairly well received, but I am surprised it is not more popular than it was. I really enjoyed the listen and can't speak highly enough.
Fav Tracks:
Alone Again Or, Andmoreagain, Live and Let Live
The Pogues
3/5
I've got a soft spot for some good ol' Irish diddies.
There are some real gems on this one, the instrumentation is solid and the lyricism is rich, I could really picture some of stories being told.
I did find that some of the tracks kind of blended together, as the sound was the same through a lot of them, but it never dragged, as this is a sound I enjoy hearing.
Fav Tracks:
A Pair of Brown Eyes, Dirty Old Town, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
Megadeth
4/5
This is a fun album, classic thrash sound, good political messages with a bit of devil worship and face melting guitar licks.
I found the songs and lyrics to be varied enough that I didn't get bored with the sound, and the shorter playtime also helped with that, definitely a strong entry in the thrash genre.
Fav Tracks:
Peace Sells, Good Mourning / Black Friday, My Last Words
Cyndi Lauper
2/5
There are some absolute classics on this album. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Time After Time are basically required listening.
Beyond that, I found the rest of the tracks to be pretty much just worse versions of the hits, repetitive sounds, gaudy synths and Lauper's nasally voice all wore pretty thin for me as the album went on.
I still think it's worth a listen, but for me I'll take the hits and leave the rest.
Fav Tracks:
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Time After Time, All Through The Night
Booker T. & The MG's
5/5
Just a perfect instrumental soul album. Clearly it's influence has spread far and wide, the sound that comes from this is just ubiquitous.
Short but sweet, my only complaint is that there isn't more.
Fav Tracks:
Green Onions, Behave Yourself, Lonely Avenue
Traffic
4/5
This is how you do prog rock. Lots of Jazz influence, and it's very well incorporated into the sound.
The songs are long, allowing for extended instrumental sessions and really letting the players prowess shine. I am always a fan of a good Hammond in a rock album and the flute solo on Freedom Rider is everything. I never felt anything to drag on, and indeed found myself wishing for more by the end.
I give this a very strong 4.5, didn't quite tip into perfection, but will be very happy to listen to this again and again.
Fav Tracks:
Freedom Rider, Stranger to Himself, Every Mother's Son
Screaming Trees
3/5
First time listen for me, though Screaming Trees are a staple of early grunge.
I found this album to be quite enjoyable. It had a lot of the classic grunge sounds, like the gravelly voice and heavy rhythmic guitar riffs, while also incorporating some folky/psychedelic sounds (sitar on the first track was pretty cool).
Overall well done, doesn't reach too far out of the pack, but enjoyable none the less.
Fav Tracks:
Halo of Ashes, Dying Days, Traveler
Venom
5/5
This is great. Really fun, Satan worshipping thrash metal.
The directness in they way they approach their subject matter is hilarious and the songs are narratively complex, the imagery within each evoking a clear story.
The little interludes and extra sound effects really give off the impression they were having a great time making it. Teacher's Pet has dethroned Hot for Teacher as the definitive song about inappropriate student-teacher relations.
I did find that the mixing on a few of the tracks made the instruments sound a bit hollow, but they get a pass for being one of the first thrash albums.
Despite it's age, it holds up incredibly well, and to me this is the gold standard of great metal.
Fav Tracks:
Buried Alive, Raise The Dead, Teacher's Pet, Leave Me In Hell
The Young Gods
2/5
I'm going to generously say that this was... Ok.
A little weird for my taste, definitely not something I would listen to again, the circus undertones were very eerie. But I didn't find myself wanting to stop it from playing in the moment (high bar we have here).
I did find the extensive use of sampling and looping interesting, it was like making electronic music but for metal. However, that did get fairly repetitive after a while. Points for creativity on that one I guess.
Fav Tracks:
Nothing here I would re-listen to
Beastie Boys
5/5
Hell yea, this album just drips coolness.
This thing is so jam-packed with references, samples, nods and easter eggs to music history, especially rock history, that I'm still hearing new things after dozens of listens.
The constant record scratching and old school hip-hop flow do certainly date this album to a specific era. And the strained singing from the boys don't make it always palatable to the ear.
Despite these shortcomings, the soul, energy and respect for musical history definitely make this album one that everybody must listen to, preferably many many times.
Fav Tracks:
Rhyming & Stealing, Fight For Your Right, No Sleep Til Brooklyn, Brass Monkey
Muddy Waters
5/5
This is straight blues the way it should be. The songs are riffs here are iconic. The recording is impeccable, and the energy is fantastic. Absolute classic.
Fav tracks:
Mannish Boy, I Can't Be Satisfied, Deep Down In Florida
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Great Album. LCD Soundsystem mix of dance/punk/electronic/indie is unmistakable and extremely catchy.
The use of repeating passages, layering more and more sounds makes for songs that are instantly accessible and groovy. Although my one criticism would be that they rely quite heavily on this method, it makes for songs that are quite long and begins to feel a little formualic by the end of the album.
Overall still a fantastic album, really paved the way for Electronic Indie/Dance in the years since.
Fav Tracks:
Time To Get Away, Someone Great, Watch The Tapes, New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down
Oasis
2/5
Personally, I find Oasis to be quite boring.
I don't doubt their and songwriting abilities, they have certainly written some catchy tunes that have infiltrated the public consciousness.
As a whole however, I find this albums to be like watered down skim milk. The songs here have very little variation to offer beyond the standard guitar strumming at slightly different tempos, straight time drum tracks and whiny vocals who's messaging can be summed up as "I'm pretty cool and should definitely be famous"
Fav Tracks:
Digsy's Diner, Married With Children
Throbbing Gristle
3/5
I found this album to be quite interesting. While it's not something I would listen to regularly, I didn't find it to be the inaccessible barrage of noise a lot of "industrial" albums are. At times I found it to actually be almost relaxing, more akin to an ambient work.
The use of spoken word recordings on a couple tracks such as Valley of the Shadow of Death and Hometime had the feeling of being in a cafe or watching someone's old home recordings. The punk-like tracks Hit By a Rock and Blood on the Floor are pretty standard of the time. Then there are the tracks in the middle that experiment more with the synth and vocal effects, to varying degrees of success, but some are actually quite good. There are also a few tracks that lean more towards the noisy/industrial side like I.B.M, Dead on Arrival and Walls of Sound that I could do without.
Overall I think this is interesting piece of musical history. Very experimental, it gets a few things right and a few things wrong. I'm glad I got to listen.
Fav Tracks:
Hamburger Lady, AB/7A, E-Coli
Can
4/5
A beautifully relaxing album. The sound and atmosphere created here is consistent throughout, and it takes me on a journey.
This is something I'd want to listen to sitting on a grassy hill watching the clouds roll by.
Fav Tracks:
Future Days, Bel Air
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Wow, dropping this shit as a debut album with that album cover is one hell of a statement. I guess that's exactly what Rage is all about though.
It makes me sad that in the 30 years since this albums release, all of the themes contained within are just as, if not more, relevant.
But it makes make happy that this exists, so at least there's that.
Fav Tracks:
Killing In the Name, Settle For Nothing, Wake Up
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
A true master, his skills shine through bright as ever on this record.
Ambitious lengthy jam tracks mixed in with some top tier radio hits, this album doesn't let up for a second, and yet it still doesn't feel long enough.
Fav Tracks:
Crosstown Traffic, 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be), All Along The Watchtower
Elliott Smith
3/5
This album is more polished, produced and completed than Elliot Smith's other works, but I find that doesn't necessarily help him here. The thing that got him noticed was writing very personal, intimate songs, and this feels like a step away from that.
Overall its not bad, the music sounds nice, and Smith's songwriting and lyrics are still effective. Good for a sad rainy day or self-reflection. But it's missing the deeply personal feeling of his earlier work.
Fav Tracks:
Son of Sam, Everything Reminds Me of Her, Stupidity Tries
The Sonics
3/5
This really puts the raucous in rock & roll. A solid collection of original songs mixed in with some rock standards. The energy is fast and vicious on this album. I could definitely imagine this sound influenced a number of bands coming out of this period.
I find it interesting that most albums I've seen released before the late 60s have a large number of covers included in them. I wonder what the reasoning for that was and when the shift occurred.
The recording quality on this one is pretty scratchy, but I'm not sure that wasn't deliberate, as it certainly adds to the "garage" feel.
Overall a fun listen, I would have like to hear some more originals, the ones included are pretty strong and it would be neat to see what else they could do.
Fav Tracks:
The Witch, Have Love Will Travel, Strychnine
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
Such a chill album. Ben R introduced me to Nightmares on Wax and I've been a fan ever since.
Elements of funk, world music, R&B, soul and more wrapped up in a smooth, electronic package. I did find that some of the songs and the album itself began to loose my attention given the length, but it's perfect background listening.
Fav Tracks:
Pipes Honor, Groove St.
Björk
4/5
Another really solid entry from Iceland's crown jewel. This album is a lot more accessible than some of Bjork's other work.
There are a lot of beautiful string arrangements mixed with electronic elements. Counterbalancing these grand pieces are a lot of very minimalist moments, which works quite well. All of these are tied together with Bjork's unique voice and lyricism.
Fav Tracks:
Cocoon, Pagan Poetry, Heirloom
Kanye West
4/5
A very bold debut album from Kanye. At a time when the industry was filled with gangster rap, Kanye shatters all that with his soulful, self-reflective and humorous writing style.
The production on this album is stellar, many different styles, layers, samples, instruments and guests are featured throughout and it all comes together as a cohesive piece. The songs are catchy, and still hold up well to this day and despite it's length, I never felt like there was any filler, or I was waiting for it to end.
I have never been on the "Kanye train" and don't particularly enjoy him as a person, especially in recent years. But the man knows how to make an album.
Fav Tracks:
Spaceship, Slow Jamz, Two Words
Brian Eno
3/5
I know Brian Eno mostly from his Ambient projects, which are some of my favourite (and Roxy Music of course).
This album was a refreshing change from the other versions of Eno. It felt very experimental, while still maintaining an enjoyable listening quality that I would definitely go back to and explore further. Nothing particularly stood out to me to elevate this album above the pack, but I still enjoyed the listen.
Fav Tracks:
Backwater, King's Lead Hat, Julie With
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
Good debut album from QotSA, I've never actually listened to this one before, more familiar with their later offerings.
Already they are hitting a lot of the same notes as their more popular albums, crunchy guitar riffs, catchy melodies and the classic drone vocals from Homme.
As a whole, the songs on the record feel a little bit one note to me, they have their sound and they're sticking too it. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as it is a good sound, but it makes the tracks blend together as we get further along.
Fav Tracks:
You Would Know, Spiders and Vinegaroons
Eurythmics
3/5
The lead single off this album is a household name at this point. Given the popularity of that track, I was expecting there to be a couple other standouts on this album. Unfortunately I found the rest of the offerings to be pretty run of the mill.
That's not to say any of the songs are bad, I did enjoy my listen, to me this is quintessential 80s synth-pop. But beyond the title track I found nothing particularly memorable about this offering.
Fav Tracks:
I Could Give You (A Mirror), The Walk, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These)
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
This is my first time hearing of Teenage Fanclub, but it's interesting to read they were pretty big in their day, even beating Nirvana for Spin's record of the year.
I liked this album a lot, they have a very laid-back sound that combined with simplistic yet thoughtful lyrics makes for a really enjoyable listen.
The sound has a timeless quality to it that makes it feel like it could have just as easily been released as a new hip indie project last year, and it would not have been out of place.
Fav Tracks:
December, Star Sign, Alcoholiday
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
This is a perfect example of a grunge album. The balance struck here between the thick, crunchy guitar heavy tracks and the lighter, moody ones with full string accompaniment really hits the mark.
Billy Corgan is not a great singer by any stretch of the imagination, but his vocal delivery on this album really evokes a sense of longing and nostalgia, making the emotional resonance that much stronger.
The one thing I could find issue with here is that it could have been a track or two shorter, as the length does drag on a bit, but none of the songs really feel like filler, so it's only a minor complaint.
I'll give this a strong 4.5, rounding up.
Fav Tracks:
Cherub Rock, Today, Disarm, Geek USA
Astor Piazzolla
5/5
Never had I dreamed that the combination of Accordion and Vibraphone would be enthralling. This album is 58 minutes of purse musical virtuosity, and it reminds me that there are still so many areas of music I have yet to uncover.
Fav Tracks:
Best enjoyed in it's entirety
King Crimson
5/5
Oh man, I love this album so much. An incredible debut from Prog giants King Crimson. Such a good blend of rock, jazz, psychedelic and symphonic sounds, this thing is larger than life.
The influence of this album is far reaching, many great prog bands cite it as inspiration, and the first track was even sampled by Kanye 40 years later. Definitely deserves to be on any greatest albums list.
Fav Tracks:
21st Century, I Talk to The Wind, Epitaph, In the Court of the Crimson King
The Shamen
1/5
This one is not for me...
Every song follows the same pattern: Start off with a fast and heavy drum beat, add in some repeating hollow synths, drop a random sample or two and then say some weird inspirational or cryptic shit. Sometimes they even throw in a rap verse for good measure.
This may have been groundbreaking when it came out, and blown the minds of everyone at the warehouse rave at 4am high on MDMA back in 1990. But I'm sitting here in my office chair in 2023 and can definitively say I'd rather listen to pretty much anything else.
The National
4/5
Great album by The National, I probably know every lyric here by heart. The trio of Boxer, High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me are definitely my favourite era from them.
The National have this special talent for making really somber and depressing songs still sound musically interesting, the Dessner twins definitely have some weird psychic twin thing going on with their writing and performance. Additionally Matt Berninger's songwriting prowess lies in his ability to capture the pain experienced in the mundane things about everyday life. He doesn't really seem like he has any reason to be as sad as he comes off in his songs, but I think that kind of taps into something universal.
Personally I don't feel like this album has the je ne sais quoi that pushes it into the 5 star category, there's nothing particularly novel or influential about the music they create. But their music is good, and it is still one of my favourite albums from one of my favourite bands.
Fav Tracks:
Terrible Love, Sorrow, England
5/5
This is an absolute classic. Probably the best among U2s studio albums, while I prefer Rattle and Hum, that's a live album record on the Joshua Tree tour, so credit for this one there too.
All of the songs seem deliberately placed, and all of them are excellent, no fillers to be found here. The flow of the album seems deliberate and very well planned out. The tension starts to build right off the bat, and then it is released and rebuild again multiple times over the course of the album, really keeping the listener's attention.
The production is incredible, the songs all sound huge but intimate at the same time. Wasn't surprised to see Brian Eno with the credit, but also nice to see good ol' Canadian boy Daniel Lanois alongside.
While I am not a fan enough of U2 to casually listen to "With or Without You" while driving home from work. I do think this album as a whole is a stellar example of how to make a great album, and definitely worth of a spot on any best of list.
Fav Tracks:
Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Bullet The Blue Sky, Mothers of The Disappeared
Bob Dylan
4/5
Early Bob Dylan, when the word was really introduced to his songwriting power. While he definitely continues to improve as his careers moves along, even at this point he was still writing multiple songs that are better than what most artists can hope to achieve in a whole career.
Really intimate, bare-bones album, the only track with accompaniment is Corrina, Corrina. I think this was a good choice, really brings the focus onto his songwriting.
Fav Tracks:
Blowin' In The Wind, Girl from the North Country, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, Corrina, Corrina
The Lemonheads
3/5
A surprisingly early example of pop-punk. Catchy upbeat tunes with playfully clever lyrics, this one is a fun listen.
Fav Tracks:
Allison's Starting to Happen, Hannah & Gabi, Ceiling Fan in my Spoon, Mrs. Robinson
fIREHOSE
4/5
Never heard of these guys before - but I was intrigued right from the get go with the funky guitar riff intro.
The instrumentation is great, a wonderful mix of acoustic and electric guitars, super funky bass and a variety of percussion that all come together into a playful treat for the ears.
Having two entire tracks dedicate to just drum solos seems like a bit of a bold choice, but maybe that was the guy's requirement to feature.
Fav Tracks:
In My Mind, Liberty For Our Friend, Understanding
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Pretty standard alt-rock album. There's some good songs on here, interesting lyrics with tight instrumentation, and some others that sound indistinguishable from many others at the time. Overall an enjoyable listen, but not something I will likely be coming back to in the future.
Fav Tracks:
Small Black Flowers That Grown In The Sky, The Girl Who Wanted To Be God, Interiors
Daft Punk
5/5
I absolutely love Daft Punk - but when I saw that this album was 74 minutes long, I approached it with trepidation, thinking "ok their songs are great, but that's way too long to listen to repetitive EDM music in one sitting"
Well I am happy to say I was wrong, those 74 minutes absolutely blew by, and not once did I ever think there was a song dragging on too long or that I was ready to move on to the next track.
Daft Punk have this incredible way of building a beat throughout a song where they bring in new sounds one by one, and then let them linger so you brain adjusts to the new pattern. Then at the very moment where you have become adjusted and feel a wanting for some new stimulus, they grant it eagerly. It's like some kind of psychic DJ power.
In my order of preference, I would say I prefer RAM to Homework, but I cannot deny the influence this album had, bringing House and EDM into the popular spotlight, something that has deeply affected Pop music ever since. Plus, this album is still a delight to listen to.
Fav Tracks:
Revolution 909, Da Funk, Around The World, Rollin' and Scratchin', Rock'n Roll
Grateful Dead
3/5
The Dead are always best experienced live. Pretty neat that they apparently got someone to invent the microphone splitter required to record them while playing a live show, to the benefit of all live recording since.
I'm not the type of person to give up my job and follow the dead around while they're on tour, but I will jam out to these tracks any day.
Fav Tracks:
Dark Star, The Eleven, Death Don't Have No Mercy
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
This is an interesting album, very melancholy and intimate. I really enjoy the vibe built up in these tracks and Nick Cave's deep voice adds to the ambience.
I find there is a bit of variance in quality with the lyricism, sometimes it is deep with rich imagery, and other times repetitive and slightly cringey. Either way still an enjoyable listen.
Fav Tracks:
People Ain't No Good, Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere, Idiot Prayer
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
A great blues album by one of the great blues players, Eric Clapton's abilities are undeniable. The title track of this album is one of the greatest love songs ever written, and so it stands to be included on the list for that alone.
Going through the rest of the album, while I did enjoy my listen, I felt that the sound became pretty repetitive as time went on. Had the album been a little shorter, that may have accounted for it, but at over 75 minutes, I could have used a bit more variety. It's a small complaint given his abilities, but in my mind keeps it from greatness.
Fav Tracks:
Bell Bottom Blues, Have You Ever Loved a Woman?, Layla
Dead Kennedys
4/5
This is how I like my punk music - fast, loud, politically charged and irreverent as fuck.
Fav Tracks:
Kill The Poor, Chemical Warfare, Holiday In Cambodia
Rush
5/5
It's impossible not to give 5 stars to any Rush album I see. One of the greatest Prog rock outfits there ever was, backed by the incredible force that is Neil Peart, RIP.
Fav Tracks:
Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ, Limelight, Vital Signs
The Mars Volta
2/5
This one should be easy for me, I love Prog Rock and having Flea on bass is a huge win for any band. But yet I just cannot get into it.
The songwriting and instrumentation are good, I really enjoy the incorporation of latin/jazz styles, but what looses me is the vocal delivery. It sounds too much like a whiny 00s Emo-Punk band. Also makes what is supposed to be a story based concept album mostly unintelligible (although having looked up some of the lyrics, it appears you need a thesaurus to decipher them anyway).
Plus including a well-known acronym in two of your tracks, but then redefining what is stands for is officially jumping the shark on the pretentiousness scale.
Fav Tracks:
Inertiatic ESP, This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed
Ice Cube
4/5
This is the epitome of old school gansta rap. The lyrics and imagery here are very visceral and often violent, but it's how Ice was trying to get his message across. Very politically charged, many of the issues raised within are still a problem today (sadly, seems to be a common theme).
The production is really cool, with tons of great samples and hidden gems. The inclusion of skits and little spoken bits do date the album a bit, but they're not so heavily leaned on that it is a major problem
Fav Tracks:
Once Upon a Time in the Projets, A Gansta's Fairytale, Who's the Mac?
Talking Heads
3/5
Great entry by the Talking Heads - plenty of funk/afro-inspired rhythms in this one make it a very catchy album.
The production is good, the songwriting is good and it's overall just a solid collection of songs. I should really have nothing bad to say about this album and yet it's somehow a bit forgettable. I feel like I'm not alone in this opinion, as none of these songs top any list of Talking Heads best tracks.
Fav Tracks:
Mind, Life During Wartime, Air, Animals
Jethro Tull
5/5
One of my favourite albums since I was a kid. Rock solid through and through, there's an amazing mix of folky acoustic and crunchy electric riffs, all interspersed with Anderson's legendary flute playing.
The lyrics and imagery are also very vivid, with each song painting a compelling picture. Additionally all of the songs compliment each other nicely and the album has a great flow. To me this is a prime example of how to put an album together.
Fav Tracks:
Aqualung, Cross-Eyed Mary, Locomotive Breath
Christine and the Queens
3/5
Although not the type of music I typically listen to, I found myself liking this more than I thought I would.
The production is varied and interesting, and the vocal performance is quite good. Some of the heavier dubstep-style beats I don't think were really needed on this one, definitely could have gone without.
Also interesting that both French and English versions were recorded, I haven't really seen that done before (at least at the same time). But I did find that the lyrics on the French songs generally flowed much better.
Fav Tracks:
Comme si on s'aimait, Doesn't matter (voleur de soleil), Goya ! Soda !
The Rolling Stones
3/5
A debut album consisting almost entirely of covers - definitely not something that would be possible even a couple years after it's release, at least for a band that would go on to be as famous as the Rolling Stones.
Despite the lack of original songwriting, the covers are well done and certainty do a good job paying tribute to some of the R&B greats. Although I do hope they got the credit they deserved.
Fav Tracks:
Mona, Can I Get A Witness, Not Fade Away
Radiohead
4/5
Their second album was when Radiohead really started to rise above the crowd. While it's still not their best, you can definitely hear the beginnings of what will go to be some of their distinctive trademarks. High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees are still both in my top favourite Radiohead songs, so they were definitely doing something right here.
Fav Tracks:
High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, My Iron Lung
GZA
3/5
This is a very interesting album. I love the overall theme/vibe and incorporation of old samurai move samples. The beats are excellent and the flow is very relaxing.
Personally I felt like I could not concentrate on this album well enough to fully appreciate all of the lyrical themes and ideas that are being explored here. Which may be my loss, because according to some write-ups there's a lot to unpack. Perhaps I will need to take some time to come back to it in the future.
Fav Tracks:
Duel Of The Iron Mic, 4th Chamber, B.I.B.L.E (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)
Supergrass
4/5
This is a very interesting album. Seems to be sitting right on the precipice of classic brit rocks sounds like the Kinks, the Ramones, etc. and modern brit/indie rock like Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, etc.
A good variety of styles throughout the album too kept it interesting. Overall a good listen.
Fav Tracks:
Caught By the Fuzz, She's So Loose, Sofa Of My Lethargy
Isaac Hayes
4/5
This is a fantastic good soundtrack. All of the instrumental tracks have a great groove to them, I really jammed out to this.
I was less enticed by the tracks with lyrics, something about the literalness of them turned me off a bit. It felt like I was listening to narration more than a song. Which to be fair make sense, because it's a movie soundtrack, but still took me out of the listening experience a bit.
I haven't seen the film, so I'll have to check that out for the full experience, but it was a good listen nonetheless
Fav Tracks:
Walk From Regio's, Do Your Thing
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Good entry from The Boss. I love the depth of sound and variety of instruments used on this, really fleshes out the album.
I do enjoy the singer-songwriter vibe on Springsteen's first two albums a bit more than this one, but clearly the shift in sound worked for him. And there's still some all-time classics on this.
Fav Tracks:
Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Born to Run
Everything But The Girl
2/5
I found this album to be pretty unremarkable. Very strong 80s sound with lots of drum machines, soft vocals and plucky guitars.
Fav Tracks:
The Night I Heard Caruso Sing, Apron Strings
John Lennon
2/5
I don't particularly care for John without the Beatles. Outside of Imagine, which is a monumentous track, the rest of the songs here are forgettable. It just sounds like he's trying to further cash in on the fame of the Beatles while spouting his "I've done at lot of drugs and we're all connected" one love bullshit. At least Paul and George were trying (and succeeding) to do interesting things around the same time.
Fav Tracks:
Imagine, I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama
AC/DC
4/5
Absolute classic in the rock cannon. Although I was a little surprised to see it came out in '80, I would have guessed earlier than that.
Pretty much every song on here is a staple of rock radio, in fact I feel like I've heard most of these songs almost too many times. Nevertheless they do still hold up. The riffs are solid and chunky, the vocals are soaring and the content, while pretty basic, just makes me want to dawn a leather jacket and ride on down the highway into the sunset.
A couple of the less popular songs on here feel like filler to me, but everything else is a pleasure to listen to again.
Fav Tracks:
Hells Bells, Back In Black, Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
A great entry from Mr Lamar. This album is tragic, personal and heartbreaking, but also extremely hype. I remember some of these songs being played at every party/festival I attended in the 2010s, an interesting juxtaposition to hear them in this context.
That is the beauty of a great songwriter though, the songs can reach a wide audience, yet contain multitudes. Excellent album.
Fav Tracks:
Backseat Freestyle, Swimming Pools, Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst
Goldie
1/5
This is just boring.
Also the singing is bad.
Guess it did not live up to the title.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
Very interesting album. A couple pretty experimental psychedelic tracks on here, and then a lot that are more run of the mill 60s rock.
I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) is a definite standout, the opening sounds like it could be well placed on an MGMT album.
Fav Tracks:
I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night), Are You Lovin' Me More (But Enjoying It Less), Get Me to the World on Time
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Chapman has such a distinct voice and excellent songwriting skills, the narratives and themes are extremely rich in these songs. This album is a great listen, and Fast Car is an all-time hit.
The minimal production was an excellent choice, just letting Chapman and her guitar shine really draws the listener in to what she is saying.
Fav Tracks:
Talkin' Bout a Revolution, Fast Car, Mountains o’ Things
OutKast
4/5
I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. They experimented with a wide variety of music styles on this album, I can hear influences of Funk, Jazz, Psychedelic and Rock to name a few. It makes for a really pleasant listening experience.
The lyrical content hits all the typical hip-hop themes, guns, drugs, sex and violence, but with a hyperbolic angle that sometimes veers into satire.
Fav Tracks:
Ms. Jackson, B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad), Humble Muble, Stankonia (Stanklove)
The Pharcyde
3/5
Pretty good hip-hip album. I enjoyed the use of jazz/funk samples. I did find the record scratching got to be a bit repetitive by the end of it, would have just preferred that to be omitted entirely.
Fav Tracks:
Oh Shit, Passin' Me By
Sigur Rós
4/5
Really beautiful album, I love the awe-inspiring sound of post rock. I do find that the tracks tend to become a bit indistinguishable though as I regard the album as whole instead of a collection of tracks.
Fav Tracks:
N/A
Black Sabbath
4/5
Although Charles Bradley has the definitive version, props to Black Sabbath for writing one of the most emotionally weighty songs of all time.
The rest of the album is a pretty big tonal shift from Changes, but still very good nonetheless. None of the songs here would be considered among Sabbath's biggest hits, but I really enjoyed the tone/vibe of the album.
Fav Tracks:
Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener, Changes, Snowblind, Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes
Jurassic 5
3/5
An enjoyable album with classic Hip Hop vibes. Big props to the producers for sampling, mixing and effects in here - give it a very cohesive feeling. The rapping was also very smooth, but not the highlight for me.
Fav Tracks:
Break, What's Golden, High Fidelity
OutKast
4/5
Really interesting double album - I enjoyed the contrast between the more Electro-Funk Speakerboxxx and the jazzier The Love Below. I did have a preference for the second half, but no surprise there.
Great production, fun interludes and just solid songwriting all around, not to mention some really great features. My only complaint is that it's a bit too long, but you can't really be surprised from a double album.
Fav Tracks:
GhettoMusick, The Way You Move, Hey Ya!, Roses, My Favorite Things
AC/DC
2/5
Honestly a bit of a snoozefest for me - by the 6th album I think AC/DC ran out of ideas for original compositions and just began recycling their sound.
Not only that but the lyrical content feels like it's written by a horny middle-schooler.
Title track ain't bad though.
Fav Tracks:
Highway to Hell
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
This is an epic album. It is taking concept to the extreme, jam-packed with references both personal and cultural to Illinois. The scope is truly mind-boggling.
The songwriting is also extremely well done. Beautiful instrumentation and varied, experimental sounds that still form a cohesive unit. Also the song titles are a real joy.
Despite all of this - I personally feel this album does not fully emotionally resonate with me in the way a lot of other great albums do, but I do still appreciate as an exceptional work of art nonetheless. Perhaps I just need to dig a bit deeper.
Fav Tracks:
Chicago, The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts, The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!
Julian Cope
4/5
I have never heard of Julian Cope, which is kind of surprising because I enjoyed this album quite a bit. I found there to be quite a wide variety of sounds (within the rock framework) included on this. I could pick out influences of David Bowie, Neil Young, Iggy Pop and even The Beatles to name a few.
The songs were generally well executed and the album was quite cohesive. The one negative for me is that it is a little long and there are definitely some filler songs that could have been removed, especially around the end.
Fav Tracks:
Hanging Out And Hung Up On The Line, Safesurfer, If You Loved Me At All, Beautiful Love
Justice
3/5
There are some absolute bangers on this one, can't deny that. There are also a couple tracks that sounds pretty dated now, so a bit of a mix bag here.
Overall though I enjoyed the listen, brings up some nostalgic feelings for sure.
Fav tracks:
Genesis, D.A.N.C.E, Phantom Pt. II
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
Pretty standard glam rock record here. A few of the songs had weird lyrical themes and the title track rips off Mony Mony??
There are some interesting production elements and noises that are a bit Pink Floyd-ish at times, so not all bad.
Fav Tracks:
Strange Boys Play Weird Opening (great title), Tooting Bec Wreck
Jack White
4/5
Definitely my favourite (solo) Jack White album.
Teeters the line between folk and blues rock really well with a bit his signature garage-y twist. Really showcases Jack White's varied musical influences and his strong abilities.
Fav Tracks:
Sixteen Saltines, Love Interruption, I'm Shakin'
R.E.M.
5/5
An excellent entry from R.E.M. I've always enjoyed their music and this album is no exception. Great sound and production on this one. Really open, kind of bleak soundscape while still being catchy as hell. The lyricism and delivery are also excellent. Lots of political themes here but delivered in a witty, sarcastic way that still feels extremely relevant to this day. All of this AND the album holds two of R.E.Ms all-time hits.
I also get a really strong Tragically Hip vibe off of this one. I actually wasn't planning on giving 5/5 when I started writing this, but the more I reflect the more I realize this album has everything you could want.
Fav Tracks:
Exhuming McCarth, The End of the World, The One I Love, Fireplace
4/5
I definitely enjoyed this more than the previous PJ Harvey that was on the list (Let England Shake). This album is more raw and powerful. There are emotional highs and lows and a more personal feeling to the tracks.
There is very obvious channelling of Patti Smith in here, but I think it works quite well for Harvey. The features of Thom Yorke were a nice surprise, his voice works wonderfully with this style of music.
Fav Tracks:
Big Exit, Beautiful Feeling, You Said Something, This Mess We're In, We Float
The Beta Band
3/5
This was pretty good - not really what I expected out of a Scottish band from the turn of the century but I'm into it.
Very experimental and varied instrumentation on here, but done in a really chill relaxing manner, made for a pleasant listen. At times invoked Moon Safari by Air, and even a little bit of the more experimental Beatles tracks.
It doesn't stand out to me as a long-term listen, but I;m glad I got to hear it nevertheless.
Fav Tracks:
Squares, Gone, Life
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I've always loved CCR, just some really solid folky-blues rock.
I'm more familiar with their debut album, but this one has some solid entries as well. It's not perfect, but a great collection of songs nonetheless.
Fav Tracks:
Green River, Bad Moon Rising, The Night Time Is The Right Time
Blur
3/5
This is a pretty wild album. Of course everybody has heard Song 2 before, but I didn't think much else of Blur beyond that. I have to say I did not have super high expectations, kind of labelling them as one-hit wonders, but this album proved me wrong.
This album cycles through numerous genres of rock, I hear influences from Weezer, the Pixies, The Smiths, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones to name a few. Each song is well executed and it's immediately obvious what they were trying to emulate.
My one complaint would be that it causes almost a bit of music whiplash, as there is almost too much variation going on here.
Fav Tracks:
Song 2, You're So Great, Strange New From Another Star
The Stone Roses
5/5
Wow - this album is amazing.
I had not heard this before, but I love absolutely everything about it. It's extremely well executed, the band is so tight and the production quality is stellar. It starts off with some quiet but beautiful longs, and then just ramps up the energy from there finishing with an 8 minute groovy jam.
The guitar playing is something else, especially on the last 4 tracks, such smooth riffs and backed by a tight drummer.
Great discovery, I've already listened to it 3 times...
Fav Tracks:
Waterfall, Made Of Stone, Shoot You Down, This Is The One
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Very interesting and enjoyable Piano concert. Really felt a lot of different musical elements and themes coming through on this one.
Very interesting to read about the backstory and hear that it's all improvised on a terrible piano.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Great collection of soulful R&B songs - lots of classics on here. Just an all-around fun record.
Fav Tracks:
He's The Greatest Dancer, We Are Family, One More Time
Iron Maiden
5/5
FUCK YEAH!!!
Fav tracks:
The Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills, Hallowed Be Thy Name