Journey Complete!
Finisher # to complete the list
141
Albums Rated
2.63
Average Rating
13%
Complete
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Taste Profile
1980s
Favorite Decade
Indie
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other
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Rater Style ?
8
5-Star Albums
8
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
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Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The College Dropout | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
| The Man Machine | 5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
| Paul's Boutique | 5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
| Licensed To Ill | 5 | 3.56 | +1.44 |
| With The Beatles | 5 | 3.66 | +1.34 |
| Band On The Run | 5 | 3.67 | +1.33 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots | 1 | 3.58 | -2.58 |
| Me Against The World | 1 | 3.25 | -2.25 |
| Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black | 1 | 3.23 | -2.23 |
| The Wall | 2 | 4.14 | -2.14 |
| The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn | 1 | 3.11 | -2.11 |
| The Stranger | 2 | 3.86 | -1.86 |
| Bone Machine | 1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
| Dookie | 2 | 3.8 | -1.8 |
| Group Sex | 1 | 2.74 | -1.74 |
| All Hope Is Gone | 1 | 2.7 | -1.7 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 2 | 5 |
| Beastie Boys | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 1.5 |
5-Star Albums (8)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Radiohead
5/5
It was not easy following up the guitar-centered, abstract, emotional, and cryptic masterpiece "The Bends", which was in its own right a level above the more repetitive grunge sound on what is widely considered to be Radiohead's worst record, "Pablo Honey". In my opinion, OK Computer is the album that has aged the best from any piece of music published in the 90's. The lyrics are extremely relevant, Thom Yorke's tenor is iconic, and it touches upon themes of media-obsession, paranoia and dystopian technology in a beautifully coherent way. I believe that when it was released it set a new gold standard for progressive/art rock that has only been met by a very select few projects these 2 decades. Overall score a perfect 5/5.
41 likes
Slipknot
1/5
If you enjoy this type of music, I would say you are ignoring some personal problems. If you would consider yourself to be in a healthy state of mind, send me your Paypal so I can put down 5 bucks for a new pair of ears. Jesus Christ, release me from this stinking pile of dogshit.
34 likes
Kanye West
5/5
At the time of The College Dropout's release, every pop rap record consisted of bad gangsters rapping about the difficulties of growing up in Detroit, robbing stores and spraying your rivals with a glock. Kanye changed this with humorous, touching lyrics, extremely rhythmic optimism, fire beats, and a touching and honest view of his own faith and failures. He inspired a generation of rappers to express themselves more genuinely and explore more alternative forms of hiphop, and it's something I still greatly admire him for. An easy 5/5.
33 likes
Fleet Foxes
3/5
On one hand, every song on this record is extremely well produced, with a clear and sharp sound and epic vocals. Standout songs for me are Sun It Rises, White Winter, Ragged Wood and Quiet Houses. However, there is very little for me to gain in listening to any more. I am dissapointed by the variety, a lack of tight instrumentals, and an unengaging theme. Because it leans a bit too much on vocals for my taste and I find myself getting tired of the choir-boy indie esthetic after a couple of songs, I feel it deserves a 6/10.
28 likes
Beastie Boys
5/5
Though I would consider Hip-Hop to be one of my least favorite genres, I believe Paul's Boutique is an absolute gem. Every single track on here is packed with fitting samples, witty lyrics, raunchy and edgy rap, great pacing and extremly catchy bass riffs. Besides "Car Thief", I think every track on here is an absolute staple in this genre, and Paul's Boutique thus deserves a 5/5.
20 likes
1-Star Albums (8)
All Ratings
Daft Punk
3/5
Daftendirekt, Da Funk and Fresh are pretty great tracks. Teachers and Around the World are quite good. Burnin is big bad. Rollin & Scratching and Rock N Roll are some of the worst tracks I have heard in my life, absolutely ear-raping sirenes, horrible. Overall score: 6/10.
Beatles
5/5
Growing up, I almost exclusively listened to compilation's of the Beatles' greatest hits. Rarely ever, I took the opportunity to listen to a full album by them. Browsing through their discography, I feel like a complete outcast for saying that With the Beatles is my favorite, by a considerable margin. I will admit that the songs that made the biggest impression on me by the Beatles, are mostly scattered throughout Abbey Road, Revolver, Rubber Soul and A Hard Day's Night, but With the Beatles does not contain a single unenjoyable or average track at all. With the slight exception of Little Child, I find that every other song on With the Beatles is exceptionally touching, raw, authentic and sung beautifully.
A 5/5 is absolutely deserved.
Pulp
2/5
The Fear is quite catchy, Dishes lyrics are not convincing. Help the Aged also good. TIH buildup too long, Like a Friend has a great instrumentals. Overall not my thing, its mostly a watered down combination of Bowie and an above average rock-project. 5/10
2Pac
1/5
I might be biased because I am a huge Kanye West fan, but most indicative is the difference between Late Registration's "Hey Mama" and "Dear Mama" from this record. The lyrics on 2Pac's version made me wince, the rest of the album is devoid of creative samples and clever wordplay and I am having a hard time remembering the differences between most tracks. This might be due to the generic and repetitive style in most songs, which gives more reason to the fact that this type of rap has aged terribly to my ears. Only song memorable to me is Death Around The Corner, and that is mostly because of the hard-hitting instrumentals. Overall score is a 2(Pac) out of 10.
Buena Vista Social Club
2/5
This is not music I would normally listen to, but I can appreciate its quality nonetheless. The record starts of well with the energy and swing of Chan Chan and El Cuarto, but Pueblo Nuevo's, or danzon in general, is not something I would find time in my day to listen to. The slower Dos Gardeniaas and Veinte Anos bored me quite a bit. This is a well executed and original album, but it does not fit my music taste very well. Overall score is a 4/10.
Air
3/5
This record shows in some cases a similar style to Daft Punk, but with fewer extremely annoying "experimental" sirenes and blaring synthesizers that make you want to pierce your eardrums with a toothpick. However, some songs do depend too much on generic elevator/video-game menu music vibes, or take a little bit too long to become exciting. Songs that are worth being added to my collection, are Voyage, Ce matin-la, Femme d'argent, Kelly and All I Need. I feel that each of these songs adds something new to the experience, different instrumentals, different tempo but the same funky and relaxing atmosphere. With me liking exactly 50 percent of the album, I feel it deserves an overall score of 6/10.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
On one hand, every song on this record is extremely well produced, with a clear and sharp sound and epic vocals. Standout songs for me are Sun It Rises, White Winter, Ragged Wood and Quiet Houses. However, there is very little for me to gain in listening to any more. I am dissapointed by the variety, a lack of tight instrumentals, and an unengaging theme. Because it leans a bit too much on vocals for my taste and I find myself getting tired of the choir-boy indie esthetic after a couple of songs, I feel it deserves a 6/10.
Circle Jerks
1/5
I imagine this type of music is made for desperate teenagers, to fit in with an obnoxious anti-establishment crowd, pretending to enjoy a disgusting screamishly loud esthetic and inflect misery upon themselves. Luckily for my average score, I have not yet been graced with the opportunity to review heavy metal... The only redeeming quality about this record is that the tracks are very short, but there is no excuse for the abhorrent sound "Group Sex" contains. I am contemplating not giving this record a score, because I feel sad about it averaging out a perfect 5/5 to two 3/5's. However, to be fair to the 1001 albums project, this piece of garbage gets an absolute 1/5 from me.
Radiohead
5/5
It was not easy following up the guitar-centered, abstract, emotional, and cryptic masterpiece "The Bends", which was in its own right a level above the more repetitive grunge sound on what is widely considered to be Radiohead's worst record, "Pablo Honey". In my opinion, OK Computer is the album that has aged the best from any piece of music published in the 90's. The lyrics are extremely relevant, Thom Yorke's tenor is iconic, and it touches upon themes of media-obsession, paranoia and dystopian technology in a beautifully coherent way. I believe that when it was released it set a new gold standard for progressive/art rock that has only been met by a very select few projects these 2 decades. Overall score a perfect 5/5.
The Damned
2/5
This reminds me quite a lot of English outfit The Clash, but I believe the Damned went in a direction I am not particularly enthousiastic about. I like Punk when it is highly energetic, with tight instrumentals and explosive engaging vocals. However, 7 tracks on this record have atrocious vocal mixing. I am getting very little energy from the instrumentals, I do not find the lyrics or theme interesting, I am confused by the style changes in some tracks (who decided These Hands should sound like a creepy Carnival tune with a solid minute of incredibly annoying laughter?) and getting bored from the repetitive rhythms and techniques. The only tracks worth listening too, Liar and Smash It Up, meet my expectations of classic Punk and I am very confused as to why the rest of the album is so different in instrumental/vocal quality. Overall I believe this deserves a 2/5.
Billy Joel
2/5
I am imaging myself being stuck at a wedding where Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is playing and I hear: "I will meet you any time I want, in our Italian restaurant." and I instantly feel nauseous. Billy Joel is a classic, he has a good voice, quite some lyrical talent and creativity, but this record is incredibly overrated. However, I do really enjoy Movin' Out, The Stranger and Get It Right the First Time, as they are not as disgustingly sweet and cheesily written and carry good rhythym and energy. Overall I feel like a 2/5 is a fair score for this overly sentimental heap.
a-ha
2/5
A-ha's debut showcases sharp synths, Harket's range and a wide variety in sounds, which convinces me of the quality of this record
and it's significance in a period when synth pop went through it's highest commercial success. However, I have already had my fair share of
this style when I finish listening to Take on Me. Train of Thought slows down the tempo gigantically, and Hunting High and Low is a ballad
too cheesy for me. Something I experience quite a few times with synth pop, is that the vocal mixing is very inconsistent and causes a
distracting experience between tracks. Because I enjoy the subtlety of the synths on the Blue Sky, I feel this record deserves a 2/5.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
Time Out is not a record I find engaging enough to listen to on a consistent basis, as I need tight instrumentals, epic vocals or extreme originality to warrant further listening. I do not doubt that this is very well made for a jazz album, therefore I believe a score lower than 3/5 would not be fair.
Pixies
4/5
The Pixies' debut album took me by surprise. At first, I was turned off by the strange raunchy vocals, screaming, raw instrumentals and confusing lyrics. I found it hard to follow, to appreciate or to enjoy.
Now, after listening to it a couple of times, I don't understand how I could misjudge it so poorly. Rarely have I found a record that combines such raw passion with catchy hooks. I especially appreciated this combination on Bone Machine, Break My Body, Broken Face, Gigantic and Where Is My Mind, Cactus, which are all now currently among my absolute favorites.
The rest of the record is almost as impressive, though I sometimes have difficulty in enjoying the raunchiest and edgiest tracks (Something Against You and River Euphrates, filled with demonic screaming) but it's admittedly very hard to compete with the rest of Surfer Rosa. A 4/5 is my score.
Bauhaus
2/5
While I do not find myself very engaged in the goth-rock theme or aesthetic, I was not entirely unconvinced by this effort. I appreciate the distinguishments shown in their style, in contrast to their contemporaries, Joy Division and The Cure, which I found to be a bit too aggressively poppy in parts of their discographies. However, I do wish Bauhaus went a bit further in vocal energy to showcase their unique style. Only on the Passion of Lovers did I find the vocals engaging, the rest is passable but not enough for me to be greatly memorable. On the instrumental-side, David Jay and In Fear of Dub are absolute highlights in their orginality and composition. Overall I feel a 2/5 is deserved.
Yes
2/5
I only had heard of Roundabout and Long Distance Runaround before, song I greatly appreciate due to their energetic style, surprising arrangements and catchy melodies. However, I sometimes feel the repetitive background vocals are too grating and distract from the enjoyable instrumentals on most tracks. Overall a 2/5 is fitting.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I might be biased, because I favor the Beatles by a wide wide margin over the Stones, but I have never been very impressed by Aftermath or any Stones record for that matter. Fair enough, "Paint It, Black" is an absolute classic and it deserves its reputation, but I find Jaggers' vocals unengaging, the instrumentals too soft and the recording quality to be very sub-average. A 2/5 is a fair score.
Prince
3/5
The record starts of with an extremely strong title track, incredibily catchy and funky rhythyms. This continues on Play in the Sunshine, with it's creative ensembles and swingy energy. (due to the extremely below average recording quality, on Spotify at least, it is a necessity to listen to the Super Deluxe edition). After those two classics, the record switches to a more hip-hoppy and "clap your handsy" style, which gradually started to annoy me. On the other side of the spectrum, the more slow and mellow Dorothy Parker, I am unamused and find that Prince does not use his vocal qualities to create something unique or even enjoyable. The album does end on a strong note with U Got the Look, Strange Relationship and The Cross, of which the latter has an amazing raw sound brought by a thumping bass. Overall, I believe a 3/5 is a fitting score.
2/5
If I were to rate this album by the overall quality of the songs included, which on the studio version are spread across various extremely iconic and enjoyable albums, Dylan would deserve a 4 or even a 5 in some cases. If I were to rate the album by it's execution, and its execution alone, the score drops significantly. To be frank, I understand the stigma behind saying Dylan is a genius vocalist, which I somewhat agree with, but I dislike it a whole lot more on his live performances. The same opinion I have is on the instrumentals, where i find the harmonica sounds extremely grating and headache-inducing. Because Dylan is well represented on the top 1000 list, a 2/5 for this live version is deserved.
Madness
2/5
I would say I am not in a unique position to be aware of Madness through their lead single "Our House", but unaware of the existence of any other song on this record (House of Fun is the other exception). Halfway through this album, I am struggling to continue. I find most tracks sung boringly with unengaging lyrics, soft instrumentals and weird effects. A 1 is too harsh, but more than a 2 is not being fair.
Portishead
3/5
Portishead's latest record, and perhaps the final as it has been 13 years, goes further in experimental rock, with Krautrock's hypnotic rhythyms and ambient influences. Here, I must admit that I dislike the lead vocals on most tracks, when they are too isolated, dreamy and hypnotic. However, the instrumentals with searing synth leads and punchy synth-brass are so extremely good in some tracks that they make them enjoyable. Examples being The Rip, Plastic, Machine Gun, Magic Doors and Threads. A 3/5 is therefore deserved.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Jeff Buckley is an artist whose voice I appreciate quite a lot, but I only recently found out he was not the first in his family with a significant reputation in the music world. On this record, the first track does not inspire the same confidence in me. I find the instrumentals on it (Strange Feelin') to be very confusing, not fitting with the lyrics or tone of the song at all. This same feeling continues in the rest of this record, I find it mostly too slow, with mismatched sounds and weird choices in song length, and uninspiring. I can appreciate the vocal quality and theme, but it is not something I would find myself listening to with enthusiasm in the near future. Overall score, 2/5.
Public Enemy
1/5
Noisy beats, repetitive drums and vocal loops and questionable quality of audio overall a make this a hip-hop record that does not impress me at all. I find the sampling and deep synthesizer sounds grating at times, the lyrics uninspiring, and most tracks downright annoying. A 1/5 is deserved.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I can appreciate this record's energetic and playful melodies, it's subtle dance-pop vibes, synth-riffs, and overall creative choices. Highlights are the amazingly catchy "What Have I Done", the funny and sarcastic "Shopping", "I Want to Wake Up", and the extremely tight instrumentals on "Heart". However, I find myself not enjoying the more melancholic, dreamy and slow tracks. Examples being "One More Chance", "Rent" and "It Couldn't Happen Here". Due to my lukewarm feelings about the record, though some enthusiasm is deserved, a 3/5 is fair.
Pink Floyd
2/5
Rock-operas are not my cup of tea. Despite this album's iconic status in music history, I do not care very much for it. If a track has amazingly epic instrumentals, the vocals are underplayed. If a track has amazing vocals, I find the instrumentals boring. As for the highlights, I like the songs that most people know who never listened to the album in full. Having listened to around 70 percent, I find the whole experience to have been tedious and the record a tad too pretentious. 2/5 is fair.
Lauryn Hill
2/5
A blend of hip-hop, soul and R&B makes an enjoyable listen to most people, though I am not entirely convinced by the concept's strength, Lauryn's (at times) annoying vocals, or the slightly overdone repetition on some tracks. Hip-hop is not my favorite, though I find enough grit, edge and depth in other artists' discographies. In some cases, I had the feeling song length was an issue as well, especially in "Lost Ones" "To Zion" and "When it Hurts". When "Nothing even Matters" with D'Angelo came on, the cheese was almost too much to handle, and when the Four Seasons cover came on, I was happy to almost be done with this. A 2/5 for creativity, but barely.
Bee Gees
3/5
Odessa starts of with a great concept and a more melancholic sound than I would expect from the Bee Gees. The catchy melodies, orchestral arrangements and vibrato impressed me, and convinced me of this record's quality. The best thing I can say is that there is not a single terrible track, but there is not a single terrific one either. As I consider it to be an above average album, though not particularly my taste, a 3/5 is my score.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Though I would consider Hip-Hop to be one of my least favorite genres, I believe Paul's Boutique is an absolute gem. Every single track on here is packed with fitting samples, witty lyrics, raunchy and edgy rap, great pacing and extremly catchy bass riffs. Besides "Car Thief", I think every track on here is an absolute staple in this genre, and Paul's Boutique thus deserves a 5/5.
Pink Floyd
1/5
I am in the minority when I say that I saw barely anything worth admiring in Pink Floyd’s The Wall. I found the concept to be uninspiring, the vocals and instrumentals lacking and most songs flat out boring to listen to. After listening to Pink Floyd’s debut, I find it substantially more boring and annoying. The downplayed instrumentally focused parts on Astronomy Doctrine, the sharp whisper on Matilda Mother, the animal sounds on Pow R., the sharp pronunciation of s’s and t’s on The Gnome, a sharp buzz in my left ear cup during the middle and end of Chapter 24, the awful… awful second part of Bike containing distorted bells and a laughing gnome? (I really cannot believe this is enjoyable to some) and the overall lack of harmonious melodies makes this a torturous listening experience. At times, I was checking my headphones whether they were plugged in correctly, because I found the experience to be that atrocious. The only barely redeemable song on the record is Lucifer Sam, as I sort-of like the sinister groove and bass. All in all, this album is an example for me on how to go in the wrong direction at every turn when trying to create a psychedelic and experimental piece of rock music. A 1/5 is fitting.
Erykah Badu
2/5
Erykah Badu’s second album is similar, with its combination of rap, funk, soul, and jazz sounds by a female artist, to the lauded: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which I did not exactly enjoy. Unfortunately, I find Mama’s Gun to only be slightly more enjoyable than Lauryn Hill’s record. Highlights are Penitentiary Philosophy, with a tight chorus, great funk, more subtle vocals overall, and the mysteriously catchy Kiss Me On My Neck. A 2/5 is a good score.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Ella Fitzgerald has a great voice and I appreciate the jazzy swings on Gershwin Songbook. It's just a record I would not consider listening to again, as I do not think I will ever be in a mood to like it as much as I should. 3/5.
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
The Sun Rises In The East starts of with a mysterious intro, which is followed by a real hip-hop classic. A tight beat, great rhymes and an edgy off-key piano makes for a great track. "Brooklyn Took It" and "Mental Stamina" have a beat that is too repetitive, with a sharp synthesizer riff that I can't ignore, besides the otherwise great lyrics. Fortunately, "Da Bichez" doesn't have a dominating sharp synth, which makes me appreciate the jazzy swing more. "You Can't Stop The Prophet" and "Ain't The Devil Happy" are the best tracks on the record, extremely tight beat that goes along with an engaging story. "My Mind Spray" and "Come Clean" are honestly underwhelming, maybe even boring in comparison. The last two tracks are alright, but add very little new elements to make the entire record more appealing. A 3/5 is fair.
Waylon Jennings
2/5
I am not a country-music fan, and Waylon Jennings does not do enough different on Honky Tonk Heroes to change my opinion. Almost every song sounds the same, it's either too sweet or too sad, definitely not for me. 2/5.
Tom Waits
1/5
Tom Waits' Bone Machine is something I would never consider putting on. Every track is too bleak, morbid, and Tom's grating voice makes for a very annoying listening experience. 1/5.
Depeche Mode
3/5
A decent, clean, and consistent piece of synth pop, although a bit too breathy and gothic for my taste. When Depeche Mode uses more creative instrumentals, a slightly funkier sound such as on Personal Jesus and a stronger disco sound such as on Enjoy the Silence, they are excellent. The rest of the record sounds mostly the same, with lyrics that are unengaging to me personally and sometimes repetitive. A 3/5 is a good score.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Indie Rock is a genre I enjoy on both sides of the spectrum, whether it is more quiet and compressed, or noisy and explosive. Dinosaur Jr's Bug falls under the latter, and their effort is mostly enjoyable. Highlights for me are "No Bones", "They Always come", "Yeah We Know" and "The Post". The other tracks are not in any way horrible, except for the annoyingly screamy "Don't", but either drag on for too long or are too repetitive. 3/5.
M.I.A.
2/5
I consider M.I.A.'s Kala to be a significant achievement in creating obnoxious, bloated, annoying and simultaneously awkward pop music. From the nasally sung and repetitive vocals on Bamboo Banga, to the bird-screaching and baby voices on BirdFlu, the horribly sounding soaring synths on Hussel and 20 Dollar, the horns on XR2 and the annoyingly distracting sampling on Paper Planes, I am not content. To be fair to Kala, Jimmy sounds alright, Mango has a great beat. Therefore, a 2/5 is my score.
Bon Jovi
3/5
The Glam-metal/rock esthetic is not my thing, but Bon Jovi definitely tries his best to make it work on Slippery When Wet. "Let It Rock" is energetic and quite catchy, the next two tracks are obviously absolute classics, "Social Disease" is OK. "Wanted Dead or Alive" stands out as being too sweet and desperate, and the rest of the record all largely sounds the same. I am not very impressed, but due to Bon Jovi giving it his all, a 3/5 is fitting.
The Doors
2/5
The blues-based rock on L.A. Woman sometimes makes for an entertaining listen, though the record largely unimpresses me. This is mainly due to tracks filled with monotone and unengaging vocals, sleep-inducing guitars and dragging on for way too long. A 2/5.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
With quite some iconic singles on Surrealistic Pillow, I understand the record's impact on the music industry as a pioneer of psychedelic rock. Highlights are the epic Somebody to Love, the mellow and beautiful Today and White Rabbit for obvious reasons. I find that on the rest of the album, the vocal style is not perfectly to my liking (vibrato and heavy breathing), or the instrumentals get on my nerves. 3/5.
Prince
2/5
1999's title track kicks off the record with a classic synth-funk sound, extremely catchy tunes and funny metaphoric lyrics. These positives are mostly appareant on Little Red Corvette, though I am not a huge fan of some vocal parts and effects. Delirious sounds slightly video-gamey with its squeaky synth-riffs, but it's catchy enough to be enjoyed. Unfortunately, the same video-gamey element and awkward instrumentals become more visible and annoying when continuing the record. The sharp synth riffs on Lets Pretend sound absolutely awful, DMSR and Automatic drag on and on (7+ minutes and barely anything new is added) and the last couple of tracks were a chore to get through. 2/5.
Neil Young
3/5
I was expecting great things from Neil Young's "On the Beach", as I find that "After the Gold Rush" is a terrific record. After listening to this one, I am convinced that it lacks what I appreciated most on his previous attempt. Honestly, I find most tracks to be unengaging, with simplistic melodies and, at times, boring. Walk On, See the Sky and Revolution Blues are pretty good tracks, but it mostly ends there. As for For the Turnstiles, I find that Young's singing is ragged and truly awful. Vampire Blues and On the Beach are way too long and sleep-inducing, Motion Pictures is OK and Ambulance Blues drags on for 3 minutes too long. In conclusion, a 3 is barely warranted.
Ray Charles
2/5
I can't really say I would put any track here on again, but I also can't ignore the quality of the instrumentals. It might be unfair to judge an almost 60 year old record by today's standards, but most tracks just sounded the same to me. 2/5.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
I was dreading reviewing this record, as I had listened to it before and I am aware of the iconic status the eponymous "the Velvet Underground" holds in the Art Rock canon. Having listened to it in its entirety, the worst parts remind me of Pink Floyd's disgustingly atrocious debut. The best parts.... I am not sure. It's hard to focus on the good, when the sound quality of this record is so bad, especially when compared to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper (which was released in the very same year). Sunday Morning sounds like a decent lullaby, the instrumentals on I'm Waiting are incredibly bloated, I can barely hear Nico on Femme Fatale, the percussion on Venus in Furs is grating, the vocals on Run Run Run are of the lowest quality possible, All Tomorrow and Heroin are way too long and There She Goes Again and I'll be Your Mirror are alright. 2/5.
Slipknot
1/5
If you enjoy this type of music, I would say you are ignoring some personal problems. If you would consider yourself to be in a healthy state of mind, send me your Paypal so I can put down 5 bucks for a new pair of ears. Jesus Christ, release me from this stinking pile of dogshit.
The Cardigans
2/5
It might be a decent piece of pop rock for most people, but after a couple of tracks Nina's vocals get on my nerves. It's way too sweet, all treble and throb, solely daydreaming about lost and future relationships. Lovefool is an absolute classic though, and I do like the mysterious tempo on their Iron Man cover. It's a 2/5, but closer to a 3/5 than to a 1/5 for sure.
Beck
2/5
On Odelay, Beck tries to mix a plethora of genres, which works half of the time. While some tracks clearly identify with alt-rock, others are filled with hip-hop and sampling. As is with most albums at first listen, I generally prefer the more accessible alt-rock songs with some creative detours, such as Devils Haircut with its killer guitar riff, New Pollution with some jazzy elements and the catchy folksy Sissyneck. I have lukewarm/negative feelings towards the mixing and distorted sounds on Hotwax, Novacane, the sleezy stoneresque Jack-Ass, the screamy guitars on Where It's At, the atrocious vocals on Minus, the sleep-inducing Ramshackle and the demonic screaming on Diskobox. It's a 2 for me.
The Stooges
3/5
I could almost not believe Funhouse was released 50+ years ago, in 1970. The instrumentals are extremely tight and impressive, though T.V. Eye, 1970, and Fun House sound like they are stuck at half volume. It's a shame, because I especially enjoy the jazz elements on 1970. Besides the demonic screaming, wolfish howling and "umphs" sung by Iggy, there are enough juicy guitar riffs to appreciate. 3/5.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Elvis Costello has made many great songs during his career that I enjoy, but Blood and Chocolate has too many annoyances for me to find them on here. Elvis' vocals sound more nasally or breathy than usual and the bad mixing makes it drown almost everything else out. I find that this is the case on every track, except "I Want You", where there are not enough instrumentals present to be overshadowed. It's no coincidence that its the only song here I find to be worth another listen. 2/5.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
The record starts off extremely strong, with Looked Away having everything, touching lyrics that are sung emotionally by Clapton's on the edge of breaking, lovely guitar solos and the epic ascending chorus of Bell Bottom Blues. I do not love the sharp guitar riffs on Keep On Growing and Key To The Highway, and I feel both tracks overstay their welcome by a minute or 2/3, Nobody Knows is way too much blues and not enough rock and the mastering is mediocre at times (base only in left ear). Layla is also worth a mention for obvious reasons. All in all, a fine record. 3/5
Talvin Singh
2/5
Talvin Singh's OK is a very creative and atmospheric effort, full of uncoventional jazzy and dubby sounds, though it's a bit too weird for me. I am not particular fond of Indian culture or of music that has more focus on instrumentals than vocals, so I am not a big fan. 2/5.
1/5
What happens when you give a bunch of spazzes, that have only played with their instruments for an hour or so, a gigantic bag of cocaine. This chaotic dumpsterfire of "jazz" apparently.... 1/5.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
I can't say I enjoyed listening to this a lot, but I must say that the album is executed very well. Because of the live execution, the flow between tracks is amazing, The Sage sounds mesmerizing, The Old Castle is greatly ahead of its time and the energy certainly is there. I can see what they were trying, and I believe that a 3/5 is fair for this live portrayal.
John Grant
2/5
A decent piece of wholesome, "daydreamy" folk music. It's atmosphere is quite compelling and John Grant's voice certainly sounds terrific, but it borders a tad too much on the sappy side with dumbed down lyric, weird alien-esque effects and conflicting messages to warrant a future listen. 2/5.
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
With Bebel's suave and smooth voice, intimate delivery and jazzy instrumentals, there certainly is a lot to enjoy.... be it as background music somewhere in a bar in Latin America. That does not mean its awful, it's just not something I would ever actively listen to again. 2/5.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
The Boatman's Call has extremely strong parts, with hauntingly beautiful songs about love, religion, grief, and resentment. I love how the focus is on the intimacy of Cave's vocals, accompanied by a slow tempo and piano, which makes me never lose my focus on the story Cave is trying to tell. This changes a bit on the middle part of the record, where it changes towards a slightly less "epic' sound. Where minimalism is it's greatest strength, it also is this record's greatest weakness at times. While the first half of the record is significantly better than the last, it is enough to warrant a 4/5.
Gang Starr
2/5
I kinda see why some people see this album as a classic piece of east-coast hip hop, but I just can't hear it. The production is awful, with cymbals that are overplayed to a ridiculous extent and annoyingly sharp jazzy sounds that almost drown out some great lyrics. This mostly happens on the first half of the record, but I lose my patience on the second half due to the same boring, not hard-hitting, average, choppy rapping. 2/5.
Soundgarden
2/5
Grunge really is not my style. The edgy screaming vocals, the droning guitars, the same drums and kicks, just don't speak to me at all. 2/5.
Raekwon
3/5
A decent hip-hop record. Something I would put up as background music because the lyrics, instrumentals, and flow are pretty great, but its not substantive enough for me to actively listen to it. 3/5.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
Malcolm McLaren's Duck Rock is definitely an interesting record, but it's just... so.... weird? I am a bit torn on my rating, as I couldn't say I loved any track, but I did not outright hate anything either. If the whole record could be like the extremely catchy tunes on World's Famous, I would have loved it. 2/5.
Beth Orton
3/5
Beth Orton creates a very playful, warm, delicate and pleasant sounding record with Central Reservation. The production is stellar, the lyrics are touching and Beth's voice is incredible. If there are things to criticise, it has to do with the editing process, non-lexical vocals, and very sparingly, a lack of energy or focus. Some tracks went on for too long. This was especially noticible on So Much More and Pass In Time, with the last two minutes dragging on and introducing nothing new. While most of the record is extremely well produced, Feel To Believe is not up to standard. Lastly, I am not a great fan of the jazzy "la la la" or "da da da", as they are the greatest reason for some tracks not elevating themselves to more than being background, chamber pop. Bonus points for the futuristic elements on Stars All Seem To Weep, which reminds me of Portishead's best. A solid 3/5, just shy of reaching 4/5.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Its incredible how a live performance from nearly 60 years ago can make its way to streaming platforms with this level of sound quality. The energy contained on this album is extreme, the piano is killer, but Jerry Lee Lewis' voice on some songs is really not for me. I think being at the Star-Club in Hamburg at that time was a legendary experience, and I appreciate the fact that I can hear the best parts from that moment at any time. 3/5.
Elton John
2/5
I don't think I am original when I say the best part of Madman Across The Water, is the opening track "Tiny Dancer", while "Levon" is decent. After listening to these, I find that this record adds nothing nearly as good in the remaining 7 tracks. Elton's vocals are sometimes annoyingly over the top, the effects can be laughably dramatic, and I have trouble remembering the differences between most songs. 2/5 is fair.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Kevin Rowland's strangled vocal style, unsuitable violin lines, and the extremely dated Celtic folk sounds at times annoy me on Dexys Midnight Runners, though I can't ignore that there is a bit of charm and energy that can make this record worthwhile for some. I personally can't stand a large majority of the songs here, by reason of the negative aspects I mentioned. Admittedly, I even think Come On Eileen is lame. Barely... barely a 2/5.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
While the opening track resembles the sound of a man flushing a thousand toilets at once, I can appreciate the tight production and minimalist beats on the majority of this record. It's a shame the record as a whole has very little substance otherwise, 2/5.
Deerhunter
3/5
I understand enjoying the psychedelic vibes of pretending to float away in space, but I can't stomach the heavily reverbed guitars, loud drums, or the breathing in my ear for too long, which are way to noticible on the first three tracks. Though after these, when Deerhunter abandons a pure focus on psychedelic sounds and goes for a more indie-rock aesthetic, I find that the album improves significantly. Standout tracks are the slow and melancholic Sailing, the relatively energetic Desire Lines, the catchiness of Fountain Stairs and the mysterious distorted vocals on Coronado. 3/5.
Shack
3/5
This might be the most inoffensive Britpop I have ever listened to. It honestly is a nice listening experience, though it lacks a certain edge or memorability. Most of what you hear on HMS Fable has been done better by other artists, but none of it is done poorly here. Its a 3/5.
Hole
3/5
Well polished production and a very accessible, poppy, sound, make this a decently enjoyable listen. The tracks I have lukewarm feelings towards, are those that go aggressively heavy on the guitars and drown out a more subtle and pleasurable sound . It just goes too heavy on the teenage-angst that I am not keen on, but there are enough extremely catchy tracks that I have trouble getting out of my head. When it's more mid-tempo, with great hooks and a thin layer of aggression, I find myself enjoying this record. Standout tracks are Awful, Malibu and Petals. 3/5.
Fairport Convention
3/5
I would enjoy listening to Liege And Lief more in a pub, but its a bit bare if you just sit down and see what's being offered. Sandy Denny's voice sounds terrific and fortunately does not overwhelm the instrumentals, and it reminds me a tad of some classic tracks from the Velvet Underground at times. Besides Matty Groves, I do find that the majority album lacks energy and is monotonous. 3/5.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Though Joni Mitchell's Blue launched an entire generation of female singer-songwriters and has been extremely influential, I clearly prefer artists such as Beth Orton. Honestly, I find Joni's mezzo-soprano vocal style unbearingly annoying, and there is not a single track on here I would consider listening to again. I'm sorry, it's a 2/5 for me.
Nirvana
4/5
What else is there to say about Nirvana's In Utero? Kurt's vocal performance is incredibly unique, the sound is raw, abrasive, and satisfying, and the lyrics are honest, edgy and epic. It was Nirvana's attempt to create a sound that is less easily understood by the mainstream public than Nevermind was, but I would argue that it makes for a much more compelling and interesting record. I do clearly prefer some tracks over others, and that mainly has do to with the vocal mixing which is perfected on Serve The Servantrs, Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me, Pennyroyal Tea, and All Apologies. 4/5.
Kanye West
5/5
At the time of The College Dropout's release, every pop rap record consisted of bad gangsters rapping about the difficulties of growing up in Detroit, robbing stores and spraying your rivals with a glock. Kanye changed this with humorous, touching lyrics, extremely rhythmic optimism, fire beats, and a touching and honest view of his own faith and failures. He inspired a generation of rappers to express themselves more genuinely and explore more alternative forms of hiphop, and it's something I still greatly admire him for. An easy 5/5.
The Stooges
2/5
Because I previously only had listened to their second album, Fun House, The Stooges' eponymous debut sounds significantly more tame, accessible, and simple in comparison. Because most tracks consist of the same cords being played over and over, the raw guitars, whistles and bells make for an annoyingly abbrasive sound, I can't help but dislike this record. It just sounds bad. 2/5.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Vibrant melodies that flirt with psychedelia and Gram Person's gorgeous vocals make for some great country-rock songs, though the album lacks consistency at times. The energetic guitar jabs on Christine's Tune, the terrific harmonies on Dark End Of The Street and the lyrics on Hot Burrito stand out the most. 3/5.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I get tired of Bruce Springsteen's raunchy and screamy vocals quite fast, though I can't deny the lovely irony of Born In The Usa becoming a patriotic anthem despite it being meant as an anti-Vietnam message. The rest of the record is mediocre, the lyrics are extremely sappy and dumb, and god, I can't get over how annoying Bruce's singing is. 2/5.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
I believe Todd tries his best with creating something unique, but A Wizard is not a big success for me. Music is not defined, or perfected, by filling a near hour long record with weird spacey sound effects, confusing distortions and screamy vocals. Dogfight Giggle is 1:05 minute of a duck quacking and people laughing like morons, which I admit made me giggle like a complete moron as well. The jazzy melodies on "Zen Archer", and the ascending vocals on Sometimes I Don't Know are the highlights on here, because they complete enjoyable songs. To conclude, I wish more on here actually resembled music, but for comedic value this album will be worth your time. 2/5.
Madonna
3/5
I only have listened to Madonna's energetic, carefree and fun hits before, so an ambient, hypnotic, and soothing sound is not what I expected at all to hear on "Ray of Light". Having said that, the record is extremely well produced, though most tracks overstay their welcome by a bit over a minute, and Madonna's vocal performance comes across as lazy at times. 3/5.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Swamp-rock is too mellow and slow for me to get a lot of enjoyment by listening to it. Bayou Country is not a mediocre record, but I really only find Proud Mary being worth more than 1 listen. 3/5.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Nothing's Shocking strikes a decent balance between a loud, abrasive, edgy, and a more mellow, mysterious and subtle sound. Absolute highlights are the guitar solo on Ocean Size, the energetic vocals on Had a Dad and Mountain Song, and the funky sounds on Jane Says. I do think that Standing in the Shower sounds too uninspired and unoriginal, Summertime is excessively slow, and Ted overstays its welcome by a couple of minutes. 3/5.
Green Day
2/5
Despite the consensus of Green Day fans being that Dookie is their best record by a significant margin, it still sounds sort of like "Dookie" to me. The instrumentals, the tempo, the vocal style, the lyrical content is the same on nearly every track here. If you listen to the first one, it seems like you really have experienced everything Green Day has to offer. It's not necessarily bad, it's just average dumbed-down skate punk that does absolutely nothing for me.
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
With Band On The Run, the best Beatle has created a brilliant piece of music filled with catchy, diverse, and organic sounds that blend extremely well together. Tracks like Band on The Run feel like you are escaping from a life filled with responsibilties to go on a great adventure, which is exactly what Wings did by recording this masterpiece thousands of miles away in Nigeria. It's just so energetic, emotional, personal, catchy, and epic that I can give this a 5/5 without hesitation.
Blur
4/5
Blur's eponymous record starts off very well with Beetlebum, an emotional and blisfully sexy tune filled with catchy guitar riffs, which is one of Blur's absolute best. The second track, Song 2, carries just the right amount of edge and raunchy vocals to make it a staple in the genre. However, the rest of the album can only disappoint after these 2. Disappointment is at its peak when I consider the awkward sound effects and distorted vocals on Country Sad, the annoying On Your Own, the seemingly unfinished Theme from Retro and the almost voiceless vocals on I'm Just a Killer. The distorted guitars on M.O.R, the ascending chorus on You're So Great, the ghostly piano's and guitar riffs on Death of Party are terrific though, so a 4/5 is definitely a fitting score.
Violent Femmes
3/5
The best way to describe Violent Femmes eponymous record is that its the result of taking Weezer's Pinkerton, and making it for 8th graders. As I am not in the 8th grade anymore, I would much rather listen to Pinkerton to get some enjoyment out of bouts of frustration and memories of teenage angst. My enjoyment from this record is similar to what I get from Jonathan Richman. The patheticand desperate lyrics are extremely comedic to me, and I love the fact that it does not try very hard to get its message across; it feels honest and somewhat nostalgic to me. 3/5.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Excellent production and incredible vocals by Marvin Gaye make Let's Get It On an enjoyable experience. However, I believe you have heard everything Marvin has to offer after the first two tracks. It's a tad too sweet and samey for me to warrant many further listens, though I can not deny the appeal of the smoothy and sensual gems that are on here. 3/5.
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
Rough synth parts and drowned out vocals harm most tracks on Kilimanjaro, which results in an annoying listening experience. Blending psychedelic elements with playful and energetic melodies is something that was tried here, but not to great succes. It sounds sloppy, unengaging and uninspired, but nothing here is downright awful or insulting. 2/5.
Method Man
2/5
Wu-Tang really is not my thing, and Method Man on his solo effort does not change my opinion one single bit. The production is weak, the rhymes are wack, Method Man sounds half asleep and not a single line or track on here is memorable to me. 2/5.
Tears For Fears
3/5
Overdone synths and bells make for an overly glossy and cheesy effort, though I do enjoy most tunes on Songs From the Big Chair. Don't get me wrong, the production is great, the melodies are rich and the overall sound is intense and engaging. Because of its overly sweet and sappy nature, I can't in good conscious give this more than a 3/5.
Sigur Rós
2/5
Agaetis Byjurn and Godspeed You! Black Emperor are 2 of the most well received records that do absolutely nothing for me. I know the orchestration sounds terrific, and the strings, pianos, flutes create beautiful harmonies, but it's just incredibly boring to me. I will not listen to 9 minutes of pretentious ambient noises to wait for a climax that won't come, in a language that I don't understand again, to see why people love this so much. 2/5.
4/5
Oasis is a bit of a guilty pleasure to me. In terms of overall quality, they really can't hold a candle to other iconic Britpop outfits such as Radiohead and Blur. Despite that, I can't help but love tracks such as Wonderwall, Don't Look Back in Anger, Hey Now!, Some Might Say, She's Electric, Morning Glory and Champagne Supernova. They are incredibly catchy, the lyrics are meaningless but fun, and there is a nice balance between typical Britpop mid-tempo tunes, psychedelic elements and sweet ballads. Liam's voice can get a bit on my nerves sometimes, thus Oasis is best served a couple of tracks at a time. A 4/5 for what I believe is their best record, is thus a fitting score.
The Young Rascals
2/5
You can't expect pitch perfect production from a record that is almost 50 years old, but what I did expect still somewhat dissapointed me. The vibes are friendly and the melodies are harmonious, though besides Groovin' there is not a lot of memorable material on here. 2/5.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
Strangely enough the vocals sound terrific on hear, but the mixing and production are awful. The guitars and drums are way too sharp, and some sounds are strangely isolated throughout the entire record. Why am I only hearing the drums through my right earcup, and the vocals only through my left? It ruins what could be very nice record with a perfect balance between more dark and spiritual psychedelic tunes and noisy folsky tracks. Such a shame, still a 3/5 for the music besides the obvious prioduction flaws.
T. Rex
3/5
It almost feels lazy to see the same thing happen on each track from The Slider. Bolan takes the title of the track, repeats that a couple of times each chorus, changes the tempo a bit and sings in the exact same key for a couple of minutes. Its decent, but way too repetitive. 3/5.
Deep Purple
3/5
I wish I could give this 2.5, because I would much rather rate the album on which these songs were originally included. 3/5.
Television
3/5
As a huge Strokes fan, I knew the comparisons that are often made between them and Television. And to be frank, I see why they are often made, after having listened to Marque Moon. However, I most definitely prefer Julian's voice over Tom's, Albert's riffs over Jimmy's, and This Is It's style over Marquee Moon's. This Is It presents a beautifully bittersweet cohesive concept, consisting of a distorted style and droning guitars that fit incredibly well together, while Marquee Moon sounds decidedly more confusing and uninspired. There is not a single bad track on here, but this widely regarded classic piece of Art-Punk leaves me wishing for way more. 3/5.
Metallica
2/5
Imagine giving someone the opportunity to listen to a live album that is over 2 hours long, who thinks Enter Sandman sounds cringeworthy and Nothing Else Matters sounds like a poor man's Stairway to Heaven. I won't fool anyone, after 30 minutes I had enough. Won't give this a 1/5, because I do understand why most music listeners appreciate this. 2/5.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
While I strongly believe that Dennis Wilson's solo effort never reaches the heights of almost anything the Beach Boys ever did, Pacific Ocean Blue definitely has its moments, such as the terrific jazz elements on Dreamer and the engaging and personal lyrics on tracks like Rainbows. However, I find myself thinking that most tracks on hear sound like a more gruffy sounding Elvis Costello trying his best to make some sleazy yacht rock about a bunch of nonsense just to escape a sound that he knew worked. For Dennis, it does not. 2/5.
Hole
2/5
After first having listened to Celebrity Skin, Live Through This sounds fairly similar, and is about as good. The main difference is that Live Through This sound more spiteful and angry, which does not always result in an enjoyable listening experience. In my opinion, Courtney is not a particularly compelling vocalist and Hole's best songs are the ones that stray the furthest from grunge and more towards formulaic catchy pop/rock-tunes. I honestly find very little to enjoy here, as I think Celebrity Skin is a superior record in almost every way. 2/5.
Sleater-Kinney
2/5
My god, Carrie Brownstein's frail and shaky voice is so incredibly annoying it ruins this record for me. It's such a shame, as the guitar work is stellar, but I really would never consider listening to this again. 2/5.
Minutemen
3/5
Double Nickels on the Dime certainly is an interesting record, filled with 43 songs that are each slightly longer than a minute. On most tracks, the instrumentals sound tight, though messy at times, and I enjoy the sarcastic comedic song titles and lyrics. I do have the admit this experiment did not work perfectly for me, as most songs are over before you realized you should have listened to a seperate cohesive message. 3/5.
fIREHOSE
3/5
Sorry Ed, but your vocals really are not good enough for Fromohio to work like it should. Admittedly most tracks sound extremely catchy, but I find nothing worth listeneing too again except In My Mind because the instrumentals are honestly exceptional. 3/5.
Ice Cube
2/5
When Ice Cube does not sound constantly out of breath, his vocals are buried beneath a thick layer of annoying or sleep-inducing beats. Check Yo Self later, because this Was Not A Great Day for listening to mediocre gangsta-rap. 2/5.
Elvis Costello
4/5
My Aim Is True radiates a raw energy, thanks to Elvis Costello's funny wordy and witty lyrics filled with innuendo's, catchy melodies, a sharp infectious edge, and unique style. However, I do think No Dancing is a bit of a dud due to its low tempo and buried vocals and Pay It Back is a boring listen. 4/5.
Beyoncé
2/5
Beyonce's autotuned voice sounds atrocious on nearly every track. The only songs worth a second listen are Partition due to its tight drum beats and the Drunk In Love Remix with Kanye. Maybe I was not in the mood while listening to this, though I dont think I ever will be. 2/5.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
I would say this is RHCP's fourth best album, after Californication, Stadium Arcadium and By The Way. These three records are all easily 5 stars, as I can honestly say not a single one contains a bad or mediocre track. This might be due to nostalgia, as I discovered the Peppers when I first got into music and tried to develop my own taste instead of listening to what my parents liked, but I can't help but adore them. Blood Sugar Sex Magik contains some of the best tracks RHCP ever created, such as the amazingly catchy and energetic Give It Away Now, the emotional and epic Under The Bridge, and the classic guitar riffs on My Lovely Man, but there are a handful of tracks I am not in love with. Examples of tracks I have lukewarm feelings towards are The Power of Equality due to Kiedis' vocal performance, the sleep-inducing I Could Have Lied, and the creepy/weird vocal effects on Mellowship. Besides that, it is a solid 4/5.
Jamiroquai
3/5
I hope I don't offend anyone when I say that I was dumbfounded when I looked up Jamiroquai and found out the main vocalist is not a black woman. In any case, Jay's voice fits well with a sexy sounding and forward-thinking piece of funky jazz, though the quality greatly differs between tracks. Standouts are Emergency on Planet Earth and Blow Your Mind. 3/5.
The Kinks
4/5
The best way in which I can describe the Kinks is that they sound like the Beatles, but happier. The best way in which I can describe "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" is that it has perfect mixing (how can a 50+ year album sound this bloody good?) beautiful harmonies and a delightfully gleeful sense of nostalgia. Ray Davies refers to this record as as an affectionate acknowledgement of his culture, a statement on changes in life and memories that remain, and the search for new things to give meaning and enjoyment to living. In my case, I think the Kinks got it just right. 4/5.
Bad Company
2/5
While I think Bad Company's titular track is an absolute masterpiece, the rest of the record consists of predictable, bland, and overly radio-friendly generic rock. This ain't it. 2/5.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
I find very little to listen to the Everly Brothers when we have the Beatles, because they do everything better on their first two records that the Everly Brothers do here. 2/5.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
Its perfectly fine to put this on in the background because of the decent grooves and an okay vibe, but it's a little too mellow and boring for me. 2/5.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
A bunch of spiteful and heartbroken musicians came together to make a very pleasant sounding pop album, though I think it is quite far from being one of the best. While Dreams, Go Your Own Way, The Chain sound hauntingly beautiful, I find that the rest sounds too sappy and dumb. Maybe I need a few more years on me to understand the feelings communicated here. Untill then, this is a solid 3/5.
Nirvana
4/5
Here I am, I am entertained. However, that entertainment decreases somewhat past the half-way mark of Nirvana's Nevermind. Incredible highs, such as Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom, and Come As You Are with their radiating energy and angsty chants, are in stark contrast with the dumb and meaningless Territorial Pissings, the annoying riffs and vocals on Stay Away, and the disgustingly confusing instrumentals on Endless, Nameless. Because I greatly appreciate Nirvana's contributions to the grunge genre, and Nevermind clearly contains some of their best material ever written, a 4/5 is a fitting score.
The Flaming Lips
1/5
The Flaming Lips play it safe, too safe. It feels like their Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is them outsourcing a record to a group of untalented and unmotivated born-again Christians. The Flaming Lips gave these Christians the assignment to create an uninspired piece of dream pop, without any edge, with the most dumbed-down cartoonish lyrics, and extremely awkwardly awful sounding vocal effects. I am happy to report that these Christians succeeded in creating one of the dumbest pieces of Rock/Dream-Pop that I have ever listened to. Their only mistake was the okayish Do You Realize, which is way too catchy for my taste. Well done, 1/5.
Weather Report
2/5
Its nothing that special. If you want to listen to this record, but 10 times better, put on Chuck Mangione. 2/5.
Joy Division
2/5
It's a shame that the tight bass and drum-licks on Unknown Pleasure are accomodated by some of the most bleak and hopeless music I have ever heard. Beyond the depression and angst, there is very little variety or enjoyment to be found here. After having listened to the entire record, there honestly is not a single track that I would consider putting on again. This is not it, this is a 2/5.
Beastie Boys
5/5
One of the most entertaining debut records of all time. It has it all, extremely creative and hard-hitting funky jazzy beats, a nice variety of headbangers and funny satire of frat culture, and an edgy raw energy that is rarely seen from a contemporary hip hop outfit. Even after having listened to it many times, I never stop shaking my head and tapping my feet to Rhymin & Stealin, Fight For Your Right, No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Slow and Low and Brass Monkey, and I don't think I ever will. 5/5.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Led Zeppelin's eponymous debut is a staple in the hard-rock and blues-rock genres, and deservedly so. It's greatest strength lies in it succesfully combining searing guitar riffs and speedy drums with slower time-signatures that make for an intruiging and engaging acoustic sound... for the majority of the tracks on here. The main critique on this record is that the instrumentally focused parts on Dazed and Confused slightly overstay their welcome, that Black Mountain Side does not fit at all with the rest of the record, as it is quite a boring listen. 3/5.
Small Faces
2/5
It's such a shame that the recording of the best track on Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, its title track, really is not up to standard. For a 2018 remaster, a stereo version at that, I expected a lot better. From what I can hear between the awkward bits of narration, it like the Kinks but worse on every aspect. I see no reason to give this any other rating than a 2/5.
Morrissey
3/5
Morrissey's vocals have a mysteriously melancholic quality that helps put Vauxhall and I ahead of most Indie or Chamber pop releases. While I can appreciate the passionate introspection and powerful poeticism, Morrissey's breathy drawn out vocals make most tracks sound earily similar. 3/5.
X-Ray Spex
2/5
I honestly could not finish this. Poly Styrene's voice is too much for me, it's incredibly annoying. 1+ for the tight instrumentals, as Germ Free Adolescents could have been a very decent punk release.
The Monks
2/5
I respect Black Monk Time for it being one of the first albums in the Punk Rock genre, but if you are looking for in-depth criticisms that go further than: "We don't like the atomic bomb"... you will not find it here. What you will find on here sounds like the first Beatles records, with way worse lyrics: "Boys are boys and girls are joys. To you and me they're more than toys". Really? Because everyone that came after the Monks did it better in almost every way, a 2/5 should suffice.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Rock Bottom makes me feel like I am floating in an undeep puddle. Heavily layered soundscapes and Robert's scratchy and snoopyesque vocals create what is at times engaging jazz-rock, and other times confusingly awful melodies. It's not something I enjoy, or like, but that I almost appreciate for it's artistic merit. 2/5.
The Yardbirds
2/5
One of the worst mixed records I have ever heard. I can't stomach it, my left earcup is dying. From what I can hear, it's decent blues rock on the best tracks. 2/5.
The Byrds
3/5
What a nice surprise. The Byrds show a nice variety of pleasant harmonies and catchy psychedelic folk tunes on Fifth Dimension. None of it is truly excellent, but it's definitely above average on most parts. 3/5.
Can
2/5
I understand that Tago Mago has been extremely influential on many pieces of experimental and Krautrock, but it's just not very good music in my opinion. It's confusing, loud, and annoying. I am not in the mood to drop acid to enjoy this, but it is not the worst thing I have ever heard.
Talking Heads
4/5
It's such a shame that Remain in Light is not a 6 track EP with Born Under Punches, Crosseyed, The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime, Houses in Motion, and Seen and Not Seen. If it was, I think it would honestly be a contender for the best of all time. The extremely catchy funky African rhythms, the amazing delivery from Byrne and the dashes of electronic sounds that are well ahead of their time, create mysteriously terrific and engaging music pieces. It's such a shame that the effects on Listening Wind sound mediocre, and that the Overload sounds like it was ripped straight from Joy Division. Just shy of a 5/5.
Travis
3/5
It's a decent melancholic and harmonious Pop-Rock record, though Fran Healy's vocals are a bit too breathy and dramatic at times. To be honest, I keep thinking of Radiohead when listening to this. They do almost everything better that Travis tries on here. The Man Who does truly shine on "Writing To Reach You", "Driftwoord" and "Why Does It Always Rain On Me". 3/5.
The Beach Boys
3/5
There really is not anything significant that the Beach Boys aim to convey on Surf's Up. If you are up against Pet Sounds, I can't blame you for sounding worse. But this record is just too weird and too confusing in its message. Sure, Brian's voice sounds beautiful as ever, though the psychedelic elements and melancholy do not produce a work of true quality. 3/5.
Steely Dan
3/5
Pretzel Logic is full of funky and enjoyable sounds, but it's lack of edge or meaning harms the overall experience. Every track on here sounds the absolute same, the guitars, the drums, and the vocal patterns. If it was any other group of 4 white guys in their garage making the same happy pop rock, it would not have been as well received as it was.
Sade
2/5
Generic ass middle of the road, nauseatingly smooth and uninspiring jazz sung with a boring vocal performance, what am I missing here? Best part is obviously the instrumentals, they carry Sade hard.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Elephant Mountain sounds way ahead of it's time, and some tracks have aged impressively. Darkness, Darkness is exactly the type of psychedelic rock that I appreciate (sharp guitars, no duck sounds), and Sunlight is delightfully mellow. The rest is decent, not worth puting on many more times than once.
Mariah Carey
2/5
Mariah, stop breathing in my ear. If I hear one more "nah-nah-nah" "uh-uh-uh" "ooh-ooh-ooh", I am not putting you on again. Records like these make me happy I am not a professional music reviewer. I am sure that high-school girls in the 90's had the most pleasant daydreams listening to this overly sweet and sentimental crap, but I can't find the words to express what this record does to me. I guess I like the album cover, so thanks for that?
4/5
PJ Harvey is explosive just at the right moments. She strikes a balance between thoughtful contemplative desperation and passionate and energetic anger, and manages to create a memorable and engaging experience with Stories from the City to the Sea. The record flows well and most tracks are cut off just at the right time, with the small exception of the last two. It is a difficult feat for most artists to have a song be engaging for more than a couple of minutes with today’s average attention span, and unfortunately these drag on for too long. As a Radiohead fanatic, Thom Yorke’s presence could never degrade my listening experience. However, his first feature is wasted on ‘Beautiful Feeling’, which sounds like an inferior version of the track that came before it, ‘One Line’. It tries nothing new, and does not have its tight instrumentals or energy. The quality continues on ‘The Whores…”, though I would gladly skip the last 30 seconds to escape from the annoyingly repetitive screaming. When Yorke returns on ‘This Mess We’re In’, it results in something that is hauntingly beautiful, narratively fascinating, and easily the best cut on this album. In the last couple of tracks, ’You Said Something’ and ‘This is Love’ further stand out as great moments. 4/5.
The Crusaders
2/5
Nothing mind-blowing. Imagine if Steely Dan would be paid by the Hilton, which needed some downtempo jazzy beats for their elevators .... and this is what you get. However, one can not deny the absolute banger that is Street life, though I strongly prefer the radio edit.
Goldie
2/5
Why am I trapped in an early 2000's skating game for the Playstation 1? Jokes aside, Drum and bass does not work for me. I wince at the screamy razor-sharp and breathy female vocals combined with annoying effects and droning bass. The genre is perfectly fine when it is sampled... at times, but for a record that is nearly 2 hours it is not an enjoyable experience.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
While I am not a fan of classical music, I can not deny the incredible talent for music that Keith Jarrett displays on his live Koln performance. The variety he displays in his music with just one instrument is absolutely awe-inspiring. It is even more impressive when you consider the amount of improvisation that went into this performance, and the circumstances under which Keith had to perform. I have to adjust my rating due to some parts sounding very repetitive and some 2-3 minute stretches droning on, while not introducing a novel idea or pleasant groove.
Marty Robbins
4/5
For an album that is this old, it sure sounds terrific. Short, and at times funny stories are told by Marty Robbins here accompanied by twangy chords. Great fun.
Living Colour
2/5
This is the Red Hot Chili Peppers in a butterfly-esque scenario where they decide to throw everything away and hire a discount version of Bon Jovi to parade around as a frontman. Meh.
The Who
3/5
A very cohesive rock opera record that at times can test your endurance with long instrumental parts, without much textual substance. It has a greatly unique quality however, and I admit it deserves its status as a classic. Just not in classic territory for me personally.
Nas
2/5
Perhaps one of the most overrated albums.. ever. I unironically think 2018's NASIR blows Illmatic out of the water in terms. Even if I compare this to a different record and artist entirely, such as Check Your Head by the Beastie Boys, that has more tight and snappy beats, sounds less repetitive, and takes more repetitive risks. I do not understand the hype here, at all.
Radiohead
5/5
With screeching guitars and poignant lyrics, sung beautifully by Thom Yorke, Radiohead improve on every single aspect of Pablo Honey. The Bends is an incredibly engaging record with a good variety of rock bangers and blisfully melancholic ballads, and it makes you feel like the world is caving in on you, just when you need it's structure most to support your desperate and delicate mind. It's a masterpiece, and easily worth a 5/5.
Kraftwerk
5/5
The Man Machine is just an incredible synth-pop record. It sounds so energetic, creative, ahead of it's time, and each track has a unique contribution to the whole experience. One of my favorite ways to start the day is with a double espresso, waiting for the caffeine to kick in, and getting hours of work done with this piece of brilliance. 5/5.