although technically I listened, it was as if I didn't because I remember nothing.

Baby’s got the bends. You don’t have any real friends. This is TOTALLY how I feel as we try to re-enter somehow into the world. Our kids have to deal with very metaphorical decompression of going from lockdown or podding or significant isolation to freaking public school, crammed hallways, cramped school buses. But I like what the album conjures for me more. Another album that transports me to college. This one is glued to the membranes of my curious and trepidatious cells. It coaxed the leery adult from the grips of my apprehensive adolescence. It doesn’t hurt that I could figure out how to play most of these on the guitar—back when Radiohead’s simplicity matched my skill. I love the explosiveness of the Bends and Thom Yorke’s unbridled bellows. To playing on the upbeat in the chorus in Bones. “I used to fly like Peter Pan! All the children flew when I touched their hands.” (Nice Dream) sounds just like one to me. The melodic descent of the partial barre chords at the beginning contrasts with the whining riffs toward the end. Just has a cool rock-out start. I often quote this song (and not just nowadays): “You do it to yourself, you do, and that’s why it really hurts.” Ain’t it the truth. #maskupassholes #getthefuckingshot I love the cliffhanger chord that Black Star ends on. But I think my most favorite song is Sulk. I’m a sucker for slow builds. Simple single note motif on the guitar that leads to a more complex and interesting variation in the bass line that descends down the scale as he declares a holiday, falls asleep, drifts away. Radiohead and I kinda parted ways sometime around Kid A. We grew apart. Maybe my grown ass self should revisit the newer stuff and find something new about myself. We’ll see. Solid 5 from me.

The art for this album is everywhere in my life. Not sure why but it is. If there were an Album Art-le game, I’d nail this one off the bat. I love Elliott Smith but this isn’t my favorite of his albums. Some of the songs downright irritate me. It’s very stream of consciousness and when a band/artist goes in that direction, that’s usually when they lose me. (Case in point: Radiohead) One major exception is the Lost and Found—that little piano ditty gets stuck in my head and I LOVE it. So playful. I love the motif of pairing the guitar and piano melody in so many of his songs. And Color Bars is a good one too. Simple. Not trying too hard. I found science in the album. Everything Reminds Me of Her. Everything Means Nothing to Me. Therefore, she means nothing to me. The lyric in LA, “Last night I was about to throw it all away,” just makes me so sad. Cuz one night he did throw it all away. And I don’t judge him for it—depression and drug addiction are a lethal combination. But what a fucking tragic loss.

If there ever was an album prescient of and apropos for Quarantimes, it is The Queen is Dead. Just as Schitt’s Creek was, surprisingly, exactly what many of us needed in the dark winter of 2020-2021 (YOU fold it in!), this album is just what I need as this Bullshit Period of Time takes a spiraling turn. There IS a light and it NEVER goes out. If David Rose were to write an album, this would be his album. In fact, David Rose reminds me of Morrissey. I know, I know—Morrissey is a little like crappy whiskey: syrupy, trying to be something bigger/more important than he actually is, hard to swallow, too much of him gives you a headache. And yes, he is 100% Brit-dick of the ages. (see: https://www.spin.com/2017/11/morrissey-defends-kevin-spacey-and-harvey-weinstein-saying-victims-shouldve-known-what-could-happen/) But early/mid 1980s Morrissey was a kinder, gentler version. Kind of like how David Rose—and Schitt’s Creek overall—evolved into a kinder, gentler version of himself. And this album, for me, reminds me of when I, too, was a kinder, gentler version of myself. Just a few notes from me: -The opening drums! My beloved They Might Be Giants once made fun of the Smiths for their “boom-chick” drums—The Queen is Dead stands in opposition to that critique. -Cemetry Gates is one of the songs that inspired me to learn the guitar and still one of my favorite little riffs. “A dreaded sunny day” portended my eventual feelings about living in Los Angeles. -Johnny Marr's technique and melodic lines and expressiveness shines here. And I think shows the signal that he's ready to move onto bigger and better things like The Pretenders. -His alliterative references get me every time. Loud, loutish lover. Monkish monsignor. Ten ton truck. -Randy Jackson would most certainly comment on his “pitchy-ness” throughout. But rather than try to be all fancy with my rare reviews, I’ll just let the lyrics speak for themselves as certainly relevant for this turbulent time. Since you’ve asked you are a flatulent pain in the ass. Some girls are bigger than others, some girls’ mothers are bigger than other girls’ mothers. (True? Yes. Relevance? None.) A vicar in a tutu, he’s not strange; he just wants to live his life this way. It’s so easy laugh, it’s so easy to hate, it takes strength to be gentle and kind. Life is very long when you’re lonely. #covid #quarantimes Take me out tonight Because I want to see people And I want to see life There IS a light and it NEVER goes out.

It’s like listening to the toddler version of rap, walking slowly, a little awkwardly, but holding their own. I kinda like that the rapping is slow enough that I can actually understand what they’re saying. I also like the raging against the racist machine rather than against warring factions in the same genre and among the same oppressed group—fighting the right enemy. Rap has not really been my thing but 80s/early 90s rap is as close as I get to liking it.

Sorry, I can't take all the trash talk.

I dig me some Nick Drake. I often play him when I’m super stressed—mellows me out. Also has some nostalgia for me of my days in Los Angeles.

If there ever was an album prescient of and apropos for Quarantimes, it is The Queen is Dead. Just as Schitt’s Creek was, surprisingly, exactly what many of us needed in the dark winter of 2020-2021 (YOU fold it in!), this album is just what I need as this Bullshit Period of Time takes a spiraling turn. There IS a light and it NEVER goes out. If David Rose were to write an album, this would be his album. In fact, David Rose reminds me of Morrissey. I know, I know—Morrissey is a little like crappy whiskey: syrupy, trying to be something bigger/more important than he actually is, hard to swallow, too much of him gives you a headache. And yes, he is 100% Brit-dick of the ages. (see: https://www.spin.com/2017/11/morrissey-defends-kevin-spacey-and-harvey-weinstein-saying-victims-shouldve-known-what-could-happen/) But early/mid 1980s Morrissey was a kinder, gentler version. Kind of like how David Rose—and Schitt’s Creek overall—evolved into a kinder, gentler version of himself. And this album, for me, reminds me of when I, too, was a kinder, gentler version of myself. Just a few notes from me: -The opening drums! My beloved They Might Be Giants once made fun of the Smiths for their “boom-chick” drums—The Queen is Dead stands in opposition to that critique. -Cemetry Gates is one of the songs that inspired me to learn the guitar and still one of my favorite little riffs. “A dreaded sunny day” portended my eventual feelings about living in Los Angeles. -Johnny Marr's technique and melodic lines and expressiveness shines here. And I think shows the signal that he's ready to move onto bigger and better things like The Pretenders. -His alliterative references get me every time. Loud, loutish lover. Monkish monsignor. Ten ton truck. -Randy Jackson would most certainly comment on his “pitchy-ness” throughout. But rather than try to be all fancy with my rare reviews, I’ll just let the lyrics speak for themselves as certainly relevant for this turbulent time. Since you’ve asked you are a flatulent pain in the ass. Some girls are bigger than others, some girls’ mothers are bigger than other girls’ mothers. (True? Yes. Relevance? None.) A vicar in a tutu, he’s not strange; he just wants to live his life this way. It’s so easy laugh, it’s so easy to hate, it takes strength to be gentle and kind. Life is very long when you’re lonely. #covid #quarantimes Take me out tonight Because I want to see people And I want to see life There IS a light and it NEVER goes out.

Baby’s got the bends. You don’t have any real friends. This is TOTALLY how I feel as we try to re-enter somehow into the world. Our kids have to deal with very metaphorical decompression of going from lockdown or podding or significant isolation to freaking public school, crammed hallways, cramped school buses. But I like what the album conjures for me more. Another album that transports me to college. This one is glued to the membranes of my curious and trepidatious cells. It coaxed the leery adult from the grips of my apprehensive adolescence. It doesn’t hurt that I could figure out how to play most of these on the guitar—back when Radiohead’s simplicity matched my skill. I love the explosiveness of the Bends and Thom Yorke’s unbridled bellows. To playing on the upbeat in the chorus in Bones. “I used to fly like Peter Pan! All the children flew when I touched their hands.” (Nice Dream) sounds just like one to me. The melodic descent of the partial barre chords at the beginning contrasts with the whining riffs toward the end. Just has a cool rock-out start. I often quote this song (and not just nowadays): “You do it to yourself, you do, and that’s why it really hurts.” Ain’t it the truth. #maskupassholes #getthefuckingshot I love the cliffhanger chord that Black Star ends on. But I think my most favorite song is Sulk. I’m a sucker for slow builds. Simple single note motif on the guitar that leads to a more complex and interesting variation in the bass line that descends down the scale as he declares a holiday, falls asleep, drifts away. Radiohead and I kinda parted ways sometime around Kid A. We grew apart. Maybe my grown ass self should revisit the newer stuff and find something new about myself. We’ll see. Solid 5 from me.

Boy oh boy what a surprise. I really enjoyed this album. I hear in this band threads of inspiration that pop up in other bands. Marquee Moon’s rhythmic guitar instantly reminded me of Interpol (Obstacle 1 in Turn on the Bright Lights). They are a wonderful mix of their contemporaries and a glimpse into the indie future. It’s really the melodic lines of the guitar that kept me hooked. I’ll definitely be listening to this one more and more.

I was soooo excited when this started. And then after all the fun funk of the brass and bass at the end of the quintessential sex-pressure song, it just petered out. But I do love me “Kissing A Fool.” The rest is disappointing.

I like Tom Waits. I definitely have to be in a certain mood to listen to him, and I don't often find myself in that type of mood. I appreciate his unique sound and voice.

although technically I listened, it was as if I didn't because I remember nothing.

I know this guy who said this was one of his all-time favorite albums. He played The Emperor's New Clothes so much in his tape deck that it wore thin and started sounding warped. He said Sinead was the cat's meow, the bee's knees. What a pretentious ass. I mean, I don't HATE the album. I just can't for the life of me understand how it made the list. Maybe the list-makers were afraid of being eviscerated on Sinead's come-back performance on SNL. Or maybe they subliminally are giving her props for being a pioneer in cool text verbiage (Nothing Compares 2 U). (Now that I've typed that out, maybe that song is actually a demonic-play-it-backwards homage to Sinead's comrades in Irish music fame...U2 Compares Nothing.) Somehow I find the quality of Sinead's voice to be somewhat reminiscent of kd lang's, which is shocking, given some pretentious ass's opinions of her album on this list. What I will give Sinead is tangentially related to her music, which is that she dared to display a boldness that women in her time had not really gotten away with. Sure, she got blowback for it, and still does. And so to the extent that her fame gives her the platform to highlight issues that matter to her, more power to her. But what her message offers in wisdom is lost in its immature delivery. When songs from this album come on, I won't change the station, but I won't go looking for it, either.

I’m not a Stones fan but you gotta appreciate the fact that their music is woven into most music since. Can’t escape that.

Nope. Not my thing.

This will always be among my most favorite albums ever. There is so much classical foundation to this entire album. I love all the remakes that have been done of it (like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keDSxbwoiqs and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsDlH1lO2p4). I feel immersed every time I listen to it. There are some I like more than others, but overall it's a seminal album in my view. Let Down is probably my favorite...I love the build-up. Also, it is etched in my memory from their show at the old 9:30 Club where they played for this album's tour (1997?) and the lights and dry ice and the gigantic computers on set with the various equalizers going nuts at the climax of the song. I confess, my love for Radiohead took a decline after this album, for which I know I'm an outlier. Maybe I should renew my commitment to one of my favorite bands ever by revisiting them with a more mature (ha! OLDER, DEAFER) ear.

The art for this album is everywhere in my life. Not sure why but it is. If there were an Album Art-le game, I’d nail this one off the bat. I love Elliott Smith but this isn’t my favorite of his albums. Some of the songs downright irritate me. It’s very stream of consciousness and when a band/artist goes in that direction, that’s usually when they lose me. (Case in point: Radiohead) One major exception is the Lost and Found—that little piano ditty gets stuck in my head and I LOVE it. So playful. I love the motif of pairing the guitar and piano melody in so many of his songs. And Color Bars is a good one too. Simple. Not trying too hard. I found science in the album. Everything Reminds Me of Her. Everything Means Nothing to Me. Therefore, she means nothing to me. The lyric in LA, “Last night I was about to throw it all away,” just makes me so sad. Cuz one night he did throw it all away. And I don’t judge him for it—depression and drug addiction are a lethal combination. But what a fucking tragic loss.

I notice that my (rare and inconsistent) scores correlate quite closely to whether I can play the songs on the guitar. A low bar to be sure. This was one of the most well-worn albums of my college years, and most often listened to in my car on trips to and from Richmond/NoVA—side A of the tape was this album and side B was Bona Drag and I’d get through both on the ride. Clearly I’m dating myself because today, that same trek would require at least 4 albums. Or the Hamilton soundtrack 1.5 times. I listened to this album so much that the tape sounded warped, so I had to invest 15 of my 1993 dollars in a CD which limited my listening to my one and only CD played in my dorm. Hence the driving soundtrack. I originally started this review by recounting what each song evokes for me. But then I realized that that’s just an n of one and won’t mean much to anyone else. As I listen to this album with 47-year-old ears, I get why it’s not that impressive to others. But my 18-year-old ears couldn’t get enough. I like the rockabilly sound of some of the songs (You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side, the lullaby of others (We’ll Let You Know), the battlecry of I Know it’s Gonna Happen. We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful was, embarrassingly, resonated for me well into my 20s. But the perfect juxtaposition of yester-Bethany and present-day-Bethany is You’re the One for Me Fatty. My self-conscious, distorted body-imaged-self found this to be my personal theme song at the time. I even think my stupid college boyfriend “jokingly” serenaded me with this song. I don’t know what the hell it’s supposed to mean. But since Queen says Fat-Bottomed Girls make the rocking’ world go ‘round, I’m gonna go with England is more accepting of all body types (please don’t ruin this for me). But honestly I love the drums and little guitar riff. I guess music, at least for me, is all about relating to something in the songs. And I need a lot of time with an album to find the connection. Kind of like friends. Luckily I spend a lot more time with people than I do on this activity or I’d live the sad little life that Mr. Asshole Morrissey is living now.

Oldie, goodie, and yet not as exciting as i remember.

I hated Bruce when I was a kid. I hated his craggy voice in Born in the USA. My sister LOVED him. So for her birthday we got her tickets to see him at the Nationals’ stadium. And that’s when that weird thing happens where “he’s not my thing” moved to “oh but he’s damn good live” to “gotta respect a 70-year-old who has survived - and grown - the industry” to “ok, lemme listen to him more” to “I like his stuff.” Sure, it’s still not always my thing. But the title song is one of my top motivational songs - I think that is a piece of musical genius (the chord progression in the second half that slowly builds to the cascading chromatic climax (nice alliteration, Miller!) in particular). He is among the OG American rockstars. And he’s in damn good shape. I hope he lives as long as Jimmy Carter or Betty White so we can all continue to benefit from his contributions to music and as a commentary on humanity.

I had shit to say about NIN but this interface is stupid so fuck off Virgin Suicides.

I am as surprised as the next person at how much I liked this album. Stripped of the over-produced mainstream sound, this showcases that Taylor Swift has actual substance that is masked by her pop song successes. I think she’s a great lyricist. I really liked the vocal harmonies. I heard echoes of Sheryl Crow, Tom Petty, and Coldplay (and for those who don’t like those bands, I suppose they wouldn’t like this much either). Solid album IMHO.

This is totally not my jam. Giving it 2 stars because I am reserving 1 star ratings for things I detest.

This is my least favorite smiths album. There are some decent riffs in some songs but upon this listen after decades of not hearing it didn’t evoke any reminiscence in me line usually happens when I hear the smiths. And the gratuitous dubbing of cow screams at the end of the title track is so quintessential morrissey and not in a good way. I’d give it 2 stars except I’m still on a post-Johnny Marr high so it gets extra credit.

I can only take so much of B&S. This was almost too much.

It’s like listening to the toddler version of rap, walking slowly, a little awkwardly, but holding their own. I kinda like that the rapping is slow enough that I can actually understand what they’re saying. I also like the raging against the racist machine rather than against warring factions in the same genre and among the same oppressed group—fighting the right enemy. Rap has not really been my thing but 80s/early 90s rap is as close as I get to liking it.

I really liked this album. Admittedly, I got sick of it when it was overplayed so much. But I’ve never listened to the whole thing end-to-end and I think it’s a great musical arc. 21 is aptly named, isn’t it? Every generation has its “you broke my heart” sob songs, its “you asshole cheated on me” battlecry songs. What I appreciate about Adele’s groove in that well-worn path is that it doesn’t go out of its way to be rageful or cynical. Instead, it’s mournful and reminiscent and reflective and sassy and hopeful. Also, I’m a sucker for perfect fifths in the baseline.

So totally not my thing. I reserve 1 star for crap. This isn’t crap but it’s nothing I’ll ever listen to so 2 stars it is.

I have two perspectives on this. 1. This is inspirational. If some label is willing to front money for studio time that yields an album less than an hour long, and of the quality and caliber of this band, then for the love of all that is holy, I should be able to chase my wildest dreams and live to be on some top 1001 list. 2. I can’t get back the 49.5 minutes of my life that was wasted and marred by this awful f^*#ing string of untuned notes together, backed by terrible boom-chick drumming on double speed.

OMG I can’t with this guy. The schmaltz in the lyrics and his dramatic singing and the oh-so-same-sounding melody. I am not at all opposed to ballads or piano-heavy soft rock or whatever you want to call it but this is just. Blech. The Kenny G of whatever the genre is.

Y’all have captured all of my feelings in your reviews. Nothing more to add.

Like Belle and Sebastian, I can only take so much early Cure stuff. Never listened to this one. Probably won’t again. But still give it 3 stars because it’s fine, just more of the same sound that I tire of quickly.

I give 2.5 stars. Rounding up because there were a couple of songs where the pleasantness of the three-part harmony outweighed the obnoxious raspy whispery BS earlier in the album.

This album is so linked to our final year or two in Los Angeles, when we lived in our best apartment, had the best commutes, were paid the best, and were newlyweds. And, if memory serves, they were the last show we saw there at the Hollywood Bowl. Extra points for that alone. I know some people really don’t like Arcade Fire. I don’t get it. I mean, yeah, they flaunt their Canadian-ness with their French lyrics here and there. But some things should just be in French, if for no other reason than to make the dumb Americans feel left out or less than. I love this album. I haven’t listened to it for awhile so it’s like having a yummy dinner with an old friend. I like their signature downbeat metronomic pulse in many of their songs (makes for great exercise listening!). I especially like how it goes almost double speed at the end of Crown of Love (I also love how the end of the song goes from minor to major chords—ends in such a bright way). I need to add Wake Up to my battlecry song playlist. And while I’m always tempted to stop listening as the last song starts, I remind myself to stick it out because the last half is worth it. Partial star off for stupid titles that are followed by far-better parentheticals. And for the French. Still 5 stars.

Not my fave Led Zeppelin album

I am shocked that I don’t hate all of this. I hate some of it. I don’t like the deliberate discordance—that’s not music to me, it’s grating. I don’t like a lot of experimentation in general (hence why my love for Radiohead drifted) but I REALLY don’t like it when someone hits ‘record’ while they fuck around on their guitar to see what happens if I pluck this or turn up that knobby. That’s lazy. On the occasion they had structure to their songs, ie they followed a time signature with actual downbeats and discernible rhythm, I liked their sound. All in all, I like Kate’s review of the album more than the album itself.

It’s hard to go wrong with an album full of songs driven by the bright sound of a 12-string Rickenbacker. It’s their signature sound and even when I hear it in songs of other bands, I still think of the Byrds when I hear it. I love the reminiscent, almost romantic feeling their songs evoke - the hopefulness and agency of the hippie movement. Despite the growing pains of the times, the Byrds were apparently like every other 20-something of every generation—waiting for love, being burned and betrayed by love. They’re less angry about it than Alanis or Olivia Rodrigo, but still heartbroken just the same. And while SNL said the only prescription for a fever is more cowbell, I submit that the cowbell’s more agile, spritely, and chipper cousin, the tambourine, is the real cure to what ails us.

I like EW&F just fine. They don't bug me. They don't excite me particularly. Hence 3 stars.

OMG I feel like I was dropped into a well of 3rd-rate musical actors performing for their selfie debut on MySpace. Cringy, as the kids say. No can do.

I really wanted to like this. I just didn’t.

New computer. Lost my notes. Can't remember what I thought about which song. Generally I liked this.

Enjoyed this. (And the short songs, too!)

Love all of the usual suspects on this album. If the Cars are playing on the radio, that's where my scanning stops. I didn't like the non-radio-played stuff. This isn't the kind of album I'd put on and listen to start to finish. The Cars are kind of like chocolate mousse or egg nog -- a little goes a long way. That's why it's a 3-star album and not 4.

I know this is controversial but I’ve never been a Hendrix fan. I’m not super into the 60s psychedelic sounds generally. But I can appreciate his artistry and skill.

I respect the Queen for her place as a pioneering female in the rap industry. One thing that irks me about mainstream rap in the late 80s/early 90s is the narcissism of it all - I'm the best rapper, nobody raps like me, blah blah blah. And Dance for Me as the opener just tapped right into that irritation for me. The album generally felt pretty simplistic, like the Run DMC album did for me. Just middle of the road for me.

Once again, I am surprised by my reaction to this album. I have long-detested Perry Farrell's voice, almost as much as Anthony Kiedis' and y'all know that's a lot. So, in a rare instance of admitting I was wrong to @pretentious-ass, I liked this album. Like, a lot. I even liked the 10-minute song Three Days. I really dig the guitar riffs and simplicity of the sound. I think I have to admit this album into my rotation.

My BC (before creepiness) rating is 4. I like this band. I like Funeral better but I like this album too. I struggle with these anonymous allegations of assault and/or misconduct - not because I don’t believe them but I also do believe in the “innocent until proven guilty” principle. Oh I forgot—they’re Canadian so I guess that doesn’t matter. In sum, my AD (after [admitted and confirmed] deception) rating is a 3.

Gotta thank Kate K for cluing me into one of my all-time faves so I can skulk in and drop a review. The way this album starts always made me think of being underground in a big pipe - that hollow, metal sound - and then suddenly I'm at church, kneeling, waiting for mass to begin, with the quiet, serene organ reverberating across the vacuous sanctuary. I love the diversity of the songs on this album. It shows the broad range of influences on them, their own unique sound in different kinds of songs. The delay effect is synonymous with U2 and any other song that uses it can't escape the association (for better or worse). I love how the Edge's guitar groans as the "city groans" in Bullet the Blue Sky and how the drums sound like gunshots and how it sounds like it was recorded in a tiny basement room. These good Irish Catholic boys' beliefs come through (every Catholic carries the cross of one's shame). Running to Stand Still is the most haunting to me--that harmonica is so sorrowful. One of my bucket list items was to see U2 live. Brian gave that to me when they went on their Joshua Tree tour. As cheesy as it sounds, it was the closest I have come to a religious experience -- not in a religious sense, but in a spiritual, other-worldly sense, where you feel like you enter some kind of buzzing, perfect zone. My ears rang for a couple of days - one of the loudest shows I've ever been to. It was all I hoped it to be and more. So yeah...had to come back here to give it a solid 4.