Journey Complete!
Finisher #143 to complete the list
1089
Albums Rated
4.05
Average Rating
100%
Complete
OK Computer
Radiohead
Favorite Album
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Shoegaze
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Enthusiast
Rater Style ?
380
5-Star Albums
2
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
|
5 | 1.88 | +3.12 |
|
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
|
5 | 2.03 | +2.97 |
|
Dub Housing
Pere Ubu
|
5 | 2.35 | +2.65 |
|
Third
Soft Machine
|
5 | 2.43 | +2.57 |
|
Suicide
Suicide
|
5 | 2.46 | +2.54 |
|
We're Only In It For The Money
The Mothers Of Invention
|
5 | 2.47 | +2.53 |
|
The Modern Dance
Pere Ubu
|
5 | 2.48 | +2.52 |
|
Shleep
Robert Wyatt
|
5 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
|
The United States Of America
The United States Of America
|
5 | 2.61 | +2.39 |
|
Bright Flight
Silver Jews
|
5 | 2.68 | +2.32 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
|
2 | 3.59 | -1.59 |
|
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
|
1 | 2.47 | -1.47 |
|
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
|
2 | 3.44 | -1.44 |
|
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
|
2 | 3.39 | -1.39 |
|
xx
The xx
|
2 | 3.37 | -1.37 |
|
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
|
2 | 3.29 | -1.29 |
|
Beautiful Freak
Eels
|
2 | 3.28 | -1.28 |
|
Only By The Night
Kings of Leon
|
2 | 3.23 | -1.23 |
|
Who Killed...... The Zutons?
The Zutons
|
2 | 3.14 | -1.14 |
|
Pump
Aerosmith
|
2 | 3.11 | -1.11 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 7 | 5 |
| Bob Dylan | 7 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 6 | 5 |
| Brian Eno | 5 | 5 |
| David Bowie | 9 | 4.56 |
| PJ Harvey | 4 | 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 5 |
| Miles Davis | 4 | 5 |
| Joni Mitchell | 4 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.8 |
| Sonic Youth | 5 | 4.8 |
| The Rolling Stones | 6 | 4.5 |
| Leonard Cohen | 5 | 4.6 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 4.75 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 5 |
| Pixies | 3 | 5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 5 |
| Yes | 3 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 5 |
| My Bloody Valentine | 3 | 5 |
| Prince | 3 | 5 |
| Kanye West | 3 | 5 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 5 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 5 |
| Tom Waits | 5 | 4.4 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 5 | 4.4 |
| Metallica | 4 | 4.5 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 4.5 |
| Steely Dan | 4 | 4.5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 4.5 |
| R.E.M. | 4 | 4.5 |
| Björk | 4 | 4.5 |
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Doors | 3 | 4.67 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Cure | 3 | 4.67 |
| Queen | 3 | 4.67 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.67 |
| Roxy Music | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 4.67 |
| Marvin Gaye | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 4.67 |
| Elliott Smith | 2 | 5 |
| Belle & Sebastian | 2 | 5 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 5 |
| New Order | 2 | 5 |
| Willie Nelson | 2 | 5 |
| The Flaming Lips | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Suede | 2 | 5 |
| John Lennon | 2 | 5 |
| Lou Reed | 2 | 5 |
| The Clash | 2 | 5 |
| Fleetwood Mac | 2 | 5 |
| Can | 2 | 5 |
| Joy Division | 2 | 5 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 5 |
| Randy Newman | 2 | 5 |
| The Mothers Of Invention | 2 | 5 |
| Portishead | 2 | 5 |
| Spiritualized | 2 | 5 |
| Fiona Apple | 2 | 5 |
| Siouxsie And The Banshees | 2 | 5 |
| Pavement | 2 | 5 |
| Pere Ubu | 2 | 5 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 5 | 4.2 |
| The Byrds | 5 | 4.2 |
| The Kinks | 4 | 4.25 |
| The Stooges | 3 | 4.33 |
| The White Stripes | 3 | 4.33 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.33 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 3 | 4.33 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 4.33 |
| Beastie Boys | 3 | 4.33 |
| Public Enemy | 3 | 4.33 |
| Echo And The Bunnymen | 3 | 4.33 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 4.33 |
| Paul Simon | 3 | 4.33 |
| Beck | 3 | 4.33 |
| Peter Gabriel | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Who | 5 | 4 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kings of Leon | 3 | 2 |
5-Star Albums (380)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Kid Rock
1/5
My partner is from the Detroit metro area and grew up not too far from where Kid Rock is from. Despite what he says in his music, he grew up well off. This album is full of empty posturing; he wants so badly to be able to claim a backstory like Eminem's but it's just not the case. Stylistically, kid rock isn’t doing anything new, but he’s definitely doing it worse. His flow is decent, but is often undercut by awful rhymes and cheesy metal interludes. He’s trying to be too much at once, a rags to riches rapper who actually grew up relatively affluent and a southernish redneck from the north who needs auto tune to get through a straight country song. His use of profanity is gratuitous beyond what is necessary and one wonders if his sexual prowess is a fraction of how he portrays it. This music is clearly designed to appeal to disaffected white people but comes off as disingenuous and unnecessarily confrontational. This is music that absolutely no one needed. At best, it's someone trying, and not succeeding at genre fusion, at the worst, it's a cynical ploy to sell records to white people who think they're hard.
68 likes
Hole
5/5
I've never listened to Hole. Courtney Love is a complicated and polarizing figure and for that reason I've never really had an interest in her music. I should've just listened. This is a monster of an album and grabbed me immediately with its punk and hardcore inspired grunge. It has memorable lyrics, great musicianship, all topped off with Courtney Love's incredible vocal delivery. Hole is supremely talented and after hearing this, much preferred to other grunge acts of the time. I'm glad I gave it a listen.
29 likes
Os Mutantes
5/5
I listened to this album twice. The first time I quite enjoyed it but felt it was one of those albums that needs to be given more time to grow on me. The second listen opened up some of the melodies and rhythms and allowed me to pick apart some of the various styles and influences. Overall, I think that this album is criminally overlooked. We would do well to get outside of our Anglo-American concentration and see how what we are familiar with influences and has been influenced by what we are not familiar with.
25 likes
Willie Nelson
5/5
Willie Nelson bucked the system and instead of putting out over produced Nashville drivel, made a simple, stripped down country record structured as a concept album. Red Headed Stranger is the story of a preacher who kills his wife and lover and explores themes of loss, guilt, and longing. It’s exactly what needed to be made at the time
23 likes
Depeche Mode
5/5
This is my first time hearing Depeche Mode and I must say that I loved this album. It is brooding and driving with interesting instrumentation and song construction. There's an expansiveness to this music that I really enjoy. British New Wave is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.
23 likes
1-Star Albums (2)
All Ratings
The Stooges
3/5
Not my usual listening, but was intrigued on how I could hear the seeds of punk, shoegaze, and new wave. The influence of the Doors as well as artists such as Bo Diddley were apparent.
Talking Heads
5/5
This album is fearless. David Byrne is unafraid to toss in disco influences with rock influences and create something new but coherent. His frantic lyrics and singing add a sense of manic urgency to this album. This music is off-kilter, yet still finds a groove.
Bee Gees
4/5
The Beatles and Elton John influence is apparent here. The Bee Gees are better known for their late '70s disco pop, but this album showcases their ability to craft lush pop centered around themes of loss and remembrance. Highlights for me are 'How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,' 'Trafalgar,' 'Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself,' and 'Walking Back to Waterloo.'
5/5
I'm very glad this album was included. Loretta Lynn's contribution to country music cannot be overstated. Her vocal performance is powerful and subtle. Female country singers are often noted for their powerful delivery, but Lynn showcases immense control and damn near perfect delivery (see 'I Really Don't Want to Know' for a masterclass in vocal delivery). The music itself is well crafted, and is more complex with its chord changes than one would think. It is designed to deliver the exact emotional resolution (or lack thereof) that the songwriter intends. In that, it excels.
Eels
2/5
There is so much potential in this music. Having said that, the lyrics are weak and trying too hard to be edgy. I can't help but compare this album with other music from the mid nineties that successfully capture feelings of isolation and sadness without becoming heavy handed.
As for the music itself, I really enjoyed the first half of the album, but it just doesn't fulfill what it could be. By the second half of the album, it starts to fall flat. Guitar arpeggios are great, but not when they make up the entirety of the album.
Jamiroquai
4/5
I really enjoyed this album. This is a solid jam/jazz/funk/acid rock offering with lots to dig in to especially if you're musically inclined. The record was joyful and playful and featured impressive musicianship. I especially enjoyed the use of the synth which in no way made the music sound dated (as synths can do). Great record to put on to get people dancing as well.
Teenage Fanclub
5/5
Great blend of Brit pop and punk with The Beach Boys influence coming through. Overall, a warm album from a band who knows how to effectively switch up a song
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Not my favorite Velvet Underground, but still a great album
Louis Prima
4/5
Great mix of jazz, R&B, swing, and early rock and roll. This album is high energy until the very end. I have heard of Louis Prima before, but I'm glad to have become more familiar with his music. This album would have been very influential at this particular musical crossroads. Prima's embrace of the burgeoning rock and roll genre is a testament to his flexibility and openness.
Weather Report
4/5
The synth sounds a bit dated, but this album is a fusion masterpiece featuring acrobatic musicianship and great exploratory passages.
Beatles
5/5
One of the greatest albums of all time. You can hear the seeds of experimentation which would explode the next year in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This album represents a huge leap forward musically, and technologically as the Beatles began using the studio as an instrument in itself.
4/5
I have never listened to Blur before but enjoyed this album quite a bit. The range of influence that could be heard throughout was diverse and well incorporated. Overall, a great album
Todd Rundgren
5/5
Incredible album! Cohesive, interesting, and boundary pushing. I can imagine how formative this must have been for experimental musicians. I'm very glad this has been put on my radar.
Duran Duran
5/5
Loved it. I have been spoken derisively about synth heavy 80s albums in the past, but I'm growing to enjoy quite a bit of that style of music. Rio is well paced, and features interesting lyrics, amazing bass lines, and intriguing synth/keyboard work. I will definitely be returning to this album.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
Great first half. I enjoy the more ballad like songs from this one. Simple music, great vocal delivery
Sisters Of Mercy
5/5
Loved it. I have not waded much into goth-rock/new wave/post-punk but this was great. Though the instrumentation was simple, it was very effective. The music features a strong backbeat, prominent bass, horror motifs, and typical new wave/post-punk vocal delivery. The overall result is a driving, pulsing music that is instantly likable and even danceable.
Os Mutantes
5/5
I listened to this album twice. The first time I quite enjoyed it but felt it was one of those albums that needs to be given more time to grow on me. The second listen opened up some of the melodies and rhythms and allowed me to pick apart some of the various styles and influences. Overall, I think that this album is criminally overlooked. We would do well to get outside of our Anglo-American concentration and see how what we are familiar with influences and has been influenced by what we are not familiar with.
Baaba Maal
5/5
Gorgeous instrumentation and vocals. I have heard Baaba Maal mentioned by other musicians so it was great to actually be able to listen to him.
Elliott Smith
5/5
Beautiful. I listened to it twice. I will be returning to Elliott Smith quite a bit
Don McLean
4/5
Great album. I've always loved the title track as well as 'Vincent,' but listening to the album as a whole makes me wonder why Don McLean isn't known beyond a few songs. His songwriting and musicianship are great and his vocal range is impressive. He can be a bit on the nose for some things, but when he's great, he's truly great.
Metallica
4/5
Better than expected. I’m not the biggest fan of metal, but hearing it with the symphony brings out those classically influenced qualities
Bad Company
3/5
Good hard rock. I grew up with quite a few of these songs. They’re not terribly innovative but there’s something to be said for their mastery of their style. Paul Rogers is an excellent vocalist
5/5
Great album, great songwriter. She’s influential as hell, there’s not much more I can say about her
Coldplay
2/5
Some good songs, but the album really starts to drag towards the end.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Solid album. This album was made during a period of tension within the band and escalating drug use. This album is more moody than joyful, and represents a change in direction for the band. Within a few years the rhythm section would be replaced.
Turbonegro
4/5
Super interesting album. This self-named genre Deathpunk is way more thought out that than the punk label would suggest. The arrangement is complex and is able to keep the listeners attention through over 40 minutes of music. The lyrics and the name of the band are transgressive, but again, very interesting.
Parliament
5/5
Incredible album. It feels like the music is unfolding in real time not necessarily as a live show, but as an all encompassing experience. George Clinton's futuristic vision is pervasive and engaging. The personnel on this album are the very best at what they do. This might be the definitive funk album.
Goldfrapp
4/5
A startlingly intimate and atmospheric album. Certain songs such as Deer Stop grabbed me immediately. Alison Goldfrapp's vocals are haunting and when they are altered the effect is electric.
Fairport Convention
4/5
I was familiar with Sandy Denny through her performance on Led Zeppelin IV, but this showcases her vocals in a new way. This album is very interesting in that it approaches folk rock from a undeniably British perspective. Great storytelling, and compelling music.
Happy Mondays
5/5
Great album. Really bridges the gap between new wave and Britpop. I will definitely be returning to this album
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Solid album. Admittedly, I am not to familiar with most of Springsteen’s work. This album was full of great storytelling
Ryan Adams
3/5
Nothing terribly groundbreaking here. Fairly enjoyable, but it seems like an over-earnest rehashing of heartland rock. It's also hard to come to this album as a new listener in the wake of the allegations of sexual abuse. I feel like I've been primed to dislike anything Ryan Adams has put out. I will say that he definitely can write a good song and has a unique voice.
Bert Jansch
3/5
I can hear how this album influenced Nick Drake, Simon and Garfunkel, Led Zeppelin, etc. Great acoustic guitar playing, and great folk music.
MGMT
3/5
I have seen this band live because a friend had an extra ticket. They were fine, but there wasn't much of their music that resonated with me. This album has some good tracks, but the second half really lags. I do enjoy the interesting synth worth though. It's a good album, just not something I'd willingly put on.
Nirvana
5/5
One of the greatest albums of the '90s and possibly ever. Nirvana expanded their dynamics on this album which gives it more texture and shows that the band was not simply content to rehash Nevermind. This album hints at their Beatles and Pixies influence while incorporating elements of punk and hardcore music. Kurt Cobain was a master songwriter and an avid student of music.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Not bad. Lots of interesting syncopation. The more I listen to it, the more I can hear the Smiths influence and British New Wave as a whole. It's not a straight rock album as it contains, punk, funk, and art music influences. The song structure here is varied with lots of good breaks. The rhythm section drives the whole band with moments of great syncopation and wonderful high hat work layered over a thumping bass.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Great album, accessible, positive, and instantly listenable.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Classic album. Neil Young's lead guitar shines through this album and makes what was already a supergroup even better. One of the greatest folk rock statements ever
Massive Attack
4/5
Not my usual fare but I enjoyed it for what it was. It is un-categorizable in genre, but still feels unified.
Tom Waits
5/5
Wow. Strange album but what an experiment in songwriting and genre bending. Will be listening to again
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Some great moments in the first half, but it’s just a bit much for me. This album carries some of the worse impulses in 80s music and is quite dated. However, it’s an exemplary example of where pop music was at that time
Bob Dylan
5/5
Not much to say. This is one of the best Dylan albums which is about as high as I can praise it. This album features an electric first half and is the first of a three album trio which sees Dylan reinvent himself and write some of the greatest if not the greatest songs of all time.
The Monks
5/5
A hidden gem. I had never heard of this band but after listening to this album, I can hear tinges of punk within an experimental framework. It's interesting to think about what was coming out in 1966, the Beatles' Revolver, the Beach Boy's Pet Sounds etc., and Black Monk Time sounds completely different. Truly incredible
David Bowie
5/5
Classic album. Huge leap in songwriting from his previous three albums featuring great melodies and driving instrumentation.
Julian Cope
4/5
I liked it quite a bit. Julian Cope at times sounded like he was bringing in influences from the Smiths, Lou Reed/The Velvet Underground, and various new wave/post-punk artists. The album runs a bit long and would benefit from a pruning of sorts.
The Doors
4/5
Not my favorite Doors album, but with Roadhouse Blues, Waiting for the Sun, Queen of the Highway, and Peace Frog, this is still a very strong album. As always, Ray Manzarek's keyboard work is incredible. I'm also a fan of Robbie Krieger's guitar work.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Fun album. Not every song is the best lyrically, but I think this is their best album
The The
5/5
Really good. Great mix of funk, new wave/post punk with great Thatcher era lyrics. The use of horns within this post punk format gives the music a more optimistic sounding feel as opposed to other British post punk artists despite the lyrics that reflect economic and global strife.
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
I got a lot of a lot of Nick Drake vibes from this one. I can also see how they influenced the diy indie scene as well. Very well written and unusual songs with a thoughtful arrangement and instrumentation
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Really good album. I've never listened to a Tribe Called Quest before, but have been trying to learn more about hip hop and its history. This album is accessible, and features a smooth flow, and beats full of jazz, funk, and rock idioms. This album does run a bit long though. However, I've listened to other albums that are way shorter but feel longer. I hope to listen to more of this group in the future. This album made me excited to delve more into hip hop.
Sade
5/5
I wasn't expecting to be as into this album as I am. It's so smooth, funky, and jazzy. The musicianship is fantastic and Sade's vocals are phenomenal as well. The drums and bass are locked in and are doing really interesting lines and rhythms in the background. This is a marvelously produced album and is sequenced and mixed very well. In retrospect, it makes total sense that I love this album as I love funk and jazz. I was expecting something more dated I think.
Super Furry Animals
5/5
Really interesting. I personally loved the cinematic feel to this album
The Go-Go's
4/5
I listened to this album a couple of times and while I did enjoy it, there wasn’t anything in particular that stood out to me except Automatic and Skidmarks on My Heart.
Elton John
4/5
I was quite familiar with this album. It has a very American barroom feel. The standouts were Tiny Dancer, Levon, and the title track. Some of the songs drag a bit
Pixies
5/5
I’d been wanting to explore the Pixies for a while and this gave me the perfect excuse. Bossanova is phenomenal. The post punk, surf rock, and folk rock influence is obvious, and their own influence in later bands such as Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, and Nirvana is abundantly clear. So great I immediately started it over
The Strokes
4/5
I never really got into the strokes and now it feels a bit too late. This album was incredibly influential to the point where a lot of what came after sounds just like it. If I had heard this album first, perhaps my reaction would be different
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
Excellent album that brings together a who's who of Cuban musicians to create something truly wonderful. This album is at once listenable, danceable, and features some amazing musicianship and arrangement. This will going into my rotation.
Method Man
4/5
I need to listen to a few more times as it's super layered. The flow is great of course, but there is so much going on in the background that deserves to be heard. There's a tinge of darkness and moodiness to this album that is really intriguing. An excellent addition to the mystique of the Wu Tang Clan
Faith No More
4/5
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. This music was interesting for its refusal to stay within a hard rock/metal framework. The funk and hip hop influences reminded me of RHCP with better songwriting and arrangement. I see why this band is so influential. This is not something I would have sought out for myself, but I'm really glad I got to listen to it.
Steve Winwood
3/5
I really liked parts of it. Some of the synthesizer use definitely was ahead of its time and sounded almost contemporary. Unfortunately, with such heavy reliance on synthesizers to simulate brass and other instrumentation, the music sounds incredibly dated. The songwriting is of course great, but it's hard to be able to listen to this album without the synths getting in the way.
Elton John
4/5
Classic. It does drag a bit and feels a bit bloated, but when it’s good, it’s truly great.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Brilliant album. One of my favorite things about Pink Floyd is that they let their songs breathe as it were. Each musical passage is allowed to be savored and developed in its own timing. David Gilmour is one of my favorite guitarists for his ability to craft melodies and solos that are exactly what the song needs. Furthermore, the lyrical makeup is at once specific to Sid Barrett’s mental breakdown, yet universalizing in some of its themes of exploitation, genius, longing, and sadness.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Not only does this album represent the best of Simon & Garfunkel, it also looks ahead to Paul Simon's later work in exploring Latin American and African music. As always, the harmonies are tight, and Simon's lyrics are among the best in the American songbook. On a personal note, Simon & Garfunkel always make me feel nostalgic in a way I can't quite put my finger on. One of the greatest duos of all time.
Hole
5/5
I've never listened to Hole. Courtney Love is a complicated and polarizing figure and for that reason I've never really had an interest in her music. I should've just listened. This is a monster of an album and grabbed me immediately with its punk and hardcore inspired grunge. It has memorable lyrics, great musicianship, all topped off with Courtney Love's incredible vocal delivery. Hole is supremely talented and after hearing this, much preferred to other grunge acts of the time. I'm glad I gave it a listen.
Fugees
5/5
Incredible album. Like a great piece of classical music, this album was thematic, self-referential, and incorporated previous melodies and lyrics to create a sense that this album is meant to be listed to as a whole, as a piece of music rather than a collection of songs. The flows on this album are some of the best I've ever heard. Lauryn Hill is the clear standout, though Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel are also incredible. It's no wonder why this group is one of the most influential in hip hop.
fIREHOSE
3/5
Interesting mix of rockabilly, post-punk, a touch of reggae, new wave, folk, and hard rock. There's obvious influences from the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, the Police, and '70s commercial rock. I'm honestly not sure if I like it or if it's really boring. It's very proto college rock in a lot of ways. There's nothing here that's terribly innovative. The bass work however, is truly outstanding.
Green Day
5/5
Perhaps I’m just rating it highly because I lived in the East Bay for so long, but this album seriously holds up after 17 years. A punk rock opera was genius then and is genius now
Q-Tip
5/5
Fantastic mix of jazz, funk, soul, rock and hip hop. Q-Tip has a fantastic flow as well. The transitions are great and the use of samples is perfect
The White Stripes
4/5
Great garage rock. Not my favorite personally, but I’m still a fan
Sinead O'Connor
4/5
The first half is really great. It drags a bit after that, but picks back up in the last two tracks. Sinead O'Connor's vocal delivery never fails to impress. She is recognizably Irish and infuses her music with little inflections, both musically and vocally, to that point. However, she is not mired in traditionalism and makes music that must have certainly sounded new and fresh when it debuted.
Adam & The Ants
5/5
The range of influences in this album is impressive. I hear Beach Boys, Beatles, punk, African music (particularly Burundi), and glam rock. Adam and the Ants are clearly not overly concerned with mixing these influences or writing idiosyncratic songs, such as 'Jolly Roger,' yet there is a unity to this album that makes it all work. There's a lot to love here. The more I dive into New Wave, the more I'm convinced that it is one of the most forward thinking movements in popular music history.
Dennis Wilson
5/5
I discovered this album about five years ago and I fell in love with it instantly. Dennis Wilson was a man in the midst of self-destruction in the wake of his abusive upbringing and the excesses of fame as a member of the Beach Boys. He was not known as a sensitive man, but for his drunken escapades which eventually culminated in his death by drowning. His voice was rapidly deteriorating which can be heard here and in subsequent live performances of this material. Here, Wilson is concerned with environmental devastation and love. In 'River Song' the opening track, he confronts the claustrophobia and smog of LA, opting instead to champion a cleaner, more natural environment. In the title track, 'Pacific Ocean Blue,' penned alongside cousin and bandmate Mike Love, Wilson laments the destruction of ocean wildlife. This is an album very close to my heart both for its lyrical and musical value, but also because it gives us an insight into the enigmatic and broken person that was Dennis Wilson.
Depeche Mode
5/5
This is my first time hearing Depeche Mode and I must say that I loved this album. It is brooding and driving with interesting instrumentation and song construction. There's an expansiveness to this music that I really enjoy. British New Wave is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.
Michael Jackson
5/5
This is obviously a classic album and is absolutely stacked with hits. The production is incredible, and the arrangement has aged very well. However, I would be remiss not to mention that in light of the renewed allegations of child sexual abuse against Michael Jackson, it's difficult to listen to this music as a non-involved listener. I can't say for certain what did or didn't happen, but the persistence of these allegations is troublesome to say the least.
Shuggie Otis
4/5
Great funk/psychedelic record. The drum machine give the music a slower more driving rhythm. The instrumentation is phenomenal down to the multiple guitar parts, bass, and horns. Shuggie Otis' voice is light and smooth, a perfect complement to his music
Nico
4/5
This album was interesting for several reasons. Nico's deep and untrained voice has a way of cutting through the often lush instrumentation that lends it an air of mystery and sadness. This is truly an enigmatic album, songs written by men sung by a woman who nobody really seemed to know. I was a bit tired of it by the end, but I believe this album deserves a few more listens.
TLC
3/5
It was more funky than I expected which is a welcome shift from the plant pop groups that would dominate the late 90s. This music was at times, funny, sexual, and socially conscious. I can see why it's a celebrated album. It just doesn't do much for me personally, but I appreciate it for what it is. It does run a bit long and is a bit over produced for my taste
Fever Ray
5/5
Minimalist and driving, this album creates a sparse electronic landscape that serves as the ominous backdrop for the oft altered vocals of Karin Dreijer (Fever Ray). This album is compelling and expansive and keeps its creative impulses in check as not to leave the tracks bloated. Simply put, I loved this album.
Jethro Tull
5/5
I have only really heard the song 'Aqualung' from Jethro Tull. I should have listened to more. This album is superb. It is driving and lyrically interesting with its explorations of religion, god, and the human condition. Ian Anderson's vocals are superb and the flute playing is not a mere novelty; it is phenomenal. Jethro Tull's dedication to traditional British folk music shows through the prog rock in a way that feels natural. I will definitely look for this album in vinyl
David Crosby
3/5
Enjoyable, great harmonies, but other than that, not very exciting. I don't think it deserved the critical panning it got upon its release, but It's not Crosby's best work. Again, perfectly enjoyable, very calming, just not terribly groundbreaking.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
RHCP is not my favorite, but they are consistent and they can be a lot of fun. I'm not a big fan of some of the vocal choices that Anthony Kiedis makes, but I can't deny the talent of the rhythm section of Flea and Chad Smith or the amazing guitar playing of John Frusciante. This album has some amazing songs, but I still prefer Californication to this.
Gary Numan
4/5
This album is expansive and groundbreaking. Numan’s reliance on the synth does not take away from the humanity of this album and elevates synthesized music to a form on par with traditional rock instrumentation
Japan
4/5
I enjoyed this album quite a bit. It sits on the border of New Wave and Glam Rock and anticipates Goth Rock. Some of the songs were a little too drawn out but it was an easy listen. The album wasn’t overly reliant on synth and had a good balance with a strong backbeat
The Specials
4/5
Fun album. I really enjoyed it at the beginning but it did run a bit long. It definitely has me interested in ska and the history of that music.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
This is a top Led Zeppelin album for me. Going to Wales was probably the best thing the band could have done in that point in their career. Here they gain a healthy infusion of folk influence. Jimmy Page's open tuning experiments are some of the highlights of the album. I view this album as Led Zeppelin's Revolver, an album that paved the way for their apex, in this case, the self titled fourth album.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
Enjoyable, but nothing terribly groundbreaking here. This band was the house band for Stax records and contributed to the Memphis soul sound. However, on their own, the music is just a bit too sterile for me. These players are tremendously talented and are great at what they do, but the music is just not as alive as I would like
Solange
5/5
Every once in a while an album comes along that challenges and expands the notion of what an album can be. This is one of those albums. It's political, soothing, and is just so expansive that it's beyond classification. I didn't listen to this album when it was topping the end of the year lists in 2016 and I really should have been. It deserved its place at the top.
Yes
5/5
I really enjoyed this album. I’m not terribly familiar with Yes but I’m glad I gave this a listen. There is a lot of jazz and classical influence and the album is structured into several mini-suites that challenge the rock form.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Great industrial sound. My biggest gripe is the mix. The vocals are way turned down and get drowned out by the music. Other than that, this is a very cathartic album. Trent Reznor is the best at what he does
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Great mix of Brazilian, African, and soul/blues/R&B. This album is incredibly interesting rhythmically and the combination of the familiar (to western audiences) and the unfamiliar is very effective. The album remains exciting and fast paced from the first to the last song.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Interesting concept and thrilling to hear previously uncovered Woody Guthrie lyrics, but overall, this album runs a bit long and the modern heartland rock backing falls a bit flat after a while. Still a really cool album
Everything But The Girl
2/5
It's pleasant, but sterile and overproduced. When I see a British band in the late '80s, I expect a bit of economic panic and some anger as well. This album seems exists in a world where Thatcher was never PM. It takes no risks whatsoever and sounds like an adult contemporary radio station. I can hear glimpses of the post-punk ethos in the vocal delivery, but the backing music washes it out and sanitizes it. A notable exception is 'The Night I heard Caruso Sing'
Elbow
3/5
This album has an ethereal and expansive feel for the most part. While I enjoyed it, it started to drag very quickly. The use of electronic and orchestral elements was interesting. I feel like if this album had condensed itself a bit and tightened its focus it would've been a great album.
ABBA
4/5
This songs are so well crafted that it's easy to see why they were so popular. ABBA knew how to right a compelling middle 8 as well. Modern pop music is incredibly indebted to ABBA. The instrumentation is lush and slick, and everything about the production is careful and intentional. Though this is not my favorite style of music, I can appreciate just how well done it is. Very enjoyable.
Thundercat
5/5
Wonderfully experimental while also very relaxing. This album is almost trancelike and is punctuated by moments that are funny, irreverent, and topical. The features on this album are excellent and diverse. The musicianship on this album is excellent, and the songwriting is eclectic with moments that remind me of stream of consciousness.
David Bowie
5/5
It’s rare to find an artist that is consistently making incredible and forward thinking music this far in their career. With David Bowie’s last album, he once again reinvents himself and comes back with an album that is musically interesting and lyrically mysterious. His death in the wake of this album release may have given context to the lyrics, but this album stands on its own.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
This is probably one of the Stones' best and most coherent albums. The Stones' successfully weave rock, latin jazz, country, and delta blues together. Furthermore, this album is more lyrically mature than their earlier work, with meditations on drug use, love, and even a questionable take on slave owning.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Emmylou Harris is a titan of the Americana scene. Utilizing traditional instrumentation, a subtle western beat, and a gift for storytelling, she creates earnest, compelling music that is entirely her own. Like the outlaws of the 70s and 80s, Harris operates outside the Nashville formula, and borrows across genres.
Patti Smith
5/5
This album is so ridiculously influential, it seems inconsequential to rate it. Patti Smith's debut is so many things at once. It is primal, messy, poetic, delicate, irreverent, rebellious, and beautiful all at once. This album is much indebted to earlier rock forms, but she manages to incorporate those forms into the mix in a new and exciting way. Often called the godmother of punk, Patti Smith to me seems like a natural successor to the Beat movement with her stream of consciousness lyrics and spoken word passages. Simply put, this album is essential and incredible.
The Who
5/5
After the success of Tommy, Pete Townsend embarked on another ambitious rock opera project titled Lifehouse. This project was eventually abandoned but some of the elements made their way onto Who's Next. This album is surely one of the Who's best. It is concise and coherent and features some of their greatest hits. Many of the lesser known songs come from Lifehouse and concern themselves with the relationship between music and its audience. This is truly a great album.
Bob Dylan
5/5
The last of his rock trilogy, Blonde on Blonde might be Bob Dylan's best album as well as his most sweeping and expansive. Backed by a host of studio musicians as well as members of his live band, Dylan delivers a wonderfully produced and arranged album that is stunningly cohesive. Dylan's storytelling and songwriting is also at its best on this album with a forward driving feel that carries the listener from one song to the next.
The Stooges
5/5
This album is so much more focused than some of the Stooges previous work largely thanks to David Bowie's production. Iggy Pop's vocals are acidic and pointed, and the guitar work is much more interesting, punchy, and tight while still retaining that messy garage/proto-punk feel that define the Stooges. This album is dark, raw, and it can be easily seen why it is considered one of the most influential albums in rock.
Rod Stewart
3/5
The more country influenced songs stand out more on this record. Rod Stewart can write and sing a perfectly find rock song, but the tone of his voice is well suited to more folk/county sounds where he can showcase his finesse as well as his power
The Stone Roses
4/5
This album manages to bring together a host of influences in a coherent and interesting way. I can hear Beatles, the Smiths, Joy Division, dance sounds and more in this album. The 'Madchester' scene of which the Stone Roses were a key player, was born of the indie dance scene fused with psychedelia and pop sounds. This movement found mainstream success but started to decline in the earlier nineties as Britpop and Grunge became favored.
Bad Brains
4/5
An interesting album to be sure. The music is a combination of hardcore punk (which Bad Brains did not like to be called), reggae, and metal. Some songs also have a new wave tinge. The music itself features strong reggae inspired bass lines with guitar work that is slightly phased (in typical eighties fashion) that ranges from more punk inspired rhythms to virtuosic leads that sound more inspired by contemporary metal. The vocal delivery is similarly nuanced and ranges from growled phrases to a more straightforward delivery. Despite the range of influences and styles, this album is coherent and unique.
The Jam
5/5
Though the band has been quite forward about the influences, The Beatles' Revolver is very much present from the get go. The guitar is punchy, and the bass is acrobatic and front and center. There are a lot of new wave artists, but the Jam infuse it with a bit of mod flair and attitude that makes me hesitate to just lump this album in with post-punk. The drum work owes a lot (again as stated by the band) to Michael Jackson's Off the Wall, and drive the album forward without seeming out of place. It is a supremely well crafted and enjoyable album
Pixies
5/5
Once again, the Pixies do not disappoint. Doolittle is such an influential album that there's not much more I can say about it. It is a wonderful blend of punk, surf rock, and new wave that would go on to influence bands like Radiohead and Nirvana. This album is more accessible than their debut, Surfer Rosa, but without compromising what made them great.
Death In Vegas
2/5
The singing in South Auctioneer really turned me off. The songwriting just isn't very good nor is the delivery. The music itself is fine, but there's nothing terribly groundbreaking or unique about it especially in 1999. I get the feeling that Death in Vegas take themselves too seriously and are really trying to sound dark and dangerous. Not even an appearance from Iggy Pop salvage this album (though non-coincidentally, the song on which he appears, Aisha, is the highlight of the album).
Radiohead
5/5
This album would be notable alone for the manner in which it was released. However, it also happens to be one of Radiohead's best and by extension, one of the best albums period. Radiohead are masters of crafting songs that ebb and flow in the most arresting ways. In Rainbows never feels rushed. It takes its time to simmer to properly develop its songs and itself as a whole. Radiohead is one of those bands where every single member is absolutely indispensable and contributes greatly to everything they do as a whole.
Iggy Pop
4/5
At first I was a bit disappointed this album wasn't more like Raw Power by the Stooges. However, by the second song, I began to really dig what I was hearing. Iggy Pop (and David Bowie) are taking an art rock and pop approach that utilizes burgeoning electronic sounds and folds them into a slower rock format features long songs that are more like mini suites. This album does feel more like a Bowie album more than anything but is extremely effective and engaging.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
There are many excellent things about this album. The musicianship and production are clean and tight and the vocal delivery is energetic. I'm not terribly knowledgeable about salsa, but I was struck by the complexity of the harmonies and arrangement. Some of the bass work in particular was incredible. Overall, a great album that makes me want to learn about the various styles of Latin American music
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Dusty Springfield's first album sees her stepping into a Blue-Eyed Soul style. Her performance is commanding and confident. I'm not terribly familiar with her work but I find it interesting that like the Beatles, we see the influence of Black music on an English artist. Her voice on 'Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa' is soaring and was the first track to really click for me. Though some of the song choices are confusing to me, her studio recordings are energetic and exciting.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
I think about this album as almost a companion of sorts to Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. Curtis Mayfield employs driving ponderous soul/R&B to explore social issues surrounding the cycle of poverty and drug use. He takes an extremely critical approach of drug dealing which is somewhat at odds with the message of the film. The music itself is tight and gives the lyrics room to land. Overall it is incredibly effective and engaging.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I enjoyed it initially, but to be honest, it did drag on quite a bit. The beats were very interesting and I'm sure this sounded very groundbreaking at the time, but the synth hasn't aged as well. The lyrics were interesting and clearly shaped by Thatcherism.
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
There’s a level to which this album is endearing, but after a while it becomes just hard to follow despite the fact that the songs are short, simple, and catchy. I’m impressed with the sheer scale of this album and it was clearly a labor of love but at almost three hours, it feels self-indulgent
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Jimi’s final album released during his lifetime is a sprawling work that incorporates some of his more grandiose tendencies into a more cohesive album. Jimi’s guitar work is groundbreaking as always and still sounds fresh today. He was and is a huge impact on players including myself
The Triffids
4/5
I’m intrigued by this album. It combines 80s elements of power pop, folk music, country music, and new wave. It is more conventional than most new wave artists and can be quite symphonic.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
An explosive album with phenomenal vocals from Janis Joplin. My biggest gripe is that it was not produced or mixed well.
TV On The Radio
5/5
Brilliant record. I have had this band recommended to me for years, but tried to listen to them before my tastes had expanded. This album was wonderfully written, arranged, and produced and fearlessly explores and transcends genre. My favorite tracks were Halfway Home, Golden Age, and DLZ.
David Bowie
5/5
It's hard to imagine what modern music would sound like without this album. Bowie and Brian Eno create an album with a satisfying rock front half, and a ethereal, dreamlike, and somewhat menacing back half. The experimental and ambient elements here are crucial to the development of post-punk. I remember when I first heard Blackstar, I thought that it was coming out of nowhere because I had not explored this period of Bowie. This album has given much such a deeper appreciation of this artist and of the history of music in general.
Aerosmith
3/5
I'm not a big fan of Aerosmith. There were better bands doing what they were doing and they've just never resonated with me. This album does not change my opinion. There are catchy riffs, some good hits, and decent vocal delivery, but even though this album is less than 40 minutes, it gets boring by the end.
James Taylor
4/5
I really enjoyed this album. James Taylor's more soulful and bluesy songs made me realize just what a versatile vocal he is. I've always known him more as a folk singer/songwriter, but this album truly showed off his range. I'm only giving it four starts because there's nothing that's terribly new or groundbreaking on this album, but it is executed to perfection.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Jimi Hendrix's impact on the genre cannot be overstated. With his virtuosic playing, his onstage persona, and his experimentalism, he is the archetype for the rockstar. His debut opens with the career defining Purple Haze with its punchy opening riff and eastern influenced solo. Hendrix was not educated in music and this gave him the freedom to try things that others would not. Not every experiment was successful, and his lyrics often leave a lot to be desired, but his successes and innovation put him in the top tier of musicians and songwriters.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Though it’s only a few songs, this album takes its time to properly build each song without overstaying its welcome. One of my favorite things is Neil Young’s strange lead guitar lines and solos. He uses interesting rhythms and accidentals in his playing that give his solos a frantic yet earnest feeling that really suits this music.
Sabu
3/5
This album has been difficult for me to get into. It's more sparse than I'm used to and despite the familiar rhythms (which have appeared in western music since) the melodies remain a bit out of reach. I'm sure that says more about me than the music itself, but maybe it'll click eventually
Pink Floyd
5/5
Amazing album that introduces some of Pink Floyd’s most enduring songs. The impact of WWII in Great Britain is explored in the beginning of this album as it develops the story of Pink, a rock star who builds a wall of separation between the world and himself. This album is indulgent, strange, and dark. Nevertheless, it is incredible in its scope both lyrically and musically
The Electric Prunes
4/5
These guys were clearly listening to everyone at the time. The Beatles, Beach Boys, and Rolling Stones influence is clear. However, the Electric Prunes are clearly doing their own thing and doing it very well. Their music is varied, psychedelic, and dark. They are also experimenting with sounds and instrumentation in a way that still sounds interesting over 50 years later
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
I love Shoegaze, and in that realm, My Bloody Valentine reign supreme. This album is thoughtful, melodic, driving, messy, ethereal, and every other superlative. This is music on its own terms, willing to borrow from what came before, yet also willing to push the envelope forward in a new and exciting way.
Dolly Parton
5/5
A masterclass in songwriting, arrangement, and production. Dolly Parton expresses a naiveté that is endearing and allows her to inhabit an almost childlike space of wonder and unrequited love. The musicianship on this album is tight. For me, the bass really shines in an album that is a joy to listen to from start to finish.
The Temptations
4/5
Psychedelic soul is a super interesting genre and something I have not explored with the Temptations. There are experiments that don’t quite work, like a cover of ‘I heard it Through the Grapevine’ but there are some really great sounds on this album. ‘Runaway Child, Running Wild’ is a standout for me and a great jam. Of course this is still a Temptations record and so we still get those lush harmonies for which the group is known
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
The alt rock album of the 90s. The musicianship on this album is incredible. I’m particularly a big fan of the lead guitar lines and Jimmy Chamberlin’s drumming. Furthermore, Billy Corgan has a gift for melody that cuts through the albums heaviest moments
4/5
A solid rock opera. It reminds me a bit of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' as it deals with themes of British class and identity especially in the wake of the wars. The instrumentation was simple but effective. I was not aware that the Kinks made any more conceptual work and I was pleasantly surprised to find a textured album full of social commentary.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
This album features better songwriting than his debut and much more interesting arrangements. Songs like ‘little wing’ and ‘bold as love’ illustrate this well.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
While this album had its moments, it was not my favorite effort by Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Certain sounds were very dated and though I enjoyed the garage rock feel, there are much better examples out there
The Damned
4/5
This album is a microcosm of the history of punk to 1979. There are more traditional punk songs, as well as songs that are clearly incorporating post-punk and new wave sounds. I found this album to be accessible and interesting while providing that sonic link from punk to what it evolved into. The musicianship was much better than a typical British punk band while retaining the lyrical force that typifies that music.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Another watershed jazz album. Brubeck's playing is complex and experiments with time signatures of various more 'exotic' influences. This coupled with Paul Desmond's acrobatic saxophone playing make this album groundbreaking and approachable.
New Order
5/5
Super interesting especially given their history as a band that arise from the ashes of Joy Division. The band is embracing electronic sounds influenced by club music yet can’t shake their new wave roots and the result is wonderfully moody and danceable music. This album has a great sense of space and doesn’t feel too cluttered; every layer is able to be heard clearly
Germs
4/5
Good hardcore punk. Punk is definitely not my go-to genre, but hardcore is my favorite sub genre. This is messy, angry, and driving, everything you want from a hardcore record.
JAY Z
4/5
Great production. It’s obvious that Kanye West has had a large hand in the production of this album. Jay-Z is really at his best here. The flow is good, the lyrics are punchy and memorable, and he’s still trying to establish his place at the top. Essentially, he still has to work for it. The only drawback of this album might be its length. The standout track for me was the Kanye West produced ‘Takeover’
Herbie Hancock
5/5
Fantastic album. Herbie Hancock is a fusion pioneer and this album is an excellent yet accessible foray into jazz funk fusion. The songs are very well constructed and build gradually and naturally. The musicianship is top notch of course and driven by Hancock’s playing of the Fender Rhodes electric piano. The improv breaks are impressive as well. This album is an absolute genre bending classic.
Sonic Youth
5/5
Possibly the greatest album of the 1980s. This sprawling record is expansive, unsettling, ponderous, noisy, and driving. Sonic Youth. This album has had an immeasurable influence on grunge, indie, DIY, etc. which continues to this day.
The Temptations
4/5
One of their best. I grew up listening to earlier Motown, but this record is right up there with 'What's Going On' in terms of social awareness. I wasn't aware that the Temptations made records such as this, but I'm very glad it's been brought to my attention. The music itself is funky, soulful, and has an excellent grove. All in all, a great record.
The Everly Brothers
4/5
Nice short doo wop album. This album, down to the title, is crafted to appeal to teenagers of the time. Nevertheless, the harmonies are crisp and precise. It is immediately clear that their influence was immense. The Everly Brothers influenced the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Simon and Garfunkel and I'm sure many others.
Prince
5/5
I have never listened to a Prince album, just isolated tracks. This album has a bit of everything from funk, jazz, rock, blues, and electronic influences. Prince is a phenomenal musician and guitar player and I’m excited to dig into his discography more
Willie Nelson
5/5
Willie Nelson bucked the system and instead of putting out over produced Nashville drivel, made a simple, stripped down country record structured as a concept album. Red Headed Stranger is the story of a preacher who kills his wife and lover and explores themes of loss, guilt, and longing. It’s exactly what needed to be made at the time
a-ha
3/5
It has its decent moments and overall is a well produced album, but doesn’t seem to know quite what it wants to be. I enjoy the more new wave moments, but some of the drum machines and synth date the album and take away from the wonderful vocal and bass performances. Having said that, I’m glad to have been exposed to a-ha beyond ‘Take on Me’
Air
4/5
It’s good. It’s not terribly unique or groundbreaking though. Having said that, I do enjoy French electronica. It’s was a good listen
Fishbone
4/5
I enjoyed this more than I was expecting. There are a lot of genres packed into this album spanning funk, ska, and some metal and new wave influences. The lyrics reflect a punk ethic and the music is energetic and joyous
U2
4/5
There’s a lot to this album and I definitely need to listen to it again. Some of the lyrics are a bit on the nose, but the music itself is very interesting. It is darker and more filled out than U2’s previous work.
Miles Davis
5/5
This is probably the greatest jazz album of all time. It is also the best statement of cool jazz. The addition of John Coltrane makes this album also one of the greatest jazz collaborations to exist.
The Offspring
4/5
Great skate punk/hardcore album. This album is not terribly groundbreaking, but it’s tons of fun and enjoyable all the way through.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
I enjoyed the lyrical themes of this album quite a bit. It’s a very interesting slice of the post Thatcher/Reagan era told from the perspective of people who are still with the aftermath. Manic Street Preachers are the leaders of the Welsh music movement in the 90s and are a very important band. The music itself is brooding, stark and industrial at times, and punchy.
Tom Waits
5/5
Incredible. This album is gritty and unique. The subject matter and the very style of the music itself match perfectly. Even without the lyrics, this album would still sound like the dejected of New York.
Otis Redding
5/5
Otis Redding had such an expressive voice. It was versatile, acrobatic, yet had a persistent grit to it. However, on songs like 'I've Been Loving You Too Long,' his voice smooths out revealing its delicacy. His songs are buoyant with a lilting beat and a robust horn section. He simply inhabits the music in a way that only the best soul/R&B artists do.
Kanye West
5/5
From this debut one would think Kanye arrived on the scene fully formed. The samples are great, the beats are innovative as hell, and his production is absolute perfection. His fearlessness to incorporate so many disparate elements into hip hop truly set him apart from his contemporaries. He’s truly a cut above
5/5
You know how sometimes you listen to music you loved when you were younger and it just doesn’t sound as good? This is not one of those albums. If anything, I can better appreciate just has lush and layered this album is. It’s goddamned anthemic. Noel Gallagher’s songwriting is absolutely at its peak here. Oasis have never been the flashiest or boundary pushing band, but one thing they are is absolutely unique. No one sounds quite like them. There is not a single bad song on this album.
10cc
4/5
Very impressive and idiosyncratic art rock album. You can hear The Beach Boys influence and pop songwriting elements that would be incorporated into much of Paul McCartney’s early to mid 80s output. This band has both a pop sensibility and an avant garde sensibility that blend quite well on this album.
Judas Priest
4/5
I’m not a huge metal fan but I really enjoyed Judas Priest. Rob Halford’s vocal delivery is fantastic and the music is driving yet still has a clarity to it. This album was released over a decade after Judas Priest formed and heralds the coming of thrash metal.
5/5
A good case can be made that punk has its origins in the late 1960s garage rock scene in Detroit which includes the Stooges and MC5. MC5 is what you get when people with counterculture sympathetic beliefs get angry and aggressive. The music is messy, distorted, and frenetic. Along with the purposefully provocative lyrics and stage show, MC5 is clearly a herald of the nascent punk scene
Kid Rock
1/5
My partner is from the Detroit metro area and grew up not too far from where Kid Rock is from. Despite what he says in his music, he grew up well off. This album is full of empty posturing; he wants so badly to be able to claim a backstory like Eminem's but it's just not the case. Stylistically, kid rock isn’t doing anything new, but he’s definitely doing it worse. His flow is decent, but is often undercut by awful rhymes and cheesy metal interludes. He’s trying to be too much at once, a rags to riches rapper who actually grew up relatively affluent and a southernish redneck from the north who needs auto tune to get through a straight country song. His use of profanity is gratuitous beyond what is necessary and one wonders if his sexual prowess is a fraction of how he portrays it. This music is clearly designed to appeal to disaffected white people but comes off as disingenuous and unnecessarily confrontational. This is music that absolutely no one needed. At best, it's someone trying, and not succeeding at genre fusion, at the worst, it's a cynical ploy to sell records to white people who think they're hard.
Black Sabbath
4/5
The advent of doom metal. Black Sabbath adds minor scale melodics to a blues rock structure to create something new and ominous in this 1970 release. It's interesting to think about his album in context with other releases around that time. Truly nothing sounded like this. The longer experimental pieces (there are only five songs) are surprising digestible and must have been mind blowing at the time.
Happy Mondays
4/5
It wasn’t as good as ‘Pills n Thrills n Bellyaches’ but this album was useful to hear that blend of New Wave and electronic influences which became the Madchester sound. This album is heavily influenced by the talking heads, the smiths, and Lazyitis was very reminiscent of the Beatles’ Ticket to Ride. Overall a nice coherent transition album.
Femi Kuti
4/5
Great funky Afrobeat with a pan-African message. Very enjoyable and danceable. The production is very 90s but works well with the music.
The Flaming Lips
5/5
A modern classic. The Flaming Lips take an unusual storyline (really only apparent in the first few songs) and explore themes of mortality and love. The music is dreamlike and uses both analog and digital instrumentation to create a lush backdrop.
The Kinks
4/5
Perhaps the first rock concept album. This album finds the Kinks taking on a softer sound and more socially observant lyrical focus. 1966 was a banner year for rock albums but I think this album compares favorably and contrasts well to the heavy hitters of that year, mainly Pet Sounds and Revolver
Manu Chao
4/5
Very interesting mix. The music itself seems to be more Latin American inspired but the lyrics are sung in many languages including Spanish French and English. The music is infectious and very danceable. My Spanish isn’t as good as it used to be so I don’t understand as much as I like, but from what I’ve read, the lyrics have an anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist
Janelle Monáe
5/5
Terrific album both lyrically and musically. Janelle Monae manages to cross genre effortlessly without it being jarring or intrusive. She also subverts traditional pop and R&B chord progressions and allows there to be unresolved tension in her music to reflect the lyrical themes. Overall, a super impressive album all around.
Sam Cooke
5/5
This energetic show features heavy Chubby Checkers and Isley Brothers influences along with 1950's soul and R&B in general. Sam Cooke's delivery is incredibly charismatic. One of the great joys of this performance is just how much fun Cooke and his audience are having. It sounds like an absolute frenzy. Cooke's voice seemingly does not tire. It is truly a remarkable performance.
The Who
4/5
I first heard this album in high school and I just did not get it. This listen through went way better. The concept is interesting and seems to support what Pete Townsend has expressed in interviews about how he feels about the capitalist nature of his success despite his socially liberal political views. This album is self satirizing and earnest at the same time and is quintessentially The Who. The flow from song to song is great and nothing is misplaced
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
A good example of the emerging country/folk/rock inflected Laurel Canyon sound. This album was pleasant enough, but nothing about it really sticks with me. If anything, it's an interesting look into the careers of Neil Young and Stephen Stills before they became famous in their own right.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
It’s pleasant enough and has some interesting chord changes, but it’s fairly bland. It’s almost as if this is an over westernized and sanitized Samba. The backing band sometimes sounds like it’s straight out of the 50s which is jarring considering what what going on musically in 1967. I’m a fan of Astrud Gilberto but this is just not produced the way it should have been. The jazz flute is great though.
Muddy Waters
5/5
As a guitarist who discovered the blues early on, I recognize this album;s role in bringing the blues to a wider US and UK audience in the early '60s. Muddy Water's influence on artists such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and countless others cannot be overstated. His was the definitive statement of the Chicago Blues (by way of Mississippi). His music is buoyant, joyous, and super accessible.
The White Stripes
5/5
The White Stripes are absolutely a back to basics rock band. This album features fairly simple songs with good riffs, memorable songwriting, and great delivery from both Jack and Meg White. But at the end of the day, the White Stripes sound like the White Stripes. They show that back to basics doesn't mean rehashing everything that went before, but doing something new with the fundamentals. Jack White's DIY ethic is important because it democratizes music, something that the rise of home recording has only expanded upon.
Yes
5/5
It’s a bit dated in some of its sounds, but for me this album is brilliant. Yes utilizes interesting rhythms, chord changes, and melodies to create music that stands apart especially in 1971. The jazz, blues, and classical influences are apparent and woven well into the music. The musicianship is phenomenal and the occasional suite like song structures further attest to this band’s ambition.
Travis
4/5
Very much in the Britpop vein from the drum sounds to the chord changes. I can also hear a fair bit of Neil Young and Radiohead influence as well. This album features memorable melodies as would be expected and some interesting instrumental bits. The last song with its period of silence was a bit annoying but overall, a good album and great exploration into the influence of Britpop
Lauryn Hill
5/5
Lauryn Hill is insanely talented. She can sing, and she has one of the greatest flows in the game. Her songwriting is textured and deals with more complexity than her contemporaries. This album shows Hill navigating her life, love, the expectations of others, and her own strength to define who she is for herself. This album has already become a modern classic and it’s easy to see why.
ZZ Top
3/5
This album has some really great moments especially where Billy Gibbons’ slide guitar playing takes over. It’s a solid rock album.
The Flaming Lips
5/5
Intricately layered and beautifully produced. This album was incredibly influential when it came out and it holds up very well. These songs are so well written and constructed that it almost sounds less complex than it actually is. It is one of those albums which rewards multiple listens due to the amount of stuff going on in each song.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Aretha Franklin is perhaps the greatest singer in American popular music. Not only is she supremely talented, having superhuman control, dynamic, and range, she is one of the most expressive and ecstatic singers to ever record. Her studio records are brimming with energy as though she may burst out of the speakers at any time. This record is her Atlantic debut and leads with the career defining ‘Respect’. Her vocal performance throughout is exquisite and intimate
Motörhead
4/5
Decent metal, good riffs, grooves, and drumming. I enjoyed this album more than I’ve enjoyed most metal albums. The chord changes are more interesting and throw some seventh chords in there too which gives an almost Hendrix like quality to some of the phrasing. Jailbait was completely unnecessary.
The Doors
5/5
Possibly the Doors finest and most coherent album. LA Woman is very blues driven and features some of Ray Manzarek’s best work on keys. The band as a whole plays very well on this album and Jim Morrison’s vocal delivery is energetic as always.
Radiohead
5/5
The greatest album of the 90s. This album not only represented a huge leap forward for Radiohead, but a huge leap forward for popular music in general. OK Computer saw Radiohead incorporating electronic sounds and effects while talking about themes of alienation and the rise of technology. The songs are incredibly well crafted and show such intentionality that it's hard to believe that Radiohead would continue to evolve beyond this album. It's as close to a perfect album as you can get.
Christine and the Queens
4/5
Excellent pop music. The first half is very Michael Jackson influenced, especially his earlier work. The second half is a bit slower and contemplative sounding. Overall, this album is very heavy on 80s pop motifs with a bit of contemporary hip hop influence thrown in (though non-obtrusively). The lyrics are deliberately dense which I really like as it allows the music to create a mood around a song to get an emotional meaning across that's not as dependent on the musical content. This is not my usual genre but I found it well executed and enjoyable.
Justice
5/5
A great combination of beat and melody. This album takes French House a step further. The beats and resonant, solid, and occasionally glitchy while the melodies are memorable. Essentially, this album doesn't sacrifice musicality for the sake of the beat. It is one of the best electronic albums ever and still sounds fresh.
Meat Loaf
4/5
Great opening track. This album incredibly unique in its scope. Rock operas had been a thing for over a decade, but this album feels more like a rock musical with the way it's arranged. It's a fine distinction but I think it holds. I became a bit bored with the middle bit, but it certainly had some very bombastic and interesting moments.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Good blue eyed soul. Dusty Springfield gives some classic performances on this record that highlight her incredible voice. I find the influence of black music very interesting especially when one thinks about how it is repackaged for popular consumption.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Johnny Cash comes out swinging with a raucous album of outlaw country. Where ‘Live at Folsom Prison’ took a more contemplative tone, this album was high energy throughout. An absolutely exhilarating show
Saint Etienne
3/5
Interesting proto-trip-hop like album. It is perfectly good music, but didn't sway me one way or the other. The layering in some of the songs is quite fantastic though.
The B-52's
5/5
A manifesto of weird. This album is awesome. It is a combination of punk, surf, emerging new wave, and a lot of guts. This album could easily fall off the edge of the cliff into the inane, but it just stays in that sweet spot of weird and genius. The arrangement is perfect with driving bass and drums and guitar and synth lines that are instantly memorable and clear. The vocal delivery is occasionally silly, occasionally earnest, and occasionally feels like a street preacher trying to save your soul.
Elvis Costello
5/5
Elvis Costello crosses so many genres here you’d think it wouldn’t work. Not only does it work, it works in such a way that creates a sound that is unique to Elvis Costello. I can hear a strong Beatles influence as well as elements of reggae, punk, laurel canyon folk, and new wave. Elvis Costello’s vocal delivery is energetic and unique as well
Deerhunter
4/5
I was in college when this music dominated the indie scene and as such, it has a nostalgic feeling for me when I hear it’s driving and contemplative melodies. In retrospect, I can see how much of this indie alternative musics sounds the same. Nevertheless, Deerhunter does that style very well.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
This album was ok. The lyrics were really hit or miss. Lenny Kravitz is a good musician, but I think he tried to do too much on this one. His perspective however is really great. He is unapologetically black and isn’t afraid to infuse that into his music which borrows from funk, R&B, and a lot of Beatles.
The Smiths
5/5
Though a bit heavy handed at times, Meat is Murder is a classic album. Johnny Marr’s clean jangly guitar and Morrissey’s vocals and unique melodies come together seamlessly to create some of the most identifiable music of the post punk/new wave era. This is not my favorite Smiths album, but it is still top notch.
The Cure
5/5
This album is dark, dreary, yet has a quality to it that makes it sound very much alive. The beats are driving and prominent, and the slight echo gives a sense of space and atmosphere. The Cure are incredibly influential and it is apparent on their second album just how important they are
Alanis Morissette
4/5
This classic album from Alanis Morissette features a heavy backdrop of anger and angst which is channeled into post-grunge. This album is powerful and demands to be heard. Though I don't think this album is as successful as some of its contemporaries, it is extremely important in the history of popular music and is incredibly influential.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
This album really spans the range of the Smashing Pumpkins. Here we see the band at their heaviest, softest, and most reflective. The two hour run time is a bit much, but this is such an essential album for this band and for the 90s that it doesn’t matter.
FKA twigs
4/5
Ethereal and atmospheric. I enjoyed this album but it is not something I would choose to listen to. Having said that, I’m glad I gave it a listen and hope to return to it as there were a lot of elements that I really liked
Queen
5/5
Campy and ambitious, this album is the pinnacle of 70s rock excess. The vocal arrangements are genius and the meticulous and uncompromising layering of music stands apart. Brian May is one of my favorite guitarists and his Dixieland jazz layered solo in ‘Good Company’ is one of his best with the guitar simulating an entire brass section including a sliding trombone. Of course, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is the climax of this album. That song is iconic on its own, but within the context of the album it becomes even greater. I adore this album
Brian Eno
5/5
Deceptively 70s rock until it isn't anymore. Songs like 'On Some Faraway Beach' sound almost as if they could've been written by Arcade Fire or Neutral Milk Hotel. Though not as experimental and ambient as Eno's later work, this album challenges the notion of what popular music is.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Elvis embraces his country and soul side on this album. This album is very well produced but doesn’t quite capture the authenticity and energy of earlier soul albums. There are certainly some gems on this album and it is a great album by all accounts, but after the experimentation on the late 60s, this album sounds a bit behind
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The Stones most coherent album. This album is widely regarded one of the greatest rock albums of all time and I agree to an extent. This album distills rock down into its necessary elements and delivers it in a soul/blues/country package. The songwriting is tight as well. I just am not seeing much experimentation here or with the Stones in general.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I’m Your Man represents a return to form for Leonard Cohen. The album has a sultry late night feel but is brighter than his previous work. It’s obvious why Tom Waits thinks so highly of this album. My only qualm is the synthesizer based production which grounds the music in a recognizably 80s sound and takes me out of the timelessness of Cohen’s music. Obviously it’s a brilliant album nonetheless
Funkadelic
5/5
A year after Hendrix's death, this album brims with his influence. A combination of funk, acid rock, experimental music, and psychedelia, Maggot Brain is both accessible and transgressive in a way that only George Clinton can be. The musicianship on this album is unimpeachable.
The Fall
3/5
The Fall were incredibly prolific and I’m not familiar with the rest of their work. This album is a perfectly fine new wave/post-punk album. I enjoyed the driving guitars and the unique vocal delivery but don’t really see what sets this album apart from earlier new wave bands, especially in the early nineties.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Some of Bob Marley’s most well known songs are in this album. Aside from that, this album is a joy to listen to. The music is purposeful, catchy, and driving. Marley’s lyrics span religion, politics, sex, and love
Suicide
5/5
This album is so ridiculously ahead of its time. It honestly blew me away. The music builds gradually allowing the listener to hear the layers of distorted and electronic music. The vocal delivery seems punk and spoken word influenced.
Aerosmith
2/5
I'm not a fan of Aerosmith at their best, and I'm certainly not a fan of this. This album is well executed and well mixed, but it's just not very good. I don't want to hear aging rock stars sing about their sexual exploits before going into pure cheese with the closing track. The music is just ok. If you want good hard rock, there are so many better and more genre defining options. The energy is there, the musicianship is fine, but there's just nothing memorable or groundbreaking about this. But I also like ambient noise so what the hell do I know.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
The harmonies are incredible of course. The production is slick and a bit sterile and lacks the touch and soul that Brian Wilson and Phil Spector had. Nevertheless, this album is quite enjoyable and was a huge hit during its time and has given us memorable songs such as 'Monday, Monday,' and 'California Dreamin.' This album is doing something a bit different which in 1966 is saying a whole hell of a lot.
Underworld
4/5
This album has moments of straight techno which melt into new wave and atmospheric rock. At times, the album is danceable and at others, ponderous. The way that the music constructs and deconstructs is interesting and adds to the simmering quality of some of the tracks. Overall, really enjoyable if a touch too long
PJ Harvey
5/5
PJ Harvey’s debut album does not sound like a typical debut album. She comes across as confident and in control of her artistic vision. The music is textured and utilizes changes in dynamic very well. The sound is mature and stands out amongst the mountain of alternative music that came out in the early 90s.
Beastie Boys
4/5
I have never listened to a full Bestie Boys album before. I was surprised to find it full of jazz, funk, and rock idioms. Their blending of genre is seamless and shows where hip hop will go in 15-20 years later with Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Kendrick Lamar. I was surprised and impressed. I'm still not the biggest fan of their vocal delivery style, and their flow is a bit rudimentary.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
I didn’t hate it, I didn’t love it. The lead vocals were powerful and enjoyed the black centric lyrics that are damn near absent from alternative metal. However, I just didn’t find much to this album that was terribly innovative musically especially in 1999
Ray Charles
4/5
Ray Charles delivers an excellent vocal performance. However, in the wake of what was happening in jazz at the time, his big band backed vocals sound a little dated. His piano playing is bluesy and is often subtle. Overall, a wonderfully coherent album if not a bit samey.
Neil Young
5/5
This album sees Neil Young grappling with the urge to settle down into a quiet place with someone he loves. The impulse is universal and it leads to a richly textured folk country album that includes some of Young’s most enduring songs.
Ice Cube
4/5
Solid west coast rap. The rhythm section on this album really stands out with classic soul and funk lines. Overall this album is very well balanced. My biggest issue is the portrayal of women in this album though Yo-Yo’s inclusion is a good counterbalance to his misogyny. Ice Cube’s flow is good with moments that break out of contemporary patterns and anticipate the more creative rapping to come
PJ Harvey
5/5
PJ Harvey does not disappoint with a more delicate and wavering voice which communicates the disillusionment that is found throughout this album. The music is more atmospheric with jangly new wave inspired guitars which further build the sense of disillusionment and distrust
Leonard Cohen
5/5
A striking meditation on god, love, and death. Leonard Cohen has always had tension throughout his work, but this album sees the tension unresolved and left to us, the listener. His voice and the subtle instrumentation command attention and leave the listener with a profound sense of loss.
Doves
5/5
I wasn’t sure what to expect but this album was truly great. Elements of Britpop meet influences such as the Beatles, Radiohead etc. to form a lush textured album that is familiar and new at the same time. I find rock albums from this time tend to sound a lot like each other but this album stands out. I loved the instrumentation as well
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I really liked it at the beginning, but it does start to drag. I found the lyrics playful which made me want to listen in, but the album just got so repetitive that I had to break it into chunks to listen to it. There was a lot of upbeat slightly electronic inspired rock music in 2007 and this effort is better than most, but overall, I didn't find it to be earth-shatteringly good
Oasis
4/5
Though not as coherent as ‘What’s the Story Morning Glory’ Oasis’ debut is energetic and full of memorable songs. This band came on the scene knowing exactly who they were. Their sound is developed and their delivery is spot on
System Of A Down
4/5
I remember System of a Down from when I was in middle school and high school. I was not allowed to listen to them. I was extremely pleasantly surprised to find a very interesting album with interesting melodies and guitar lines. It kept my attention the whole time and this is a genre I never listen to by choice.
Various Artists
4/5
This is the best example of Phil Spector's 'Wall of Sound' production technique. Though it was incredibly influential, this technique can muddy the background quite a bit. Playing the studio like an instrument was new in the early sixties and would truly come to fruition in the hand of Brian Wilson and the Beatles several years later.
John Cale
5/5
The music was strong. The instrumentation was expansive giving the album a symphonic feel. There was also a strong sense of melody and whimsy. I only know John Cale through his work his work with the Velvet Underground but though this was very different, this art pop stands very well on its own.
Cat Stevens
4/5
I’m not too familiar with Cat Stevens, but I found this album to be very pleasant. Stevens’ brand of folk is fairly typical of the time being driven by piano and guitar. He has an impeccable sense of melody but for me, this music just doesn’t push the boundaries.
Elliott Smith
5/5
Elliott Smith with a backing band has a very Beatles-esque sound. The song writing is great, the musicianship and instrumentation is great, and the production is perfect. Instant classic
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Swampy bayou rockabilly in the hands of a few men from the Bay Area translates incredibly well. John Fogerty’s voice has the perfect amount of grit and expressiveness and seems made for this type of music.
The Jam
4/5
Almost like The Who meets the Kinks with a touch of new wave.
Boston
4/5
One of the greatest rock debut albums of the 70s, Boston’s self titled album delivers on tight suite like rock. Tom Scholz was a home recoding pioneer and many effects and techniques were developed by Scholz and became industry standard for a time. The vocals are powerful and the instrumentation is sweeping, classically influenced, and carefully orchestrated. I might call this baroque rock instead of power pop.
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
This is the best shoe gaze album of all time. It is atmospheric, occasionally discordant, and beautifully layered. This album is almost like looking at something through frosted glass and gives me a nostalgic sense for something I’ve never experienced. It is absolutely breathtaking
Suede
5/5
Wonderful album with great instrumentation. There an anthemic quality to this album that characterizes a lot of Britpop, but there’s a lot of art rock influence here also. I definitely hear the influences of Bowie and the Smiths.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Highway 61 Revisited is a contender for Bob Dylan's greatest, and that is saying a lot. This is Dylan's first 'rock' album as it were, with Bringing it All Back Home having an acoustic half. The album is tinged with blues and country and runs the gamut from straightforward to experimental songs. Of course, this album is famous for what might be the greatest song ever recorded, 'Like a Rolling Stone.' The album is sprawling and far reaching in a way that only the greatest novels are.
The Cure
5/5
This is a watershed album. It is remarkably coherent and engaging from beginning to end. The Cure’s goth edged post-punk is unique and influential. This album gave rise to some of the most enduring music of the last 30 years
Solomon Burke
3/5
Another album at the intersection of R&B and Soul. There's a wide range of influences on this album including some Bossa Nova, and county/western. Though Solomon Burke has a great voice, I understand why he was overshadowed by others in the Soul/R&B scene. He's not as explosive as James Brown, or Sam Cooke (live). His instrumentation is more sparse and calls to mind a more '50s style of instrumentation.
Iron Butterfly
2/5
Not as good as other psychedelic albums of the era. In fact, I get the feeling that by the time Iron Butterfly made this album, psychedelic music was just another aesthetic that could be employed. There is nothing terribly original about this music. The singer sounds like he’s doing an Elvis impersonation the whole time, and the title track is 17 minutes of self indulgent noodling.
Nina Simone
5/5
This album blew me out of the water. Nina Simone's voice and delivery demands attention. It is textured, deep (contralto), and arresting. Everything about this album is striking down to the socially conscious lyrics. This is one of those albums that make me understand the simple power the human voice can have.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
This album is a socially conscious blend of soul and cool jazz that at times seems to predict the eventual rise of rap with Gil Scott-Heron’s spoken delivery. This album is somewhat conversational which lends a sense of intimacy that makes its message effective
Stereolab
4/5
Stereolab is very hard to categorize. They simultaneously anticipate sounds that would dominate in the following years, yet do so by using sounds from the past across all genres. This album contains sounds that would become popular a decade later and sounds that are familiar and well worn. However, the only drawback to this album is its length.
Beastie Boys
4/5
This was a pretty fun album. The use of samples was interesting and I generally enjoy the Beastie Boys’ style of hip hop. The only downside to this album was some of the lyrics that felt like forced rhymes and the delivery itself which is dated.
5/5
Yes is one of the few bands who can pull off an 18 minute song. This album is lush, very well constructed and contains moments which sound surprisingly contemporary. With its use of unusual rhythms and jazz fusion like melodic lines, this album pushes hard on what it means to be a ‘progressive rock’ band. At points this album sounds like contemporary indie folk before dropping into a fusion groove. The harmonies give a CSN vibe within a completely new format. Simply put, this album shouldn’t work, but it just does
The Band
5/5
This album is responsible for much of the trend towards roots rock and Americana beginning in the 1970s and as such its influence can be felt in contemporary music as well. To top it off, this album contains a couple of songs that were co-written with Bob Dylan thus lending some additional folk credence to what is already a genre defining album.
Hole
4/5
Though not as explosive as their previous album, Celebrity Skin shoes that Hole was one of best rock bands of the late 1990s. Courtney Love’s vocals are as amazing as ever and the music is solid.
Sarah Vaughan
5/5
Sarah Vaughan has one of the most beautiful and versatile voices I have ever heard. This album is perfect down to the vocals, the accompaniment, and her natural humor. I absolutely adore this artist and this album.
Raekwon
5/5
It’s hard not to think of this album as a Wu Tang Clan album with its cinematic interludes and mafioso centric themes. RZA’s production is phenomenal and Raekwon’s vocal performance with its dynamic flow and shifting rhythms make this album stand out and place it in the upper echelons of 90s east coast rap. I loved this album.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
There’s quite a lot going on here. I hear orchestral pop, folk rock, country, electronics, Britpop, and jazz but it doesn’t exactly sound like a blend. It sounds like a jumble of musical references that don’t really create something new. The songwriting is a bit lazy with quite a few lines sounding like they were written to preserve a rhyme. It’s not offensive, but it’s just trying sound more forward thinking than it actually is.
Miles Davis
5/5
Bitches Brew gets a lot of acclaim, but this transition album sees the advent of fusion. Here we can see the development from modal jazz forms to include more blues, funk, and even some rock elements. This album is also more accessible.
Tito Puente
4/5
Great mambo album clearly meant to get people dancing. The orchestration is tight and the singing is clear and jaunty. It owes a lot to earlier big band records. In a way, it is both groundbreaking and looking to the past through its fusion of Latin rhythms into big band jazz of previous years
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Amazing as always. Aretha Franklin had one of the most powerful voices in popular music. Lady Soul contains two of her greatest hits, but is enjoyable and explosive throughout. Her level of vocal control is remarkable and she never over or under sings. The musical backing is well arranged and highlights her voice well.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
A seminal record which helped launch the new school style, Run-D.M.C. features drum machines, more aggressive delivery (relatively), and emphasizes the DJ alongside the MC. With rock and funk tinges, this album is more coherent and intentional than a lot of old school records. The only drawback for me is just how dated it sounds
Alice Cooper
2/5
Not my thing. The music is mediocre though it is well arranged and performed. I’m not a fan of shock rock because it’s transgressive simply for the effect. There’s not really anything of substance behind it and it’s not really saying anything profound. It’s gimmicky
The Incredible String Band
3/5
As much as I appreciate how experimental and influential this album is. For me it didn’t click. I enjoy all of the elements that make up this album, however they did not mesh together well. While some transitions were interesting, others were quite jarring. I appreciate the incorporation of a diverse set of instruments, however, it did come across as a bit amateurish.
Buck Owens
5/5
Buck Owens was a pioneer of the Bakersfield Sound and this album is a phenomenal example of it. Buck Owens is extremely expressive and melancholic which makes his music very effective. This album is essential for anyone who wants to understand the history of popular music.
Gang Of Four
5/5
Great album with interesting rhythms and topical lyrics. This album was also hugely influential on later bands and is considered to be one of the greatest albums of the 70s. I found the mix of post-punk, funk, and dub to be particularly compelling
The Yardbirds
4/5
Ironically, after Eric Clapton's departure and his subsequent replacement with Jeff Beck, the Yardbirds sound trended toward the blues inflected and more psychadelic/experimental. The vocals are great, the bass is forward and melodic, and Jeff Beck's guitar playing is phenomenal. I prefer Jeff Beck to Clapton on most cases and in 'Jeff's Boogie,' you can hear him experimenting with harmonics and a virtuosity that would characterize his later more jazz/fusion influenced work.
Roxy Music
5/5
The first few songs have a bit of a Grateful Dead meets David Bowie feel before the prog/art rock really takes hold. Brian Eno’s contribution is immense and hints at his ambient music aspirations. Frankly this album absolutely blew me away. The suite like nature of the album plays best as a whole and the genre fluidity works very well for them. This album is way ahead of its time and parts of it sound like it could have been released by contemporary independent artists.
Common
4/5
This was an incredibly enjoyable album. The beats were strong and I could hear influences ranging from Latin music to funk and nineties R&B. Common is also a very gifted lyricist and rapper. My only complaint is the 77 minutes runtime.
Erykah Badu
3/5
The backing music is ponderous at times and weaves wonderfully through jazz and R&B motifs. This albums suffers from its length the most. If this album cut a few songs, it would flow so much better. Because the backing is just there to support a singer, it just isn’t enough to keep interest for too long despite how skillful it is. There are some really great songs her though.
Metallica
5/5
First of all, I’m not the biggest fan of metal. It’s not something I listened to growing up but as my palate expands I’m giving it another go. Having said that, I loved this album. It was cohesive, cinematic, and the musicianship was incredible. James Hetfield’s vocal delivery is supercharged and clear, Cliff Burton’s baselines are acrobatic and driving, Lars Ulrich’s drumming is precise and full of momentum, and Kirk Hammett’s lead guitar is melodic and virtuosic without being muddy. This album is cohesive and exciting despite its 54 minute running time.
Prince
5/5
Driving, sexual, anthemic. This album is obviously in the upper echelons of popular music. Prince was a musical chameleon and this album reflects his best. His musicianship is understated despite the fact that his guitar playing is some of the best. He always did what was best for the song at hand.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
For me, Guns and Roses stand above other guitar driven bands in the 80s. The musicianship is better, the songwriting is better, and overall they are much better at avoiding some of the hair metal cliches that would not age well. While this album contains some filler, it also contains some of the best known rock songs of all time. It is gritty while maintaining a sensitive undertone and that vulnerability and confidence set it apart from your run of the mill 80s rock albums.
The Specials
4/5
Enjoyable album but not a genre I’m very familiar with.
Tim Buckley
2/5
First of all, the lyrics are a bit too horny on this one. The speaking in tongues bit is also weird and unnecessary. Furthermore, the music on this album isn’t groundbreaking in any way. It’s really just bluesed up folk guitar with a few superficial jazz elements. Again, nothing terribly influential
Blur
4/5
Great album. Blur's struggle with genre and identity resulted in a sprawling album that goes beyond Britpop. Though the Britpop style still shines through at various points, this album is more fluid and incorporate more aggression and emotion than their previous work. The punk influence and emerging indie rock influence can be clearly heard.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
A masterpiece of an album. Paul Simon is one of the greatest American songwriters and this album showcases his lyrical talent brilliantly. Of course, the delivery is sublime. Though their working relationship was fraught, Simon and Garfunkel are two of the most gifted singers and seem to fall in a complex yet natural harmony that still electrifies. Once again, here we have an album that manages to stand out in 1966, a year full of transformative music.
Deee-Lite
3/5
Good house music with some late 80s hip hop influence. This album is optimistic and bouncy. However, it just doesn’t do much for me. I did enjoy it though, it’s just not something I would choose to listen to.
Public Enemy
4/5
Chuck D’s lyrics are insightful and hit at the root of social issues with surgical precision. His critiques of the effects of advertising and mass media on the black community still ring true over thirty years later. There is some filler on this album but overall, it’s accessible and instructive
Johnny Cash
5/5
One of the greatest comeback albums of all time. Johnny Cash did not shy away from the uncomfortable and wasn’t afraid to share his spotlight with those cast out by society. This set showcases Cash’s empathy, skill as a live performer, and ability to connect with an audience. June Carter’s appearance is another highlight.
Moby
5/5
Great use of samples especially of Lomax collected blues music. The music is upbeat and driving which prevents the album from dragging which is necessary for an album that is about an hour long. I enjoy the use of blues/RnB samples with an electronic and string overlay. It adds a different depth of emotion to an already emotional genre. The strings particularly add an expansiveness with a tinge of melancholy.
Laibach
3/5
I liked it more than I was expecting to. The industrial edge was really cool though the synth horns did date the album a bit. The first half was definitely stronger than the first. It was like listening to proto-Rammstein
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
Pleasant, non offensive but not terribly groundbreaking in any way. I did enjoy it though
Bob Dylan
5/5
This album is sweeping and lively. It features some of Dylan’s best and most confessional vocals (though Dylan himself would say otherwise). The music itself is textured and warm lending a nostalgic folk rock feel to the album. In the aftermath of the singer songwriter phenomenon on the late sixties early seventies, this album shows that Dylan was still very much his own force, and simply a cut above the rest
Elvis Costello
4/5
The album didn’t grab me at first. However, once it got going I began to enjoy it more. Elvis Costello’s mix of rock, pop, punk, and a bit of jazz makes his music stand out. His use of melody is very interesting and he is clearly not afraid to genre hop. There is some filler on this album, but when it’s good, it’s really good
Echo And The Bunnymen
5/5
This album really impressed me. I would even hesitate to call it post-punk due to the wide musical scope this album encompasses. It is clearly influenced by 60s garage rock and the Doors, has a driving post punk feel, and is backed by well placed string arrangements. This synthesis of influences is not limited to a backward looking focus. There are melodic moments that wouldn’t be out of place on a 2000s indie record as well.
Supergrass
4/5
This album sits on the edge between Britpop and 2000s indie rock. The music is enjoyable and driving even if it’s not the most innovative thing I’ve ever heard. The melodies are memorable and remind me a bit of Oasis. The vocals have a Mick Jagger like swagger to them that really suits the music.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
This album exists in the space between enjoyability and innovation. First of all, the album is very accessible and has a great groove. The bass lines stand out to me the most aside from the trumpet and flugelhorn. This music is infused with a healthy dose of soul making this album a sort of fusion more than straight jazz. This album still features Miles Davis like passages and modal jazz chord changes that appeal to jazz snobs. Overall a great album.
Ray Charles
5/5
The incredible thing about this album is the fact that you cannot tell that these songs were originally country songs. I'm not sure if it's intended, but this album is a testament to the fact that genre is something to be transcended. People often define their musical tastes by genre, and this album subverts that assumption completely. As someone who enjoys country music, jazz, and R&B, this album is a celebration of music period. This album is very deserving of the praise it gets.
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
The music is the most interesting thing about this album. Though it is pretty typical 90s driving guitar, bass, and drums, the use of piano throughout and the new wave style bass lines help to open it up and lend a sense of expansiveness. Like a lot of other reviewers, the lyrics are by far my least favorite part. They come off as obsessive and faux edgy making it very difficult to sympathize with the singer. Overall, the album is fine and perfectly enjoyable. I just wish the lyrics were better.
Tina Turner
4/5
This album is very 80s by which I mean heavy on the synthesizer and drum machines in a very particular way. Having said that, I enjoyed this album more than I expected to. Tina Turner is a powerhouse of a vocalist and this album showcases her emotional range as well. ‘I can’t stand the rain’ is the standout track for me.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
This is my current favorite album. Sufjan Stevens is a master of weaving history, emotion, place, and music together into an unassailable whole. His instrumentation is expansive enough to accompany his diversity in lyrical content and his use of melody rank him among the best. This album means a lot to me personally, but it’s the cinematic, suite-like, textured, ambitious whole that brings me back.
Ice T
4/5
Ice T is not afraid to go beyond genre and reclaim rock and rolls black roots. This attitude and openness elevate this album and makes it stand out among early 90s gangster rap. He raps clearly and though he’s not the most acrobatic rapper, everything fits together well.
Sex Pistols
4/5
This album is messy, the musicianship is lacking, and it’s perfect for what it is. The Sex Pistols were marketed specifically to appeal to the nascent punk scene but they brought their own brand of sneer and anti-establishment politics to the mix. While it may be doubtful that Johnny Rotten and co. were actual anarchists, there is something to their critique of a pre Thatcher Britain that is genuine and angry
The Rolling Stones
5/5
This is probably the Rolling Stones' best album. It is certainly one of their most consistent. For me at least, their catalog is a full of filler with moments of genius. However, this album stand out because it is enjoyable throughout while preserving what makes the Rolling Stones great, their origin as a blues band. This album has grit, flirts with a country tinge sound, and is bookended by two of the greatest songs in rock n roll history. This release of this album was marred by the Altamont tragedy, and as such, is often written about as heralding the death of the 60s. However, this album stands outside the time in which it was released and is one of the greatest rock records ever made.
4/5
Early new wave sound still very much influenced by punk. I heard a lot of the Kinks in this album. I enjoyed the strange lyrical content and the playfulness with rhythms. Overall not a bad album. I can definitely see how this links to later new wave and post punk sounds
Hawkwind
4/5
Simultaneously avant- grade yet accessible. This album sounds both old and new with its driving repetitive rhythms and virtuosity. This album runs a bit long, but it is interesting enough to be worth sitting through. I can hear the influence of this band in other artists that followed up through the present day.
The The
4/5
This is a strikingly good debut album. While the ideas are not as well developed as on later releases, this album showcases the imagery that would hit its zenith on ‘Infected.’ The synth pop is infectious and avoids much of the trappings that leave much of 80s pop sounding dated.
The Replacements
5/5
This album defies genre. It opens with new wave, and progresses through tinges of punk, hardcore, and even crosses over into power ballad territory. This album has been immensely influential and it is rightfully seen as one of the greatest albums of the 80s
David Bowie
5/5
This an exceptional album. The first half has a dense orchestrated feel that feels expansive in a way that Phil Spector’s ‘wall of sound’ feels. The latter half is primarily experimental instrumental driven by Brian Eno. The album communicates a sense of Cold War uncertainty yet stands on its own.
The Beach Boys
5/5
The best album of 1966 and a contender for best album of the 60s outright. Brian Wilson took a break from touring after a panic attack and decided that he wanted to take the Beach Boys' sound in a more experimental and introspective direction. He built upon Phil Spector's 'wall of sound' with his own unique orchestrations and ended up with one of the lushest and best produced albums of all time. Here Wilson is at his creative apex both melodically and harmonically. The tone of the album is melancholic and full of longing. The melodies are acrobatic and delicate, and the harmonies are full of depth.
Common
4/5
An exceptionally produced and delivered album. Kanye West’s contribution gives this album a sense of optimism and takes Common’s work into new territory. This album exudes warmth and reminded me of What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye, both in feel and by the album cover itself. The album only suffers because it is not innovative. It is however, Common’s most cohesive.
Sebadoh
3/5
I’m usually a fan of diy indie music but this album just fell a bit flat for me. Maybe I just need to give it a few more listens. I enjoyed the first few songs which seemed to have a haziness to them that I found interesting. The entire middle of the album ran together for me but I did enjoy the last couple of songs.
Steely Dan
5/5
This album is damn near perfect. It has tight vocal harmonies, amazing musicianship, and is a masterclass in melody. Stylistically, this album covers everything from bossa nova, to jazz, and pop. Similarly, the arrangement is top notch and the album is very produced.
Funkadelic
4/5
This is not my favorite Funkadelic album, but that being said, this album is still pretty great. It opens strong and features call backs to earlier songs and lyrically expands the George Clinton universe a bit more. This album is joyous and lighter than Maggot Brain yet still has some absolutely phenomenal bass lines and arrangements.
Robert Wyatt
4/5
An expansive and unusual album. The beginning is rather dirgelike before taking off into a horn filled modal jazz like middle section. This album is tinged with pastoral British folk passages undergirded by experimental lyrics and instrumentation. It’s honestly rather brilliant.
Jeru The Damaja
5/5
A quintessential hip hop album of the mid 90s. This album is such a great encapsulation of east coast rap with its swing beats and its elements of jazz and world music. My only criticism is some of the misogyny in the lyrics though compared to some contemporaries, this album is pretty tame. The flow is acrobatic and the lyrics are clear and often socially conscious.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
This album is musically interesting. It’s somewhat of a transitional album that combines Joni Mitchell’s folk sensibilities with a jazz foundation. The result is an album that still sounds undeniably like Joni Mitchell but manages to push her sound forward. The lyrics paint real life with profundity and Mitchell’s voice is the perfect carrier for those words.
The Beau Brummels
5/5
Very San Francisco. Elements of folk, psychadelia, bluegrass, flamenco, and classical music come together with fantasy-esque lyrics to create a surreal album that transcends classification. Lead singer Sal Valentinto's vocals echo Dylan in tone and delivery, but are unique in their own way. This album deserves several listens at the least.
Butthole Surfers
4/5
Throw genre out the door because it has no place on this record. Perhaps we could call it noise punk; it certainly fits the punk ethos. This album conjures feelings of disconnection and seems to be a gross parody of music and society. However, for whatever reason, it really appeals to me and I throughly enjoyed this album.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
4/5
This album came off the heels of Eric Clapton's departure from the Yardbirds due to his disatisfaction with their pop heavy sound. This band and album acted as an incubator for Clapton before he went on to have a hugely successful career with Cream, Blind Faith, and as a solo act. The music is standard and Clapton is clearly the stand out, especially with his vocal debut on a cover of Robert Johnson's Ramblin' on My Mind.
The Lemonheads
4/5
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. It seems to have predicted the rise of early 2000s alternative rock and I even heard the seeds of pop punk in there as well.
The Pogues
5/5
I am a big fan of Celtic punk and the Pogues are largely responsible for popularizing it. This album is at times angry, political, and endearingly reflective. Shane MacGowan’s distinctive delivery can be heard in later bands such as Flogging Molly, and serves to highlight his influence. The music itself is brilliant. Combining punk forms with traditional Irish instrumentation is a unique and effective hybrid and one that allows for the expression of a cultural identity within a popular genre.
Kanye West
5/5
After the maximalism of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West released the minimalist Yeezus. The album opens with a jarring synth which sets the stage for the aggressive confrontational lyrics. This may not be my favorite Kanye album, but it’s definitely the last great album he released
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5/5
This album was part of the garage rock revival movement in the late 90s and early 2000s. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs combine fuzzy rock elements with art punk to form an exciting driving music that features the extraordinary vocals of Karen O. A lot of the elements here can be heard in later indie rock music yet it still sounds fresh to me despite being over 20 years old.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
5/5
This album is expansive in a way that I wasn’t expecting from an 80s post punk/alternative band. The melodies were well developed and memorable as well. This album provided the groundwork for the shoegaze movement as well, which I’m a huge fan of. The guitars are over distorted and fuzzy but the vocals are clear. Though this album can be characterized as noise rock, it’s strong melodic tendencies elevate it to something else entirely.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
It started off strong but by the middle had started to blend into itself. It’s fairly standard new wave folky stuff with an interesting guitar sound that is almost flamenco like at times. The lyrics felt a bit forced at times as well.
Blondie
4/5
Blonde came out of the CBGB scene in New York City and as such this album reflects the pop rock and nascent New Wave influences of that time. This album is packed full of memorable songs driven by Debbie Harry’s powerful voice. The guitar and synth are both memorable and the melodies are great.
The Prodigy
3/5
It was promising after the first track but there’s no sense of variation in dynamic. It remains a testosterone driven rave scene album which is great if you’re at a rave. There’s not much of substance here which is fine for what it is. It’s fun, driving, and clearly doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Heaven 17
3/5
I liked it. The synth is obviously very dated, but the melodies are interesting. The lyrics are very politics and reflect the time during Reagan’s ascension during the Cold War and as such are pessimistic. I certainly see why this album is worth listening to, but it is so rooted in its own time that it’s hard to see its universality.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
This album steps away from the folk revival aesthetic while sounding unmistakably like Simon & Garfunkel. Bookends centers thematically around a cycle of life exploring themes such as youth, old age, and insecurity. The album is grounded thematically by the Bookend Theme which quite literally bookends side one. The sound montages further set this album apart as a conceptual work, but it is still undergirded by Paul Simon's distinctive lyrics and the lush vocal harmonies for which Simon & Garfunkel became famous.
Gang Starr
4/5
I enjoyed this album quite a bit. The samples and beats were classic east coast hip hop with the jazzy feel and the vocal delivery was very intentional and methodical. Though this album was long, I was able to get through it without any fatigue
Tom Waits
5/5
This was the first Tom Waits album to do well. It captures the feel of a smoky jazz club with its live audience. Waits is a natural performer and certainly knows how to work a crowd. As always, his lyrics find themselves with the overlooked of society and the music is loose but well arranged. He has a unique ability to capture the profundity in the profane and this album hints at his best work yet to come.
John Lennon
5/5
John Lennon’s second album is portrait of a man who is at a crossroads and is trying to figure out who he is. This inner turmoil is also reflected in the shifts in genre from the placid and occasionally lush (classic Phil Spector production), to the more country/rockabilly, and rock and roll influences tracks. Lennon is contemplative, remorseful, and angry all in a 40 minute span. He ends and starts the album with no answers to the deeper questions but with the knowledge that love and humanity are the heart of the answer.
Wild Beasts
3/5
I really wanted to like it more than I did. I enjoy the music and I think it's well arranged. It's a great example of 2000s British indie rock/dream pop. However, the vocal delivery just doesn't do it for me. It's not that I don't like the style, it just seems to be someone trying to do Morrissey and Thom Yorke at the same time. It comes off as a bit too on the nose. I can't shake the feeling that this band is trying too hard to be the next Radiohead while sounding a bit like the Smiths.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
This album is incredibly important and for that it gets credit. However, this album is also quite uneven. It oscillates between rap, funk, electronica, and even outright easy listening in ‘You Are.’ I’m a fan of range on an album, but here it can be jarring. The bass work in this album is phenomenal and the singing is great though some of the harmonies fall flat. I’m a fan of the synth here as well as dated as it is. Lyrically this album has moments of social criticism and it’s there where it has its greatest moments. The best track by far is of course ‘The Message.’
Morrissey
4/5
Morrissey’s first solo album strikes a different tone from his work with the Smiths. He has an incredible gift for melody and his voice and delivery style are iconic. There are some truly incredibly songs on this album. One song that I found challenging was ‘Bengali in Platforms.’ I know this song is controversial, and while I see how this song could be seen as darkly ironic, the use of the word ‘belong’ is a bit troublesome to me.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
I can’t believe I’ve never heard of Joan Armatrading before. Her music is a seamless mix of funk, country, and folk that is lush and driving. Her voice is versatile and her songs are well written.
The Kinks
4/5
What a delightfully strange album. It’s part ode and part send up of English life with a psychedelic twist. The album spans genres though it is mostly whimsical folky psychedelic music punctuated by bluesy heavier tracks. I can hear shades of David Bowie in this album and believe that it must have been an influence on him.
Neu!
4/5
This album really took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting such a wonderfully layered and atmospheric album. I like when albums take their time to build and allow each layer to be savored. The sounds of wind and the ocean really added to the effect. The use of the driving Motorik beat, typical of Krautrock, kept the songs moving. The more contemplative tracks are punctuated by high energy tracks which read more like proto-punk while still featuring the droning synth in the background and the Motorik beat.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Physics Graffiti is a sprawling album that contains some of Led Zeppelin’s most straightforward hard rock songs as well as some of their most exploratory and experimental such as Ten Years Gone and Kashmir. There is also a good deal of slower folky and bluesy songs that round this album out as a full representation of Zeppelin’s range. It runs a bit long but it’s well done.
Talking Heads
5/5
Possibly the best Talking Heads album. David Byrne is at his songwriting peak here blending his surreal lyrics that satirize society with his unique blend of funk, world beat, and new wave. This album is fearless and in being so, sounds like nothing but the Talking Heads. This album is a tremendous achievement and though it was released at the top of the decade, may be the best album of the 80s
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Another incredible album by Marvin Gaye. This album takes us through his divorce and the wide ranging emotions that come with that. He oscillates from expressing anger, reconciliation, sadness, defensiveness and finally acceptance. His vocals are tortured and magnificent. I loved the use of thematic grounding around the phrase ‘When did you stop loving me, when did I stop loving you.’ It’s gives the album a sense of unity to persist through the roller coaster of sheer emotion
The Cramps
4/5
This album is what would happen if the fifties were resurrected as zombies and given instruments. This mix of rockabilly, surf, goth rock, and punk is really fascinating though it doesn’t particularly appeal to me personally. Fifties rock and punk don’t seem at first glance like they would compliment each other, but due to the simplistic chord structures, they are natural compliments.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
Interesting to be sure. The grooves are very open and spacious with lots of room for the variety of sounds and textures to inhabit. This allows the music (and language of the lyrics) to be incredibly varied while still being intelligible as a coherent album. That being said, there's nothing in this album that feels cutting edge to me though the album is pleasant to listen to. I am biased of course and think that what we call 'world music' should be refined quite a bit to reflect that there is not just one dominant form of music with other minority categories.
Kraftwerk
4/5
This album reflects a transitory period where Kraftwerk was blending electronic influences and coming out of their Krautrock origins. This album is atmospheric and melodic. Though it is not as fully realized as their later work. It documents early experimentation and for that reason alone it belongs in this list.
Lou Reed
5/5
Transformer is a huge departure from Lou Reed’s work with the Velvet Underground. While it still focuses on the transgressive elements of New York City, this album is driven by a very camp aesthetic that reminds me of the Kinks more experimental work. Perhaps this can be explained by its British production and recording. David Bowie’s production lends a glam rock feel, but there are jazzy American elements here as well that ground it as definable Lou Reed.
Ash
3/5
This album is a mix of everything happening in rock in the mid 90s. I hear aspects of grunge, pop, garage, and Britpop. It oscillates quite a bit. I hear shades of early Radiohead, some Nirvana like melodic lines, and the seeds of what sounds like pop punk. It’s perfectly fine, but I’ve heard these genres done better though the mixing is interesting.
Bobby Womack
4/5
I really enjoyed this album. Bobby Womack’s voice is so versatile and can be as smooth or gritty as he needs. I was also very impressed with how fluidly he goes between and mixes genres. I was surprised to hear slide guitars in one song. His mix of soul, funk, gospel, blues, jazz, and even country is energetic and incredibly well done.
Neil Young
4/5
This one was a new one for me. I enjoyed much of the lead guitar playing. Neil Young has a very distinct lead style that incorporates blues and jazz motifs with unusual rhythms. Some songs here miss the mark while others show Neil Young pushing himself into new territory.
Harry Nilsson
5/5
This is a symphonic pop masterpiece. Harry Nilsson employs techniques from Brian Wilson, the Beatles, and Phil Spector to create an idiosyncratic album that is occasionally silly, and always well produced and arranged. The lush orchestration complements the close harmonies perfectly to create something that has commercial appeal yet pushes the genre forward.
Brian Wilson
5/5
This album has been a top five album for me for quite a while. Though I’m more partial to the 2011 release made with the original 1967 tapes, this release is more fleshed out and features lyrics that were never recorded by The Beach Boys. I won’t rehash the history of this album, but it was intended as The Beach Boys’ follow up to Pet Sounds. I firmly believe that if this album had been completed and released, it would have eclipsed Sgt. Pepper in its influence. Just its mystery alone, along with bootlegs cobbled together by fans as speculative releases gave credence to this album’s supposed genius. And genius is exactly what I would call this album. It is a kaleidoscope of Americana with ponderous and abstract lyrics by the great poet Van Dyke Parks told through Brian Wilson’s incredible and complex songwriting. Themes arise and are revisited and inverted to thread the album together to culminate in the emotional release of Good Vibrations in what is perhaps the most satisfying ending to an album ever. Surfs Up remains my favorite pop song and this album is always in heavy rotation.
Foo Fighters
4/5
Written and recorded by Dave Grohl in the aftermath of Kurt Cobain’s death, this debut album is a strong start to what would become one of the best known alternative rock acts of the 90s and 2000s. The first half is its strongest, and is clearly reminiscent of Nirvana, Grohl’s previous band. The melodies are strong and some moments remind me of the Beatles and Oasis. Overall I’m not a huge fan of the Foo Fighters, but I appreciate this album for what it is and what it allowed Dave Grohl to do.
N.W.A.
4/5
This album was influential to the point where it was preserved by the Library of Congress which is ironic considering its anti-establishment message. First of all, much of the messaging here has aged poorly. The misogyny, homophobia, and toxic masculinity are not necessary to the central message of this album and take away from in in retrospect. Some of these beats are incredible while others feel stuck in the 80s. I enjoyed the use of samples some of which are some of the best sample work I’ve ever heard. This album feels like it’s in between styles and on the cusp of developing a more complex flow pattern while still having a foot firmly in straight 80s style delivery. Caveats aside, this album is one of hops hop’s statement records and with good reason. Here we see the emergence of g-funk and gangsta rap.
Talk Talk
4/5
This album is immaculately constructed. The way the music builds and complements itself is masterful. Each instrument is clear and the whole is spacious and atmospheric. The production is crisp though it sounds a bit dated. Overall, I really enjoyed this album though a lot of it sounds similar.
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
There’s not much here. The music is fairly standard late 90s rock. It’s unimaginative, especially when you consider how much innovative music came out of the late 90s. There is an excessive amount of noodling much of it repetitive and not terribly constructive. It sounds fine but it just doesn’t seem to belong on this list
John Martyn
4/5
This music is executed very well. John Martyn is exceptionally musically literate and manages to bring together folk, jazz, and soul into one coherent whole. Incredibly, his playing and song structures reflect an incredibly nuanced understanding of his music works such that it doesn’t sound like he’s just adding jazz flourishes for color, he understands what he’s doing and why it works. The vocal delivery is reminiscent of Nick Drake and overall this music is identifiable at the outset as part of the British folk movement
The Clash
5/5
It is a disservice to the Clash to label them as a punk band. They incorporate elements of garage, ska, rockabilly, and emergent new wave sounds that would influence the next generation. Their lyrics are insightful and socially conscious which creates a sprawling whole taking the listener across various sonic landscapes
Violent Femmes
3/5
It took a minute for me to get into it, but I ended up enjoying the mix of punk and folk that characterizes this music. The lyrics were a bit hit or miss. I’m really not a fan of the self loathing/self pitying man singing about women not wanting to be with him while sounding like an entitled creep the whole time.
DJ Shadow
5/5
DJ Shadow never raps a single line but is one of the most consequential hip hop producers ever. He builds long contemplative beats featuring unusual instrumentation with virtually everything being sampled. This album, typically regarded as his best might best be described as trip hop though I hear some industrial sounds that would later be incorporated into hip hop. DJ Shadow is a master of layering and composition. He strips other music for parts and when he’s finished, the whole is certainly greater than the sum.
Simple Minds
4/5
It took me a minute to get into, but once I did I really enjoyed. I get some Jim Morrison vibes from the lead singer. The music itself is a hypnotizing pulsating blend of new wave and synth pop. Though the use of synth and echo dates the album a bit, it comes together very well. The arrangement is careful and deliberate and creates a sense of suspension and release throughout.
Basement Jaxx
3/5
It's perfectly decent house music with its driving four on the floor beat. I'm much more apt to like French house, but this album is fine. I'm sure it's great for dancing but I didn't find anything here that really stood out to me. Some of its sounds are dated which is to be expected.
The Fall
4/5
This album is a wonderfully cohesive mix of post-punk/new wave with a healthy dose of 60s garage rock in the style of MC5, rockabilly, and surf rock. The mixture of these more diy genres fits in well with the Fall’s post-punk ethos. Despite the genres involved, the production is very slick and precise. I was disappointed by some of the Fall’s later work, but this album captures their essence at its peak and I understand now why they’re important.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
I read an article talking about how classic rock radio does a disservice to artists by condensing varied careers into just a couple of signature songs that get played. Thin Lizzy was used as the prime example and after listening to this album, that article was spot on. Thin Lizzy is known for their hard rock two guitar harmony, but their music incorporates elements form soul, jazz, blues, and of course Irish traditional music. Phil Lynott is an incredible frontman and his lyrics explore the trials of the working class, something with which he was very familiar. To top it off, these guys are just phenomenal players. I’ve grown quite disillusioned by classic rock as I’ve gotten older, but Thin Lizzy shows that despite its tired superiority complex, classic rock is often seen as classic for a reason.
Hüsker Dü
4/5
Hüsker Dü’s later work is straight alternative rock. It is highly layered both musically and vocally and is very melodic. I read that they are the main link between more simplistic and driving hardcore punk and the melodic college rock that would dominate in the 90s. I think this is the best way to describe the later part of their career. Though their hardcore roots are present, I can hear tinges of Barenaked Ladies and Hootie and the Blowfish here that point towards what would become college rock.
The Teardrop Explodes
5/5
I enjoyed this album from start to finish. This neo-psychedelic post-punk record is intensely layered and melodic. It has a frenetic energy to it that borders on the claustrophobic creating a simmering and explosive record.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
This is perhaps the greatest hard rock album of all time. It shows Led Zeppelin at their most accessible and their best in terms of songwriting and arrangement. Many of these songs are still radio mainstays and their influence on the genre cannot be overstated.
George Michael
4/5
I was surprised by his much I enjoyed this album. George Michael had a hell of a voice and his level of vocal control is very well developed. The music itself was fairly basic late 80s early 90s pop, but his voice is able to give a huge depth of emotion and energy to the songs. It’s four stars on the voice alone.
Pink Floyd
5/5
One of the greatest albums ever made. From beginning to end this album is a sweeping symphonic journey exploring life, death, and madness. Pink Floyd were always keen to experiment, and this album sees them going beyond to use the studio itself as an instrument in a way that no one had before. Pink Floyd is known for their long songs that blend into each other and this is no exception. Songs are allowed to build naturally and it is clear that this album was not made for radio success, though it is still in heavy rotation on classic rock stations
Arcade Fire
5/5
Funeral is a watershed indie rock album that shaped the genre for the next two decades. It incorporates elements of baroque and symphonic pop into contemporary indie rock to yield an uncommonly lush and melodic album. Lyrically, the album is ultimately hopeful at a very polarizing time in the wake of the invasion of Iraq
John Coltrane
5/5
Another groundbreaking album and modal jazz classic. This album in four movement takes a more avant garde approach to the form with its experimental rhythms and improvisation. Though less melodic than his work on Kind of Blue, this album is very listenable and has a lot to offer the casual jazz listener. This is one of those albums that rewards multiple listens.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Fairly decent trip hopish pop. There were some really interesting sounds here that I hear in later Radiohead and Röyksopp, but the delivery is often so bland that it just doesn’t stand out to me.
Fela Kuti
4/5
This album was full of energy. The arrangement was great and the fusion of African and western music was seamless and done in such a way that highlights the African influence in western popular music. Ginger Baker was a great addition to this as well.
Nick Drake
5/5
Nick Drake is absolutely captivating. His voice commands attention and his songwriting is wistful, melancholic, and deeply moving. His short career, lack of a public persona, and tragically short life lend an air of mystery to him. He was not appreciated in this time but has ascended to the upper echelons of British folk. I’ve been listening to him for quite a while now and he still sounds as crisp and relevant as ever.
Ice Cube
5/5
The production on this album is fantastic. Ice Cube has one of the greatest flows of all time and his aggressive delivery punctuates the political and confrontational lyrics. This album is not easily pigeonholed. It contains elements of funk and jazz while using samples in a way that reminds me of some modern day artists like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar.
Syd Barrett
4/5
Syd Barrett’s talent is apparent. He has a talent for contracting whimsical unsettling songs with unusual melodies and chord changes. His lyrics are ruminating and surreal with a touch of childlike naïveté. Some of these songs are simply better constructed than others and makes me wonder how these recording sessions went. This album can be seen as a contraction of his work with Pink Floyd, but it often veers into darker territory where the psychedelic whimsical facade falls to reveal the extreme anguish and mental illness beneath. The music has tinges of proto punk and some musical elements would sound at home in modern indie rock.
The Cure
4/5
The influence of Joy Division is strong here. This album is a look at the Cure before they embraced a more upbeat New Wave style. Pornography is driving, dense, and foreboding. Robert Smiths languid delivery and depressing lyrics add to the oppressive mood of this album. The musicianship is subdued but almost like a wall of droning looping sounds.
Living Colour
3/5
I had heard of Living Colour but had never listened to them. Their brand of socially conscious funk metal fused with R&B and soul is certainly interesting. The music is punchy and was a lot of fun to listen to. The biggest issue for me was just how dated a lot of it sounded. It was quite enjoyable though.
Eminem
4/5
A deeply unsettling album characterized by Eminem’s aggressive, yet self aware lyrics. Despite its unsavory moments, of which there are many, this album is a cohesive statement on fame, notoriety, and the insanity that comes with it. Eminem knows his violence towards women is wrong, he knows his homophobia is misplaced, yet he persists in it continuing a self destructive cycle consumed by fame. Say what you will about the violence and misogyny in his content, Eminem’s sound is distinctly his own.
Daft Punk
4/5
One of my favorite things about Daft Punk is their desire to break their songs down to reveal their structure to give us an insight to their process. They are also keen to share their influences within their work as shown by ‘Teachers.’ This lends their music a sense of approachability and enthusiasm. Homework is Daft Punk’s first major label record and was one of the first wide reaching French house records. The music is driving, playful, and minimalist in parts.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Good New Orleans swamp rockabilly played by folks who grew up in the suburban Bay Area. John Fogerty is a powerhouse vocalist and a fantastic guitar player. These songs are tight, well written, and a lot of fun to listen to. Most of these songs can be found on greatest hits compilations which really goes to show how great this album is. Creedence is accessible and commercial without the psychedelic rock trappings that alienated listeners in the late 60s and 70s. They are one of those bands who found a way to innovate within the genres that came before and carve out a unique sound that is solely their own.
Venom
4/5
This is very much not my thing. This overt satanism was the stuff of nightmares in the fundamentalist church I grew up in in the 90s. Of course the satanism is an aesthetic choice and one that works well for them. This album is akin to hearing thrash metal being born in all of its galloping glory out of the British metal new wave. Apparently the genre black metal was named after this album. I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting and honestly, the satanism still feels dangerous to my ex fundamentalist mind. It’s exciting.
New York Dolls
4/5
It took a few songs but I got into it eventually. The clarity on this album is impressive given the quality of other Profi punk records. There’s a lot to like about this album. The melodies are catchy, and the musicianship is better than I was expecting based on what I had read. The singing is a bit flat sometimes but is overall good. This album sounds ahead of its time and clearly influenced the New York punk scene that would emerge.
Caetano Veloso
4/5
This album was surprising. I was expecting more straight bossa nova, but this album expertly incorporates aspects of Brazilian music into mor popular western forms to create something lush, beautiful, and something that knows exactly what it is. I read that Caetano Veloso thought this album was poorly executed, but I strongly disagree.
Radiohead
5/5
Kid A is one of the most important album of the last 30 years. It was however, not made in a vacuum. Radiohead had long been influenced by electronic artists such as Aphex Twin, and sought to explore what music could be if one looked outside of conventional instrumentation and song structure. The result was this watershed album which managed to show Radiohead at their most electronic and experimental, while remaining deeply human.
Eagles
4/5
The Eagles debut album opens with the iconic ‘Take it East’ and features other well known tracks that showcase the band’s unique laid back country rock sound infused with Laurel Canyon contemplation. Unfortunately, the album suffers because that sound is not fully developed throughout and sees the Eagles writing a lot of filler material that doesn’t really sound like them.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Not my favorite new wave/pop album. Some things were executed well such as the songs ‘Guilt’ and The Ballad of Lucy Jordan’, but overall, I found that this album was not as engaging as other new wave music from this time period. However, this album does represent a triumphant return for Marianne Faithful after 12 years without an album and bouts of drug abuse and homelessness so something should be said for that.
Steely Dan
4/5
I know Steely Dan is one of the most influential bands of the 1970s but I’ve never actually sat down to listen to an album of theirs. I was impressed. This album features a great blend of jazz and rock with interesting lyrics. The musicianship is top notch and the songwriting was very tight. I was blown away by some of the guitar work and with the complexity of the music in general. There were a few songs that didn’t resonate with me, but overall, this is a phenomenal debut
Maxwell
4/5
This was a remarkably smooth album. This neo-soul record had tinges of contemporary R&B, funk, and a lot of jazz. The influence of Marvin Gaye especially could be felt. I also heard some Michael Jackson-esque vocal delivery patterns. Overall Maxwell very successfully brought these elements together in a sharp departure from the hip hop centric R&B of the mid 90s.
Simply Red
3/5
This album has moments of where everything seems to line up and the instrumentals and vocals complement each other well. However, when mixing a timeless style like soul, and a very dated synth sound, it’s bound to be jarring when listened to 35 years after its release. The lyrics occasionally express economic anxieties that were prevalent at the time especially in the UK, but there’s such a disjunction between the music and words being sung that it doesn’t quite have the same effect as a new wave album for example that expresses the same sentiment. Overall, not bad, not great, but an interesting clash of styles.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
This album has so much potential but ultimately suffers in its execution. I’m a big fan of chamber/symphonic pop but was disappointed with this album. First of all, the lyrics are melodramatic to the point of being over earnest drivel. The vocal delivery is somewhere between Jim Morrison and Frank Sinatra which is a cool sound, but paired with the often obsessive lyrics of unreturned love, they come off as incredibly cheesy. All meaning here feels forced and for me it just doesn’t work. It gets a three for the musical execution and the grandiosity of its vision, but it is closer to a 2.5
Aerosmith
3/5
Aerosmith is a solid hard/blues rock band. Their music is tight and clear. However the lyrics are really not the best and they don’t really bring anything to the table in terms of innovation. They are just simply ok. They seem perfectly content with cruising in the shadow of better hard rock bands.
Steve Earle
3/5
Pretty good debut. There were some great tracks but also some very dated tracks that firmly place this record in the 80s with the over use of echo. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, but with a genre like country, you expect more of a timeless quality to it. I really like Steve Earle and this album clearly shows his songwriting prowess.
The Stranglers
4/5
This album really straddles the line between punk, hard rock, while incorporating elements of art rock and psychedelia into a palatable and exciting package. There’s a sense of danger and sneer to this music which is appealing. These songs are interesting enough musically but accessible enough to be at home in a pub or a college dorm room.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
This album is notable because it features the Hammond organ and creates a link between jazz and soul music that Jimmy Smith is known for. Other than that link, this album does not really push any boundaries. It's a solid jazz album, and features interesting organ and saxophone improvisations.
D'Angelo
3/5
Super smooth album. I enjoyed the fusion of jazz and R&B. Where some albums incorporate jazz elements, this one goes a bit further and quotes entire passages featuring walking basslines to draw the connection between earlier and contemporary music forms. The singing was fantastic and it suited the music well. My biggest complaint is the length of the album.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
This is a solid album that expresses sentiments of love and social awareness all mixed in musical package that is very carefully constructed and produced. Stevie Wonder’s emotional range is vast and his vocals are practically perfect. The biggest drawback are some of the lyrics which are a bit too on the nose and verge into the saccharine.
Culture Club
4/5
This album is a great mix of New Wave and pop. I was truly expecting to dislike this album but it was catchy enough to keep my attention. The music is firmly within the pop traditions and oscillates between how much new wave is thrown in. There are moments that are pure power pop and moments where the post punk/new wave influence is apparent. Some of the arrangements on this album predict the rise of boy/girl bands in the 90s and really contextualized for me where that music came from.
The Band
4/5
This was an excellent album of what I would call Americana today. The Band incorporates elements of traditional American music including bluegrass and blues in a popular song format to create memorable songs, many of which have become standards.
Koffi Olomide
4/5
A lot of the music I really love is influenced by this style of music. I can hear early Vampire Weekend in this down to the tone of the guitar and the lines played (I think the mixolydian mode is used quite a bit in both). Overall, I found this album to be enjoyable and accessible and it helped me to connect Afrobeat as played by western musicians with how it’s played by Africans. Both forms are similar and involve borrowing from the traditions of the other.
Steely Dan
5/5
Steely Dan’s masterpiece is a complex album of accessible jazz rock that features prominent bass lines, jazz chord changes, funk rhythms, and virtuosic playing. This album is incredible tight, yet features some fantastic exploration. The guitar work alone would place this album at a 5, but it’s the combination with the bass, keys, drums, and brass that makes this one of the greatest albums of all time. It may sound self-indulgent to some, but this album manages to push popular forward in a more musically literate direction while maintaining its commercial viability
Dire Straits
4/5
Mark Knopfler is one of the greatest guitar players. His style is known for its highly melodic and virtuosic lines, but his rhythm playing is also complex. Every note he plays is perfectly and intentionally placed. His is never sloppy and despite the highly orchestrated nature of his songwriting, it retains emotion. This album’s greatest downfall is the dated production. Furthermore, the use of a slur on ‘Money for Nothing,’ tongue in cheek though it was, is jarring and took me out of the song. Nevertheless, the album as a whole is fantastic.
Aphex Twin
5/5
This album is so far ahead of its time that’s listening to it now still sounds fresh. Though I wouldn’t classify this as ambient, this music is certainly less harsh than some of Aphex Twin’s subsequent work. The influence this music has had across genres is staggering; it’s clear that Aphex Twin influenced Radiohead and inspired their Kid A era move to more electronic based music.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This isn’t my favorite Leonard Cohen album, but it’s nice to hear him with a more stripped down sound. As great as his songwriting is, it’s hard for me to get into his 80s sound due to the extremely dated synth and drum sounds. This album however is acoustic and sparse, having been produced by the same producer that produced much of Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel’s mid 60s output. Though this is just his second album, Leonard Cohen’s thoughtful songwriting shines through.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
5/5
This is such an strange yet earnest album. The orchestration is beautiful and expertly oscillates through moments of beauty, strangeness, and dread. Simply put, it is an avant-garde masterpiece. The use of traditional orchestration within an experimental folk framework packaged as an album of popular music manages create something that stands out among the experimental and progressive music of the 70s and that says an awful lot.
Elvis Presley
4/5
This album sees a recently returned Elvis back in the studio after a stint in the army. From his first album, this album is clearly an improvement. His voice is more assured and it is better developed. His rendition of 'Fever' particularly showcases his delicacy and control. Elvis is just not an album artist though and this album contains a lot of filler though the production is clean.
k.d. lang
4/5
This album is a great mix of honky tonk, doo-wop, and a healthy dose of the Bakersfield Sound. KD Lang is strongly influenced by Patsy Cline to the point where she uses her producer on this album. Overall this album reads like a love letter to KD Lang’s heroes and it works incredibly well; her voice can be forceful and delicate and suits the music perfectly.
R.E.M.
4/5
This album is a wonderfully produced college rock/alternative rock statement piece. The signature arpeggiated guitars and Michael Stipe’s distinctive voice are at the forefront here. Stipe’s lyrics are insightful, sarcastic, funny, and rank among some of the best. REM is certainly influenced by new wave, but I wouldn’t group them in with that genre. They really do have a unique sound that can be heard in later alternative bands especially within grunge.
Van Halen
3/5
I have mixed feelings about Van Halen. First of all, their music is very dated and firmly rooted in the 80s synth and hair metal aesthetic. Second, their lyrics are at worst crude, and at best, unimaginative. However, their musicianship is tight, acrobatic, and expressive although it doesn’t show much variation. As a guitarist, I understand why they are important, but I find their melodies lacking. EVH is incredibly technically gifted, but his style doesn’t resonant with me as much as the style of other less technical more melodic guitarists. To me, Van Halen is less about solid song writing and more about showmanship.
Milton Nascimento
5/5
The production on this album is incredible. The vocals are clear and sound very close and intimate. The music itself is beautiful both melodically and harmonically. Chord structures are intricate and the songs themselves are suite like in their changes. In terms of genre, this album infuses jazz, classical, and western folk into Brazilian music to create something truly unique. This album pays tribute to earlier musical forms (like Bossa Nova) and weaves them into more contemporary styles to create a truly unique piece of baroque pop with tinges of psychedelia.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
5/5
This album is a less a coherent musical statement and more of a document. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band reached across generational lines to unite some of the greatest bluegrass and country players and singers. This album is a celebration of an unbroken chain of American folk music and introduced a new generation to this music stewarded by the then contemporary Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. This album is joyous, and just by the sheer amount of legends included (Doc Watson, Mother Maybelle Carter, and Earl Scruggs to name a few) contains so many incredible moments that it is impossible gauge the significance of this album.
Nick Drake
5/5
Nick Drake’s music is expressive, beautiful, and ponderous with a tinge of melancholy. His debut album confirms that his unique style and songwriting ability was already well developed by the time he committed theses songs to tape. This album contains some of my favorite Nick Drake songs and I enjoyed every second of it. I discovered Nick Drake about a decade ago and believe he was one of the greatest if not the greatest English folk talents.
Kate Bush
5/5
This album is firmly rooted in the sounds of its time, but is startlingly contemporary. It pulls indiscriminately from 80s pop, 70s piano ballads, and even progressive rock. Songs like ‘Waking the Witch’ sound as though bits of Pink Floyd’s The Wall were brought into a pop format. The album is a masterclass in pop production, arrangement, and experimentalism. It’s incredibly musically interesting and Kate Bush herself is woven throughout in a sort of now you see her, now you don’t fashion.
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
The use of of Oppenheimer in the final track in his quote of the Bhagavad Gita, ‘Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds’ to bookend an album that opens with voiceovers from the India/Pakistan nuclear situation was chilling and really underscored Nitin Sawhney’s exploration of British/Asian identity and its inherent tensions. The music itself is really engaging downtempo drum and bass that incorporates elements of Indian music throughout in various degrees. Sawhney is incredibly musically literate and this translates to an album full of various motifs across genre contextualized together over the hypnotic beat. Several songs lose the eat completely and play out within more of a jazz format, but those tracks work well to break up the more electronically driven elements.
The Dictators
4/5
One of the great things about the 1001 album project is discovering music that influenced the music you know. This album is a watershed protopunk album that uses humor and genuine musical chops to push the genre forward. While the music is fairly simple, the Dictators’ use of rhythmic changes, vocal harmonies, and great guitar playing betray their garage rock/protopunk aesthetic and show them to be very musically literate. The closing track is a satire of the car/girl centric superficial pop of the sixties, but is done with a sense of earnestness that lets the listener know that while they acknowledge the lyrical superficiality, at the end of the day, The Dictators are paying tribute to the music that made them.
The Youngbloods
3/5
There are some interesting moments on this album that incorporate jazz elements, but on the whole, this album is not doing anything new. It’s neither the best country rock statement of the late 60s nor the best jam/psychedelic record. Having said that, this record is perfectly pleasant to listen to, but lacks the ingenuity that would place it higher.
Peter Tosh
3/5
I enjoyed this album more than I expected. I didn’t realize how large of a role Peter Tosh had played in the Wailers as Bob Marley has become almost a mythic figure. The music was tight and had a great funky groove that took me right through the album. I didn’t care much for the title track, but the rest of the album was engaging and a lot of fun to listen to.
The Pretty Things
5/5
Pete Townsend states that this album did not influence Tommy, but I’m very skeptical. Not only that, but the storyline here shares a lot with Pink Floyd’s the Wall which came out 12 years after SF Sorrow. This album seems right place right time but doesn’t seem to have the influence that Sgt. Pepper or Tommy have. After listening to it, I really am not sure why. This album is musically very interesting and combines psychedelia with proto punk, possibly proto metal, and various experimental soundscapes. Sonically, this album pushes the limits to the point where the Pretty Things had to mime the album during a live performance because it was too complex to recreate live. I’ll keep thinking about this album for a while.
Blur
4/5
After touring, Damon Albarn became increasingly influenced by the shift in 60s songwriting which is exemplified in the Beatles and the Kinks. These influences are reflected in this album which manages to incorporate a dizzying array of sounds ranging from experimental 60s rock, to more punk like and electronic sounds. The lyrical content similarly treads the familiar ground of disaffected middle class life. What I love about this album is it’s undeniably British aesthetic and its folding of so many styles into something cohesive and new.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
This album is rooted and folk and Americana idioms but placed within a grandiose new wave format. The instrumentation combines banjo, and strings, with highly orchestrated and bombastic horns. It reminds me of a more nuanced Spector like wall of sound punctuated by new wave style drums and bass.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
This is a solid old school album. The title track anticipates Run DMC and the rise of new school to the point where I assumed this was a new school album before I did some reading. This album ranges from more minimalist moments that are more electronic driven to some really great funk/rock inspired moments which incorporate more instrumentation. I would say that this album sits between hip hop at the cusp of old school/new school and electronica. My biggest critique is that this album sounds very dated now. However, songs like 'Go Go Pop' would sound at home in a 90s club and as a whole, I can see how this album would be very influential in hip hop at a critical time in its development.
5/5
This album is another entry in the rock star fall from grace concept album/rock opera catalogue. David Bowie draws on a variety of influences including his contemporaries as well as 1950s rock and roll to create something of a proto-punk/glam rock masterpiece. This album stands out within Bowie's catalogue which certainly says a lot. Bowie incorporates strains of metal (still in its infancy), pop, and jazz as well which shows that this album was at the forefront of musical development at that time. For me, this album is in my top 25 and possible in my top 10.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Tusk is the result of obsessive behavior in the studio, a deep desire not to make Rumours 2, having access to the Beach Boy’s aborted Smile sessions, and a healthy interest in new wave/post-punk. Largely driven by Lindsay Buckingham, this sprawling album really does cover it all. Some songs have a more new wave like frenetic pop energy, while others are more thoughtful meandering songs that make up some of the best of Fleetwood Mac’s catalogue. This album has some undeniably gorgeous moments but I do think it suffers some from the grandiosity of Buckingham’s vision and need for control. Overall, I think I still have to give it a full five stars because while it’s not perfect, it is still a deeply textured and beautiful album.
Sonic Youth
5/5
This is much more accessible than Teenage Daydream while still remaining recognizably Sonic Youth. The layered alternating guitar is front and center and musique concrète is used throughout which lends the album an experimental feel. The studio techniques used in the recording of this album were also similarly experimental and often led to issues getting final takes. The lyrical content often centers the experience of women in American society and issues a challenge to the expectations. This is best exemplified in 'Kook Thing,' a dialogue between Kim Gordon and Public Enemy's Chuck D.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Listening to the album now really changes how it sits on the palate. Many of these songs are written about the collapse of her relationship, a relationship that would later rekindle and turn into a tumultuous marriage. Songs like 'Rehab' sting a bit now given her untimely death due to alcohol use. However, this album portrays a strong, self-possessed woman who refuses to get buried in her emotions and chooses to face them head on. Her use of soul, R&B, jazz, and a little ska in the beat conjure an image of bygone glamor that highlights her big emotions, and in a way undermines the seriousness of her pain. She was insanely talented and I wish we could've heard more from her.
Can
5/5
I absolutely adore this album. Somewhere between a jam band, musique concrète, and ambient, Can managed to make music that still sounds strikingly modern. I can hear their influence in Radiohead, especially in the OK Computer era. This album goes in and out of coherence somewhat ominously at times in their more experimental songs. They deconstruct song forms and in doing so completely blow open the door for what music can be.
The Smiths
5/5
This is the best album from one of the most influential bands of all time. The Smiths are the quintessential indie rock/British post-punk band. This album shows the Smiths at their most mature. Morrissey manages to deliver his message in a way that doesn’t come off as heavy handed as he did in ‘Meat is Murder.’ The songs themselves are crisp, melodic, and impeccably arranged. Johnny Marr’s jangly guitar is simply iconic and is textured wonderfully with the bass and drums to leave songs that feel filled out despite still communicating a sense of alienation.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
The whole record is a progressive soul masterpiece. Issac Hayes’ soundtrack is a slick mix of soul, funk and rock that conveys a wide range of moods. Hayes masterfully creates and resolved tension and weaves tense passages together to create the perfect backdrop for a blaxploitation film. Hayes is a skillful arranger and of course a great singer. The biggest drawback is the length, but seeing that this is a movie soundtrack, one cannot expect a popular music style album.
k.d. lang
3/5
This album was pleasant but didn’t particularly do anything for me. I enjoy KD Lang’s voice and I enjoyed the fact that she freely explores various genres, but nothing stood out to me at all about this album.
Wire
5/5
This album is a cult classic that has a wide ranging influence that spans post-punk, hardcore, and britpop. The music itself is driving and minimalist, but unlike other British punk bands of the time, Wire is not anti-musicianship. They use their music in a way that is more in the spirit of their proto-punk predecessors and embrace the experimentally. The album is a short 36 minutes long though it is made up of 21 songs. Many songs are short impressions that link together to drive the disconnected bits forward as the album progresses. It is this experimentation with form that set Wire apart from their contemporaries who were more concerned with being perceived as anti-establishment and anti-rock and roll. It can be argued that Wire is bucking the British punk attitude and aesthetic perhaps making them the most punk of them all. Having said all that, calling them a punk band feels like a disservice. They occasionally have an almost Beatles/Byrds like guitar sound with layered vocal harmonies that betray their punk credentials. The acrobatic bass imparts a new wave/post-punk feel at times that would be at home on a Smiths record. Overall, I find that this album sounds at home in just about any decade.
Prefab Sprout
4/5
This album was a solid 80s pop and new wave album. I noticed tinges of country in the backbeat in several places. The production by Thomas Dolby, is incredibly layered and brings out the idiosyncrasies in the songwriting.
Fred Neil
3/5
It sits on the margins of folk and country/western. The instrumentation drives the music forward, and the vocal delivery seems to take cues from country singers rather than the contemporary folk scene. Neil's voice is the focal point, and is well controlled and powerful when it needs to be.
The National
4/5
The National have a way of turning every song into something layered and anthemic. The musicianship and instrumentation on this album is top notch. The vocal delivery is languid and intentional and when paired with backing vocals, is something really special. The biggest drawback of this album is the lack of variety. However, the album is very consistent and enjoyable throughout
Jane's Addiction
4/5
This album has a lot going for it. Of course, this album is solid alternative rock. Jane’s Addiction is largely responsible for brining alternative rock into the mainstream but what we hear is something more complex. We get sounds from earlier glam and underground rock moving forward through and past hair metal. The band also has its experimental moments and incorporate elements of jazz and a lot of funk. I would’ve liked to have heard this album when it came out because I’m sure it sounded new at the time and we didn’t have some of the more cringeworthy aspects of alternative at the time. It’s truly a great album though.
The Pharcyde
4/5
I can immediately see why this album is viewed with the reverence that it is. The jazz inflected occasionally hazy beats form the backdrop for energetic and innovative bars. The insults on this album are some of the best I’ve heard. This album oscillates between dated new school beats and beats that predict trip hop and jazz influenced hip hop. This album suffers from its own indulgence in parts, and ultimately ends up bloated. Some strategic cutting would have yielded a perfect album.
Paul Simon
4/5
This was supposed to be Simon and Garfunkel’s return after their iconic Central Park concert. Garfunkel ended up leaving the project and Simon finished it as a solo album. Maybe it’s because it was supposed to be a Simon and Garfunkel album, but much of this album (but not all) features a stripped back sound anchored by Paul Simon’s voice. The result is a startlingly raw and introspective album that hangs on Simon’s every word. Some songs, like ‘Cars are Cars’ give us a preview of Simon’s work to come on 1986’s Graceland, his next album, but I think this album shines best through its more contemplative moments. The coda from Phillip Glass on the closing track is a great touch as well.
Beck
4/5
This album shows Beck trying to make sense of a breakup by dropping the sarcasm and experimentation in favor of a more stripped down and earnest approach. For the most part, I would say that it works very well. Beck’s voice is almost languid, as though the emotion makes it difficult to sing. The instrumentation is simple but effective as acoustic guitar and strings usually are in conveying sadness. The album is a bit too long.
The Style Council
3/5
I have mixed feelings about this album. It is incredibly ambitious and features a wide range of genres including jazz, soul, new wave, and even rap. The lyrics reflect economic anxiety and are very pro working class. However, I’m not convinced that the mix of genres succeeds. The more jazzy moments work well, even if they’re not terribly innovative, but other moments are jarring and seem to be thrown in just for variety’s sake.
Prince
5/5
The answer to the question ‘Can Prince really do it all?’ is answered with a resounding yes. This album shows Prince at his best across several genres including, soul, funk, pop, hip hop, and even moments that sound like alternative rock. Despite this albums 80 minute running time, it never feels taxing on the listener and is a testament to Prince’s ability to capture and audience.
Primal Scream
3/5
Interesting mix of house, jangle pop, and the Madchester scene. Overall the album was enjoyable if not a tad too long.
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
This album might be the pinnacle of New York rap and is a solid 5. Biggie’s beats are jazz inspired and his laconic flow enables him to deliver lines of violence and self loathing in an incredibly nonchalant way. Biggie’s mental struggles were really striking to me and I think his ability to bring those to the forefront complicates his image. I am left with a sense of not knowing what to believe about him and that only adds to his legend. I found the simulated sex gratuitous, but overall, this is an essential album.
Fleet Foxes
5/5
This is a formative album for me personally as it was the push that got me to get into independent music. Aside from my personal attachment to this album and band, it is excellent musically. This album takes influences from the Beach Boys, the British folk revival, and others to create a textured soundscape that evokes a certain timelessness. The songs on this album sound like they could have been written yesterday or 50 years ago. They draw upon pastoralism while discussing modern themes of belonging and one's role in the world. Furthermore, this album is immediately accessible due to Robin Pecknold's giftedness with melody.
Beastie Boys
5/5
The Bestie Boys have a penchant for putting together some of the best beats and samples. Their rapping style features a fairly simple flow, but their combative back and forth delivery has become a signature of the genre. Paul's Boutique features a more mature sound than Licensed to Ill and despite its 53 minute length, flows so well that it never becomes unwelcome. This is understandably incredibly critically acclaimed and is one of the greatest hip hop records of all time.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
This album is possible the best entry in the British alt-rock/garage revival period of the mid 2000s. The bass is driving and the guitar is punchy. Overall there is a lot of post-punk influence in this album. The production and arrangement are phenomenal. One of my favorite qualities in music is when a song is allowed to build and scale back in a way that almost renders it suite-like. This album is full of that dynamic shift which makes the emotional payoff so much more potent. I think if I had been exposed to this music when it came out it would resonate more, but I can recognize that this album truly belongs on this list.
Eminem
4/5
This album is written from the perspective of Eminem’s violent Alter-ego Slim Shady. The listener is taken into the depth’s of Shady’s mindset to the point where reality is blurred. Songs that talk about abusing his ex-wife Kim make it impossible to find where Shady ends and Marshall Mathers begins. We get a look into a life of poverty and the anger that comes with that. It’s clear that Shady is out for blood and he wants to put the world in its place and he’s not totally wrong for feeling that way.
Killing Joke
5/5
This album is a seminal post punk record that has been cited by many musicians as influential. This album goes beyond its post punk pedigree and anticipates grunge and alternative rock while incorporating electronic sounds. The fact that Killing Joke was released in 1980 is astonishing given how it sounds like it was released within in the last 30 years. All in all this Album was incredibly ahead of its time.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Led Zeppelin's first album is not only one of the greatest debuts of all time, but a perfect statement of what to expect from the band in the future. Through songs like 'Dazed and Confused,' 'Black Mountain Side,' 'Communication Breakdown,' and 'Your Time is Gonna Come,' the band showed that they were capable of longer ponderous exploratory songs, songs that experimented with eastern motifs, songs that exemplified hard rock, and songs that incorporated strains of Americana and traditional instrumentation. It's an incredibly enjoyable, varied, but cohesive album from one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
Not only is this album full of hits, it features McCartney's songwriting at its apex post Beatles. The front half of the album is anchored by the title track and the heavier 'Jet' and 'Let me Roll It,' while the back half progresses to longer more suite like songs ending with the fantastic 'Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five' which references motifs from earlier tracks on side 1. This ties the album together and leaves the listener feeling as though they have listened to a whole work rather than just a collection of singles, which this album very much is.
Jane Weaver
4/5
This album sounds like it could be a grower. It’s a bit of folktronica with moments of 70s singer/songwriter thrown in. This reminds me a lot of later Radiohead in some of the sounds in the beats. Overall, I really enjoyed this album and found it very accessible. Jane Weaver is clearly influenced by the sounds of the 90s in northern England but brings a folk sensibility that tempers the electronic side of things to end up with a well balanced and thoughtful mix.
Grizzly Bear
5/5
Grizzly Bear clearly are very musically literate. This album can be characterized as psychedelic folk rock with electronic touches and moments that would be at home on a British alternative album from the 2000s. CSN like harmonies can be found throughout and the rhythms are varied and interesting. Grizzly Bear is a legendary band in indie circles but their music is accessible and their influences can be easily gleaned in listening.
2Pac
5/5
This album sees Tupac expand his lyrical content to the philosophical. This is not to say that Tupac leaves behind the g-funk, but to say that he looks at the violence with a sense of maturity that seems to conclude that the lifestyle is part of him, and is glorified, but that he can look at it critically and understand how desensitized to it he has become. He muses on the devastating consequences of poverty and being exposed to so much death and chillingly discusses his own death. There's a tension here between the lure and necessity of life on the streets and the desire for things to be better. In the closing track, Tupac seems to recognize that something is wrong here, and the death is too much.
Björk
4/5
This album is so sweeping in its scope that it's difficult to say for sure what exactly it is. Björk clearly spent her time in the UK well and absorbed the nuances of the electronica scene. She isn't content to stick within a specific genre and reaches to jazz, experimental pop, and world music to form this album. I think it works very well for the most part. Some of the sounds on the first half of the album are cheesy, but the last half of the album becomes more ponderous and expansive. Her experimentations are danceable and that guarantees her a spot in the clubs and gives something for the serious listener to chew on.
4/5
After listening to a fair amount of Brazilian music through this project, I feel as though this album is able to further incorporate it into popular music, this time with a more electronic downtempo base. The result works very well and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Unfortunately, the music does tend to slip into the background and the album itself is a touch too long.
The Adverts
4/5
This album surprised me with how thoughtful it was. The music was for more interesting than other British punk and the lyrics were better than expected. I hear moments on this album that would later be brought to fruition by the Clash the next year on 'London Calling.' The Adverts were definitely on to something here and managed to make good punk that was true to its roots while looking forward to post-punk.
Charles Mingus
5/5
Mingus is one of the greatest bandleaders in jazz. This album is a multi part song cycle that borrows from jazz, classical, Latin, and African music. It is at times more accessible and more abstract at others. Structured loosely as a ballet, this album remineded me somewhat of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This is one of those pieces of music that transcends genre and will stand as a work of genius.
Adele
4/5
This is probably Adele’s best album. Emotionally it charts a journey from anger in the wake of a break up to the sheer sense of loss in the closing track. 21 incorporates a lot of gospel, R&B, and even some country influences to create something that goes beyond the standard powerhouse vocal album.
R.E.M.
5/5
REM’s debut album raises the question, are they a jangle pop band, a post punk band, or an alternative rock band. The answer is yes. REM deftly explore and blur genre later becoming the forefront of the alternative music scene as it was gaining popularity. Their influence is profound and this, their debut album, shows that they arrived on the scene with a unique and fully formed sound. The influences here range from the Beatles to the Smiths and are woven into something melodic and unique.
Beatles
5/5
For me, Rubber Soul marks where the Beatles really enter their period of experimentation and innovation. They had hinted at it in earlier releases, but this is where they commit. Released just a few months after Help, Rubber Soul sees the group toying with the conventional pop format and introducing eastern instrumentation (Norwegian Wood) and ideas into their music. What really makes the Beatles stand out is when they incorporate something new into their work, it doesn't feel like it's there to just reference something, but it becomes part of the work and feels in place.
The Young Rascals
3/5
This was a short tight album that combined soul, rock, and pop. It was cohesive and better than I expected it to be. However, as well executed as this album was, it didn’t bring anything new to the table especially in 1967.
Peter Frampton
3/5
There's a great line in Wayne's World 2 that says, "Everybody in the world has Frampton Comes Alive. If you lived in the suburbs you were issued it. It came in the mail with samples of Tide." That really sums up this album. It's well recorded suburban 70s rock. It is completely inoffensive and safe. There's nothing new here and that's ok. Frampton is a great guitar player, and his band is tight and sounds great especially for playing live. Some of these songs are in heavy rotation on classic rock radio (you know the ones) and overall this album is pleasant. It was insanely successful and obviously fulfilled some market at the time and remains in interesting insight into what was popular in 1976.
Def Leppard
3/5
This album is packed with singles and listens like a greatest hits compilation. Hysteria is Def Leopard’s finest album and the last in a series produced by Mutt Lange. The album is cohesive, and meticulously arranged. However at the end of the day it is a hair metal/pop album from a band who is trying to sound American despite their origins in Sheffield. As such, Hysteria is an over earnest, cheesy affair which is not self aware enough to be great.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Amy Winehouse's debut album showcases her explosive voice within a jazz/R&B framework. The lyrical content is bleak, but the music itself is well produced and arranged, and Amy's voice of course, can do anything. Her voice is not as controlled as it is on 'Back to Black,' but is still incredibly powerful. My biggest complaint is that she makes some vocal choices that detract from the song. She over-pronounces certain syllables to sound a certain way, but it doesn't always fit. However, that is a small complaint when faced with her incredible talent.
Dr. John
5/5
Dr. John's first album is a feast of New Orleans rock and psychedelia. He leans into his namesake's legend as a voodoo doctor to create a persona that is mesmerizing and menacing. The music itself is slow burning, and simmers like a pot of gumbo to develop and deliver something that sits at a musical crossroads and dares you to classify it. Dr. John found himself in legal trouble and fled to Los Angeles from New Orleans. Apparently, his storied hometown followed him there because he put together a group of New Orleans session musicians and took on the Dr. John moniker. I'm a big fan of New Orleans music and lore and this album manages to weave it all together without becoming yet another forgettable 60s psychedelic album.
Green Day
4/5
Green Day's third album and major label debut is probably the most fundamental pop/punk album. The album is tight, short, and retains its energy to the last rather tongue in cheek track. Green Day is often the subject of debate when it comes to true punk, but that is not really the point here. This band has an incredible sense of melody and their influences are too broad to pigeonhole them into either pop or punk. 'dookie' takes us through themes of boredom and loneliness that typify the 90s suburban experience. Green Day seeks to break out of that existence, as best seen in 'Welcome to Paradise,' a song about the band finding refuge in the gritty warehouse art/music scene in Oakland, a scene that has largely been priced out with the rise of the tech industry. The music itself draws from hardcore, garage rock, surf rock, and pop to create something that is instantly identifiable as Green Day.
R.E.M.
5/5
'Automatic for the People' is perhaps R.E.M.'s greatest in a long and impressive catalog. This collection of songs is more sparse than previous offerings, and is often more subdued. The string arrangements by Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones are exquisite, and give Michael Stipe's vocals and lyrics an edge that highlights their despair and humor. Because this album is so sparse, there is an expansiveness that allows the listener to hear every single thing that is going on. This lends the album an intimacy that few albums achieve. This album became instantly one of my favorites upon the first listen.
Deep Purple
5/5
This album is very influential and is considered one of the most important hard rock/heavy metal albums of all time. That hard rock label doesn’t quite do this album a service as it contains jazz rhythms, acrobatic almost funk like bass, and guitar that utilizes scales and modes outside the minor pentatonic. It’s thoughtfully crafted and is a lot of fun to listen to.
Gillian Welch
5/5
This album by Gillian Welch is a meandering contemplative blend of folk and bluegrass. The music itself it rather sparse which draws attention to and highlights the vocals. The album is pervaded with a sense of melancholic reflection that leaves the listener feeling the weight of the lyrics. There is an earnestness to this album which really draws me and I have found myself re-listening to it.
Air
3/5
This is a film soundtrack so the music is there to set a mood and frame the action. Essentially, this is music that is designed to accompany something as well as be listened to on its own. Perhaps it's because of this that this album doesn't really stand out to me in any way. The music is pleasant, and I enjoyed it, but there was nothing in particular that grabbed me.
Love
4/5
More mellow than 'Da Capo' with thoughtful acoustic instrumentation and a healthy dose of brass and piano. The delivery has been subdued and the lyrics are more dark. This album expresses skepticism of the counterculture scene, realizing that unbridled positivity won't fix real problems. The music is more expansive, building on that introspection.
2/5
Muse can’t decide if they want to be Radiohead, Coldplay, British alternative from a few years earlier, a grunge band, or a wannabe metal band. This identity crisis leaves Muse sounding like they’re constantly trying to reference something instead of incorporating their influences into their own sound. The obvious Thom Yorke imitation vocals really place this into a lower category for me.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
This is an incredibly expansive album. Joni Mitchell employs various genres, instruments, and rhythms to create a kaleidoscope of sounds that remains coherent. She was beginning to explore sounds outside folk, and incorporated a fair amount of jazz into what would turn out to be an avant garde masterpiece. The back half of the album in particular resonated with me. I am fairly new to Joni Mitchell but I am already firmly convinced of her genius.
Joy Division
5/5
This is one of those albums that is so incredibly influential and important that music that followed would undoubtedly taken a different turn had it not been released. 'Unknown Pleasures' is a post-punk statement piece and remains probably the best known album from that genre. The music itself is ominous and driving. The use of echo gives the impression that the band is playing in an empty warehouse, further adding ambience to the loneliness and isolation expressed in Ian Curtis' lyrics. Ian Curtis' delivery reminds me of Jim Morrison including the charisma. The vocals here become a steward of isolation, guiding the listener through dark soundscapes. The closing track is phenomenal and drives home the separation and detachment the album so skillfully conveys.
Arrested Development
3/5
Afrocentric socially conscious and positive hip hop is always a good thing. This album's message seems to be twofold. First is the overriding message of unity amongst all disenfranchised people. Though the focus is certainly on Black folks, there is a line that indicates that anyone, including white folks, can join the fight. Secondly, the more radical message that passive resistance won't work and that violence may be necessary to overthrow the powers that be. This album portrays an organized resistance that has no place for vigilantes, in stark contrast to the gangsta rap that was prevalent at this time. The real drawback of this album is its simplistic delivery. The instrumentation is mostly live and has a great groove for the most part. The album also suffers from its length. A more tight and concise album probably would have placed this album into the upper echelons of hip hop. As it stands, it is a really fantastic artifact of its time and its message is still potent.
Blue Cheer
3/5
This album sounds like proto Black Sabbath with a bit of Cream and Jimi Hendrix mixed in. It is widely considered to be an important hard rock and early heavy metal album. To me, it sounds rough and unfinished. The guitar playing is sloppy and the guitarist is clearly listening to Hendrix but is unable to execute the style well. Regardless, the album is interesting because it is a transition work even if it’s execution leaves a lot to be desired.
Public Enemy
4/5
This album is probably Public Enemy’s best and confronts how they are portrayed in media while making a larger statement on the Black experience in America. Chuck D’s lyrics are insightful and are an incisive criticism on American society and media. His delivery is methodical and deliberate, the perfect complement to Flavor Flav’s more energetic rapid fire style. The only thing about this album that wore on me was its length. Perhaps I just need to listen to it again, but unlike some other albums that run over an hour, I definitely noticed it.
T. Rex
5/5
This album was an early glam rock statement piece. It features crunchy grooves and was a lot of fun to listen to. Marc Bolan has a very unique sound which makes T Rex instantly recognizable in their post folk glam form. This album influenced everyone Bowie, to the Cure and that reason alone gets it a 5 of 5. But simply put, it’s just a phenomenal album
Pretenders
4/5
This album is energetic and has a strong punk ethos. The music itself I would classify primarily as post-punk. However, the Pretenders are experts at knowing exactly when to lean into the more pop and new wave elements giving way to an album that retains its musical integrity while remaining commercially viable. It’s certainly a delicate like to walk and they do it very well.
David Bowie
4/5
Here we see the emergence of the controversial Thin White Duke, a figure that expresses a sort of romanticism while being devoid of any real emotion himself. This album feels similarly. Bowie is still exploring funk and soul influences (note the cover of ‘Wild is the Wind’), but there a simmering quality to these songs that foreshadow the Berlin trilogy of albums that would be forthcoming. Like the Thin White Duke, Bowie is expressing something, but has not come to fruition yet. Bowie has stated that the period in which this album was recorded was the darkest, and by his expressive lyrics and subdued delivery, we can see this album as Bowie crying for help without being able to fully form the words.
The Byrds
4/5
Interestingly enough, the biggest hit from this album is probably the one that fits the least. This album is replete with experimentation in the studio coming off the heels of the Beatles’ Revolver. Dylan’s influence is ever present and the cover of his song, ‘My Back Pages’ was a highlight for me. The country rock tinges, which later would be explored more in depth for the Byrds, stood out for me as well. Overall, this album did a great job in combining space rock psychedelic experimentation with the raga folk sound that made them famous
Khaled
4/5
This album was a bit difficult to find, and even when I found it on Youtube, the track listing did not match the European or American releases. Nevertheless, I believe I got enough of the album to give it a rating. I am not familiar at all with Raï music, but after some reading, it seems as though it has a social justice element to it and addresses themes of colonization and disease. The music itself takes a western song structure form, but the vocal delivery is very unique and one I really like. The use of western instruments such as the sweeping punctuated strings along with Algerian instruments is really interesting and makes for listening that sounds familiar and new at the same time. It's always good to challenge your assumptions about what music should be and this album certainly does that for me.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
2/5
Much like their fellow New Yorkers the Beastie Boys, Fun Lovin' Criminals are trying to infuse hip hop with rock, funk, and jazz rhythms. If anything, this album proves how difficult that can be to de well and just how good the Beastie Boys were. This album has some decent moments, and the instrumentation is pretty great for the most part. The rapping itself is really uneven. There are some good flows, but it just doesn't work in a cohesive way. The cover of 'We Have all the Time in the World' was particularly confusing.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
This is a high concept album that delivers on all fronts. Kendrick's bars embody the best of west coast hip hop and pays homage to the gangsta rappers who came before while embracing an introspectiveness that adds a certain degree of gravity to everything he says. The album is a series of stories from Kendrick's like that document his struggle to stay 'good' in the midst of a violent life stuck in survival mode. The album ends by circling back to the initial phone call which starts the album off, a statement of the cyclical nature of these stories. The music itself is phenomenal. That west coast synth sound, orchestrated strings, and trap hi-hats are all present here and are used perfectly. Kendrick is a student of hip hop, and the fact that he got to work with some of the greatest for this album shows that he is already on his way to becoming one of the greats.
Steely Dan
4/5
Though not as as good as ‘Aja’, this album is still a fantastic entry in Steely Dan’s catalog. It is a interesting mix of jazz, funk, and even a bit of country rock as well. They are keen absorbers of influences and genres and are able to reformulate them into something that sounds uniquely like Steely Dan.
Can
5/5
This a landmark album. The mix of ambient music, psychedelic rock, and more electronic sounds sounded like something I could expect to be released by an experimental indie band today. For this to have been released 49 years ago and still sound as relevant as it does is incredible. Can was clearly extremely ahead of their time.
Primal Scream
4/5
This album is almost great. It features a mix of house, dub, rock, ambient, and experimental electronic music. Most of this is executed very well. However, there are moments on some of the more experimental pieces which don't quite work. It's as if they heard Aphex Twin and tried to do what he did without actually putting the time in to learn how. The elements are there, but the arrangement is not. Luckily, these moments are few and far between. Nevertheless, this band cannot be said to have picked a lane and stayed in it and their willingness to try something new makes this an album that is great in the background, but is also rewarded with a closer listening.
Nas
5/5
Illmatic is a contender for the greatest rap album of all time, the greatest debut album of all time, and overall, just one of the greatest albums of all time. Nas has one of the greatest flows in the game and his complex structure featuring internal rhymes make this album a rhythmic treat for the ears. His lyrics are thoughtful and he is an absolute wordsmith, playing with language in a way that only the very best writers can. His beats are lush jazz based east coast beats that represent the very best of New York hip hop. I find myself favoring east coast rap from the '90s and this is certainly amongst the cream of that crop.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
This was an interesting album for sure. However, its execution varied throughout. The first few songs were enjoyable; the covers were not nearly as bad as some reviewers were making them out to be. The album did drag towards the middle to the end though and for a short 40 minute album to feel like a drag is not a good sign. This album still gets three stars because it is doing something interesting and fusing two very different styles of music. Though western/Indian music had been incorporated before, it was always from a western artist. Here we see the flip side, an Indian artist incorporating western music into Indian music.
Paul Simon
4/5
This is Paul Simon’s first solo album to get a wide release. In it we can hear his embrace of world music that would come to characterize his solo career. This album is a tight collection of folk and has some of his greatest hits. Overall, it’s a fantastic album and showed that he was a capable musician and singer outside Simon and Garfunkel.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
4/5
This was a solid country rock psychedelic album. Skip Spence certainly has an ear for creating a darker atmosphere. It’s a shame his career was so short lived, he was clearly doing something that added to the psychedelia genre, once that feels bloated even as early as 1969. The back half of the album was more experimental and reminded me of 90s alternative and indie type music, certainly ahead of its time.
Rush
5/5
Rush is undoubtedly one of the greatest progressive rock bands of all time and this might be their best album. The musicianship on this album is insane. While Neil Peart is known as one of the greatest drummers of all time, Alex Lifeson’s idiosyncratic guitar lines and Geddy Lee’s piercing voice and acrobatic bass lines complete the package. Rush carved out a very distinct sound and this album proclaims that from the opening of Tom Sawyer to the very end.
David Bowie
5/5
Aladdin Sane frames itself as a straight rock record, but upon a closer listen, it shows itself to be much more. Flashes of experimentalism alongside nods to 50s rock, and straight glam rock show a more forward thinking side. The lyrics detailing excess seem to continue the Ziggy Stardust story, as though the line between Bowie and Ziggy had become blurred.
Sepultura
4/5
My journey with Brazilian music has really decentered how I think about western music vs. 'world music.' When taken with the history of Brazilian music, 'Roots' actually fits in rather well. It's an album of a primarily western genre (metal) that subverts the genre to serve as the medium to carry a message that elevates their heritage and in this case, the heritage of the indigenous Xavante who feature prominently on this album. The music itself is a great nu-metal, groove-metal, death-metal fusion that never looses its pull. The lyrics celebrate the self, one's roots if you will, and of course remark on the political and social structure of Brazil. The only drawback is the length.
The Crusaders
4/5
This album was a great jazz, funk, R&B mix. The Crusaders are tight and some of that guitar playing was amongst the best I’ve heard in that genre and the rhythm section was incredible. The music itself had a great groove and incorporated enough jazz motifs and key changes to keep it interesting enough for both jazz fans and funk/soul fans
Manic Street Preachers
5/5
This album deftly oscillates between post-punk, Britpop, British alternative, and even grunge. The Manic Street Preacher’s command of song structure shines through on this album, the first following the disappearance of Richey Edwards. The result is a punchy engaging coherent album that reflects the best of what was happening musically in the rock scene. The lyrics are intelligent and the anthemic quality gives this album a sense of triumph and grandiosity.
The Doors
5/5
In opposition to the free love, utopian psychedelic scene that permeated rock culture at the time, the Doors' eponymous debut album shows us the dark, seedy, and dangerous undertones of the culture. Jim Morrison is almost shamanic, his commanding voice gives life to the sexual, menacing, and transgressive themes throughout this album. This album is full of hits and seems like a victory lap taken at the onset of their career. The music can be grounded bar band blues rock or straight psychedelic tracks featuring the keyboards of the incomparable Ray Manzarek. It is really the last track, 'The End,' that makes the statement of who the Doors are. It is a meandering pulsing track that weaves through Oedipal mythology and ends with death. Whether it is the death of ego or something more sinister, is left up to us to decide.
John Martyn
3/5
This one was a bit of a head scratcher for me. This album had interesting moments, but when placed within the history of jazz fusion and ambient music I feel like there are much better and more influential examples from this time period. It wasn’t unpleasant though and I’m certainly glad to have heard it.
The Who
3/5
The Who are one of the few bands who deserve to have a live album on this list. Unfortunately, this album was recorded before Who’s Next came out and thus is missing some key tracks that would become staples of The Who’s live performances. Nevertheless I was impressed with the guitar work which was more lead driven than Pete Townshend plays in the studio. John Entwistle’s bass work was phenomenal as always and was probably my favorite part.
Fats Domino
4/5
Fats Domino was playing rock n roll before anyone knew what rock n roll was and he said as much. He is a pioneer of the genre who did not get the respect he deserved though he was well respected by his contemporaries such as Elvis. This album is great as a piece of history, though it is clearly dated at this point. It's a bridge between the black R&B of the 1940s and early 1950 and rock n roll as a popular genre
Sonic Youth
5/5
This album is a less noisy and more accessible than Sonic Youth’s prior work and less accessible than Daydream Nation, which would be released the next year. This album is simmering post-punk that is experimental and only slightly polished. In this case, it’s a good thing and shows just how precocious Sonic Youth were when playing and arranging sound.
Cream
5/5
This is probably Cream’s best album. Half of it can be found on a greatest hits compilation. This album is primarily blues rock tinged with psychedelia. Unlike a lot of bands of the time, Cream does not let the psychedelic overrun the album and those elements are used tastefully and never at the expense of the blues core. The musicianship is of course top notch. With Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce having jazz backgrounds and Eric Clapton having a deep blues background, the quality of the music and arrangement takes priority. Luckily, both Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton have great voices which blend well. It’s almost unfair how good this band is. This album suffers only from the fact that it does contain some filler, though the short length of the album makes even that much more palatable.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Springsteen has said that he wanted this album to sound like Orbison singing Dylan produced by Spector. I would say he achieved that rather well. This album is dense, contemplative, and effectively sets a scenes. Unlike other heartland rock artists, Springsteen is interested in going beyond appearances and finds the meaning and significance in middle American experiences. Like the best artists he finds profundity and beauty in the mundane and is effective at getting it across.
Randy Newman
5/5
I’m not too familiar with Randy Newman and didn’t know what to expect. This album was a biting satire that sent up American exceptionalism and even flirted with the absurd. I’m also quite partial to Los Angeles orchestral pop so this album appealed to me musically as well. Overall this was a perfect album for me.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Rufus Wainwright is a fantastic singer and writer, but this album falls a bit short. His vision is grandiose, campy, and incredibly theatrical. I'm a huge fan of baroque pop and music that incorporates classical instrumentation. However, despite some truly gorgeous moments, I found myself just wanting more from this album. It seems as though he took some great ideas, but didn't see them through as well as he could. Wainwright has a great ear for melody and makes great use of the half step in his vocal lines, and I just wanted more of those interesting, classical inspired musical motifs.
The Modern Lovers
5/5
This album is hugely influential is stands as a landmark proto-punk album. Though the instrumentation is simplistic and reminiscent of garage rock, this album leans into its more experimental side producing an enduring art rock statement. The lyrics satirize rock culture and often verge into the delightfully absurd. The self awareness of this album is refreshing and makes its one of the most consequential pieces of 70s experimental rock.
Paul Simon
5/5
Controversy aside, musically this is a culmination of Paul Simon’s musical meanderings during his solo career. He had flirted with exploring non western music throughout his career and he achieved that vision most fully in this album. The instrumentation is superb and the use of South African musicians and singers lends this album a bit of legitimacy in the face of the controversy of its creation during the cultural embargo. The lyrics (aside from ‘Under African Skies’) are contemplative and explore themes of self and finding one’s place in a larger world. This is truly one of the greatest albums of all time.
Brian Eno
5/5
This album represents a transition period in Brian Eno’s career at the crossroads between his earlier rock music and later ambient and experimental music. The result is one of the most important and influentials albums of the 1970s. This album uses quite a bit of repeating patterns and slowly builds on that. The use of electronic sounds is never intrusive and does not take date the album. The result is something that is absurdly beautiful and groundbreaking. I loved every second of it.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
This album gives us a more stripped down Nick Cave with the focus clearly on the voice. The album in contemplative and centers around themes of relationships, spirituality, and the loss of both. There is a rawness that makes listening to this album somewhat of a voyeuristic experience. The lyrics are repetitive and obsessive (Black Hair), reflecting the disordered thinking that occurs in the wake of an ended relationship. It is uncomfortable at times to listen to, but it's real, and that is no small feat. The biggest drawback is its length, but it feels appropriate for the ruminating nature of this album.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
What’s striking about this album is the fact that it is clearly a blues album and clearly a Malian album fusing to form desert blues. The instrumentation was really interesting and everything just fit together really well. This album feels familiar and unfamiliar at the same time in a way that is wonderfully tantalizing. The groove is great, and the guitar playing is novel.
The Young Gods
4/5
This is not an album that I would have chosen to listen to if not for this list. I enjoy industrial music, and the symphonic aspects mixed with the growled French made for a very ominous and engaging sound. Occasionally the guitar tone came off more hair metal than anything, but I found that more humorous than anything.
Tom Waits
3/5
I’m a huge fan of Tom Waits’ work around the more experimental Swordfish Trombones/Rain Dogs era. This album shows his before he began to self produce more experimental dark cabaret music that explores the darker side of the human experience. Heart attack and Vine definitely has the seeds of that layer work and features Waits’ incisive songwriting. Some of his musical ideas hinted at what was to come but ultimately were not successful. I still really enjoyed this look into the career of an artist I really admire.
Eric Clapton
4/5
This is probably Clapton’s best album. The first half is good blues rock and the second half goes into more deliberate folk influenced rock. The influence of the Band is clear and I think overall it is this influence that makes this album so great. Clapton is at his core, a blues guitarist and anything that gets him to expand his horizons results in something more interesting.
George Harrison
5/5
Released a year after the Beatles’ break up, this album shows just how much songwriting George Harrison was doing. His music oscillates between the more guitar driven and even jam based stuff and the more contemplative Dylan and country influences music. Harrison focuses much of his lyrics on his faith and one can’t help but feel his sincere devotion to it. Production wise, this might be Phil Spector’s finest work. The songs feel big and inhabited by a lush and full instrumentation. This is a triple album and is exceptionally long. The final few tracks are more jam based and being to tax the listener a bit. However, this album is just too good, especially in the wake of a career as a Beatle, not to give it five stars.
The Monkees
2/5
After they told the world they didn’t play on their own albums, they took more creative control for their third release. It plays as a poor imitation of the Beatles who were weeks away from releasing Sgt. Pepper. While music in 1967 was pushing boundaries of musicianship, lyrical content, genre, and form, the Monkees were making bland music for a TV show about a fictional band. Obviously this album was more successful than it had any business being, and its production is slick, but it's just not good.
Supertramp
4/5
This was a decent prog rock album that featured some great musicianship and sprawling suite like songs. Supertramp often features more theatrical pop like song elements that are punctuated by hard hitting prog rock guitar lines and exploratory passages that lend the songs an arresting quality that rewards close listening. This style of writing works well for them and though it is not as good as Pink Floyd or Yes! at their prime, it still resonates.
Chicago
3/5
This album has all the hallmarks of a really interesting and important piece of music. It exists between and across genres, features expanded and interesting instrumentation, and features rhythmic changes throughout. This jazz/funk rock album should be an easy five star. However, despite some really great moments, the album suffers severely from its own bloat. Longer tracks turn into jam sessions that frankly don't really go anywhere interesting. The guitar playing is messy which does not contrast well to the prepared sections. If this album would have shaved off about 1/3 of its length and focused on the tight rhythm section, then it would have been an easy five star album.
Cheap Trick
3/5
It was fine. It’s very strange to hear the crowd go wild for what was a very lackluster performance. Cheap Trick are not the most technically proficient nor the most creative group but apparently being an American band in Japan will get you an over enthusiastic response. The one positive thing I got from this album is an interesting use of melody especially over such straightforward chords and rhythms.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
On paper this seems like something I’d really enjoy. However, this album is over earnest to the point of being creepy. Having said that, there are some really gorgeous moments on this album, but it’s trying to be too much. It doesn’t execute its lyrics well and coupled with some very dated musical motifs comes off as overwrought pseudo intellectual drivel.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
This album came out in 1978 at the advent of new wave which is where I would mostly place this album. It clearly takes a lot from punk but has a great sense of melody that smooths it out a bit. The lyrics focus on disillusion and center in voyeuristic objects giving added significance to the cover art. This album was hugely influential on new wave music and ranks among Costello’s best.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
This is probably one of Elvis Costello's more accessible albums. Released a year after 'This Year's Model,' this album sees Costello playing a more pop like New Wave that features a more complex chord structure and better developed melodies. At points, the music is almost anthemic in what sounds like a precursor to Britpop. Costello's lyrics are more politically charged but are less angry than his previous two releases. As always, Costello is a wordsmith, and employs double entendre and wordplay.
Pearl Jam
4/5
Pearl Jam's debut fits well into their Seattle grunge landscape, but more so than other bands of that scene, Pearl Jam pay homage to their classic rock influences and aren't afraid to throw a 70s inspired guitar solo in the mix. Pearl Jam rock hard, but are not adverse to more exploratory and deliberate work as heard on the final track. This sets them above other more cookie cutter alternative acts that would follow. Eddie Vedder's voice and delivery have been imitated by an entire generation of lesser frontmen, but here, he sounds raw, explosive, and controlled. The lyrics are personal and overall, it is a very enjoyable album.
ABBA
4/5
This album was more interesting than I expected. Though the disco groove was present, the music itself was more mature and the lyrics dealt with Cold War issues the dissolution of relationships, which was reflected in the band itself.
This was a straightforward blues rock album. Nothing about it was groundbreaking or pushed the genre forward in anyway. This album was released in 1971 meaning that in fact, it was treading ground that had previously be broken by earlier blues and hard rock album such as the first three Led Zeppelin albums and plenty of Rolling Stones albums.
Kate Bush
5/5
Kate Bush is weird. Having said that, I absolutely adore this album. Her songs are mini suites with lessons in contrast, layering, and idiosyncrasy. He unusual lyrics and placement of vocal lines border on baroque and she is a master of building and releasing tension. Her interesting use of typical new wave instrumentation leads to interesting sounds that remind of some contemporary artists such as St. Vincent. Overall, this album is a experimental pop masterpiece and even if her seminal ‘Hounds of Love’ is better developed, ‘The Dreaming’ is still a phenomenal album.
Donovan
4/5
I’ve listened to enough psychedelia at this point that I’ve grown quite tired of it. However, this album manages to bring an earnestness that doesn’t get lost in the weirdness for weirdness’s sake. Donovan employs fairly basic folk/blues/psychedelic instrumentation including some eastern sounds but he manages to center his voice at all times which grounds the album. Though the lyrics are at times a bit overkill replete with vaguely druggish and new age imagery, the overall effect is pleasant and enjoyable.
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
Belle and Sebastian’s first album was the result of being chosen to produce by a music business class at Stow College in Glasgow. Written in the wake of Stuart Murdoch’s chronic fatigue syndrome onset, the songs are focused on the stories of ‘normal people’ told in a very personal and incisive way. The music itself is deceptively simple, but is incredibly layered.
The Avalanches
5/5
This album expertly creates changing landscapes of sound that take the listener from disco clubs, to speakeasies, and notably inside a film. The transitions are done smoothly and the scope of the album has a larger than life cinematic feels. The sampling is top notch as well. This is certainly one of the most engaging electronic albums I’ve ever listened to.
The Birthday Party
4/5
This album sounds like what I would have expected the Doors to sound like if they had been a post punk band. Nick Caves delivery and prominence reminded me of the charisma of Jim Morrison, and the lyrics highlighting darker aspects of life. The music is takes most of its influence from punk, but channels it into something more powerful and arresting.
Linkin Park
2/5
Not my thing at all. Rap metal doesn’t necessarily have to be bad, but it seems like every artist who tries it is accomplished at neither. I will say that some of these songs have decent hooks but overall, everything tends to run together, in the end it doesn’t even matter.
Radiohead
5/5
If I had to choose between Kid A or Amnesiac, I’d likely choose Kid A. Having said that, this companion album is good enough to be the pinnacle of any other band’s career. The presence of Pyramid Song alone is enough to eat it 5 stars, but Radiohead being Radiohead is not content with just that. This album, from the opening percussion of Packt Like Sardines in a Crushed Tin Box to the languid Dixieland jazz of the closing track, covers an insane amount of sonic ground just like its predecessor
Van Halen
4/5
Van Halen’s debut is probably their best. Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing is inspired and the songwriting is decent. The vocals are crisp and the harmonies are well developed. I used to listen to 80s hard rock and metal quite a bit. Though this style of music is not my favorite, it always comes off as over-produced, I enjoyed this album.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
This is probably my favorite Rolling Stones Album. In stark contrast to their previous more psychedelic release, this album has much more of an edge and feels a bit more dangerous. The music itself is influenced by American country and blues and aside from some misfires, fits well into those genres. The issue that I usually have with The Rolling Stones is that their albums contain a lot of filler, but this was more listenable as a whole.
George Michael
4/5
This album is more than your run of the milk 80s pop album. It is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac at times while able to draw on a wide range of influences such as gospel, club, and blues music. George Michael’s sex positive message is also interesting given the AIDS crisis at the time. Overall a very enjoyable and interesting album.
Joy Division
5/5
Closer is possibly the most important post punk album of all time. Released a couple months after the death of Ian Curtis, Closer marks the end of one of the most influential bands of all time. Ian Curtis’s voice evokes a sort of gothic Jim Morrison when lends gravitas and charisma to his lyrics. The music itself is driving and very spacious. Each part feels larger than life giving the listener the sense that they are hearing something important.
Anita Baker
2/5
This style of music is not my thing. To me it feels and over-produced and sanitized version of R&B. The singing of course is phenomenal, and there are a few interesting chord changes here and there, but overall, this music does not resonate with me at all.
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
Ella Fitzgerald is the greatest jazz vocalist. Gershwin also happens to be my favorite composer so this album (or box set) was quite a treat. While it is over 3 hours long, it was absolutely wonderful. This is one of those bodies of work that should be preserved for future generations
Pixies
5/5
The Pixies debut studio album is known best for ‘Where is my Mind’ but the album as a whole shows the Pixies as a fully formed alternative rock juggernaut. The distinctive drums, experimental recording technique and their penchant for memorable melodies place this album into the category of groundbreaking hit very accessible.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Aftermath shows a much more mature Rolling Stones who have found their sound and are moving beyond their roots as a straight blues band. The songwriting is better, the playing is tighter, the music is more exploratory, and the album is incredibly cohesive. Even their long jams are better structured and more interesting.
Arcade Fire
4/5
It took me a moment to get into this album, but once I did, it really started to come alive. The music is grandiose if a bit simple, but it is extremely effective. My favorite moments are when the 80s inspired electronic elements and simple driving drumbeat take over turning what could easily be categorized as bland 21st century alternative rock into something a bit more baroque and intriguing. There are some interesting melodies here but the real strength of this album is its cohesiveness and thematic unity. The last third of the album is absolutely stunning. I will need to listen to it again and hopefully the rest will click as well.
Garbage
4/5
This album is a strong mix of alternative rock, pop, and dance music. Despite its almost hourlong length, I found this album to be very enjoyable and it captures my attention throughout. I’m sure the Argumente can be made that this album dilutes the emergent alternative rock genre with commercial pop trappings but I think that is the wrong way to think about it. Commercialism is important for all of the popular genres and this album strikes a very clean balance.
Dion
2/5
I’m a bit confused on why this album was chosen for this list. The songs are perfectly pleasant, but Phil Spector’s wall of sound production has much better examples. Here it sounds like the songs themselves come second to the production and it comes off as sterile, almost factory produced whereas Phil Spector’s early work was more explosive and interesting.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Rage Against the Machine truly lice up to their name. These songs are rap metal critiques of society especially the social and racial history of the United States. Unlike other rap metal artists, the vocal delivery isn’t overwrought but simple and concise in order to made the point. I get tinges of Beastie Boys in the vocals as well. Overall I found this to be an enjoyable and effective album.
Burning Spear
4/5
Beyond Bob Marley, I’m not too familiar with reggae. This album however felt very familiar. Beside the classic reggae beat, Burning Spear incorporated a lot of soul and almost Motown like motifs. The music had a great groove and was a lot of fun to listen to. The lyrics confront a colonial legacy and elaborate on Rastafarian beliefs. Burning Spear want the listener to know who they are, what they stand for, and what they believe.
The Undertones
4/5
This was a good punk album with some 50s undertones. The music was crisp and well produced. Overall, the album can almost be seen as a quintessential late 70s British punk albums. It’s not experimental like the Clash, but it does its genre very well.
Queen
5/5
This album sees Queen emerge out of their hard rock beginnings and step towards their unique sound. Though some tracks are still very much steeped in 70s rock, they begin to introduce new sounds gleaned from a wide array of genres including vaudeville, opera, rockabilly, and skiffle. The result is a the suite like theatrical music that would define Queen’s sound. It is a huge step forward from them, and shows their willingness to experiment and try something that at the time, they were unsure was going to sell records.
Slipknot
2/5
Well, I have a lot to say about this album. In the spirit of being charitable, I will say that the music itself is an interesting journey through various subgenres of metal including thrash, death, and speed metal while also experimenting with alternative and rap metal. Slipknot clearly know their genre well. I don't care for the lyrics. There is a lack of self-awareness that is present in other metal artists like Venom's 'Black Metal' album. It's over earnest, overwrought and seems like it's trying to be edgy for edge's sake. There is a way to express alienation, dissatisfaction with society, and overall anger, but this seems to go beyond expression into glorification. Also, the mixing on this album is atrocious. There is a lot going on musically with all of the various layers, but it come out muddled in the mix.
The Black Crowes
2/5
I’m a little confused on why this album is ok this list. There was a lot of innovative music at this time and this is fairly basic blues rock. It’s essentially revitalizing a genre without adding anything new to the conversation. The music is pleasant enough, but given its context, just doesn’t seem that important.
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
This album was relaxing and very nice to listen to, but I’m not hearing much in the way of pushing the genre forward. Gilberto’s father was instrumental in blending Brazilian music and jazz together but I’m not getting much in the way of anything new from this album. I’m stilling giving it three stars because I enjoyed it.
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
This is probably Clapton’s best and most cohesive work. This album more or less is a concept album about Eric Clapton’s infatuation with George Harrison’s then wife which culminates in the penultimate track, the title track, where he expresses his love directly to her. The music itself is a tight country infused blues rock. Some of Clapton’s best guitar playing is found here as well.
The Hives
4/5
This is a compilation of the Hives’ first two albums. The music comes out of the garage rock revival scene and is clearly influenced by the British alternative scene, Britpop, and most obviously punk. The album is tight and exciting but doesn’t really stand out to me as pushing the boundary. It was quite enjoyable though even if the first track sounds a bit too much like the Blur’s Song 2
Beth Orton
5/5
This album is gorgeous. Beth Orton’s voice is incredibly versatile and can break through anything making the listener hang onto every word. She is known as a folktronica artist, but I found this album to be solidly in the folk category except for a few songs on the back half of the album. I can see how this influences later artists in the 2000s and 2010s when folktronica really came into its own.
Ryan Adams
4/5
Ryan Adams is a hell of a songwriter. He has clearly studied the work of the great country songwriters as well as Bob Dylan. His ability to tell a story is perhaps unrivaled in 2000s alternative country. The music itself isn’t terribly groundbreaking, but it highlights the vocals and allows them to do what they do best.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
CSN’s debut has plenty of hits and features the gorgeous three part harmony the group was known for. Apart from the well known songs, I wasn’t terribly impressed with the rest. Granted, it’s hard to compete with Suite Judy Blue Eyes, Long Time Gone, and Wooden Ships, but the filler tracks were lacking. Based on the strength of the opener alone this album deserves a few stars.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Not my favorite CCR record, but it does have my favorite track of theirs, ‘Born on the Bayou.’ This album would benefit from a little focus. It gets a little too noodly in parts and makes the album seem longer than it actually is. Having said that, John Fogerty’s vocals and guitar playing are incredible. I grew up listening to this band so it’s hard for me to give them anything less than a four.
Leftfield
4/5
It took a bit for me to get into this album, but I really enjoyed it once I did. The music is best categorized as progressive house but frequently incorporates techno elements such as the four on the floor bass drum. There are some dub influences in here as well. The result is a great dance music that has a great sense of tension building and knowing when to drop the beat.
808 State
3/5
This was a pretty good acid house album. Not really my style as far as electronic music goes, but I enjoyed it more towards the end. I find this genre a bit too busy for my taste and am more drawn towards the minimalistic genres of electronica.
James Brown
5/5
Goddamn he was good. James Brown's influence on soul, R&B, and the development of funk is well known, but it really has to be heard to be believed. Brown knew exactly what to do to get his audience to react exactly as he wanted them to. His band is tight and he is the consumate showman.
Orange Juice
3/5
This was on the poppier side of post-punk. It is also very much of its time in that it liberally uses 80 synth and other sounds. This kind of takes me out of it a bit. Other post punk bands are also of their times of course, but there is a timelessness to an artist like the Smiths that is lacking here. The album is quite cohesive though and borrows a fair bit from Afrobeat as well.
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
This album was quite a journey. It is dense, layered, and extremely musically literate. At times I could hear the Beatles, the Beach Boys, rockabilly, prog, and quite a bit of glam rock. I disagree heavily with the Rolling Stone review that states that this album is soulless. I found this album to be full of passion; it is obviously very lovingly written and arranged. I was a bit worried about the length, but after listening to it, I feel like this album is so cohesive without being repetitive that it plays more like a symphony.
Roni Size
3/5
I know this is considered the essential drum and bass album, but two hours is just too long. At its best, the album is fantastic, highly layered, and frenzied, but it just goes on for too long.
Television
4/5
This is a very interesting post punk album. While retaining the ethos of post punk, it contains a lot of blues rock elements that especially remind me of The Rolling Stones in vocal delivery. The music itself is fantastic and seems to predict some 2000s and 2010s sounds that we would later hear in British alternative and indie rock. It’s an incredibly contemporary album.
Taylor Swift
4/5
It's a little strange to me that evermore is on this list when Folklore is not. I listened to this album when it came out and felt it didn't measure up to the predecessor of five months. However, after giving it another listening, I'm really relishing the spaciousness of this album. The string arrangements are gorgeous and the instrumentation really allows the songs to breathe, simmer, and build. I think this is some of Taylor Swift's finest songwriting as well. This list of collaborators, the National's Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, and Matt Berninger, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, and Haim are a real who's who of modern indie music and lends credibility to Swift's more stripped down folk inspired pop. I really enjoyed this album from start to finish and am glad that I listened to it again.
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
Bonnie Raif’s comeback album is a laidback rock album with strong undercurrents of blues and Americana. The songwriting is strong and the music itself is very of its time, smooth with hints of grit.
Le Tigre
4/5
This is a phenomenal Riot Grrrl/punk/new wave album. I can hear influences from 50s rock and roll, the punk/post punk movements of the 70s and 80s and the DIY/garage rock movement as well. The songwriting is concise, and the arrangement is wonderful. Le Tigre uses both electronic and traditional rock instrumentation to create something that sounds explosive yet controlled. This is feminist music with a purpose and it kicks ass
The Roots
4/5
The Roots are an extremely musically literate band combining elements of rock, R&B, rap, and funk to make music that lives across and between genres. Black Thought is a phenomenal lyricist and rapper featuring socially conscious lyrics and a really smooth and engaging flow. While this isn’t my favorite hip hop album, it’s still pretty great.
Throwing Muses
4/5
This was a lush well orchestrated album that reminded me of The Beach Boys with English folk revival and experimental folk like the Kink’s ‘Village Green Preservation Society.’ The biggest issue for me was the length and the fact that the album sounded a bit dated. In its greatest moments, it was absolutely gorgeous.
XTC
4/5
This was a lush well orchestrated album that reminded me of The Beach Boys with English folk revival and experimental folk like the Kink’s ‘Village Green Preservation Society.’ The biggest issue for me was the length and the fact that the album sounded a bit dated. In its greatest moments, it was absolutely gorgeous.
David Bowie
4/5
Young Americans sees David Bowie leave glam rock behind and fully embrace funk and soul. This album is explosive and fun, showing Bowie at a transitionary period before he fully launched his experimental phase with the Berlin trilogy. John Lennon’s contributions are noteworthy, but Bowie’s chameleon like nature is what makes this album great.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
4/5
This album is a strange fusion of blues, punk, and a bit of 50s rock. It is distinctly anti-establishment and is deliberately messy giving it a diy garage sound. The vocal delivery oscillates between a more straightforward punk delivery and almost a parody of Elvis like delivery. Overall, it is a strange and effective album.
Gotan Project
3/5
This is a jazzy, tango like electronica album with Argentinian and European musicians. The beats are very subtle and fuse French and Argentinian instrumentation well. There is a lot going on in the background as well with interesting melodies and chord changes.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
This album is a very well produced. It’s a bit more pop like than their first album but there’s a maturity that really shines through. The songs are crisp and the beats are almost laconic in how they trudge forward. Overall a very good listen.
William Orbit
3/5
This album is a bit ambient, a bit house, a bit trance… there were moments I really enjoyed and moments that effectively were background music. Overall, it was an enjoyable if not non intrusive listen.
Tricky
3/5
This is slightly edgy trip hop. The lyrics seem like they’re trying a bit too hard but the music is pretty ok. It’s nothing groundbreaking and not the best example of the genre, but it’s listenable and I enjoyed it.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
I think is this Elvis Costello’s apex in terms of experimentation. The album is dense, highly melodic and dabbles in unusual melodies and chord changes. It seems influenced by the early 20th century American songbook yet it also looks forward to college rock.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
This album departs from the traditional Motown format and uses sexuality as a form of healing. Marvin Gaye’s own sexuality was stunted by the abuse suffered at the hands of his father and this album represents him working through that and finding salvation in it in a way. The music is a great blend of funk and smooth sensual soul which pioneered the slow jam.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
5/5
This album is a compelling mixture of country, folk, and experimental. Bonnie Prince Billy’s warbly voice calls to mind the ‘high lonesome sound’ of Appalachian music within a indie framework. The compelling lyrics and minimalistic music draw the listener in to something that feels strikingly intimate.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
This album is a soul exploration that covers social issues, love, infidelity etc. Isaac Hayes employs a style that is is part preaching, part storytelling, and part singing. He weaves his way through the four tracks acting both as a guide and the vessel through which the songs are received. This style lends a feeling of intimacy, and almost feels participatory.
Thelonious Monk
5/5
An interesting album especially as it features Sonnly Rollins alongside Thelonius Monk. Monk's style is experimental and makes good use of accidentals while still holding to a recognizable jazz format. A great hard bop album with very interesting changes. I see why a mentorship under Monk was a bit like being stuck in a crucible. The result is undeniable though
Arcade Fire
4/5
Grandiose and symphonic, this album takes a maximalist approach to its production (self produced of course). The result is an exceptionally lush album replete with strings, synth, guitars, and other various instrumentation. Lyrically, this album explores the idea of America especially from the view from outside.
The Louvin Brothers
4/5
Phenomenal dual singing style. Ira Louvin's high over Charles Louvin's low shows them to be masters of the form. The mandolin breaks are fantastic as well. Overall, this is traditional country played best.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Rumours is possibly the greatest pop album of all time. From the moment the album begins to the moment it ends, the listener is treated to some of the greatest melodies in the popular music canon. The musicianship is phenomenal especially Lindsay Buckingham‘s guitar work. Lyrically, this album is famously written in the midst of infidelity and the disintegration of relationships. The result is a tumultuous album full of longing and regret. It is absolutely masterful in every way.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
I enjoyed this album. It is classified as bigbeat and the influence of earlier beat driven electronica (like techno or acid house) can be heard. This album fit comfortably into the background, but moments throughout fully captures my attention. Simply put this album has a very infectious groove.
Big Star
5/5
Another album that defies classification. It contains elements of punk, new wave, symphonic pop, and experimental music. Lyrically, the album is dark and brooding which pairs well with the power pop underpinnings. Nothing about this album is straightforward. It is challenging but incredibly rewarding.
Terence Trent D'Arby
4/5
I enjoyed this much more than I expected to. The music incorporated elements of soul, funk, R&B, as well as some more latin flavored genres to create something that had a great groove that held throughout while exploring more unusual rhythms and melodies. I was only familiar with 'Wishing Well,' but I found the rest of the album to be just as memorable.
The Verve
3/5
While this album certainly has it moments (it peaks with the first track), it ultimately suffers under its own weight. Despite the interesting mix of britpop, alternative rock, and psychedelia, the running time makes the album sound very much the same. The Verve are masteries of melody and orchestration, but in the year that saw the release of OK Computer, it falls a bit flat.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Paranoid is possibly the most important metal/hard rock album of all time. From the beginning of ‘War Pigs’ to the end of ‘Fairies Wear Boots’ the listener is treated to music that feels ready to burst out. The songs are carefully structured but the virtuosic elements feel loose and wild. All in all this album feels untamed, fiery, and genre defining.
B.B. King
5/5
B.B. King did not choose his last name, but it sure as hell chose him. His live performance is a masterclass in showmanship. His musicianship is absolutely unassailable and not a single note is misplaced. King's guitar playing stands above the rest for its precision and the sheer amount of emotionality in every line. When B.B. King is playing, the audience hangs on every phrase. We are lucky that this album was put to tape.
Kanye West
5/5
There's a lot of grief for me now listening to this album. It was like a lightening bolt that turned me on to what hip hop could be and shaped how I listened to music at a crucial point in my life. With Kanye's recent antics, including doubling down on antisemitism, blaming black people for remaining slaves, and refusing treatment for his mental health issues, listening to his music now is complicated.
This album sees Kanye exercising his most maximalist impulses. He is like a mad scientist overseeing the various production elements. He also has the ability to get career defining performances out of his collaborators. Nikki Minaj's verse on 'Monster' is still probably her best work to date. The way this album flows together and explores the role of a black man in a white dominated society is incredible and unrepeatable. This album is the apex in a very interesting and groundbreaking career.
An as addendum, today, December 1, 2022, I finished listening to this album only to find out that Kanye had gone on the Alex Jones show to say that the Israeli government was sabotaging his custody battle, to say that he was tired of people calling nazis evil, and then he said that he liked hitler. This will be the last time I listen to anything by this man. It’s a damn shame.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
This album is a bit more sparse and personal than the previous album ’Innervisions.’ That is not to say that it is minimalist by any stretch of the imagination, but there is some restraint in this album’s production. Nevertheless, like much of Stevie Wonder’s 70s output, these songs don’t miss.
ZZ Top
3/5
ZZ Top embraces MTV and churns out music with a hi-hat driven straight forward danceable beat. I honestly don’t mind the danceable blues aspect of this album. What really irks me is the absolute sameness of the album. If you’ve heard a couple of songs you could be forgiven for wondering if you’ve got a few songs on repeat. The hits are good and the rest feels like variations on those. The musicianship is fine, the shuffling guitar is a great representation of Texas blues, but unfortunately the whole package just doesn’t do much for me.
SZA
4/5
SZA’s CTRL has an ethereal nature to it, almost like as if the listener is hearing it through a haze. The music itself exists somewhere between triphop, R&B and neo-soul. Overall, the album is a chronicle of the love life of a twenty something woman of color and seems to wrestle with themes of identity as she is approaching 30. Overall, this album feels like listening to a dream or a memory. None of the individual elements feel groundbreaking, but taken together, this album is unique and engaging.
Wilco
3/5
This was an enjoyable alt country album. I enjoyed the instrumentation and vocals. It was varied in parts, with some songs having more rockabilly influence than others, but the sheer length of the album really weighed it down. There wasn't really a bad song, but it did start to sound the same after a while.
The La's
4/5
This album really fills out that period right before Britpop came into its own. This Liverpool band is closer to Merseybeat and 60s garage rock than to its contemporaries in the Madchester scene. This acoustic driven indie pop is highly melodic and memorable beyond the hit, 'There She Goes.' The alternative ethos is still here, but the music is more rootsy and thought out.
Gorillaz
4/5
Gorillaz’ debut album was a vehicle for Damon Albarn to break out of his Britpop legacy and embrace whatever he wanted. As such this album contains elements of trip hop, hip hop, psychedelia, and more all thrown together. The result is an idiosyncratic album that simultaneously feels groundbreaking and familiar at the same time. The disguise of Gorillaz allowed this music to break out of genre altogether. The album suffers due to its length and its unevenness, but is still a landmark album making a very important point about the music industry.
Eurythmics
3/5
The title track is one of the most potent and iconic songs of the 1980s. The album as a whole is an unusual mix of new wave/blue eyes soul that while interesting is very rooted in its time. Unfortunately much of this album lacks the timelessness of its title track
Missy Elliott
4/5
I didn’t know what to expect from this album but it certainly delivered. It is a good mix of old school style progressive hip hop with a sex positive and community minded message baked in. Overall, the album was incredibly forward thinking while paying homage to the music that came before it. Missy Elliott is clearly a student of the genre and her love for it can be felt throughout the record.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
I’m not sure whether to classify this album as a classical, symphonic rock, or progressive rock album. Several classics snippets are played straight while other songs are fusions of style. Having said that, this album is a bit over ambitious and I’m not sure it totally succeeds at what it’s trying to do whatever that is. It’s not great as a classical album but does have some really great progressive jazz moments. I’ll give it a four for sheer uniqueness.
The Gun Club
5/5
This album is a phenomenal work of post punk with a gothic country feel. The songs have a simmering quality with a driving Bakersfield beat slowed down which creates almost a menacing quality that persists throughout. This music is highly influential and has been cited by Jack White as a major influence as can be heard in the garage revival of the early 2000s.
The War On Drugs
5/5
This album can best be described as expansive. The music is a lush soundscape that sounds massive. The songs take time to develop but pay off in huge emotional crescendos. The chord structures are simple, but the melodies are anthemic and the effect is very elevating. In terms of genre, there's a bit of folk, a bit of country, and it is undergirded by an almost 70s style beat. Vocally, the singer reminds me of a more refined Bob Dylan. Overall, this is an incredible album that truly feels like a unified piece of music.
Soft Cell
4/5
I didn’t care for the first track, but as the album progressed it grew on me. The synth soundscape was layered well and though it does come off as dated, still sounds good. The lyrics were transgressive and interesting giving the album a feel that very much lived up to its title. Overall, I believe this album very much succeeded at what it set out to do.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5/5
Buddy Holly is a legend at this point, but he can be found in his music which features great guitar playing, great songwriting, and a distinctive and oft impersonated vocal style. He could sing slow songs or add a bit of grit to sing songs like 'That'll be the Day.' He was an unconventional rock star; we was clean cut and wore glasses. However, he standardized rock's two guitar, bass and drums lineup and wrote some of rock's most enduring standards.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
The 80s production was not great, but John Lee Hooker’s blues phrasing comes through nonetheless. Overall, this was not a terribly strong album, and seems to be buoyed by its collaborative nature, but it’s a very interesting artifact of its time, when blues was in the midst of a revival.
Tori Amos
5/5
Tori Amos’ debut is incredible. It is symphonic, melodic, and experimental. Her musical instincts are spot on and it creates an album that is confessional, surreal, and intimate. I hear a lot of influence from Kate Bush, another phenomenal songwriter who wasn’t afraid to takes risks. Tori Amos’ sound itself had become very influential and can be heard in similarly phenomenal artists like Fiona Apple.
Billy Bragg
4/5
I like Billy Bragg’s willingness to take on Thatcher era politics and be so unabashedly pro-union and pro-working class. The tone of this album seems to oscillate between politics and sad country-ish songs about lost love. The music itself is simple but I think his lyrics are worth highlighting because of their conversational storytelling with a moral message nature. If anything, this album is an I portent document if the anxieties of Billy Bragg’s Britain.
The Mothers Of Invention
5/5
A wonderful send up of contemporary American values especially repressive '50s social roles, this album uses the language of doo-wop and contemporary sixties music to make its point. Despite the satirical nature of this album, there is an earnestness in its musicality that manages to sound familiar yet manages to introduce musical concepts into the lexicon of popular music. Jazz changes and suite like song structures set this album apart from the rest of the 1966 crop. The last few songs descend into pure experimentalism that is not for everyone, but it certainly challenged what people though music could be.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
This album is a thoughtful funk/soul exploration of American social issues particularly poverty and racial tension. It is a worthy entry into this particular brand of conscious funk but unlike other albums like Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Goin’ On,’ this album doesn’t stand out as much. That’s not to take away from this album; I found it incredibly insightful and the music had a great groove, but it didn’t resonate with me as much as other examples of this genre.
Rahul Dev Burman
4/5
I’m glad this album was included but it really draws attention to the fact that Indian music is not well represented on this list. The album itself clearly has taken its direction from western music and has a bit of a classic 60s movie soundtrack sound with some really lovely Bollywood and Indian Classical motifs front and center. I wish I knew enough to really be able to understand this better.
Wilco
5/5
This is one of those landmark albums that is absolutely not to be missed. Wilco creates a vast sonic landscape as they transition fully out of alt country into art rock. The results are expansive and stunning. They influences incorporated into the sound are diverse spanning from Television, John Cale, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys just to name a few. This album should be listened to in its entirety and ideally more than once.
Bill Evans Trio
5/5
Bill Evans played piano on Kind of Blue and his own work pushes that cool modal jazz style even further. Evans is a master of chord voicings and interesting chord progressions that seem to meander and fall back into a groove. The bass playing is exceptional, and much more virtuosic.
Megadeth
4/5
Solid thrash metal album. I find Dave Mustaine a bit obnoxious, but I can't argue with the consistency and musicianship of this album. It starts strong with Holy Wars ... the Punishment Due, and the closer, Rust in Peace ... Polaris is simply phenomenal. There's no room for filler on this album and I even listened to the demo tracks on the remaster. Great album.
Santana
4/5
I knew the hits but really enjoyed the rest of the album. The modal jazz inspired Incident at Neshabar was particularly good. Carlos Santana of course is a phenomenal guitarist bringing the Dorian mode to the masses. It would be easy to pigeonhole this as Latin rock, but to do so would be to miss some of really interesting and subtle things that are going on.
Slint
5/5
This album grabbed me immediately. It seems to reject both punk and rock while embracing a musicality that prizes unusual rhythms and a sparse minimal melodies, proto math rock essentially. This is the type of album that cannot simply be left on in the background, but demands active listening. There were moments which sound like OK, Computer, and some which sound almost like grunge. Overall, it was a very compelling album that I can imagine was incredibly influential.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Instead of rerecording his demos with the E Street Band as he originally intended, Bruce Springsteen decided to release them as he recorded them. The result is a startlingly intimate and somber album that tells the stories of ordinary people, outsiders, and criminals with no future. Springsteen's voice is cloaked in reverb and the lonesome harmonica further adds to the expansive hopelessness. This album stands out among Springsteen's extensive catalogue and is a testament to his ability as a storyteller and songwriter able to capture the pathos of the disaffected.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
This album has some genuinely great musicianship and some great arranging but it feels a little gimmicky to me despite how earnest the production and performance is. It does however give a very concise statement of 70s instrumental R&B.
Minor Threat
4/5
This is a tight hardcore album with fairly simple music but very effective delivery. Every track is a bundle of angry energy that delivers exactly what it intends to. It’s not always pretty, but it is one of the most succinct and most important statements of hardcore.
Brian Eno
5/5
The point Brian Eno was making with this album was that there should be a genre that could be played as background music, but that would still benefit from closer listening if the listener so chose. This first of his series of four Ambient titled albums is probably his most significant achievement in that genre. It is relaxing yet strikingly beautiful. Brian Eno struck the perfect balance to create something that did not create a demand on the listener while providing something substantial to the development of popular music.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Muddy Water’s first album after leaving Chess Records is a return to form. The album features joyous Chicago blues with a generous supporting group of musicians. Muddy’s voice is energetic and he sounds like he’s having a great time.
John Prine
5/5
John Prine was quite simply, one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century. He had the ability to tell the stories of others with striking empathy and humor. Whether it was from the perspective of the lonely old in 'Hello in There,' the story of a Vietnam War veteran who came home with a heroin habit in 'Sam Stone', or from the perspective of an older woman who never got to live the life she dreamed of in 'Angel From Montgomery', John Prine could be trusted to tell that story faithfully. His songs became instant classics and his loss will be felt for a long time.
Eagles
5/5
This is the Eagles strongest album both musically and thematically. Here we see the Eagles tire of their notoriously drug fueled life and start to see the cracks in the illusory California dream. What was once a haven becomes a prison and elements of their old life start to break down around them as they find themselves replaced by newer artists, the drugs begin to become unsatisfying, and romantic relationships come to an end. The ending track widens the view to show that it was always a dream; California remains a colonized place and no matter how much it's dressed up, the dark truth remains.
Joe Walsh's guitar work is a shot in the arm here and helps solidify the Eagles' hard rock bona fides. There is still a tinge of country rock, but the new heavier sound juxtaposed against the softer songs serves to highlight the tumultuousness of confronting the illusion of California.
OutKast
4/5
The first album in this series, 'Speakerboxxx' is the stronger of the two. It is more unified in its funk influence but does wade into industrial hip hop in a way that reminded me of Death Grips. Andre 3000's 'The Love Below' is more experimental and covers more personal topics. It takes a lot of jazz influence and infuses that with psychedelia to create something that feels a bit more thoughtful but uneven. The largest drawback of this series is its length of over two hours. However, this is some of the most groundbreaking hip hop I've ever heard and it's hard to think of what I would personally cut. Overall, Speakerboxxx may be the strongest, but there's something about the imperfect The Love Below that I really enjoyed.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
This album is very important to the history of hip hop and as such it is an essential listen. It comes during the New School period and heralds the golden age of hip hop in the late 80s and early 90s. The biggest drawback is how dated it sounds. Nevertheless, the style is explosive, almost combative and unafraid to mix with rock.
Radiohead
5/5
Radiohead so easily could have been a forgettable grunge band forever consigned to the early 90s. However, on their second album, they infused their music with a more consistent theme of alienation, a good amount of jazz, and a huge dose of arena rock. The result is Radiohead's first great leap forward, The Bends. This was the first Radiohead album to resonate with me. From the frenetic back and forth of 'Just' to the beautiful and haunting 'Fake Plastic Trees' to the driving closer 'Fade Out (Street Spirit),' this album virtually rewrote what rock music could be. This album would be the apex of most band's careers, but for Radiohead, it is only the first stepping stone to something greater.
Black Flag
5/5
Damaged is a quintessential hardcore album and one of the most influential punk albums of all time. The music is noisy, messy, and invigorating. The lyrics are at times funny, angry, anti-authoritarian, and surprisingly empathetic such as the track 'Life of Pain.' Black Flag is a conscientious standard bearer and this album is truly phenomenal.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
This album is an instant classic. Much of it has a sort of dreamlike quality that feels akin to listening to music in a pleasantly altered state (which seems to be how some of the songs were written). Though not every song works in sequence, Kacey Musgraves adeptly wades through various genres which revolving around a country dreampop core where she really shines. The songs are tender, thoughtful, and though they can be a little on the nose, they are endearing enough for that not to be a drawback. The sound at its best is expansive and reminds of the Laurel Canyon sound.
Dr. Octagon
2/5
I truly don’t know how to feel about this record. It is transgressive in a way that seems to veer into almost rape like fantasy that left a bad taste in my mouth. Yet there is something undeniable about the talent on this album. The alien like persona allows the artist to go places he normally wouldn’t be able to and there’s something to be said for that level of creativity.
The Killers
4/5
Its clear that the Killers were heavily influenced by the Strokes and British alternative in general. I can also hear a bit of new wave and some britpop thrown in, but if I didn't know better, I would say that this band from Las Vegas was an early 2000s British alternative rock band. Overall, the album is catchy, features memorable songs, and has great melodies. However, I'm not hearing much that is groundbreaking. Having said that, it's impossible to escape the influence of this album and its songs, Mr. Brightside in particular, are modern classics.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Bad was largely responsible for defining the sound of pop in the late 80s. Following up Thriller is a seemingly impossible task, and I don't think this album fully succeeds there, but overall, it does about as well as could be reasonably expected. This album plays half like greatest hits and half filler. Some songs, like the closer 'Leave Me Alone' are decent, but 'Liberian Girl' falls flat to me. Of course, this album sounds very dated. Having said that, because this album is decade defining, I don't think that's a bad thing here.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Aside from Breakdown and American Girl, this was a rather unremarkable album. It doesn’t quite know what it wants to be yet. It has tinges of Beatles, country rock, with flashes of Tom Perry’s signature brand of heartland rock. It is always interesting to see where great artists started out from, but this is not a great debut.
Metallica
4/5
Metallica’s thrash roots are still very much apparent, but this is a more thoughtful, complex, and experimental album. The uses of interesting time signature, arpeggios, and the suite like string structure all attest to Metallica’s desire to move beyond their music of the early and mid 80s. It is a resounding success.
Talking Heads
5/5
The Talking Heads’ first album with Brian Eno as producer is new wave masterpiece. The pop elements certainly date this album, but are not intrusive or cloying. You can definitely hear the seeds of their sound that would be defined in Remain in Light and Speaking in Tongues. David Byrne’s lyrics are hyper focused to the point of near absurdity but I absolutely love them. Honestly, I’ll give a 5 to most Talking Heads albums, but they truly deserve it.
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
This album is an homage to 60s British pop. Its production is lush and full keeping in the spirit of the time. There are moments that seem almost Beatlesesque, moments that pay tribute to spaghetti westerns, and other moments that take inspiration from surf rock. Overall the album is incredibly well done and was clearly a labor of love for the Last Shadow Puppets
The xx
2/5
This album contains a lot of indie rock/pop hallmarks including clean guitar with reverb, minimalist arrangement, prominent bass, and simple driving rhythms. What really ruins this album is the entirely lackluster vocal performances. It’s almost as if they couldn’t be bothered to fully pronounce anything. It seems to be going for languid and flowing, instead it comes off as lazy. The female vocals are sang with a faux soul affectation that simply does not work; she is not a competent enough vocalist to make it work. The lyrics are occasionally cliche and some of the rhyme schemes are awkward and lack the proper number of syllables to make certain lines work. It is jarring and really took me out of the music. On paper I should really like this band, but the vocals and lyrics are too irritating to enjoy the rather nice and spacious music.
Gene Clark
4/5
This album broke Gene Clark and he never recovered. Listening to it now knowing the effect it had on his career is very strange. It is an incredibly earnest album. Clark put his heart and soul into this album and it shows. It also happens to be fantastic. This album flits between country, folk, rock, and gospel. The production by Thomas Jefferson Kaye, inspired by Phil Spector and Brian Wilson, is lush and driving. The songs are anthemic, engaging, and overall, just gorgeous. I feel like this album could easily become one of my favorites if I were to listen to it a few more times.
Pulp
4/5
This album is full of social commentary with a specific concentration on class differences in the UK. The music itself is dark, brooding, and often symphonic with a strong sense of melody. It was realized during the apex of Britpop and as such shows some of its hallmarks with its distinctly British outlook and sound. However, there is quite a strong new wave/post-punk influence here, and its more experimental moments shift the record into what would we better labeled as art pop. I liked this album a lot and need to give it another listen to gather my full thoughts.
Alice In Chains
4/5
This album is a more conventional hard rock/grunge/alternative album when compared to their contemporaries. The music is guitar driven with a decent amount of wah thrown in giving an almost dark psychedelic feel. Lyrically this is a dark album. It deals heavily with addiction, particularly to heroin, and also discusses inner turmoil, death, and losing one’s mind. This is an incredible consistent album and is widely regarded as Alice In Chains’ best.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
This may be Bruce Springsteen’s most energetic album. It is chock full of singles including the title track, ‘I’m On Fire’ and ‘Dancing in the Dark’ for starters. Once again we see Springsteen positioning himself as an Everyman, the voice of America’s disaffected working class. This is a good role for him and he does it very well. What’s really striking is his genuine love and affection for down and out small town America reflected in songs like ‘My Hometown.’ There is a melancholy to these songs that conjure images of closed factories and dilapidated neighborhoods making his lyrics all the more potent. The biggest drawback of this album is the dated production and instrumentals. However, they too are relics of their time just like the America that Springsteen immortalizes in song. Rather fitting then isn’t it.
Joan Baez
4/5
Joan Baez's debut is strong, especially given her age and the conditions of recording. The largest drawback is that these are all cover songs, though excellently interpreted. Her guitar playing is lush and expansive, and her voice is singular. She sings with such force and conviction that she inhabits these songs and their stories.
Dead Kennedys
5/5
This is an incredibly energetic and engaging album that tackles social issues with focus in poverty and the gap between the rich and the poor. Musically, this is just great driving punk with an eye forward to hardcore. Interestingly enough I hear in the music, especially the rhythm section, the seeds of what would later become thrash metal, another Bay Area subgenre. Though some of the language is objectionable, this album was really helpful in understanding the progression of the Bay Area music scene after the psychedelic hangover had long worn off.
Portishead
5/5
This album is unclassifiable. The music is driving, repetitive in parts, industrial, claustrophobic, and punctuated by beautiful moments of reprieve before plunging back into the darkness. The use of analog synths lends a sense of familiarity to some sounds, I certainly heard tinges of Pink Floyd's Richard Wright in parts, but this also contributes to the albums disorienting nature. Beth Gibbons' vocals are delicate and sail above the churning music below. It feels fragile, dangerous, and absurdly beautiful.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Fela Kuti lived a very interesting life. This album got him into quite a lot of trouble with the Nigerian authorities and may be the reason his mother was murdered and his commune destroyed. Aside from its critique of the Nigerian government, this album features strong funk and jazz elements wrapped together with traditional Nigerian music. The result is a heady Afrobeat which is heavy on the funk rhythms.
Spiritualized
5/5
This album is an absolute experience. It has everything from a gospel choir, Britpop like melodies, and shoegaze like sonic explorations all wrapped up in driving space rock. The album expertly incorporates other artists such as Elvis in the opener and John Prine in the closer. I honestly am so blown away by this album that I don't quite know how to talk about it yet. It is symphonic, beautiful, uplifting, gut wrenching, and just insanely impressive. The amount of work that it must have taken to make this work is staggering. And it does work too.
Little Simz
4/5
This album really surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. Little Simz flow was phenomenal and her lyrics confronting social issues were some of the best I’ve heard. The music itself had such a great groove that once I started listening, I was in the album until the end.
Bob Dylan
5/5
For Dylan to wander his way through most of the 70s trying figure out who he was only to come back with this album feels like Jesus emerging from 40 days in the desert and being tempted by the devil. It is dark, brooding and gritty. It’s almost as if he somehow knew that he would almost die shortly after this album was recorded. My only complaint is some of the overly echoey vocal effects. Other than that, this album ranks among Dylan’s very best and that is about the highest compliment I can give it.
Slipknot
4/5
Better than I expected. Slipknot are well versed in the various styles of metal and employ them throughout so that it becomes impossible to pigeonhole them as nu metal or groove metal. There’s a lot of black metal influences as well as some punk, hardcore, and thrash metal thrown in for good measure. The subject matter of the album, very critical of the United States at a time when the economy was collapsing, fits the punk ethos well and certainly deserves the darker edge that the black metal influence lends it.
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
If anyone thinks that the Allman Brothers Band is just a southern rock band, this album will certainly disabuse then if that notion. This album is mostly large sections of improvisation that go far beyond Duane Allman’s signature slide guitar sound. They incorporate classical motifs, Christmas songs even, and long exploratory passages that owe more to jazz than rock. The band is tight, and is able to come back to the main section seamlessly. It is a masterclass in musicianship and is essential listening for any guitarist. However, for general listening, I feel like this album may lose the focus of many due to the lining stretches of improvisation.
Norah Jones
3/5
Norah Jones is one of the best examples of the movement in the early 2000’s towards a jazz flavored soft pop. The music is smooth, has some pretty safe chord changes (though they are satisfying), and has a very pleasant sense of melody. Jones’ voice is the highlight of the record. She is a technically gifted singer and her voice is very warm. Overall a pleasant listen if not a bit bland.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Some people don’t think that politics belongs in music. I’m not one of the people and neither is Tracy Chapman. This album explores themes of economic anxiety, domestic violence, poverty in America, lack of hope, and racism. In short it is an album of the Reagan era laying bare the true impacts of neoliberal economic policy on the people. Her voice seems almost unsure at times, not in what she’s singing, but in a way that mirrors and emphasizes the uncertainty of the times. It’s a very powerful effect. The music itself is folk derives but with some college rock tendencies.
Sister Sledge
4/5
This album does not miss. I was hooked from the moment that guitar kicked in. Nile Rogers’ is all over this record. Though this album is clearly a dance record, the musicality and production are top notch. It walks a fine line between commercially viable and artistic integrity and succeeds in both counts.
Jerry Lee Lewis
5/5
This might be the best live album every put to tape. Jerry Lee Lewis puts on a hedonistic raucous show that reignited his career after the public fallout after learning about his marriage to his 13 year old first cousin (once removed). The music on this album is so intentionally haphazard, it's almost proto-punk and Jerry Lee Lewis has an attitude to match.
Miles Davis
5/5
This album represents a transition between bebop and cool jazz in the late 40s and early 50s. As always, Miles Davis, a master of phrasing and dynamics, is one of the drivers of this change. The music certainly contains elements of both styles ranging from the high energy, virtuosic bebop, to the slower understated cool jazz. This album looks forward to the 1959 releases of Davis' Kind of Blue, and Dave Brubeck's Time Out.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
This album is recorded so well that it feels like the listener is surrounded by the singers. The vocals are warm, inviting, and most importantly, incredibly well done. The singers in Ladysmith Black Mambazo show on this album that they are not merely background singers for western artists, but are serious artists in their own right. The gospel like melodies make this album accessible to western ears, but for me, the honesty and beauty in the voices resonate with me, even if I cannot understand most of what is being sung. That emotional connection without understanding is what makes this album great.
Röyksopp
5/5
This album was my first proper electronic music album alongside Aphex Twin when I first began exploring the genre. The downtempo trip hop beats are expansive, hypnotizing, and very spacious. There’s enough room to hear every little detail and the music is soundscape like in its depth. Listening to it today reminds me why and how electronic music began to click for me thus opening a wider array of music.
Pantera
2/5
I understand that Pantera is influential, but I was not impressed with this album. Its mix of thrash metal with some hardcore elements is not original. Its more straightforward moments felt like a Metallica cover band. I will say that was production was clean and the mix wasn’t muddy, however, it seems like the band is more interested in conveying an attitude rather than anything of substance.
Cypress Hill
3/5
This is a landmark West Coast Rap album that features phenomenal funk/soul samples and beats with a little Latin flavor. For me the music is solid. The delivery gets a bit stale after a while though. I found some of the lyrics a bit lazy and the homophobic lyrics in the opening track was jarring an unnecessary. I understand the historic context, but it just doesn't hold up. Overall, the album is solid even if it's not my favorite.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
This album is not merely a collection of songs about murder. It is an exploration of the psychology, morality, and aftermath of murder. As such, it doesn't attempt to romanticize the material. It portrays murder and the thought process leading up to it as it is, deprived, shocking, and frighteningly tangible. In the world of this album, murder is just around the corner and no one can be trusted. The music itself is driving, grinding, jarring, and in certain moments, beautiful. This gives the album a sense that it is creating and inhabiting a darker world parallel to ours. Nick Cave's vocal delivery is almost deadpan at times, deepening the shock of his character's nonchalance about murder, and more passionate and aggressive at other times. Some of his lyrics seem to be in place just to make a rhyme work, but overall, develop this world and its personalities very convincingly. This is a disturbing album, but it is deeply engaging and interesting.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
5/5
Another great country/folk album. Ramblin' Jack Elliot has simple yet earnest style. On this album, we are treated to a feature by Wood Guthrie himself, a mentor of Elliot. Jack Elliot himself went on to have a massive influence on artists such as Bob Dylan, and Woody's son, Arlo Guthrie. Jack Elliot is a living line directly to Woody himself.
The Byrds
4/5
This album really shines when it leans into the more experimental songs such as 'I See You' and 'Eight Miles High.' The Byrds use eastern inspired melodic passages well and can play the more blues inspired pieces well. I enjoyed their cover of 'Wild Mountain Thyme' but was a bit perplexed by the inclusion of 'Mr. Spaceman,' a song which offers nothing lyrically or musically. Overall, it is a good album if a bit uneven.
Digital Underground
4/5
With a hip hop album from this time period, there are bound to be more than a few incredibly dated moments. This album is no exception. It is however, a very fun album that samples prodigiously from funk and soul records giving Digital Underground a very tangible connection to the music they are descended from. Lyrically, this album is all over the place. I laughed out loud at several points, and found the sex packets song cycle a bit out of place interesting though it was. I suppose that's why this album is on this list; it is a fascinating slice of hip hop history.
Taylor Swift
4/5
Here we see Taylor Swift emerge completely as a pop star. This album is such a turning point in her career though it was obvious to anyone paying attention that he sights were turned to pop. The electro synth sound of the early 2010's is strong here of course, wrapping the listener in a gauzy array of sounds with strong echoey 80s beats. Swift borrows freely from the sounds of her pop contemporaries (who had been in the pop scene longer) including Katy Perry and Carlie Rae Jepsen. Amazingly, despite her genre shifting, Swift always sounds like herself. Her sense of melody including the intervals she uses are unique to her for the most part, or at least she's employed them persistently enough that they are squarely hers. The back half of the album is weaker than the first, but it's such an easy listen that I'm not sure it matters.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Bob Marley's first album without Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer is a powerful socially conscious album that tackles themes of poverty and finding joy, brotherhood, and love in dire situations. Musically, the album is fairly standard Marley, fun, driving, and groovy.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
This album was a great listen. The genre is listed as punk, but that doesn't begin to cover it. There are new wave, psychedelic, and hard rock elements of this album that emphasize that punk was already turning into something more exploratory with more musicality. X-Ray Spex also predict the Riot Grrrl movement that would later emerge in the 1990s.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
In light of Stevie Wonder’s opus, it’s amazing to think that he started in the Motown factory line style version of music production. Stevie’s sprawling album covers just about every thing from love, to fatherhood, and to social issues of the time. Musically this album is a journey through soul, funk, R&B, and elements of jazz including fusion. It is incredible that an album of commercial music trusts its audience enough to throw in rhythmic changes, exploratory modal passages, and boasts a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. There is not a single misplaced note on this album.
Billie Holiday
4/5
This is the last album Billie Holiday released before her death. Her voice has lost some of its higher end and the years of abuse have clearly caught up to her. What we get is an extremely raw and emotional performance. Though not as great as her previous work, this album still displays the remarkable talent that was Billie Holiday.
Red Snapper
3/5
I found this album to be rather bland. There are some interesting moments, but it is largely forgettable. I found it drifting into the background quite a bit which is not necessarily a bad thing, but nothing about it really stood out to be. It works as atmospheric music, but there are much better examples of that as well.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Dinosaur Jr. is the perfect example of the saying ‘you have to know the rules before you break them.’ They clearly have a lot of respect for the classic rock that can before them and incorporate a lot of the most virtuosic and melodic elements from that. However, they also have an experimental streak and incorporate the ethic of garage and punk rock to create something that is musically chaotic, but controlled. Because of the melodic and noise rock aspects, they bridge the gap connecting punk/alternative to the more commercially friendly college rock that was emerging.
T. Rex
4/5
This album continues T. Rex’s lush glam rock approach. The lyrics are occasionally psychedelic and oblique but the music itself is much more. T. Rex employs a sound that is well filled out, uses many instruments, and has a full sense of harmony. This power pop includes a lot of sounds from the Beatles but also has a wiry electric frenetic feel that pushes the genre forward. T. Rex’s influence on artists such as Bowie and Queen would be immense and the seeds of that can be heard here.
Scott Walker
2/5
This album is sweeping in an almost cinematic way. However, there’s something here that feels forced. Scott Walker’s voice is lovely and the orchestration is scaled down compared to his past work, but it is still just too much and takes itself too seriously. This is reflected in the lyrics as well.
Shack
3/5
I wasn’t impressed with the first couple of tracks, but the album did grow on me a bit. There’s nothing groundbreaking here. It is well made melodic Britpop and nothing more complete with Beatlesesque moments, occasional orchestration, and emotionally satisfying anthemic moments. The closing track is phenomenal though and ends the album on a melancholy and unresolved note.
The Cardigans
4/5
Not sure how to classify this album. It is definitely pop forward, but has some substantial jazz and lounge music influences baked in as well. It is pleasant which cloaks its sexually charged slightly masochistic and deferential vocals in a strange and disorienting veneer. The cover of Iron Man is probably the weirdest thing on this album. Even weirder still, it works.
Richard Hawley
4/5
This album wake a fine line between being over reliant on nostalgia and employing it perfectly. I’d say that Richard Hawley expertly weaves sounds from the 40s onwards into an extremely well produced and consistent album. The sound feels warm, lush, and lived in and the various genres blend into each other in such a way that it recalls everything at once this creating something unique.
Tortoise
5/5
This album is one of the most important works of post rock. It experiments with sounds and musical textures in an almost meditative intentional way that allows songs to build, simmer, and dissolve in their own timing. The instrumentation and genre hopping feel like this is almost like a musical laboratory.
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
This is a great jazz album that is very influenced by the Big Band Tradition. Though this album isn’t covering any new territory, it is incredibly well executed and features some excellent mastery of instrumentation. The tone and timbre that the musicians are able to achieve is full of emotion and control.
The Clash
5/5
The Clash's debut album is the most straightforward punk record. It features driving guitars/bass/drums with angry vocals. However, hints at what's to come are present. We hear dynamic changes throughout, interesting rhythmic choices, and well balanced instrumentation that goes beyond the level of skill we usually see in punk. Though this predates the Clash's artistic apex, this record is one of the greatest punk albums and debut albums of all time.
Rush
3/5
Putting the thought of Ayn Rand to a 20 minute song cycle is a step in the wrong direction. It’s a good thing the music is good. However, this album is bloated despite its 40 minute runtime. 2112 comes off very preachy and I don’t believe that Neil Peart was a great philosophical mind. The musicianship is excellent of course but that’s not enough to rescue this album from its worst impulses.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
This album sees the Pet Shop Boys embracing Neil Tennant’s homosexuality. The result is one of their most consistent and cohesive albums. The mix of synth pop and club music is driving, danceable, yet provides a fitting medium for Tennant’s vocals. Despite the running time, I found that this album didn’t drag on unlike some of their other work. The highlight for me was the final track, a fantastic cover of the Village People’s ‘Go West.’
Lou Reed
5/5
Lou Reed's Berlin was critically panned and reviled upon its release. The album takes its cue from the track 'Berlin' on Lou Reed's first solo album and expands the story of the couple the song portrays. What follows is a shocking and tragic story of addiction, prostitution, abuse, suicide, and ultimately ambivalence. Mirroring his own disintegrating relationship, Berlin plunges to the depths of despair and anguish and leaves us struggling to find meaning in the pieces left behind. Musically, it is austere, full of a feeling of impending doom, and leaves us with the song 'Sad Song' sung in a major key further disorienting the listener. It is oppressive and brilliant, and I'm not quite sure how to feel about it yet.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut is a high energy hit filled record that ends in one of the most famous songs of all time. Their guitar approach is steeped in the hard rock greats while being infused with country inspired licks reflecting their southern heritage. The playing is tight and the vocal delivery is fantastic.
The Beach Boys
5/5
Today! Is where we really begin to see Brian Wilson’s production and songwriting style ramp up to its experimental apex which would come on 1966-1967. Having stepped down from touring after a panic attack en route to Houston, Brian Wilson began spending more time in the studio. The result is a wall of sound style production with more introspective songwriting tinged with melancholy. The results are undeniable.
5/5
This is one of the greatest punk albums of all time. X takes the raw edge of punk and much like the Clash, brings in more thoughtful arrangements to create a form of punk that is more musically literate despite its destructive and deconstructive elements. This album is clearly influenced by hard rock, 50s rock, and emergent post-punk. The hallmarks of where punk inspired music was headed are all still here, increased musicality, acrobatic bass, incorporation of different genres etc.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Lots of Chuck Berry influence (some doo wop and soul as well) in the Rolling Stones' first album. Though most of this album is covers, they are clearly students of the blues. Where the Beatles are polished (and writing their own songs) the Rolling Stones are loose and more interested in getting across a certain attitude. Once again, we see English students influenced by Black American music which is pretty great considering the racial tensions in the US at the time.
Songhoy Blues
5/5
This album begins with straight electric blues and shifts over the course of the album to for Malinese influenced music. In a very real way, this album represents a full circle moment; here we see an African influenced American genre turn into something new in the hands of Africans. It truly revitalizes the blues in a way that is very difficult to do. The result is astounding. The title of the album alludes to the fact that Songhoy Blues is a band in exile, and may be making some of the truest blues music out there.
5/5
A contender for the best album of all time. The Beatles had quit touring, and on the heels of their experimental success with 'Revolver,' and in response to 'Pet Sounds,' they decided to up the ante. What they produced was a sprawling concept album with the conceit that it was from a fictitious band. The opus of this album, 'A Day in the Life,' is similarly a contender for best rock song ever. This album sees the Beatles fully embrace the full experimental potential of the studio in a way that is still astounding. Though these sounds can easily be created now, the leap in creativity and studio mastery has seldom if ever been topped.
The Isley Brothers
5/5
My god, this album is phenomenal. The music is tight and exploratory and features sounds and textures that I hear in progressive rap. Side 1 of the album is more upbeat and feels more soul/R&B flavored. Side 2 takes a darker and more introspective turn, especially in the ironically named 'Sunshine (Go Away Today).' This music features interesting melodic intervals, incredible guitar work, and overall more funk and jazz influenced music. Overall, not being too familiar with the Isley Brothers' post 50s/60s work, I was blown away. They managed to do something that sounded and still sounds fresh, listenable, yet musically interesting. The really interesting thing is that it's almost as if they were influenced by their own music in previous decades.
Stereo MC's
3/5
This album has a great sense of rhythm and really great bass lines. However, the rap portions really take me out of it. This mix of hip hop and trip hop doesn’t really quite work and it all starts to blend together after a while. However, the music itself is a great representation of trip hop.
Van Morrison
4/5
After ‘Astral Weeks’ Van Morrison returns with a more straightforward that plays less like an experimental record. This album is very folk centric though of course it still dabbles in jazz phrasing and instrumentation. The musicianship and songwriting are top notch and the album as a whole was incredibly enjoyable. It’s definitely on my list to listen to again soon.
The Verve
3/5
The Verve are at an interesting crossroads on this album. Do they lean into the more experimental alternative side, or stay on the more melodic Britpop side. They tried to go both ways. The result is a very uneven album and one that is just too noisy at times. When they slow down and let the songs develop and the music meander, then they sound much more coherent. There is a way to blend melodic sensibilities with more experimental music (see Radiohead’s the Bends released the same year), but they do not succeed at doing that. Additionally, the runtime is too long. Having said all that, I do find that this album has some very beautiful moments.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
This album is much more upbeat than 'In the Wee Small Hours.' Sinatra is more expressive and playful with these songs. I enjoyed this album more and felt that it was more dynamic than the previous entry.
Kate Bush
4/5
Kate Bush is one of my favorite pop artists from the 80s. She takes the form and subverts it by incorporating experimental sounds and textures and weaving sonically interesting through-lines along with her lyrics which are focused on this album, on women's sexuality. Though this album is not as well developed and constructed as Hounds of Love or The Dreaming, it was still a fantastic listen.
Tim Buckley
4/5
This album features sweeping acoustic guitars which give it a sense of space and openness. The songwriting is excellent and the vocal delivery can be as gentle or as powerful as is needed. Tim Buckley incorporates a wide variety of influences including eastern music. This album is powerful and thoughtful and will certainly benefit from repeated listenings
Fiona Apple
5/5
This album was likely the best of 2020. Recorded mostly at Fiona Apple’s home in Los Angeles, it has a raw organic quality to it. The use of found sounds lends an almost dada like ramshackle foundation from which the music can find its basis. This produces a set of sounds that seem to appear spontaneously without the trappings of a studio production.
Janet Jackson
4/5
One of the most interesting things about this album is the fact that Jackson sings about issues that seemingly have not changed in over 30 years. The audio of gunshots at a playground were especially and most tragically all too familiar. Other reviewers have criticized this album for being too preachy, but I think everyone no matter what their income level, especially those with a platform, have every right to confront injustice where they see it. Furthermore, Jackson went against the wishes of her label to make the album she wanted. Musically, this album is an absolute clinic in well crafted pop music. It is a bit dated, but it expertly weaves late 80s pop with synth and new Jack swing to create something unique that doesn’t feel as long as it is.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
With the horns I was really expecting this album to skew towards ska but that was not the case. This album is primarily a new wave album with a massive soul influence. The instrumentation stood out to me the most along with the strong sense of melody. Overall I enjoyed this album and appreciate its unique qualities and the space it occupies in the history of post-punk/new wave.
Queen
4/5
I grew up listening to Queen; they were my first CD and to this day they occupy a very special place. Their fearlessness in occupying the space between glam, opera, dance, and hard rock is inspiring. This lesser known album is the first to really sound like Queen. The layered vocals and instrumentation are present here and hint at what's to come. The music itself is very prog/art rock and doesn't lean heavily on commercial viability. That's another reason to love this album; it is taking a risk. During the mid-70s, releasing an album that focuses more on fantasy themes and art music than pop sensibility would have been career suicide. Thankfully, this was not the case here. Though this album has very niche appeal, it is a fundamental step in the realization of Queen's potential, and it is one I find very compelling.
Marty Robbins
4/5
I enjoyed this more western ballad based approach. However, there is not much variety between songs though they are executed very well.
The Sonics
4/5
Possibly the advent of punk. This record is high energy, lofi, and messy as hell. The Sonics are oft-cited as influences by the White Stripes, Mudhoney, and Nirvana. Their overdriven and distorted sound lends to an air of rebellion in an age of over produced popular music. These guys are great musicians and seem like they just wanted to play rock on their terms. The 50s rock and R&B influence is apparent especially with the R&B style saxophone solos.
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
This album is a contender for the greatest hip hop album of all time, and is easily one of the best albums period. Wu Tang Clan grapple with social issues and who they’re trying to be for themselves and the future throughout this album. Their vision is something greater than what they see around them, and this album provides a glimpse into the early thoughts of the greatest rap collective. The music defines east coast rap, and the dynamic flows and free associated lyrics are now hallmarks of hip hop. You simply can’t listen to hip hop today without hearing Wu Tang’s influence.
Michael Jackson
4/5
This album might be Michael Jackson at his funkiest. The bass on this album is absolutely perfect, especially on side 1 which has more of a groove accentuated by the disco influence. Side 2 loses some steam, but remains enjoyable. 'Off the Wall' is packed with hits; I knew more of these songs than I thought I did. This album represents the turning point for his adult career as it was the first recorded with Epic and with Quincy Jones as producer. Perhaps most incredibly, Jackson's next two albums were 'Thriller' and 'Bad' released over the next nine years making 'Off the Wall' the first of a decade of unassailable Michael Jackson albums produced by Quincy Jones.
Nick Drake
5/5
This album is more accompanied than Nick Drake's other two albums, especially when contrasted to Pink Moon. Drake intended it to evoke Pet Sounds, and even had some Beach Boys session musicians play in addition to part of the Fairport Convention and the Velvet Underground's John Cale. The result is an incredibly lush album that captures the cream of the crop of British folk. Nick Drake's guitar playing is absurdly precise and always retains a striking clarity even against the backdrop of strings and horns. His lyrics turn their focus to the drudgery of city life and even the music feels more full and cosmopolitan. The outlook is still bleak.
Mekons
4/5
Tom Greenhalgh's quote, "pretty soon the difference between the three chords of country and the three chords of punk became blurred," really just sum this album up. The affinity between punk and country really does make sense and the Mekons bring it to life with swagger and confidence. What really struck me about this album is how contemporary it sounds. Freak Folk really came into its own in the late 90s and 2000s and remains a huge influence on contemporary music. This album predates that by almost 15 years. The experimental art collective style works well for the Mekons and brings an element of subversion to traditional instrumentation. Overall, a fantastic listen!
Motörhead
3/5
Anyone would be forgiven for thinking that they were hearing the same few songs over and over again. Motörhead songs all seem to have the same driving drums and galloping guitar. Even the vocal melodies seem to repeat and blend into each other. Furthermore, the quality of the live recording was not the best and the mix was rather muddy.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
I listened to this album when I was first getting into hip hop and was really struck by the maximalist production, the socially conscious lyrics, and Lupe's instantly identifiable flow. For the most part, this album holds up. Some of the music and mid-2000s synth sound a bit dated now, but for the most part, I enjoy the diversity of music that Lupe incorporates. The last track really drags the album down, especially after Kick, Push II. As far as I'm concerned, the album should have ended there.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
This album is simply one of the greatest albums of all time. Marvin Gaye explores themes of racism, war, poverty etc. and does it all with a striking sense of empathy. The vocals are melodies are top notch and the music is soothing yet has an air of movement and restlessness that underscores the severity of the social issues. This album is always in heavy rotation for me.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
4/5
This album is not something I ever would have been exposed to save for this project. I don't know enough about this style of music to say much about it, but I did enjoy the gentle driving beats and Nusrat Feteh Ali Khan's voice, which I read had the ability to withstand hours of uninterrupted singing.
Iggy Pop
5/5
Iggy Pop's second solo album (also produced by David Bowie), takes a more pop focused turn. This has the effect of of infusing Iggy Pop's proto-punk with a more commercial element leading to more of a New Wave feel. The guitars sound more jangly and with Iggy Pop's dominating vocal performance, this album predicts British alternative (Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand etc.) at least 30 years earlier. It uncanny how modern this album sounds. For me, the Berlin albums are better than his work with the Stooges.
Brian Eno
5/5
The coming together of two genius does not disappoint. This album was a perfect blend of David Byrne's idiosyncrasies with Brian Eno's ambient and electronic experiments. It was at times beautiful, disconcerting, but always thoughtful.
Mike Oldfield
5/5
This is one of the closest things to a rock symphony that you can find. It is a highly orchestrated proggy, folk influenced suite in two parts that utilizes many instruments spanning several genres and features some incredible arranging and musicianship. To top it off, Mike Oldfield was 19 at the time of recording. To make something this magnificent at age 19 in 1973 is nothing short of astounding. This album was interesting and very moving.
The 13th Floor Elevators
5/5
I had never heard of this band before, but I was blown away. This album contains elements of Dick Dale style surf rock which almost gives it a proto-punk sound. The music itself is dark and exploratory with explosive and gritty vocals. This album is cohesive and is a blast of fresh air.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
This is just one of those albums that is so important that adding my review to it seems completely unnecessary. First of all, Joni Mitchell's voice, with its ability to suddenly take a high, almost birdlike note, is the star of this album. The instrumentation is mostly piano and guitar but the music itself takes some experimental turns that show the forward thinking nature of the album. Above all, this album is heartbreaking, and feels voyeuristic in how personal it is.
Def Leppard
3/5
Def Leppard is not a terribly original band, and seem to typify the melodic pop metal genre of the mid to late 80s. However, they do have a somewhat unique and recognizable sound even if it’s derived largely from the hard rock greats of the 70s. This album does have quite a few memorable hits and though I don’t find this album particularly phenomenal, it was a fun listen.
Slayer
3/5
This is a seminal thrash metal album and I’m not going to criticize the musicianship; it is top notch and is genre defining. I will push back in the lyrical content especially the first song. Slayer have denied having nazi sympathies and have stated that they shouldn’t have to state that they are against it. However, this leaves their work open for interpretation by bad actors. Furthermore, using the gruesomeness of medical experimentation in an extermination camp for the shock value seems rather callous.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5
This album is a post-punk masterpiece with tinges of goth rock. The album is dark, especially the back half and features some of the best rhythm work in the genre. The guitar work is phenomenal and utilizes drones and arpeggios to create a mood. The use of noise is similarly atmosphere building. Overall, this album is probably one of the best post-punk albums I’ve ever heard.
Big Black
4/5
This is a bleak record. The lyrics are arresting, and the use of over driven guitars and vocals give an extra punch that drives the despair home. The drum machines and noise elements further add to the atmosphere. The production is memorable and the musicianship is great though it may sound loose and sloppy. Everything is right where it needs to be.
Dolly Parton
4/5
I didn’t realize these three ever recorded together. Though this album doesn’t really break any new ground, this is a very accessible country album grounded by tradition but infused with some pop sensibility. The vocals are outstanding of course. It’s interesting that this was recorded right at the advent of the the pop country mainstream explosion that peaked in the 90s.
Kraftwerk
5/5
This might be Kraftwerk’s best album and it is certainly a foundational electro pop album. This is one of those albums that was so ahead of its time that it’s difficult to imagine it being released in 1978. Its rhythms are mechanical yet there is a sense of levity and fearlessness that makes this album still feel deeply human.
CHIC
4/5
My stance on disco has softened the older I get. Now, I can listen to something like this and hear how great the musicianship is. I have been a fan of Nile Roger's guitar work for a while now and it really shines on this album. The funk influences are undeniable as well and the whole album overall is a perfect blend of repetitive dance music and great performance. My only complaint is that each song is too long (probably to dance to), and could be shortened by a good minute or two.
Mj Cole
2/5
This album was boring, repetitive and went in for far too long. The music itself didn’t take any risks and just comes off as safe sterile electronica.
White Denim
4/5
This album is a psychedelic inspired quasi jam band style record. I say quasi jam band because everything on this album is very intentionally placed. Elements of hard blues, 2000s mainstream rock, Latin rock, and many other genres can be heard throughout giving this album a sense of wandering though it is under 40 minutes. The breadth and cohesion of this album is impressive but it does seem to lack a bit of depth. While the album very skillfully weaves its way through rock history, it doesn’t push anything forward.
Frank Zappa
5/5
Hot Rats is not Zappa's best, but it is close. In terms of its contemporaries, no one was doing what Zappa was doing. His music was meant to be taken seriously, but it is infused with a uniquely irreverent sense of humor that is detectable even in the instrumental tracks that make up the bulk of this album. The musicianship is unmatched; Frank Zappa gets the most credit as a band leader, but his guitar playing is phenomenal. Furthermore, this jazz-rock fusion is reflective of a genre shift; as far as fusion goes, Zappa didn't invent it, but his version is probably the most palatable to the average listener.
Boards of Canada
5/5
This album is one of the greatest electronic albums of all time. It includes elements of psychedelia, trip hop, ambient, and more experimental music. It also incorporates unsettling elements that serve to disorient the listener. This album has been so influential that it almost sounds routine to modern ears. However, it is a landmark album that is essential listening.
Animal Collective
5/5
Funnily enough, this is one of Animal Collective’s most accessible albums. This experimental suite like record weaves elements of noise, ambient, and electronic music together with a sunny almost Beach Boys like core. The result is a wonderfully disorienting yet deeply resounding piece of music.
Sparks
5/5
This album fits perfectly in the upper echelons of the British glam rock scene. Funnily enough, Sparks are American, though at the time had relocated to England. The theatrical and campy nature of this album are undergirded by interesting often highly literate lyrics (it’s not often that you’ll hear Kant name dropped in popular music). I found this album to be so intriguing that I listened to it immediately after finishing it.
Calexico
4/5
This album is a very consistent and engaging mix of indie rock, mariachi, jazz, alt county, and just about everything else. The guitar work in particular stood out to me, especially the jazz guitar in the penultimate track. The album feels spacious and has enough room to let melodies linger and for musical ideas to slowly and fully develop. This music truly inhabits the feel of the southwest in a way that captures the expansiveness and occasional tumultuousness of that region.
Grateful Dead
4/5
This album was hugely influential and remains one of the highest regarded live albums. However, the jam rock format is dated and many of the improvisation sections are overlong. There are moments of brilliance scattered throughout, but the listener definitely needs to be able to sit with moments that don't really go anywhere. Having said that, I am consistently amazed with the Grateful Dead's ability to to deconstruct a song, and send it to truly interesting places before bringing it all back together. They were certainly tapped into each other in a special way.
Ray Price
4/5
Great combination honky tonk and western swing. Ray Price has a wonderful baritone voice that cuts through the instrumentation. This album was released at a crucial point in Ray Price's career as he was embracing the lush Nashville Sound while still retaining some of the Honky Tonk in which he cut his teeth.
Duke Ellington
5/5
Phenomenal orchestration. As always, Duke Ellington and company show themselves to be the best at what they do. The improvisations are simply amazing and the prepared portions are played with such subtlety and precision. These are people who are so locked into each other, that their music functions as a breathing organism and responds to changes and cues as a whole. The crowd is absolutely frenetic, a testament to the power of this live performance.
Portishead
5/5
This album is definitely a candidate for best album of the 90s. Portishead’s debut is a dark trip hop masterpiece that explores aspects of ambient and experimental music. While the music is expansive and exploratory, the vocals are haunting. Beth Gibbons is one of the standout vocalists of the era.
Finley Quaye
2/5
This was an interesting blend of reggae, soul, and dub but ultimately it feels as though it has a lack of depth. What we really have here is a Scottish musician who is putting on. Fake Jamaican accent and making very sanitized reggae-like music for mass consumption. It’s not a total loss as the music itself is inoffensive and occasionally had quite a nice groove to it.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
This album is a very welcome return for the E Street Band. The sound on this album is very filled out, and has almost a wall of sound effect on certain tracks. The instrumentation is great overall. I have some qualms with some of the early 2000s style production and beats, but can generally look past it. Lyrically, this album deals with the aftermath of 9/11 and its songs are contemplative, joyous, somber, and life affirming. Springsteen’s emotional range on this album is vast and it imbues this essentially heartland rock album with a strong sense of place and storytelling that allows it to become something more.
Jeff Beck
5/5
God this album was formative for me when I started to become curious as a guitarist about what lie beyond the blues influenced classic rock that I grew up on. This album fittingly opens with a Yardbirds track and with a who’s who of amazing musicians, it quickly take off into hard rock, proto metal, hard blues, and hints at the jazz fusion trajectory Jeff Beck’s career would take. Of the holy trinity of British guitarists that the Yardbirds produced, Jeff Beck was the most gifted and musically versatile. His phrasing is carefully chosen, and he never over plays or looses the thread (looking at you Jimmy Page). Rod Stewart’s vocals are some of his best, and the Ronny Wood rhythm section is integral to what makes this album work.
Missy Elliott
4/5
Missy Elliott’s debut sees her coming onto the scene on her terms. She doesn’t neatly fall into a single function or role, but rather is able to sing and rap, and is able to express her sexuality without being objectified as women often are in hip hop. The production by Timbaland is fantastic though the album is a touch too long. I still really enjoyed it.
Rod Stewart
3/5
This album is inoffensive but doesn’t stand out in any way. The faux country aspect is a bit puzzling but Rod Stewart had enough grit in his voice to pull it off. However, there’s just not much here.
Tom Waits
4/5
This album is quintessential Tom Waits in the style of the first trio of albums recorded with Island Records. The music feels organic, as if it’s cobbled together from whatever is laying around. Tom Waits creates scenes, and feelings such that his world feels like a darker more self aware version of our own. I prefer his earlier records to this one, but it still a phenomenal records.
David Gray
2/5
It's not the worst thing I've ever heard, but due to the blandness of the album, I feel like I've heard it over and over. David Gray has a good voice, but the strummed guitar with the drum machine might be the most generic thing I've ever heard. I can hear its influence on so much other bland music that I find it impossible to enjoy. It's inoffensive, but it's just too safe. Even the guitar playing seems conservative. Any fingerpicking at all would be welcome at this point.
The Mars Volta
4/5
This album is simultaneously treading new ground, but is still very much of its time. The guitar tone and the style of playing are very much early to mid-2000s, but the use of the Latin and jazz rhythms is unique. This album feels very influenced by Rush’s 2112 in its scope and overall self-indulgence (not necessarily a bad thing). I think I need to give it a couple of listens before I really make up my mind, but I did enjoy it quite a bit.
The Sugarcubes
4/5
Like others have said, the Sugarcubes are very much in the same vein as the B-52s. It’s interesting hearing Bjork in this context as this music is less experimental than her solo work, though it still has an edge. Overall a very good post-punk album.
Carole King
5/5
Tapestry is one of the greatest albums of the 70s. Carole King’s songwriting is vulnerable, intimate, and just really damn good. The music itself is expansive yet full, and feels well trod and warmly familiar. Though I’ve heard much of this album before, I had never heard it all together. The hype is well deserved.
M.I.A.
4/5
This album is really textured in a way that feels unique in its use of south Asian sounds and rhythms. MIA's delivery can be monotone at times, but I read it as a purposefully exasperated delivery of lyrics that often speak about injustice, capitalism, and the aftermath of colonialism. Some of the synths are very late 2000s, so this album lacks a feeling of timelessness. It was still an enjoyable album, even if MIA is now shilling conspiracy theories.
The Auteurs
2/5
This album was pleasant, and had a strong sense of melody, but was rather bland. It sounded like a more watered down new wave trending towards a Britpop like sensibility. The Beatles are obviously a huge influence on this band, and they have almost a twee folk like aspect to them, but they don’t have the charm to pull it off.
Magazine
5/5
My first impression of this album is that it predicts early 2000s British alternative rock. It incorporates electronic elements, garage rock influences, and surf rock elements to create dark theatrical music. The guitar work is very melodic, but the album also showcases a sparseness and bleakness that sounds like Joy Division like at times. Other moments sound almost like circus music. The use of mirroring the vocal melody in the instrumentation also stood out to me.
Barry Adamson
2/5
This album has no idea what it wants to be. Starting off with the most basic 90s British electronic music, it quickly turns to lounge music, experimental jazz, before moving to more conventional cool jazz and going back to experimental jazz. The Nick Cave feature was a welcome surprise, but overall, this album suffered from a total lack of identity; even when it stuck to a genre it didn’t do it well. The whole point of the album seemed to be a reference to the fact that others genres exist without feeling the need to do them well.
Jungle Brothers
4/5
This album from the golden age of hip hop was fun, socially conscious, and surprisingly optimistic. Though the beats, lyrics, and music were simplistic, they were a perfect example of the time and serve as a time capsule for the very fertile time in hip hop’s history. I was really stuck by the positivity in the Afrocentric lyrics as well.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
This is a foundational big beat album. It is brash, in your face, yet has a great sense of flow from track to track. Though this isn’t my favorite sub-genre of electronic music, it’s always good to hear the albums that have the greatest influence. I was not impressed at first, but as the album progressed, I began to enjoy it more. Sometimes it’s easy to take music for granted when its once revolutionary sounds become the norm.
Tangerine Dream
5/5
When I first started listening to this album, I didn’t notice that it came out in 1974. I was blown away when I saw that this album wasn’t from the 90s and later. My god is this album ahead of its time. The sequencer driven spacey progressive ambient music has been incredibly influential. Elements of this music can be heard in just about every genre now, from rock to hip hop. The music is just so expansive, yet it is all encompassing and fills the space well.
Liz Phair
5/5
This album is an aggressive feminist alternative masterpiece. The jangly guitar playing in particular reminds me of something the Smiths might play though it has been co-opted into more of a grungy style. The lyrics are confessional, angry, occasionally transgressive and openly talk about female sexuality. The candor with which Liz Phair sings is arresting and pleasantly surprised me. The closest album I can think of is Jagged Little Pill though I think this is the better album overall.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
This album is a dark atmospheric new wave album. The music makes extensive use of sequencers and drum machines, synthesized horns, orchestral hits, and even a choir in parts, and includes 80s R&B and club/dance music elements throughout. The vocals themselves are the focus and the nasally delivery soaked in reverb cut through the music. Though the elements on this album have been heard before, the Pet Shop Boys skillfully bring them together in a way only they can.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
This album starts with the observation that hip hop is like bebop. The music itself is classic New York hip hop and includes jazz elements such as walking stand up bass, horns, and the occasional use of a ride cymbal in place of high hats. Lyrically, this is a socially conscious album which includes criticism of the rap industry, discusses violence, and critiques misogyny. Overall, this album predicts the rise of progressive rap in the 2000s and 2010s and is one of the best and most cohesive hip hop albums of the 90s and all time.
Hookworms
4/5
This was an enjoyable neo-psychedelic/electronic album. The music has strong influences from early 2000s British alternative and sounds like a British version of Phoenix, a French band who also infused indie/alternative rock with electronic influences. However, this album doesn’t seem to be breaking new ground though its pacing, flow, and production are perfect.
Holger Czukay
3/5
I’m a big fan of Krautrock and Can in particular but this just didn’t quite measure up for me. I enjoyed the idiosyncratic bits and the electronic art rock format, but there’s just something missing from this. It was a fun listen to though and I can see why this album is on this list.
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
This album is an interesting look at southern life through the eyes of some guys raised in the 1970s on a steady diet of Lynyrd Skynyrd. I really like their concept of the 'duality of the southern thing' but I think there's enough lost cause mythology here to make the overall conclusion feel underdeveloped and hollow. I appreciate how it must feel to be looked down upon based on perceptions of southern entrenched racism, and I know there are genuinely kind people on the right side of history in the south, but like many of their southern brethren, they just don't quite seem to be able to reckon with the horrors of history. Musically, this album only works as a whole. The individual songs aren't quite strong enough to stand on their own. I really like the Lynyrd Skynyrd through line as I was also raised on Skynyrd. The album's length didn't bother me too much, but you really have to listen to it is a whole for it to work.
Genesis
3/5
This album was Genesis’s last with Peter Gabriel, and he certainly took over with the writing and production. It’s a sprawling proggy concept album that features some truly beautiful moments and lyrics. However, it collapses under its own weight at parts and unfortunately becomes a slog. Nevertheless, the music is outstanding and often sounds like fusion with certain chord changes and melodic lines.
The Streets
3/5
This music on this album is clearly inspired by British electronic music, but the lyrics and delivery are more akin to. Spoke word style than a straight rap style. The lyrics themselves are effective if not occasionally forced. I found this album to be interesting to listen to even if there were bits I didn’t think worked as well.
Orbital
3/5
This album is an influential techno album that features primarily a four on the floor beat and is made for dancing. As such, you definitely lose something by listening to it in a vacuum. The music itself is pleasant enough and easily fades into the background. I never found the album grating, though the first and final tracks were overindulgent.
The Associates
3/5
This album is difficult to listen to with the proper mindset. At the time of release, this synth-pop/new wave/post-punk album was highly lauded and was seen as a record that pushed synth-pop forward. To my ears, the album sounds incredibly dated from the crooning falsetto vocals, the synth itself, and the punchy new wave bass provided by the Michael Dempsey who also played for the Cure. This album does have a darker edge to it taken straight from goth rock that I quite like. This album is just so of its time that it makes it hard for me to assess (though that's not necessarily a bad thing). I can't quite suss out if it's as great as some of its contemporaries.
The Kinks
5/5
The last album produced at least partly by Shel Talmy, this album is a sardonic observational album that discusses and skewers British society. Musically, this album is all over the place. There are moments of baroque pop, bossa nova, music hall, and flashes of the harder edged proto-punk that typified their earlier work. Here, we see the Kinks really leaning into the more heavily conceptual work that would come to fruition on 'The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society' and 'Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
5/5
This album blew me away. It's hard to believe that it didn't receive the best of reviews when it was released. It starts with a dark new wave song, but cycles through baroque pop, synth pop, and just overall wonderfully layered and compelling music. The vocal samples are stunning.
Radiohead
5/5
This album is criticized by the band for being a bit too bloated, Thom Yorke even wrote a revised track list. However, as Jonny Greenwood stated, I believe that this album helped them work through some musical ideas and bridges the Kid A/Amnesiac period with In Rainbows. This album is a return to more guitar driven music which reflects the angry and paranoid mood of the album brought about by the end of the 90s, the 2000 US election, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It contains some of their best tracks and still flows very well. Overall I would rank this in Radiohead’s middle tier, but that still puts it at a five.
Fairport Convention
4/5
This is probably my favorite Fairport Convention album. The music is just so highly literate in the history of folk music and expertly fuses elements of British and American traditional musics. What really does it for me is the influence this music had on the indie folk revival in the 2000s.
The Police
3/5
As at least one reviewer already stated, one of the most striking things about this album is just how weird some of the non-single tracks are. The Police seem to me to be a new wave band first and a white reggae or ‘ reggatta de blanc’ band second. All band members shine throughout and though the lyrics can get off base sometimes (and a bit obsessive no surprise), the album works well as a whole even though it’s lead single tracks stand above the rest. Overall, midrange for me.
The Boo Radleys
5/5
This album is a mix of shoegaze and Britpop that not only works, but combines the best elements of both. The droning and overdriven wall of sound meets melody in a satisfying and ultimately successful way. There’s a lot of Beatles influence here too, especially their later more experimental work. This album will definitely be one I return to.
Neil Young
4/5
The follow-up to Harvest is a brooding meditation on alienation, anger, and despair. The album cover seems to indicate that there is something unsettled in Neil Young at this time. The music itself is fantastic folk rock that really takes its time to build a mood and story. I need to listen to this album again before I really give it my rating, but after an initial listen, I’ll give it a four.
Miriam Makeba
5/5
Miriam Makeba was incredibly influential in the spheres of music and social activism. Her music walks the line between South African and Western forms without truly fitting into either. She is happy to sing in Xhosa or Zulu with western backing band creating a more overtly African music than later western musicians who were influenced by African music would go on to do. This is appealing because here, the control is being given to the African musician instead of the western musician. Makeba's voice is smooth, controlled, and expressive. This was truly a great album to be exposed to.
Madonna
5/5
I have never really sat down and listened to Madonna before despite her influence. This album proved to be an eye opening experience. This is some of the best crafted pop I've ever heard. There are sounds that certainly date it, but overall, it is musically coherent. There are moments that verge into baroque pop (Dear Jessie into oh Father) that I was surprised by and really enjoyed. The content of this album is very personal and grapples with issues of family and abuse told through a religious lens. I enjoyed the religious imagery and felt that it gave the album a more literary sense; it certainly shows how much thought was put into this album.
Billy Joel
4/5
This album is probably Billy Joel’s best. The first half is absolutely stacked and the second half follows through well and ends by revisiting themes introduced earlier in the album. Joel is a master storyteller and his songs have a lived in quality that lend a certain feeling and reality to them. The music on this album is more orchestrated but still features the New York jazz inflected piano playing that his is known for.
Sepultura
4/5
This album is a great thrash and death metal album. It also contains alternative, hardcore, and Latin influences. Metal is not a genre I’m very familiar with, but I did enjoy this album quite a bit though it doesn’t rise to the level of Master of Puppets for example.
Cowboy Junkies
4/5
This album is spacious. The sound is subdued in a very intentional way to a very ethereal effect. It sounds as if I’m listening to this music in a smoky room in a memory that is not my own. This album was recorded in a church so that accounts for the echoey atmospheric sound, but the band itself had a classic country touch that feels updated and timeless all at once.
Miles Davis
5/5
This is a watershed album that saw Miles Davis continue to experiment with rock and electronic instrumentation and embrace a looser form. The result is an experimental jazz masterpiece that essentially established jazz rock/fusion as a genre.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Kendrick Lamar incorporates a diverse set of sounds grounded by classic funk to tell a story of how the music industry in particular and the United States in general exploits Black talent to enrich itself while objectifying and othering them. The story is told masterfully and ends in a stirring conversation between Kendrick and Tupac. I love everything about this album and have been listening to it since it came out.
The Cars
4/5
I've always written off the Cars as boring in the same vein that Foreigner is. However, what I found was a phenomenally well executed new wave/synth pop album that was great from start to finish. This was not boring late 70s classic rock content to coast in the shadow of their betters; this was delightfully weird commercially viable music that was still interesting. The guitar work is great and is tinged by rockabilly influences in addition to more proggy influences. Overall, I came away impressed by this album. It's not the best new wave album by far, but it fills a void between experimental and marketable.
Sonic Youth
4/5
This album is more accessible than some of Sonic Youth’s other work, yet still retains many of their best noise rock impulses. My biggest complaint is that some of their political points weren’t taken to a fuller conclusion. Other than that, I really enjoyed this album.
The Darkness
3/5
This album is a fairly decent glam/ hard rock album that stands in stark contrast to what was a pretty awful time for mainstream rock. I’m not sure how earnest this album is, but I’d like to believe the band has some semblance of self-awareness. It is over the top, campy, and brings in a lot of rock cliches without seeming like they’re trying to imitate any one artist in particular. The worst part was the weakness of the falsetto vocals most times it was used. Other than that, the album was a nice short fun listen. Nothing too special, but enjoyable
Roxy Music
5/5
This album has a more or less conventional first few songs (with some non traditional rock elements) before hitting a rockabilly/blues rock track which leads into a suite like series of songs that are experimental, incredibly arranged, and very well executed. This is art rock of the highest degree and may represent the best of Roxy Music.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
There are interesting moments featuring chromaticism and interesting chord changes, but overall, there's nothing much here that stands out to me. It's fairly generic 60s rock down to the jangly guitars and the hammond organ. The lead vocals are good though; there's a grit to them which give an edge to the otherwise bland music.
Spacemen 3
3/5
This was a decent neo-psychedelia album with touches of shoegaze and ambient music. This album had a lot of potential, but so much of it is all build up with no pay off. It seems as though the band spent much of their time building a mood, but that music wasn't strong enough to carry the song without a musical release that never came. There are some decent parts of this album, but nothing that hadn't been done before.
Fugazi
4/5
I had to listen to this album a couple of times, but I think overall it is on this list because it links the hardcore/post-hardcore scene to grunge and what would become alternative rock. The first half of the album was the strongest. The musicianship was good if not a bit jarring, and the vocals felt similarly though they fit the music well. There were moments in the album that would have been at home on a 2000s alternative rock record and I'm not sure if that a good thing or not.
Black Sabbath
4/5
This is a very nuanced album that demonstrates Black Sabbath's versatility. While the are still heavy hitting hard rock and early metal tracks, there are also more restrained tracks that deal with more personal issues, addiction etc. I can also hear the seeds of doom metal here as well. Overall, I think this is a huge leap forward for the band, and it was also very listenable as well. It may not be as influential as the self-titled album or Paranoid, but the growth it shows is striking and looks forward to Ozzy Osbourne's solo career.
Tears For Fears
5/5
The album perfectly walked the line between being of its time and being timeless. The synths were used perfectly to create massive soundscapes that felt expansive and symphonic. Furthermore, there are just some absolute classics on this album. When this album ended I was actually disappointed because I wanted more.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
I wasn't too impressed with the first few songs, but starting with the ten minute plus 'Three Days' the album definitely grabbed my attention. When they're more focused on introspective and ambitious tracks, Jane's Addiction really comes into their own.
Traffic
4/5
This was a very well produced album featuring mostly blues rock. There were tinges of jazz and folk influence as well giving the music a more sophisticated sound. The songs felt balanced, well layered, and had an almost Grateful Dead like feeling of spontaneity though Traffic are a much tighter band (at least in the studio). Overall, the album was very light and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Coldplay
4/5
I am not a fan of Coldplay and find that most of their albums are incredibly mediocre aside from a couple of songs. This album is the exception. It flows well from beginning to end and is a perfect encapsulation of early 2000s pop rock/post Britpop. The album exudes a sense of warmth that future Coldplay releases would fail to recreate.
Megadeth
4/5
Megadeth come out swinging on this decidedly speed thrash record. The riffs are solid and the music is about as satisfyingly crunchy as they come. Unfortunately, Megadeth is no Metallica. In a world without Metallica, perhaps Megadeth would reign supreme, but the fact of the matter is, Megadeth isn't as melodic, and even with the fantastic guitar work, just isn't up to Kirk Hammett's mastery. It seems a bit unfair to rate this album by comparison, but if we want to situate this album within the history of popular music, such a comparison is necessary. Nevertheless, this is a wonderfully executed and tight record and one of the best of its genre.
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
My Bloody Valentine took over two decades to follow their masterpiece, 'Loveless.' It was well worth it. m b v treads familiar ground, but infuses it with a thoughtfulness and more adept touch. The electronic elements are well placed among the drones and noise, and the androgynous vocals flit in and out throughout the music. m b v may not be as groundbreaking as Loveless, but it is still incredibly beautiful and a worthy addition to the discography.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Leonard Cohen's third album and second with Bob Johnston builds upon his previous 'Songs from a Room' resulting in an album that is much more textured and full sounding. These songs are contemplative, bleak, and inhabit a world that is feels very lived in. It is one of Cohen's most emotional intense albums, but it retains its focus throughout result in something that is completely unified. It is beautiful and austere and will stick with the listener long after it's finished.
Goldfrapp
3/5
This album had so much potential, but ultimately did not live up to it. The first few songs were really engaging but then the album began to drag and the songs started to become indistinguishable from each other. The music and vocals were ethereal but just didn't pay off in a satisfying way.
John Lennon
5/5
On John Lennon's first solo album, we see him coming fully into the material that was first hinted at on the White Album. He embraces more soul and jazz touches that lends the music a grittier tone standing in contrast to some of the more vulnerable moments. Some of Lennon's best songs can be found here including 'Mother,' 'Love,' and 'Working Class Hero.' I had heard most of this album, but even the non-singles fit well into the flow of the album. This would be a career high for any other artist.
Van Morrison
3/5
For a live album from the 70s, this was recorded remarkably well. The band is tight and the arrangements are solid. I appreciated the fact that while there was a certain looseness to the songs, they were still clearly meant to be largely played as written. There wasn't excessive noodling or extended improvisational sections which does plague live albums of this era. The music itself was nice and bluesy with some soul/jazz elements. Because of its live format, Van Morrison was unable to lean into some of his more experimental stuff and the songs come off as very straightforward. While enjoyable, this album was too long as well. However, due to the tightness of the music I feel like this is one of the best live albums of the 70s.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Bug is not Dinosaur Jr.'s best, but it has all the hallmarks of the band that would influence 90s alternative and grunge. The overdriven guitars, driving drums, and forceful vocal delivery are all present, along with J Mascis's emphasis on the guitar solo. It's probably closer to a three, but due to the influence of this band and bridging classic and alternative rock, I think a four is in order.
Throbbing Gristle
5/5
This album is so ridiculously ahead of its time that it is absolutely staggering that they pulled this off in the 70s. It is disconcerting, perspective shifting industrial/experimental music that I hear in so much of what came later. As the originators of the industrial genre (even having a record label named Industrial), Throbbing Gristle's influence can be felt across genres. It may be an uncomfortable album, but it is certainly essential.
Baaba Maal
3/5
There are some interesting things on this album, but it is a bit out of my depth and experience. I know a bit about Baaba Maal's humanitarian work and contributions to the Black Panther soundtrack. He seems like he's somewhat of an ambassador for the nebulous category of African music, but of course he's playing in a very culturally specific style informed by his Senegalese roots which lends his music French touches. Overall, the music sounds very dated yet is very skillfully layered with polyrhythms and a diverse instrumentation drawing from both African and western sources.
The Soft Boys
5/5
Albums like this are why I love this project. The influence on college rock and lo-fi indie are clear. However, the Soft Boys expertly weave neo-psychedelic with jangly post-punk/new wave to create something with pop sensibilities that appeals to the more art for art's sake crowd. The influence by the Beatles and the Kinks can be heard throughout but are conveyed in a way that is understandable yet pushes the genre forward in a very interesting way that I would expect to hear ten years later.
Merle Haggard
4/5
This is a shining example of the Bakersfield Sound with its use of electric instruments and a steady backbeat as an answer to the overproduced Nashville Sound (Haggard was a consistent critic of Nashville). The Honky Tonk and Rock n Roll influences can be heard on songs like 'If You Want to be My Woman' but for the most part, the album is a slower, more contemplative record that features Haggard taking about his time in prison and his younger more reckless days. Haggard's voice is fantastic here and Ralph Mooney's steel guitar is perfect.
Talvin Singh
2/5
This album is trying to do too much at once. It can't decide if it is an electronica or new age record. Having said that, there are some really interesting moments and I'm a big fan of the fusion of Indian Classical with electronic music. Overall, it is just a slog punctuated by some really interesting moments.
Korn
2/5
My biggest question is why... The music is a mix of doom metal, hip hop, industrial etc. This sounds interesting on paper. However, Korn's songs are so formulaic that the predictability really wears on the listener. Here how to write a Korn song. Begin with a high simplistic guitar riff, ideally with bends and double tracked. Then come in heavy with the main crunchy riff and back off the volume for the vocals which may or may not feature random noises and poorly placed electronic/industrial noises. If you want to put a filter on the drums for a bar or two, knock yourself out, why the hell not. Lyrically, this album is all posturing that to the best of my memory, appeals best to white boys in middle school who thinking being edgy is a personality down to the use of the f-slur. Monkee and Head are great guitarists no doubt, but they are as wasted here as the 70 minutes it took to get through this album. It gets two stars solely because of its influence.
The Vines
3/5
This album is completely non-offensive but definitely doesn't take any risks or pushes the genre forward. It is a mix of Britpop, garage rock, neo-psychedelia, post-punk/new wave revival, and a touch of grunge through a pop filter. Because they're trying to do so much, the Vines end up with a sort of bland sound that sits somewhere between the Beatles and Oasis. Even the vocals seem like a Liam Gallagher/John Lennon approximation. I'm honestly confused why this album is included in this list. There are much better early 2000s rock revival albums to include that are influential and genre defining.
Pavement
5/5
Pavement is one of those bands who I should be familiar with judging by the music I listen to, yet I've never intentionally listened to them until this point. This is a neo-psychedelic indie rock album with a heavy folk influence. The lyrics aren't terribly deep, but as a northern Californian, I quite enjoyed (all in good fun) the digs at southern California in 'Unfair.' In certain parts, the vocal delivery against the musical backdrop reminded me of the Velvet Underground. There are some really gorgeous moments on this album, including the closer which was perfectly placed.
Beatles
5/5
The common critique that the White Album receives is that it is too bloated and should have been cut down. I disagree. What we see here is a period of unfettered creation that signifies the beginning of the end. This is an album of competing personalities writing wildly different material under the singular name of the Beatles. It works though, partly because we know the story of how tumultuous 1968 was for them. The tumult gets its greatest expression in the penultimate track, Revolution 9, a nine minute amalgamation of unsettlingly arranged studio chatter and snippets of music. It is generally reviled due to its oppressive atmosphere and its perceived lack of justification. However, unpleasant as it is to listen to, I think it's necessary. This is a postmodern album; it eschews convention purposefully and destabilizes the notion of genre and the concept of a unified album. Revolution 9 literally carves up and repackages studio sounds into something unrecognizable before falling into the dreamy 'Good Night' with its classic Hollywood style string arrangement. It's all a bit tongue in cheek. To those who still say the album is too long, I offer this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9xDBTpLz-8
Big Star
4/5
This is an early power pop record characterized by emphasis on vocal melody and harmony. There are elements of glam rock in places and folk rock. The influence of the Beatles and the Byrds are obvious but this music sounds a lot like what would come later in the form of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and even college rock with their emphasis on vocals and jangly guitars. It's a shame this album wasn't promoted the way it should have been.
Neil Young
5/5
This album has some of my favorites on it. Listening to it as a whole really brings everything into focus though. The album is extremely melancholic, yet Neil Young is such a gifted lyricist, that there is no over reliance on metaphor and I don't get a sense that he's wallowing in his emotions; they just are what they are. After listening to quite a few Neil Young albums as a whole, I think that this might be my favorite.
5/5
This album is from such an interesting time in Bob Dylan's career and documents the reception he received when he went electric. This concert has been passed around for quite a while (although it was actually recorded in Manchester) and was already quite influential before it received a proper release. The first half is an acoustic set that is so captivating that I was hanging on every word. The last half is one of the most energetic performances I've ever heard committed to tape. Taken together, the album is simply phenomenal.
Stan Getz
4/5
Getz/Gilberto is a classic statement of jazz and bossa nova. The presence of the great Brazilian vocalist and guitarist João Gilberto lends this album its legitimacy alongside pure Bossa Nova records. Getz's saxophone playing is delicate and sensuous, and plays well against the languid guitar and singing. This album is simultaneous relaxing, yet will make you move your hips if you're not careful
Beck
5/5
Odelay is an album that could only have been made by a relative newcomer when it was made, when the death of Kurt Cobain left a huge void in the industry, and alternative music had not yet been codified into the grungy rock sound that would later typify the late 90s and early 2000s. Odelay is unabashedly weird, and Beck expertly weaves and bends genre in a way that is so skillful that it almost sounds like he's not doing it. His knowledge of music has to be incredibly prodigious to do what he does. His use of changing genre never feels surface level.
The Smiths
5/5
This album is the Smiths' most varied work. It is incredibly lush owing to the synthesized horn and string arrangements but also shows a rougher more rock edge in places. The opening track does away with their signature jangle pop sound by omitting the guitars. Lyrically, the album is typical Morrissey with lots of self-loathing and acerbic sarcasm throughout. This album also has the distinction of being the Smiths' last album which is striking as they were innovating and changing elements of their sound right until the end.
The Zombies
5/5
It's truly a shame that the Zombies were not well regarded in their time. Frankly, psychedelic rock in the late 60s begins to sound formulaic and forced as all popular/commercial genres tend to. It takes a very good psychedelic album to rise above the scores of bad ones. This album does just that. This album is very thoughtfully written and produced with interesting chord changes and melodies. What really stands apart for me is the lush vocal harmony and counterpoint reminiscent of the Beach Boys folded into a British, almost Beatles like musical base with a healthy dose of psychedelia. The result is some of the best baroque pop I've ever heard. The lyrics are surreal and often portray a sense of longing, but unlike some of their contemporaries, the Zombies are never trippy just for its own sake. It is carefully balanced.
Barry Adamson
2/5
This album is trying to be high-concept, but ultimately collapses under the weight of itself. Making the soundtrack to a noir film that doesn't exist is an intriguing idea, but this album isn't interesting, and it's not even a good soundtrack. It relies almost exclusively on themes on suspense which is not a balanced way to soundtrack a film. Furthermore, it just isn't doing anything musically that is forward thinking. Barry Adamson is an accomplished musician, but this album just doesn't accomplish anything.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
This album is essentially half of a greatest hits album. The flow throughout is perfect and the album is paced well, even with the penultimate track which is about 15 minutes long. Sly & The Family Stone are one of the most important funk band of all time, and this is likely their artistic high point. The energy on this album is high and the sense of purpose and optimism shines through even as the world was falling apart around them.
Adele
4/5
This is not my favorite album by Adele, but it was a welcome return after 2011's 21. The music here contains a bit more 80s influence and is focused on powerhouse ballads that showcase Adele's emotional range and vocal power. I think the production is quite good, but there are some elements that already sound a bit dated. Having said that, I still thoroughly enjoyed this album and remain awestruck by Adele's talent.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
This album feels like something I will like even more over time. The dreamy ethereal pop of the Cocteau Twins has been incorporated into so much modern pop that this album sounds like it could have been released in the past few years. I especially enjoyed the repetition and successive building as the songs developed. The melodies are also top notch, I will definitely add this to my list of albums to listen to again.
LL Cool J
2/5
This album is an interesting slice of history from the golden age of hip hop, but it ultimately suffers from its length and just how dated it is. The rhymes are often chosen for convenience without any real thought as to how they move the songs forward. Furthermore, the songs themselves are really cheesy and have some really overdone innuendos.
Depeche Mode
4/5
This was a great synth pop album with some goth rock touches that added a driving ominous feel. This genre is not one I'm too familiar with, but it is one that has grown on me the more I listen to it. This sound can be heard in a wide range of artists that came after ranging from rock artists like Muse and NIN to pop artists like Lady Gaga.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
This is a foundational big beat album by one of the best of the genre. That said, the album is too long to a casual listener of electronic music. However, because this album is as important as it is, I'll trust that the length is not an issue.
Madonna
3/5
This album incorporates disco, trance, electro-pop, and country/folk elements. Though the use of these elements is not new, the fact that they’re all present in a pop album by a blockbuster artist is really fascinating. The album does sound really dated due to the effects it uses and its production style, but I did really enjoy it as it gave me a new perspective of an artist who is known for her earlier groundbreaking pop work. Madonna is clearly interested in musical growth and even if it doesn’t always land, I appreciate her trying to expand her horizons.
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
The album had some interesting musical moments, but this particular mix of genres is not novel for the time and has been done better. However, what really annoyed me were the vocals. There was so much inconsistency with the affectations that I couldn't take it seriously. At certain points, he sounded like he was trying to sound like a rapper from the UK. It was just over the top in the worst way.
Beach House
5/5
Though not as shoegazey as Bloom, Teen Dream is a near perfect dream pop album. Everything about it from the instrumentation to the vocals is so well done. The production reminds me of an updated version of Phil Spector's wall of sound with the driving bass and piano/organ and is somewhat reminicent of the production heard on Fleet Foxes Subpop releases. The melodies simply do not miss and are memorable.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
5/5
This is an incredibly influential album; Bob Dylan called it one of his favorites and it has been cited by a diverse array of artists as a formative record from neo-traditionalist country artists in the 80s and 90s, to post-punk and grunge artists. The music is primarily country rock with a dose of psychedelia. This is some of Gram Parsons best work as well.
Traffic
3/5
This album has some great musicianship anchored by Steve Winwood's voice and organ playing, but it just feels gratuitous in parts. The album just washes over the listener as bland jazzy blue-eyed soul. While I enjoy jazz, this album doesn't utilize it beyond some superficial sounds and chords. Jazz is meant to be highly dynamic and was used much better by bands such as Yes. This album is inoffensive, but just doesn't feel like it's pushing anything forward.
Justin Timberlake
3/5
It's a strange album. The music is a mix between R&B, boy band pop, and a huge dose of Michael Jackson. I think the album is best when it's leaning into the MJ style pop, but it obviously can't measure up. Justin Timberlake is a great singer, which this album showcases, but I'm not sure if this is the best display of his voice. The lyrics are fairly basic which is to be expected, but at over an hour, this album is way too long. Overall, it's fine but doesn't quite get to where it needs to.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
The album grabbed me right of the bat. It opens with ambient elements, spoken word passages, and goes right into the spacious atmospheric title track. The beats are fantastic and driving and there is a great mix of analog and digital elements that are well balanced. The guitar work especially is great. Most of the covers are executed well, but the inclusion of San Jose is unusual. Overall, the album is quite good, but it definitely drags towards the middle and end. If a few songs were cut, these album would have easily been five starts. It is such a unique combination of synth pop, mainstream rock, and avant-garde that it is unfortunate that it is as bloated as it is.
George Jones
4/5
This is a great album. George Jones' voice is one of the greatest in country music and the instrumentation here complements it perfectly especially the pedal steel. The lyrics mostly deal with heartbreak told from the point of view of someone who is almost pathologically in love with someone who treats them wrong. It lends a sense of unease to an otherwise straightforward album.
The Byrds
4/5
This album represents a major transition for the Byrds. David Crosby was fired halfway through the sessions and we hear one of the earliest uses of the Moog synthesizer. The Byrds still lean heavily into their psychedelic folk sound but temper it with more explicit country rock influences that would be more fully explored on their next album. Overall, this album is interesting for the development it shows musically as the Byrds head out of the 60s.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
This was an interesting blend of rockabilly, swampy blues rock, and garage rock. It’s a bit sloppy and not particularly groundbreaking but it was enjoyable.
Paul McCartney
4/5
The great thing about this album is that it shows just how weird Paul McCartney is. He made an album that many saw at the time as unfinished that spanned multiple genres and wasn't afraid to lean into the saccharine. It is at times conventional and at times experimental and somehow remains so distinctly McCartney. His gift for melody is unmatched and I really like how homemade this album is. It's not his best work, but there is a lot of joy in this album that is hard to ignore.
Skepta
3/5
This album was a nice change of pace. I enjoy UK hip hop and really liked the aggression and portrayal of urban life. The grime beats were enjoyable, but started to sound similar after a while. The skits also took away a bit as well and dated the album a bit. Overall, I liked this album, but I don't think it should've won the Mercury Prize for 2016.
Jean-Michel Jarre
4/5
This is an influential electronic album that influenced the likes of Moby and led to a more widespread use of the synthesizer in the 70s. The music features elements of ambient and electropop achieved through the use of of synths and drum machines. The closing track is grounded by a bossa nova beat. Overall I enjoyed the spaciousness of this album and it's strong sense of melody and repetition. It's definitely an album that benefits from multiple deep listens to catch everything.
Randy Newman
5/5
I am a sucker for albums that explore history and regional identity which is one of the reasons Sufjan Stevens is one of my favorite artists. This album by Randy Newman combines that historical regionalism with a biting satire which animates the institutional racism in the south and the hypocrisy of the north. There are some beautifully earnest songs on the album as well which seems to suggest that Newman is sympathetic to the humanity of his subjects while acknowledging the societal issues they take part in and reinforce. The result is a stunning album that portrays the American South as a complex backdrop. Musically, Newman is unique. During the 70s, he was not afraid to feature dancehall and musical theatre influences in his music which works to great effect here. His film/tv composition background is on full display and he utilizes it to ground his lyrics in very American forms of music.
The Black Keys
3/5
I enjoyed this album. The Black Keys' brand of swampy hard blues with overdriven guitars and electronics is explosive and instantly recognizable. Being able to carve out a sound that is theirs out of a well trodden genre is no small feat. In their music, I hear influence from garage, 2000s British alternative, and proto-punk in addition to their blues and hard rock base. As much as I enjoyed this album, I think it was too long. If they would have pared it down by a few songs, I think it wouldn't have muddled as much in the middle.
John Grant
5/5
What an incredibly unique album. Musically, I'm not even sure how to classify this. It is definitely in the indie vein, but has strong influences of synthpop, and college rock as well. Lyrically, John Grant is sardonic, occasionally earnest, and tackles difficult issues with humor and exasperation. This is one of those album that has really stuck with me. I've listened to it three times today already and I imagine it will be in heavy rotation in the future.
Genesis
4/5
Genesis was not a band I grew up with so I'm hearing much of this for the first time. This brand of prog is not one I've explored much either. The music is dense, expertly layered, and is truly a masterclass in musicianship. The guitar playing in particular is phenomenal. In general, the music clearly has had some British folk revival influence thrown in with a healthy does of jazz insofar as Genesis experiments with time signature changes and interesting chord changes. Of course, this album is marked by the long suite-like songs that go through several movements. It's overwhelming to a new listener, but I can imagine that this would really grow on me. Unfortunately, the synth has not aged well, but the whole of the album as layered as it is holds up well. I also really enjoy the lyrical references to Ancient Greece and the Middle Ages.
Keith Jarrett
5/5
This was one of those albums that I had never heard before, but absolutely need in my life. Keith Jarrett's improvised pieces are unclassifiable. They are clearly rooted in classical music, but have an unstructured feel. The use of certain chords and chromatic notes give the music a modal jazz feel while other parts show rock and blues influences. Jarrett's characteristic vocalizations are peppered throughout which only add to the extemporaneous nature of the recording.
Bill Callahan
4/5
I really enjoyed this album. The alt-county/folk music is supplemented by a phenomenal and lush arrangement that lends a grandeur to the album. Bill Callahan's baritone speak singing style is arresting and demands attention though I see why some find it off putting. The result is an expansive record full of idiosyncrasies and very interesting musical and vocal choices. It is definitely an album that I need to return to so I can really make up my mind.
Madness
4/5
This album was surprising to me. Ska is a genre that I'm not terribly familiar with so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a wonderfully crafted new wave album that incorporates elements of jazz and dancehall in addition to ska to form the 2 tone music that was popular in the UK in the 70s and 80s. The lyrics seemed to be focused on contrasting the ease of childhood to the stark reality of the Thatcherism of the 80s in which Madness found themselves. The result is an album that perfectly encapsulates the hopelessness and tumultuousness of that time.
Nirvana
5/5
This album is great because it shows that like the best songs, Nirvana's can be stripped down and still work. Here we see Kurt Cobain's songwriting and knack for melody really shine. I also enjoyed hearing Krist Novoselic's bass lines more front and center. Some of this is surely nostalgia. Nirvana was and remains a formative band for me and their fingerprints are on almost everything that came afterwards.
Massive Attack
5/5
The first trip hop album features beats that are slower than typical dance music influenced by funk, jazz, soul, hip hop etc. This album is so influential that it consistently ranks highly on decade and all time lists. I am familiar with later trip hop artists to the point where this album doesn't sound groundbreaking to me. However, when listened to in historical context, it is clear just how important this album is. It's easy to listen to, atmospheric, and wears its influences on its sleeves making it accessible to any listener.
5/5
This album starts with one of the greatest series of tracks starting with ‘Where the Streets Have no Name’ and ending with ‘With or Without You.’ This is simply U2 at their best. Loosely themed around a mythical version of America, the album weaves through American rock idioms while staying true to U2’s signature blend of jangly new wave inspired rock. If you’re looking to learn about popular music, this album is inescapable, and for very good reason.
Deep Purple
4/5
This album was a solid hard rock/heavy metal record. Rickie Blackmore’s riffs are some of the best and they absolutely define Deep Purple’s sound. This album sits perfectly at the transition from psychedelic to hard rock/proto metal. The most impressive thing about this album is that I can hear in it the roots of hardcore and thrash. Additionally, the galloping beat featured on the closing track would later define Iron Maiden’s sound. I wish Deep Purple was as acknowledged as Black Sabbath and progenitors of heavy metal
Small Faces
4/5
This was a very strange but very I trifling album. There were lots of good psychedelic and folk rock elements with some punctuated harder overdriven rock elements peppered throughout. The second half is a whimsical proto mini rock opera that fully leans into its absurdity. I’ve noticed a trend in British music of the late 60s and 70s that take an almost dreamlike approach to certain narrative elements in their albums. I think this album succeeds on that count.
Deep Purple
3/5
As far as live albums go, this one wasn't too bad. The recording quality was excellent, and Rickie Blackmore's guitar playing is incredibly clear and precise unlike some other guitarists of that time whose playing is often muddled live. The album was too long and the last two songs started to drag, but it was an impressive live album.
Lambchop
4/5
This album is a fantastic combination of alt-country, chamber pop, and soul. The instrumentation varies from lush strings to more traditional country instrumentation creating a full and well rounded sound. The use of voices on this album reminds me almost of The Beach Boys with a more laid back vibe. The lyrics content is dark and brooding further adding to the feel of the album.
Tim Buckley
2/5
This is the third Tom Buckley album that I’ve listened to and it just doesn’t seem to get better. Buckley obviously has some good ideas and his playing is standard for the time, but his lyrical content leans far too into the sensitive artist trope. There is a lack of self awareness that makes this album a slog to get through. I will grant that his leaning onto the experimental and utilizing jazz elements was a good move for him.
Pere Ubu
5/5
This album is insanely ahead of its time. It's some of the best post-punk I've ever heard but can drop into a tight groove when it needs to. The sounds on this album range from traditional rock instrumentation, to noise and synth experimentation. It reminds me a bit of the Talking Heads and the Pixies. The vocals are abrasive and sung (shouted?) with a sense of urgency as if everything might fall apart if the singer doesn't get the words out. I can hear some rockabilly, ska/2-Tone, and garage influences in additional to the upfront punk and avant-garde influences. It's truly a fantastic and fascinating album. I can see why others might find it off putting, but the chaos is just so well orchestrated that I really love it.
Björk
4/5
This a perfectly disorienting album. Björk wanted to make an album completely made of human voices and the result (while not completely made of human voices) is a powerful and primal statement. As always Björk's voice is so dynamic that she can move from a growl to a shout to a whisper seamlessly. Her control of tone and timbre is phenomenal making the listener hang on every syllable. Simply put, this is a stunning and arresting album. My only complaint is that it felt a bit tedious on the back half.
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
This album was interesting if not a bit long. I'm not familiar with tango, but did notice that there were classical and jazz forms incorporated into the tango. I really enjoyed the use of marimba throughout as well as the bandoneon, an instrument that I was not previously familiar with. After some reading, it appears that Astor Piazzolla was the father of the new tango as featured on this album.
The Sabres Of Paradise
4/5
This is apparent a foundational techno album and is somewhat of a concept album as well. I found the first few songs a bit rudimentary, but as the album developed, the songs became more complex and textured. I really started getting into the groove of the album about 1/3 of the way through. I will say that it was a bit too long, but I think I would like to return to this again.
Ride
5/5
This album is a shoegaze masterpiece. Ride’s debut album dials back some of the noise elements from the genre and focus instead on melody and infuses it with neo-psychedelia. The noise elements are still present of course, but Ride’s unique formula help them stand out within genre. It’s also worth noting how young the band was when they recorded this album; all members were 18 and 19.
Machito
5/5
This album is a great Afro-Cuban jazz statement. The horns are bright and expressive, yet the shimmer and flash is undergirded by a fantastic rhythm section. The melodies and improvisations are top notch as well. Overall, this album is a joyful and nuanced look at Afro-Cuban jazz.
Mariah Carey
2/5
I wasn't expecting much from this album but I was happy to hear influences of Latin pop, gospel, and club music in addition to overproduced 90s R&B. In particular, the gospel chord changes stood out to me and gave the songs a sense of upward motion. While Mariah Carey has a dynamic range, the whisper singing, too many runs, and dated electronic sounds/production style made this album a chore to get through. Everything is over produced and oversung and it just doesn't hold up. However, I understand that Mariah Carey has had a huge influence on contemporary vocalists so I get why this album is on this list.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
This album is admittedly difficult. It’s obviously experimental, very tongue in cheek, and sounds like pure randomness a lot of the time. However, there is a huge American roots music influence that carries through seemingly uniting the noise. With the studio chatter it seems as though the album is a loose documentary of sorts nonlinear, and all encompassing. I can hear the influence on artists such as Tom Waits which makes me wonder why the album was released in the shape that it is in. It’s clearly trying to get something across, but maybe I need to give it a few more listens.
Laura Nyro
4/5
I need to listen to this album again. At first I thought I was hearing something similar to Dusty Springfield, but the blue eyed soul gives way to more jazzy and experimental music. The rhythmic and instrumental changes throughout lend the music a suite like feel that is more indebted to classical and jazz than popular music. Nyro's voice is similarly dynamic. It doesn't always sound quite in tune, but it always fits the music. This album was surprising in both its breadth and its depth.
Richard Thompson
3/5
This was a nice British folk revival album. It continues the Fairport Convention sound with all of its bucolic slightly medieval tinged music. This album is simply pleasant but not terribly groundbreaking.
Joe Ely
4/5
This album had shades of what would become progressive/alt-country within a honky tonk framework. This album is so strikingly different from its contemporaries that I’m finding myself wanting to dig into Joe Ely more.
Carpenters
2/5
This was a well produced and well executed but ultimately sterile album. There’s nothing offensive about it at all, but it’s solidly middle of the road and bland. The cover songs in particular sounded too slickly produced and any explosivity and spontaneity that existed in the originals was gone. Everything about this album feels too perfect and scripted.
M.I.A.
4/5
This was a decent album. M.I.A. does a great job of distilling a wide range of influences. She expertly weaves various strains of British electronic music with hip hop and music from Sri Lanka. Her lyrics are obviously political and have caused quite a lot of controversy. I don’t this this album is as strong as Kala, but I still enjoyed it.
Stephen Stills
4/5
I have always liked Stephen Stills voice but have never listened to his solo work. The album starts with his hit, 'Love the One You're With' which feels more akin to his work with CSN(Y) with its layers and production. I really enjoy the more stripped down songs like 'Black Queen' as they show Stills at his most raw and playful. Overall, this is an easy to listen to psychedelic folk/blues/roots record. The caliber of musicianship is insane. The album credits list Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Booker T. Jones, Ringo Starr, and Cass Elliot in addition to David Crosby and Graham Nash. Something about it feels a bit undefined, but I chalk that up to Stills finding his identity outside his massively successful supergroup.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. Suzanne Vega has a knack for storytelling that holds the album together. Some of the rhymes weren't quite where they needed to be, but the themes in the album were interesting. The big drawback for me is just how much of its time this album is down to the production style and the style of vocals.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
This album wasn't what I expected. I thought it was going to be more hip hop forward but it was much more rooted in R&B and soul with a healthy amount of Reggae/dancehall Afro-Carribean influences. What struck me the most about this album was its strong feminist messages, especially telling women that they have worth outside of a relationship. It was refreshing to hear especially during the early 2000s. The lyrics were also socially conscious focusing on race and poverty. The album was ultimately too long though it was really good in parts.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
On paper this is an album that I should like but there's something about it that feels like it's trying to hard to be sensitive/interesting folk music especially with the vaguely eastern musical tinges. I can deal with the voice; that style of singing was popular at the time and it's inescapable. The music itself is pleasant if not a bit bland. The lyrics are very uneven. There are some lines that are thoughtful and some that make me cringe. Overall, I didn't hate the album and it is not too long, but I just couldn't get into it.
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
I saw another UK electronic album and I was anticipating another slog. However this one incorporates a wide range of influences that gave the album a deep groove. I found myself enjoying it the entire way through even if it was a bit too long.
Robert Wyatt
5/5
This album is a mix of English folk, ambient music, the Canterbury scene’s brand of progressive rock, and various jazz forms. Robert Wyatt is a veteran of the English progressive scene and this album is a triumph of all he has gathered throughout his life. The album is experimental, pastoral, jarring, and genre bending all at once. It’s certainly not for everyone, but it is brilliant.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
I’m a big fan of Baroque pop, and enjoy a lot of what Rufus Wainwright is doing, but for me, this album just come together as well as it could. The textures are here and the instrumentation is grandiose and theatrical, but the various elements don’t always flow well.
Ian Dury
2/5
This album feels amateurish at times with its lazy vocal delivery and over reliance on wordplay. The utter devotion to wordplay, good or bad, is one of my least favorite things about Britishness. The music itself is quite good if not a bit dated in parts. There’s a good dose of rockabilly, punk, and dancehall, but the synth takes me out of the music occasionally.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
This album blew me away. It steps away from Nick Cave’s narrative heavy songwriting style in favor of something that is more focused on creating moods and exploring emotions and existential themes of love and loss. The music itself relies on drones and ambient synths supplemented by strings. This gives the music an ethereal feel and lends extra weight to the lyrics.
Madonna
3/5
This album surprised me. I am not too familiar with Madonna outside of the hits and didn’t realize just how much her music evolved throughout her career. This album took its influences from triphop, downtempo, and other various electronic genres. Unfortunately, there is some very dated late 90s pop production tendencies that stand out like a sore thumb. Though the album was too long, I enjoyed just how much Madonna was open to trying new things.
Pentangle
3/5
This album was pleasant enough. The British folk revival is not something I’ve had too much experience with but I enjoyed this album. Though the album includes jazz and Indian classical music influences, it is still recognizably British folk. The vocals reminded me of the Fairport Convention and I found the instrumentation to be well done.
Dire Straits
3/5
This album is very well executed and produced. The guitar work is simply exquisite and never feels like it’s overstaying its welcome. However, there is just something missing from this album. It hits hardest during its monster hit and classic rock mainstay ‘Sultans of Swing,’ but never quite reaches that high again. It feels a bit sterile despite the clearly phenomenal musicianship.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
This album begins with the explicit statement that Christina Aguilera is trying to be old school. This too on the nose statement is followed by the name dropping of various jazz greats before dropping into a first half typified by the melding of classic soul and R&B with hip hop motifs and samples. The second half starts with uncomfortably sexually charged songs dripping in bad innuendo before ending with a mea culpa of sorts. The transition is very jarring. This album should have been pared down to maintain some musical cohesion. When it’s good, the music is enjoyable though Aguilera’s trademark over singing does overshadow the album. She’s clearly an extraordinarily talented singer, but completely loses the plot and is mired in over technical vocal delivery.
Robbie Williams
2/5
Robbie Williams is clearly trying to shake off his boy band roots here. He attempts pop punk early in the album and settles mostly on a weak Britpop like sound. He is a great singer, but the songwriting is nothing special and the music is derivative. The last spoken word track is excruciating.
OutKast
5/5
This might be OutKast’s best album. These guys put southern rap on the map, or at least introduced it to millions on the coasts which have traditionally held a monopoly on hip hop. This album is dense with musical references spanning classic R&B and funk to modern electronic sounds. What I always love about OutKast is that they are absolutely unafraid of being unconventional. The result here is a sprawling album that confronts social issues and creates a new world based on black excellence. Truly visionary, and an absolute pleasure to listen to.
Lana Del Rey
4/5
This was my first time listening to this album. I was surprised to find it here as I would expect something like ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’ to be on this list instead. However, I found this album to be more contemplative and even. The music was piano driven and had some truly terrific vocals layering throughout. At 45 minutes the album doesn’t run too long, but it does start to sound the same. The penultimate track has more movement which I enjoyed. The lyrics are straight Lana Del Rey, faded glamour, and musings about love and change.
Bauhaus
4/5
Bauhaus’s second album features gothic rock over a lively rhythm section. The rhythms are danceable, and the vocals and guitar are thin and driving. The result is a post-punk masterpiece reminiscent of Joy Division that is still accessible to casual listeners. All in all I found this to be a very enjoyable and tight album.
Marilyn Manson
2/5
Whoever decent point this album is making is completely obscured by this juvenile shtick which leans too heavily into shock for its own sake. The music itself is industrial metal primarily and is not half bad. The fact that Marilyn Manson is a sexual predator also takes away from any enjoyability this album might have had.
Frank Black
4/5
I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised to find a well crafted alternative rock album. It’s a bit too long, but there are some really fantastic songs here that are strong enough to be Pixies tracks. Solo albums from members of a strong band are always a gamble, but I think Frank Black/Black Francis hits his mark here.
The Blue Nile
2/5
I was intrigued after the first track, but the rest of the album was rather bland. The music was a mix of synth pop, ambient, and new age. On paper this doesn’t sound too bad, but the execution was lacking throughout the album.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
This album is so textured. I could hear influences of post-punk, new wave, and shoegaze in this gauzy dream pop record. I could not understand the lyrics but that seems completely secondary to the purpose of this album. The effect is tremendous; it feels like a warm all encompassing hug that ebbs and flows.
Soundgarden
5/5
In lieu of Chris Cornell’s untimely suicide, listening to Soundgarden has become bittersweet. Nevertheless, it is difficult to rate one of the greatest grunge albums of all time. What I appreciate about Soundgarden is their use of psychedelic and hard rock motifs that pay homage to their influences in a way that is easily heard. Of course the music itself is phenomenal, but the real centerpiece is Chris Cornell’s magnificent vocals. He was truly one of the most gifted voices of grunge.
Fiona Apple
5/5
Fiona Apple’s debut album is a fully formed feminist pop masterpiece. She skillfully took on the entertainment industry at large and had the musics chops to back it up. Here lyrics are resolute, vulnerable, and occasionally heartbreaking. Her background in jazz and classical music gives her the technical proficiency to pull off an emotional tour de force.
Nanci Griffith
4/5
This was a refreshing album. I had never heard of Nanci Griffith and was pleased to find this folk heavy country music infused with Celtic and Appalachian influence. Her voice has a lilting quality and she carves out intricate and delicate melodies. While this album can easily become background noise, it certainly deserves a close listen.
The Psychedelic Furs
4/5
This post-punk record really emphasizes the punk aspect of that genre. The album was enjoyable the whole way through, but I felt like the second half was really where it started to shine. This album was recorded before the Psychedelic Furs incorporated more pop influences so its rock influences are front and center. The guitar and bass are driving and incorporate psychedelic, hard rock, and overtly punk elements to create something that sounds unique in post-punk.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
This was a great new wave album containing gothic rock, rockabilly, and pop influences. What impressed me most always the diversity of instrumentations and the diversity of synth sounds used. This have the album a textured feel where it easily could have relied too heavily on stereotypical 80s synth presets.
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
I really love chamber pop. This album is gorgeous from start to finish. Musically, there isn’t much going on that’s groundbreaking, but in terms of sheer lyricism and vulnerability, this album takes the cake. It’s commentary on gender and the evolution of a person is not only well done, but tenderly done. Anohni’s voice oscillates from low and high almost to signal the transformation that she was realizing lyrically. Overall, just a phenomenal album.
Mott The Hoople
3/5
This album didn’t so much for me. It feels like watered down Bowie meets Bob Dylan (in vocal inflection only). Everything about the album is so stereotypically glam that nothing about it feels unique down to the high thin lead guitar tone.
Jazmine Sullivan
4/5
I was surprised by this album. I went into it without realizing it was a concept album revolving around the stories of women and their differing views and experiences regarding their sexual agency. The views expressed here are diverse and provide a unique window into experiences I will never have. Musically, this album spans hip hop, nu soul, and classic R&B. It was concise and short with no wasted space and very well done. No wonder it ended up on a bunch of year’s best lists.
Incubus
3/5
I have a soft spot for this album as I got really into Incubus in high school. Having said that, I didn't enjoy most of this album. It's a good example of an album that has a couple of really stellar songs with a lot of filler. The band is quite proficient and they experiment with various rhythms throughout, but the music that results is largely bland and vaguely alternative rock sounding with a dose of funk metal that doesn't quite hit the spot the way it should.
Scott Walker
2/5
I was not a fan of this album. The lyricism was interesting and explored darker themes, but the music was so over the top that it felt like a parody of itself. It was overly cinematic and the vocal performance itself was too much. I won’t deny that Scott Walker is talented, but I found this album very puzzling.
KISS
2/5
This gets two stars because there are some decent riffs. The lyrics are horrible and the music is unbelievably stale and derivative even with a change in producer. Kiss is not a band who is known for their music, they are known for the spectacle. This has its place, but to listen to the music itself in isolation loses the core identity of the band. The fact that this was an explicitly commercial pursuit is more of a reason to discount the musicianship of the band.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Iron Maiden’s first album shows a band that is finding their sound. The galloping guitars are present though the songs aren’t quite as developed as they come to be on later releases. Overall, this is a decent British metal album with some more interesting proggy elements.
Cee Lo Green
2/5
This album does nothing to push southern hip hop forward in any way. Cee-Lo Green does incorporate a wide variety of influences and genres, but it comes off as mimicry rather than inspiration. For example, he obviously nods to Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’ several times, but never in a way that attempts to incorporate it into something new and interesting. It is always derivative. Furthermore, he seems to believe he is the new herald of soul music which is not true, and was certainly not true when this album was released.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
Prog is often hard to evaluate. There is a fine line between good, forward-thinking, original music, and an unlistenable hodgepodge of whatever the artist is into at the time. I think this mostly falls into the former. The jazz and classical influences are potent. At one point, baroque organ plays against a swing beat and it absolutely works. Other moments fall flat, especially where dated synths are concerned, and the lyrics themselves are not well constructed. The album ends with a more rockabilly like song which feels unusual but ultimately, this is a rock band.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Johnny Cash’s final album has a certain poignancy. His voice is deep and gravelly and he sings with a conviction and bitter sweetness that he has earned. The arrangements are sparse making the listener hang onto his every word. There are some weird moments in terms of production that take away from the intimacy of the album, but overall, it is a hard hitting and deeply resonant record.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
This is one of the best albums to come out of the summer of love. It’s anchored by the massive hits ‘Somebody to Love’ and ‘White Rabbit’ with decent folk inspired psychedelic blues rock in between. The best part of this album is Grace Slick’s massive vocals which define Jefferson Airplane for me.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
This album seems like a more toned down desert blues album. The chord progressions feel expansive and the musicianship and singing are great. I’ll give this a tentative three only because I don’t quite understand it right now and need to listen to this album and others in this style to get a better sense of how it fits in.
Lucinda Williams
4/5
This album is best described as alt-country but that doesn’t quite cover it. The music shows influence from 90s alternative and feminist rock alongside the more traditional country influences. Lucinda Williams’ lyrics focus largely on love but remain firmly grounded as exemplified by the closing track. Though the album is subdued, there is a lot going on that deserves close attention. It’s not as simplistic as it might initially seem.
The Who
4/5
This album was formative for me when I started branching out into art rock. The album sets up its musical themes well in the overtures and features several musical and lyrical motifs throughout. It is arranged and produced very thoughtfully. The story itself is strange at best. However, this album was one of the first full rock operas and certainly took a lot of risk.
Ministry
4/5
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this album but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I like industrial metal and this had a bit of a thrash edge which I really enjoyed. The lyrics seemed absurdist which was fun; it seemed that Ministry weren’t over-earnest which I think is a good thing.
Suede
5/5
This album might be Suede’s best. It is a remarkably variable album that spans glam rock, art rock, post-punk, and Britpop. The album has a grandiose anthemic feel throughout and the production is stunning. The ambitiousness of the album pays off, and in it, the listener can hear the roots of some of the greatest albums that came a few years later from Radiohead and Spiritualized.
Alice Cooper
4/5
This album surprised me. I was expecting more basic glam/hard rock like the title track. I wasn’t expecting a concept album that spanned musical theater, jazz, blues, and art rock. Alice Cooper’s use of West Side Story was brilliant, and linking that to a loose story of getting older and uncertain about the future as exemplified by graduating high school was rather inspired.
Dirty Projectors
4/5
This album is unclassifiable. It is known for breaking out of what people thought of as indie. The experimental nature of this album, especially in terms of vocal arrangement, time signature changes, and instrumentation, make this a challenging but rewarding listen. While I understand why people are put off by this record, it certainly takes a very unique approach and synthesizes a lot of music into one strange whole. Though this album often seems meandering and mostly concerned with making noise, there are moments of beauty and melody throughout that make it worth the listen.
Mike Ladd
4/5
I didn’t know what to expect going in, but I enjoyed this album quite a bit. This album seems to have predicted the rise of progressive rap that came to prominence about a decade after this album was released. It uses electronic textures wonderfully and seems to have a good grasp on what was going on in electronic music at the time. The beats are solid as well. This album is socially conscious and seems to be telling a story. Overall, this was a really interesting listen.
The Coral
2/5
This album was exceptionally average and very forgettable. The reggae and ska elements were a good touch and gave the album something, but it wasn’t enough to raise it above the other British alternative albums of the time. The use of those elements is not a unique thing either in British rock music. Overall, the album just didn’t hit.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
This album is unfortunately Jeff Buckley's only one. He has a penchant for crafting suite-like guitar and voice forward songs that expertly navigate tonal and dynamic changes. He is an excellent guitar player, but what really shines through is his voice. His control is exceptional and his ability to oscillate between delicate and powerful is incredible. The music itself is very well crafted with alternative/psychedelic impulses that are mellowed and made more accessible. People who prefer pop versus grunge/alternative can all find something to enjoy this album. It's a shame that this is all we have.
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
This album is a foundational grime album featuring beats with a strong UK garage influence. The flow is decent, but the album is just too long. I generally enjoy this style of music, but as I’m not too familiar with this subgenre, I found that the album dragged on a bit too long.
AC/DC
3/5
AC/DC excels at writing killer riffs and good blues rock. The rest is all details. I wouldn’t call them groundbreaking or anything, but their sound is unique and that counts for something. This is one of their two best albums and is a quick hard hitting album. It has quite a few hits making it one of the best rock albums of the late 70s. It does sound similar throughout, but to be fair, that’s exactly what they’re trying to do.
The Prodigy
3/5
This is a decent techno/rave album. I’m not too familiar with the more dance centric genres, but the album was consistent and included some industrial elements that I really enjoyed. It was a bit too long for my tastes.
De La Soul
4/5
I really enjoy how this album doesn’t take itself too seriously yet is one of the defining records of hip hop. This album is an early progressive rap/art rap album that elevates hip hop despite the album itself being corny and unserious in parts. The sampling on this album is incredible as well.
Elastica
3/5
This was a decent post-punk album. It wasn’t the best album of its genre I’ve heard and it certainly wasn’t the worst. I found it very forgettable and had to listen to it again to get a better sense of it. I was able to hear the early Britpop sound though the album is much closer to post-punk
Peter Gabriel
5/5
This album was absolutely phenomenal. While it sounds of its time, this album has so many contemporary sounds that would be right at home on a contemporary record. The lyrics are political and socially conscious, and the music itself defies genre and fuses prog with post-punk, art rock, and ambient music.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
This album grabbed me in the first track, but didn't manage to hold me as well as it could have. Like many reviewers have said, this sounds like a Public Enemy imitation. Michael Franti sort of speak sings throughout the album in a very measured way to get his points across. His message is a good one, and It's strange to listen to this album 21 years later knowing that the problems he's highlighting are all still pressing issues in our society. However, there's not a lot of nuance to his lyrics and it comes off more like a lecture than a song. The music is fine, nothing groundbreaking though whoever is making the beats is very familiar with the electronic music trends of the time which is interesting to hear in a hip hop context. I wanted to like this album more than I did, especially with its relevant messages, but it just ran too long and was just too on the nose.
Jurassic 5
4/5
I knew nothing about Jurassic 5 going in and was quite impressed. The lyrics are smart, positive, and concerned with truth. The use of sampling and downtempo beats is really interesting. You can tell these guys owe a lot to new school 80s/90s hip hop and pay homage throughout with their beats and flow style. The members are very talented and have their own styles, yet sounds really great as a collective. I love alt/progressive rap and this album really hit the spot.
Morrissey
4/5
This is a strong album. Anything after the Smiths will be viewed as lesser, but this might be Morrissey’s best solo record. It is of course sad and full of self loathing but the music and singing are great. The first half is stronger, but the album as a whole holds together well.
Bob Dylan
5/5
One of my favorite Bob Dylan albums. Though this album has a lot of lesser known songs, the fact that it includes songs such as 'Blowin' in the Wind, 'A Hard Rain's a Gonna Fall,' and 'Don't Think Twice It's Alright,' justify it as one of the greatest albums of all time. My only gripe is that the harmonica is mixed too loudly which results in a jarring effect when it comes in against the acoustic guitar. The songwriting on this album is superb as well. Dylan came to prominence in a hotbed of creativity and on this, his second album, manages to not only distinguish himself, but catapults him into a league of his own.
Iron Maiden
4/5
This is Iron Maiden’s best album. Their signature galloping guitar grounds the album against Bruce Dickinson’s soaring and powerful vocals. The lyrics deal with themes of violence and freedom with a good dose of dark imagery thrown in for good measure. The songs themselves are very well crafted and hit their emotional marks well.
4/5
This album was only my second exposure to XTC. I found the music very reminiscent of the Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach, and the Beatles in instrumentation, song structure, and singing style. The orchestral elements were incredibly well placed and elevated the album into something that reminded me of SMiLE, Brian Wilson's unfinished masterpiece. Lyrically, the album deals primarily with themes of paganism though personal matters as reflected on the song 'Dictionary' occasionally seep in. I would consider this album a triumph of symphonic pop and though not every song grabbed me, the ones that did more than make up for it.
Donald Fagen
4/5
This album felt a bit sanitized, likely due to the time it was written and recorded. But it really grew on me by the end. The musicianship was phenomenal, and the use of jazz motifs, chords, and rhythm changes speaks to a deep understanding of how music works. Then album had a great sense of groove and reminded me of some contemporary bands like Vulfpeck that toe that jazz funk rhythm section line.
The xx
2/5
This was marginally better than their first two albums. The music utilized sampling very well and created a nice quasi club-like atmosphere. The musicianship was all fine but the album sounds like it should have been released about five years prior. The vocals are just dreadful though. The male voice was better on this album, but I just cannot stand the female voice. There's a fake soul-like quality to it that is just grating and thin sounding. The affection in general is just puzzling and there is an occasional awkwardness to syllabic placement. There are so many indie bands from this period who are more original and are much more deserving of a place on this list.
Cornershop
4/5
This album was a lot of fun to listen to. Indian popular music isn’t taken seriously in the west very often. Cornershop deftly incorporates Punjabi rhythms and melodies into an indie folk/britpop framework to create something that is truly unique. Ending with a Punjabi rendition of Norwegian Wood, a song that famous for its use of a sitar, was an especially good move.
Moby Grape
4/5
Explosive right out of the gate, this album brims with raw energy. I can hear a lot of Rubber Soul/Revolver influence in this album tempered by a good county/blues base. This reminds me of early Grateful Dead though this album is more cohesive. The vocal delivery is energetic and often features simple but effective harmonies. I can see why this album is influential and though Moby Grape seems to have an edge on the San Francisco psychadelic scene, they are very much a band of their time.
Meat Puppets
5/5
This is a foundational album. It sees the Meat Puppets soften their punk/hardcore edge and introduce elements of country rock. The result is an incredibly textured album that is punctuated by the half screamed lead vocals. As a whole it just works. It's fascinating how much I can hear the rumblings of grunge in this album. I knew I would have to reckon with the Meat Puppets eventually, but I am very glad I did.
The Charlatans
3/5
This was a decent Britpop album. The use of acid house and hip hop beats was interesting as well. One thing that sticks in my mind is just how similar the vocal delivery is to Liam Gallagher of Oasis. The Charlatans formed first, but seem to be influenced by Oasis' particular brand of Britpop in addition to their acid house and Madchester influences. While the album was enjoyable, there just wasn't much that stuck with me.
The Cult
2/5
This album felt like a rip off of AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. I get that in an age where hair metal rules supreme, that straight hard rock was against the grain, but this album added absolutely nothing new to the conversation.
Sugar
4/5
Bob Mould's first post-Hüsker Dü album continues the direction of the band's later work with a more alternative forward melodic approach. The music itself has elements of grunge, college rock, punk, and pop. It's an interesting listen as Hüsker Dü was an influence on many of the genres that Sugar employs on this album. With its jangly guitars and emphasis on melody, this album reminds me of REM quite a bit.
The Who
4/5
Elements of doo-wop and R&B permeate this album punctuated by the harder, messier, pre-punk that would become associated with the early Who. You can hear the Who grappling to find their sound. They really come alive on the title track and the Kids are Alright where they play and sing with much more sneer and confidence.
Brian Eno
5/5
This is a transition album between Brian Eno’s earlier rock based work and his later ambient work. This album is all over the place. It starts with rock based post-punk but as the album progresses, transitions to more experimental music with hints of the electronic and ambient themes that would define his legacy. There are even shades of country music and symphonic pop throughout. Overall, this was an incredibly expansive album.
Hot Chip
3/5
This album comes out of a weird time where sounds of the 80s were being incorporated into indie pop to create upbeat danceable music. This album has some really interesting moments where I can hear various genres of 90s European electronic music forming the backbone of the songs while 80s synth plays on top. It's clear that Hot Chip have done their homework in that regard. However, the vocals along with some unimaginative melodic and lyrical lines really drag this album down. There are other albums in the 2010s the exemplify this style better.
The Human League
4/5
This was a solid 80s synth pop album. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I found this record very enjoyable throughout. I only knew the closing track (which is one of those songs one knows simply by existing), but found the album easy to get into. The groove is consistent throughout and though the synths are dated, they hold up well today and are even used in contemporary pop. From what I read about this album, it is hugely influential and is considered a herald of the second British invasion.
The Mothers Of Invention
5/5
I always enjoy the disorienting nature of Frank Zappa albums and this one is no exception. This album is mostly a send up of late 1960s hippie culture and (rightly) critiques its superficiality and lack of nuance while wrapping the whole thing up in a delightfully experimental package punctuated by vocal effects, spoken word parts, and sound collages. The effect is overwhelming, funny, and remains relevant today.
Ramones
5/5
This is the quintessential American punk album if not the greatest punk album of all time. The songs are short, punchy, and memorable yet are harmonically interesting. Ramones deftly synthesized their 50s and 60s influences into their proto-punk influences to create something frenetic and driving that wasn't overproduced. What's really interesting about this album is how well developed its pop sensibility is. The songs are not overtly experimental yet are creating something that had and continues to have unprecedented influence.
American Music Club
2/5
This indie folk album was rather bland. I wasn't able to detect anything terribly groundbreaking about it and also wasn't able to find anything terribly offensive either. It just washed over me and left me with no strong feelings either way. The whole thing just feels a bit safe.
LTJ Bukem
4/5
This is a fundamental drum-and-bass compilation featuring fast and syncopated rhythms, deep bass, and various synth pads, sound effects, samples etc. Electronic music is one of my weak areas but after listening to quite a few albums, I can hear how this album fits into to its overall history, especially in the mid 90s UK jungle/emergent drums-and-bass scene. Because this is a compilation album, it is very long, but I really enjoyed how atmospheric the album was despite its tight beats. It never feels claustrophobic or noisy.
Guided By Voices
5/5
This was an excellent lo-fi album. The melodies were memorable and the instrumentation fit them perfectly. The ability to bounce between dynamics and textures gave the album a suite-like feel that never felt forced. The most striking thing is just how much I heard the Beatles in this album from the melodies themselves to the way the vocal harmonies sounded.
Dr. Dre
3/5
This album is notable primarily for its music. It is a fantastic g-funk statement and features the classic synth that is associated with west coast gangsta rap. However, without Ice Cube, the lyrics lose much of the purpose. Gone is the biting social commentary in favor of causeless violence and juvenile posturing. Strangely enough, Dr. Dre isn't even the best rapper on this album. Snoop Dogg does much of the heavy lifting and his parts are the most memorable. Still, this album is a classic and the music alone justifies its inclusion on this list.
Silver Jews
5/5
David Berman may not have had a traditionally beautiful voice, but his flat delivery and thoughtful/melancholic lyrics make for instantly memorable listening. I was late to the Silver Jews and only heard about them in the wake of Berman’s untimely death in 2019 but am struck by their brand of indie country set against Berman’s sardonic, sarcastic, and earnest delivery. The songs have a lazy meandering flow despite their short length but have an austere quality that gives them a sense of urgency and potency.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
This album is really closer to four EPs. Side A is packed with melodic pop and soul inspired songs that owe as much from Motown as they do from the Beach Boys and early 70s soft rock. Side B takes an experimental and impressionist turn that foreshadows what direction Rundgren will take in the future. Side C take a heavier hard rock turn though songs like 'One More Day (No Word)' and 'Torch Song' show his finesse. 'Couldn't I Just Tell You' is a power pop masterpiece. Side D is a self described pop operetta and much of it recorded live giving the side a spontaneous and intimate feel.
Beyoncé
4/5
I was in my final semester of undergrad when this album dropped unexpectedly and I remember how much of an event it was. Beyonce was seemingly freeing herself from her curated persona into something that was more feminist, unapologetically black, and more in control of her music. This, from one of music's biggest stars, was huge at the time. This album takes influence from hip hop, classic soul, R&B, and pop and blends them together well. The first half is the strongest and most interesting but overall the album is cohesive. I will point out that despite the persona altering nature of this album, it was written by committee.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
This album is not my favorite Super Furry Animals album, but it was still quite good. It is primarily a Britpop album that has been influenced by psychedelic music, experimental music, and the Madchester scene. The vocal delivery, in pure Britpop form, is reminiscent of the Beatles. There are parts of the album that had almost a pop-punk feel as well.
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
John Lydon’s post Sex Pistols work sees him teaming up with original Clash guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and drummer Jim Walker. This album is experimental and discordant but is grounded by Levene’s darkly melodic guitar. This tempers Lydon’s more indulgent impulses and leaves behind a seminal post-punk album that influenced later art rock and post-punk artists.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
5/5
This album is a cross between new wave, college rock, and folk. It features jangly guitar but still retains a blues and funk core. Lyrically, it is very literate and make references to literature (especially New Journalism and philosophy). Musically, it is highly melodic which is often reinforced or echoed in the instrumentation. The guitar outlines the chords and along with the strings, achieves a full sound. The bass is prominent as is typical of new wave/post-punk. Its folky elements are reminiscent of the Byrds, Bob Dylan, and the early/mid career Beatles. I can hear a lot of this album in modern indie folk and indie rock, especially the reinforced melodies.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Dexy's Midnight Runners have clearly studied the music that came before them. I can hear elements of folk rock, jazz rock, the Beach Boys, and a whole lot of doo wop and early R&B. Their instrumentation and production is very clean as well. Unfortunately, while the synthesis is excellent, it comes off as a bit sterile. I think if they had added a bit of post-punk experimental flavor it would have come off as more exciting and groundbreaking.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
This album is an early noise rock masterpiece. This record by the Velvet Underground is polarizing as it is not as accessible their other albums. Lyrically, it covers familiar and transgressive material revolving around sex, gender, and the self. Musically, it contains the roots of everything from punk, to shoegaze, to pure experimental noise rock. The final 17 minutes track is its centerpiece, and while challenging, is a definitive statement on the Velvet Underground's musical orientation.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
This album is the perfect example of how 80s synth music has made its way into the contemporary lexicon. The music is interesting and combines a lot of atmospheric elements and dance inspired beats to create something that sits on the border of synth wave and post-punk. Having said that, I'm not really picking up on much that's groundbreaking, but this album does what it does very well.
Malcolm McLaren
4/5
This album has some tracks that have been extensively sampled to the point that I had no idea this was their origin. Additionally, this album really runs the gamut as it explores African music, Latin/South American music, and even country while grouding it in an early hip hop framework. It makes for a very strange and oddly compelling listen.
Spiritualized
5/5
This album is a slow burning masterpiece. Every song builds and swells into something beautiful. There are elements of Britpop, ambient music, and electronic elements. The music itself is incredibly textured and has some of the best emotional releases.
The Zutons
2/5
This album was rather bland. It is an inoffensive mix of 2000s British alternative with some indie rock/folk thrown in. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really excel at anything in particular and blends together more than it should in its short runtime.
Tom Tom Club
4/5
I’m a bit ashamed to say I never listened to Tom Tom Club despite being a huge Talking Heads fan. I had always assumed that David Byrne is the creative drive. It turns out, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz are just as weird as Byrne and have the same penchant for interesting rhythms and abstract lyrics bordering on the absurd. It makes for a very interesting album that feels in many ways, like a continuation of their earlier work.
After a decade of experimentation, U2 returns to a more anthemic base. Unfortunately, while this album has glimpses of past greatness, it all feels a bit too commercial. The front half of the album is stacked with hits but the back half drags on severely. Lyrically, this album is fairly positive; it's clear that as U2 have aged and started families, that much of their edge (no pun intended) has gone away. That's not a bad thing, that's just what happens.
The Shamen
2/5
This album shows a group at the crossroads of psychedelia and electronic. At least that what it seems at first before the album descends into acid house beats that just don't feel very alive. The beats themselves don't have very much presence, but they're also not minimal enough to be considered atmospheric. This leaves them in a weird in between place where they just can't sustain an album that's over an hour long. Nothing here feels very groundbreaking but rather rudimentary.
4/5
This album surprised me with how forward thinking it is. While it owes a lot to psychedelia, there are some progressive elements that make it stand apart while still being accessible. The production is very clean and the musicianship is fantastic. Spirit is certainly on to something here. The song structures are interesting and the album as a whole feels more like a multiple movement piece of music rather than discrete songs. While interesting, this album doesn't quite reach the highs that it was capable of.
Al Green
4/5
This is a fundamental soul album. The title track is first on the album and is clearly the best. Unfortunately the album never reaches those highs during the remaining tracks. Nevertheless, it is enjoyable throughout and is consistently engaging.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
This was a great album. Bob Marley is a fantastic songwriter who manages to infuse social commentary into songs that show great musical knowledge and vocal dexterity. The production on this is super clean. Every instrument can be heard clearly giving the album a very open but textured feel. Bob Marley’s consistency across albums is phenomenal as well.
1/5
This album is an insult to nu-metal and I don’t like nu-metal in the slightest. Fred Durst might be the most insufferable frontman in recent memory and his lyrics are so awful that I would think the whole thing is a joke if not for the earnestness with which Durst delivers. The posturing, the comically flippant use of the word fuck, and just the overall douchey vibe make this a truly punishing experience. This world is a worse place for having Limp Bizkit in it.
Björk
5/5
This album is nothing short of incredible. It is a sweeping and simmering masterpiece that manages to feel deeply human despite its electronic substrate. The experimental electronics remind me of Aphex Twin and Radiohead (Kid A came out one year prior to Vespertine) yet Björk infuses an arresting sense of melody and lyricism that demands a close listening. I hung on every line of this album.
Django Django
4/5
This album perfectly encapsulates the sound and spirit of the best psychedelic music while still sounding new and exciting. The harmonies on this album strongly evoke the Byrds for me while the instrumentation recontextualizes 60s psychedelia into a modern electronic landscape while still retaining the recognizability of that music. Furthermore, the beats are simplistic andfeel familiar (there is a version of the Bo Diddley beat). The result is driving, engaging and is quite an achievement.
The White Stripes
4/5
This album never quite reaches the highs of the first track, 'Blue Orchid' but there is something to be said for the experimentation on this record. Jack White dials back the post-punk/garage rock aesthetic in favor of a more subdued approach featuring piano and marimba. This doesn't always work in their favor though it is an interesting change of pace. Nevertheless, this album is still distinctively White Stripes. What I really love about this band is that you can hear where they're from in their music. They are devoted to the great Detroit garage rock of the past and incorporate it in a way that sounds new and wholly their own.
Beatles
5/5
The second album released by the Beatles (in the UK). The rockabilly, skiffle, and doo-wop influence is apparent, but what's really surprising is just how much better the early Beatles were compared to their contemporaries. The album is explosive and energy remains high throughout. The melodies are generation defining, and the musicianship is apparent even this early. In particular, George Harrison's lead lines are crisp and though they aren't flashy, they complement the song perfectly. The Beatles have always chords that work as transitions between the more dominant chords which provide a sense of movement and allow for more tonal variety. This musicality (though they were not trained) sets them apart even further than their incredible songwriting did.
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
This album sits at the crossroads of neo-psychedelia, shoegaze, Britpop, and college rock. What's interesting is that this is an American band. They completely had me thinking they were a British band by their sound and mix of genres (despite the college rock tinges throughout). Their musical lineage seems to circumvent grunge altogether which is notable for the time. Overall, this was an enjoyable album that featured melodic repetition and slow building songs that still had a pop sensibility.
Public Enemy
5/5
This is one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Its use of samples is astounding and it incorporates everything from funk, to glam rock, and electronic music. Chuck D has such an iconic delivery that Public Enemy is recognizable almost instantly and the socially conscious lyrics push them a step above their contemporaries. Chuck D's criticism of much of modern hip hop as over commercial feels especially potent juxtaposed with Public Enemy's lyrics that are concerned with blackness, police brutality, the crack epidemic, and more.
Morrissey
3/5
I love the Smiths and enjoy some of Morrissey’s solo work and this album is no different. It is overtly political (though his racist statements more recently casts much of what he says into doubt) taking on the Iraq war, the American military industrial complex, and his own Englishness and the legacy of colonialism that it holds. It is also dizzying self-pitying and self-aggrandizing at the same time in a way that completely separates him from the working class he champions in his lyrics. Musically, the album retreads familiar Morrissey melodic turns of phrase and incorporates elements of alternative rock and even some pop punk. It’s a strong album but is not necessarily doing anything new, especially in 2004.
Giant Sand
3/5
This album answers the question, 'what if Lou Reed recorded an alt-country album?' This album is very interesting musically and incorporates contemporary alternative rock into a dark, sparse, folk/country landscape. The result is an album that sounds ominous and unfortunately a bit samey throughout. If this album had been pared down by about 15-20 minutes, it would have worked so much better.
The Byrds
5/5
Gram Parsons really pushed the Byrds fully into country resulting in the first notable country rock album. The dominance of Parsons vision, to the detriment of Roger McGuinn's vision of a double album exploring the musical heritage of America, caused a rift between him and the band which led to his departure before the album was released. The finished album is stunning from the fantastic covers, to the songwriting, and to the brilliance of the session musicians. This album accomplished what Parsons set out to and remains and essential country record.
Kings of Leon
2/5
This album is a mix of indie/alt rock, and very watered down southern rock. There’s a decent blues feel to it as well. The band is fairly tight and I enjoyed some of the bass work particularly. The guitar work and drum work are typical for the time and remind me a lot of the Strokes. The vocals are an absolute failure. Not only is the singing awful, the stylistic choices in terms of delivery and (lack of) enunciation ruin the album. I can usually deal with someone with a subpar voice, but the production choices make it sound like they grabbed a random guy from a bar and made him sing. I’ve tried to relisten throughout the day after my first run through and it’s annoying to the point of being offensive to literally anyone who can sing marginally well. Whoever signed these guys with this singer should be banned from the music industry.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
This album is very of its time. It's blues influenced psychedelic jam band noodling. The first half is a cover of Bo Diddley's 'Who do you Love?' broken up into several movements and played live. The second half is a few more tracks mostly written by the band. The musicianship is good and the band is tight, but these extended jam tracks just don't do it for me. It may have been a different experience live, but it just doesn't translate well on tape and over 50 years later.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
This album is notable because Emmylou Harris wrote or co-wrote much of it. She is a legend in country/Americana and is one of its most memorable voices. This album is not the best presentation of her. While some of the songwriting is really strong, the 2000s production truly takes something from these collection of songs. The use of echo and reverb is irresponsible and cloaks the album in a weird haze. I would love to hear these songs in a more stripped down format with cleaner and warmer production. I still have to give it three stars because of the strength of the songwriting and vocal delivery.
Love
4/5
More psychadelic rock with a huge blues influence. This album features an aggressive delivery that stands out to me as almost punk-like. The music is also infused with ideas borrowed from folk and jazz. The 19 minute 'Revalation' is an extended jam which may have influenced or been born out of the same scene that produced the Doors in Los Angeles
Sigur Rós
5/5
This is one of the greatest post-rock albums of all time. It is brooding, simmering, and has some incredible moments of release. Somewhere on the border of shoegaze, ambient music, and rock, this album provides incredible melodies, and a lush instrumental backing. Jónsi Birgisson’s voice is piercing and haunting and is the perfect complement to the music.
David Ackles
4/5
This was a very interesting album that combines a vaudeville background with a contemporary pop style. Bernie Taupin’s production ensures that the songwriting is front and center. David Ackles is a very thoughtful songwriter and musician who lends a sense of theatricality to his work. Elvis Costello is right to state that Ackles’ work should be better known.
Pink Floyd
5/5
This album is unsettling, experimental, and psychadelic in the truest sense. Inspired largely from Syd Barrett's foray into LSD use, 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn,' Pink Floyd's debut album, is a meandering album that carefully builds both musically and lyrically. The seeds of their later work are present, but this album is uniquely the vision of Syd Barrett before he retreated from the public eye.
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
This post-hardcore album was a lot of fun to listen to. I can hear the roots of emocore, late 90s alternative, and even some pop punk. It interesting to hear how this album differs from its contemporary grunge artists who also got inspiration from hardcore punk. Drive Like Jehu keep a lot of the hardcore elements but add some interesting rhythms and time signatures in what approaches a more math rock approach. This is not my usual listen so it was good to hear something new.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
This album was decent. Sinatra's voice was fantastic as always and it suited the bossa nova well. However, this album feels extraneous especially when there are much better bossa nova and Frank Sinatra albums on this list.
David Bowie
3/5
Bowie's penultimate album and return after a heart attack in 2004 continues to show his growth. Always on the forefront of art rock, Bowie makes an album here that still sounds new and weird. Though there are moments that sound commercially viable, others are clearly more experimental and made for their own sake. Having said that, this is not Bowie's best nor it is his most groundbreaking. It is still excellent and ahead of many rock artists from 2013.
Pere Ubu
5/5
This album was released the same year as 'Dub Housing,' and album I have already reviewed. Much of what I said for that album applies here. If any band deserves to be called art punk, it's this one. This album is dynamically varied, and utilizes noise well. Despite its chaos, it is very carefully constructed and skillfully executed.
Joanna Newsom
5/5
This first day I listened to this album, I ended up listening to Joanna Newsom’s entire discography. This album is absurdly beautiful. The instrumentation, arrangement, and Van Dyke Parks’ production is truly stunning. Newsom’s lyrics span mythology, allegory, and mythologized scenes from her life and childhood. Though this album is five songs and almost an hour long, the songs never overstay their welcome and are engaging to the end. Joanna Newsom is perhaps my favorite current songwriter and I find her talent staggering.
Mudhoney
4/5
This album is a cool look into the early 90s Seattle scene. Instead of signing to a major label, Mudhoney released this on Sub Pop almost single-handedly keeping the label afloat, and thank god they did. While this album may not be as memorable or influential as Nirvana’s three studio albums, this is a solid grunge album. The rhythm section is quite good, and a few of these songs fall into a great groove. There’s a lot here to like, from the hardcore and post-punk influences to the dynamic changes throughout.
Napalm Death
2/5
I don’t hate this album’s music. Grindcore is not something I listen to really, but I like hardcore and death metal so theoretically I should like grindcore. Not exactly. I like the aggression, but it’s not being channeled properly here. The songs are punchy, but they are more concerned with packing as many drums and strums than they are with writing a balanced song. The singing is not my thing either. I recognize that this style has its adherents, but even in its context, it doesn’t seem to have been mixed well and is drowned out by the music. Much of what I think is wrong with this album comes down to half-baked ideas and bad production instincts.
4/5
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this album and was skeptical after the first couple of songs, but the album did grow on me a bit. It is certainly not for everyone as it has a highly conceptual story line and is essentially a noise rock album. I enjoyed the various textures especially the rumbly synth sounds which were about a decade ahead of their widespread use in rock.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
This album was overall unimpressive. It was fairly standard glam rock/hard rock. Apparently, Hanoi Rocks was influential for later glam metal bands like Poison and Skid Row. The fact that they’re Finnish is interesting but I’m not sure why they were included on this list.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
5/5
On the surface, it can seem like this album is solid blues inspired rock. A closer listen will reveal experimental rhythms, chromaticism, and avant garde lyrics. This album feels like a joyous fever dream and is very much a product of its time. Having said that, I think this album is brilliant. Its grooves pull you in and its, melodies and rhythms keep you there. I'm not sure what to make out of much of the lyrics, but I suppose that's the fun of avant garde music.
King Crimson
4/5
This album was oddly compelling. I think that if I based this review solely on the traditional rock instrumentation and vocals I would have found it overlong and too noodly. However, the strings are really special. They elevate this album to something that sounds like a modern classical piece in a way that feels genuine. The strings are not an afterthought nor are they there to give the appearance of being high minded, they are a melodic focus.
Queen Latifah
3/5
This album is Queen Latifah’s debut. It is a confident album that puts Queen Latifah’s blackness and femininity at the forefront. Musically, this record is from the golden age of hip hop and features fairly simple beats and samples. It’s pretty enjoyable for the most part though it’s a bit dated. Queen Latifah has a great flow and delivery.
Goldie
3/5
This is a fundamental drum and bass album. It varies in texture and is more atmospheric in parts and more dance oriented in others. It works well for me as a background album but it is not something I get much out of with a focused listening. Furthermore, this album is just too long and the fatigue sets in fairly quickly.
Ghostface Killah
5/5
This album is sweeping in its scope and cinematic in its storytelling. Ghostface Killah is one of raps greatest lyricists and this album puts that on full display. The narrative about cocaine running is compelling and is so detailed that it’s going to take a few listens to get all the details. The music itself spans several decades and includes doo woo, lounge music, up through funk and R&B. Overall, a fantastic album.
Kraftwerk
5/5
This album is a minimalist masterpiece. Its use of sequencing was revolutionary for its time and it remains a listenable, hypnotic album and stands as one of Kraftwerk’s best. I love how the songs take their time and build slowly. Some reviews have had issues with the repetitive nature of the album, but I find that the repetition demands attention and falls into a satisfying and transfixing groove.
The Thrills
3/5
This album was pleasant enough, but didn’t feel terribly groundbreaking in any way. It was fairly basic early 2000s indie rock that went though a lot of effort to sound as American as possible. It succeeded well enough and I appreciated their obvious knowledge of music especially from the 60s. The Beach Boys influence was especially apparent.
Stan Getz
4/5
The album that got Americans into Bossa Nova. This album is pleasant enough to listen to but doesn't resonate with me as much as bebop, cool, and modal jazz. Perhaps it's because both Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd are both Americans interpreting a Brazilian style.
N.E.R.D
3/5
This album wasn't as bad as I was expecting when I first saw the rap/rock label. This was definitely more in the funk/R&B side of things which made it much more palatable. The music itself was fairly inoffensive and I was surprised to hear just how much N.E.R.D. incorporated early 2000s alternative style guitar into their music. Lenny Kravitz's touch can certainly be felt on the tracks he contributed to. This album feels much more experimental than Pharrell's more recent stuff; the incorporation of the various genres works well here and must have sounded exciting at the time.
Lightning Bolt
4/5
I understand why this album might not be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. The guitar and bass had a driving feel that was still accessible despite the fact that this was a noise rock record. I can’t say how influential this might have been at the time, but the mixture noise, punk, and hard rock really worked for me.
The United States Of America
5/5
When dealing with a psychedelic album, the potential to find oneself in the midst of a masterbatory jam fest that is trying just a little to hard to be weird is always high. This album, however, is an example of how fantastic this genre can be. It utilizes both the male and female voice in addition to early electronic music, classically influenced music, and even some polyphony. The result is a textured and beautiful masterpiece that never insists upon itself.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
I enjoy Frank Sinatra's voice and the instrumentation. While the music is very pleasant, I think that It does sound a bit homogenous. This style is an important development in popular music and for that reason alone it deserves praise. However, this is recognizably an album with a story tell. The themes deal with loneliness and dejection and create a whole instead of a mere collection of songs.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
This album is a sprawling and contemplative journey though Joni Mitchell’s life at the time. Here she is unsure of what she wants, and she expertly weaves lyrics that meander yet go straight to the heart of her restlessness. The music itself is similarly open and more meandering. In this album, it’s beginning to embrace a jazz feel over the folk base. Overall, this album is intensely vulnerable, absolutely beautiful, and relatable for anyone who has ever felt adrift.
Circle Jerks
4/5
The hardcore scene was going strong in my small town in Northern California while I was in high school in the mid to late 2000s. This album, though made 25 years before that time, was a huge nostalgia trip. At a tight 16 minutes, this album is fast, punchy, and remains high energy throughout. It’s obvious why it’s such a well regarding hardcore album.
Jack White
4/5
Jack White’s first album after the break up of the White Stripes continues his unique brand of Detroit garage and DIY rock. Sonically this album runs the gamut from overdriven and fuzzy guitars, organs, and some slide guitar. Once again White shows that he is not only familiar with music history, he is capable of folding his influences into his signature style. While this album isn’t as good as the best of the White Stripes, it still holds its own against his recorded output.
Scissor Sisters
4/5
This album is a joyous mix of glam, disco, Philly soul, and the best of 70s style singer-songwriter. The pumping four on the floor beats present in many of the songs calls to mind the gay nightclub scene in New York that inspired this album. The Scissor Sisters’ eponymous album stands out for its time when there was just truly terrible music being pumped out. Besides the cover of Comfortably Numb, I really enjoyed this album.
50 Cent
2/5
This is a strange album. The gangsta rap revival aesthetic doesn’t quite work for 50 Cent though it is better than other commercial hip hop that was out at the time. He seems like he has an inferiority complex when he talks about Tupac. The beats were fine but I wasn’t a fan of 50 Cent’s flow. It felt a bit too lazy. His lyrics were full of bad rhymes as well and over the top depictions of violence. Overall there was just a lot of posturing that felt unnecessary. My favorite parts were the Eminem features which says a lot about how I felt about 50 Cent’s performance.
Country Joe & The Fish
4/5
One of the first psychedelic albums to come out of the San Francisco scene. The album is informed mostly by blues and folk which is played through highly distorted guitars. It is also influenced by eastern music. This album stands above overtly commercial albums of the era (like Paul Revere and the Raiders) and is interesting to listen to. This band gets overshadowed by later San Francisco based bands like the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, and Jefferson Airplane, but Country Joe and the Fish deserve their place as a pioneering psychadelic rock band. This album does date itself especially with references to LBJ and the whispered "L.S.D." at the end of 'Bass Strings.'
Elvis Presley
4/5
Elvis' first album. This album tore popular music open wide with its frenetic energy, tempered sexuality, and charismatic figurehead. I love the musicianship on this album from the walking bass, to the acrobatic keyboard, and the slick guitar work. Despite the rock n roll veneer, this album is has some great jazz and R&B passages. Unfortunately, as other reviewers have noted, early rock n roll was sanitized and whitewashed rhythm and blues made primarily by black artists so this album, despite its influence, is missing most of the story.
Neneh Cherry
4/5
This album is not my genre at all, but I think Neneh Cherry should have been a household name here in the US. Her mix of rap, pop, synth, and other popular genres is thoughtful and interesting if not a bit dated. There are moments here that remind me of Michael Jackson, and other moments that indicate that she was very much into a wide range of music that may have been on the periphery for most people.
Girls Against Boys
2/5
I wasn’t a fan of this album. This is neither the best post-hardcore album nor the best indie album. The vocals and lyrics are a bit too edgy for edgy’s sake and just didn’t hold up. The instrumentation similarly is a bit one note.
Roxy Music
4/5
Brian Eno’s last album with Roxy Music is a textured art/glam rock record that oscillates between more straightforward pieces and more meandering ballad like songs. The variation works well and enjoyed the album’s flow. Roxy Music still isn’t well known, but they were very influential and it’s easy to see why. They straddle the line of experimental and accessible perfectly.
Jacques Brel
3/5
This album is pleasant enough, but I am just too unfamiliar with the music and style to give it an informed rating. The instrumentation is sparse with Jacques Brel's voice being the centerpiece. I know he has been a trenmendous influence on popular songwriters so there is obviously something in his writing that resonates with people.
The Stooges
5/5
This may be the Stooges’ best album. It comes out swinging and continues with a rhythm forward driving sound accompanied by perfectly placed guitar leads. I am a big fan of the Detroit garage rock/proto-punk scene of the late sixties and early seventies and to me, this album really encapsulates that era. It is explosive, loose, and super charged with emotion, yet knows when to dial it back before plunging back in full force. It’s a cathartic listen especially with Iggy Pop’s wailing sneering vocals.
Bee Gees
3/5
This album is the Bee Gees' most ambitious. It is sweeping concept/double album that draws heavily on the British Folk Revival while wading into symphonic pop, 60s pop, and even country. Throughout the album, it seemed as though the Bee Gees were doing a Beatles impression which isn't so much a criticism as an observation. I think overall this album works but it certainly could have used a producer who was willing to make some significant cuts.
The Police
4/5
The Police’s final album tones down some of their reggae in favor of a more balanced post-punk mainstream rock approach. It works well for them. Sting’s lyrics as usual are highly literate and obsessive and his vocal delivery is great as always. There are a few songs that fall flat for me though the album is very cohesive and enjoyable.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
I saw Michael Kiwanuka open for Mumford and Sons in 2013 (a band I grew out of quite quickly). He was the better performer by far. This album had an amazing sense of flow and its seamless weaving of genres was phenomenal. I’m giving it a four right now due to its length, but I could see this album growing on me quite a bit.
Stephen Stills
3/5
I enjoyed this album to a point. Stills’ blend of folk, rock, Latin, and country styles worked very well and it’s clear that his band was on the top of their game when this was recorded. Unfortunately, this album is just too bloated. The highs on this album are great, but are weighed down by so much extra baggage.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
This is a seminal g-funk album and is overall, a really fun listen. The beats are quintessential early 90s west coast rap. The funk influence is felt throughout along with the signature high synth that has become synonymous with the GTA soundtrack. Snoop himself has an iconic flow and his features are solid. We can split hairs over the portrayal of women and gang life, but the album remains an important document of that time both musically and socially.
Waylon Jennings
5/5
This was a fantastic album. Waylon Jennings is perhaps the most iconic outlaw country artist and this album shows why. It is a good mix of honky tonk with ballads throughout ending with the reflective ‘We Had it All.’ Outlaw country artists operated outside of the Nashville machine which lends a stripped down and earnest feel to their music. It sounds like the truth to me.
Orbital
3/5
This was a rather unobtrusive techno album. It's notable for its ambient techno but other than that I'm not sure why it's here. That's not a judgement on its merit, I just don't have the background in electronic music to confidently say whether or not it's a good record. It's overlong but I didn't feel mired down by it like I have for other British electronica albums from the 90s. The beats and loops were occasionally mesmerizing and it had some incredible moments, but on the whole, the album fell into the background for me.
David Holmes
3/5
I found this album to be more enjoyable than other British electronic albums of the 90s. The hip hop influence was a major selling point and the strength of the beats did all the heavy lifting. The New York City centric theme of the album was puzzling, but lended a sense of continuity which worked well enough.
U2
4/5
U2's third album sees them take a more political stance against the musical backdrop of a strong rhythm section and a more aggressive approach by the Edge on guitar. These songs have an urgency to them and take a lot from their new wave predecessors (listen to The Refugee for a good example). There are some really beautiful moments that hint at their development to come that hit its apex with 'The Joshua Tree.' The closing track is exquisitely vocally layered and brings the themes of the album into focus with a meditation on Psalm 40.
Destiny's Child
2/5
This album can’t decide if it should be open or puritanical about sex. The back and forth between lyrical slut shaming and championing the independent sensual women makes perfect sense given the time the album was made. Musically, it’s fine. Basic R&B with competent singing and corny interludes to make a huge industry band seem homespun. This album was absolutely massive when it came out but has aged very poorly.
Coldcut
3/5
Coldcut is one of the most important and influential UK electronic music artists. This house album expertly incorporates cut-up samples spanning, pop, funk, and hip-hip to create a genre bending sound. The music has a deep groove and features a diverse array of percussion that hints at a latin influence throughout. Overall, this was an enjoyable album, but like so many UK electronic records from the time, it was just too long.
The Pogues
4/5
This album is fantastic. I'm a big fan of Irish traditional music as well as Celtic punk and the Pogues were at the forefront of bringing traditional music into punk to perfectly encapsulate the politically charged feeling of the time. We unfortunately lost Shane MacGowan last November, but his voice and sneer are immortal can carry with them the anxieties and anger of a generation caught in a generational colonial struggle. The music is diverse and ranges from straight punk/post-punk, traditional Irish music, jazz, and even incorporates middle-eastern motifs.
The KLF
4/5
This was a welcome change when compared with other contemporary electronic albums from this time. The KLF were a duo of made up of a former record executive and a musician who embraced experimental music and made interesting pieces. This album sits on the transition of acid house and rave music and features engaging beats and a pop sensibility that makes the album accessible while still benefiting from a close listen.
UB40
3/5
This album was too long, but UB40’s particular brand of slow burning reggae was pleasant to listen to. This is another album of its time lyrically as well with its criticism of British imperialism and 80s economic policies.
The Libertines
3/5
It’s not awful; it’s not terribly memorable. This album sounds mostly like an indie band trying to be the Beatles without realizing they’re trying to be the Beatles. There are some new wave and psychedelic influences here, but the Beatles influence is so pronounced that it almost feels like a parody. It’s honestly not a bad album though, even if it sounds very similar throughout.
Beatles
5/5
This album is a candidate for the best Beatles album which of course means that it’s a candidate for the best album of all time. The Beatles final album seeks to move beyond the fraught ‘Let it Be’ sessions and end up being a joyous final statement. The Abbey Road medley culminates with ‘The End’ and feels like a victory lap in the form of a dominant musical mini album to top off the most legendary career in popular music history. It’s fitting that the Beatles went out in their terms with one of the most memorable and influential records ever made.
Talking Heads
4/5
This is a fun album because you can hear the Talking Heads arrive almost fully formed. David Byrne’s obsessions with certain lyrical topics such as buildings is present along with their idiosyncratic genre bending and blending resulting in a new wave record with Afrobeat and funk sprinkled throughout. The penultimate track ‘Psycho Killer’ is their most famous from this album. The roots of their more mature work (Fear of Music, Remain in Light) can be found here as well.
Beatles
5/5
This is the best early Beatles album. Released at the height of Beatlemania, this album showcases more confident songwriting and features more interesting and sometimes brooding instrumentation. Again, it's incredible to think just how ahead of the curve the Beatles were.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
This album was a great post-punk record. I’ve enjoyed this band throughout this project and found this album to be more straightforward in that it features more of a mainstream rock sound within the post-punk format. The songs are well balanced and accessible and the length of the album is perfect.
Doves
3/5
This album had so much potential but just didn’t quite make it work as well as it could. The music itself is expansive, ambient, and takes influence from Shoegaze, space rock, and the Madchester scene. There’s a lot here to like, especially in a debut album, but some of the ideas just didn’t come together.
Dwight Yoakam
4/5
This was an excellent new traditionalist album. Dwight Yoakam perfectly captures the sound and spirit of the genre while leaning into its honky-tonk elements and showing that he mastered the slow ballad as well. Yoakam was not part of the Nashville scene, something he publicly scorned, giving his music a less pop minded feel though it is still very polished. The first half of the album is thematically unified with the story of a jealous lover ending in murder. The rest of the album is similarly bleak despite the cheeriness of some of the music. Overall, this album succeeds because of its commitment to traditional country music and its lyrical cohesiveness.
CHIC
4/5
Chic is always a fun listen. They pulled together the best parts of funk into a disco format and performed it flawlessly. Nile Rodgers’ guitar work is some of the cleanest I’ve ever heard and Bernard Edwards’ bass work unites the album and is always at the forefront. This album has become influential outside disco, and has made its way into rock, new wave, electronic, and hip hop. The opening track ‘Good Times’ is one of the most sampled tracks ever. My only complaint is that the songs are essentially a loop of the same verse and chorus until the next song.
Dagmar Krause
4/5
I was able to find this album on Youtube. This album is Dagmar Krause's interpretation of Eisler-Brecht songs and is a combination of cabaret and avant garde music that is meant to evoke post-WWI Germany during the Weimar Republic. The songs are stark yet richly brought to life by Krause. The musical backing fits them well and seemingly owes more to 20th century composition than to popular music. With Krause's unique vocal style and emphasis of certain words and tones, I was reminded of Schoenberg's 'A Survivor form Warsaw' which is as high of praise as I can give this album.
Kings of Leon
2/5
This album did manage to improve upon their earlier work mainly in the fact that the singer was less annoying. He was still annoying, but had a touch more control. The band is leaning into more of an arena rock feel here though their southern rock roots can still be felt slightly. I really enjoyed the bass work but I feel like it’s just wasted here. The music is mediocre and the lyrics are juvenile.
The Byrds
4/5
This album can be seen as an American answer to the British Invasion. It features a jangly Rickenbacker 12 string guitar, a similar backbeat, and close harmonies. However, as much as the Byrds owe to the British Invasion, they owe much to the American folk tradition. This album popularized the emergent genre of folk-rock and remains an influence on successive generations of artists ranging from folk to new wave
Kings of Leon
2/5
This is my second Kings of Leon album in as many days. I had another one a couple of months ago. Why there are three albums by this band on this list is truly beyond me. Now my streaming service of choice is going to think I like this band. They are boring, basic, early 2000s indie/alternative rock with a southern rock influence. The music itself isn't bad; it's not terribly good or groundbreaking either. But the thing I've had the biggest issue with is their singer. The vocal choices he makes are absolutely confounding. The affectation is over the top and the delivery sounds intentionally lazy. It doesn't come off as endearing; it comes off somewhere between a bad Ronnie Van Zant impersonation and drunken bar warbling.
Crowded House
3/5
This was an interesting album. It is very grounded in 60s music, especially the Beatles and the Beach Boys (mostly on the second half). There are also elements of college rock and experimental rock. Mostly, its fairly conventional rock music. I wouldn't say that it's groundbreaking or anything but it was enjoyable enough if not a bit long.
Gram Parsons
4/5
This is a seminal country rock album. Unfortunately this was Gram Parsons’ last and was released posthumously. This album belongs to Emmylou Harris almost as much as it belongs to Parsons but his widow was uncomfortable with her late husband’s artistic relationship with Harris. That said, the harmonies between the two are sublime. Their version of Love Hurts is fantastic as well.
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
This albums is a defining feminist punk album if not the defining album of its genre. The trio of Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein, and Janet Weiss play an aggressive and driving music with lyrics that explore politics and romantic relationships (particular the end of the relationship between Brownstein and Tucker). The vocals are forceful and while they take some getting used to, carry a lot of power.
Soft Machine
5/5
This album is a 78 minute opus with only four songs. The genre can loosely be said to be progressive rock, but that doesn't even begin to encompass what is here. Soft Machine have clearly done their homework and are influenced by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and early jazz fusion. This modal jazz influence is the dominant one and the album can be characterized by long passages with a simmering quality before building to a crescendo and starting over again. At no point did this have a noodly quality to it, but rather feels improvisational within a careful framework that the whole band is locked into. In that way it distinguishes itself among other albums of this type.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Led Zeppelin's second album is more refined than their first but is still firmly set in the blues rock tradition. This album is notably heavier than their first, but also more dynamic. The musical range on this album is impressive, especially for a hard rock band. The most striking part of this album for me is the one, two, three punch of Heartbreaker, Living Loving Maid, and Ramble On. Those three songs really signal for me where the band is about to go with their more folk influenced Led Zeppelin III and blockbuster Led Zeppelin IV. The roots were present in their first album, but they really come into their own here.
4/5
I came in suspicious of some of these song lengths. However, I don’t feel like this album was self indulgent like so many albums of this time. This album was simply locked into a groove. The music was a tight mix of funk and Latin music wrapped in a progressive soul package. The musicianship was phenomenal and the album was a lot of fun to listen to.
GZA
5/5
This is a strong contender for the best Wu-Tang solo record. Of course, solo record is a bit of a stretch given that all eight other members of Wu-Tang Clan are present throughout the album. RZA's production is slick and the beats are deliberate and hypnotic. GZA's lyrics are complex, philosophical and cinematic, further punctuated by the interspersed samples from the film 'Shogun Assassin.'
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
I don’t have much of a framework with which to assess this album, but I did enjoy it. The singing was great especially when the harmonies came in. The guitar work and brass work were great as well. The use of African rhythms and melodies within a pop framework worked well and I’d be interesting in learning more about this music.
Van Morrison
5/5
If you listen to one album by Van Morrison, this should be that album. It is a breezy folk based album at its core that incorporates elements of jazz, Americana, and even some baroque instrumentation. The albums has a meandering feel that doesn’t feel lazy or noodly but allows the album to simmer and build. It is incredibly lush and layered and grows more complex the more closely you listen. The praise is well deserved.
The Bees
3/5
This album was very breezy summer indie rock. It was pleasant with some reggae influences and I enjoyed listening to it. However, nothing from it really stuck with me and while listening to it, nothing struck me as notable. It was still a nice listen through.
Einstürzende Neubauten
4/5
Unpopular opinion on this site, but I really enjoyed this album. It is abrasive, confrontational, and experimental. It feels like abstracted industrial music and for whatever reason that appeals to me. The shout sung lyrics along with the noises create a claustrophobic and uneasy feeling which feels very appropriate for this album.
Björk
5/5
This album is Björk at her most vulnerable. Written and recorded in the wake of a breakup, this album ruminates in the heartbreak and healing process showing the whole process. I found this album to perfectly show the cycle of grief which is not a cycle at all. It waxes and wanes, gets caught in though cycles, and has breakthroughs before falling back into sadness. The music is stark, jagged, and lush at times and perfectly complements the lyrics. Björk’s delivery commands attention and is halting, drawn-out, and forceful.
AC/DC
4/5
This to me is the ideal meat and potatoes hard rock album. It features great riffs, great vocal delivery, and very satisfying arrangement. The fact that after the lead singer of AC/DC died, they regrouped and put out their best album is incredible. Of course AC/DC is not known for innovation, a fact they gladly acknowledge, but they have learned how to deliver exactly what is necessary for good hard rock.
The Beta Band
3/5
This album sort of just washed over me. It was fairly bland indie rock. There were some interesting textures, but overall, I didn’t find this to be groundbreaking at all. It certainly wasn’t terrible, but nothing about it stood out to me.
Ozomatli
3/5
This album was a little all over the place. It is primarily Latin funk with some hip hop and jazz influence. I enjoyed this album the most when it kept to the funk and jazz aspects. The rap bits almost feel like an afterthought. It was common at this time to have rap verses but they are never the strongest part of a song.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
This is my favorite Stevie Wonder album. Innervisions has some of the greatest sequencing I've ever heard, that the transitions between songs are perfect. This music is fantastic; Stevie Wonder cycles through several musical moods anchored in classic motown, soul, funk, and jazz to create a musical landscape that complements his lyrics perfectly. The songs deal with themes of drug abuse, racism, love, and even politics in the final song. The result is an album that covers an incredible amount of musical and lyrical ground in its short 44 minutes.
Kelela
3/5
This album is a puzzling one. Electro R&B sounds really interesting on paper and parts of this album were really greats. There are certain drops, synth swells, and sections of vocal layering that caught my attention, but I found that most of this album tended to run together. The production is very clean and the sequencing and song construction is fine, but it does not feel as groundbreaking as its critical acclaim seems to note. I did enjoy this album for the most part though. It was too long by about 15 minutes though.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
This is not Nick Cave’s best album, but it is still quite good. Musically, this album can be described as blues and outlaw country inspired with a punk ethos. There’s a anthemic and sing along quality to some of the choruses as well. Cave’s lyrics are dark, exploratory, and harrowing. In a lot of ways, this album is an early look at a more realized sound that would come to fruition on 1996’s Murder Ballads. Of course, the real star of this album is Nick Cave’s sonorous baritone which gives the heft these songs deserve.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
The ragtime influence is apparent in Count Basie's piano playing and is folded into more contemporary big band jazz forms and chords. Overall, Count Basie is one of the best bandleaders in jazz and this is one of his best records. Big band was one of the longest lasting popular genres and this album was recorded towards the end of its reign. Despite that, the music is still exciting and shows why this music has endured so well.
Grateful Dead
5/5
The Grateful Dead is not known primarily for its studio work, but there are a few stand out studio albums and this is probably the best. It is a journey though proto-Americana, which was one of Jerry Garcia’s great passions. The strength of this album lies in its restraint. The songs are tight and never go off track and the songwriting is fantastic. There’s a lot to be desired vocally, but one of the charms of the Dead is that they seem like they could just be your friends on stage (or your dad’s friends in my case). The instrumentation is layered and well placed as well.
R.E.M.
4/5
R.E.M.'s sixth album continues their political lyrics but departs musically from their previous material. Unlike their minor key college rock sounds, this album leaned into a major key more pop sounding music. This gives way to a highly melodic sound that is more upbeat. The songs are catchy and the album is well sequenced and is the perfect length.
The Beach Boys
4/5
This album is often overlooked in the post-Per Sounds Beach Boys output. It is a very imperfect album. It champions ecological awareness before jumping to idealized 50s pastiche, and a more straightforward rock piece where Mike Love ends with the assertion that students shouldn’t protest. The final three songs are phenomenal. The title track, dating back to the Smile era, has been my favorite Beach Boys song for a few years now and may have been Brian Wilson’s last great piece of production.
Ravi Shankar
4/5
This a historically interesting album because it was the impetus for western music's fascination with Hindustani Classical Music. Ravi Shankar gives spoken introductions to explain how the music works before the songs begin. This album in particular, and Ravi Shankar in general proved to be a huge influence on the late 60s musical scene and can be heard in artists such as the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Byrds, Velvet Underground etc. I've had this album since I was in high school and still enjoy it very much. It's important to listen to this album if you want to understand the late 60s.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
The disco rock sounds works really well on this album. The maximalist impulses are tempered by the fact that the music is well layered. There is a good mix of upbeat and downbeat tracks culminating in the swelling ‘Little Shadows.’ Overall, I really enjoyed this album. It is very much of its time but I really like its sound.
3/5
This album sounds like bebop and punk are in a street fight for their lives. The initial impression is one of chaos, but upon a closer listening, it's revealed to be very controlled chaos. The dual saxophone and dual drum kit approach give the album a sense of urgency though the drums have a bit too much reverb on them and overpower the saxophones at times. The songs are short and to the point and just when you think the song is spiraling out of control, the musicians catch a groove and end the song abruptly.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
This album is all over the place. Peter Gabriel is clearly trying on sounds and genres to find something that sounds like it's his. He comes the closest on 'Solsbury Hill.' The guitar work here by Robert Fripp is great and overall, I think this album succeeds at what it's trying to do though it definitely needs some find tuning and focus. I really enjoyed the variation in rhythms and dynamics which really show flashes of Peter Gabriel's genius, but ultimately find the album wanting.
Mudhoney
4/5
Mudhoney’s first EP is an explosive scene defining record. It is clearly heavily influenced by hardcore and punk and is a transitional album. You can hear the emerging grunge sound though it still favors the punk influences.
Minutemen
5/5
This album was phenomenal. It was essentially a journey through American music told through a punk lens that zoomed in an out from the personal to the societal and back again. I heard influences from hardcore, country, folk, rockabilly, funk, soul, jazz, and spoken word. The album never felt disjointed and the various genres flowed together well. This album is surely one of the greatest punk album I've ever heard and is on par with 'London Calling.'
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Leonard Cohen's debut album is a brooding masterpiece. Cohen's strength has always been his writing and it is front and center here. Many songs here (Suzanne, Master Song, the Stranger Song, So Long, Marianne) are essentials in Cohen's canon. The recording of this album was fraught, and Cohen disagreed with producer John Simon regarding arrangements. However, I think this album works very well and the arrangements highlights the melancholy of Cohen's words well.
New Order
5/5
This album represents New Order’s transition from a straight post-punk band to a more synth-rock/dance rock band. The album starts with a more straightforward song before adding more electronic elements culminating in a full synth rock production. It is one of the best transitions I’ve ever heard. In a groundbreaking career, this is one of New Order’s best albums and that is about the highest praise I can give it.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
I wasn’t quite sure what to think at first, but this album really finds a groove with the phenomenal brass backing band. The album is unfocused and there’s clearly a pull in multiple musical directions especially in the late 60s. There are tinges of folk, psychedelic, R&B, and a huge dose of big band jazz. The backing band is super tight and the jazz rock blend is seamless. The bassist is also clearly one of the hardest working members.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
This is very middle of the road for me. This is based in hardcore punk but is flirting with pop influences well which were already making their way into punk. This band doesn’t seem to want to commit fully to being a pop punk outfit and are most comfortable as a hardcore band. This indecisiveness permeates the album.
Mercury Rev
4/5
This was a very interesting album. I really loved the orchestral touches as I love chamber pop in general. There was an air of experimentality to some of the arrangement which was refreshing to see in a genre where simply adding strings is usually sufficient to make a rock/pop artist seem high minded. These arrangements are thoughtful and stand on their own as opposed to being mere backing. The album lulled a bit in the middle, but was overall a great listen. I will have to visit this album again.
The Saints
4/5
Sometimes it's just nice to have a straightforward punk album. This album was punchy and driving. Though it has less sneer than the Sex Pistols and isn't as experimental as the Clash, this album embodies its time and didn't have a dull moment.
The Beta Band
3/5
This album was fairly middle of the road for me. I really enjoyed the first track and had high hopes for the rest. Unfortunately, the layered textured quality that showcased the best of this album was not found throughout. I did enjoy the final track even if I did find the lyrics trying to seem deeper than they were. Overall I liked it more than I disliked it.
3/5
This album was a decent 80s pop album with synth pop and new wave influences. The music is very much of its time, but I can't really gauge if this album should be considered influential or groundbreaking. It was certainly enjoyable and is a great example of its genre though so I'm giving it a three.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
This album was a great mix of rock, pop, country, and funk. I was familiar with a couple of songs but haven’t listed to Sheryl Crow beyond what I’ve absorbed through radio. The music itself was well produced and well arranged. I found Crow’s voice a bit uneven throughout though I still enjoyed the album.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
As Brian Eno said, everyone who bought an original copy of this album started a band. The Velvet Underground’s first album contains the origins of punk, Krautrock, post-punk, shoegaze, etc. and is considered one of the earliest art rock albums. The music takes earlier and contemporary rock influences, and transforms them into something deliberate, dark, and explorative. The lyrics take on sex, drugs, and the underbelly of the 60s in New York City. Nico’s contribution adds something ethereal with an edge. This album is in a word, essential.
TV On The Radio
4/5
After an initial listen I was struck by some of the vocal layering on this album. The music is post-punk inspired going into grunge with some electronic and chamber pop influences thrown in. There is enough variation on this album to stay interesting but I think I need another listen through to give an accurate rating.
MC Solaar
4/5
This album was fun to listen to. MC Solaar's flow is super smooth and his delivery is clear. He is clearly a very talented rapper (in the running for France's best) as especially evidenced on Bouge de là Pt. 2. The music itself incorporates jazz, African music (owing to his Senegalese and Chadian heritage), and reggae into the beats to produce something which complements hip hop incredibly well. Overall, despite the language barrier, I really enjoyed this album. Compared to other rappers working in 1991, this feels forward thinking and fresh.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
This album was fine but after a listen through I don't remember much of it. It was fairly standard mid 2000s alt-rock. Damon Albarn's work ethic and range is impressive, but of all his projects, this one stood out to me the least.
Morrissey
4/5
This is one of Morrissey’s best solo albums. It opens with a couple of heavier glam rock inspired songs before going straight into a Smiths-like slower song. There is a decent amount of rockabilly here alongside the glam influences. Overall this album is a bit beefier than his earlier work. Lyrically, there seems to be some England first stuff thrown in which is a bit concerning given some of his comments about immigration and race. It’s always been hard to know exactly what Morrissey thinks about certain topics, but I found this album to be a great listen and a worthy entry in the discography of a great artist.
Faust
5/5
Krautrock is such a fascinating genre and this album is one of the classics. This album is rock heavy as opposed to other more electronic based Krautrock records though there is plenty of synth based sounds here. The songs are exploratory and take time to develop which is something I really enjoy. There are moments here which almost sound like jazz-rock fusion to me (Giggy Smile), and others more purely experimental that are more noise based. I haven't listed to other albums by Faust, but apparently this is one of their most accessible.
Frank Ocean
5/5
Frank Ocean is so good that I am actively annoyed that he's not as well known as someone like Beyonce, Usher, etc. He is one of the greatest songwriters/producers currently working. Channel Orange is a journey through genre and emotions. He works his way through R&B, funk, techno, hip hop, pop, soul and inflects everything with gospel like chord changes and melodic movement. In a way naming genres feels inappropriate for him because he truly makes those distinctions feel meaningless. His vocal delivery is perfect and the production and orchestration is sublime.
Little Richard
5/5
Little Richard is who Elvis listened to. Of course Little Richard was fabulously popular during his heyday, but his influence on popular music can be heard everywhere. He shaped his contemporaries, the Beatles, and had a hand in influencing what later became Motown, soul, and funk. His vocal delivery is still as exciting as it was in 1957. He is known as the architect of Rock n Roll for a very good reason.
Klaxons
3/5
This brand of electronic and psychedelic alt rock was ubiquitous at this time, especially coming from the UK. As such I didn’t really hear much here that sounded new for its time. Indeed this sound has been imitated so many times it hard to give it a fair rating at all as there is still much of this sound present in contemporary rock. However, the Klaxons execute this album very well and I really enjoyed it.
Gene Clark
3/5
This album just sort of washed over me. There’s not much here to really grab onto. This is not an outstanding example of folk or country especially for its time. The instrumentation was pleasant enough and the production was fine, but the lyrics didn’t really grab me. Overall, while an ok album, it’s puzzling why it’s on this list when so many better examples of country and folk exist from the same time.
Nirvana
5/5
Enough had been written about this album that I’m not sure what I can say that will add to that. This album is a cultural touchstone. Its lyrics are sarcastic and serious all at once and confront themes of alienation, fame, and social issues. Musically, Nirvana shows the breadth of their influences here from college rock to hardcore and show that they’d truly mastered dynamic shifts and tension build up and release in their music. Groundbreaking does not go far enough to describe this album.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Not my favorite Elvis Costello album. After you’ve heard a few, they all start to sound the same. This one has a jangly grunge approach while incorporating folk and rockabilly which is interesting, but it just didn’t grab me.
Soul II Soul
3/5
This album is very of its time. The mix of African music into a soul and dance format was clever and had occasional moments that really stood out. However, most of the album was fairly bland. I enjoyed it a lot more than other British dance music of the time though.
Slade
3/5
This was a decent glam/hard rock album by a band I’d never heard of. While it was enjoyable enough, not much of it stuck with me. Additionally, the 70s have plenty of better examples of glam and hard rock. Nevertheless, there were some good riffs.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
The incredible thing about Neil Young is just how truly flexible he is. This album contains all of his earlier hallmarks, thoughtful folk music with socially conscious and story telling lyrics. However, as the album progresses, it takes on a heavier punk influenced feel that feels like a pre-grunge type sound. The song begins and ends with the same song, however, while the opener is played on an acoustic guitar with harmonica backing, the closer is played on overdriven guitars. This symmetry is thoughtful and striking in its difference.
The Residents
5/5
This album is a dark churning avant-garde masterpiece. I find that some bands were clunky in their adoption of synthesized music but the Residents use emergent electronic music to great effect. It give the music a menacing simmering quality that makes the listener feel uneasy. Lyrically this album is similarly disorienting. There are moments that predict later experimental acts and call forth contemporary classical music such as Phillip Glass. I enjoyed every weird second of this album.
Haircut 100
3/5
This was a decent new wave record. In particular, I really enjoyed the rhythm guitar and the brass. The production was very clean and crisp as well. However, the album was a bit bland overall. There are much better and more memorable examples of new wave pop from this time.
Elis Regina
4/5
This album really straddled the line between Bossa Nova and modal jazz very well. There were moments that sounded like jazz fusion and utilized electric guitar driven melodies and interesting rhythms. This gives the album a forward thinking feel while still being rooted in traditional music. The musicianship was fantastic and the singing was great. Overall, a really fun album to listen to.
The Waterboys
3/5
I enjoyed this album at first, but it did seem to drag on a bit. I did appreciate the blending of Celtic influences though it was not as striking as the Pogues. Nevertheless, this record was pleasant enough and was a nice calming listen.
Pulp
3/5
This album was good, but ran too long. It is a Britpop centric album with psychedelic, post-punk, and chamber pop influences. While I did enjoy it, I found some of the lyrics to be a bit simplistic though I enjoy Jarvis Cocker’s spoken style singing. Overall, a good record that doesn’t quite meet the threshold of their earlier releases.
Sonic Youth
5/5
This album really showcases Sonic Youth’s shift from a noise based band to a more melodic one. The noise elements are still very much there, but amidst the experimental music, melodies and more structured elements arise giving the album a sense of cohesion and identity and lay the foundation for their best work to come. I personally really enjoy the more avant garde aspects and enjoyed hearing their evolution.
SAULT
4/5
This album is an interesting distillation of soul, funk, gospel, Afrobeat, spoken word, and electronic music told through a lens of blackness and black liberation. The music itself was excellent and the record as a whole worked almost like the soundtrack to a performance art piece highlighting racial injustice and promoting self-realization within a black identity. The album was a bit too long, but I enjoyed it quite a bit though the message felt a bit too mired in platitudes and had less substance than the message deserves.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Nick Cave has become a favorite of mine over the course of this project and this album is no exception. It is a gospel/gothic blues hybrid featuring a very full sound. Occasionally the lyrics were a miss and seemed to be there for the rhyme only, but despite that, this sprawling album holds together quite well.
The Undertones
4/5
This album is a good example of UK punk with a very obvious rockabilly and surf rock influence. The melodies here are memorable and the bass work particularly stands out. It was interesting to hear moments that lean into pop and predict the rise of pop punk in the 90s. I'm not sure how groundbreaking this album is, but it is a good entry into the history of punk.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
When I was younger I would have given this a 1 sight unseen. However, pop has really grown on me and this is a career and decade defining album. The vocals on this album are fantastic of course, though the production and skits are very dated. My biggest issue is the total lack of cohesiveness. There are heartfelt songs interspersed with songs about claiming female sexuality. There’s nothing wrong with mixing up your content, but there are so many sounds here (Latin, gospel, soul, R&B) that don’t blend, but rather transition abruptly. This record plays like a collection of unrelated songs rather than an album. However, due to its influence, it still deserves a 3.
Public Image Ltd.
4/5
There’s a lot going on in this seminal post-punk album. It sounds like a hybrid of the Doors (mostly vocally) and Joy Division. There is a lot of experimental and Krautrock influence as well. I was pleasantly surprised to find John Lyndon fronting this band was was impressed with his musical versatility and embrace of experimental music as I only know him through his Sex Pistols persona. This album is disconcerting and challenging.
Mylo
3/5
This list has been heavy on British electronic music that hasn’t resonated with me but this album was much more enjoyable. I am a fan of house music so despite the length, I enjoyed this quite a bit, especially though headphones. It’s not particularly groundbreaking, but it was a fun listen.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
This album was fairly basic glam rock. There was nothing special about it musically though the musicianship was fine. The production wasn’t great either. There were some strange decisions made on panning which were not smooth at all. The lyrics were incredibly juvenile and most sounded like they were there just to rhyme. There was a whole song about a gang bang which was completely unnecessary.
Supergrass
4/5
This album is coherent yet borrows from multiple genres to form a unique sound. This album first struck me as a post-punk album but as the album progressed, I heard just how melodic and full of pop sensibility it was. We can lump it into the label, ‘Britpop,’ but there’s a lot more to it than that. The seeds of early 2000’s British alternative and indie rock can be heard here though Supergrass is also capable of Beatlesesque finesse and song development. I love bands that take the listener on a journey through their influences and these guys do it well. This is a super impressive debut.
CHVRCHES
4/5
This album is an expertly constructed synth pop record. It may sound dated in a few years, but it perfectly encapsulates the time it was made. There are obvious 80s synth influences and more underground shoegaze drone like sounds as well. I love layers in music and this album leaves a lot to be unpacked. Overall, a great and accessible album.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
I just couldn’t get into this album. It was predictable and repetitive and didn’t seem to be pushing the genre forward in any way. It was fine in the background, but focused listening did not do too much for me. It was also too long for how repetitive it was.
Serge Gainsbourg
5/5
Narratively, this album is a strange, transgressive Lolita-esque tragedy. It is purposefully repulsive and obsessive. Musically, it is phenomenal. It is delivered via spoken word and sung portions. The music features lush orchestration and great funk guitar work. It sounds very much ahead of its time and I feel like Serge Gainsbourg’s discography could be a rabbit hole for me. This album has also been incredibly influential among Beck, Portishead and others.
Ute Lemper
4/5
I understand why this album is divisive here. It’s a shamelessly theatrical chamber/avant-pop record that pulls from French chanson, cabaret, and classical. The songwriting bona fides are quite impressive and I get a distinct melancholy feel to this album. The lyrics are often dark and portray humanity at its most raw. I’m reminded of Lou Reed’s Berlin both lyrically and musically. Though it is a touch dated and perhaps a song or two too long, it was still a fascinating album.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
This album sees Peter Gabriel lean into his love of funk and write more accessible music while retaining the forward thinking elements that make him unique. This album is expansive and decade defining. There is an intimacy here that draws the listener in and keeps their attention. Bonus points for having Kate Bush on a track as well.
Aimee Mann
3/5
One reviewer called this album the Gilmore Girls in album form and I had that same exact thought while listening. The album has a very strong sense of melody and features perfectly fine guitar work. The album is very of its time and definitely sounds dated but not necessarily in a bad way. It’s a good look at female driven music from its time.
Britney Spears
2/5
Britney Spears has certainly been historically mistreated by record companies, her own family, the press, and the public. Her career and image were carefully managed and manipulated and unfortunately the result is not great. This is unimaginative corporate pop designed to sell records and an image. Of course, it’s wild success is why this album is on this list, but this is not good music.
Anthrax
3/5
This album came out a year after Metallica’s Master of Puppets and I can’t shake the resemblance. Anthrax executes thrash metal well, and I enjoyed the album, but it just seems like they’re not pushing the genre forward. That could be own ignorance here, but with other bands of similar genres, they often use each other’s albums as starting points to go forward (such as The Beach Boys and the Beatles).
Bon Jovi
3/5
Bon Jovi clearly know how to write a catchy song. This album contains their biggest hits and a lot of filler. They seem to borrow from their fellow New Jerseyan, Bruce Springsteen, in writing about working class struggles and teenage love. It falls a bit flat under the corporate hair metal veneer though I don’t doubt its sincerity. The highs here are really high, and the rest is middling.
Willie Nelson
5/5
Willie Nelson took a risk here by recording standards and it certainly paid off. His voice and sparse arrangements give these songs a delicacy that they don’t have in their big band versions. The result is full of emotion and subtlety.
The Fall
3/5
This album was the right amount of abrasive. This style of post punk had enough melody to follow along easily, but still had a decent amount of noise and experimental elements. However, this album didn’t completely work for me the whole way through though I enjoyed the last few tracks quite a bit.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5
This album is an essential post-punk record. It is brooding and dark and features great song development. It reminds me quite a bit of Joy Division/New Order. I can also hear this sound in later bands as well. As a debut, this is fantastic.
Screaming Trees
3/5
This was a fairly enjoyable album. Musically it was a mix of psychedelic rock and grunge with a dose of pop sensibility that made the result sound almost like an American version of Britpop. Unfortunately, because of those factors, the grunge aspect was watered down and I didn’t hear much in this album that stood out on its own merit. It was still an enjoyable listen.
Beck
4/5
This album is one of Beck’s best. It begins with nods to his LA roots incorporating elements of alt hip hop and expands to just about everywhere. There are folk, reggae, R&B, alt-rock, blues, and garage elements here and that’s not even everything. The through line here is the groove that carries the album forward. Beck’s lyrics are silly, surreal, and abstract in the best way that preserves a sense of playfulness.
Lorde
4/5
When this album came out, it was a timely examination of the emptiness of party culture and a generation trying to find meaning anywhere they could. Lorde’s critique of a scene she was clearly involved in shows the frustration of trying to squeeze water out of a stone and then going back for more. She was only 19 when she wrote this album so the definitiveness of her words on heartbreak should be taken with a grain of salt. However, I think she expresses truth here quite well. The middle to late section of the album drags a bit and features the weakest songwriting. Unfortunately, Jack Antonoff’s production style has become so ubiquitous that this album already sounds dated.
Pavement
5/5
I listened to this album twice today because it’s so intriguing. Noise meets melody here culminating in something that is rough around the edges, yet has a good ear for catchy hooks. Everything here is intentional, from the wry lyrics to every dynamic shift and seemingly random noise. The result is something special and worthy of its place on the greatest albums of the 90s list.
PJ Harvey
5/5
PJ Harvey’s second album is a masterclass in the use of dynamics in rock music. Her use of non standard time signatures and her lyrics exploring the often dark side of relationships complement each other perfectly giving the album a somewhat dangerous and uncertain feel. Steve Albini’s production brings the album together perfectly and is integral to this album’s sound.
Buzzcocks
5/5
As another reviewer noted, despite the classic punk lyrics railing against society and manufactured music (disco in their eyes), the Buzzcocks sound like they're having a ton of fun. This music is driving, frenetic, and hits all the British punk hallmarks. Of course the instrumentation and progressions are simplistic, this is punk we're talking about. They have a knack for melody as well that borders on a pop sensibility. 'I Don't Mind' could have been made by mid-nineties pop punk bands and sounded perfectly in place.
The Icarus Line
2/5
This album wasn't great, but at least it was long. Released in 2004, this album clearly is trying to be part of the early 2000s garage rock revival, trying to be experimental, yet is firmly rooted in 90s alternative rock and post-hardcore. This doesn't necessarily mean that the record shouldn't work, but there's certainly something not right here. I find when albums are trying to fit too many genres in their music, they end up doing nothing well. That's the case here. The garage rock is watered down and doesn't sound organic or spontaneous, the noise elements seem forced, and the alt rock is bland.
Metallica
5/5
This is one of the greatest metal albums ever. Metallica’s Bay Area thrash roots are on full display here yet are tempered with more melodic impulses. These impulses can be heard in earlier albums, but there are more mature here. The ballads on this album are some of their best songs as well.
King Crimson
5/5
This album is the prototypical prog rock record. Experimental and grandiose it begins with the punchy 21st Century Schizoid Man before plunging into the more introspective and meandering middle three songs before ending with the melodic and anthemic In the Court of the Crimson King. The music here is sometimes driving, sometimes whimsical, and is influenced strongly by jazz, especially bebop. The musicianship is top notch featuring exceptional guitar, bass, and saxophone/horn work.
Janis Joplin
4/5
I had heard much of this album before but never as a whole. Janis Joplin’s voice and delivery were incredibly unique. The natural grit applied to blues rock just works well. Unfortunately, we will never know how her career would have matured as this album was released posthumously.
The Only Ones
4/5
I didn't care much for the first track but this album shaped up rather well. There's a lot going on here. There's really strong punk and pop influences here along with glam and some hard rock influence. Some moments sound Beatlesesque and then others sound like the Velvet Underground. That mixture of melodic pop with a more dangerous sounding punk undertone works very well and creates a unified sound despite the myriad of influences. The languid vocal delivery grated on me at first, but it fits this music well. It sounds flippant almost, but in actuality is carefully placed and delivered. The production is full sounding and layered and the guitar work is particularly good.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
This was a very calming album. The music is slow and deliberate and allows itself to build. A lot of sounds here were adopted by western music especially during the psychedelic period so it's always a pleasure to hear them in their proper context. The use of western instruments was a nice touch as well.
Paul Weller
2/5
This album takes the worst impulses of 90s adult alternative and throws them all together. The lyrics are bad, the music is bland, and the jams remind me of bands that play at local farmers markets and get all the 50 and 60 year olds dancing horribly. Paul Weller's musical pedigree is impressive, and while I can see the appeal of this album despite what I've written so far, I don't believe it is anywhere near as groundbreaking as the Jam. However, the musicianship is good and the production is very good. A lot of work was put into this album in the studio and it shows. Maybe the resources would have been better spent somewhere else.
Scritti Politti
3/5
This album is a bit confounding. It is essentially a distillation of the most extreme elements of 80s synth pop. It relies heavily of MIDI, drum machines, and sampling. While I don't particularly like this album, I did find the song layering interesting. The beats were pretty decent at times as well. There are much better albums of this genre but this was an interesting look into a much maligned genre.
The Slits
4/5
It’s fitting that my 1089th and final album for this project is a seminal post-punk record as that genre has become one of my favorites over the last three years. The Slits are the rare white band that uses reggae and dub elements well. They infuse their defiant punk background with reggae and art pop to create something unusual and truly unique. I can hear the influence of this record in later post-post and fem-punk bands especially in its eclectic and masterful use of various genres.