388
Albums Rated
3.72
Average Rating
36%
Complete
701 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Cheerleader
Rater Style ?
72
5-Star Albums
6
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Crocodiles
Echo And The Bunnymen
|
5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
|
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
|
5 | 3.09 | +1.91 |
|
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
|
5 | 3.11 | +1.89 |
|
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
|
5 | 3.12 | +1.88 |
|
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
|
5 | 3.13 | +1.87 |
|
The La's
The La's
|
5 | 3.14 | +1.86 |
|
Marcus Garvey
Burning Spear
|
5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
|
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
|
5 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Queen II
Queen
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Music From The Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
|
1 | 3.01 | -2.01 |
|
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
|
1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
|
A Night At The Opera
Queen
|
2 | 3.96 | -1.96 |
|
Beach Samba
Astrud Gilberto
|
1 | 2.92 | -1.92 |
|
Out Of The Blue
Electric Light Orchestra
|
2 | 3.64 | -1.64 |
|
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
|
2 | 3.59 | -1.59 |
|
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
|
2 | 3.55 | -1.55 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
2 | 3.47 | -1.47 |
|
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
|
2 | 3.38 | -1.38 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 4.8 |
| The Kinks | 3 | 4.67 |
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.67 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 4.67 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 2 | 5 |
| Echo And The Bunnymen | 2 | 5 |
| The Clash | 2 | 5 |
| Neil Young | 2 | 5 |
| Nick Drake | 2 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 5 |
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 4.25 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.33 |
| Public Enemy | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Queen | 2 | 1.5 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Pink Floyd | 2, 5 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 4, 5, 2 |
| Bob Dylan | 2, 5, 4, 5 |
5-Star Albums (72)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
The Dave Brubeck Quartet · 32 likes
5/5
Smoked a joint and listened to this on vinyl and reading the jacket notes. Got lost in the music. Take 5 is a masterpiece. Put on Miles in a Silent Way after, I don't listen to my jazz collection enough, but I digress. Time Out is a 5.
The Doors · 18 likes
2/5
Well this album does nothing to change my perception that Rge Doors are the most overrated "great" band from the 60s.Even the one hit is pretty icing to me and no other song does anything to save this very ordinary album. 2 🌟
R.E.M. · 15 likes
5/5
Still my favorite REM album, though Reckoning comes damn close. This albums ringing guitars, impossibly tight rhythm section, beautiful backing vocals, soaring melodies and just general youthful exuberance cement this as their best album. REM are a great band and became more mature and polished but they never again matched their early period for pure excitement. Wow! 5 🌟
Gang Of Four · 15 likes
5/5
One of my all time favorite albums. Funky as fuck, with shredding guitars, a rhythm section that cooks and great great lyrics. I am envious of those among you that are going to discover this album and experience it anew like I did some 40 years you're in for a treat. 5 🌟
Echo And The Bunnymen · 15 likes
5/5
This is a seminal album for me. In 1980 I was 18 years old and and was deepening a musical rebirth. Shedding the shackles of classic rock and discovering the joys of alternative rock. Melody Maker and NME were the bibles of my religious awakening. That's where I read about Echo and the Bunnymen and how I was lead to their first album. From the moment the rumbling bass and drum that introduces Going Up, I was hooked. I have the original Canadian release which does NOT include Do It Clean as the second track which is fine by me; I think the ne two punch of those two songs back to back as my introduction to Bunnymen may have caused my head to explode. I won't go into a track by track lovefest, just suffice to say that the album gets stronger and stronger and kick started my now decades long love of British alternative/ post punk music as well as indie/alternative music in general. 5 🌟
1-Star Albums (6)
All Ratings
B.B. King
4/5
Great atmosphere.
Not a big blues guitar fan
The band cooks
I like the way the music doesn't stop even between songs.
The banter between songs can get a little tiresome
His singing on Worry Worry is amazing.
You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now...might be my favourite.
A good listen just not something I would return to
3.75 stars (out of 5)
Anita Baker
2/5
Boring
Her voice is impressive but the songs...nothing interesting.
The arrangements just studio-made formulaic muzak. Nothing about any of it says to me that these are real people making real music.
The antithesis of everything I crave from music.
Funkadelic
5/5
Man this just cooks. How dies Prince become Prince without George Clintin leading the way.
Also some of the best guitar work ever committed to vinyl.
This live versiom of Maggot Brain left me breathless. A 5-star album
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Three songs in all three songs are good. Everybody Kows is excellent. If I were to nit pic I could complain about the 80s production sounding somewhat dated. But the quality of the songs transcends any complaints about production.
First half stronger than second half. But, Tower of Song is a solid album closet. I feel like it's a 4, his earlier albums are slightly stronger .
Foo Fighters
3/5
1st song; This is a Call...great song. No momentum lost with next song.
Weenie Beenie is weak
2nd half of album weaker than the first. A couple almost generic metal songs that I didn't like. I like the album closer
I'll give the album 3 stars though really 3.5
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
I have tried so hard to understand the appeal of this almost universally praised album...BUT I CAN'T! No denying it's uniqueness. It's supposed to be influential but I can't think of another album that sounds like it. I actually like their previous album; isn't Anything. As I type this the last two songs that have come on...Sometimes and Come in Alone are better, more melodic, more to my liking. Still tough to rise above a 2 star rating. I'll wait until the end to post. The last song Soon finally has a discernable beat... sounds like it could be on Isn't Anything why can't more songs be like this one. Today's lasting impression 2nd half of the album MUCH better than first. I will give it another shot. 2.75 stars
Morrissey
4/5
Great album haven't listened to it in many years. Everyday is like Sunday is just such an incredible song. Top 5 Morrissey songs, including The Smiths output. Hardly a dud on the album. I'm tempted to give it a 5 star rating but 4.5 seems right which means 4 stars for this exercise
Minutemen
5/5
Such a good album that is almost impossible to characterize. Great superh
Tight band with good songs. The musicianship is always in service to the song. This gets a 5 from me. Thanks for helping me remember this great album
5/5
What an album. Every song expertly crafted, lyrically poignant. Taking the time and attention to appreciate each songs individual charms and then how each on fits within the tapestry of the albums entirety. Brilliant!
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
What an incredible top 10 for me for sure. One great tune after another. And the Attractions COOK!
Favorite songs; The Beat, lipstick Vogue, This Year's Girl.
5 BIG STARS
Solange
4/5
I never would have heard this albumnif not for this project. I really enjoyed it. Great, jazzy, expressive singing, heartfelt lyrics and interesting arrangements
4 stars
Heaven 17
3/5
A pretty good listen not what I expected. I was expecting an ABC / Spandau Ballet sound...syrupy pop but I got some interesting, sometimes edgy music more along the lines of OMD. Not bad at all.
3.5 stars
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Smoked a joint and listened to this on vinyl and reading the jacket notes. Got lost in the music. Take 5 is a masterpiece. Put on Miles in a Silent Way after, I don't listen to my jazz collection enough, but I digress. Time Out is a 5.
Coldplay
3/5
Lots of good songs
The Avalanches
4/5
Really good album. Highly original but familiar sounding 4 🌟
Carpenters
3/5
Enjoyed this much more than anticipated...still ultimately kind of boring but less so than I thought it would be. 3 🌟
Anthrax
3/5
Damn I liked this. I'm actually shocked. For me this is closer to Never Mind the Bollocks then it is to Paranoid, which I did not expect. The guitar histrionics tend to be short blasts then long drawn out wank-fests.
3 🌟
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
Not a rap fan but I enjoyed this a lot 4 stars
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
1/5
Apparently I had to hear this album once before I die, so I did. That was plenty...1 🌟
fIREHOSE
3/5
Yup these boys can ay. I do hear a lot of the Minutemen signature sound but with more of a singer/songwriter, almost folk sound. Liberty For Our Freind sounds like a Woody Guthrie song. A fine album. 3 🌟
Fleet Foxes
3/5
Lots of hype for this album...5 🌟 from allmusic.com. I've listened a couple of times previously, nothing really caught my ear then and nothing changed on this listen. Fine music but not memorable for me. As an aside the program I use to manage my digital library picks random songs based on the album I listened to ...the song that came on after FF ended...Summer Song by James Yorkston was the most interesting song to me during my FF listening session
3 🌟
Dire Straits
4/5
Just a fine album not a bad song on it. My favourite Dire Straits album. Guitar work is just gorgeous. Almost a 5 but not quite
4 🌟
The Kinks
4/5
I love the Kinks but this 3rd or 4th among their earlier albums for me. Still David Watts, Death of a Clown, Harry Rag and Waterloo Sunset...classics all. Tempted to give it 5 but gotta give it 4 🌟 saving 5 stars for Arthur and Village Green
Echo And The Bunnymen
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all-time, though just my 2nd favorite Bunnymen album. Love me some Crocodiles. 5 🌟 without question.
Daft Punk
3/5
Wow there are some good beats here. Even some cool melodies. Even some Kraftwerkesque stuff in the 2nd half of the album. More enjoyable then I expected. 3 🌟
The Clash
5/5
Stone Cold Classic. One of my top 10 fave albums. 5 🌟. Thanks for reminding me to pull out my original British vinyl ... 4 almost perfect sides
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Don't care for the first song ... not a good sign. 2nd song is better but not doing it for me. So far the song "old" best on the album. 6 songs in 9 to go. Not sure I'll make it to the end.. plan B is good too. Maybe things are looking up. Album has gotten better as it goes on 2nd 3rd better than 1st 3rd. Album starts weak in my opinion picks up steam as it goes buy ultimately not for me. BTW I very much like Searching for the Young Soul Rebels. 2 🌟
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I prefer Yoshimi, but tough to deny the excellent songs, beautiful melodies and innovative arrangements of this unique musical experience.
4 🌟
Sebadoh
3/5
I was introduced to Sebadoh through III whichbI like a lot and Bakesale which I think is brilliant. So I was happy to see them included here and happy the album wasn't either of the two that I already know. Gives me a good excuse to delve deeper into their catalog.
Well, Bubble & Scrape is nowhere near the brilliance of Bakesale and not as good as III either. There are some good songs here maybe one great one but too much Jason Lowenstein on this album and not enough Lou Barlow. I'll listen more but first impressions are that this is a 3 🌟 album
Mudhoney
2/5
Not my thing. Too loud, too noisy, nor enough melody. I suppose some could see the importance of thus band and album in the grunge movement, but not me.
Miles Davis
5/5
My introduction to classic jazz, and what an album. I have a very good vinyl pressing, containing 2 albums one of which is the original release, the second record includes the corrected speed version of side 1, which apparently was cut at a slightly too fast speed as well as an alternate version of Flamenco Sketches. This sounds just so amazing and the music is so brilliant. It really belongs in the collection of anyone with even a passing interest in jazz. A no-brainer 5 🌟album
Spacemen 3
4/5
I am familiar with Spacemen 3 through the album Recurring which has some brilliant moments. This album also has brilliant moments. Starts off with dense hypnotic music that draws me in. Then suddenly Revolution comes on and I think I've morphed into listening to a Stoofes song. Brilliant! More hypnotic sounds culminating in the 11 minute gem Suicide. The only version of the album I found was a 2 hour deluxe edition with some live tracks, alternate takes and other bonus material that proved too much for a single listening session but taken as a 50 minute or so album I think this is great....better than Recurring. 4 🌟
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
Well thecfirst song; You're gonna miss me is FANTASTIC.
2nd song way more psychedelic (I wonder what that burbling sound is...could be a guitar effect, maybe even a human voice...sounds cool though). Some great songs here and I love all the covers. It started out as a 3 star, especially the first song and Splash 1. By the ninth or tenth it was down to 2 🌟, then came 4 straight covers, all excellent. Back up to 3 stars and could get close to 4 with more listens.
3 🌟
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Damn this is a good album I've listened to it before probably 5 times or so and it never really grabbed me....until this time. Great melodies, great songs and I love the Cure cover. O found the thin sounding production but this time I could listen beyond it. So close to a 5 but ultimately a strong 4 🌟
Stereo MC's
4/5
Man!!!
Just a really really really good dance album. I loved listening to this. I think they must have had an influence on Massive Attack. Not quite in that category but close 4 stars
Can
4/5
Well I'm new to Can but I could see them becoming a new obsession. Brilliant rhythms make for an upbeat enjoyable listening experience and one that I think will hold up to repeated listens...already listened twice today. 4 🌟 bordering on 5
Radiohead
4/5
Broke out my double 10" vinyl copy of this excellent album.
Everything in its Right Place starts things off perfectly and you just know this is going to be a challenging and ultimately rewarding listen. Every song creates a mood uniquely its own but the whole album holds together somehow. For me this is Radiohead'sthird best album and that's saying a lot. Not quite 5 stars....4 1/2, but for this project; 4 stars ✨
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
What a great album; choc full of songs that have become "standards" The Boxer competes with The Sound of Silence as my favorite S & G song. What always takes me aback is how these guys can ROCK, as they are known as siger-songwriters/folk stars. But to me bands like Wilco and the Shins owe them a huge debt.
Favorite tracks;
El Condor Passa
Celia
The Boxer
The Only Living Boy in New York
...and of course the title track. 5 🌟
Deerhunter
3/5
Food album with some gorgeous songs. Sweet harmonies, tight rhythms. I'm close to giving this 4 going to settle on 3 🌟
Raekwon
3/5
Pretty enjoyable hip-hop album. Enjoyed all of it. Will revisit which is a good sign.
3 🌟
The Doors
3/5
ah the Doors, liked but never loved except the debut. This one is second fave but penalized one star for overplaying of Riders on the Storm makes
3.5 🌟
Brian Eno
5/5
First heard Baby's on Fire when I was in high school and Robert Fripp became a legend to me from then on. But it was only after discovering Eno through Another Green World that I realized the true genius behind that song. It was only after falling under the spell of the masterpiece AGW that I returned to Here Come The Warm Jets and discovered another Eno masterpiece. I love his way with a melody and his quirky musical genius. 5 🌟 is due just for Fripp's iconic guitar solo on Baby's on Fire, but there's so much more .
The Yardbirds
3/5
Some good songs here. But it doesn't rise to the level of some classic albums of the era. 3.5 🌟
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
I liked this album . I already have four or five Tom Petty albums but never heard his first until today. 4 🌟
2Pac
4/5
This exercise may just yet turn me into a rap/hip hop fan. Another fine album that I very much enjoyed. Not white the quality and menace and diversity of Eminem Marshakk Mathers but pretty f'ing good.
4 🌟
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
A fun album the title track is unmatched and sometimes the rest of the album seems like filler. But the band COOKS!
3 🌟
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Fine album expert arrangements especially the percussion. Love Curtis' voice.
4 🌟
Talking Heads
4/5
Such a good album sometimes I think it's my favorite Talking Heads album.
4.5 🌟
Ute Lemper
2/5
Brand new to me.
First 2 songs YES! 3rd song not so much.
As it goes along I still prefer the opening songs .
Reminds me of Holly Cole at times.
All in all there are some enjoyable moments, particularly The Case Continues and Split but in the end I'm left wondering as I have from time to time with this list; why this artist? why this album?
2.5 🌟
Leonard Cohen
5/5
I was a teenager in Montreal in the 70s, but grew up not knowing Leonard Cohen's music, except Suzanne. Then in my 20s Cohen became cool and his cool factor just kept increasing. However I only bought this album about 7 years ago, listened to it a couple of times since, it's a noisy pressing so I never let it grab hold of me. So today was the first time I really listened to this album. It will now be in my regular playlist. I let it grab hold and its doing so with a vengeance.
5 stars
Ride
4/5
Album starts off with a bang with Seagull exploding from the speakers. Right away I can tell that this album will suit my tastes perfectly. Favorite songs;
Seagull, Kaleidoscope, polar Bear, vapor Trail
4 🌟
The Velvet Underground
5/5
My favorite VU album,which means one of my favorite albums of all time. From the needle drop and the delicate strains of Candy Says barely a note out of place on this incredible album. Some Kinda Love, Pale Blue Eyes, Jesus, I'm Set Free, wow! 5 🌟
Supertramp
4/5
Well this was a nostalgic ride. I had never listened to the album on a good system until now. This was one of the first albums I loved as a 12 year old. Just like then I had to listen to Hide in your shell twice. What a song. Allmusic.com had it right...4 🌟
David Bowie
4/5
What is there to say about this masterpiece of an album. One of Bowie's best which makes it one of rock music's best. Hi-lights; Life on Mars, Changes, Quicksand...man side one is Epic! A somewhat quirky and weaker side 2 keeps this from being a 5 star album...4.5 stars
M.I.A.
3/5
Pretty damn good album of dance tunes interesting and provocative. Love the samples of Roadrunner, Where is My Mind and of course Straight to Hell which I actually already knew of. 3.5 stars
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
I enjoyed this album. For me the music hit the right chords, the raps though mostly lightweight are fun and sometimes quite humorous. But it's the music that pulled me in and made for an enjoyable listening experience.
3.75 🌟
Queen
2/5
I don't like Queen and I did not like this album. What can I say about an album in which Bohemian Rhapsody is one of the least pretentious on the album. Yikes!!!
2 🌟
Jamiroquai
2/5
Did not really like this album. Sounds like smooth jazz, ie. Boring. 2 stars
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
A very enjoyable listen. Beautiful songwriting, dramatic phrasing and arrangements. Though the music is not my usual fare, the talent is undeniable. His voice is expresdivecand powerful and the melodiescate memorable. 3.5 🌟
The Offspring
3/5
Starts out really fun. The kind of Rock music that I like. Great drums, nice melodies driving bass. Really good in the middle not quite as strong g towards the end but overall a solid album 3 stars.
Moby Grape
4/5
This was a fine album. Good bluesy rock, great vocal harmonies and fine songs. Seemed fresh and new. I'm glad to have been introduced to it. 3.75 stars
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
This is an excellent album that I only knew the 2 big hits from. The hits are all time classics that I believe are brilliant, however other songs like "Coming Backbto Me", 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds", "Embryobic Journey" Are more than worthy of attention. Hard pressed to find any filler. I'm tempted to rate it a 5 but I will hold back and give it a 4.5.
Justice
2/5
Album didn't do much for me. A couple times I said "yeah this is cool" but just as many times I said "pretty annoying". Don't foresee a second listen for this. 2.5 🌟
The Kinks
5/5
ALready my third Kinks album in this exercise. I love this album. Ray gives us such wonderful little vignettes with colourful characters and places. Many memorable songs. Love it. 5 stars
Grizzly Bear
3/5
No denying the ambitiousness of this album and the musicianship is laudible as well as the complex arrangements. They remind me of Steely Dan. Now having said that I've owned this albvum for at least 5 or 6 years and I've listened to it only 5 or 6 times. So something about keeps me at arms length. I'll give 3.5 stars
Iron Maiden
3/5
Well this one surprised.me. this is so far removed from what I was listening to in 1980. But I enjoyed it. I think because the guitar wakety was left to a minimum replaced by beautiful 2 guitar interplay. The singing was restrained and the playing was of course skillfull without being too showy. 3.5 🌟
Hugh Masekela
4/5
A wonderful album. Very much in the style of Miles Davis Prestige years; Cooking, Working, etc.... I really enjoyed this album and plan to listen to it tomorrow again. 4 🌟
Garbage
3/5
I figured I'd like this album...and I do. Solid indie rock. Songs are all good if not that memorable. I will listen to it again. 3.5 🌟
Lambchop
3/5
I enjoyed this album it was a little too mellow but interesting listen. 3.5 stars
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Not my favorite S & G album but it has Mrs. Robinson and Hazy Shade if Winter. Enuf said. 4 🌟
X-Ray Spex
4/5
A fine nostalgic for me blast from the past. Great songs about consumerism. A favorite of mine
Black Sabbath
4/5
Man this one shocked me. I enjoyed almost every minute. I had no idea...Sabbath doing a piano ballad and doing it with taste and a memorable melody I'm tempted to go 5 stars but I'll keep it at 4.5. Put no doubt this is a great album.
Cee Lo Green
3/5
Lots of interesting stuff here. Lots of different styles in play. As usual way too long so I can't say that it held my interest through to the end but enough interesting moments to make it a worthwhile listen
3.5 🌟
Tito Puente
3/5
nice upbeat latin jazz. Percussion heavy, cool vibraphones. Good vocals. Very nice music to enjoy during dinner. Wouldn't consider it a "Must Listen" or essential in any way but definitely enjoyable. 3 .5 stars
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Dusty has a very nice voice. No chances taken certainly as I feel like this is her comfort zone. Hi-lights for me; 24 hours From Tulsa, Wishin' and Hopin', Don't You Know (a tour de force bluesy rave-up) and Can I Get a Witness. Dusty'y voice is really very good, full of character and very versatile. The material is just OK! 3.5 stars
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Meh. 3 stars8
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
This is a forgotten favorite from my youth. Favorite might be too strong an adjective as I liked it never loved it. Marianne's voice is an acquired taste; all tobacco stained and whisky soaked. But the songs are tough and uncompromising, (check out Why'd ya do It) for about as raw a lover scorned song as you will ever hear), and her take on Working Class Hero, the Lennon classic, is absolutely definitive. I do love the arrangements and listening to this for this first time in many years was a nostalgic and rewarding experience. 4.5🌟
Neu!
4/5
This is a very enjoyable listen. New to me but sounds fresh and interesting. Melodic and rhythmic. I will definitely return to this album
4 🌟
Steely Dan
3/5
It's a fine album with great sound, flawless production and expert musicianship. Just not the type of music that draws me in. Sometimes sounds like elevator music. 3.5 🌟
Janet Jackson
3/5
Surprisingly enjoyable listen.
3.5 🌟
T. Rex
4/5
This is a great album. I discovered within the last few years and everytime I put it on I feel both nostalgic and fresh as the music is really timeless. One of my favorite "discoveries" 4.5 stars
New York Dolls
4/5
A great album of sleazy rock and roll. Great guitar work interesting touches like the piano in personality crisis. Still holds the seeds of Punk with the energy and the do whatever we want attitude. A very important album. 4.5 stars
Al Green
4/5
Mmmmm buttery smooth, but it still grooves. The epitome of soul. The horns add the requisite amount of tension while the rest of the arrangements are smooth as silk. This is a great album. Did I mention how smooth it is. 4 stars
Rod Stewart
4/5
This is a very good album, the song selection is near perfact for Rod's gravely voice. I vacilate between this album and his debut as to which is my favorite. 4.5 stars
The Stranglers
3/5
Was once my favorite Stranglers album but it hasn't aged well. Still love Sometimes, Hanging Around and Get a Grip on Yourself, but the rest sounds dated and old. A 3.5 stars
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Wow forgot how excellent this album is. Side one ... the accoustic side has a poignant social conscience theme that centers on aboriginal issues. Very powerful. Side 2 is the rocking side that packs a punch that Neil Young is so adept with. Is it 5 stars? Not quite 4.5 stars ✨
The Monks
4/5
Very cool album...I will listen to it again and probably again and again. I can't believe this has not been discovered by me to date, Right up my alley 4 stars
Alice In Chains
2/5
Nope...not for me. 2 stars
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
definitely some interesting songs here. Ultimately not the style of music that I enjoy but I think that the historical significance is inescapable. Seems like a 3.5 star for me.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
Blues is not usually my jam. I think this is the second time listening to this album; the first time through I was not grabbed at all...this time definitely moreso. Summertime is my personal favorite and the one two punch of that song and Piece of my Heart is worth the price of admission. Though I find the gutar on Ball and Chain heavy handed Janis' vocals are tour de force. And there are other incredible vocal performances. I'm giving it a 4 which after my first go through I would have never thought would happen. Maybe it will increase still on my next listen (hard to find to listen to anything but the next two on the list (yeah I'm doing 2 per day.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Another brilliant Leonard Cohen album. I love the spare arrangements. Songs are all memorable. His idiosyncratic voice is perfect to express the beautiful lyrics. 4.5 stars
Sigur Rós
3/5
I like it. More appreciation this time around then when I first heard it several years ago. Relaxing, meliw yet edgy and interesting 3.5 🌟
The Saints
4/5
Great stuff from The Saints. Almost as good as Stranded. I've only discovered this great band in the Las few months I'm so glad I did. Really great stuff
5/5
Not much to say a near perfect album that would be difficult to tire of. 5 🌟
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
Pretty good though a bit repetitive. Not my favorite hip hop discovery that honor goes to the Marshall Mathers LP so far. But still some good stuff here. 3.5 🌟
Gene Clark
3/5
Lovely album worthy of more listens before I die 3.5 🌟
Roxy Music
4/5
Side one is approaching masterpiece status. One great song after another. Unfortunately side 2 slows down appreciably but not to the extent to give this great debut anything but a great score 4.5 stars
Orange Juice
3/5
Some nice Ska/reggae influenced pop. Had heard the name but none of the music. I like it, very much in the vein of General Public. I wish the tempos were a little faster sometimes, but a enjoyable listen. Makes me curious to check out the 2 albums that bookend this one, both if which allmusic.com hold in higher esteem then the one chosen by the authors. 3.5 🌟
The Doors
2/5
Well this album does nothing to change my perception that Rge Doors are the most overrated "great" band from the 60s.Even the one hit is pretty icing to me and no other song does anything to save this very ordinary album. 2 🌟
Beck
4/5
Cool album. A real kitchen sink full of ideas and styles. 4 🌟
John Prine
3/5
Some great songs here. I liked it. 3.5 🌟
Beastie Boys
3/5
I've never quite understood the critics darling status of the Beastie Boys, then again never heard much beyond Fight for your right to party. This album did not do anything to turn mexaround to the Beasties. I'll charitably give it 3 🌟
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
A very nice album. Not sure about the rendition of Spanish Harlem which seems out of place and some of the other covers as well but lots of very good songs and the harmonies are slays spot on.
4 🌟
Tracy Chapman
4/5
This is a really good album. Deep, soulful, emotive singing. Politically charged "protest" lyrics, that also sound personal. Toe tapping arrangements and excellent if slightly dated production touches, the songs are great. A classic of its time and If I remember correctly hugely influential in kikcstarting a rebirth of the singer songwriter genre. 4.5 🌟
Joan Baez
4/5
I wish I could say that this was a revelation for me. Maybe it would have been if I were a teenager when it was released but I have to listen through the spectrum of my already established tastes. 4 🌟 just for her angelic voice and the intimate recording.
Frank Zappa
3/5
Jazz fusion not really my thing but this album has its moments for sure. Especially during The Gimbo Variations. The playing is insanely hot throughout, not only Zapoa's playing but his band cooks
3.5 🌟
The Black Keys
4/5
1st song has the same feel as T Rex ... Mambo Sun.
Then a couple hits that I recognize. So far I like the slow bluesy feel of this album. The Only One stands out so far. As does the follow up track; Too Afraid to Love, and it actually continues pretty much all the way through slow burn closet These Days. An excellent album 4 🌟
Echo And The Bunnymen
5/5
This is a seminal album for me. In 1980 I was 18 years old and and was deepening a musical rebirth. Shedding the shackles of classic rock and discovering the joys of alternative rock. Melody Maker and NME were the bibles of my religious awakening. That's where I read about Echo and the Bunnymen and how I was lead to their first album. From the moment the rumbling bass and drum that introduces Going Up, I was hooked. I have the original Canadian release which does NOT include Do It Clean as the second track which is fine by me; I think the ne two punch of those two songs back to back as my introduction to Bunnymen may have caused my head to explode. I won't go into a track by track lovefest, just suffice to say that the album gets stronger and stronger and kick started my now decades long love of British alternative/ post punk music as well as indie/alternative music in general. 5 🌟
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sonic Youth is enigmatic for Mei should like them more than I do but something keeps me at arms length. I own this on only but this would be maybe only the 4th or 5th time I've listened to it. The first song Schizophrenia is a great start I like it a lot has a similar feel to Teenage Riot. But nowhere else do I get the same feeling. Could be it just requires more effort on my part... I'll keep you posted if things change. 3.5 🌟
Bob Dylan
2/5
This album never really worked for me. 2.5 stars
The Undertones
4/5
This album is 100% fun to borrow from Matthew Sweet. This is pop punk at its best. Fearful Sharkeys voice gives the album a note of whimsy, but the chorus are as tough and ucompriing, 3 75 stars
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
This is a fine slice Springsteen goodness. One of his most consistent albums song after song is good with a few great one's thrown in; Lonesome Day, Empty Sky and the title track. The E Street Band absolutely cooks look seldom since Darkness on the Edge of Town, if you're more Springsteen appreciator rather than mega fan, as I am, don't sleep on this excellent album 4 stars
Neil Young
5/5
Great great album. 2nd best after After The Goldrush and man it's close. 5 🌟
The Mars Volta
3/5
A very powerful album intense and deep. Stylistically varied and interesting. Can't possibly absorb it all in one listen but I intend to delve deeply in the coming days
3.5 🌟
Tom Waits
3/5
Pretty good album. A couple of excellent songs but a little slow. 3 stars
Stan Getz
5/5
A Stone cold classic and highly influential album. Introduced jazz lovers in North America to bossa nova. What more is there to say. 5 🌟
Richard Hawley
2/5
Not bad as far as crooners go. Nothing I would crave for but my wife would enjoy 2.5 🌟
Jeff Beck
4/5
Musically a fine album indeed. Rod Stewart sounds amazing. But some of the song choices; Old Man River? Greensleeves? Am I supposed to a middle class white Brit performing these "slave" songs. That notwithstanding I'm not really a "blues " guy. But, no denying the sound and the epic guitar playing. For me 3.75 🌟 which translates to...
The White Stripes
4/5
It's a very good album but a notch below White Blood Celks which is a more consistently satisfying listen. An extra 1/2 pojnt for Seven Nation Army; Jack White's most iconic song. 4.5 🌟
Miles Davis
4/5
I've never heard this iconic album until today. I have heard, own and love In A Silent Way. Bitches Brew is very much cut from the same cloth. The atmosphere, the feel, the playing is so similar to In a Silent Way that it sounds like they were both taken from the same studio sessions. Do I like it as much? not yet. Will I?
maybe. I'm tempted to give it 5 stars which is how I will rate IASW, but it's too new in my listening life so 4.5 🌟
The Soft Boys
4/5
This is a great album. Love it. Robyn Hitchcock criminally under-rated (by me). I only had Can of Bees previously but this album way better. 4.5
Ryan Adams
4/5
This is a really nice album for Ryan Adams. Not sure why he isn't a bigger star. Very in the mold of singer/songwriter style of the 70s. He has lost some of his alt-country sound on this one and gone for a more straight ahead rock/pop sound. It does lack some of the soul of Heartbreaker, but still a strong set of songs...4 stars
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Wow this is a damn good album, less arty, more polished than Fever to Tell and just a notch below. The dance tracks are very good, the more arty tracks are good but as I say a notch below Fever to Tell. A nice discovery 3.75 🌟
John Grant
3/5
Interesting album. Seems from the reviews I've read this album is not nearly the high point of his career. Seems better work was done both earlier with his band The Czars and a few years later with his third and 4th album. But I like the album so it definitely makes me curious to delve deeper. 3.5 🌟
3/5
It's a fine album though a little over-rated. The production is overly dark with the guitars buried, perhaps even dated sounding. But the songs are pretty good though, again over-rated and over played. A pretty enjoyable listen though.
3 5 🌟
Le Tigre
4/5
Man the first three songs of this album are stellar. I love the Cassavetes tune...in fact all of side one is great. Side two slows down the pace of great songs unfortanetely keeping this fine album from a full 4 star rating from me. 3.75 stars
Beatles
5/5
One of my favorite Beatles albums, if only Yellow Submarine had remained on the cutting room floor might be a 6
5 🌟
Deep Purple
3/5
Loved this album in high-school. It hasn't aged well for me. Songs are too long the solos are too long and indulgent. But it sounds great. 3.5 🌟
Miles Davis
5/5
Sometimes my favorite MD album, always reveals new and interesting elements with each new listen. Until yesterday Bitch's Brew was new to me but not new to me because In a Silent Way is an old favorite cloth. Bitches Brew might be more ambitious and more varied but I still prefer In a Silent Way for its more consistent mood and its the beautiful atmosphere it creates in each song. No brainer; 5
D'Angelo
4/5
Finally a hip-hop album that is less than an hour long. Not really my type of music but the production is good and there is a sophistication to the sound and to the songs especially that I like and that sets it apart. Some really interesting production touches and instrument choices, Is that vibes I hear in Me and those Dreamin' eyes of Mine? Not sure but that jazzy guitar is really cool. Has a classic soul sound that I like but remains modern. On the negative side; the songs tend to be too long. I don't think it's a coincidence that my favorite song also happens to be the shortest one; Smooth, with it's smooth jazzy piano 3.75 stars
Venom
2/5
Ok so it's not my jam but I definitely liked it more than I expected. Probably as close to punk as metal gets. 2.5 🌟
The Pogues
4/5
I live this album. The highlights are plenty. Dirty old Town, Pair of Brown Eyes, Waltzing Matilda and my favourite I'm a Man You Don't meet Everyday.. Shane McGowan is such a great singer and though his song writing had not yet peaked you could see here what a magnetic front man. A near perfect album. 4.5 🌟
Randy Newman
4/5
Wow what an jntelligent, witty engaging listen this album is. Randy Nrwman" pop sensibilities are finely honed. I just wish there were less string arrangements which I feel sweetens things up too much, but it's always tastefully done and serves the song well. 4.5 🌟
Public Enemy
5/5
This was my first ever hip hop / rap album and still perhaps my favoeite. like most albums of this genres i wish it were 10 minutes shorter, but its got great tunes. It does sound a bit samey throughout but it still manages to keep me interested to the. 4.75 ⭐️
Radiohead
5/5
What an album perhaps Radiohead's best collection of songs. Absolutely no filler. The 123 punch of The Bends, High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees is nonpareil. Maybe it lacks the experimentalism of OK Computer and Kid A, but the songs are so strong that I can forgive the fact that it fits neatly into into the alt-rock formula. Besides you can see the seeds of OK Cokmputer in the closing track. I LOVE THIS ALBUM! 5 🌟
The Human League
3/5
Well it's a decent dance/pop/now wave record with one great song. 3 🌟
Queen Latifah
2/5
It's OK a little light-weight. 2.5 stars
Common
4/5
Another enjoyable hip hop album. More smooth than others of the genre, both in the music and raps which have a warmth of subject line relationships, family etc... a nice mature soulful sound. Half way through and enjoying the generally positive message.
Then comes Chi city which has what I perceive as more traditional rap theme's...life on the streets, police conflict, etc. Still a pretty smooth sound to the music. 3.75 🌟
Eagles
3/5
So over-rated. Yes hits ate fine I suppose, though Witchy Woman I could live without. Why can't I live in an alternate universes where bands like The Jayhawks and Wilco are superstars and The Eagles are the "good" band that most people have never heard of. Of course in that universe I'd probably give this album 4.5 stars. In this universe Eagles gets 3 🌟
Sex Pistols
5/5
What an album. Perhaps the most influential album of the rock era. After this nothing would be quite the same. All thus would be hyperbole if the songs weren't so fucking good. Some of the hardest most uncompromising rock music ever committed to tape. It's a masterpiece. 5 🌟
Barry Adamson
4/5
Really enjoyed listening to this excellent album. I am familiar with Adamson's work only through his band Magazine, which did not prepare me at all for the music on this album. Full of funky rhythms, jazzy flourishes and a huge sound. Check out the Big Bamboozle for Ellington style big band jazz. 4 🌟
Queen
1/5
OK...I don't like Queen, and this album did nothing to change that. In my mind it is over-wrought, over-produced, pretentiously boring, soul-less music YMMV
1 star
Bob Dylan
5/5
My favorite Dylan album and its not really close. One amazing song after another. What can you say about an album in which one of the most iconic songs of a generation is my least favorite on the album. The easiest 5 star rating so far.
Brian Eno
4/5
well this is an interesting album from Mr. Eno. Be told I<m a fan of Eno but never heard this before. I think Another Green World is brilliant. as is Here Come The Warm Jets. Taking Tiger Mountain.... and Before and after science are great but not quite uo to the lofty standards of AGW. So where does this album fall...Not sure. It;s great late-night, lights out music that blends into the background but also bears stands up well to further scrutiny. After it finished I wanted to hear it again. I hear some of AGWs quieter moods in the opening piece which aided in my appreciation of the album. I can see this becoming an addictive album. 4 stars with a bullet
Crowded House
2/5
kind of a boring uneventful listen. Finely crafted pop music but nothing stands out or excites. 2.5 stars
N.W.A.
3/5
The album starts out strong. The first two tracks have kick-you-in-the-mouth directness that is startling and invigorating. But then the sameness of the beats and the themes and the rhymes starts to wear on me. That monotony is broken up by a couple tracks where the mixes are more varied, more funky; Express Yourself thanks to the sample of the classic track from Charles Wright is one example. As well as my favorite track; Parental Discretion Iz Advised. I appreciate that this is a breakthrough album from the genre and it has some fine moments for me, but the rentlessness keeps me at arms length. 3.5 stars
Traffic
4/5
You know how sometimes you forget about artists and albums. How much you enjoy them or it? Case in point Traffic and their wonderful album; John Barleycorn Must Die. Was anyone else quite sounding like Traffic in the 70s, with their jazzy vibe ? Sax sometimes taking the part of guitar like on album opener, Glad. And of course the title track is just gorgeous - what a beautiful melody. I love this album and I'm happy the 1001 albums led me back to give it alisten...(I actually listened twice). 4 stars
Iggy Pop
4/5
This is a fine album with a couple of iconic songs...Lust for Life and The Passenger and some fine songs to fill it out; Success, Some Weird Sin, Neighborhood Threat and Tonight rock hard and help me to imagine the glory days of The Stooges, but with better licks. But that title tune I just never tire of; from the Lou Reed style sado-masochistic lyric to the incredible drumming. Just about damn perfect. No, the rest of the album doesn't quite approach it but damn it often comes close. Case in Point the stinging guitar and driving rhythm section of closer Fall In Love With Me. 4.5 stars
The Beach Boys
5/5
Need I say more? One of the most important albums of the 60s indeed of the rock era. 5 stars
Pere Ubu
3/5
well this is a weird and challenging listen but none that I think will prove worth the effort it demands from the listener. The lead singer's vocal style is well unique, lots of high pitched wails that match so well with the music. 3.5 stars is where I will start - let's see if further listening will earn it a higher rating
The Temptations
4/5
Side one is kinda revelatory...what if The Temptations worked together ... the song Cloud Nine might just be the result. Next is a great take on Heard it Through The Grapevine and the 9 minute closer is another funky, introspective freak out that packs a real punch. Love side one. Side two gets back to more familiar territory, silky smooth vocals, lush production with plenty of strings...syrupy sweet. This is a great album for someone who wants a taste of the classic Temptations sound and a glimpse into their experimental side. 4.25 stars
Nas
3/5
Really good raps. that are engaging and well writen. I wish the music was more interesting , more nuanced. Most songs are just drum beats an a single synth figure that often sounds like a vibraphone. Some more varied instrumentation would help in my engaging in this otherwise excellent album Having said that it deserves further exploration. 3.5 stars
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
The Blues just ain't my thing. 3 stars
Korn
3/5
enjoyed this much more than I expected to. Truthfully I did not know what to expect. Of course I had heard of Korn but I don't think I've ever heard a song. I wasn't even sure what style their music is. It's still hard to pin down; there re elements of heavy metal, rap, grunge, progressive. I don't like all of it, the vocals are generally a miss for me with some exceptions, the guitar sound is a little heavy and plodding in spots, but all-in-all an enjoyable listen. 3.5 stars
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Live this album such energy and passion. And the songs are great. The high-pitched, warbling vocal style is an acquired taste, but one that I have acquired and now crave. These women rock with enthusiasm and they have the chops...especially the drums which are exemplary. Can sound thin due to the 2 guitar no bass set up but never shrill, I can say as a bass player and bass lover that I don't miss
it. 4 🌟
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
An absolute classic album. Defines reggae for me. 4.75 🌟
Culture Club
3/5
I was prepared to dump all over this album, but I like it. I'd be fine if I never heard Karma Chameleon ever again. But there's no denying there's a few very good songs including the afore mentioned mega hit. That's The Way and Church of The Pouson Mind being standouts. A real snapshot of what hit music was in the 1980s. 3.5 🌟
The Go-Betweens
4/5
Such a beautiful album...probably my favourite Go-Betweens album. Lush and subtle with poignant lyrics. Close to 5 stars, but ultimately 4 for me because it's not a style that I turn to often
Chicago
5/5
A really impressive album equal parts big band jazz, hard rock, including some screaming guitars, some gorgeous melodies and an impressive collection of songs that show this band began as a fully formed band. And it ROCKS HARD! Case in point the impressive cover of Spencer Davis Group's I'm a Man. A very impressive debut that shocked me how good it is. Despite some moments of self indulgence like the album closer "Liberation", I'm giving it 5 🌟
Manu Chao
4/5
An absolutely fascinating. So many styles and really interesting sounds. Each song seems to have something compelling about it. I like the switch from Spanish to French and back again. I have no clue how to classify the music on this album but I do know I am very much looking forward to the next listen and discovering more layers of goodness. 4.5 stars
The Pogues
4/5
If you want an introduction to the Pogues this probably the album to start with. If you don't like this album you won't like the Pogues. True it does stray from the strictly Irish folk song paradigm and adds some middle-eastern rythms and an Iberian flavour on one song but they maintain their folky feel and traditional acoustic instrumentation, that still feels classic Pogues. Shane still dominates and sounds as gloriously drunk and loose and above all poignant as ever. And, of course, this album contains The Pogues most iconic and perhaps most beautiful (though that's debatable, song; Fairytale of New York. Can you tell that I love this album? 4.5 🌟
Oasis
4/5
A very good album, this is maybe the third time I've listened to it and it was the most impressive. I always was of the opinion that Blur was the superior band but this album now makes it a closer race. The album rocks and has great songs. A fine album 4 atars
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
I know it's blasphemus but I don't really enjoy this album. Not the kind of music that draws me in. I'm not a guitar player so many of the subtleties of Hendrix's talents are lost on me. All Along the Watchtower is great 3.5 stars
Nick Drake
5/5
A sad, beautiful album. Like Nick's life it's all too short at just 31 minutes bit with enough emotional impact to fill most box sets. Each song has a restrained beauty and the guitar playing is achingly gorgeous. 5 big 🌟
Massive Attack
5/5
From the opening burbling bass of Safe From Harm, I was hooked. What a song. What an album. Genre defining. I love Mezzanine which is a more consistent album but the high points of Blue Lines are enough to carry the album to a 5 🌟rating
The Beach Boys
4/5
A new discovery for me and one that I really enjoyed. You can hear the growth that reached it's zenith with Pet Sounds, buty this one has a similar feel and dare I say may be a little more accessible. 4 stars
Ray Charles
4/5
A near perfect dinner party album. I love the brassy big band arrangements, the lush string arrangements, not so much, but the fact that he makes it all work is a testament to his talent 4 stars
Elvis Costello
5/5
One of the great debuts of all time and a long time favorite of mine. Not a dud song on the album. 5 stars 🌟
Pulp
3/5
This is a pretty good album that I liked, but didn't love. I think the sometimes too theatrical presentation kept me from really loving it. Common People is a great song as well as Monday Morning and FEELINGCALLEDLOVE also had a feel that I really enjoyed the rest of the album had moments but nothing that reached the levels as these three songs. 3.75 🌟
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
I really enjoyed this album, the grooves are tight, the bass playing is amazing, and the songs are great. I expected a much more light-weight album but got a funk driven rockin good album 3.75 stars
Neil Young
5/5
An amazing album, one of Neil Young's best. Its sad and poignant and powerful, The title track is the highlight of course but there are other great songs too.
5 stars
Machito
4/5
Wow this is a really good big band jazz album. The brass is startling and sounds bright and warm at the same time. The rhythmic drive is intoxicating. Mmmm such wonderful playing. This adds another beautiful album to my collection of wonderful jazz albums of the 50s. 4.5 stars
Jazmine Sullivan
3/5
Not a bad little hip hop / neo soul album. Nothing remarkable though interesting conceptually where themes of female (sexual) empowerment. 3.5 🌟
Supergrass
4/5
This is a very accomplished album. Is it as good as I Should Coco, their brilliant and much lauded debut? I'm not the one to ask. You see In It for the Money is my introduction to Supergrass and as such will always hold a unique place for me. Regardless In it for the Money is a GREAT brit pop album and packs a rockers punch that other more celebrated albums of the genre never quite reach for me. Every song has their charms. I had forgotten how good an album this is. 4.5 stars.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Absolutely gorgeous soundscapes created by this choral group. A treat to listen to. The production is spot on and the sound is crisp and clear enough to appreciate the individual voices within the ensemble. Another listen reveals that though the MUSIC LBM make is undeniably beautiful, the SONGS lack individual character thus that I can not say when one ends and another begins, leaving the experience ultimately lacking. Bottom some fine moments and overall some beautiful music but no great or memorable songs. 3.5 🌟
The Fall
4/5
It's incongruous that I don't really know the music of the Fall. Late 70s early 80s alternative music is MY era, so why did the Fall escape my grasp? Anyhow my first listen to this album and I very much enjoyed it. It's got some dissonance that reminds me of PiL. Definitely has an avant-garde feel which might explain why it escaped my radar. But even using these descriptors it still had some accessibility. 3.75 🌟
Aphex Twin
2/5
It's pretty good but I do prefer my synthesizers when they are serving up some melody and some traditional song structures. Though the sounds from this album are gorgeous in spots, the music doesn't connect 2.5 stars
Gene Clark
4/5
A damn good album. Filked with excellent songs, deft playing and ahead of its time production, at least to these ears. Very happy to make the discovery 4 🌟
Elton John
4/5
Side 1 of Madman Across the Water is among the greatest sides of music of the singer-songwriter era, or any era for that matter. Tiny Dancer, Levon, Razor Face and the title track make for an incredible 20 minutes of listening and helped define the mid-70s period for me.
Side 2 can't help but be a let down in comparison. Nothing terrible on side 2 but nothing very memorable either. Keeps it from being a 5 star album, but shit it's close. 4.5 stars
Bob Dylan
4/5
Ok...so is it sacrilege to say that Blonde on Blonde pales in comparison to Highway 61, Revisited? Well for me it does. I also prefer Blood on the Tracks, and possibly Bringing it all Back Home. But this is a review of B on B. It's a great album but for me it's more along the lines of The Basement Tapes, more feel than substance. In my opinion there is a pretty high rate of filler on Blonde on Blonde in comparison to some of Dylan's best but it's still Dylan during his most creative period, but I just don't think that it's the all time classic that it is widely considered to be. 4.25 stars
Lauryn Hill
3/5
I like the album I don't love it and I have little urge to seek it out when I want a dose of hip hop. 3 stars
Beach House
4/5
A very nice album, moody sad, melodic. Really lively music and feel. 4 🌟
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Some good songs but some that are about as silly and novelty-like that it really makes it hard to take it seriously. Three good songs is worth a 2.5 🌟 rating from me
Doves
4/5
An old favorite of mine. This is a very good album. I would have chosen Lost Souls, personally. Though not as consistent as The Last Broadcast, TLB lacks the greatness that Lost Souls has in spots. Still a fine album.... 4 🌟
Boards of Canada
3/5
Not really my kind of music but this record does have its moments. I've listened to this album 3 times in the last couple weeks and I will say that each listens opens up new vista's I had yet to hear. Melodies seem more pronounced and varied.
Sounds previously unnoticed are now taking up permanent residence in my brain. Monotony is giving way to hypnotic. Thus is the first listen that has made me want to listen again. Starting to get a Miles Davis In a Silent Way vibe, could it grow on me the way that album did? I could definitely see a 4 star rating on the horizon, but for now it's a solid 3.5 🌟
Sonic Youth
4/5
Is this the nest Sonic Youth album ever? Well I haven't heard them all but I think, front to back I prefer both Sister and Goo, but neither of those albums have Teenage Riot nor Total Trash. 4.5 stars
Billy Bragg
4/5
A fine album. I've read opinions that California Stars doesn't fit well with the album but damn I love that song. And it's true that the Wilco songs more like Wilco songs than Guthrie songs performed by Wilco and the Billy Bragg tunes sound more like loving tributes but I appreciate both contributions. Aside from California Stars there are a lot of other excellent songs; Way Over Yonder in the Modern Key, She Came Along to Me, At My Window Sad and Lonely, Ingrid Bergman, One by One and others. I listen to this album quite often and always leave it with a good feeling. 4.5 stars
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
What a feel this album has. Sexy, sultry a slow burn. Karen Os voice is a thing of beauty and never ceases to captivate. Best songs; Modern Romance, Y Control, Rich and of course the sumptuous Maps. 4 🌟
Gang Of Four
5/5
One of my all time favorite albums. Funky as fuck, with shredding guitars, a rhythm section that cooks and great great lyrics. I am envious of those among you that are going to discover this album and experience it anew like I did some 40 years you're in for a treat. 5 🌟
Bob Dylan
5/5
An amazing album. Just a notch below Hwy 61 and BOTT, but a very small notch. 5🌟
Muddy Waters
3/5
I liked it...Especially Manish Boy. In the end this style of blues just sounds to much the same from song to song to allow me to appreciate more than a few songs at a time. 3.5 stars
George Michael
3/5
2nd time around with this album.
Still enjoyable Admittedly nothing on it comes close to the first three songs but the whole album is listenable ... just not my style otherwise would score higher 3 stars
Beastie Boys
2/5
Meh. I don't "get" Beastie Boys. I did listen and it was slightly better than expected. But ultimately it comes off sounding like a parody record not unlike weird AL Yankovic. 2.5 🌟
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Very heavy album...heavier than my usual fare. Having said that there are some very good songs here...Ocean Song, Ted Just Admit It, Jane Says, Summertime Rolls and of course Mountain Song. A really good album with very good guitar playing and some absolutely superb drumming. 4 stars
Sade
3/5
Not unlike the operator in the opening track this album is impossibly smoooooth. The best tacks are the afore mentioned Smooth Operator and the closing track Why Can't We Live Together. These two tracks book end a syrupy smooth collection that is perfect dinner party music. Ultimately a little too polished to get to 4 for me. 3.5 stars
Barry Adamson
2/5
Not much to grab onto for me here. Very cinematic in nature. Seemed .more classical than rock. 2 stars
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Like the title suggests this a dark plodding album that is still quite fulfilling ecause of Cohen's incredible lyrical sense and dramatic delivery. The music matches the lyrical themes perfectly. I found something to enjoy in most every song. 4 🌟
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
The middle album of what I like to think of EC's Big 3. Great song after great song. The run from Senior Services through Goon Squad is absolute song writing gold. It bogs down slightly after that with the next three songs which aren't quite as strong, but we finish with a bang with Chemistry Class, Two Little Hitlers and the Nick Lowe penned; Peace Love and Understanding (though that last one is not included on my British pressing). A great album easily worthy of a 5 star rating.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Well it's Joni Mitchell so as a Canadian I am required to have mad respect for her, but do I enjoy her music? Some of it! Like this album ... I like the first song; In France they Kiss on Main Street, the 4th and 5th songs; Don't Interrupt the Sorrow and Shades of Scarlet Conquering. Harry's House / Centerpiece is a good song that works for me on many levels, the jazzy motifs and bluesy vocal. The title track isn't bad. The rest is eclectic sounding but ultimately does not connect with me. 3.5 🌟
Röyksopp
3/5
Mellow and hypnotic. Found myself relaxing into the music the more the album played 3.5 🌟
Pulp
4/5
Well first impression...I think I like this album better than Common People. Lots of good songs, more dramatic sounding than that other album. 3.75 🌟
JAY Z
3/5
This exercise has given me a new appreciation for hip hop, however this album though not bad seems a little clichéd to me. Two or three really good songs, especially the one with Eminem. I'm rating it at 3.5 🌟 for overall enjoyment.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
The singing...the harmonies on this album are incredible 4 🌟
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Not my favourite CCR album bit a good CCR album is a great album for .out other bands. Born on the Bayou, Bootleg, Proud Mary, Chooglin; all classic CCR. Not quote 5 but 4.5 easily
Yes
4/5
This is my favorite Yes album...especially Yours is no Disgrace and Starship Trooper. I like its generally upbeat feel and accessibility. 4 🌟
Pink Floyd
2/5
Pink Floyd was my favorite band in high school...well high school is over! I never heard this album before today and it bears little resemblance to the band that I loved from Meddle through Animals (yes I purposely left out The Wall), and I have little need or inclination to listen to it again. Oh well HS was overrated anyways 2 5 🌟
Prince
4/5
Well I never heard this album before and I generally enjoyed its everything AND the kitchen sink esthetic. A few good songs, a few throwaway and one absolutely great tune that I had never heard; The Cross, which sounds like a moody, heartfelt post punk anthem that could have come off of a Sebadoh album (if it weren't for the gorgeous vocal performance). 4 🌟 for The Cross.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
This is the first NiN album I ever listened to in it's entirety. I liked it...at spots I liked it quite a bit. I was surprised at the variety of sounds. There was subtlety that I wasn't expecting 3.75 stars
Beatles
5/5
For the longest it was a battle between Rubber Soul and Revolver as my favorite Beatles album. But now there's a third contender. The Beatles find their songwriter voice on this album, which I believe is their first album um of all original material. And what material it is. The songs are all excellent and the band is so damn tight. Step aside Revolver, move over Rubber Soul there's a new contender to the crown 5 🌟 🤩 ⭐
Khaled
4/5
Well I really enjoyed this Arabic language tour through world music. Wonderful percussion sounds and interesting and varied instrumentation. really loved its mix of western style rhythm and ethnic sounds. 4 🌟
Eurythmics
4/5
This is a really good album. Lots beyond Sweet Dreams, though that's a classic. It's 80s but doesn't sound dated. It's a keeper 4 🌟
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Gorgeous album. Buckleys's voice is an incredible instrument. The songs are generally good and the sound is warm a day intimate. I've listened to it previously but never truly bought in until this listen. 4 🌟
Orbital
3/5
Interesting album. Mostly long and meandering, but the last song is really something. Damn though it takes its time getting there. 3.5 🌟
Kid Rock
3/5
Not a bad album. In fact I was surprised how much I liked it. I will listen again. Pretty close to a 4 but ots a little too long so I'll give it a 3 🌟
Muddy Waters
4/5
This was pretty good wish the sound was better but the groove is definitely all there
4 🌟
Moby
4/5
This album put really really strongly, great beats, beautiful melodies and interesting arrangements. It loses some momentum towards the end and like many electronic music albums IT'S TOO EFFING LONG! 4 🌟
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Heavy heavy album. Nick is such an incredible story teller, maybe the best in rock history. His talent for putting real meat on the bones of the characters that inhabit his tales of murder and mayhem is sans pareil. And the accompaniment and arrangements of the Bad Seeds enhance the drama. 4 🌟
Pixies
5/5
This is the album where it all came together for the Pixies; there expertise at going quiet-loud-quiet. Their expertise at churning beautiful pop melodies while maintaining their hard noisy edge. With songs like Debaser, Monkey Gone to Heaven, Here Comes Your Man and especially Gouge Away, The Pixies found the object blend of pop sensibilities and manic rock energy. A no brainer 5 star album.
Ramones
5/5
Personally I prefer Rocket to Russia. But there's a certain timelessness to this debut. Most of the songs are GREAT! Blitzkrieg Bop, I Wanna be Your Boyfriend, Chain Saw, Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue, I Don't Wanna G to The Basement, there's just no let up. The Ramones were the cause of a musical revolution...and the revolution starts here 5 🌟
The Cramps
4/5
Such a great album that brings me back thirty five years to one of the best shows I ever saw. Lux Interior is one of the best front men that ever was...in the mold of Iggy Pop and the band rocks. Poison Ivy is a very u derrated guitarist. A fun album. With more than a touch of the macabre. 4 🌟
Kanye West
4/5
Another great sounding hip hop record. I really had no idea how talented Kanye West is. Yes the record is too long but I hardly notice because each song real substance and stands on its own as a piece. The longer songs never wear out their welcome. A testament to his inate ability to keep things flowing and accessible. Some more listens might bring this to 5 stars but for today...4.5 🌟
The Clash
5/5
This is the album that made punk real. Gave it substance, weight, import. Showed what a great punk band could be. I go back and forth ad to which one is the definitive version ; the blue US version or the green original British version. The US version has more great songs...White Man in Hammersmith Palais, Comete Control, Jail Guitar Doors, Clash City Rockers, but the British version opens with Janie Jones, one of the greatest album openers of all time. Whatever version floats your boat there's no denying that what we have here is a 5 star album
Arrested Development
4/5
My God another really enjoyable hip hop album. Hip hop has been my most neglected genre and the one that has given en the most pleasant surprises. This album sounds like classic Sly and the Famy Stone. I guess they're a rap group but they are just as much a funk band which works perfectly for me 4 🌟
Various Artists
3/5
Some nice versions of pop Christmas classics all with that distinctive Phil Specttor touch. Your Christmas celebration will be richer if this album is added to your holiday playlist
Hole
4/5
This is a good album. Some great punk inspired guitar rock. The songs are a bit generic sounding and the tempos are pretty consistent from song to song. But the songs are good and the melodies are pleasant and enjoyable, and fit my ear. 4 🌟
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
Ella . Gershwin. Music doesn't get much more perfect than this. Ella's voice is otherworldly. My only complaint I would love to hear these songs arranged for a small combo. Note. My rating is for a vinyl copy I have if Volume 1, not the full 3 volume box set 5 stars
Michael Jackson
3/5
I was ready to give this album 5 stars. I thought like Rumours that it's mega sales meant that its quality was beyond the regular pop fare. But it turns out there are some really shifty songs on here. I listened to Thriller and after being mostly unimpressed decided to listen to Off the Wall. Off the Wall is a much better album. Thriller gets 3.5 🌟
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Such a great album. My favorite of his musically. Of course Cave's lyrical magic is here as usual and this time the music is just as magical. The songs are accessible with loads of hooks and some of his most memorable melodies. This is the album that could make a fan of a no -fan. 5 🌟
5/5
What a great album . I remember watching them play Satisfaction on SNL and not knowing what to think. Now I just think they're brilliant and ahead of their time. 5 🌟
The Rolling Stones
5/5
One of the best Stones albums and perhaps my favourite and that's saying a lot. Not a bad song on here but, other than sister Morphine, it does lack a killer track like Let it Bleed and Exile, And Beggars Banquet have. But for consistency Sticky Fingers is tough to beat. The loose bluesy feel throughout the album makes it accessible and fun. 5 🌟
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Quite possibly Marley's best most consistent album, with the album um closer the only really forgettable track. 4 🌟
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
ELP was a big part of my high school years. Brain Salad Surgery was a top 10 album for me but other than Lucky Man, their other "hit" C'est la Vie and a live album, I didn't dig any deeper into their catalog. The side long opus is very good not as good as Karn Evil 9 but it had me engaged from first note until the last. Side 2 has its moments but makes no mistake Tarkus is the star. 4 🌟
Beyoncé
3/5
Interesting songs unique sound. Absolutely a substantial album that were it more in my wheelhouse could be 4stars, but as it just isn't my genre I can't imagine ever giving more than 3.5 🌟
Soft Cell
3/5
Well I liked this album it had some good dogs that were appealing on first listen. Didn't really listen to the lyrics but every so often a provocative line or two would present itself enough to raise an eyebrow and make me think a second listen where I pay more attention to the lyrics is warranted. Lucky the music and the songs are inviting enough to make me want to do so. 3.5 🌟
Rush
3/5
Rush was part of my adolescence. 2112, A Farewell to Kings, and Hemispheres, were never far from my turntable. Unfortunately once Moving Puctures arrived, Rush was part of my past. I had moved on to punk, new wave and alternative though those three mentioned still have a place in my heart if not on my turntable. So how dod I like Moving Pictures? Not very much. The songs I knew; Tom sawyer and Limelight suffered from over exposure and among the other songs nothing really didn't grab me....perhaps with a few more listens....but I somehow doubt it. 3 🌟
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Sufjan Srevens has many gifts. His voice is beautiful even otherworldly. He has a gift for writing simple, beautiful melodies and his talent for complex and beautiful arrangements is undeniable. He certainly has a talent for stupid song titles. There is a lot to like about this album; it's certainly ambitious and is filled with some excellent songs of varying styles; John Wayne Gacy, Jr., Chicago, Casimir Pulaski Day, The Man of Metropolis Steals our Hearts, They Are Night Zombies..., The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders . Does it's reach exceed its grasp? Perhaps. Could it be 10 or 15 minutes shorter? Absolutely! Is it a satisfying, rewarding listening experience? Yes it is. 3.75 🌟 that I think will go higher with more listens, something which I look forward to. I think I'll buy the vinyl.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
I just might have found my favorite hip hop album. And no it's not only because it's 48 minutes long with short, succinct songs ... I love the vibe they create with their jazzy samples. And the rapping is intelligent and creative and I don't think I heard the word nigga or bitch ot even once. Great creative al bum that I loved from beginning to end 5 🌟
Saint Etienne
4/5
I liked this album its smooth and beautifully produced. The dance tracks are infectious and the slower tracks are compelling. 3.75 🌟
Burning Spear
5/5
The most emotionally intense reggae album I've evert heard. It is evident in every note Winston Rodney sings. His singing is a tour de force, the songs are compelling and the music matches the intensity of the singing. 5 🌟
The Stooges
4/5
A loud, distorted, chaotic slice of R&R history. There are some classic songs here; 1969, I Wanna Be Your Dog, No Fun and Real Cool Time (which I first as a Feelies cover). Not sure what to make of the 11 minute freak out that is We Will Fall but this album is a vital piece if R & R history and should probably heard by any music lover. 4.5 🌟
Dirty Projectors
2/5
This is a pretty eclectic sounding album. Sophisticated pop music for the new millenia.
hear a little Vampire Weekend at times also some TV on the Radio. And definitely a Beach Boys thread running through their songs. I enjoyed some songs but many son gs did not hold my attention; 2.5 stars
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Fine album um,, lots of great songs and at time Harry's voice is absolutely beautiful, like in Without You. There are a couple of rockers that give this album energy. The blues song has a real air of authenticity and Harry makes it his own. As he does for all the material here. I can understand why this has become a classic and his go to album. 4.5 🌟
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Another strong album from LCD. The rockers are infectious and the slower tempo numbers sound appropriately intense and emotional. As usual the influences are a plenty....Bowie, Talking Heads, Kraftwerk, Can; they're all here and many more. 4 🌟
The Cars
5/5
What a debut. One of the best debut albums of all time. The Cars arrived with this album, fully formed. The first three songs is a career for most bands. 5 🌟
Bauhaus
4/5
Never got into Bauhaus which is weird as they would seem on the surface to be right in my wheelhouse.
Well the first two songs are great and there are a couple surprisingly good dance tracks. 1. David Jay 2. Peter Murphy 3.... is a strange trip of a song. There's some real variety here and its less dark than anticipated. Enjoyed it more than I thought 3.75
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
This album has some great songs...some classic songs, bit as stated previously; blues rock don't do it for me. I do luv Bell Bottom Blues though. 3.5 🌟
The Band
4/5
A classic of course. I much prefer Music from Big Pink. I wish that they rocked harder at times on this album. 4 🌟
Magazine
4/5
I know Magazine from a few albums that I have from my 80s listening. Resl Life was not one that I owned, however I am familiar with a few if the songs from the live album; Play, which got a lot of....play back when in the day. Anyway the album is very good, better than both studio albums that I already have in my collection; Magic, Murder and the Weather and The Correct Use of Soap. Best songs Definitive Gaze, Shot by Both Sides, Motorcade, and The Light Pours Out of Me. 4 🌟
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Some absolutely gorgeous music on this album. The "hits" are all beautiful; Scarborough Fair, Homeward Bound and The 59th Street Bridge Song, but there are also some lesser known songs like Patterns and The Dangling Conversation and For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her. A beautiful album 4 🌟
CHIC
4/5
Man this one shocked me. Of course the dance floor standards are iconic blasts of energy, but the whole album is great. Rather song Savoir Faire has some of the most gorgeous guitar I've ever heard. The album emphasizes the bands incredible interplay and leaves the cheesy production flourishes that plagued so much music of this era, to a bare minimum. 4.5 🌟
Black Sabbath
5/5
A stone cold classic. I actually like it BECAUSE the guitar relys more on tone than on histrionics. The first half is incredible from War Pigs through Iron Man its one classic after another. I especially the moody Planet Caravan. The second half can get a little heavy handed, but not enough to dim the status as an all time metal classic; 5 stars.
New Order
3/5
Nothing really great here. First two songs are very good the rest did little to make me want to hear this album again. It's a good album but doesn't have anything to make irise to greatness. 3.5 🌟
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Absolutely gorgeous album lyrically. Complex and nuanced. Musically it sure isn't straight ahead pop. Jazzy with complex melodies that are not always accessible. Favourite song; Coyote. 4 🌟
Madonna
3/5
The first two songs are pop music classics and pretty darn good songs. The rest of the album seems mostly like filler to me. Promise to try is a heart felt ballad that is a cut above the rest as is Oh Father, Keep it Together is a nice slice of George Clinton style funk., but it's not enough to raise the album above being a pretty average pop/dance album. 3.5 🌟
Björk
3/5
A really strange and beautiful album. I can't say I am a fan of Bjork, however that is not because a dislike of her music more because I have never really heard her solo music. I don't think this is the best introduction, I presume not anyway, nevertheless I enjoyed it 3.5 stars
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Gorgeous album that I expected to like but turned out I enjoyed more than I thought I would. Gorgeous arrangements that are at first glance simple and accessible but on closer inspection have some real complexity thar I never thought they did specifificalky the first song...You are the Sunshine and the closer; I Believe. Some superb drumming / percussion Golightly my favourite moments. 4.5 🌟
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
Damn this is a really good album, not sure how I missed it back in the day.. Lucretia My Reflection is a great great dance floor song...but every song is great not a dud among the 8 tracks. 4.5 🌟
The Undertones
5/5
What a great album. This is what rock and roll is all about. Young talented kids playing with an energy and joy that is absolutely infectious. 5 🌟
Nirvana
5/5
Every bit the classic that it's reputation says it is. There's just not a weak song. From mid tempo killers like Teen Spirit and Come As You Are and Polly, to adrenaline blasts like Territorial Pissings and Lithium to slow burner like Something In The Way, they never lose their melodic way. What shocked me is how often I heard a Black Sabbath influence in this album (meant as a positive). A no-brainer 5 🌟
The Blue Nile
2/5
Found this boring and lacking in soul. 2 🌟
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
It's an excellent album . Though it veers towards the metal side of things, not my favorite genre, from time to time, it dies so with a lack of bombast. The song remains the raison d'etre and the songs are generally catchy and melodic. I generally don't lo e the guitar sound but certainly not intolerable in context. 4.5 🌟
Willie Nelson
4/5
Gorgeous songs, beautiful voice and sympathetic accompaniment. An album that could make me like country music. If I already were a country music guy it would be an easy 5 stars I imagine, but I'm a neophyte just learning the ropes; 4.25 🌟
Marvin Gaye
4/5
The ultimate romantic soul album. The title track is classic and I could listen to it daily for the rest of my life. But ultimately this type of music while pleasant and if high quality, it does not move me. Still an 3.75 🌟 for its classic status
Butthole Surfers
2/5
Some very strange music here. Some of it interesting and inviting; Sweet Loaf, Human Cannonball. But most if it dissonant and off putting; U.S.S.A., The O-Men 2.5 🌟
Talking Heads
4/5
This is a fine album...the census best Talking Heads album but I don't agree with that opinion. I prefer both Fear of Music and Mire Songs About Buildings and Food. But Remain in Light is still great...excellent poly-rhythms, cool songs and production and still sounds unique even today. 4 🌟
The Youngbloods
3/5
Thus was a pretty decent album. Some really fine playing throughout and some pretty fine songwriting as well. Nothing particularly groundbreaking or unique, just some good folk rock 60s style. 3.5
Keith Jarrett
5/5
There are some amazing moments on this album. I find it really poignant those moments when he struggles to find the groove and then suddenly it hits and the flow is just incredible. Some people are bothered by his vocalizations and I admit that it can become somewhat distracting but when you learn to listen around the vocalizing, to close your eyes and let the music wash over you it is a really all encompassing experience. 5 🌟
Gorillaz
3/5
Enjoyable dance/rock album from one of Blur's founding members. 3.5 🌟
The Byrds
5/5
This is what to me is the classic Byrds album Belongs in every music lovers collection. Ringing guitars, beautiful harmonies, rich production overall and the songs....wow. The Dylan covers like the title track, Chimes of Freedom and All I Really Want To Do are beautifully rendered and the originals; I'll Feel a Whole Lit Better and Here Without You show a maturity ro their writing that would develop even more on later albums.. favourite track; The Bells of Rhymney. 5 🌟 (note my copy is a Sundazed Vinyl pressing that includes two very good bonus tracks so that's what I'm commenting on and rating.)
Don McLean
3/5
Of course I'm very familiar with the song American Pie. I was never a big fan. I must say that listening to it on a goodcsystem give me a slightly greater appreciation. I was prepared to dislike this album but it wasn't the case. Enjoyed it more than expected. Reminded at times of Al Stewart. 3 🌟
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
A beautiful album that combines the best of the classic 70s soul of artists like; Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and Bill Withers with an indie music anesthetic, thanks to the brilliant production from Danger Mouse. I did read critiques saying that it is too "stuck" in the sound of the 70s lacking an updated modern feel and I don't necessarily disagree, however with songs and music this good it's, for me, a minor quibble. 4 🌟
Arcade Fire
4/5
When Funeral came out it was a revelation for me. A band from my home town the darlings of Indie rock. And man was that album good! Up there with The Aeroplane Over The Sea and suddenly Montreal was the epicenter of Indie rock, mentioned in the same breath as Austin and Atgens and dare I say...Seattle. fast forward a few years and The Suburbs cones and say what...a Grammy award? Really? But is The Suburbs as good as Funeral? No, but it's fucking close. The titles track that opens up the album is everything good about Arcade Fire ... soaring melodies, toe tapping beat and beautiful, personal, poignant lyrics. There's really very little let up throughout the album. Modern Man, Rococo, Half Light, Speaking in Tongues all fantastic songs. 4.5 🌟
Beatles
4/5
There are some great songs here and of course those beautiful harmonies but overall this is the least interesting Beatles album I've heard. Too many indistinct covers. Still it's the Beatles. 4.5 🌟
Cocteau Twins
4/5
This album starts out very strongly. The first four songs are absolutely magical. They sound like a mystical, ethereal siouxsie and the banshees.
the second half of the album leans too much on atmospherics forgoing the gorgeous melodies of the first half. Still a really beautiful and accomplished album 4 🌟
Green Day
4/5
A fantastic album, the best from Green Day for me. Great songs, great performances and some really good singing. An almost 5...4.5 🌟
Sister Sledge
3/5
Not bad We Are Family is a fabulous song and elevates this album to classic status but the rest of the album is pretty mundane and strictly follows the formula. The formula is good though... so there's that 3.5 🌟
The Doors
4/5
By far my favorite Doors with by far my favourite Doors song; The End. 4.5 🌟
Joni Mitchell
4/5
My favourite Joni Mitchell album. Carrey is the hilight but there's lots of great songs. A mostly accoustic album allows Joni's voice to shine. 4.5 🌟
Cypress Hill
4/5
Another damn good rap/hip hop album. This one's got a healthy dose of humor which I enjoyed quite a bit. Funky in spots, it's also got an indie vibe that keeps me interested and entertained. 3.75 🌟
Cornershop
4/5
This is a fine album mixing really great pop songs; Brimful of Asha, Sleep on the Left Side and Good to Be on the Road Back Home, in a really fluid listen. I really like their integration of Hindi language lyrics, gives it an qir of the exotic. Great stuff 4 🌟
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
O e of the earliest slums zi remember hearing and zi loved it from the moment I heard it, especially Neil Youngest Helpless. But every song has a special place for me. 5 🌟
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Another fine Stevie Wonder album, he was certainly on a roll throughout the 70s making consistently fine albums with a nice mix of rock, pop, soul and R & B, always with a taste and beauty. This album ranks behind Talking Book and Innervisions and on a par with Songs in the Key of Life, in my opinion. 3.75 🌟
The Slits
4/5
Really cool marriage of reggae rhythms with punks sensibilities./ did attitude. 4 🌟
Pink Floyd
5/5
A classic that has stood the test of time. Wore the grooves out of this in HS but I've heard it enough thus that I don't really care if I never hear it again, but I listened to it for this exercise and still recognize it's greatness. 5 🌟
Radiohead
5/5
I've been sleeping on this album. I never gave the full album its due attention. I was grabbed immediately by Reckoner, which I love and thought the songs before it were only OK, but all 6 songs that preceed Reckoner are each amazing in their own right. In Rainbows is one of Radiohead's finest albums right there with The Bends, OK Computer and Kid A. 4.75 🌟
R.E.M.
5/5
Still my favorite REM album, though Reckoning comes damn close. This albums ringing guitars, impossibly tight rhythm section, beautiful backing vocals, soaring melodies and just general youthful exuberance cement this as their best album. REM are a great band and became more mature and polished but they never again matched their early period for pure excitement. Wow! 5 🌟
Fela Kuti
5/5
The title track alone makes this an album worthy of classic status. But there's much more here than just that epic. Each of the 5 songs are worthy exercises in jazz / afro beat greatness. 5 🌟
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
Lots of fun but little variety 3 🌟
Joy Division
5/5
A top 5 album for me all time. From the drop of the needle on Disorder...that drum sound like I've never heard before, that bass line so catchy, that ringing guitar and the opening lyric; "I'm just waiting for a guide to take by the hand".... I knew from that moment my life would never be quite the same. And it's not like there is any let up. Maybe the most harrowing 40 minutes ever committed to tape. If I could I'd give it 6 🌟
Dr. Octagon
4/5
Another hip hop gem. Fun, bizarre, ingenious and unique. Is it hip hop? Is it trip hop? Whatever it is, it is eminently listenable. 4 🌟
Tim Buckley
4/5
I never listened to a Tim Buckley album before...not at all what I expected. Figured it would be some quiet, NickDrakeesque folk songs sung by a plaintive fragile whispy voiced loner. Imagine my surprise...this album rocks. What a voice ol' Tim has, I see from where his sons talent comes. I like this album, I'm on my third play in 24 hours, and like it more each time. 4 🌟
Van Morrison
5/5
This is a classic album. For me no other VM album comes close. I love the jazzy arrangements especially the opening title track which I can listen to over and over again. Other hilights; Sweet Thing, (which some younger listeners might recognize from The Waterboys brilliant cover), Cypress Avenue, Madame George, damn I could probably name every song. The arrangements are always tasteful and interesting. The guitar playing also very impressive as is all the playing on this excellent album. 5 🌟
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
5/5
By far my favorite early rock and Roll artist. The first singer/songwriter and a huge influence on the British invasion bands and beyond. Buddy Holly was the most forward thinking and innovative of all his contemporaries. 5 huge 🌟
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Damn there are some really good songs on this album. From beginning to end might be The Boss's strongest effort. The only criticism I could levie is that on some songs the 80s production can sound somewhat dated. Still 5 🌟
James Brown
4/5
Very cool album. The energy in the room is palpable. I'm not a huge fan of JBs music / songs but a couple did resonate with and the experience of attending a JB show is definitely not lost on me and comes through vividly on this album. 4 🌟
Jimmy Smith
5/5
I'm not a big fan of the organ sound in jazz or in style other music genre for that matter, so for me the star of this album is the blowing which thanks to Stanley Turrentine is just amazing. The rest of theband are not exactly slouches; Kenny Burrell and Donald Bailey. But for me Turrentine steals the show and makes this album a 5 🌟 effort
Massive Attack
4/5
My 3rd favourite MA album which still makes for an excellent listen. Overall a quieter affair than either Blue Lines or Mezzanine that can languish a little at times. The vocals are a particularly strong point and it is a very consistent listen front to back with moments of brilliance. The title track is one of those moments; absolutely gorgeous the show stolen by Tracy Thorn's vocals. Eurochild and Better Things are other examples of Massive Attack at the top of their game. Not as brilliant as Blue Lines but hardly the disappointment that some say. 4 🌟
Astrud Gilberto
1/5
Really? Why in the world is THIS album on this list. I understand that Astrud Gilberto IS Bossa Nova vocals in North America. The Girl from Ipanema is iconic and I am aware of her work with her husband Jaoa and Stan Getz. Honestly I am unfamiliar with her solo work, but listening to this lightweight album with its MOR pop songs and its cheesy production its obvious that there must be more substantial examples of bossa nova stylings in her catalogue. And sure enough a quick look at her allmusic.com page reveals 2 4.5 star albums and Beach Samba as one of her worst albums. 1.5 🌟 (as a personal aside, the inclusion of this album ...and some others I've come across...completely undermines the list as a whole. I don't know if other more worthy Astrud Gilberto albums made the list but the inclusion of this obviously inconsequential album from an admittedly important figure in the world of jazz vocal in general and bossa nova in particular is just baffling to me.)
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Well I had a hard time finding the "original version of this album. TIDAL does not have it except as a bizarre compilation album that bears little resemblance to the original release. Searching individual tracks I put together a live playlist in the same order as the original release, but that did not seem fair. So YouTube to the rescue. On to my review. I was only familiar with this band from my vinyl copy of Organization from oh so long ago. That album never connected with me other than Enola Gay. With this album I think OMD reached another level. More varied and dramatic than Organization. Highlights are The New Stone Age, which rocks like no other OMD song I've ever heard, Sealand is achingly beautiful in it's sparseness and huge dramatic drum sound and Souvenir is synth pop at its finest. I think this album is stronger than Organization. I'm going to revisit Org as perhaps I gave it short shrift back in the day. 3.5🌟
Badly Drawn Boy
5/5
This is a hell of an album. I had forgotten just how good. The melodies come fast and furiously and with beauty a subtlety. The listener is required to wade through some studio trickery which almost but not quite distracts from the incredible songwriting. Allmusic.com references Harry Nilsson as his closest influence, frankly I don't here it; First of all Damon's voice is not like Nilsson's and I think of him more as an interpreter of other's material. I hear a lot of Beatles (think Sgt Pepper's) but what I really hear is Todd Rundgren, I think of THOTB as Something/Anything for the year 2000. A brilliant debut that does now and always will sound fresh. 5 🌟
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
Non descript inoffensive and ultimately unremarkable hard Rock. 2.5 🌟
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
A beautiful album that I had never heard of previously. I will be listening to this again. 4 🌟
Alanis Morissette
4/5
This is a fine album and You Oughta Know is a GREAT song. And there are other good songs as well. It does get a little precious at times and perhaps a little self indulgence too but ot doesn't detract enough to think of Jagged Little Pill as anything less than a very good album. 3.75 🌟
Carole King
5/5
classic from the singer/songwriter era. Some would say it is THE singer/songwriter album. The first time I've listened to the album from front to back but of course I am already intimately familiar with at least 6 or even 8 songs on this 12 song album...that's pretty amazing in itself. The triumvirate of the first three songs...I feel The Earth Move, So Far Away and It's Too Late is incredible. Then the middle (side 2?) has You've Got A Friend, Where You Lead and Will You Love Me Tomorrow. And then we end with the gorgeous title track (which I was not familiar with) and then the epic; (....) A Natural Woman. It really is quite remarkable the number of songs this song has contributed to popular music...standards in the true sense of the word. Bravo Carole! 5 stars
Electric Light Orchestra
2/5
There might be some good songs here but sheeesh they're hard to find under the bright, overwrought production. Like Brian Wilson on steroids, the studio effects just keep coming with little relief in sight. Somewhere under all the orchestral flourishes and choral singers and unnecessary sound effect is some good old fashioned rock songs....I guess. I wish someone had said to him; "Jeff, why don't you take a break?" 2.5 🌟
The Go-Go's
4/5
Great album. The hits are two of the very best of the era. However this is NOT an album of filler after the hits are done, in that way it reminds me of The Romantics debut album, both are choc full of fabulous songs from beginning to end. We got the Beat got this 60 year old ass off of his chair dancing around the room like no one was watching. Thankfully no one was except for my dog. 4 🌟
The La's
5/5
Really the only question is do you like this style of music...early Kinks, mersey beat, brit jangle pop? Because if you do...this album is quite nearly perfect. Song after song pure pop perfection. Gorgeous melodies, tasteful, beautiful arrangements, sweet ringing guitars. For my sensibilities it is, as said...nearly perfect. 5 🌟
The Birthday Party
1/5
This album is too difficult for me to recommend it. Song structures, though not non-existent they are dissonant and unconventional and not very appealing to this listener. 1.5 🌟
Adele
3/5
Pretty standard pop diva stuff. For some reason she seems to appeal to me more than most of the others, not sure why but I think she has a touch of I due in her. 3 🌟
Metallica
3/5
Is this the greatest heavy metal album ever? Maybe, but I'm not a HM guy at all so I'm not the one to judge. I will say that I preerred the Iron Maiden album as well as both Black Sabbath albums (especially 4) to this album. It's true that the musicianship is quite impressive exspecially the drumming but as far as guitar virtuosity, there's very little else that impresses me less. But I understand the quality of this album..just not for me. 3 stars
Billy Joel
3/5
I can't really complain about this album it's a fine album. Am I a fan? No. But that doesn't change the fact that the guy makes some fun adult contemporary pop albums. For me he's a poor man's Randy Newman. Anyway a pleasant uneventful listen...3.5 🌟
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
This electronic effects music has its moments but it's mostly strange background "music" for me...really more sounds than music. 1.5 🌟
Mike Oldfield
4/5
I thought the whole thing would be the theme from The Exorcist, but it was so much more. Some very melodic playing, stellar guitar work, some spoken word stuff even a little country honky tonk stuff. A varied and interesting album that held my attention from beginning to end. 4 🌟
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
Way more varied stylistically than I expected it to be with mixed results...sometimes within the same song. There was one jazz style song that I'm listening to and thinking well this sounds kinda lame and not very Interesting, then the sax solo kicks in and wow, the song takes off. That's a microcosm of the album, moments of brilliance and ordinary moments of ordinary meh. But the high moments are enough to give this a pretty good rating. 3.75 🌟
Billy Bragg
4/5
Great album y an undereated indie folk singer. His guitar playing is always distinctive as are his vocals. His politics can get heavy handed at times, but that's easy to overlook.
Favourite songs; Levi Stubbs Tears, Help Save the Youth of America, The Warmest Room. 4.4 🌟
The The
4/5
Matt Johnsin hit a home run with This is the Day, a perfect slice of 80s alternative pop. It has all the elements; Great dance floor beat, catchy sing along chorus, beautiful melodic synthesizer riff and a huge drum sound. Just a great song that to me still sounds fresh today. Can the rest of the album possibly measure up? Well the short answer is no! But....
There are some fine tunes on here; Uncertain Smile, the title Track as well as the closer Giant. Most of the tunes go on too long and I find myself looking to skip ahead to the next one 3/4 of the way through. But I can say that each song has something to offer. Johnson's themes of life and death, heaven and hell and biblical references can get a little heavy handed but the arrangements tend to lighten the mood and help make the whole thing more accessible. 4 🌟
Baaba Maal
4/5
There's some really beautiful music on this album. The guitar playing is absolutely amazing and the percussion compelling and infectious. The vocals took some getting used to but never intruded on my enjoyment of the music. A really beautiful listening experience. 4 🌟
Pixies
4/5
A step below Sufer Rosa and Doolittle but still a really good album. No immediately catchy songs that stay in your head even after a first listen...you know like; Here Comes Your Man or where is my Mind, but there are songs that reward multiple listens. Like Velouria, Is She Weird, The Happening. All in all an excellent album for Pixies fans; 4 🌟
DJ Shadow
4/5
Building steam; cool groove, interesting sounds, percussion gets a bit too disjointed.
The Number Song; upbeat I hear snippets of familiar sounds can't place ... Public Enemy?
Changeling; not as interesting as the previous 2 songs but I do like the burbling bass.
What Does Your Soul Look Like; I like this one, slow soulful bass line, nice sax, weird baritone vocal burblings, little piano touches, subtle percussion. Love it.
Stem/Long Stem; very dramatic sounding, love the intro with the guitar line punctuated with huge tom strikes and subtle bells. Has a creepy feel. Then gets chaotic when full "band" kicks in. Love that oboe-like sound.
This song is full of twists snd turns. Compelling stuff.
Mutual Slump; more jarring with the basic tom beat, punctuated with loud cymbal work.
Midnight in a Perfect World;
Not a favourite is that Beth Gibbons? Certainly has a Portishead vibe.
Napalm Brain / Scatter Brain;
Nice funky bass line but ultimately did not engage me.
What Does Your Soul Look Like?;
Love the cool sax and the relaxed pace.
I was previously I was unable to get into this album. Forced myself to concentrate this time and subtle details were revealed to me. Sorry for the track by track analysis but it helped me to stay in the moment. A really good album that defies categorization. Is it hiphop? I guess so. Whatever it is it has layers and layers of simple things that add up to a complex and ultimately satisfying whole. 4.5 🌟
Elton John
4/5
This is a damn fine album and for me just behind Madman Across the Water for EJs very best. The first 4 songs are basically classics and point to the stylistic chameleon EJ can be. A prog rock opus, a tender ballad, a straight up rocker and mid tempo beauty all done with drama and grace. There are a few silly one's the rest of the way (I'm looking at you Jamaica Jerk Off). But Grey Seal and especially Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting, raise the bar once again. An excellent album 4.5 🌟
Fugazi
4/5
Fugazi might have the greatest rhythm section in rock ... ok maybe ranking just behind Entwhistle and Moon. But my oh my are they ever fast and tight, laying the ideal foundation for the bands stinging guitar / vocal attack. Unbelievably I had never heard this album before today. My favourite Fugazi album had been The Argument which shows off their more melodic side, but Repeater just might be my new favourite. It's just a non stop assault that still manages, thanks to the amazing bass playing, to remain clean and clear. In my previous review...of Ministry...I said that I will never warm to shout singing but somehow with Fugazi I can listen past it, maybe because musically it's so clean and tight and impressive technically. 4.5 🌟
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
2/5
Too low key and too quiet for me to find any real entertainment within these grooves. 2 🌟
R.E.M.
4/5
Another fine collection of R.E.M. songs. Maybe the first album where Michael Stipes vocals are NOT unintelligible hilighting what a fine lyricist he is. Side 1 is particularly strong with not a weak song of the bunch, plus huge personal props for including a Wire cover (is this the first time they include a cover song?). Side 1 ends and Side 2 begins with the two hits, which are both excellent songs. After The One I Love, we get our first run of less than stellar songs in Fireplace and Lightnin' Hopkins. (It's weird and a little jarring hearing a sax in an R.E.M. song). The album ends on a particularly strong note with Odfellows Local 151. Not quite up to the standards of Murmer or Reckoning, but a damn fine album in it's own right. 4.5 🌟
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
I really liked this album. It has a droning quality to the music that took me off guard...reminded me of Miles Davis' In A Silent Way. Some really interesting sounds that are hard to place what instruments are making them. But musically it works. It has, to these ears anyway, Indian elements and middle eastern as well as African. I like the languid pace and the way the guitar circles in and out of the African rhythms offering colour to the beautiful tunes. 4.25 🌟
Megadeth
1/5
Here's the thing...I don't like Heavy Metal. I especially don't like HM where the songs take a back seat to guitar wankery. I managed to get through this album, but just barely. 1 🌟
Norah Jones
2/5
Smooth and easy jazzy standards that are pleasant and break no new ground. Personally I prefer Diana Krall who is slightly edgier. The epitome of middle of the road. 2.5 🌟
Thelonious Monk
5/5
Brilliant Corners = brilliant music. 5 🌟
William Orbit
3/5
Well this album starts off fucking awesome. First three songs...or at least two of the first three songs are excellent and the album is pretty damn good. Great dance rhythms, interesting melodies, appropriate vocals. It's still a dance/electronic/ambient album which for me makes it too long and tough to listen to from beginning to end. If someone made an album this good and made it 40 minutes long instead of over an hour it would be knocking on the door of a 5, but it seems that don't exist. Too bad. 3.5 🌟
Ryan Adams
4/5
Forgot what a great album this is. My favourite Ryan Adams album before...beautiful songwriting from beginning to end. Country tinges with a touch of rock and roll swagger. Love the opening discussion about Morrissey and what album(s) have Suedehead. Sounds great on vinyl too. 4.5 stars
Spiritualized
3/5
Probably their best album but still a bit droney for my tastes or to keep me interested for a full album. Cop vs cop is excellent. 3 🌟
Merle Haggard
3/5
Pretty good outlaw country singing with some great playing generally a little too tame for my very specific country tastes. 3 🌟
Public Enemy
4/5
Classic rap. Fight the Power is powerful and amazing. It does get a little monotonous in sound and message but a classic none the less. 4.5 🌟
The Sugarcubes
4/5
What a voice. Bjork is a revelation and the music and songs are great too. 3.75 🌟
The Replacements
4/5
Not my favourite Replacements album but still really good. Love the Kiss cover. Androgynous and Unsatisfied are classics all in a a very enjoyable album 4 🌟
Kate Bush
4/5
Another great Kate Bush album. Gorgeous production to match her beautiful voice. Not quite as good as Hounds of Love or The Kick Inside but still a great album. 4 🌟
The Magnetic Fields
4/5
I can't believe I listened to the whe thing. Reminds me of bands like Beat Happening and Netral milk Hotel...short on production,short on fi high on melody. Quite a project one that I hope to return to again in smaller doses. 4 🌟
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
Very good rapping I wish the music was more interesting...more unique. 3 🌟
Talvin Singh
2/5
Not much here of interest to me. Certainly unique, just not very compelling. 2.5 🌟
Fats Domino
3/5
I liked this album. I like the rolling bluesy piano. I liked the fact that I did not hear Blueberry Hill which is a song that never really worked for me. I liked that most songs it was just Fats' voice no cheesy backup vocals. So I liked this better than most 50s albums. 3.5 🌟
Simple Minds
4/5
This one really surprised me at just how good it is. The songs are excellent, the playing...particularly bass and drums absolutely first rate and funky as hell. Jim Kerr hasn't quite found his trademark voice, sometimes sounding like Howard DeSoto, but you definitely see the arena rock mega stars that's to come. An excellent 80s rock album. 4.5 🌟
Cat Stevens
5/5
An old favorite of mine. I love the golden age of Cat Steven's and this is his very best. Starts with the epic where do the children play continues with great song after great song peaking at the tear jerking Father an Son. And my old A & M vinyl sounds FANTASTIC! 5 🌟
ABBA
3/5
Not my genre....obviously; however I was suprised at how much I enjoyed this album. The hits are uniformly very good, though I do wish the arrangements were just a little more edgy but that would be besides the point I suppose. Anyway a solid 3.5 for what it is and the sing-along factor.
Black Flag
2/5
Loud and obnoxious 2 🌟
David Gray
4/5
This was a very nice album. Very much of a Ryan Adams vibe for a lot of the songs. Great singer too with a bit more of a raspy voice than Adams. I wish some of the percussion was more natural, less electronic sounding.
3.75 🌟
Tom Waits
3/5
More beatnik weirdness from Mr. Waits. Album starts off with bizarre noisy oomph band stuff with a disonant guitar line, trombone(?) bass line and percussion (errr banging) that sounds like a 3 year olds idea of drumming. Lyrics could be interesting but I just wasn't compelled to delve that deeply. Next few songs are beat poetry stuff, carnival madness with a little straight ahead piano balladry thrown in.
Things get a little more normal (or at least TWs version of normal) with In the Neighborhood, Frank's Wild Years, Swordfishtrombones and of course Soldier's Things. No matter how strange musically Tom gets his lyrical prowess is always first rate. 3.5 🌟
Elvis Costello
4/5
I consider myself an Elvis Costello fan, however I started to lose interest around the time of Imperial Bedroom and King of America. I came back for Blood and Chocolate which I thought was very good. The rest of the post Get Happy was either ignored or disliked. This album was ignored and it shouldn't have been. From the opening song I could see Elvis was ready to rock.
I started to wonder...did he bring back the Attractions? Then the 3rd song starts; 13 Steps and that unmistakable organ sound of Steve Nieve. Yes The Attractions are back! Lots of strong songs with the unmistakable EC wit in the lyrics. Particularly strong is Sulky Girl. I'm glad I found this album. Not sure it belongs on this list but it does belong in my collection. 4 🌟
The Who
4/5
This is where The Who went from British Invasion stars to Arena-Rock mega stars. I like The Who but somehow never before listened to Who's Next from beginning to end. It went as I expected. It's a great album that will never usurp My Generation, Quadrophenia and The Who Sell Out as the Band's best, in my opinion. Too overplayed for that to ever happen. Favourite songs; Getting in Tune and Behind Blue Eyes. 4 🌟
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
This is a great album. One of the best dance albums I've ever heard, but it's the surprise songs that put this album over the top....New York I Love You...I mean come on what a song. But it's Someone Great that is the show stopper. No there's othing quite as great as Losing My Edge, but as a whole Sound if Silver beats the debut. 4.5 🌟
PJ Harvey
5/5
I vacilate on whether Dry or Rid of Me is her best album. Great song after great song on both albums. This week Dry is my fave. Next week? Who knows 5 🌟
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Bit of a meh for me on this one. Nothing really grabbed in a general way on this. Most songs inoffensive a couple rise above that descriptor. 2.5 🌟
Dire Straits
3/5
Nice album. The stars of the album are the first three songs. Though Money for Nothing never did anything for me, Walk of Life and So far Away are both excellent. But the 4th song...yech! Elevator music ballad, complete with sax that sounds like Kenny G is playing. The balance of the album is pretty uneventful with the exception of the title track. All in all a pretty ordinary album with 2 or 3 stellar tunes. 3.5 🌟
David Crosby
5/5
This is a great album...jazzy atmospheric, beautiful harmonies and unusual song structures. Thecstar of the show for me is Cowboy Movie an 8 minute epic with a gorgeous melody and soaring guitar and lyrics as epic as the title implies. But there are great songs throughout this excellent album. 5 🌟
Hole
4/5
Good album. Punky, raw, but with a nice sense of melody that keeps things fresh and interesting and listenable. Very consistent from song to song. Much stronger than I expected. 4 stars
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
This is so slow and yieldingly bleak sounding that it will require many more - full concentration - listening sessions if I am ever going to have its pleasures revealed to me. Not enough evidence after two listens to say that it will ever merit more than 2.5 stars
2/5
The 18 minute opener for me is just too long, too fusion in style and just plain TOO MUCH! Ends up clouding my opinion of what comes after which has some fine moments. 2.5 stars
Goldfrapp
3/5
A dark, moody album with gorgeous textures and beautiful melodies. I have listened to it twice through so far and I intend to do so again before finalizing my impressions, the first listen, a background distracted listen didn't yield much except fot a few moments of creepy (my daughters word) unease. Second listen in which my attention was undivided, allowed me to appreciate the subtle melodies and lush soundscapes. So far a beautiful album that bears further scrutiny. Well listen three did not go as planned. This album is one of mood and with little substance. No memorable SONGS! While the music is sometimes beautiful it is nowhere near enough to sustain a full album. 3 🌟
4th listen now; the Song Human caught my ear this time with a Portishead vibe that sounds slightly more organic. Her voice often reminds me Beth Orton<s just lacking that ethereal quality that Beth has in spades. Anyway not enough to change my original rating 3 stars
Björk
4/5
Layered, complex, unique, difficult at times, I can see repeated listens bearing multiple, complex tasting fruits. The opposite of background music this album demands attention. We will see if the rewards are worth the effort of this listener. To be continued. 3.75 🌟
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Its a good album but overly long as it seems to repeat itself the longer it goes. The high lights are very high...
Tonight tonight is a great song. Ultimately I had difficulty digesting it all in one sitting 3 🌟
Ray Charles
4/5
I was surprised how jazzy this album is. I actually liked the second half better than the first, even though it was more laden with strings and 50s style pop production which I don't usually like. The songwriting in the second half (side) seems stronger to me. A quality album. 4 🌟
The Stooges
4/5
Cleaner sounding than s/t with a bigger more polished production. But.... Iggy is still Iggy and you can't hide or gloss over the raw energy of this music. One great tune after another. But docked a half-star for album closer; LA Blues which is unlistenable. 4.5 🌟
The Verve
3/5
I liked this album. I like it more than Urban Hymns. Spacey and atmospheric, I think they pull it off really well. It starts out great, bogs down a bit in the middle but ends with a couple really strong tracks. Urban Hymns always sounded too polished and too "rock star" like. I never warmed to it which is why I never explored any other releases from their catalogue. 3.5 stars
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Another solid CCR album. Do these guys no how to make anything other than GREAT music. Just a notch below my favourite; Willy and the Poor Boys. 5 🌟
Morrissey
4/5
An excellent Morrissey album that I imagine will improve with each listen. 4 🌟
This album is a revelation. I<ve listened to it three times and each spin has been more enjoyable as the one before. The band cooks and Rod Stewart is in fine voice throughout. THe band rocks so hard that at times I<m thinking this is as good as or better than any Stones album. 5 stars
Amy Winehouse
4/5
the mythology around this artist and this album is well documented. Tortured talented artist unable to survive her own greatness. Any way this album is a wonderful nostalgic trip to classic 60s R&B and Ms. Winehouse does it with impressive authenticity. But it doesn't to descend to nostalgia for nostalgia sake (Hello M. Buble). These songs are good and would stand out no matter the arrangements nor the aesthetic. And Winehouse delivers them with style and skill that belie her tortured personal travails. 4.5 stars
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Given the write up on allmusic.com which promised a progressive marriage between Brazilian pop music and the psychedelic sounds that were taking north america and great britain by storm at the time. I believe I read something along the lines of a "Brazilian Sgt. Pepper's" But what I mostly got was a pretty standard Bossa Nova pop album that was a staple of the jazz scene at the time. I was expecting a psychedelic trip along the lines that Os Mutantes offers. There are some good, listeneable tunes here and the album closer; Eles does have a nice sitar intro , pulsating bass guitar and some cool psychedelic organ flourishes and interesting guitar. Overall not a bad album just not the experience I was hoping for. 3 stars
Lorde
3/5
When Royals was on every radio station around the world, I found it a cut above the typical pop music fare, more depth and intensity than most pop songs in my view. I was surprised that the album chosen for this list didn't contain the mega hit, but Melancholy is a good album. I don't on first listen hear anything that hits me the way Royals did, though Green Light comes close and Writer in the Dark is a really interesting track as well. This is more of a pop album than Royals would have led me to believe which has more of an indie-rock aesthetic but as pop music goes I again hear more depth and song writing chops. Very close to a 4 star album but I'm going to err on the conservative side; 3.5 🌟
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
4/5
One hell of a fun album. Greasy, messy rock and roll. I have their album Acme, but this sounds quite different. Compares at times to The Cramps. Garage rock at its best. 4 🌟
The Smiths
5/5
A damn near perfect album. And yet not my favourite Smiths album, Meat is Murder wins that distinction. This album rocks; The Queen is Dead & Bigmouth. This album is gorgeous lyrically; I know it's Over & There is a Light that Never Goes Out. This album has tongue in cheek humour; Vicar in a Tutu & Frankly Mr. Shanklin. This album is solid from beginning to end. 5 🌟
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
this is one hell of a Rap album..like nothing I've heard before. Highly political but globally so. Their song Television; The Drug of the Nation is jaw droppingly good. And other songs are just as intelligent. The vocals are fantastic...deep resonant, sounding at times like Chuck D but with more soul. The songs are musically interesting and yet easily accessible. Unfortunately Tidal has blocked 3 or 4 songs so I will have to find the album on youtube to get the full experience (I'm especially looking forward to hearing their take on the Dead Kennedy's California Ales.) As it is it's a 4.5 star album
Dusty Springfield
4/5
This is adult contemporary
pop music at its best. Beautiful songs and a beautiful voice. Son of a Preacher Man is an all time classic.
4.5 🌟
Public Enemy
4/5
Another fine Public Enemy album. It does have a bit of monotony in the pacing and the music but still very compelling and listenable...maybe their most listenable album I've heard yet. Plus when Chuck D raps you know it's thought provoking stuff. 4 🌟 🌟
Nanci Griffith
4/5
A really nice album with catchy singable songwriting, a storytellers gift for a beautiful lyric as well as production that is graceful and always in service to the song. I could see Patti Griffith holding the same lofty position in my library as the brilliant Lucinda Williams. 4 🌟
Finley Quaye
4/5
This is a really nice discovery. Fantastic mix of reggae and trip hop that sounds amazing. Beautiful production and I love his voice; sort of a mix between Winston Rodney's gravely intensity and Gregory Isaac's silky smoothness. 4.5 🌟
The Waterboys
4/5
I love this album. Side 1 is by far the best moment of The Waterboys career. From the epic opening track to the dissonant fiddle that dominates We Will Not Be Lovers, to the beautiful accoustic turn of Strange Boat, the start of this album is as good as it gets. The band then rocks out with danceable World Party and closes side one with a gorgeous take on the Van Morrison classic Sweet Thing. Unfortunately side 2 pales in comparison (how could it not?) With the only standout track being And a Bang on the Ear. The underwhelming second half keeps this from being a 5 🌟 classic. 4.5 🌟
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
What I like the most about this album is that it varies in tempo and sound and beats keeping things very very interesting throughout its over 1 hour of music. His voice is not my favorite but the music keeps things flowing and a lot of the backing singing and/or samples compliment the voice and the music very well. 3.5 stars
Nick Drake
5/5
All 3 Nick Drake albums are 5s, but this one is my favourite. Shows off his underrated guitar work and of course the songwriting is stellar. Poor Boy is my favorite but each song has their own charms. 5 🌟
The Everly Brothers
4/5
Fun songs, gorgeous vocal harmonies. A great nostalgic voyage. Very good album. 4 🌟
Nirvana
5/5
A tougher more difficult and uncompromising album than Nevermind, but ultimately just as good. Contains classic Nirvana tunes like Rape Me, Pennyroyal Tea, Heart Shaped Box and has Cobain written a better song than Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle?
May take longer than Nevermind but take the time and you'll discover an album even richer and more carried than that classic. 5 stars
Mercury Rev
4/5
An absolutely gorgeous album, perfectly paced, beautifully produced / orchestrated and songs that are so full of beautiful melodies that stay with you. I was introduced to Mercury Rev through All is Dream and I still think it is the stronger album overall but the higher high points belong to Desserters Songs. 4.5 🌟
KISS
3/5
Detroit Rock City and Shout it Out Loud are absolute classic hard rock anthems. But some of the deeper cuts are soooo bad with some of the most banal lyrics the 70s had to offer; case in point Great Expectations...wow! Truly bad! The outlier here is Beth a very nice ballad with some actual genuine emotion. Overall a solid 3.5 🌟
Elvis Presley
4/5
Starts with a bang...Blue Suede Shoes. There is some let up afterwards but not much. Sometimes I do feel his vocals are like his acting; overdone! But in general the production is clean and the vocal performance spot on. Other hilights; I got a woman, I'm counting on you, Blue Moon and Money Honey. But, personally I'll take Buddy Holly everyday and twice on Sundays. 4 🌟
4/5
My new favourite Blur album. I would call it the most Kinks-like of all there albums. Some beautiful slices of English life vividly described so that this non-english guy can very much appreciate the colourful characters. And this album rocks hard too and is perfectly paced to keep things fresh from beginning to end. No there's o Song 2 or Charmless Man bit it is strong from beginning to end. 4 🌟
The Strokes
4/5
Fine album that I've liked since it was released. Lots of hi-lights; Last Night, New York City Cops and my favorite Take it or Leave it. A really strong debut album. 4.5 🌟
The Black Crowes
3/5
Some good old fashion greasy blues-rock in the style of classic Rolling Stones. Nothing particularly memorable to me but a lot of fun. 3.5 🌟
Beatles
5/5
Is Abbey Road the best Beatles album? Not in my book. It's got some great great songs and starts off with a fantastic one two punch of Come Together and Something. But there a couple of songs that some wou,d call whimsical and charming I would describe as unnecesary filler. (though their sense of melody is strong even in those throwaway tunes. So it's not their best but it's still an easy 5 star album.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
I'm not a fan of Country music, but I am a fan of Emmylou Harris. But with songs this good and a voice as angelic as hers, genres are just not really applicable. It's all just music and this is good music. simple as that. 4 stars
k.d. lang
3/5
A good album in which lang forsakes her country roots and goes jazz/pop vocalist on us. Generally to quite good effect however I do find things a little slow and plodding at times lacking any sort of upbeat tempos or dynamic shifts. It's a good showcase for her quite amazing voice but I find the songs somewhat lacking. 3 stars