Holy fucking shit what an opening! Every single song on this slaps with irresistible 80s groove... The Nile Rodgers-esque rhythm guitar, Phil Collins-y drums, slapping base, synth strings and keys, various other sond effects... And it's different enough to be individual and something that you couldn't substitute with some other 80s album... I had so much fun listening to this

Supergroups. Why are there always supergroups. All of the playing is good, and all of the songs are forgettable. Supergroups always sound way too polished, too over-produced, and too ironed to me. While great bands often feel like like more than the sum of their parts, Bad Company feel like far less. Don't let me Down is shockingly dull.

This album showcases two things, neither of them good. Firstly, it highlights the problems that arise when an artist takes themselves too seriously; secondly, it illustrates how concept albums, although sometimes excellent and often make the lists of the best albums of all time, can also be hugely overrated and misguided. This album, to me, takes all of the fun out of a band that have created a lot of good, danceable tunes, without providing anything with any genuine further substance. At over an hour long, this thing rambles along with ideas that aren't nearly as interesting or profound, or even just as epic-sounding, as the Bee Gees must have thought it was at the time of recording. Suddenly and Whisper Whisper were the highlights on this for me, being two good tracks that didn't go on forever and were enjoyable to listen to. The rest of it went down like the Odessa

Really surprised I haven't come across this sooner because it's totally up my street. I usually hear people talk about Daydream Nation or Goo when it comes to Sonic Youth, which I like a lot - but this feels more polished, more direct, and influenced by the grunge scene which was exploding at the time, while not losing sight of their own experimental edge. Superb

So here's the thing... After about 2 minutes of the opening track, I was convinced this would be a 1. It was so annoying and pompous and self-important, and this did continue throughout the album. But, despite Peter Gabriel doing my head in for the full hour, everything else was admittedly pretty damn good. The drums were interesting, there's lot going on instrumentally and dynamically, and the songs move through various interesting and versatile sections. I feel anything below a 2 or lower would be unfair on that side of things, but to be honest, the lyrics and posturing annoyed me enough that this 3 feels generous in some respect. Still, props to the rest of the band for pulling it out of the bag - there is some genuinely great stuff here. It's just a shame it's so oversaturated

Fleetwood Mac are at their best when the bass is bouncing, the drums are driving, and Stevie is doing her thing. On most of the tracks here, they tap into that sweet spot to create nostalgic, happy-sad tunes with huge production value. Special shoutout to the use of delay, panning and harmonies on this thing; at different points evokes Floyd, Beach Boys and CHuck Berry esque ROck n Roll classics

Can't believe I've never heard Common before. The production is brilliant in this album, with phased vocals, tasteful use of synths, keys, trumpets and strings, a bass tone that's compressed to a satin chocolate finish, and rich, measured backing vocals. Common's flow is great and the tribute he pays to african american music from the past 50 years is dense as hell. Through Jazz, blues, disco, funk, RnB (especially on the keys), soul, and others, Common elevates the music of black artists onto his own personal pedestal, and then takes inspiration from it to create something really exciting and original. It drags a bit in the middle for me maybe, but that's the only complaint I have - and Common's reluctance to fall into patterns of singing about the same tropes that a lot of 90s hip-hop singers did is not only refreshing, but it also allows him to touch on some really emotional and personal points of interest. "Save the war stories for Private Ryan"

I'd never heard of Hole before this album - I started listening to it, and thought it sounding like Nirvana with a female vocalist. Then saw they were fronted by Courtney Love! Figures. Decent album

I've never been a big Stones fan and I don't really get the hype. For me it's all about the character, but the music itself always feels a bit longwinded, boring or forgettable. However, BB does have a lot of great production, and Mick Jagger is great. On this one, the songs do kind of blend into each other. I do think this is in part because they're not overly distinguishable or memorable, but the key to the album is Jagger's storyteller vocals, which makes the rambly nature of the album kind of work. They're telling you a story, you're along for the ride. RocknRoll

Not sure how gamechanging or great this album is, but it's fun and funky as hell. Think 4 would be too generous, but 3 does feel harsh

First 3 songs didn't really do anything for me. Last 4 were almost all great all the time.

Psychedelic Rock for the ages

Fine? Faith no More seems to work best when they're not taking themselves too seriously

I'd consider myself a big Beatles fan but I think this was the first time for me listening to this the whole way through - think this one ranks somewhere in the middle, I think you could call it the best of the worst? Which, being a Beatles album, is still better than 90% of albums by my reckoning - not quite up there with Revolver, Rubber Soul, Sgt. pepper, the White album and Abbey Road (and arguably Magical Mystery Tour), but not a million miles away - you can definitely hear the beginnings of the sonic experimentation that developed throughout the above albums - the opening chord to a Hard Day's Night is iconic, And I Love her is great (especially George's guitar), and it has some bangers like Can't Buy Me Love and You Can't Do That. A big step up from the first few albums for me, and probably more interesting than the next two before Rubber Soul landed, this is a really solid contribution to their discography

It's a well-suited title... There's a special cardinal sin allocated to counter-culture bands who sell out. This album, especially for the first 4 tracks, feels a lot like Hole decided to throw in their chips in the Grunge/Punk scene in favour of stadium-friendly pop rock. Hole are wearing that superstar skin here for sure, but it doesn't fit and it doesn't suit. It does pick up considerably in the middle, to be fair; Reasons to be Beautiful is a pretty good tune. On this, they finally get to the grunge, and it showcases a pretty good lyrical and vocal performance from Love. I'd say it's the best track on the album, and they know it - comes in at over 5 minutes which almost breaks a law in Grunge/Punk. It nearly starts to drag, but just about gets away with it. Enjoyed this. Dying starts off strong too, with another interesting and surprisingly understated vocal performance from Love. Pretty cool rhythmic beat in the background, and it's a pretty solid track until it reverts to stadium content in the last minute and a bit. Use Once and Destroy is OK too - again, they're at their best at their Grungy roots, but this song is trying too hard to hit stardom. And I actually really like the guitar riff and string arrangements on Northern Star. Given the opening, I'll admit these 4 tracks pleasantly surprised me. But it's back to naff on Heaven Tonight. Really not good... The riff on Playing Your Song is cool, pretty spacey effects thrown over it and the song is heavy as balls. Nothing special though. The last few tracks are somewhere in the middle - feels like Hole had kind of lost a spark somewhere, and didn't know how to go back and dig it out, or drive on and create something new.

perfect. This is the best the Blues has ever been.

Constantly surprising and interesting - low key weird as hell, in a good way. Waiting for the Sun is a great track

Really good album - lots of interesting ideas and developments from TRAF

Lot's of really cool noises and ambient soundscapes, as well as satisfying glitchy drums - for me, there's a couple too many recycled ideas and lulls in interest to be a great post-rock album, something that would stand toe-to-toe with the likes of GY!BE. I'd give it 3.5 if I could

I didn't believe sex music existed before this album

For most of this album I couldn't get into it at all... When it doesn't hit it feels derivative, boring, laboured, uninspired. It kind of did win me over in the end though - there's a few tracks in the final third of the album, namely Rave On, which hit hard and really do achieve what I suspect Happy Mondays are trying to do on the record - groovy, hook-oriented dance rock that really grabs your attention and shakes you side to side. It's just a pity it took so long to get there

Ja like Jazz?

This is a great album - blur make a lot of interesting sounds across a range of genres, and despite the fact that there's a lot of big singles on the album (Girls & Boys, Parklife, End of a Century), it still feels very cohesive and there's a lot of tunes here that really serve the album in a broader sense. I've always rejected the Blur vs Oasis comparison as they've always seemed really different and not comparable beyond the fact that they were British bands around at the same time. But if we're going to look at the merits of the two... it's no contest.

Extremely well produced alt-pop record here - I went reading into it on wikipedia and the story behind the production here and the relationship between band and producer is really fascinating, would highly recommend. The album is pretty good, with a few catchy tunes - but it's not really my thing.

The best of its kind

This album sounds huge. The strings and acoustic guitars are lush and warm, the electric guitars scream, the drums pop like they're in a cave and everything else (keys, organ/synths, horns) is produced incredibly. Coupled with the vocals, this album is a soundtrack to a revelation

This album showcases two things, neither of them good. Firstly, it highlights the problems that arise when an artist takes themselves too seriously; secondly, it illustrates how concept albums, although sometimes excellent and often make the lists of the best albums of all time, can also be hugely overrated and misguided. This album, to me, takes all of the fun out of a band that have created a lot of good, danceable tunes, without providing anything with any genuine further substance. At over an hour long, this thing rambles along with ideas that aren't nearly as interesting or profound, or even just as epic-sounding, as the Bee Gees must have thought it was at the time of recording. Suddenly and Whisper Whisper were the highlights on this for me, being two good tracks that didn't go on forever and were enjoyable to listen to. The rest of it went down like the Odessa

meh

Enjoyable folk rock, nothing sounded really groundbreaking but I enjoyed the vibe and some of the more shanty-like tracks

Enjoyed every second

Really surprised I haven't come across this sooner because it's totally up my street. I usually hear people talk about Daydream Nation or Goo when it comes to Sonic Youth, which I like a lot - but this feels more polished, more direct, and influenced by the grunge scene which was exploding at the time, while not losing sight of their own experimental edge. Superb

Leonard Cohen finally clicked for me on this album - I always acknowledged he was a great artist before, but he never did it for me. This album, released shortly before his death, is dripping with all of the emotions that you expect from a man at that stage of his life; grief, loss, awareness, regret, exhaustion, love... Here's a man who's on borrowed time, being able to reflect on his life from the outside in, and the result is kind of special. It reminds me of Bowie's Blackstar in that respect - an opus to outlive himself, by design.

Not really my thing, but enjoyed some of the sounds off this record. Cool Eastern influences, fairly different - I didn't feel like the songs really sunk into a groove a lot of the time, but there were some stronger tracks too. Props to Cornershop for inventing Brimful of Asha so that Fatboy Slim could turn it into a certifiable banger

Paul Simon has got to be one of the greatest songwriters of all time. His melodies and tunes are so well-crafted, and his guitar playing is understated, but really effective. It's interesting to listen to his self-titled album here, because he hasn't quite reached the experimental highs of something like Graceland, but you can hear the ideas being formed and the seeds being planted. All in all a really solid album of great tunes, from a prolific artist.

Don't get it, at all really - Fast Car as never done it for me, and I found most of the album really unmemorable. Chapman has a good voice, but not a great one in my opinion. There's not much here that stands out to me... the track "Mountains O' Things" is one of the more interesting moments on the album, at least as far as the music is concerned (because the lyrics are pretty annoying). For My Lover and For You are also highlights, but still a lot of it is really pretty generic and unimaginative. It's not terrible. It's just not particularly good, and to my ears, really forgettable.

Some of the best ambient/space rock I've heard. Spacemen 3 is fucking right

Big beats are the best, get high all the time. Props to this album for sampling both Serge Gainsbourg and the James Bond theme. Unreal stuff.

There's such a natural, laid back rapport between Cash and the audience on this. Really great live album

I really loved this album way more than I expected to. Don's fingerpicked guitar playing is smooth and thoughtful, and accompanies his voice really well. His singing is great, with carefully considered melodies and delivery of lyrics that are really poetic and laid bare. He tells a story, and you get sucked in - pair all this with a really good use of strings and other intrumental features throughout the album... it's just great

Bangers. All bangers

Pleasant chamber pop from the mid 90s - carefully crafted and delicately delivered, Belle & Sebastian succeed here on creating modern pop that stands the test of time

It's kinda fun, but they're just not that good though, are they? It's half hard-rock, half psych-rock, except not as good as the best bands from either genre and never committing to either genre for a satisfying enough length of time. I enjoyed bits of what I heard, but it wasn't good enough for me to sit here for the full 2 hours.

Alright, so this is incredible. Folk-prog-blues-hard-rock... Enjoyed every minute

Not my favourite Zep, but possibly second - a classic debut

A very solid collection of tunes

Good... It was a bit much at times though. I think the wackiness sometimes surpassed the actual quality of the music, and relied too heavily on Unwin's unintelligible narration for the second half. Enjoyable and fun - just not great

I was surprised by this - I didn't think the first track was all that great, and then I knew Money for Nothing was going to be excellent but again, after that there were one or two average tunes. But as the album went on I found myself checking the names of most of the tracks on this thing and saving them to my liked songs... A really good combo of great guitar riffs/solos, interesting progressions, and the use of other noises and instruments to add to the scope of the tunes. Might have been a 5/5 for me if not for the couple of duds

It was different and there were some really fun tracks on it - but ultimately I found a good bit of it slightly unsatisfying, too. I respect the attempt to do something different from the perspective of still trying to make radio friendly music, and when they pull it off I'm loving it. But it's tricky

Supergroups. Why are there always supergroups. All of the playing is good, and all of the songs are forgettable. Supergroups always sound way too polished, too over-produced, and too ironed to me. While great bands often feel like like more than the sum of their parts, Bad Company feel like far less. Don't let me Down is shockingly dull.

Good groovy soul - I think there's other Curtis albums I prefer though

Guitar playing is obviously out of this world - Jimi is the greatest. I'm gonna give it a 4, just because I felt like it was a tiny bit too long and despite the incredible playing, some of the songs weren't all that great

This was not what I expected. The name made me think it'd be way more country than it was.... In the end it was really solid alternative rock with warm, driving, bounding bass and drums, unreal guitar tones, great piano interludes and an engaging vocal performance. The opener is a belter of an opening track for an album, and leads into a soft spoken tune with chorusey acoustic guitar at the opposite end of the spectrum... It was really good

Not really doing much for me

A good album - it's very of its time. The Britpop scene in all of its nostalgic, honest, if overrated glory

It's flawed. It's got filler and it's definitely rough around the edges. But you'd be hard pressed to find another album that sounds just like it. It's raw and direct, and is an early indicator of the artistic ability of Jack White. Fell in love with a girl is rock on steroids, and We're going to be friends is such a gorgeous, touching tune. And props to Napoleon Dynamite for immortalising it too

There's a lot more to this album than I thought there was going to be... I expected it to be straight down the line country folk, and there's definitely bits of that here like on Teach Your Children. But a lot of the album grooves and rocks; Woodstock is a rock n roll banger, Almost Cut My Hair and Carry On are heavy and groovy, and Our House is whimsical and fun... Deju Vu is the highlight though. It's almost jazzy in its acapella verse vocals and epicly psychedelic on the slowed down, mellowed out choruses. Easily the best supergroup album I've listened to through this website.

Really different. Four long tracks, 35 minutes, spanning multiple genres - give it a go

Powerful stuff - reminds me of singers like Fiona Apple, Sheila Nichols and Cathy Davey... just a really strong, emotive, cosmic voice, she knows what she wants to say and says it in a way that's greater than the sum of its parts. Really enjoyed

Holy fucking shit what an opening! Every single song on this slaps with irresistible 80s groove... The Nile Rodgers-esque rhythm guitar, Phil Collins-y drums, slapping base, synth strings and keys, various other sond effects... And it's different enough to be individual and something that you couldn't substitute with some other 80s album... I had so much fun listening to this

Prince is underrated in a ton of ways. His guitar playing is out of this world... He's an unbelievable innovator... he has a great voice and pretty much everything he does funks. I've not always liked his songs, but I always had a huge appreciation for him. So I'm really glad that I enjoyed this album as much as I did - it's very long, and so there were a few moments that I tuned out, but all in all it was a damn good collection of tunes with a cohesive feel and sound

So here's the thing... After about 2 minutes of the opening track, I was convinced this would be a 1. It was so annoying and pompous and self-important, and this did continue throughout the album. But, despite Peter Gabriel doing my head in for the full hour, everything else was admittedly pretty damn good. The drums were interesting, there's lot going on instrumentally and dynamically, and the songs move through various interesting and versatile sections. I feel anything below a 2 or lower would be unfair on that side of things, but to be honest, the lyrics and posturing annoyed me enough that this 3 feels generous in some respect. Still, props to the rest of the band for pulling it out of the bag - there is some genuinely great stuff here. It's just a shame it's so oversaturated

Don't love Elvis personally, but it's a classic

Still don't get the hype. So much of this album felt like dull rock 'n' roll that I've already forgotten and am unlikely to go back to. It's well executed, and there's some better moments on it - I really liked Let it Loose and Shine a Light - but for the best part, I just don't care

It's long, and self-indulgent, and it's not perfect. But it's damn good. Concept albums are always a tricky business because it's hard to pull it off without sounding like you're patting yourself on the back for the whole thing, lauding how clever you are. And the idea of this album, as narrative heavy and out-there as it is, is certainly lofty and far-fetched. But in all fairness, the writing, imagination, and delivery on this album are great. The whole album works as a single body of work, while also having some excellent single material, like Pinball Wizard, I'm Free, The Acid Queen... and both Overture and Underture are a delight to listen to. It does feel bloated at times, and at it's points of greatest contrivances, it is a bit ridiculous. But you've got to say that in as far as they could, they pulled this one off

Gotta love some trip-hop. The beats and sounds on this thing are hazy and wacky, lots of cool noises that sound kind of underwater and industrial. Really creative, really interesting and really catchy

Frankly, it's just boring to me. In the over-an-hour it takes for this album to wrap up, there's only a few tracks that caught my ear - Georgia, Architecture and Morality, and Motion and Heart; and even at that, A&M is over before it gets going (oddly enough given the problem with the majority of the album is the opposite), and the carnival-style novelty of Motion and Heart wore thin on me by the end. I understand and generally appreciate the appeal of an album that works as a whole, rather than as a collection of singles; however, I just didn't find the sounds on this appealing for the best part, and was ready for every song to end by the time it finally did. The crafted hooks weren't enough to get past the overly repetitive tracks on this, and the vocals grated on me. I respect the craft, and synthesized experimentation... I just really didn't find that this one hit the mark

One of the all-time great sad albums. Between the bars gets me every time... Elliott was a poet and his voice is incredible. The mixing of the acoustic guitar is also excellent throughout the album. A total classic

Funky as funk

Yes. This clicked Kate Bush for me. I always appreciated she had an amazing voice and style, but I never enjoyed her music and always found it a bit too soft and airy. This album packs a punch, it's daring and out there, and her voice cuts through that brilliantly. It's fantastic

There's some cool innovation on this album, with lots of out-there noises and production decisions. The problem is, I found most of them really unappealing

This does feel harsh, but 4 is too much. There's some really good tunes on here, but some of them are just a bit boring to me. Nothing about it stands as an album either, in the sense that it's just a collection of tunes. Good tunes, but not great

I expected this to just be take on me, plus filler. It had other bangers. It also had a lot of filler

This is phenomenal! The drums and beats sound so damn huge - the amount of attention put into them, and effects layered over them... It's almost like a lead instrument for a lot of the album. The same goes for all of the programming though. The glitchy, saturated synths sound fantastic, and all of the effects are used in a way that's not just imaginative for that one instrument, but that integrates stupidly well into what everything else is doing. And thats saying nothing of the bass and guitars used on the album which are all thoughtfully used... These tracks just suck you in and make you groove.

Serious, heavy rock, without being annoyingly serious about itself. The guitar tone is excellent, and when it locks in with the bass on some driving riffs, it sounds goddamn fantastic. The singing doesn't do a whole lot for me, and sometimes it gets lost in the chaotic energy of it all, but that energy is kind of the point. A solid 3

Grunge rock that's stripped back to a point where it's got a folk-y bluesy sense to it. Great voice as well as great tunes

6 tracks. Just under 40 minutes. Every minute is great. Sometimes David Bowie's stuff is shamelessly artistic, but comes off a bit too kooky and inaccessible. Other times he makes something undeniably catchy, but without all that depth and substance. Here, he pulls off the best of both worlds. This album grooves - the bass lines are punchy and fun, and the guitar alternates between Chic rhythm and pink Floyd lead. Great album with lots of great moments

Black Sabbath is the bridge between hard rock and heavy metal, and you've got to say that most metal today as it currently exists wouldn't have been possible without this album. Even for something from 1970, this thing just goes so damn hard. The guitars are saturated, the drums crash like a mother, and Ozzy singing about Satan 'n' Shit™️ is just so much fun. You can hear all of the bluesy influences in this too which are sometimes less pronounced in their later stuff. With the tracks being as long as they are, some of them start to drag a touch for me and get a bit meandery ("Warning" springs to mind) - but overall, deadly album.

For me, the black keys aren't overly memorable or noteworthy. They take blues rock and bring it into the 21st century with some production and style. But, in fairness to them, they do a pretty good job of it.

Good vibes

Sinfully soulful. Will be checking this guy out more. Effortlessly cool and groovy

It's short and sweet. It didn't blow my mind, and some of the mixing was weird with the guitar and bass seeming too quiet a lot of the time, but Jerry Lee is an undeniably great performer and that comes through here. Props to the drums for sounding deadly here too

This is great - weird and catchy, inventive and substantial without being self important.

This is pretty good. Bits of it reek of a poorly-aged in-your-face 90s grunge rock attitude, but Alannis' voice is great and there's some really good tracks on here, along with some powerful messages from herself lyrically

The sounds, oh, the sounds... This album takes a synth machine, plugs it into your f***ing skull and turns it up to 11. Epic noises and catchy tunes that I'll definitely be revisiting

This is a pretty damn good album. But, hate to be that guy, I always felt that the importance of it is overhyped and it's not as jaw dropping as it gets credit for. Tusk is on par with it imo

One of the most beautiful bits of music I've ever listened to

Bloated? There's some great tracks here, like Saturday Night's Alright, Sweet Painted Lady, and Benny and The Jets, but at 1 hr 16 mins, it does drag on. What's more, bits of it feel a bit twee and contrived. The banjo on Social Disease sounds insincere to me, and Jamaican Jerk-Off feels borderline problematic. It's still Elton John, so it's still pretty damn good - the singing and performance is mostly on the money. But if you're looking for an Elton John album, in my opinion, you can do better.

Nice and mellow, groovy soul.

This is my second favourite Nirvana album. Heart-Shaped Box and Pennyroyal Tea are timeless classics, but a few other tunes on this album just go so hard - Very Ape and Milk it in particular. Raw music

I love me some trip-hop. I think Mezzanine is a better album overall, but there's something really raw and significant about this album all the same. It really feels like it was at the crest of the wave for the genre - really enjoyed it

Actually pretty groovy. I'm not mad on Santana - he makes a good sound, but after a while the tone gets kind of boring for me and it all starts to sound a bit samey. But I really enjoyed the Latin influences on this album, and it does a pretty good job of sounding sexy. Oye Como Va is always gonna be a classic

This is so much more of an album than I expected, which admittedly was Ms. Jackson plus filler. Great bars, great production, and still holds up as pretty original and refreshing in comparison to a lot of other rap/hip hop, both then and now. The soul and funk influences go a long way. Drags a bit towards the end, but Stankonia is a great closer

For the first few tracks, I thought this was pretty boring. And by the end of it, I still didn't think there was that much to it. But in fairness to the album, it kind of sucked me in - I went with the vibe of it, and the vibe is pretty strong. Cool combination of acoustic instrumentation and electronic production and mixing too - but basically, if you let this album take you along for the ride for 50 minutes, I think you'll have a good time

Great energy

There's some balancing issues. None of my favourite tracks were on it. And at 30 minutes, it felt like it should have packed more of a punch than it did... But it's still James Brown. Performance and presence out the hole

This is a belter. You can hear influences from trip-hop, it was clearly influenced by punk and part of the big-beat movement too - and most of the album slaps hard. I don't think we would have electro swing without this album? It drags a bit towards the end which is the only complaint, but I really enjoyed this

Very cool. Impressive blending of tango and electronica - the swing of the traditional influence is maintained even after all of the production. Worth a listen

not my thing - it's fine

This was pretty cool. I think it's definitely more of a collective vibe that a collection of songs? I'm not sure if there's any songs I'd pick out in particular but I enjoyed it a lot regardless - a strong 3

So Leonard Cohen is an great songwriter and a phenomenal poet. But for me, it kinda stops there. His singing doesn't do anything for me, and the overall instrumentation and innovation on his tracks leaves a lot to be desired in my opinion. Lyrically he can stand toe to toe with anyone, but when you compare his songs to other musician-singer-songwriter-poets like Bob Dylan or Nick Drake especially, I think he gets left in the dust. With the exception of You Want it Darker, which is excellent. But yeah, this album just blurred into the one Leonard Cohen-ism for me. I respect his abilities massively - but I also think the sameyness and forgettability of a lot of this album probably goes under the radar a lot of the time

The tunes aren't all as good as some of the songs off of RAM or Daft Punk; but Jesus, this is the pure, distilled EDM energy of a buzzsaw. Some of the songs do slightly overstay their welcome and run out of ideas, but for the best part this slaps start to finish.

Infinitely soothing. Willie means every word he sings and every note he plays. Beautiful stuff

I was torn on this - the highs are really high, with lots of great creative and original sounds and harmonies, but at its low points it does feel a bit self-consciously kooky, as though being out-there is more important that being good. Worth a few listens and with a few tracks that are timeless, but it's got its flaws

Nice, but I don't have much else to say about it? Very pleasant, but I coudn't name a track I'd want to listen to actively. Good to have on in the background

Nice 90s indie stuff - pretty imaginative tunes and really cool sounds thrown across the mixes!

@runthejewels

This is kind of like a female inversion of Beastie Boys MCing, in the best possible way. This was a lot of fun to listen to, provocative and tongue in cheek the whole way through

I really like Ian Dury, he's a proper rock'n'roll guy and he's got such a strong attitude and charisma. Unfortunately, that did have to carry some of this. The energy is good, the vibe is great, the tongue-in-cheek humour is there - all it's missing is consistently good songs. Some of them were very good. A lot of them missed the mark

Actually really enjoyed this - never clicked with Dylan before, but this drew me into his stories and his expression on the guitar was really great. Will listen again

Enjoyed a lot. Iggy Pop fucks, and a lot of singer's owe a debt to him

This grew on me as the album went on, and by the end I was completely sucked in. Then I saw the list of people Brian Eno has worked with... Makes a lot of sense. Pretty genius stuff

Very good. Very impressive. Very clever. Just didn't love it

This ain't it chief

One of the greatest.

I'd never listened to Janelle Monáe before... Incredible. It's got funk, psych, punk, jazz, it's conceptual, it's got outstanding singing and above all else, it's the catchiest shit you'll hear in a while. One of the best I've heard

Lemmy is a king

enjoyable listen

Pretty magic. I'm not a reggae fan and I probably won't put this on again on my own accord, but I very much enjoyed the ride

This is great. I'd heard La Femme d'Argent lots before but never knew what it was called. A few other tracks on this I recognized too. Very vibey and memorable

This was really good. I always liked the kinds a lot when I heard songs here and there, and then a few months ago this website generated a kinks album for me that a thought was complete rubbish. Glad to listen to a different one that hit the mark

Love the smiths, never heard this before. Death of a disco dancer is near perfect

Needs no introduction

I really enjoyed this. Very much of its time and era - feels understatedly influential

Bits of it were admittedly catchy, so I can't completely destroy it. But I really didn't like this. I thought it was corny and soulless and really had nothing about it

Really good. Unsurprisingly heavy given what Morrissey was doing before and after. Also seems to be from before he completely lost the plot

Finally, a great rolling stones album. Loved it, and it made me laugh several times too

Meh

Not Dummy. But great

This is great. And I don't usually go for this kind of stuff. But every note, every artistic decision, the voicing and just every touch on the album is perfect. Loved it

Objectively genius? The fact that this was made 55 years ago is a glitch in the matrix. Petition to investigate whether it was in fact made by the ghosts of Lou Reed, David Bowie, Mozart and God gone back in time from 2077 in a DeLorean so that 80% of current music it ultimately influenced could be a thing

Pure vibes

Taken off Spotify, 0/10

Really gorgeous. Such a nice voice

Aha, I know this one. This is one of those pure gems of an album that always gives you something new every time you listen to it. The concept is dense, the music spans from metal to prog to Latin-inspired to jazz and everywhere in between, the performances are unreal, and it basically just goes hard as fuck for 70 minutes straight. I love this album

It's amazing. Guitar, vocals and songwriting alike. Jeff Buckley was too good for this world

This is deadly! Unreal rhythms and grooves, it really digs in

Just didn't really do it for me. I know he's great. But yeah, it just didn't get me going

Just fantastic storytelling. One of the great captivating voices

Fine

Roundabout is a banger. This album is also really good - Yes can be a bit annoying for me at times, but the prog experimental stuff on this is actually measured and doesn't run away with itself. Good good

Didn't do much for me. Our house is a classic, but other than that nothing really caught my ear. Not a big ska fan

Yes

Kind of cool in places and I think it's probably someone's gold dust - but it really isn't mine

So pretentious. I can see for miles is great, but christ, Messers Townsend and Daltrey forgot to put any other enjoyable music on this wanky concept album

This album is just brilliant. Every single song takes some kind of irresistible groove and layers the shit out of it with different instruments and hooks. Read all about it

Fun but not special

Annoying... For anyone who knows the mighty boosh, this sounds like the logical conclusion of retro, but unironically. Put down the sitar, man...

Lot of goats on that cover.

I liked it

Nah

Almost a 5. It just has 2 or 3 tracks that I don't really vibe with, but otherwise Doolittle is a killer album with some timeless classics. The lyrics are really interesting, the sound is instantly identifiable. Love this

Really enjoyed this! Very groovy, very 80s.

Most tracks sound like they're background music to the closing credits if a rom com. And I don't mean that in a good way. But - I will say that Dancing in the Dark and Bobby Jean are very good songs that would make those closing credits pretty damn great.

This was surprisingly funky. Really thoughtful bass lines with tunes that go places you weren't expecting

Something about beer and women

Short, sweet and simple like all good classic punk albums.

Brilliant. Possibly the best prog rock album ever made

Fucking hell... this one of the most far reaching albums I've ever heard. Insane experimental fusion of Hip Hop, RnB, Soul, Prog, Techno, Metal, Jazz, Funk... I want this on Vinyl

This is a funny one. I think the vibe and themes on the album are great, I love it's honesty to a fault, I think the skits are great and the features are great too. There's a lot to love. Unfortunately, what let's it dow is the fact that the tunes just aren't that memorable!

This is great! Never gave Steely Dan a chance before. Really tasteful groove-lovin musak

The quintessential sexy album. But to be honest, I didn't find it all that memorable

Pretty good. I really like the rapport between Pete and the crowd, he seems like a funny guy.

How. How can an album be that long and that good. I loved it - Pulp have a really fun, nuanced and profound way with words, and it's really echoed in the music they make

Great moods. Nice harmonies. Extremely talented guy. Did get a bit dull for me in places, but letting it wash over me I enjoyed it quite a bit

There is plenty of filler, it's derivative and the lyrics leave some to be desired; but with LZ, Zep started something that would come to open the gates for so many genres and bands. For that, it's timeless

A well crafted and artistically honest set of songs, that I really enjoyed, even if Roger Daltrey is a bit annoying

Long opinion on this one so bear with me! So the Wall is essentially an opera, which I think means that the music has to be considered in a dramatic context as much as a musical one. If you look at it musically, I feel it's bloated at 80 minutes long, definitely uninventive melodically and harmonically, and if we're talking about Roger Daltrey being a bad singer, Roger Waters isn't too hot either. It does have some great tracks mind in my opinion - I really like the wall trilogy and mother in particular. David Gilmour is also a great guitarist to listen to, even if just for his tone. That being said, while Roger Waters isn't a good singer, he's a decent innovator, a very good lyricist, and a feckin great dramatiser. Looking at it from a theatric perspective, it's epic, both thematically and sonically, and listening to the songs through that lense shifts the focus away from melodic/harmonic mundanity and emphasises its strengths. The longer, more monotonous tracks become atmospheric and the lyrically heavy but musically dull tracks become more engaging. It's nowhere near the perfect album that I think dark side is. But it's a success in its own right

So I think I like it on a very passive level. I like his voice, but more for his delivery in a Leonard Cohen kind of way than his "singing" in the conventional musical sense. I see the Jeff buckley comparison, but Jeff's in a totally different league (range, tone, emotion and everything else) imo. I do really enjoy the guitar playing though. It's simple and repetitive, but feels very soothing and brain-massaging - it's like a warm hug. I also like how stripped back it is, mostly for the fact that all other musical inclusions (piano, electric geetar and drums in particular) and throughout the album feel more significant and tastefully selected because of it. But I agree that it's static, and I also found it quite boring at times. It doesn't have enough magic or X factor to carry it's minimalism

Marquee moon - I think it's trying too hard. Very Lou Reed, but it's not Lou Reed. Low end is often doing the bare minimum imo, although there's some nice bass songs. Strength is the guitars - they do a very good line between satisfying/familiar (in the way blues derived music has to be) and creative/innovative. Goddamn I love guitars. The instrumentals are definitely the best bits to me. But otherwise, I doubt I'll have much reason to come back to this - I could find it better somewhere else

It's sound and soundscapes for me. To my ear, sonic youth songs sound massive and expansive. Almost noise experimentation for noise experimentation's sake. I like it a lot, I think it takes the "wall of sound" in a grungy and even more experimentap direction (and they were ahead of grunge, so that deserves recognition). The guitars are being absolutely wrung dry for sounds! I think the album (and the band) certainly possesses artistic merit. I love the weirdness (in the kingdom #19 comes to mind for the barmy reverso noises), but it's definitely not for everyone.

Wholly inoffensive, and devoid of substance. But pleasant

An underappreciated talent. I think he balances his voice and his guitar playing more harmoniously than any other artist I know - it's beautifully weighted. His earlier album, five leaves left, is one of my favourites I've come across on this site. I like this too, but I don't think it's as good. I find his delivery inferior, and I think his laid back singing style, while often gorgeous, does stray into muttery/muddy territory at times. I also don't think the songs are as carefully crafted, and he occasionally falls into the same muscle-memory guitarry patterns. It's still beautiful, but remembering how blown away I was by the previous one, this falls a bit short

What an album. The drama, the performances, the innovation, the ability... Early 2000s muse were a force

Not it

The album you get when you triple distill testosterone. It's attitudinous, loud, and unapologetic. Iggy the man

Wide emotional and tonal range, but lacking the depth and sincerity of his other albums. The flute stuff is very elevatory

Great. I think

Fantastic. I loved the guitars, the creativity in the compositions, the conviction, the vibe - this is a classic album

There's not much to the songs. But the delivery is absolutely killer

I liked this more than I liked other Byrds stuff. It was more vibey, a bit more convincing in its experimentation, and more interesting. Still kinda wishy washy. But I get it

I like it a lot - it's like a really meticulously prepared fuzzy static brain massage. The impenetrable block of sound and the saturation are definitely the point, and I can see why this is considered so influential. Hup Ireland 🇮🇪

The Stone Roses meet the Smiths to create something that's more simultaneously interesting and listenable than anything Britpop did in the 15 years following this album

Nah. Sometimes it taps into an inexplicably satisfying and deeply hidden groove - but beyond this it's annoying and contrived weirdness

Has a certain shock value and Alice Cooper has a certain charisma for sure. But by God the album is unmemorable

Really annoying. Some good ideas and original songs in there, but the singing is poor and the strings are flat as hell. Just frustrating

There's so much dynamics and expression in the playing. It's so nuanced, in terms of inflections and rhythms, and you can feel the love of the instrument in the tunes. His singing isn't great, but it's fine, and again, his enjoyment and conviction comes through. He also takes a number of the songs in harmonic and tonal directions which are completely beyond the call of duty for the genre that's in it. I had a feeling listening to it that he might have been a musical godfather I hadn't been aware of before, and a quick Google search showed up Neil Young, Nick Drake, Jimmy Page and others as having been influenced by him - I'm not surprised

Very carefully crafted soundscapes and moods. Meticulously prepared

This is pretty great, if a bit safe at times, with fantastic playing and a cohesive and comprehensive sonic vision. Money for nothing is one of the best rock songs of all time

At its best when it commits to the trance-like hypnotic stuff; at its worst when it strives towards its pop sensibilities. The more western influenced stuff is really very bland, with the songs not really going anywhere. The repetitive nature of the songs becomes boring instead of meditative

This album is great fun. Alice cooper had previously sounded really flat and boringly postury to me, but this album is just camp and jazzy enough that all the showmanship is much more endearing and well intentioned. Shout-out to west side story

Ingenious composition and carzy emotive delivery. Lou Reed is fantastic. I'm not sold on Nico's singing, but the rest is top drawer

It's fun. Utterly unambitious, but well played and committed to it's thing.

Respect it for it's authenticity and importance. But it didn't do much for me

Kinda love Curtis. He's so authentic and deeply groovy. This album was meditative in its soulfulness

I think it works, and the orchestra does for me enhance the listening experience. I still don't love Metallica, but much of this does sound epic

I liked it. I don't like ska generally, but this album was fun

Red hot chilli peppers and rage against the machine come through on this one. It's okay

fantastic album. Full of intent and conviction and heart

Bombastic and proud, with production ahead of its time and great bars. Classic

Groovy and cool

Fundamentally pure and true. Excellent

A good album. Frusciante is fantastic, and flea is in great form on this - Kiedis for me is still a cripplingly weak link for the Chillis, and were it not for him this album could potentially be something special

Great curation of tones and moods. Some of the songs aren't great in isolation, but they don't have to be - it's about the atmosphere which comes through in spades

It's great. Outkast are phenomenal in terms of their energy and cohesive sound, as well as just being incredibly fun. The fact that this goes as hard as it does, for as long as it does, is outrageous

Didn't grip my attention and found it a bit muddled. The rhyming is also clumsy, and I thought it was generally uninspired

Genius

Harmonically interesting, texturally delightful and melodically soothing - this is one to go along for the ride with

Powerful

Occasionally dull but always original, this album at its peak is beautiful and haunting

Occasionally does something special, but generally too safe to me memorable

By pure virtue of Ian Dury's authentic brilliance

A few decent songs, but mostly unmemorable and uninspired

Nice jangly guitars with great vocal harmonies and tunes. Sounds expansive

This is really damn good. Seriously evocative and atmospherically unique, with some very inventive and imaginative lyricism and storytelling. Gorgeous tunes!

Serious voice

Ambitious, original, refreshing and powerful

Touched by divine genius

Fred, saying fuck doesn't make you cool. I believe this genre is typically called Nu-metal? And I think it's a valid genre, even if I'm not mad about it. The problem with this isn't the grungy guitars, or the heaviness, or even the vocal style that he seems to be going for. It's the writing and the execution - his voice is terrible, the lyrics are so much worse still, and the production is mostly god awful. If I'm being generous, I think there are some cool electronic and guitar noises at points, and maybe with a bit of work, a completely new vocalist, and a rewriting of all of the lyrics, it might be okay. The second half of "The One" is one of the worst things I've ever heard. I'll give it a 2 for some of the musicianship, which is actually good at points. But the production and vocal performance is so good damned disgraceful that it nearly overrides all of that. The outro made me angry for wasting my time

I thought this was great. Great playing, great atmosphere

The drumming is immediately great. There's Jazz, Reggae, and some seriously spanky New Wave (O My God could be an ABC/New Order/Depeche Mode track), and even some proggy stuff - Synchronicity II in particular could almost be a Yes track. And Sting is very, very good on this. Tone is nuanced, groove is funky, lines are inventive. The songs feel very distinctly their own to me, like they've really nailed the subtleties of the sound they're trying to create in each case. And I think this elevates most of the songs to great status, where they could otherwise be average. There's really very little to the essence of "Walking in your footsteps", but I thought the whole song was kinda brilliant because of what was going on peripherally. Ultimately at the centre of everything is the drumming, which is as inventive as it is proficient

It's not very nuanced or thoughtful, in a definite music for drunk people kind of way! But I think they've got an undeniable swagger about them, and it's a drunken kind of swagger - I think Liam is a rockstar, even if in personality more so than talent, and I think there is something to pre-Knebworth Oasis where they have the conviction and self-belief of a band drunk on their own rise to stardom. And yes it's music for a big room, but unlike a lot of manufactured pop built in think tanks and focus groups, this contains more honesty and humanity by virtue of it actually being made by two brothers who, despite the songs' limitations in reality, did themselves buy what they were selling. Or maybe they've got me fooled. But sometimes you just want a drunk sing along with a room full of people who know the chorus, and if that's what you want, I would wager there are few bands who can supply you with better material!

Great songs, kinda annoying voice sometimes, but it's pretty damn good overall

It's lowest common denominator rock your cock off kind of stuff. They know what they're doing, and they do it well with energy and a sense of humour

Kinda weird, occasionally disengaged and boring, but sometimes really atmospheric and evocative - in the end, I really liked the moods

The production is fantastic and the beats are damn good. It's dreamy and atmospheric, and the songs take their time to find their groove and dance around in it. I don't think it's LCDS's best crop of songs, but it's got a lot going for it

Faith is great. Other than that, I keep thinking that the songs are a bit not great and a bit lazy. Then I keep catching myself grooving halfway through em. Goddamn 80s irresistibly

The songs aren't great, and some of them are a bit boring in how they're delivered. But there's a youthful authenticity to the whole thing, and my generation has never sounded better

Well made

It's a good album, with some cool aspects - the guitar lines are thoughtful and it's a fun brand of danceable indie rock. It's not gonna blow anyone's mind, but it's solid

Hilarious story. I'm glad it exists. But it's not very good is it

Can't really stand him. There are some good songs on this though

Elliott Smith is great. Beautiful voice, inventive songwriting, deep lyricism. The second half on the album drops a little bit, but it's still a serious bit of work

QOTSA are what you get when you turn every knob on your amp up to 11. It's not got the consistency or clarity that some of their following albums have, but it's got some bangers, and you can hear the direction they're about to start moving in

Pleasant

He's so good

JBJ is really convincing. He is 100% in it. And there are some really enjoyable songs on this

Very atmospheric and anthemic in a compellingly-low-energy kind of way. But the singing and drums do get a bit boring sometimes

These guys are crazy overrated. There is nothing special about these songs or their delivery. Dullness hiding behind groovyism, it's just okay at best

Neil Hannon probably thinks he is very clever. That can be annoying sometimes. Here's the thing: like it or not, Neil Hannon is in fact very clever. Composition, arrangements, lyrics. And singing. It's all on point and creative. It's great

Heavy. Really fucking heavy

Genuinely one of the finest vocalists of her generation and this century. But it's a pity so many of the songs are forgettable

This is a great album. The songs do exactly what they're meant to without any fat, and with a whole lot of personality. Buddy's performances are great, his energy is infectious, and the guitar playing is exquisite. The backing singing is also really good. Almost 5

Good playing. Awful songs

Marvin is great. This album is good

Country rock done very well

A pretty damn good blend of melodic pop and grunge/alt rock. Lots of Pixies and REM influence to be heard in there. The vocals and lyricism could be better. But the songs are basically good, and there's a lot to like

Oh, hot dog. This is fine

Really good and interesting - I could see this being a band that your favourite band are influenced by, without you knowing. But it's not hugely memorable on its own terms

This is lovely. The subtle country blues guitar behind Neil's playing is so tasteful, and the parts on this album where Neil's voice is exposed are magic. There's a lazy, Californian lilt to the whole album that draws you in. Motion Pictures is special

Some very good stuff in here, with Interstellar Overdrive a highlight. Unfortunately a lot of it is wank. And Bike is an atrocity. I love Floyd, but man, this was, on par, not good

PJ Harvey is awesome. Poetry with attitude, this album in a case in point for how music can be heavy and nuanced, moody and intelligent. Rock music with a truly delicate soul

This is really imaginative and creative. The production and songwriting is all great. Really evocative

Bowie is really good. And the production is good. And fame and YA are brilliant as far as I'm concerned. But the rest is... Mostly filler

So unbelievably creative and fresh. And so unbelievably influential. I love it

These guys know how to do it

Cool blend of bjork's avant-garde pop and experimental 90s electronica influences such as Aphex Twin and Portishead

It's a really good reimagining of Mussorgsky's work, and does a solid job of transposing the songs and themes onto a prog rock landscape. But it's not at the level of the source material, and the singing is disappointing and needless.

It's consummate and impressively crafted. But it's not for me

Somehow doesn't scratch the soul itch that other artists do for me, just comes up a small bit short on that front - but the blend of soul and funk is great, and Get to Phoenix is incredible

Not their best, but an impressive and meticulously crafted album

Full of bangers, razor sharp riffing and playing across the board, no one does this better than LZ

Forgettable

Some of the first half is comically bad. Bad itself sounds hilariously ironic because it's so twee and preppy - and librarian girl is just baffling. But the second half picks it up a lot, with some seriously good catchy pop hits. A weird one

Immaculate

The production is

Damn good. Great voice, great playing and songwriting and lovely blend of genres

Damn accomplished and silky smooth

Some catchy funky bits, but mostly unmemorable and drags on

A good Dylan album

Not always my kind of thing and a few of the tracks don't do it for me. But it's a great example of what it is; really authentic American folk. Sister Fatima is a beauty

Rounded up to 4. Best Byrds album I've heard - genuinely interesting and innovative, and really satisfying too

I like these guys but this isn't as good as I remember

A few good hits. Some interesting grooves and a cool blend of dance with country twang. But some of it is pretty dull and the singing is passable at its best

A very cool synthesis of punk and weirdo cockney folk; really enjoyed

It's cheese. Total cheese. But it's tasty, stinky, mature cheese

I have such a soft spot for this album. Critically, I don't think there's a whole lot of note to it; but it creates a vibe that just hits the spot.

Jesus no

Iconic and dripping in atmosphere

These guys are really good at doing what they do. It's not very interesting to me, but it's done very well and in service of the songs without ego getting in the way. Dirty Work is excellent

Wow... Creative, engaging, satisfying, this album caught me off guard and then some

As is often the case, these guys aren't as clever as they think they are. But they're still pretty sharp, and there's some genuinely funny wit on some of these tracks, with some very interesting invention. A mixed bag

What a talented dude. The compositions are all great

Aretha is great, but as an album this left me a bit cold for some reason

Famously influential. Interesting enough. But it still sounds a bit dated to my ear

Awesome

I liked this quite a bit. Cool moody stuff with careful songwriting

Big fat meh. Go back to the Jam Paul

Actually really good. Well written, well performanced and spanning a broad range of sounds

Oh piss off

Some good songwriting and interesting noises, but not enough to make me invested

Barring a few tracks that get in the way, this is a great album, with lots of innovation and cohesion. One of his best

Not the greatest collection of songs, but they're not bad, and they're well made with lots of energy and fun. Sweet Emotion is great

Lovely noises and moods, but not a whole lot to say

Kate Bush is a double edged sword for me of inspired creativity and aurally jarring experimentation. I don't always love it, and I don't love this one, but I massively respect it

It's alright, bits of it were good, but it's not amazing and not my thing

Decent background music, and really pleasant. but there's nothing Lazer guided about these melodies

Had this one before. It's just derivative rock n roll

A few weak links, but otherwise a really good album from an essential band

Did nothing for me really

I liked this - the guitars were rough around the edges in a good way and creative, and the songs were poetic and honest

Seminal and influential. But some of the rhyming on this has not aged well. Misogynistic and bragadocious, without the humour or wit to suggest it's a tongue in cheek caricature. The beats were good and creative, but not incredible

A tremendous album. Funny, moving, and more than the sum of its parts. Their best

I used to like this. But it's really quite boring

Britpop's crowning moment

It has filler, but it also has some great tracks, a convincing throughline, and some of Albarns best work

Trip hop is such an interesting and important bit of music history. This, just behind Dummy, is right up there with the best of it

Eels are an important cornerstone of 90s weirdo rock. It doesn't always hit, but it's creative and interesting

This was cool and inventive and interesting

It's just immaculate

Original, varied and compelling

It's accomplished but a bit sterile

Really not memorable or that impressive

Loved it! Great performances, interesting take on blues rock jams, Jim is awesome

Not as brilliant as I remembered, but still very fun

Ah yeah

Great energy

Fantastic. Innovation, feel, attitude - what an album

Nope

Not on the level of Highway 61 or Bringing it all Back Home; there's the seed of the annoyingly nasal and rambly persona he eventually adopted in here. It's still decent, but not the same

Sleepy cheese

Great voice and delivery, even if the recording isn't amazing. Energy is class

Didn't do much for me at all

As someone who is not a Dylan fan usually, this is the closest I've come to loving a Dylan record. I feel like Ballad of a Thin Man and Desolation Row encapsulate the "point" of Bob Dylan than I often miss

Not my kind of thing and I really enjoyed it, which is the best praise I can offer it

Incredibly impressive and formidable, but ultimately maybe a bit less than the sum of its parts? It's still very good

Some brilliant dance production on this. It's not quite ray of light for me, but it's a very good album

A really good voice, with a really strong and cohesive sentiment, and some great production interspersed across the album.

Dynamically snore inducing. But the riffs are often great, and it's delivered with conviction

Barring a few odd moments, this is an immense album, incredibly delivered

Lots of really inventive and impressive stuff. But it leaves me cold

There are great songs on this, but there's something that stops a lot of them from feeling great that I can't put my finger on. Still, a very good collection

Some beautiful creation and originality

So pure. The songs aren't amazing, but the performances are sharp, refreshing, intense and creative

Sub par singing, very sub par lyrics, and generally the songs feel like they're trying to find a good idea but never really get there

Why is this here

She's actually just unreal.

Some good riffage, and it services it's purpose of teenager cock rock reasonably successfully. But it's dull...

It's inventive, knows what it's grounded in really well, the features are all brilliantly selected, the samples are all used effectively, the tunes are banging, the rapping is great and the lyrics are not only refreshing but also genuinely funny and memorable a lot of the time. 5

Not their best work, but really good and full of an urgency and intensity that isn't as prevalent in later albums

Oozing with quality. Nothing has ever been so much more than the sum of its parts

Classic

Easy 5. Goat

The highlights are immense. But also, there are parts of it... Wtf. There is filler and it doesn't feel cohesive or coherent, more like a bunch of sketches

I did not expect this

Beautiful stuff

Not quite as catchy or gripping as it sometimes feels it should be

I always slagged off Metallica for being fake Metal. This? This is metal

Underwhelming

Such an authentic punk sensibility coupled with an abundance of melody, musicianship and imagination. Great

Fuck yeah

Excellent industrial soundscaping and textural art

Beautiful

Some great tunes and some awesome vocal deliveries

Easyyyyyyy

Great innovation and percussion, but the melody is frustratingly absent

A very flat 3

Great psych album. Imaginative and accomplished, great singing and harmonies, really enjoyable

Dull. Some great creations and good playing, but the delivery is less than the sum of its parts, and the songs overstay their welcome

There's such a discomforting, disconcerting intensity about the whole album and his performances. It's ambitious and impressive - and really restless. Lazarus is one of the great songs about death, and blackstar is a brilliant theatric creation. The only thing it lacks for me is some congruency at times between the instruments and vocal performances - they don't always fit. And while this is the point in places, in others it feels clumsy and awkward. But still a strong 4 stars

Very curious! It reminds me of a mix of eccentric female vocalists - at times Kate Bush, at times PJ Harvey, at times Fiona Apple, and a few others. It does generally speaking, to me, feel not quite as compelling as each of those - not as virtuosic as Kate, not as moody or atmospheric as PJ, not as potent or esoteric as Fiona (could make other comparisons to Alanis Morissete etc). But, it's got some very nice stuff, with quite a bunch of really surprising and interesting moments! The singing doesn't always land for me, but sometimes it sounds awesome. Leather! On balance, I dig it quite a bit.

It's got some nice tunes. Mostly it's just fine

Oh yes

Hard to get better than this at what it is

Surprisingly good. At times Van Halen, at times the Police, there's some great catchy yet inventive tuneage here

Wow. What an album. Beautiful songwriting and deeply touching, poetic and rich lyricism

Less than the sum of its parts