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Tue Jun 01 2021
Blue
Joni Mitchell
Sophisticated music, gorgeous recordings, but very few melodies to sing along to.
4
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Wed Jun 02 2021
Pacific Ocean Blue
Dennis Wilson
3
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Thu Jun 03 2021
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
3
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Fri Jun 04 2021
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
Drive, Everybody Hurts, Man in the Moon, of course. I was prepared for this to be just another boring REM album but am pleasantly surprised. Great feel, great performances. Some same-old guitar licks from Buck, but overall still sounds fresh.
4
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Sat Jun 05 2021
Make Yourself
Incubus
Decent funkish (at times) numetal. Very dated sound. Alan Morissette
2
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Sun Jun 06 2021
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
Very trippy, jazzy, cool! Started with kind of a dark hippy Darkness Darkness (later covered by Robert Plant), got into loose jazzy improv-feeling Francis Drake…Beautiful is 60s bluesy Janis Joplin-esque (or JC superstar)
4
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Mon Jun 07 2021
Sea Change
Beck
Know it all too well. Can’t listen to it right now.
5
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Tue Jun 08 2021
Roger the Engineer
The Yardbirds
Must have been cool at the time, but just awful today. Ragged, meandering, amateurish.
1
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Wed Jun 09 2021
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Flying Burrito Brothers
Nope. Not for me. Boring country. Yes it was influential (Eagles, alt-country) but I don’t have to like it.
1
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Thu Jun 10 2021
Like Water For Chocolate
Common
Jazzy, a la Guru, vocal flow I can’t diagram. Really good instrumentals. J Dilla on production for most tracks.
4
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Sat Jun 12 2021
Different Class
Pulp
Fun, energetic. OK, I can see how someone who grew up with this would be absolutely in love with it.
4
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Sun Jun 13 2021
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
Fun energetic garage rock. Way early 60s. White covers of 50s R&B. Raw sound. A level up in recording from Louie Louie but just barely. Tacoma meets the first Beatles LP, without the ballads.
4
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Mon Jun 14 2021
Street Life
The Crusaders
Late 70s jazz-funk, mostly sad-forward instrumentals except the title track. Source of many samples. A time piece, production-wise. Reminds me of George Benson Greatest Hits in places. Very nice, a bit smooth.
4
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Tue Jun 15 2021
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
Better than I expected. Didn’t pay attention to lyrics, and his voice bores me, but the songs, arrangements. Etc, are quite enjoyable, varied, complex. Is prog-indie-hipster a thing?
3
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Wed Jun 16 2021
John Prine
John Prine
Not a fan of the boring generic country accompaniment but the lyrics are really something. “Sam Stone” sounds like a direct antecedent to Pink Floyd’s “xxx” from the Final Cut.
2
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Thu Jun 17 2021
OK Computer
Radiohead
No need to listen, though I will. A treasure.
5
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Sat Jun 19 2021
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
Absolutely gorgeous but sometimes too aching for me to be able to listen.
5
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Sun Jun 20 2021
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
Love everything about this.
5
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Mon Jun 21 2021
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Same sonic environment as Harry Belafonte at Carnegie Hall.
3
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Tue Jun 22 2021
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
What's not to love? Great span of tunes, tempos and moods. Phenomenal instrumental performances. This and Madman... are all the 70s Elton you need.
5
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Wed Jun 23 2021
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
Very dated sound, high energy but weak vocals, scattered approach.
2
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Thu Jun 24 2021
Fire Of Love
The Gun Club
VU vocals without the poetry
Television vocals without the virtuosity
Violent Femmes without the humor
Blind Justice without the warmth
Blasters without the melody or soul
1
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Fri Jun 25 2021
Snivilisation
Orbital
It's Orbital, and if you're in the mood for Orbital, you'll like this album. It's a time period for me: Orb, Orbital, other electronica/acid house music
4
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Sat Jun 26 2021
Closer
Joy Division
Grating.
2
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Sun Jun 27 2021
Ritual De Lo Habitual
Jane's Addiction
Holds up. Amazing performances, energy.
5
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Tue Jun 29 2021
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
If I enjoyed hard bop I’d rate it higher.
3
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Wed Jun 30 2021
Crooked Rain Crooked Rain
Pavement
Generic early 90s rock
2
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Thu Jul 01 2021
Fuzzy Logic
Super Furry Animals
Very enjoyable 90s Britpop (Welsh)
3
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Fri Jul 02 2021
Colour By Numbers
Culture Club
Old friend. Flaws and all. Still fun and evocative.
4
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Sat Jul 03 2021
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
Eno vocals are the worst.
2
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Sun Jul 04 2021
Brutal Youth
Elvis Costello
EC vibrato fatigue.
3
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Mon Jul 05 2021
Live At The Witch Trials
The Fall
Unlistenable. Terrible rhythm section sabotages attempt to be PiL.
1
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Tue Jul 06 2021
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby
Terence Trent D'Arby
Very dated 80s R&B production but solid songs and performances.
3
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Sun Jul 11 2021
Modern Life Is Rubbish
Blur
3
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Tue Jul 13 2021
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
Best way to describe it is Robyn Hitchcock meets Neil Young and Mazzy Star
4
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Wed Jul 14 2021
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
Very 90s despite 2000 release. First track: mismatched vocal with accompaniment. Second track Patti Smith clone. Gets better. Needs to be accompanied by something other that generic 90s alt guitar.
3
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Thu Jul 15 2021
Made In Japan
Deep Purple
4
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Sat Jul 17 2021
Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
Very much a product of its time: second half of 80s drenched in reverb and gated snares. Good melodies, languid vocals.
4
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Sun Jul 18 2021
Private Dancer
Tina Turner
Dated production, but strong songs, and always good to listen to her voice. One of those albums where I can picture a particular location for a listening session. (Annie Paynter's house). Horrific covers of Help! and Bowie's 1984 at the end.
3
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Mon Jul 19 2021
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Can't tell when one song ends and the next starts. It's lovely, but it's repetitive.
3
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Tue Jul 20 2021
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
3
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Wed Jul 21 2021
The Real Thing
Faith No More
2
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Thu Jul 22 2021
Document
R.E.M.
Peak REM. Crisp arrangements, clear vocals, strong melodies.
4
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Sat Jul 24 2021
The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
4
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Sun Jul 25 2021
Rock 'N Soul
Solomon Burke
4
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Mon Jul 26 2021
Bubble And Scrape
Sebadoh
Lofi 90s guitar, sloppy vocals. I could see being into this as a young teen when it was new. Doesn't offer anything now.
2
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Tue Jul 27 2021
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
Pleasant, lovely guitar playing.
3
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Wed Jul 28 2021
Live At Leeds
The Who
Proto-metal, in your face Who.
4
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Thu Jul 29 2021
Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Can’t complain. Classic.
4
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Sat Jul 31 2021
Connected
Stereo MC's
3
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Sun Aug 01 2021
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
5
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Mon Aug 02 2021
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
4
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Tue Aug 03 2021
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
Poor mix undermines good melodies. In hindsight, just generic guitar rock.
2
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Wed Aug 04 2021
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
Phenomenal. Precursor to Ronstadt's "What's New", beautiful reserved arrangements/accompaniment, the focus always on her voice and the song.
5
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Fri Aug 06 2021
Space Ritual
Hawkwind
Ugh.
1
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Sat Aug 07 2021
Lust For Life
Iggy Pop
Wow how have I missed this. Not just the hits, but the Bowie collaboration which led to Bowie’s “Tonight” album, and the last track with Hunt and Tony Sales which leads right to Tin Machine!
4
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Sun Aug 08 2021
Protection
Massive Attack
4
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Thu Aug 12 2021
Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
5
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Fri Aug 13 2021
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
1
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Sat Aug 14 2021
Thriller
Michael Jackson
5
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Sun Aug 15 2021
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
So good
5
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Mon Aug 16 2021
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
Not my thing at all. Death by melisma.
1
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Wed Aug 18 2021
New Forms
Roni Size
No drum n bass for me.
1
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Thu Aug 19 2021
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
George Michael
Reminds me of Songs in the Key of Life in the switch between styles and the particular selection of styles.
4
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Fri Aug 20 2021
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
3
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Sat Aug 21 2021
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
Old friend.
4
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Mon Aug 23 2021
Elastica
Elastica
Still fun to listen to.
4
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Tue Aug 24 2021
Pieces Of The Sky
Emmylou Harris
If you’re gonna listen to country this is a good choice.
4
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Thu Aug 26 2021
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
Not my favorite of his, but seminal
5
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Fri Aug 27 2021
Take Me Apart
Kelela
Warp-style electronica plus R&B vocals. Meh.
2
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Sun Aug 29 2021
Abraxas
Santana
Of course the famous tracks but the rest meanders like a muddy river. Notable for Latin+Rock but my favorites of his come much later.
3
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Mon Aug 30 2021
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
A preview of his later glory, but doesn’t stand alone as something I’d play again and again.
3
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Tue Aug 31 2021
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
So different, so fresh in the day. I’m firmly in the Remain in Light camp, but if that didn’t exist this would still be a fun record.
4
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Wed Sep 01 2021
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
Feels like a waitress in a diner saying “we’re out of Dr Pepper, is Mr Pibb ok?” Except it’s Green Day and Arctic Monkeys.
Disposable guitar pop/rock. Probably incredible to a 15 yr old English kid.
1
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Fri Sep 03 2021
Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield
Old friend. Weird but compelling.
4
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Sun Sep 05 2021
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
There are flaws, to be sure, but I adore this.
5
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Mon Sep 06 2021
Illmatic
Nas
Fun music, boring lyrics, even if the rhyme schemes are complex.
3
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Thu Sep 09 2021
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
The hits are great early DB. The filler is just that.
3
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Fri Sep 10 2021
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
Part of the Very English catalog of the Kinks
3
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Sat Sep 11 2021
Violator
Depeche Mode
I didn’t like them back in the day but this album is definitely better than I expected.
4
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Mon Sep 13 2021
Achtung Baby
U2
They got everything right with this post-Joshua Tree reinvention. It may have gotten dull with subsequent releases, but this one is great. Probably the last U2 album I care about.
5
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Tue Sep 14 2021
Woodface
Crowded House
Some great groove-driven tunes to open the album, but then it devolves into a whole lot of sameness. If you're not a CH fan, this may intrigue you, but maybe not enough to stick around. Existing CH fans doubtless loved it.
3
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Wed Sep 15 2021
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
4
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Thu Sep 16 2021
Blood And Chocolate
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3
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Sat Sep 18 2021
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5
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Sun Sep 19 2021
B-52's
The B-52's
A classic in every respect
5
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Mon Sep 20 2021
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
A classic for a reason.
5
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Tue Sep 21 2021
It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Very good. Same impact on me as hearing LCD Soundsystem for the first time. Two sides of the same coin.
4
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Wed Sep 22 2021
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Some solid songs but overall not my favorite of theirs.
3
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Thu Sep 23 2021
All That You Can't Leave Behind
U2
Tired. Flaccid. A ghost of their former selves. Imagine combining “Joshua Tree” and “Achtung Baby” and watering down the product.
2
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Fri Sep 24 2021
Ray Of Light
Madonna
Fun when it came out. Dated now but broken new ground for her at the time.
4
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Sun Sep 26 2021
Like A Prayer
Madonna
2
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Mon Sep 27 2021
Among The Living
Anthrax
Nah.
1
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Tue Sep 28 2021
The Blueprint
JAY Z
I mean I get its importance, it just doesn't speak to me. I'm not a fan of his flow, even if the lyrics tell good stories. The samples are clumsy and unsophisticated, even if it's Kanye.
2
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Wed Sep 29 2021
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
Not my thing. The vocals are nails on a chalkboard, the organ noodles pointlessly. Good rhythm sections saves it.
2
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Thu Sep 30 2021
Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
3
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Sat Oct 02 2021
Pink Flag
Wire
Punk classic, so influential, and doesn't diminish with time.
4
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Sun Oct 03 2021
The Doors
The Doors
Very fresh for its time. Some of the tracks still have a feel that’s never been imitated well others, like the Kurt Weill standard , must have give Bowie inspiration if not cover to try it himself.
I’m still not a Doors fan, but this one LP holds up.
4
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Mon Oct 04 2021
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
Grating psychedelica. Very dated (90s)
1
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Tue Oct 05 2021
Disintegration
The Cure
4
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Wed Oct 06 2021
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Soft Cell
3
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Thu Oct 07 2021
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
Gorgeous Wrecking Crew pop tinted/tainted by what an awful person was John Philips. Worth a listen for the arrangements and harmonies, but not going into frequent rotation.
3
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Sat Oct 09 2021
Synchronicity
The Police
The non-Sting tracks are the weak ones, of course, but this is a classic.
5
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Sun Oct 17 2021
The White Album
Beatles
5
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Wed Oct 20 2021
American Pie
Don McLean
3
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Fri Oct 22 2021
The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
5
View Album
Sun Oct 24 2021
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
4
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Mon Oct 25 2021
Heaux Tales
Jazmine Sullivan
Reminiscent of Lauryn Hill. Complex mix of R&B ballads, twitchy hip-hop, feminist lyrics.
4
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Tue Oct 26 2021
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
5
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Wed Oct 27 2021
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Byrds
2
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Thu Oct 28 2021
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
3
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Sat Oct 30 2021
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
Horrid. The typical post 60s folkie drops acid and makes unlistenable experimental stuff with random studio instruments, forgetting how to write songs.
1
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Tue Nov 02 2021
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Frank Sinatra
5
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Wed Nov 03 2021
Harvest
Neil Young
Some absolute classics weakened by some poor choices in arrangements/accompaniments (A Man Needs a Maid, etc). Mainly a few 5s packed with filler.
4
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Thu Nov 04 2021
White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
Important, influential, experimental. All of these things, but it's not enjoyable. Interesting to note that Peter Gabriel might have been influenced by the "short story" narration on "The Gift." Sister Ray is a trip, but you don't need to hear it often.
4
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Fri Nov 05 2021
Stardust
Willie Nelson
Lovely treatments of standards.
4
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Sat Nov 06 2021
Countdown To Ecstasy
Steely Dan
5: Bodhisattva, My Old School,
4: Razor Boy, Your Gold Teeth, Show Biz Kids,
3: Boston Rag, Pearl of the Quarter, King of the World
4
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Sun Nov 07 2021
Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
Just not my scene, man.
2
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Mon Nov 08 2021
Hounds Of Love
Kate Bush
4
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Tue Nov 09 2021
Dear Science
TV On The Radio
4
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Wed Nov 10 2021
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
Inventive, very much a product of its times (boogie bass), good horns, soulful vocals. A little tedious after a while.
3
View Album
Thu Nov 11 2021
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
5
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Fri Nov 12 2021
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
Seminal. Incredibly strong A side!
4
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Sat Nov 13 2021
Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
1. "Band on the Run" *****
2. "Jet" *** good tune, annoying lyrics
3. "Bluebird" - pretty but dull ballad
4. "Mrs. Vandebilt" - Granny song with bouncy 4/4 bass ***
5. "Let Me Roll It" *****
6. "Mamunia" Lovely fingerpicked guitar, faux-Afirca influence (recorded in Lagos? - wiki says written in Marraskesh) ****
7. "No Words" Quality ballad, nice guitar work ****
8. "Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)" Picasso as Rocky Raccoon? ****
9. "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five" Cool keyboard-driven buildup, as if written for a movie ****
10. "Helen Wheels" Guitar-based glam/boogie blues, slightly annoying backing vocals (Linda?)
4
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Sun Nov 14 2021
The Healer
John Lee Hooker
Old friend from the Oakland days
4
View Album
Mon Nov 15 2021
Ten
Pearl Jam
I haven't liked another of theirs as much since then.
5
View Album
Tue Nov 16 2021
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
4
View Album
Wed Nov 17 2021
Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
The production is interesting, and shows why Pink Floyd hired Bob Ezrin to produce The Wall. But the songs are lame.
2
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Thu Nov 18 2021
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
5
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Sat Nov 20 2021
Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics
4
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Sun Nov 21 2021
L'Eau Rouge
The Young Gods
2
View Album
Tue Nov 23 2021
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
4
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Wed Nov 24 2021
I’m a Lonesome Fugitive
Merle Haggard
1
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Sun Nov 28 2021
Vauxhall And I
Morrissey
Eccch
1
View Album
Mon Nov 29 2021
The Cars
The Cars
A gem.
5
View Album
Tue Nov 30 2021
Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
3
View Album
Fri Dec 03 2021
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
2
View Album
Sat Dec 04 2021
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
4
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Fri Dec 10 2021
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
3
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Sat Dec 11 2021
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
5
View Album
Tue Jun 07 2022
Mothership Connection
Parliament
5
View Album
Thu Jun 09 2022
Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
Weak. Flaccid. Just terrible. When the best song gets covered and improved on by Captain and Tennille, you’ve not got much to work with. Brian’s absence is keenly felt here.
1
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Sat Jul 23 2022
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
Not my favorite of theirs and overall not terribly cohesive, but it’s got some great tracks “Since I’ve been Loving You,” Gallows Pole.
3
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Mon Jul 25 2022
Graceland
Paul Simon
What’s not to love?
5
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Mon Oct 03 2022
Public Image: First Issue
Public Image Ltd.
4
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Tue Dec 13 2022
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
Stark. Distilled Bruce. Shows his development as a storyteller. A polar opposite from the busy E Street arrangements on the first two albums.
5
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Wed Dec 14 2022
Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
An overlooked classic. Emotional songs, beautifully arranged.
4
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Thu Dec 15 2022
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
On repeat the year it came out. Some songs still hold up, others rather dated.
4
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Fri Dec 16 2022
Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Not my favorite of his, but high marks. Near-peak early career EC.
4
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Mon Dec 19 2022
Haunted Dancehall
The Sabres Of Paradise
Utterly disposable rave soundtrack.
2
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Tue Dec 20 2022
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
A couple of all time favorites (Solsbury, Flood) but too much filler.
3
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Mon Jan 02 2023
Parachutes
Coldplay
The most boring rhythm section of all time.
1
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Fri Jan 13 2023
Murmur
R.E.M.
Old friend music, even with the impenetrable lyrics. Just treat Stipe’s voice as another instrument, enjoy Buck’s guitars, and the rhythm section (before they got old and dull).
4
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Sun Jan 15 2023
Clandestino
Manu Chao
3
View Album
Tue Jan 17 2023
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
Peerless.
5
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Mon Jan 23 2023
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Not my favorite period of his.
3