My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Third/Sister Lovers Big Star	5	2.79	+2.21
My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts Brian Eno	5	2.79	+2.21
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo The Byrds	5	2.83	+2.17
Want Two Rufus Wainwright	5	2.84	+2.16
Bone Machine Tom Waits	5	2.86	+2.14
Good Old Boys Randy Newman	5	2.86	+2.14
White Light / White Heat The Velvet Underground	5	2.89	+2.11
E.V.O.L. Sonic Youth	5	2.89	+2.11
Kollaps Einstürzende Neubauten	4	1.91	+2.09
Blood And Chocolate Elvis Costello & The Attractions	5	2.92	+2.08

Album	You	Global	Diff
Hybrid Theory Linkin Park	1	3.39	-2.39
The Slim Shady LP Eminem	1	3.29	-2.29
Get Rich Or Die Tryin' 50 Cent	1	3.05	-2.05
Chris Christine and the Queens	1	2.82	-1.82
Yeezus Kanye West	1	2.77	-1.77
Dr. Octagonecologyst Dr. Octagon	1	2.7	-1.7
A Grand Don't Come For Free The Streets	1	2.67	-1.67
Follow The Leader Korn	1	2.65	-1.65
To Pimp A Butterfly Kendrick Lamar	2	3.62	-1.62
Straight Outta Compton N.W.A.	2	3.51	-1.51

Artist	Albums	Average
David Bowie	9	4.89
Beatles	7	5
Bob Dylan	7	4.86
Brian Eno	5	5
Led Zeppelin	5	5
Bruce Springsteen	5	5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions	4	5
Talking Heads	4	5
Steely Dan	4	5
Tom Waits	5	4.8
The Who	5	4.6
U2	4	4.75
Stevie Wonder	4	4.75
The Kinks	4	4.75
The Smiths	3	5
Kraftwerk	3	5
The Velvet Underground	3	5
Pixies	3	5
Roxy Music	3	5
The Stooges	3	5
The Rolling Stones	6	4.33
Sonic Youth	5	4.4
Neil Young	4	4.5
Joni Mitchell	4	4.5
R.E.M.	4	4.5
Pink Floyd	4	4.5
Miles Davis	4	4.5
Neil Young & Crazy Horse	3	4.67
Nirvana	3	4.67
Queen	3	4.67
Johnny Cash	3	4.67
Creedence Clearwater Revival	3	4.67
Kate Bush	3	4.67
Black Sabbath	3	4.67
Bob Marley & The Wailers	3	4.67
The Doors	3	4.67
Nick Drake	3	4.67
Peter Gabriel	3	4.67
Fleetwood Mac	2	5
T. Rex	2	5
The Clash	2	5
Oasis	2	5
Billy Bragg	2	5
The Jam	2	5
Randy Newman	2	5
Big Star	2	5
A Tribe Called Quest	2	5
Radiohead	6	4.17
Metallica	4	4.25
Paul Simon	3	4.33
Jimi Hendrix	3	4.33
Van Morrison	3	4.33
The Byrds	5	4

Artist	Albums	Average
Eminem	2	1.5

Lou Reed

3/5

There are a few hints of greatness here and there, but I mostly couldn't get into it. Treat it like the concept album it is, and you'll get more out the experience. I probably wouldn't revisit most of these tracks individually. I liked "Men of Good Fortune" and "Caroline Says II" the best.

The Modern Lovers

5/5

Oh my joy at having this album come up today! One of my faves of that era. They had all the energy and attitude of other proto punk bands, but with real humor and heart. "Road Runner," full volume, heading down the road. It doesn't get any better.

Brown Sugar

D'Angelo

4/5

Musically, a really beautiful album, and D'Angelo's vocals are heavenly. Soulful, sexy, great mood music. Some of the lyrics are a bit much for my old lady ears, but that's me. Fave track: "Alright."

Viva Hate

Morrissey

4/5

I'm remembering when this album first came out, on the heels of the Smiths' breaking up. All good Smiths fans took this album in with great anticipation, and maybe with a hint of disappointment. It's an early lesson that people move on and grow up, and do things we don't entirely appreciate or understand. I agree with others here that Morrissey's work in general is a notch below what he did in the Smiths. That said, this album is lyrically more mature and has some beautiful arrangements that you probably would never find on a Smiths album. I'm still moved by "Suedehead" and "Everyday is Like Sunday," as much as I was at 17. Nobody does sweet pathos and longing like Morrissey.

Whatever

Aimee Mann

3/5

These feel like songs that would have been in the background of my life during my college years then later, in the background of grocery stores as I got older. This album is a lovely listen, with thoughtful and mature songwriting and a nice pop sensibility. It is tightly and slickly produced, with not a flaw to speak of. And Mann’s vocals are pretty perfect. But I listened to the whole thing twice, and I’m surprised to say that I kind of checked out about halfway in. Like six songs were enough and I sort of mentally got the point. Mann would have really benefited from an edit here. She could have dropped three songs and ended up with a much better album.

On The Beach

Neil Young

5/5

I’ve got say, I really love this album. It’s fast becoming one of my favorite works by Young and one that I can see myself coming back to frequently. It’s really quite an eye opening view into Young’s own sense of alienation and his discomfort with fame. Musically, it’s prime Neil Young, but he’s also obviously struggling with being boxed into our idea of “Neil Young” and considering how he can break free from it. It’s no coincidence that he slips in “Revolution Blues,” a song about Charles Manson, after the Harvest-era “See the Sky About to Rain.” There’s real anger lurking on the edges of Young’s ennui and he’s still deciding what to do about it. Favorite songs: "Motion Pictures" and "On the Beach."

Rapture

Anita Baker

4/5

When I was 15, my uncle gave me a cassette of this album for Christmas. As a proper Smiths-listening weirdo of the mid ‘80s, I really didn’t get it, nor did I have an interest in getting it. I obviously wasn’t mature enough for this kind of music at the time, but I can say that I appreciate it now. This is classic R&B mood music of the old school. Baker’s vocals are immaculate and the production is flawless. This is a great album to relax with. Favorite tracks: “Sweet Love,” and “Caught Up in the Rapture.”

Eternally Yours

The Saints

3/5

This is a fun old school ‘70s punk album by a criminally underheard band. As punk albums go, this is solid and it totally rocks. But the Saints are also a bit slicker than some of their peers, with somewhat better musical chops and a willingness to go for more complex arrangements. The horns are an interesting addition on a couple of the tracks. I could see putting this on to power me through a dull project at work. Fave tracks: (I’m) Misunderstood, A Minor Aversion, The Perfect Day.

Da Capo

Love

3/5

There are some interesting songs here, but it didn't feel like a cohesive work to me. There is some lovely guitar work and the little baroque touches were fun. I didn't find Lee's vocals particularly compelling, which seemed flat against some of those more flowery arrangements. He does best on "Seven and Seven Is" and “Revelation,” which interestingly are less sing-y than they are talky/shouty. I thought I would hate “Revelation,” but it’s not bad. They lose me a little when the squonky sax comes in, but it’s a pretty solid jam if you’re into that sort of thing. Fave Songs: The Castle, 7 and 7 Is

Kid A

Radiohead

5/5

I have not a bad thing to say about this album. It’s a beautiful collection of ambient music, punctuated with the perfect amount of noise. I have been reading a little about the critical response to this album, which is fairly hilarious. Radiohead got slammed for straying too far from their established sound *and* for not straying far enough and being derivative. It’s not the bravest, most revolutionary piece of music ever made, but it represents a real inflection point in their sound and it has aged really well over the past 20 years. I appreciate that they chose to openly challenge themselves musically and take their audience along for the ride. Not many artists are willing to do that at the height of their popularity. Fave songs: Idioteque, Kid A, The National Anthem

Station To Station

David Bowie

5/5

This is one of my favorite Bowie albums, and one of the few that doesn’t have a skipable track as far as I’m concerned. I think "Word on a Wing" and "Wild is the Wind" are among some of Bowie's best vocal performances of his career. “TVC15” is a fun outlier, with some crackerjack piano playing by E Street’s own Roy Bittan. "Golden Years" is a true classic, best track of them all. Even with the 10+ minute opener, I think this is one of Bowie's more accessible albums musically. The lyrics are another matter and can be rather opaque, especially on the title track. But I honestly think a lot of what Bowie does lyrically is for effect and we're better off going along for the ride than putting too much effort into deciphering them. Much has been made of Bowie's drug use at the time, to which I say look at the product. If this is the work of an artist whose sensibilities were at all blunted by drug use, it's hard to see. Fave songs: Word on a Wing, Golden Years, Wild is the Wind

Our Aim Is To Satisfy

Red Snapper

3/5

This is a style of music I’m not particularly conversant in, so I don’t know how to contextualize it. Is it groundbreaking? Derivative? I have no idea. The album is pretty listenable. Repetitive, yes, but that’s clearly the point. Lots of moods to get into here, which I’m kind of liking. “Some Kind of Kink” and “Alaska Street” are miles apart, but I enjoyed them both. I had to turn off “I Stole Your Car” because I was in the middle of an online chat with colleagues and it was too damn distracting. Also, I appreciate genre fluidity in music, but the whole ska/hip hop element of that particular song was a bit annoying. I guess what I’m saying is, that’s my least favorite track on here. Oh geez, Bella Donna is pretty. Okay, I’ve decided the final three tracks are pretty fantastic, best of the bunch. Fave songs: Alaska Street, Bussing, Bella Donna

Pretenders

5/5

This is a really stunning debut album, long a favorite of mine. Some of these songs have been classics for years both for mainstream and alternative audiences, it's hard to imagine what the impact must have been when the songs were new. What an amazing contrast between the deeply cool badassery of songs like "Precious" and "Tattooed Love Boys" and the unexpected softness and vulnerability of "Kid" and "Lovers of Today." Wow. The arrangements are crisp and tight and the guitar work is top notch. It feels so fresh, even today. Hynde is mesmerizing as the lead, with flawless vocals and lyrics that run the gambit from dreamy to empowering to occasionally disturbing. You could write a whole dissertation on the sexual politics of these songs. Nothing but love for this album, front to back. Favorite songs: Kid, Brass in Pocket, Tattooed Love Boys, Mystery Achievement

Alien Lanes

Guided By Voices

3/5

I love the idea of an album full of short vignettes like this. Messy-pretty vibe. Some clever bits here and there musically, with echoes of Big Star. You have to stick with it, because it takes about half a dozen songs or so to get into it. Favorite songs: Motor Away, My Valuable Hunting Knife, Closer You Are

Rising Above Bedlam

Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart

3/5

I missed this one when it came out, although I do recall the Sinead O'Connor-voiced "Visions of You" getting some play on college radio. That is a great track, probably the best on the album. "Soledad" is also really beautiful, with Arabic-style vocals in Spanish by Natacha Atlas. The mixture of various "world" sounds is well done, but very much of that time. "Relight the Flame" and "Erzulie" have a cool mingling of Spanish-style guitar with a dub/Reggae rhythm and lovely Arabic-style vocals by Natacha Atlas. You wouldn't think some of these sounds would be necessary together, but the prevailing attitude is "why not?" and it mostly works. Some of the beats and keyboard sounds/ arrangements are a little dated. Wardle's own vocals stand out in contrast to the other vocalists, and not in a good way. His best vocal is on is "Rising Above Bedlam," which relies less on the world beat sounds and is a sold early-'90s alternative track. A mostly enjoyable/interesting listen. I'd have to be in a particular mood to revisit it though. Fave songs: Visions of You, Soledad, Everyman's an Island

First Band On The Moon

The Cardigans

3/5

I'm really not a fan of the twee vocals, although the music is fine, quirky 90s alt-pop fare. Hiding behind those vocals are some occasionally clever musical moments. I heard "Lovefool" so many times back in the day I was not inclined to like it now, but it has a heck of a hook to it I must admit. +1 for the unexpected cover of "Iron Man," which was the best song on the album. Favorite songs: Iron Man, Step on Me, Lovefool

Drunk

Thundercat

3/5

Some clear musical talent in there, and occasionally fun to listen to. But he relies too much on being quirky. How does this album feel so dang loooong with all these 2 and 3 minute songs? It should feel like a breeze but it feels tedious instead. Fave songs: Uh Uh, Show You the Way, Jethro

Music From Big Pink

The Band

5/5

Classic album, warm and soulful and a delight to listen to. The Band makes it seem very effortless and laid back, like the album just emerged out of some jam session. This is part of their brilliance. This is a group of highly skilled musicians performing at their peak, clearly having a ball crafting music they love. 100 years from now people will still be drawn to these songs. Fave songs: Tears of Rage, The Weight, I Shall Be Released

John Prine

5/5

It took me a couple of listens to warm up to this album, but it's impossible not to feel its considerable charms if you stop and listen. The fact that this a debut album from a man who was 24 years old when he recorded it makes it even more remarkable. Singers can work for decades without reaching Prine's depth as a songwriter and natural talent for delivering a line. These are songs that have become standards in the 50 years since they came out, and you can hear Prine in practically every singer-songwriter who came after him. He exudes warmth, wry wit, and sensitivity with such ease in these songs. You know, I first caught "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" before I had really heard of Prine and I assumed it was some sort of post 9/11 song. No, it's just a sad testament to the fact that this nation perennially fails to learn from its mistakes. It's also a pretty brutal takedown of false patriotism, all the more cutting for how he delivers it with humor. "Sam Stone" and "Paradise" also highlight how the problems of 50 years ago are still somehow the problems of today and remain fresh all these years later. Favorite songs: Quiet Man, Angel from Montgomery, Far from Me.

Homework

Daft Punk

3/5

This album was a lot of fun to listen to. It's undeniably catchy, feeling like the prelude to a great night out. I must say, the front half of the album is thrilling to listen to. "Da Funk" and "Around the World" are the clear stars of this show. Once you hit "Teachers" though, it starts to feel long. I feel like this starts out like an evening at the club, it starts strong and pulls you in, but then the music gets looser and more repetitive as you move through it. By the time you hit "Rock'n Roll," you have been dancing deep into the early morning hours. It plays differently just sitting at your desk and gets a bit tiresome. That said "Indo Silver Club" is possibly my favorite track. Fave songs: Da Funk, Indo Silver Club, Around the World

Bringing It All Back Home

Bob Dylan

5/5

Love this album so much. It was the first Bob Dylan album I ever bought, when I decided that I wanted to get to know more of his tunes beyond the hits. This is actually a pretty good entry into Dylan for a beginner, with the first half featuring Dylan's new electric style, followed by a series of fantastic acoustic numbers. The back end of the album includes some of his best writing in songs like "Gates of Eden" and "It's Alright Ma." Familiar, upbeat numbers like "Maggie's Farm" and "Subterranean Homesick Blues" are fun to listen to, and "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" is an absolute delight. If you didn't already know it, this is where you find out just how funny Dylan can be. I'm just realizing that Dylan released this album and Highway 61 the same year. He was 24. My word. Favorite songs: It's All Over Now Baby Blue, Bob Dylan's 115th Dream, Outlaw Blues, Maggie's Farm

xx

The xx

2/5

I've been doing this project for about three weeks now, and this is the first album I didn't particularly like. On paper it seems like something I would enjoy, but I just didn't feel it. The spare compositions on this album are sometimes lovely, with nice, simple foregrounded guitar. But the beats are dated and the vocals really kill it for me. Croft and Sims sound just as bored to be singing these songs as I felt listening to them. Favorite song: Don't really have one. Night Time is probably the most tolerable.

Hearts And Bones

Paul Simon

3/5

This is a curious album, kind of a bridge between 70s Paul Simon and 80s Paul Simon. It's mostly a very pleasant listen, with several standout tracks. Lyrics are always the star in Paul Simon's work, and the lyrics here are lovely, sometimes surprisingly personal. The collection overall I think lacks a certain cohesiveness, like he decided to throw a bunch of ideas at the wall that don't always connect. "Cars are Cars" is a bit silly viewed against the sweetness of "Rene and Georgette Magritte" and "Train in the Distance." But I've been listening to Paul Simon long enough to know he has a natural silly streak, so he gets a pass here. "Johnny Ace" is oddly bright given the subject, but the strings unexpectedly turn it to something richer and more thoughtful as the song and album draw to a close. Favorite songs: Hearts and Bones, Train in the Distance, Rene and Georgette Magritte, Think Too Much (a)

Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

5/5

This is an excellent album, full of classic Neil Young, utilizing both the softer and grittier aspects of his sound. I think the mixture of live and studio tracks is unexpected and gives you a really full feeling of what Young was all about better than any studio album could. You can feel Young's style evolve into something edgier and rowdier as the album progresses, the stuff that made him such a touchstone for alternative musicians who would follow. Fave songs: My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue), Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black), Thrasher, Sail Away

There's No Place Like America Today

Curtis Mayfield

4/5

A fantastic album here, I love listening to it. The music is warm and soulful, full of beautiful arrangements and Mayfield's incredibly evocative songwriting. Mayfield's vocals are flawless, as always. His ability to convey broader social concerns in such quiet, personal terms is a gift that no one else has truly been able to match. For those of you puzzling over a track like "Jesus," I would point out that this is Curtis Mayfield here. There is always a strong underpinning of faith in his work, and this is where soul music comes from. If you enjoy that, I highly recommend checking out his other work, including with the Impressions. Fave songs: Billy Jack, Blue Monday People, So in Love

Scum

Napalm Death

2/5

It is some kind of evil algorithm that would give me Napalm Death immediately after giving me Curtis Mayfield. Okay, hey! I was fully expecting to hate it, but it's fine. Having been 16 when this album came out, it was probably pretty mind blowing at the time. I would not have been into it, but I would have respected it. Scum really doesn't deserve the title of worst reviewed album on this site, not by a long shot. But I can see how this album, this whole genre really, is going to be polarizing. Musically the album is pretty solid. Rhythm section is fierce, guitars are blistering. It's not for everyone, really it's not for most people. I don't love the guttural vocals, but I would say I prefer Nik Napalm's voice to Lee Dorrian's. The lyrics are pretty standard punk-thrash-metal lyrics. You know, power, fascism, conformity, corporate corruption, bleakness, etc. The things a certain type of disaffected young people have been moshing to for decades. The second half (the B-side) really accelerates and amps up from what you hear on the A-side. It's a little harder to listen to, if that's possible. This is very intense music that is hard on the ears. I'm giving it 2 stars, but really it's closer to a 3. One star deducted for the fact that now I have an earache. Fave songs: Siege of Power, Control, Born on Your Knees

Spiderland

Slint

4/5

This album was fantastic. Moody, beautiful, unsettling compositions, evocative of early Black Sabbath and Sonic Youth. There is a tension to this sound you could cut with a knife, a sense of real foreboding lurking in every song. The subject matter of the songs speaks a great deal of alienation, social awkwardness, despair. "Nosferatu Man" seems a little out of place thematically, but most of the other characters feel very grounded in reality and emotionally authentic. It's a shame the band didn't create more music after this. Favorite songs: Breadcrumb Trail; Don, Aman; Good Morning, Captain

At Budokan

Cheap Trick

4/5

Yes!! After two days of dark albums, I really needed the generator to send me something joyful. What can I say, hello there, welcome to the best live album ever! At Budokan captures Cheap Trick in a way that eludes their studio albums. Top notch '70s rock with sweet hooky melodies, rough edges and all. It's an album that fully rocks, still with all the brightness and warmth of the best power pop. "I Want You to Want Me" is the obvious star here, but all of the songs are a blast to listen to. Fave songs: Come On, Come On; I Want You to Want Me; Ain't That a Shame.

Who's Next

The Who

5/5

I feel like anything I would have to say about this album would be woefully insufficient. I mean, this is the epitome of a 5 star album. Best thing the Who ever made. There's a reason why we know so many of these songs, to the point where some have become overfamiliar. Don't let that get in the way of your enjoyment. There are literally some of the best rock songs ever made on this album, including the monumental "Baba O'Riley," the blistering "Won't get Fooled Again," and the deeply intense "Behind Blue Eyes." This is the Who musically at their best and going for broke on every song. Fave Songs: Baba O'Riley, Bargain, Behind Blue Eyes, Won't Get Fooled Again, Going Mobile

Elastica

2/5

Very '90s, feel like I'm in college again. "Connection" was kind of everywhere in the mid-90s, but I managed to miss them at the time. The album is a fun listen in general, but a lot of the songs in the middle fail to stand out and just run together. I was fully prepared to give this album 3 stars, but after listening to it all day on Sunday, on Monday I honestly can't remember any of the songs beyond the one I already knew going in. That's 2 stars. Fave songs: Connection, 2:1, Waking Up

At Fillmore East

The Allman Brothers Band

4/5

This is really some quintessential live music, isn't it? I know a lot of people seem to take issue with listening to live albums. But really, hearing the Allmans live is necessary to getting to know who they are and appreciating their brilliance. The album is packed with warm, bluesy, jammy tracks that flow effortlessly. The applause is occasionally jarring because the music has a way of just mellowing you out and its like snapping out of a daydream. I usually have very little patience for songs that exceed 6 minutes, but they just make it so easy to listen to. If you are similarly attention deficient, I would recommend not overly paying attention to every note, just let the music exist with you as you go about your business. It's hard not to like these guys. Fave songs: Whipping Post, Done Somebody Wrong, Statesboro Blues, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed

Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan

5/5

This is one of my favorite Dylan albums, and the definition of 5 stars. Masterful, poetic songwriting. The stories are riveting, with characters that feel very real, and emotions that are frequently raw and personal. Fave Songs: Tangled Up in Blue, Idiot Wind, Shelter from the Storm

Millions Now Living Will Never Die

Tortoise

3/5

Very clever. Interesting mix of sounds and genres. Fave songs: Glass Museum, Dear Grandma and Grandpa, Along the Banks of Rivers

The Number Of The Beast

Iron Maiden

5/5

This one of the true classic metal albums, top 5 of all time to be sure. Bruce Dickinson's voice is amazing, with a range few can match. The sound is intense but the musicianship is undeniable. Fave songs: Children of the Damned, Run to the Hills, Hallowed Be Thy Name

The La's

2/5

This sort of pop-tinged garage rock is usually something I would be drawn to, but I was mostly bored with this album. They could have edited several songs off of this and had a better album. I'm really not a fan of Mavers' raspy-whiny voice. The obvious star track is "There She Goes," which has been embedded in our collective cultural brain since 1990. It's a pretty perfect pop song with the best hook that will not let you go. Most of these songs I'm fine not hearing again though. Fave songs: There She Goes, Looking Glass

Greetings From L.A.

Tim Buckley

4/5

I am fascinated with the music of Tim Buckley. Buckley has an unusual, rich, caramelly voice. He hits his high notes with a wail and such intensity, in a way that sounds, dare I say almost feminine? It's really cool. The album is full of high energy songs, sexy, bluesy concoctions with hodgepodge instrumentation including organs, congas, sax, guitar, also strings?! Love it. The horndog lyrics haven't aged especially well, but I'm not bothered by it. I'm actually impressed how sexually open the lyrics are. I can't even imagine how they were received at the time. Fave songs: Make It Right, Sweet Surrender, Get on Top

Time (The Revelator)

Gillian Welch

4/5

This is really lovely album. The sweet and simple acoustic arrangement is excellent, and Welch's soft, bittersweet vocal will put you in a contemplative mood. As one reviewer put it, there is a sadness to these songs, even when the lyrics don't particularly call for it. The pace is slow and lingering, which some people may not like, but it's a really enjoyable listen. Not a bad song on here, really. Fave songs: Revelator, Everything is Free, Dear Someone, I Dream a Highway

Oar

Alexander 'Skip' Spence

4/5

I'm not sure what I expected, after reading about this album and then checking out other reviews. But this is pretty fantastic. Setting aside Spence's personal struggles for a moment, which necessarily underpin any discussion of this work, it's just really good. He floats pretty effortlessly from folk to psychedelic to bluesy rock, ethereal to dour. Spence is a talented guitarist with an interesting vocal range. It also appears he wrote, arranged and played these songs without much assistance from his producer, which is actually impressive. The fact that these songs were essentially demos works for them and the stripped down sound has allowed the album to age quite well. The only song that seems very much of the era is the first song, "Little Hands." The lyrics overall range from whimsical to disjointed and abstract, sometimes beautifully poetic. Consider them in terms of Spence's struggles, and some of them are pretty heartbreaking. This is the first album generated for me so far that surprised me in a really positive way. I will be listening to this one a lot in the future. Fave songs: Weighted Down, War in Peace, Grey/ Afro

James Brown Live At The Apollo

James Brown

4/5

Oh, this was really refreshing to hear. It's exhibit A in why musicians keep making live albums. Live albums are the attempt to capture in a bottle the energy of the artist in front of an audience, capture that moment in time. And this album absolutely crackles with the energy of James Brown's live performance at the Apollo. You can almost imagine his moves when the girls start screaming. Brown is in fine voice and the band is flawless. Recorded fairly early in Brown's career, the song selection is a nice mix of early hits. Almost every song here was a top 10 R&B hit, although some may have been overshadowed by the songs that were to come. It's a beautiful little snapshot of that moment in time, featuring one of music's most dynamic performers on the cusp of superstardom, with his audience at one of the hottest venues in the world. Fave songs: I'll Go Crazy, Lost Someone, Think

...And Justice For All

Metallica

5/5

I was 17 years old when this album came out. A friend introduced me to Metallica, via this album and also Master of Puppets. At the time, I described the experience of listening to Metallica as a kick to the gut, and I meant it in a positive way. I cannot stress this enough, how huge this album was. Among metal fans, Metallica was probably a known quantity at this point. But for the rest of us, they were new, startling and so refreshing in a sea of hair bands. It was like someone turned on the lights and everything was different after that. A freaking revelation. The intensity and the speed is obvious, the dark imagery, the social commentary, but with real musicality as well. I compare this to my experience listening to Napalm Death recently, and the contrast is worth noting. ND's music is designed to repel all but a very small audience. But Metallica had an awareness of where the boundaries were in metal at the time and they just pressed against the line constantly until they moved it. Some have pointed out that Metallica had a more progressive approach to their music, which I had never thought about but I think is correct. The complexity of the arrangements, the eschewing of traditional song structures... the band just existed in a different space from most of their peers. There are moments that are genuinely lovely, like the intros to "One" and "To Live is to Die," which makes the contrast against the heavier parts even more striking. What a great album. An hour+ of Metallica can be a little exhausting, even if you like them. But it's been a long while since I've listened to them, so today was a gift. Fave songs: One, Blackened, Eye of the Beholder, To Live is to Die

Destroyer

KISS

3/5

Ahaha, here's one that takes me back. My brother had this album when I was a kid. Look at these guys. The costumes, the imagery, the grandeur, the pure RAWK of it all. It's impossible to listen to a KISS album without considering the whole package, because you're not supposed to. The music is the image is the music and it was designed that way, years before anyone knew about MTV. The problem is, if you take away the image, there's little to recommend. And I happen to like KISS, by the way. The album is fun and a time capsule for sure, but overall middling in quality. Weak tunes are held up by the stronger ones, glued together by the KISS-ness of the whole deal. "Detroit Rock City" is the true superstar of this album and it's pulling most of the weight here, while songs like "God of Thunder" and "Flaming Youth" are just kind of tagging along for the ride. "Shout It Out Loud" and "Do You Love Me" are fun, likeable '70s rockers and "Beth" is a sweet power ballad that should have closed out the whole album. Musically, the album is good enough, with riffs galore. Paul and Gene make for an interesting pair of contrasting leads. Yet they never really pull it together and half the songs fall flat. The lyrics are as shallow as you might expect, but no one comes to KISS looking for great lyrics. In that respect, I guess Destroyer delivers. Bet it sounded rad live. Fave songs: Detroit Rock City, Shout It Out Loud, Beth

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

5/5

This album. If I had 10 stars to award it, I would. Heck, 50 stars. It's one of my favorite albums, one of a few I've really been looking forward to rating. This was one of the first albums that was formative toward my taste in music, my obsessions over music, my love of music. I could go on all day over what it means to me, but I won't. Look at their Wiki, look at what others have to say about it. This is an exceptional album that is highly regarded and highly influential. There are multiple genres of music that trace back to this band and probably this album specifically. Given that it seems Morrissey goes out of his way to be disliked, that speaks volumes about the depth and quality of this album, the band, and yes, Morrissey himself. All that aside, it's just lovely to listen to. The songs are melodic, jangly, full of great hooks. Marr is in top form here, using a guitar in ways no one had really thought about before. It's like listening to an impressionist painting. I love the tonal shifts between the more irreverent songs (like "Queen," "Vicar" and "Shankly") and the sweet, pensive songs (like "I Know It's Over" and "There is a Light"). I am endlessly amused that the band everyone accuses of being so serious ends their best album with a song about, well, boobs. That's funny. The album is full of classics that are even better after repeat listenings. The Queen may get older, but The Queen is Dead hasn't really aged a day. Fave songs: Bigmouth Strikes Again, There is a Light that Never Goes Out, The Boy with a Thorn in His Side, I Know It's Over

Let It Be

The Replacements

5/5

How young are you? How old am I? Old enough to remember when this album came out and all the warm feelings it evokes of another time. Let’s count the rings around my eyes. This is a longtime favorite that I was delighted to listen to today. The Replacements were always two bands, the rowdy barroom punks and the band with surprisingly thoughtful lyrics and poppy hooks who hinted at aspirations for something bigger. This album showcases both of those impulses to nice effect. They never really got rid of the rough edges, but they are more prominent on Let It Be than on later albums. These are just some young guys having fun and figuring things out, which sat really well with Gen-Xers who were trying to do the same thing. The album is a touchstone for a lot of people of a certain age. The songs are classic Replacements, ramshackle falling down the stairs rockers mixed with beautiful, wistful, jangly, hooky songs still with edges too rough for them to ever really have that big pop breakthrough. They're fun, punchy, pissy, and bittersweet. And I love them for it. You know what, I just realized after all these years that on the cover of the album, the band is sitting on a roof. Get it, Let It Be... on the roof? That's pretty funny. They knew they weren’t the Beatles and they didn’t want to be the Beatles, so why not have a seat and hang. It doesn’t get more Gen-X than that. Fave songs: I Will Dare, Favorite Thing, Black Diamond, Sixteen Blue, Unsatisfied

Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen

3/5

This is a beautiful album. It is very much a mood though. Not as dark as some of his later work, but like a walk on a grey fall day, beautiful but sad. Gorgeous lyrics, spare compositions. Some lovely guitar work on "The Stranger Song" and "Teachers." I dislike the use of the female backup singers. It makes things weirdly bright where they shouldn't be. Fave Songs: Suzanne, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne

Parklife

Blur

3/5

I enjoyed listening to this. Great, crisp sound, high energy tunes. Musically diverse songs, with echoes of everything from the Kinks to Bowie to Syd to Gary Numan. The diverse styles are mostly an attribute, but it also tends to make the album seem unfocused and a bit rambling. They could have dropped several tracks and made a better album. "Boys and Girls" is for sure the top track, and "To the End" is absolutely charming. Fave Songs: Boys and Girls, End of a Century, To the End, Clover Over Dover

Garbage

3/5

Solid collection of songs for the most part, very much of that era. I'm surprised how many of these songs I know. Garbage were on the periphery of things I was listening to in the mid-90s, but it turns out it was quite a bit more than I remembered. Not anything I'm planning to revisit anytime soon. Fave songs: Vow, Queer, Milk

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying

Megadeth

4/5

Terrific album, I really enjoyed it. High energy, thrashy goodness with an unrelenting rhythm. It's intense and fast moving, but not too hard on the ears like some thrash is. "Good Mourning" has some legitimately lovely guitar work. The lyrics run the gambit from clever to overwrought, but Mustaine has a talent for vivid imagery. Fave songs: Wake Up Dead, Peace Sells, Bad Omen

Solid Air

John Martyn

4/5

Cool album. Warm, summery vibes, surprisingly jazzy and soulful. Beautiful guitar work. I love Martyn's voice. Spotify had recommended "The Man in the Station" to me before, which I enjoyed, but I hadn't taken the time to explore him further. So glad I had the opportunity to hear more today. Fave songs: The Man in the Station, Don't Want to Know, May You Never

Off The Wall

Michael Jackson

4/5

What a great album. Eternally great songs, perfect production and vocals. I think the album is most successful when Jackson/Jones lean into the era and embrace the disco. The dance songs ("Don't Stop," "Off the Wall," "Workin' Day and Night," "Get on the Floor") are the best on the album and still considered to be classics, while the popier love songs ("Girlfriend," "It's the Falling in Love," "She's Out of My Life") fall a little flat. "Rock with You" splits the difference and is just sweet and fun to listen to. Fave songs: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Rock With You, Workin' Day and Night, Get on the Floor

Lazer Guided Melodies

Spiritualized

4/5

Loved this. Lush, dreamy, spacey arrangements. I want to explore more of the band's work now. Fave songs: Shine a Light, Sway, Step Into the Breeze, 200 Bars

The Stranger

Billy Joel

5/5

There is a dearth of truly memorable songs in today’s pop landscape, and this is an album full of them. The Stranger is a tight, beautifully produced collection of catchy, classic songs. It’s one of the great albums of its era and delightful to listen to, always. It’s impressive to me looking now how many hits reside on this album. Some of the songs have been overplayed in the past 40 years, but they also ended up being true classics. It’s hard to hear this album and not find a song you know very well. Joel's longevity is a testament to his singular talents as a singer and songwriter, as well as the universal likeability of this music. Admit it, it's also hard to listen to this album and not find yourself in a good mood. Fave songs: The Stranger, Vienna, I'm Movin' Out, Only the Good Die Young

Fifth Dimension

The Byrds

3/5

This is one of those albums that speaks so much to it's era, experimental and influential for its time but probably not altogether palatable for modern listeners. The quality of the songs varies overall, but the album still has some great ones. It's like they wanted to try a bunch of stuff and threw everything at the wall, so the songs don't all work together. I liked it better the second time around, so it improves on repeat listening. Musically speaking, it's so pretty and so quintessentially the Byrds. The harmonies are pretty perfect and the guitar work is out of this world. Jangly, occasionally trippy, textured little gems. Fave songs: Mr. Spaceman, What's Happening, Eight Miles High

Rocks

Aerosmith

4/5

Wow, I've never considered myself an Aerosmith fan, but I've got to hand it to them here. This is a solid album, full of fun, bluesy, dirty little rockers. It's the stuff the that made Aerosmith famous and is still totally playable today. Perry's licks are perfection and you can feel Tyler's charisma coming right through your speakers. There's a reason these guys have lasted so long. "Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child" rock, full stop, a perfect pair to start this album with. "Nobody's Fault" is surprisingly heavy (both musically and lyrically), love it. "Home Tonight" is a sweet way to close it out, and hints at those juggernaut pop hits we would get from the band in the 80s and 90s. Fave songs: Back in the Saddle, Last Child, Nobody's Fault, Home Tonight

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ray Charles

3/5

I get the premise of the album and appreciate its importance to the genre. It's also always a pleasure to listen to Ray Charles. That said, this album is very much of another time and some listeners will find it drags, especially in the middle. The best part about the album is Charles himself. His vocals are perfect as is his piano playing. Unfortunately, the big band horn and string arrangements and old backup vocals feel more than a little dated. I enjoyed the back end of the album best, like from "It Makes No Difference Now" to the end. "Careless Love" and "You Win Again" are flawless and "I Can't Stop Loving You" is a classic. Fave songs: You Win Again, Careless Love, You Don't Know Me

Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers

4/5

Great album, with classic power pop vibes. Nice, hooky arrangements and strong, soaring vocals by James Dean Bradfield. Starts a little slow but gets progressively stronger starting with the 4th song ("Enola"). "No Surface All Feeling" is stunningly pretty. I will definitely listen to these guys again. Fave songs: No Surface All Feeling, Enola/Alone, Further Away, Interiors

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John

5/5

Masterpiece album, Elton in peak form. This is the album I would recommend to anyone who wants to get into Elton John beyond the hits. Yes the hits are there, but with deep tracks that will make you a fan forever. Fave songs: Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, I've Seen That Movie Too, Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding

Tapestry

Carole King

5/5

I'm thinking of a visit to the dentist long ago. He was getting ready to do some major drilling, and he asked me if I wanted to listen to any music. Tapestry is the album I picked. I found it warm and soothing in that unpleasant moment, and it's still an album I turn to when I want to feel comforted. Stressful day at work, Tapestry. Bummed out by current events, Tapestry. Having a moment when I'm stuck in my feelings, Tapestry. Even the cover... look at Carole King in the window, like a friend who is there to listen to you. In its way, this album feels like an old friend, as much as an album can. Tapestry has been there with me for so many years and speaks to me in a way few albums do. I think a lot of women, a lot of people, feel the same way. King's vocals and arrangements are understated, heartfelt, relatable. The songwriting is warm, earnest, intimate. The production is flawless. It's a beautiful album, long one of my favorites. Fave songs: It's Too Late, Home Again, So Far Away, Beautiful, Way Over Yonder

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Fatboy Slim

3/5

Big beat, indeed. Fun album, I'm imagining how much it would have killed to hear some of these songs in a club. The hits are obviously the star tracks on the album (""Praise You," "Rockafeller Skank," "Right Here, Right Now"). But I must say I really enjoyed the whole back half of this album, from "Kalifornia" to the end. Fave songs: Praise You; The Rockafeller Skank; Acid 8000; You're Not From Brighton

Better Living Through Chemistry

Fatboy Slim

3/5

It happens that I was given two Fatboy Slim albums over the course of two days, this album and You've Come a Long Way Baby. I'd like to judge this one solely on its own merits and not overly in comparison to the other. But that's kind of unavoidable. Of the two, I think You've Come a Long Way probably played better in the clubs, while I think Better Living Through Chemistry plays better for everyday listening. Some of the songs are just incredibly pretty to listen to, like "Song for Lindy" and "Santa Cruz." The sampling is a little less sophisticated on this album. I can recognize a lot of the samples FS used. But I actually enjoy being able to catch them, so I don't hold it against him. My main critique would be that FS tends to make some of his songs overly long without really adding anything to them to justify the 5+ minute length and they just draaaag ("The Weekend Starts Here" and "Everybody Needs a 303" are examples of this). If a song is really in the groove, I'm not going to be looking for the escape hatch three minutes in. Fave songs: Song for Lindy, Santa Cruz, The Sound of Milwaukee, Punk to Funk

Take Me Apart

Kelela

2/5

This is obviously a fairly recent addition to the mix, as the album is only from 2017 and has very few reviews. Is it an album I need to hear before I die? Absolutely not. I could have gone my whole life never knowing about Kelela and never been the worse for it. But I'm giving it a change here. Production is solid but musically the album doesn't stand out much. It's a bit samey and overly long and would have benefited from getting rid of a few tracks. Kelela has a nice enough voice, but it's over-tuned, like a lot of vocals of recent years. The album overall feels a little throwback, like I'm listening to 1990s R&B. Strong influence of Velvet Rope era Janet is evident. I'm not really hearing the supposed futurist vibe of the music, at least not anything that many other artists haven't done before her. Maybe it just isn't my genre. Fave songs: Turn to Dust, Enough, Bluff

Like A Prayer

Madonna

3/5

You know, I grew up right in the middle of the whole Madonna thing, and was decidedly not a fan. But I'm actually looking forward to listening to some Madonna albums on here. Maybe hearing her 30 years on will give me a different perspective on her music. Madonna's vocals are solid on Like a Prayer. She's not the best vocalist by a long shot, but her personality shines through even the duller tracks and the production goes a long way to making for some interesting pop songs. There are some genuinely lovely arrangements and I like the use of strings. Another thing I've got to say is that they had a good sense of flow from song to song and also just how much of a song is enough. There isn't really a song on here that I would call overly long or overdone. That's a skill right there that a lot of artists/ producers never learn. The album starts strong, really strong, with the title track. You can't deny that "Like a Prayer" is a pretty perfect pop song, one of her best. I can't say the same for the second big hit of the album, "Express Yourself." Sorry Madge, I was bored by that song the first time around and I'm not feeling any differently about it now. Songs like "Cherish" and "Dear Jessie" are just way too lovey dovey and sweet for my taste. I did not know this "Love Song" with Prince was a thing that existed, and I'm excited to find it today. It's way more a Prince song than a Madonna song though, and it's really wonderful. It's possibly my favorite song on here, although I still think "Like a Prayer" is the superior Madonna song. I am also amused to no end that they chose to end the whole thing with "Act of Contrition," which also has Prince's fingerprints all over it (and some pretty blistering guitar work, also by Prince). What an odd choice, but I liked it. Fave songs: Like a Prayer, Love Song, Keep It Together, Oh Father

Faust IV

Faust

4/5

I'm an advocate for weirdness in music. The easiest thing in the world is to listen to conventional mainstream music that is pleasant enough, but boring and not conducive to thought or real feeling. Some of the best musicians know what's pretty and conventional, but push against those boundaries in ways that are surprising, amusing, and occasionally unsettling. Faust IV by Faust does all these things. On this album, the band dabbles with a variety of styles, sounds, noises, textures. The band uses dissonance as just another tool in their box. They utilize twisty, distorted guitar and keyboards, tin pan alley style piano, random instruments as needed, and a lot of other beeps, blips and noise. They're both reminiscent of the previous decade's psychedelia and forward looking to ambient and electronic genres yet to come. The vocal style is both detached and whimsical at the same time. Lyrics are minimal and occasionally surreal. They are probably intended as ironic and mostly for texture and effect. But if you read the actual lyrics there are some oddly violent moments. The song lengths might seem daunting, but most of these songs are progressive in structure, by which I mean they wander and ramble from one style into the next. So a 7+ minute song like "Giggy Smile" actually feels like three shorter compositions. It's a great method, allowing the band to experiment with a lot of techniques, instrumentation and dissonance, without it ever being too tiring on the ear. Fave Songs: The Sad Skinhead, Giggy Smile, Krautrock, Jennifer

Roots

Sepultura

3/5

Intense, relentless, piercing sound. Brutal, guttural-to-screaming vocals. Cathartic, angry lyrics. I enjoyed the use of Latin and indigenous musics, which pushes this creatively to a level beyond what I expected, particularly on the back half of the album. The closed it out nicely with "Canyon Jam." Overall hard on the ears, and not really my genre of choice, but this is a well made album. Glad I gave it a chance. Fave Songs: Breed Apart, Ratamahatta, Jasco, Itsari

Palo Congo

Sabu

3/5

Wow, this was great. If this album doesn't make you want to move, check your pulse. Percussive and energetic with song structures that are loose and improvisational. You just have to let go, embrace the groove and stop expecting a song to go somewhere all the time. Fave songs: El Cumbanchero, Choferito Plena, Billumba-Palo Congo, Tribilin Cantore

Tusk

Fleetwood Mac

5/5

I'm so excited, my first Fleetwood Mac album on here. This is the album you didn’t really hear about too much for years, but over time listeners have come to appreciate it. I think it’s because people didn’t know what to make of Tusk. It was eternally in the shadow of what came before it, big and ambitious as the band may have tried to make it. After Rumours, Tusk was considered a failure as an album, but I don’t think they could have made a better album under those circumstances. The band was a crazy success, and they were also on the verge of falling apart. The double album was risky, and boy do they go big with the risk. They bring in the USC marching band to play on the title track, for Pete's sake. Stylistically it’s kind of a mess from the outset. It starts out all soft and sweet with Christine McVie on “Over & Over,” then throws you headfirst into the frenetic wackiness of Buckingham’s “The Edge.” Then! They throw on the brakes for McVie again in “Think About Me.” That drove me crazy the first time I sat through this album, the way the mood and the flow of the album is all over the place, but if you just lean into the disarray and stop expecting it to go in a particular direction, you will enjoy this album so much more. Lindsey Buckingham's guitar work is beautiful, as always. Mick Fleetwood and John McVie hold up the backbone as tightly as ever, and all three vocalists are in top form. The arrangements are solid, utilizing a lot of layered vocals and instrumentation. Buckingham is the dominant force on the album, but the more cool and restrained energy of Christine McVie really helps to temper his wackadoo brilliance. Stevie Nicks is a force of nature, bringing warmth and heart to the table as well as some incredibly personal songwriting. It really takes all these artists working together to pull off some special magic that, honestly, none of them have ever captured in their solo work. For all of its perceived (and real) flaws, I'm still happy to just give this album the full five stars. Other bands wish they could be so disorganized and still end up sounding so great. Fave Songs: Sara, Tusk, Think About Me, Sisters of the Moon, Beautiful Child

Bad Company

5/5

Wow, this is an exceptional album, just brimming with classics. Six of these songs are classic rock staples and the remaining two are top notch deep tracks. Consider for a moment just how rare that is. There isn't a bad song on here. It's warm, sexy, bluesy rock for the ages. Bad Company are the standard bearers for blues-based rock in the 1970s and 80s. This band and these songs set the bar for how rock would sound for years with countless bands attempting and failing to catch their sound. The band is a murderer’s row of musicians hailing from some really great groups – Free, Mott, King Crimson. This is also probably one of the best executed albums I have ever heard. The compositions are tight, flawless. Not an extraneous note or overly long solo to be found. The band has a steadiness and intensity to their sound without all the showboating some of their peers were prone to. Lyrically, they manage to come off as tough, but with enough sensitivity to pull off a song like "Ready for Love" without sounding silly. Paul Rodgers' warm and soulful vocals are ridiculously good. He really is one of the best rock vocalists ever, and criminally underappreciated. Fave Songs: Rock Steady, Ready for Love, Can't Get Enough, Bad Company

Machine Gun Etiquette

The Damned

4/5

This is just about as good a punk album as you will ever hear. It’s ramshackle, rowdy and great fun to listen to, with plenty of tongue in cheek attitude to boot. Dave Vanian's proto-gothic vocal style is really rich and unique, elevating the songs quality-wise to a point where most other punk singers can’t compete. Stylistically, they're all over the place here, with some classic punk sounds laced with all manner of musical styles and a real pop sensibility as well. The band is more musically talented than a lot of their peers, with Captain Sensible in particular serving up some solid guitar work. Also, the band is clearly having fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. You’ve got to admire that. Fave Songs: Plan 9 Channel 7, Love Song, Machine Gun Etiquette, I Just Can't Be Happy Today

Joan Armatrading

3/5

A pleasant listen. Chill vibe with a lot of musically eclectic elements. A level above other singer songwriters of that era. Joan Armatrading has an interesting voice, very rich and soulful and confident, but also sweet when she wants it to be. Intimate, beautifully crafted lyrics. Fave Songs: Down to Zero, Love and Affection, Water with the Wine

Killing Joke

4/5

I really liked this one. It’s a solid post punk/proto-industrial album that utilizes funk, electronic musical elements and noise to interesting effect. What they’re doing is foundational to what industrial artists will be doing 8-10 years down the line, but it’s also fairly accessible for the casual listener. The arrangements are simple and surprisingly melodic on occasion. Jaz Coleman’s vocals are strong, and the lyrics are spare, visceral and effective. The band has great chemistry and takes a less is more approach overall, with bass and drums taking a prominent place in their sound. Paul Ferguson’s hard driving but simple drums show a necessary restraint many drummers don't have. Youth’s bass guitar work is killer. This is all augmented by Geordie Walker’s fierce, grinding guitars and an economic use of synthesizers. Fave Songs: The Wait, Bloodsport, Complications, Requiem

Follow The Leader

Korn

1/5

Oooh, look, the R is backwards! Get ready for something edgy here, people. I've low key dreaded getting an album like this to review, but I decided I have to give everything a fair listen. But man, this one really tested my patience. I guess I can say now that I've listened to a Korn album all the way through. That's something, right? Musically the album is fine. The guitars (Head and Munky), the bass (Fieldy) and the drums (David Silveria), they actually aren't bad at all, and the band is talented at what they do. Their sound is heavy and very much in the vein of a lot of music from this era. But it’s boring. The arrangements are samey and the album is also entirely too long. They're obviously trying to go for something dark here, but they don’t elicit any kind of feeling from me. As for Jonathan Davis… a lot this album’s problems land squarely on this guy’s plate. Davis’ vocal style is terrible, whiny-then-vomiting, forgettable. That weird scatting he likes to do is just dumb. The rapping makes it somehow worse, my god. I was going to dig into the songwriting, but I went in and read the lyrics, and good grief. Davis (and by extension, the band) has an anger problem. He has a problem with women. He seems to especially have a problem with his own success. Other artists have similar problems, but they’re better songwriters. I don’t have the energy to close read garbage lyrics today. I feel like I've been more generous to some pretty hard to listen to albums that have been generated for me, like from Napalm Death and Sepultura. But see, there's a world view and some creativity behind that music that I respect, even if it's not my thing. This music feels very empty to me, a cash grab attempt to be edgy that is embarrassing for me to have to listen to, as a person with ears. Fave Songs: None. How about least favorite song? There are so many candidates. I'm going to go with All in the Family, what kind of warmed over garbage was that?

Tea for the Tillerman

Cat Stevens

4/5

This is pretty much the gold standard for singer songwriters of the 1970s, both for it's quality and for its themes of reflection and search for meaning. Beautiful, melodic songs, with balanced, elegant arrangements. There's something in Stevens' delivery that makes him seem like he was beamed in from another time, long ago - a pop star Thoreau come to tell us, "Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!" He's still on the journey himself at this point, of course. But it's delightful to ride along with him for a while. Listen in a sunny window, cup of tea at hand. Fave Songs: Wild World, Sad Lisa, Father and Son, Hard Headed Woman

Walking Wounded

Everything But The Girl

3/5

Listenable 90s English techno with a nice vocal. Simple arrangements, lovely chord progressions, beats very much of that era. Tracey Thorn's voice here is as rich and lovely as ever. I don't think this phase of EBTG's career really touches the more jazz-pop stuff they made back in the 80s, which now seems a lot less dated than the techno. This album was pleasant enough to listen to, but overall unremarkable. Fave Songs: Wrong, Before Today, Walking Wounded

S&M

Metallica

3/5

When I was in college I read a book, Running with the Devil, that made an excellent case that metal as a genre is built on classical musical principles. I couldn't help but think of that book while listening to this album because Metallica sounds just fantastic with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. To boot, this is a live album, but doesn't necessarily feel like one musically. The collaboration really elevates the band's songs, creating a monumental sound that must have blown the doors off the house while they were making it. My one critique would be that the band and orchestra don't always mesh together as well as I would like. Sometimes it's almost like they are playing two separate concerts and just lay one on top of the other. But when the two click, they're on fire. Second half of the album is much better than the first, so stick with it. Fave Songs: No Leaf Clover, Bleeding Me, Wherever I May Roam, Until It Sleeps, For Whom the Bell Tolls

A Walk Across The Rooftops

The Blue Nile

3/5

Pretty, moody, melancholy songs. A rainy day album. I remember when this album came out. It seemed tonally out of place with what was going on in music at the time, but has aged really well. It sounds rather timeless now. The pace is mostly slow and lingering, which some people will not like. It has elegant, deceptively simple-seeming compositions, full of layered sounds and experimentation with percussion and electronic noise. I've visited this album a few times over the years and it never really clicked with me until today. I enjoyed listening to it. Fave Songs: Heat Wave, Automobile Noise, Tinseltown in the Rain

The Lexicon Of Love

ABC

4/5

Groovy and fun. Very "New Romantic" in mood, with a strong influence from Roxy Music. Lexicon of Love is a singular creation, a pop album with the feel of a theatrical production, but built for the dance floor. There isn't another album that really captures this mood and this sound. It’s full of rich arrangements that build off essentially a disco groove, embellished with everything from studio strings to harps and horns. The songs are campy and occasionally outlandish, but romantic and heartfelt as well, thanks to Martin Fry's strong vocals. Fave Songs: The Look of Love, Poison Arrow, Tears are Not Enough. “Tears" is the deep cut that really deserves to be heard more.

Olympia 64

Jacques Brel

3/5

Oh, this is fun. Jacques Brel has a strong, passionate vocal. Combined with evocative musical arrangements, Brel accomplishes the not insignificant feat of making you care about what he's singing, whether you understand him or not. By the time the audience kicks in at the end of "Amsterdam," I'm ready to storm the gates for him and possibly take up smoking. That's by far the best song on the album, but unfortunately none of the other songs quite match it in energy or emotion. This was an enjoyable listen though. Fave Songs: Amsterdam, Les Vieux, Le Plat Pays

Sex Packets

Digital Underground

3/5

Fun, eclectic group of songs with a party vibe and a sense of humor. The concept part of the album is ridiculous, but they make it work somehow. Sampling could be more subtle, but hey, I like P-Funk. I'll allow it. Fave Songs: Doowutchyalike, Rhymin' on the Funk, The Danger Zone, The Humpty Dance

The Slider

T. Rex

5/5

This is such a fun album, a favorite from one of my favorite bands. The Slider probably is the quintessential expression of Marc Bolan's vision as an artist. This is his moment musically, and he would never quite capture it again. The sound of the album is distinctive, full of great, glammy, hooky songs. It’s good old fashioned sexpot rock and roll embellished with the loveliest string arrangements and some killer guitars. T. Rex has a true pop sensibility while also being unabashedly strange, building on Bolan's origins in psychedelic music. The band moves effortlessly from ethereal to full on rocker mode. They've got songs that pull at your heartstrings and songs you want to crank the volume on and just rock out to. You can hear all the little tendrils that grew out of this music and ended up seeding everything that came after it for many years, from heavy metal to post punk and indie. As a front man, Bolan is confident, puckish and sexy, but he’s also unafraid to show his vulnerability. His vocal delivery is all at once quirky, heartfelt and expressive. The lyrics run the gambit from fanciful to achingly sad and are best enjoyed if you don't over analyze them. Fave Songs: Main Man, Telegram Sam, Ballrooms of Mars, Rabbit Fighter, Buick McCane

Figure 8

Elliott Smith

4/5

Gorgeous songs, artful arrangements. Moody, sometimes haunting lyrics sung sweetly. It's heavy listening to Smith because we know how this story ends. But the album stands on its own as a beautifully crafted work. Fave Songs: Somebody that I Used to Know, Everything Means Nothing to Me, Son of Sam, Can't Make a Sound

Close To The Edge

Yes

4/5

I am going to preface this by saying I am really not a prog person. I don't have a lot of patience for overly ornate, concept driven, or long form music. That said, this album is really good. Whatever your taste, the musical prowess Yes displays here is undeniable. Steve Howe's guitar work is insane. Rick Wakeman's keyboards, just stunning. Jon Anderson has one of the more distinctive vocals you'll ever hear in rock music. They also showed a bit of restraint (!) in keeping the overall length of the album to 37 minutes, something I wish more artists would think about when attempting ambitious projects. I don't see myself coming back on my own to listen to this album much, if at all. But it was a good listen, glad I gave it a chance. Fave Song: And You and I

In Utero

Nirvana

5/5

This was an amazing album, among the best of its era. Sadly, it's also one of the band's best and an indicator of where Nirvana might have been headed musically had things turned out differently. The songs are stunningly crafted and pretty perfect, but deliberately less polished than on Nevermind. Musically, the band is unforgiving in their delivery. It grinds, it burns and blisters, but also sometimes with an ear towards the melodic. Cobain's delivery flows effortlessly from insouciance to raging in a way I can't even compare to another artist. Lyrically, Cobain is brutal, clever, sarcastic, clearly in pain. I would just like to add that this is the second album I have reviewed in the past week by an extremely talented person who took his own life after the album I was reviewing came out, and it's a bummer, to put it mildly. The world was a better place with Kurt Cobain and Elliott Smith in it. If you're struggling, there are people who can help you. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 800-273-8255. Fave Songs: All Apologies, Heart Shaped Box, Dumb, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, Milk It

Eagles

4/5

This album is warm and a little rustic with some pure pop moments that you really can't beat. The vocal harmonies are sublime, as you expect them to be coming from the Eagles. No, this isn't the Eagles' best album, by a long shot. It's an excellent first album, though, and shows plenty of sparks of the sound the band would continue to develop over the decade. It's also nice to hear Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon's contributions prominently featured. It's like the Eagles you remember, but kind of a different band as well, with more of a country sound. There are three top tier classic songs on this album that pretty much everyone knows who has heard of the Eagles "(Take it Easy," "Witchy Woman," and "Peaceful Easy Feeling"). They're all still crisp and fresh as the day they were made and they pretty much lift the whole album to the next level. There are a couple of other interesting little gems on here like "Train Leaves Here This Morning" and "Take the Devil," but most of the other songs just pale in comparison to those three big singles. This is obviously a band still getting its bearings and trying to figure out what they want to be. It's a solid listen though. Fave Songs: Take It Easy, Peaceful Easy Feeling, Witchy Woman, Train Leaves Here This Morning, Take the Devil

Dare!

The Human League

4/5

A classic early 80s synth pop album, a lot of fun to listen to. It was one of the first cassettes I owned, so it saw a lot of play in my house. Coming back to hear it now, I'm struck by the simplicity of it. The sound is crisp, the arrangements deliberately flat and cold. Phil Oakey's commanding baritone vocal is a centerpiece of this music, another instrument in its own right. The songwriting is simple but sophisticated, touching rather poetically on themes like alienation and sexual politics. And surprisingly for such a aloof sounding band, Phil Oakey for the most part comes off as an optimist, someone who still believes in love, who still believes we hold the power to find what we need in this life... if we dare to look for it. "Don't You Want Me" is incredibly catchy, a perfect pop song and a stone cold classic that belongs in any time capsule of this era. Funny to find out it's the last song on the album because Oakey didn't particularly care for it. Fave Songs: Don't You Want Me, Darkness, Love Action, Open Your Heart

Bad

Michael Jackson

3/5

I'm less entertained than I thought I would be by this album. Whatever your thoughts on Jackson and his music, it's indisputable that he was incredibly talented and that, at his best, he's really entertaining to listen to. So I had some general expectations for this album that really didn't play out. Honestly, I was pretty bored through a lot of this, especially toward the middle of it. "Bad" is an excellent pop song, the best on the album. "Leave Me Alone," "Smooth Criminal" and "The Way You Make Me Feel" are also pretty good. But some of the other songs just feel dead inside, like his heart wasn't in it. I also feel like Jackson is trying to go along with what he thinks will be musically relevant, so he ends up with a weird, disjointed assortment of songs that doesn't really serve his particular talents. It neither lives up to our expectations of him nor breaks any new ground. On the scale of pop music in general in 1987, I suppose it was a good record? But if you were listening to much music in 1987, you know that isn't really a compliment. Fave Songs: Bad, Leave Me Alone, Smooth Criminal

Play

Moby

3/5

An interesting album that is for the most part pleasant to listen to. Actually a pretty good introduction to electronic music for newbies. The sampling of roots music is inspired and was probably incredibly fresh at the time. No complaints about it really except that it's excessively long. There's a fair amount of filler that could have been dropped and Moby would have had a better album. I get that Moby thought this might be his last album, but it would have been a classic had he shown some restraint. Fave Songs: Natural Blues, Rushing, Everloving, Honey, Inside

Wild Gift

X

5/5

This album is tight. It's full of ramshackle, energetic rockers from one of the most unique bands in music. X's punk bona fides are on full display, sweetened with a rockabilly undertone and a hint of a twang, which would become more pronounced on future albums. Billy Zoom's guitars burn brilliantly. D.J. Bonebrake's drums set an urgent pace that propels everything forward without distracting from the true stars of this show, John and Exene. The chaotic harmonies of John Doe and Exene Cervenka are imperfectly perfect. They're languid and messy and totally endearing. Their lyrics are incredibly poetic, blurring the gritty with the romantic. They sing about the dysfunctional side of life and of love, and you can feel it. Fave Songs: The Once Over Twice, Adult Books, In This House That I Call Home, I'm Coming Over

Before And After Science

Brian Eno

5/5

“King's Lead Hat” has long been my weirdo bop, ever since I was an oddball teenager who stumbled onto the music of Brian Eno on late night radio in the mid-80s. It’s the first song I think I ever heard by Eno, which led me down into the huge rabbit hole that is his music, and all the possibilities of what music can be. My peers had no idea who Eno was, his 70s music probably considered to be obscure, out of date and just plain strange at that point. But those albums have meant a lot to me over the years. They’re a kind of touchstone to my own musical taste and my own desire to listen to music with curiosity and a sense of adventure. What I’m trying to say is, Eno is my jam. So, Before and After Science. This album might sit strangely with anyone who hasn't really listened to Brian Eno before. It's fairly accessible for the general listener as his albums go, with some very lovely instrumentation. Stylistically he is a little bit all over the place and has a pronounced weird streak, particularly on the front half. It's not a bad thing, just maybe a little hard to connect with immediately for some. Stick with it. By the time you hit "Julie With," the rest of the album kicks into a different gear, with a far more layered, reflective, and ambient sound. Honestly, the final four are some of the most spare, beautiful arrangements I have heard in any genre. I feel wonderfully relaxed and elevated by the time “Spider and I” comes to a close. “By This River” exists on a plane by itself, it’s so lovely. The instrumentation on this album is ridiculous, and I mean that in the best way. Eno has always collaborated and surrounded himself with the best musicians, but this is insane. These are some of the smartest, most creative minds in music and they just flow like they were always together in this band. That funkified bass work by Paul Rudolph and Percy Jones on “No One Receiving” and “Kurt’s Rejoinder” is insanely good. Inspired use of various forms of percussion, across the board, especially on “Kurt’s Rejoinder.” Robert Fripp’s guitar on King’s Lead hat, shut up. Phil Manzanera’s guitar on “Here He Comes” is more delicate and incredibly pretty, a waterfall of sounds when blended with Eno’s own synthesizers. Eno’s voice is distinctive and oddly affecting in a way unlike that of many other vocalists. He’s not a singer really, the voice is just another musical tool, but when he does sing he moves you. It doesn’t much matter what he’s singing about. Which is a good thing because these lyrics are characteristically off the wall for Eno. Don’t look for a lot of coherence because that’s not what he’s doing here. Just embrace the weirdness and enjoy. Fave Songs: By This River, King's Lead Hat, No One Receiving, Julie With, Kurt's Rejoinder

Bert Jansch

4/5

This was a solid album, lovely to listen to.The guitar work is absolutely gorgeous, like a sunny autumn day in musical form. Jansch has a really interesting voice, like he just teleported in from a distant time. The songwriting is eloquent and surprisingly pointed at times, like on the scathing "I Have No Time" and the mournful "Needle of Death." Fave Songs: Angie, Alice's Wonderland, Smokey River, Needle of Death

Surrealistic Pillow

Jefferson Airplane

4/5

Surrealistic Pillow is a keystone collection of music for its time, the type of album you might slip into a time capsule as the best example of music to represent its era. The style is diverse across this album, covering a range of sounds from folk to psychedelic to the blues. It’s a bit of a musical compendium of many things that were going on in the late 60s. Jefferson Airplane is very much their own band with their own sound, but you still can hear hints that recall everything from the Mamas and the Papas to the Byrds to the Doors. Yet everything flows beautifully though the album and nothing stands out as being unnecessary or out of place. The musicianship is top notch, with Jorma Kaukonen’s guitar and Spencer Dryden’s drums in particular standing out. The guitar arrangements in songs like “Embryonic Journey” and “How Do you Feel” are gorgeous, a real pleasure to hear. I've heard "White Rabbit" a few too many times in my life and have avoided it in recent years, but coming back to it fresh, I have to acknowledge that it's a striking song. It's beautifully arranged, different from everything else on the album, and Slick's vocal is strong. "Somebody to Love" is also still stunning to hear, the best song on the album and a true rock classic. Grace Slick has an authoritative vocal presence in both songs that's kind of indescribable. She tends gets most of the attention/oxygen in this band, but I'm also really digging Marty Balin's voice myself, which contrasts well with hers. Paul Kantner also makes some solid vocal contributions as well. This is really a well-oiled machine of a band playing at the height of their talents. Fave Songs: Today, Somebody to Love, White Rabbit, Embryonic Journey, She Has Funny Cars

Sheer Heart Attack

Queen

5/5

Ahhhh Queen, always a delight. This is a solid collection of tunes that is so much *fun* to listen to, something I think is lacking even from better albums. Did you have a good time, and did it rock? Yes and YES. Stylistically the album is kind of all over the place, but the band makes it work for them. It has all the touches you expect from Queen, the sense of grandeur delivered with masterful musicianship, ethereal vocals and a bit of cheeky humor. The band moves rather effortlessly from full throated rockers like “Brighton Rock” and “Stone Cold Crazy” to delicate ballads like “Lily of the Valley” and “Dear Friends.” The perfect, hooky pop confection that is “Killer Queen” stands above them all. It’s a perfect song and there really isn’t another song like it, by any artist. The quality of the music is undeniable. Brian May's guitar is brilliant, existing on a technical level that few guitarists will ever approach. John Deacon and Roger Taylor are also in top form. The vocal arrangements are stunning, functioning as an instrument in their own right. Freddie Mercury is, of course, a force of nature. His charisma just crackles, elevating even the less interesting songs to a higher level. I also think the songs improve on repeated listening. I like the album better today than I did last night. Fave Songs: Killer Queen, In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited, Now I'm Here, Stone Cold Crazy, Lily of the Valley, Brighton Rock

The Man Machine

Kraftwerk

5/5

This is a great album, perfect from front to back. I love all of Kraftwerk’s albums, but this one is to my mind a perfectly executed album, probably the best introduction to the band for a new listener. The songs flow beautifully into each other and tonally they all work well together. It’s such a smooth listen. Half these songs clock in over 6 minutes and you don't even feel it really. There isn’t a bad song here as far as I’m concerned. I also feel like over time this album has really aged well. Back then, it was highly futuristic. Now it’s simply a classic, a necessary touchpoint for anyone with an interest in electronic music. The compositions are tight, crisp, melodic and spare. The vocals are limited, either sung directly by Ralf Hütter, or vocalizations processed through machines. I know not everyone is a fan of the songs with vocals, but I happen to like them a lot and I think they’re central to the whole “Man Machine” concept in Kraftwerk’s music. When you hear a song like “The Model” or “Neon Lights,” it’s Hütter’s vocals that provide that surprising warmth and pathos. Without it, all you have is the machine. It’s an idea both in music and in life that’s still pretty timely when you think about it. Fave Songs: Neon Lights (it’s so very good, possibly their best song ever), The Robots, The Model. I mean really, all of them.

Autobahn

Kraftwerk

5/5

OMG the generator gave me Kraftwerk albums two days in a row. I guess it liked my comments on The Man Machine. Hey, generator, what’s up ;) Yesterday I said that I thought "Neon Lights" was possibly the best song Kraftwerk ever made. As I typed it, a little voice in my head kept saying "Except for Autobahn!" So, I guess now I get to talk about Autobahn, which pretty much makes my weekend. Okay, it’s obviously not for everyone, an acquired taste, as one reviewer put it. But if you have the patience, this album is really worth the listen. Autobahn is next level over next level, something that I have tremendous respect for and also just like listening to. It is a bit of a mood though. I don’t necessarily want to hear it often, but when I put it on, those first 22 minutes just make me inexplicably happy. You get a sense of joy and that they were really having fun on this one, and I guess that’s what I’m feeling a response to, the joy. Musically, the album is absolutely sublime. I love the effects they use to give an impression of vehicles in motion (“Autobahn”) and the sounds of the natural world (“Morgenspaziergang”). It’s an incredibly playful and clever use of synthesizers. The incorporation of traditional instruments adds an extra level of depth you don’t hear in their later albums. This is actually “The Man Machine” in action, the natural/traditional paired with the mechanical/constructed. Go figure. In "Morgenspaziergang," the band masterfully captures the essence of sounds from the natural world like birds and flowing water to create a pastoral soundscape, complete with accompanying Pan's flutes. It's incredibly pretty. “Kometenmelodie 2” is likewise just a lovely, melodic listen. It’s a window into what other electronic artists will be doing 5-10 years down the line. As for the masterpiece of the album, "Autobahn" is the only 22-minute song I will ever care to listen to. I hesitate to even call it a song, because it's bigger than that. It's a far ranging, longform musical journey. I may never make it to the actual Autobahn, but one day I want to just get in the car and take a ride to nowhere with Autobahn playing on a loop. It's what this album was made for. Fave Songs: Autobahn, Kometenmelodie 2, Morgenspaziergang

Rumours

Fleetwood Mac

5/5

I feel a certain obligation to give this a thoughtful review. It is after all one of my absolute favorite albums, and apparently is for a large number of reviewers on this site as well. But at the same time, I feel wholly ill-equipped to say anything about Rumours that hasn’t been said by a ton of other people. What can I say. It's Rumours, hands down one of the best albums ever made, not to mention one of the most beloved albums ever. It's a perfect production, full of perfect songs, perfectly executed. The songwriting... perfect. The vocals... perfect. The musicianship... damn perfect. Half of these songs have taken up real estate in our collective consciousness over the past 40+ years and they aren't moving out anytime soon. This album is Music 101: How to Make a Perfect Record, *but better*. What keeps this music from getting lost in the shuffle of run of the mill 1970s pop-rock is the stellar quality of the musical performances, plus three songwriter-vocalists who are each powerful enough to have led their own bands, had they chosen to do so. This is deeply rare in music, something just a few other bands have been able to accomplish. This is upper echelon rock music for the gods, delivered without a need for bombast or musical excess. The personal excess, well that's another story. Another reviewer made a comment that they cannot stop listening, and my god, if that’s not it. I have listened to this album I don’t know, hundreds of times in my life, and I’ve never tired of it. My feelings on it haven’t substantially changed, except it’s safe to say I like it a little bit more every time I hear it. How is that even possible? Individual songs, sure. Some of them have been overplayed on radio. So overplayed. If “You Make Loving Fun” or “Don’t Stop” comes up on the radio I don’t usually stick around for it. But as a collection, the full body of work? I will play the whole thing all the way through, front to back, no skipping. Individually these songs are beautiful, but as a group, they’re a freaking masterpiece. It’s funny, on an average day, if you asked me my favorite songs on Rumours, I would go for the same songs… Go Your Own Way, Dreams, maybe Second Hand News. But today, I’m really loving “Gold Dust Woman” and “Songbird.” See, that’s why you listen to them all together. For every juggernaut hit you have heard dozens of times, there is a “Never Going Back Again” hiding in the wings, waiting to come and charm you. I don’t think I can make the case for Rumours against the current #1 album on this site. I think #2 is correct though. You can’t beat this album… unless you’re the Beatles. Fave Songs: Never Going Back Again, Dreams, Go Your Own Way, Songbird, Second Hand News

I Against I

Bad Brains

3/5

A fun listen. Rocks hard, but not hard on the ears at all. Nice, compact, well-composed songs with a variety of musical influences. Fave Songs: She's Calling You, Re-Ignition, I Against I, Sacred Love

Is This It

The Strokes

3/5

This is a solid album, fun to listen to. Good old fashioned garage rock for the millennium, a little edgy but with a strong pop sensibility. It definitely marked a turning point for music heading into the 2000s, a positive one. In the grand scheme though, I don't really have strong feelings for the Strokes. A lot of it just ends up sounding like the same song. It's a good song, but I don't need 11 of them. Fave Songs: Last Nite, Barely Legal, Someday, Hard to Explain

British Steel

Judas Priest

5/5

This is one of the greatest metal albums ever made, best among the best. It should be on anyone's short list who wants to get into this genre. It also has great mainstream appeal as metal albums go. Judas Priest adeptly straddles that line between metal and classic blues rock. I think that ultimately it gives a more timeless quality to the music. There's a reason you hear Judas Priest on classic rock radio more than you will hear most metal bands. But make no mistake, this music rocks hard, and how. Priest opened the door for metal that was actually metal, not just hard English blues. Music got harder, darker and faster after these guys showed up. Rob Halford is riveting as a vocalist. Piercing, growling, screaming, commanding, the man can do anything he wants with that voice. Oh and, lordy, those guitar solos are insane. That double barreled guitar assault by Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing defined their sound, and probably launched a hundred bands. Tight, powerful rhythm section manned by Dave Holland and Ian Hill. No bad songs, no filler, just an album full of beautifully crafted metal. So much fun to listen to, and it just freaking rocks. Fave Songs: Breaking the Law, Living After Midnight, The Rage, Steeler

Back In Black

AC/DC

5/5

Oh, apparently it's metal week for me! After reviewing British Steel yesterday, I guess it's wholly appropriate that I get to do Back in Black, the other powerhouse early 80s hard rock album that everyone should listen to. Back in Black certainly lives in the same neighborhood as music we would classify as metal, but maybe down a house or two. Metal fans love AC/DC. AC/DC is also probably the gateway drug into the metal genre for most non-metal fans. But really, AC/DC is still a rock and roll band, a good old fashioned dirty blues and rock band that just happens to rock really hard. I mean really, really hard. This band shares commonalities with bands like the Stones as well as bands like Judas Priest. This makes them a better band than most metal bands. They have a very specific sound and they're really good at it. As a side note, I like that Rob Halford credits a tour with AC/DC as an influence on some of the songs on British Steel. Music doesn’t exist in a vacuum. What can I say about this album except that it’s pretty perfect. From the first toll of the bell, you know you’re in for something special, and AC/DC really delivers. This gets said a lot, but it’s really rare for a band to recover after the loss of a beloved core member like Bon Scott. Not only did AC/DC recover, but they sharpened their sound and became even more successful. It’s a singular event in music, kicked off with this album right here. It’s a swaggering, exuberant masterpiece. The band found a dream singer in Brian Johnson, who was able to step in and embrace the band’s sound, but also to make his own mark as a singer. They also found a masterful producer in Mutt Lange, who really helped the band to hone their sound. The great hooks were always kind of there in AC/DC’s music, but they went next level here and produced some incredibly catchy rockers for the ages. “You Shook Me All Night Long” is one of the best songs ever recorded, something people will be listening to with wonder 50 years from now. But make no mistake, the darkness and the edge are still there. The broody sense of foreboding in “Hell’s Bells” is fantastic and is an undercurrent that weaves through the whole album. It foregrounds the dark space the band (and their fans) had been occupying and helps to balance the high energy party vibe of songs like “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “Have a Drink on Me.” Musically, the band is on fire here. They’re a completely tight ship of a band. Beautiful riffs across the board from Angus and Malcolm Young, augmented with Angus' delightful solos. There’s a reason his name comes up in an any serious discussion of guitar players. Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd set the pace and hold the whole thing together while the band just burns through it. The songs are crisp and efficient, not an extraneous note or unnecessary solo to be found. I’ll also add, this album is beyond fun to listen to. The sound is powerful, but the band never loses that schoolboy energy. What’s more, Black in Black has got a groove to it. Try to sit still in a chair and listen to this album. You can’t do it! Fave Songs: You Shook Me All Night Long, Hell's Bells, Back in Black, Have a Drink on Me

Dry

PJ Harvey

4/5

This was really good. Musically solid, with creative, sometimes dissonant use of strings, which I always appreciate. Harvey's got a fantastic vocal style, with shades of Patti Smith. She can switch it up from blistering and raw to incredibly lovely with ease. Her lyrics are beautiful, raw, deeply poetic. The comparison to Smith seems apt again here. My one small critique would be that she does the quiet-loud thing a bit overly much, to the point where I'm having to adjust the volume constantly so I'm not blasting myself out of my AirPods. It's a great effect, when used more sparingly. Fave Songs: Dress, O Stella, Plants and Rags, Water

Tubular Bells

Mike Oldfield

2/5

I feel like I've stumbled into a haunted music shop. It's a lot, too much really. There are moments of this album that are genuinely lovely to listen to. There are also some incredibly annoying elements that I'll not be seeking out again. Oldfield's musical chops are for real. He's a great guitar player. But the wide swings in tone make it hard to settle into a groove listening to this. It's also hard to take a piece of music seriously that has this much growling in it. This is undoubtedly a unique musical experience. Props to Oldfield for going all in, but this would be a firm no from me. I tried. Favorites: None

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground

5/5

This is my 100th review. A special kind of symmetry in that my first album was Berlin by Lou Reed. In case you were wondering, I gave that one a 3. It’s hard to review an album that you love, an album that is one of your favorites. There’s a sense of obligation to say something meaningful, but the album is also wrapped up in all kinds of feelings and experiences that are hard to extricate from the music. I don’t have a single favorite album. I have a small number of albums that I consider foundational to my tastes in music, my attitudes about music and, to some extent, my world view. This is one of those albums for me. If you've never heard the Velvets before, that first song is deceptive. The twinkling celesta, the strings, "Sunday Morning" is a lure into a very dark, gritty space. Feedback, dissonance, dark lyrics that take you to dark places, oh yeah. This album is a scar across the lovely face of music. VU is one of those bands that cracks open the possibilities of what music is allowed to sound like and what we as listeners should expect from music. As I said, foundational. I’ve been listening to this album for about 30 years now and it still challenges me. I love that it still challenges me, that it’s never boring. There are still moments on this album that make me uncomfortable, a flash of distortion that will make me tense up momentarily, a turn of phrase that will make me stop cold for a second from whatever it is I’m doing. This is music that is designed to make you uncomfortable. But it’s also immersive and fascinating. I have never in my life met anyone like the people Lou Reed writes about. But he writes it so vividly that you feel like you can understand it. The world revealed in this album is terrifying, but somehow also alluring in a twisted way. The Velvets shine a light on that dark underbelly of what’s acceptable, revealing depravity, humanity, and a surprising beauty. The arrangements of these songs are deceptively simple for the most part, but every sound is precisely placed, every distortion intentional. Cale’s explorations of the viola paired with Reed’s own experimentation with guitar tuning creates a powerful sound that no one has ever been able to match. Add in the steady, minimalist backbone provided by Moe Tucker and Sterling Morrison and you have a sound for the ages, one that’s been copied incessantly but still never really captured. Also, for as much as this is an album is worthy of serious thought, it also is just excellent music. It can be sweet, it can be catchy, it can be provocative, it also at moments just simply rocks. You can’t ask for much more in an album. Fave Songs: (The whole album, favorite to least favorite): Heroin, I'm Waiting for the Man, Venus in Furs, Run Run Run, I'll Be Your Mirror, Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, European Son, All Tomorrow's Parties, There She Goes Again, The Black Angel's Death Song

Haunted Dancehall

The Sabres Of Paradise

3/5

I enjoyed this. It's basically a lot of progressive and layered sounds/noises, so not the most compelling music in the world. But it's also pretty chill and enjoyable enough to listen to. It mostly works as background as I sit working, although sometimes the noise/dissonance gets distracting (i.e., "Flight Path Estate," "Jacob Street 7am"). I feel like it would have really benefited from a serious edit. They could have dropped several songs and had a much tighter, more cohesive album. Fave Songs: Wilmot, Ballad of Nicky McGuire, Tow Truck, Theme, Planet D

The Clash

5/5

This is an outstanding album, really one of the best debut albums I’ve ever heard. It’s a pretty perfect punk album, better than practically anything their peers would produce. The Clash is the best that genre ever produced, but you can already hear them straining against the borders of punk. The lyrics are smarter, and there’s a pop sensibility (their secret weapon) that’s undeniable here. The band is surprisingly melodic when they feel like it, which elevates these songs to another level entirely. Don’t get me wrong, they’re as angry, irreverent, rowdy and pissy as the rest of them. Their energy is insane. They burn through 35 minutes of songs like a freaking brush fire. The album hasn’t aged in 40+ years really. The youth, urgency, the raw passion, all still as vividly on display as ever. And it’s still incredibly listenable, a true classic. The Clash has one album that’s even better than this one (you all know it), but no matter, this one is an easy 5. Fave Songs: Janie Jones, Police & Thieves, Remote Control, Garageland, I'm So Bored with the USA

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

The Flaming Lips

3/5

Interesting album, with some very lovely arrangements. I don't love Wayne Coyne’s vocal style, but you have to give the band credit for creating something rather unique and beautiful. Fave Songs: Flight Test, Do You Realize, In the Morning of the Magicians, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell

Space Ritual

Hawkwind

3/5

Oooh, spacey. I was not pleased to see a 2 hour live space rock album waiting for me this morning, but I actually enjoyed it. As live albums go, this one's pretty solid. It rocks much harder than I expected and it was just fun to listen to. The album suffers from some of the sound quality issues that a lot of live albums do, but the actual performances are absolutely on point. I will add that this album is very, very jammy. Some will absolutely not have the patience for it. Some people here are dogging on the spoken word parts, but I'm cool with them. They're never overly long (which is key to making it work), and admit it, Robert Calvert has a perfect voice for spoken word. Lemmy and Simon King make for one hell of a kickin' rhythm section and Dave Brock's guitar is splendid. Fave Songs: Master of the Universe, Time We Left This World Today, Down Through the Night, Space is Deep, Brainstorm

Selling England By The Pound

Genesis

4/5

This is really stunningly well-done album, just beautiful. I mean really, can you imagine anyone today pulling off something this marvelous? The musical prowess of Genesis is undeniable here, and I absolutely love Peter Gabriel’s vocals. Elegant, poetic lyrics, that will come off as opaque or too clever by half to a lot of listeners – including me at times! If you have to go to Genius to figure out what the heck a song is talking about, you lose a bit of its impact. The album has some truly lovely, moving arrangements, with everyone playing at top form. It’s also a nice reminder that Phil Collins is a remarkable drummer, better than he ever was as a singer. This album was a real pleasure to listen to, but a little goes a long way here. It’s also a little self-indulgent, which I have limited patience for. Not quite a 5, but a solid 4. Fave Songs: I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), Aisle of Plenty, The Cinema Show, Firth of Fifth

Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room

Dwight Yoakam

4/5

I've always enjoyed Dwight Yoakam's presence in country music. He stands out as an individual in a sea of artists who exist to sound exactly like each other. Yoakam developed his chops playing for the cowpunk crowd in L.A. when the mainstream country music industry had no interest in him. His authentic sound and commitment to his music took him from a cult following to the top of the charts, something which I’ve always admired and respected about him. I wasn't listening to any kind of country in 1988. But I imagine this must have sounded great at the time, given the landscape in country music in the 80s. I'm also a fan of a good Dwight Yoakam cover song. He's made quite a few of them over the years. He has several on this album, including a solid cover of the old Johnny Cash tune, "Home of the Blues," as well as covers of songs by Hank Locklin and Lazy Lester. The star of the show however is his classic duet version of Buck Owens' "Streets of Bakersfield" (with Buck Owens!). As someone who grew up with a lot of Tejano music in the background of my life, I really love the vibe of that particular song. I also feel like this song is a special appreciation of Owens and his music, who deserved all the attention after years of being pushed out of the country mainstream. The subject matter on much of the album gets really dark, even for country music. It’s belied somewhat by Yoakam’s rather crisp sound, but go check out those lyrics. I like the idea of this song progression from love to adultery to paranoia and murder. I’m surprised more artists don’t try something like this, except for the fact that it’s probably really hard to do without coming off as overwrought or corny. Yoakam makes it seem effortless. Fave Songs: Streets of Bakersfield, Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room, Home of the Blues, One More Name

Nothing's Shocking

Jane's Addiction

5/5

Thinking back at the musical landscape of my 17th year, there were a lot of threads you could follow if you had an interest in music out of the mainstream. You had your English groups (dark, synthy) and your American groups (acoustic, jangly). You had goth and industrial bubbling up. But these guys, *these guys* were something different when they showed up. They rocked hard, as much as any metal band, but they had this whole Zeppelinesque bohemian vibe, with a gritty sensibility and a little funk. Not to mention an unusual front man with an odd voice that didn't really sound like anyone else. Looking back now, I can see how special Jane's Addiction is as a band, how much they forecasted what was on the horizon in music. Something really different was happening and these guys were at the front of it. I'm also realizing here that I have not given Dave Navarro enough credit over the years for being the awesome guitar player he is. His playing can go from delicate and lovely to just blistering with ease. He can riff, he can play a wailing solo, he can burn it to the ground. Along with Eric Avery's sick basslines and Stephen Perkins slamming drums, they have such a rich and full sound. It's elegant when they want it to be, but also blow out your car speakers heavy. The songwriting is kind of all over the map, it goes from whimsical to thoughtful and sometimes incomprehensible. But it works. The treasure here of course is “Jane Says.” I didn't really know a Jane, but I probably met a few women over the years who related to her. I appreciate the empathy Farrell shows to Jane. The way men usually have written about women in rock music is... not great. Farrell has taken the time to tell her story and show care for her without judgement, pity or objectification. It’s really sweet and sad, accomplished with few words. It reminds me of Lou Reed's writing, not the least of which because they have both written iconic songs about a woman named Jane. Listening, you care about what happens to her, which is the power of great songwriting. I got weirdly emotional when I read that Jane Bainter finally did get to go to Spain. Good for her. Fave Songs: Jane Says, Mountain Song, Summertime Rolls, Ocean Size, Standing in the Shower... Thinking

Cross

Justice

3/5

Enjoyable! Trippy, blippy, housey, dancey fun. Très français. They're whimsical with a retro sheen, but also have a flair for the dramatic, which I like. As you get deep into the album in the back half, it gets a more dissonant, which grated on me a bit. The song “Stress” was probably the most aptly named song ever, because that one completely stressed me out. I believe that was absolutely intentional, so bravo to Justice, I felt it in my bones. I absolutely love “Let There Be Light.” Also the David Shire sample in “Stress” was inspired. Fave Songs: Let There Be Light, Phantom, D.A.N.C.E., Newjack, Genesis

The Visitors

ABBA

4/5

You can't really get better than ABBA for pure pop perfection. No one has come close to touching what they created, even as pop styles continue to change. Nowadays you need a team of producers and auto-tuning to sound half as wonderful as they do, while ABBA just makes it sound so effortless. ABBA is always such a joy to listen to and this album is no exception. The songwriting is a bit more mature, along with a shift in musical style befitting a change of decade. The vocals are absolutely angelic. The arrangements are melodic and elegant. Musically, the vibe here is crisp and clear, very much in line with what was going on in the early 80s, maybe even a little ahead of the game. This album is a deep dive for anyone who hasn't gone further than the ABBA Gold hits, but what an enjoyable dive it is. It's unfortunate that songs this wonderful aren't more widely known. Fave Songs: The Day Before You Came, Cassandra, Under Attack, The Visitors

Paris 1919

John Cale

4/5

If there’s one thing I can always rely on, it’s for John Cale to confound me a little with his music, but I love it. His music can be a bit of a rough listen for some because of his avant-garde sensibility. But this album is probably one of his most accessible and most enjoyable to listen to. The songs are a pleasant listen, with a hint of a pop vibe. Several reviewers compared Cale to Ringo Starr which at first annoyed me, but I can hear it, particularly in the piano. They also have similar vocal ranges, but that’s about it. What Cale is up to is a bit more left field, to put it mildly. There are some stunningly pretty songs on here, mostly with simple but elegant arrangements. In contrast, the kicky rocker “Macbeth” is kind of ridiculous, especially followed up with the masterful “Paris 1919.” It’s a tonal shift that will break your brain on some level. I like to think Cale had a good laugh over it. Speaking of “Paris 1919,” it’s a singularly lovely confection of a song, the best track on the album. I would have loved a whole album of songs in this vein. The lyrics on “Paris 1919” are also quite clever but won’t mean much to a casual listener. As with a number of songs on the album, the lyrics are peppered with historical and cultural references that tend toward the obscure. Cale is not known for his vocal talents, but something in his delivery is enjoyable to me. It's slightly off-kilter and wavering, but conveys a certain pathos that works really effectively with his musical style. Richie Unterberger describes it as a “lilting if thin Welsh burr,” which is about as perfect a description of Cale’s vocal style as I have ever seen. Combined with his beautiful arrangements, that wonderful viola, and a little warmth courtesy of Lowell George’s guitar work, you have a really unique collection of songs here. It may take multiple listens to connect with it, but it’s worth it. Fave Songs: Paris 1919, The Endless Plain of Fortune, Child's Christmas in Wales, Andalucia, Half Past France

Arrival

ABBA

4/5

This is undeniably ABBA’s best album period, ABBA at the absolute pinnacle of their career. The arrangements are delightful. The production is flawless. Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad are in perfect voice. If I had to pick an album to stick in a time capsule and represent 70s pop, this might be it. Which would be a lie ultimately, considering how much better this music is than much of the dreck of the era. There are two absolutely perfect pop songs on this album. The balance of the album is a nice assortment of slightly lesser pop songs that are still great fun to listen to. “Dancing Queen” is a marvel of a song, probably the best song the band ever made. Except for maybe "Fernando," my goodness. These are two of the prettiest, catchiest songs I have ever heard, and they are on the same album. They are two sides of the same coin as pop songs go, with “Fernando” pulling at your heart strings while “Dancing Queen” is just a bubbly, sparkling ode to joy. I like the reviewer who said you just have to let yourself go when you listen to ABBA. I can’t think of a better way to describe the experience of listening to them. For some reason ABBA is treated as some sort of guilty pleasure that you have to justify listening to. I think it’s time we let that notion go and appreciate the fact that crafting quality pop music is difficult. ABBA truly makes it look effortless. Fave Songs: Dancing Queen; Fernando; Knowing Me, Knowing You; That's Me, Money, Money, Money

Technique

New Order

4/5

Oh, this is great. I'm realizing that somehow, I managed not to hear this whole album over the years. I say this as someone who voraciously consumed New Order's earlier albums when they came out, as someone who has seen them live. I think it's a matter of timing really. By 1989 I had probably moved on to other things and I wasn't particularly aware of this one. Boy, do I feel dumb now. I still hold Power, Corruption and Lies as New Order's greatest album, a personal favorite. But let's be real, this is album is really close, among their best. The band is actually better at this point than they were when PC&L came out. They really mastered the technical aspects of their sound and pulled together a cohesive, compelling collection of songs. I've been reading Peter Hook's book and let me tell you, the band was not in good shape at this point. You really can't tell from listening that they were not playing together as a band and were heading in the direct of a split. That signature sound is there, that perfect melding of the acoustic with the electronic. No one does that as well as New Order. Practically every song is a winner. Well, I've got 32 years’ worth of catch up listening to do this one, so off I go. Fave Songs: All the Way, Love Less, Round and Round, Run, Mr. Disco

Shadowland

k.d. lang

3/5

Somehow, I’ve managed to go all these years without ever listening to K.D. Lang. That’s unfortunate because this is was a pleasant listen. Lang’s vocal style is smooth as silk, languid and dreamy and quite engaging. It’s hard not to like her. Lang's style is very evocative of Patsy Cline, especially when she hits that little yodel. She really channels Patsy in “I Wish I Didn’t Love You So.” Musically the album definitely has a retro vibe, like honky tonk music of the early 60s, with a torchy undertone. Really lovely. Fave Songs: Western Stars, I Wish I Didn’t Love You So, Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes, I’m Down to My Last Cigarette

Physical Graffiti

Led Zeppelin

5/5

I went through a couple of years back in my thirties when I was deep into Zeppelin. They were practically the only thing I listened to. Back then, I think I favored the first two albums and Houses of the Holy. Coming back at it now, Physical Graffiti has so much to offer as well. If you asked me now to recommend just one Zeppelin album, I think this might actually be it because it’s such an expansive work. Yes, this album suffers maybe a little from double album syndrome. It’s all over the place stylistically. But the songs are undeniably excellent. This is the work of four artists at the top of their game, flexing their creative muscles. It's a joy to listen to. There isn't really another album like this, but the closest I can approximate is The White Album, sans the internal turmoil. Apparently John Paul Jones was tired and disillusioned with his role in the band, and things could have played out quite differently. But he was given more creative control and the benefit to the band is palpable on this album and their sound moving forward. This by the way is what should happen in a band when this sort of thing happens. The diversity of styles covered, the creative dalliances, the range of feeling, it's all here. You’ve got everything from heavy rockers like "Trampled Under Foot" and "In My Time of Dying" to the ambitious anthem "Kashmir" and the lovely acoustic instrumental "Bron-Yr-Aur." You’ve got blues, you’ve got prog, you’ve got good old-fashioned rock and roll. “Boogie with Stu” is full on just for fun. The musicianship as always is ridiculously good. I feel dumb even talking about it because... just listen. Page, Plant, Bonham, Jones, ‘nuff said. This is an album pack with songs that are soulful, sexy, beautifully crafted, and heavy as a hammer when they feel like it. Oh and also, they freaking rock. 5 easy stars… you know-oooh-ohh-oh. Fave Songs: Houses of the Holy, Trampled Under Foot, Bron-Yr-Aur, Down by the Seaside, Ten Years Gone, Kashmir, In the Light, In My Time of Dying, Custard Pie

Tigermilk

Belle & Sebastian

3/5

Musically really pretty, pleasant arrangements, a mostly breezy listen if somewhat bittersweet. I'm not fond of Stuart Murdoch's vocals though. He has this anemic, emotionally flat style of delivery that leaves me cold. I didn't find anything particularly compelling in the lyrics. Fave Songs: We Rule the School, My Wandering Days Are Over, She's Losing It, Expectations

Rain Dogs

Tom Waits

5/5

Tom Waits: Patron saint of misfits, weirdos and lost souls everywhere. I can't think of another album that has more character, or one that's much better at evoking atmosphere and mood. I suspect this album confuses some people. That's a selling point as far as I'm concerned. If you want to stop reading here, I have one thing to say: This album is a masterpiece. It’s just a deeply, deeply cool album. Rain Dogs is the second in a trilogy of albums (along with Swordfishtrombones and Franks Wild Years) Waits created in the 1980s which represented a sharp shift in his musical style. It’s maybe a challenging listen for some, but it’s really not that hard. You see, Waits is an excellent songwriter. He knows how to make melodic, affecting music. But he also likes to keep it interesting, and a central principle of his style is to take the familiar and make it ugly (“fuck it up” as I believe Robert Christgau put it). Waits created a style of music all his own, a bricolage of sounds and eras that takes you to another place. It’s like a detour through a dark, gritty world that has a thousand stories of hard luck cases and scoundrels. Waits also has some remarkable musicians working him, including the brilliant Mark Ribot on guitar. The use of percussion here is also second to none, with Waits incorporating multiple drummers and percussionists. I mean how many albums have you heard that make effective use of a marimba, parade drum, congas and a bowed saw? I haven’t even mentioned half the instruments that appear on this album. On paper it’s a kitchen sink approach, but Waits really makes it work, he brings it alive. The bruised cherry on top is of course Waits himself, with that famous raspy, theatrical vocal style. In the 80s this album was a thrilling antidote to the overly produced music of the time. Now it’s simply timeless. Fave Songs: Downtown Train, Jockey Full of Bourbon, Hang Down Your Head, Time, Diamonds and Gold, Clap Hands, Tango Till They're Sore, Big Black Mariah

New Forms

Roni Size

2/5

Musically this album is fine. You've gotta really love yourself some drum & bass to want this much of it. The beats are pretty repetitive and samey, if fast-shuffling and energetic. It would make for some decent workout music. I really liked "Hi-Potent," but most of the others kind of blur together. And yes, this album is overly long, so very, very long. I wonder when I see these long debut albums if the artist feared they would never get another album, so they throw in all the things. It rarely pans out and Roni Size really needed to pare this down. If the album were half this length, I might have given it a 3, but I don't really see myself revisiting this one at all. Fave Songs: Hi-Potent, Trust Me, Morse Code, Electricks, Paper Bag

Rip It Up

Orange Juice

3/5

This is a fun album of breezy and soulful pop/new wave from Orange Juice. The band has a unique style, with a bit of an Afro-pop sensibility (courtesy of drummer Zeke Manyika) and some excellent punchy guitarwork. Edwyn Collins is the standout presence in the band, with his rich vocal style. Great pop hooks on both the title track and “I Can’t Help Myself.” “Mud in Your Eye” is a personal favorite, although “I Can’t Help Myself” is a can’t miss track, the best on the album. Fave Songs: Mud in Your Eye, I Can't Help Myself, Tenterhook, Rip It Up, Turn Away

Arc Of A Diver

Steve Winwood

4/5

Just great, soulful pop music, nicely done. "When You See a Chance" is the obvious classic track here, worth the price of admission just for this song. "Arc of a Diver" and "Slowdown Sundown" are lovely as well. Nothing on here I didn't like. "Second-Hand Woman" was probably the weakest song overall. Yes, the top-of-the-line-for-1980 synthesizers are admittedly a bit dated. But it's forgivable thanks in large measure to Steve Winwood himself. You can't shortcut his talent as a vocalist with a machine, that lovely soulful and timeless voice. Bonus star for the fact that Winwood plays all the instruments on this album, and adeptly so. Fave Songs: While You See a Chance, Arc of a Diver, Dust, Slowdown Sundown, Spanish Dancer

Graceland

Paul Simon

5/5

An outstanding album by Paul Simon, arguably his best. The songs are perfectly crafted, with a rich, eclectic sound. It’s a clear labor of love for Simon, who worked with an extremely talented roster of musicians in South Africa and in the US. But it feels like a real collaboration between artists, not just Simon playing musical tourist. Simon’s exceptional songwriting is the icing on the cake, some of the best of his career. Musically, the songs are joyful, warm and engaging, with gorgeous arrangements. Hard to single out any one performance because it's all amazing. I can’t imagine many artists being able to pull off such an ambitious effort, but Simon delivers an album for the ages. Fave Songs: You Can Call Me All, Gumboots, Graceland, The Boy in the Bubble, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, That Was Your Mother

The Yes Album

Yes

3/5

Yes is one of those bands you either connect with or you don’t. They’re incredibly talented and their music doesn’t really have any flaws per se. The most you can ding them for is a little self-indulgence (ahem, "Perpetual Change"), which is true of a lot of bands of their genre/era. Short and sweet review, this album is really good, but I didn't connect with it as much as I did with Close to the Edge. It includes two of the all-time great, must-hear tracks from the band, “I've Seen All Good People” and “Starship Trooper.” The inclusion of the live instrumental "The Clap" was a weird choice that I don’t think served the overall album very well. Fave Songs: I've Seen All Good People, Starship Trooper, Yours is No Disgrace, A Venture

Dust

Screaming Trees

3/5

This is a perfectly good 90s grunge album. It's more thoughtfully done and musically better than a lot of the dreck that was out around the same time. I liked a lot of the songs, but in the end it's not super memorable. Fave Songs: Sworn and Broken, Witness, Look At You, Dying Days, All I know

Marcus Garvey

Burning Spear

5/5

Splendid. Musically flawless, such a warm, rich sound. Lyrics are mournful but ultimately spiritual and full of hope. Fave Songs: The Invasion, Jordan River, Marcus Garvey, Red Gold and Green, Live Good

Bongo Rock

Incredible Bongo Band

3/5

This is kind of fun, although musically it comes off as rather corny/dated. Bongos are tight though. I don't see myself coming back to this. But it was worth it to hear "Apache," which was pretty great. I've got to say, I'm more impressed with the artists who were able to mine these songs for some excellent samples over the years. Fave Songs: Apache, Dueling Bongos, In a Gadda Da Vida, Let There Be Drums

Be

Common

3/5

This really isn't my genre. That said, this sounds pretty good. Fave Songs: The Corner, Food, Real People, They Say

Goo

Sonic Youth

4/5

This is an excellent album. Sonic Youth really mastered the effective use of distortion, feedback and noise better than anyone I can think of. A lot of bands would follow in Sonic Youth’s footsteps, but ultimately there is nothing else out there like them in music. The songs on Goo are moody and hard burning with a great, menacing undertone. Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo’s explorations of guitar are brilliant and fascinating. They push the instrument into places you didn’t even know existed. Moore and Kim Gordon's alternating vocals just ooze with an insouciance that’s so evocative of the mood of that era. Also frankly, this album just rocks. Fave Songs: Tunic, Titanium Expose, Disappearer, Dirty Boots, Mote, Kool Thing

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Soft Cell

3/5

I’m realizing today that I never really wrapped my head around this album, since I purchased it on vinyl at the tender age of 12. That’s no surprise as I really wasn’t the target audience for it! But I can appreciate now that what Soft Cell was doing here was something really interesting and unique. The album brilliantly evokes this quality of seedy, world-weary decadence, with a pronounced undercurrent of pathos. Musically, the album is better than I remember it. The cold, crisp style contrasts beautifully with Marc Almond’s torchy, theatrical vocals. Almond is a really talented vocalist who can flip it on a dime from melodramatic to anguished in a way that is uncommon and almost more suited to musical theatre than to pop. Lyrically they go full-on camp in places, which is what makes the whole thing work. The gleeful lasciviousness of songs like “Sex Dwarf” and “Seedy Films” makes the sadness and disillusionment in “Youth” or “Say Hello” more heartfelt. "Tainted Love" is hands down one of the best songs of the 80s, if not the best. It blows the original out of the water (Apologies to Gloria Jones, but you know it's true). It's lurid, dripping with self-loathing and disillusionment, and oh so lovely. If you haven't heard it, seek out the extended version with "Where Did Our Love Go," which is sublime. “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” is a bittersweet gem of a song and the other must-hear track on the album. Fave Songs: Tainted Love, Say Hello Wave Goodbye, Sex Dwarf, My Secret Life, Frustration

Germfree Adolescents

X-Ray Spex

3/5

Punchy, energetic, squonky fun. Fave Songs: Warrior in Woolworths, I Can't Do Anything, Identity, Let's Submerge, Germ Free Adolescents, The Day the World Turned Day-Glo

American Beauty

Grateful Dead

3/5

Excellent album from the Dead. It's a solid listen, with a great chill vibe and beautiful guitar work. Fave Songs: Truckin', Box of Rain, Sugar Magnolia, Ripple

Fear and Whiskey

Mekons

4/5

Wow, this is an excellent album. It's this great intersection of sounds/genres with lyrics that are darkly poetic and beautiful. The conceptual element of the war pulls everything together really well and is like nothing I've quite heard in a post punk album. The dark subject matter could make an album like this a real slog, but musically it leans to the upbeat, like a lot of the best country music does. The Leon Payne cover at the end is a great choice that really fits with the whole mood of the album. Fave Songs: Abernant 1984/5, Darkness and Doubt, Chivalry, Country

Midnight Ride

Paul Revere & The Raiders

3/5

I'm getting a strong sense how hard it must have been to stay relevant as an American rock band in the mid-1960s. You've got to keep it hooky, keep it fresh, offer something more than the average frat band. It's pretty palpable here, listening to the Raiders try to figure out their sound. That said, this album was a fun listen, better than I expected. Stylistically it's a little wacky, like they don't know if they want to be a garage band or to try and be the Beach Boys or the Byrds, so why not all of the above. To be fair, they do a pretty good job at it. It's punchy, energetic, and musically pretty solid. No, none of these songs are especially inspired music. It is mostly an enjoyable listen though. I did not realize the Raiders actually released "Stepping Stone" prior to the Monkees. Their version is actually pretty excellent. Fave Songs: There's Always Tomorrow, Kicks, There She Goes, I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

David Bowie

5/5

There isn’t anything I can really say about this album that hasn’t been said. I listen to Ziggy Stardust all the time. I can listen to it all day, every day, and it still moves me. I can’t say that about very many albums. I always say I don't have a favorite album but come on, does it get any better than this? I think technically, David Bowie probably made “better” albums than Ziggy Stardust. He didn't peak here. He produced plenty of smart, musically adventurous albums in the years that followed. But. This. Is. The. Album. This is the one. Of all of his works, I feel this is the most perfectly realized work. It's absolutely his most accessible album, which doesn’t sacrifice his art one bit. Front to back, every song is perfectly crafted and perfectly placed. There is no filler and there is no chaff. The concept aspect of the album is subtle but clever, apparently devised after many of the songs had already been written. You don’t need to be aware of it to enjoy the songs, which are all exceptional on their own. But if you consider the songs as a narrative, it’s even more enjoyable. Musically, the songs are gorgeously arranged, a joy to listen to. The songs range from dreamy and soulful to glammy and sexy without skipping a note. Mick Ronson’s guitar and string arrangements are masterful. “Suffragette City” and “Ziggy Stardust” are the classic rock mainstays, but it’s the deep tracks that give this album its substance. Fave Songs (all songs, ranked most to least favorite): Rock 'n' Roll Suicide, Moonage Daydream, Five Years, Starman, Soul Love, Suffragette City, Lady Stardust, Ziggy Stardust, Star, Hang on to Yourself, It Ain't Easy

Ocean Rain

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

Echo and the Bunnymen was one of those bands that got massive play in my house when I was a teenager. I had a concert tee that I wore down to nothing, I loved it so much. Ocean Rain is probably the best album the band ever made. The musical arrangements are lovely, but properly subtle and restrained. I was surprised to read they had an actual 35-piece orchestra backing them up. It’s beautifully done, an example of the right way to use strings in rock music. Special mention to Will Sergeant, whose resonant guitar work is distinctive, but interplays really elegantly with some rather delicate arrangements. The lyrics are darkly poetic and ambiguous, delivered in the way only an English post punk singer can do it, dead serious but then yet… not really. I mean how serious can you be if you're comparing your girlfriend to a cold cucumber in the fridge? Ian McCulloch is playing with language, being deliberately obtuse a lot of the time. He has a way of turning a phrase that is really idiosyncratic but beautiful. McCulloch is clearly influenced by both David Bowie and Jim Morrison as a songwriter as well as a vocalist. There is really one song everyone must know from this album, which is of course "The Killing Moon." If you ever want to share with someone why 80s music matters, that's really the song you've got to go with. It's such a darkly beautiful song, certainly the best they ever made, and also one of the best of that genre/era. As a teenager I was less of a fan of the slower tempo “Ocean Rain,” but I’ve got to say, I really loved it on relistening now. “Thorn of Crowns” seems very much of that time (not to mention fairly silly), but overall, the album has aged beautifully. Fave songs: The Killing Moon, Ocean Rain, My Kingdom, Seven Seas, Crystal Days

Teenage Head

Flamin' Groovies

3/5

This is an unusual album, but I liked it. I'm more a fan of the Shake Some Action iteration of the Groovies, but I’ve always admired how they did their own thing musically regardless of what was popular at the time. This one is a little ramshackle and garage rocky, with a lot of 70s attitude and just a little of a proto punk edge. Stylistically it is all over the place, to the point where it’s kind of ridiculous. They start out going for a Stones-esque bluesy rock and they end up playing rockabilly. I would ding another band endlessly for this, but somehow, they manage to pull it off. This was a lot of fun. Fave songs: Whiskey Woman, Yesterday's Numbers, City Lights, Have You Seen My Baby, Evil Hearted Ava

Low-Life

New Order

5/5

I love this album. It's one of my favorites of that era. It got endless play in my house when I was a teenager and it's one I never tired of over the years. I think it's probably the first New Order album I had ever heard, so I have a special sentimentality for it. New Order made several terrific albums in the 80s, beautifully crafted collections of unique songs that were eminently listenable, front to back. No bad tracks. Low-Life is just one of those albums. It's full of gorgeously layered electronic arrangements, elevated by Peter Hook's guitar in a way other synth-based bands could never really touch. Bernard Sumner's slightly strained vocal style may be grating to some listeners, but we always liked it for that reason. It added a little texture to an otherwise pretty polished sound. Sumner never tried to be Ian Curtis. He knew his limits as a vocalist and kind of leaned into them, which I can appreciate. The album's only weak spot would be in the lyrics, which always seemed like a bit of an afterthought. This is the case with a lot of music in this genre. Bonus points for showing a sense of humor by adding the “frogs” to “Perfect Kiss.” Fave Songs (all songs, from most to least favorite): The Perfect Kiss, Love Vigilantes, Sub-Culture, Elegia, Sunrise, Face Up, Sooner Than You Think, This Time of Night

A Seat at the Table

Solange

3/5

This is pretty great. Elegant arrangements, lovely vocals, with a strong message. It has a bit of a throwback quality. The flow of the album feels a little Janet or Lauryn Hill-ish, particularly with all the interludes. She actually overdid it with the interludes, but the album was enjoyable overall. Fave Songs: Junie, Weary, Don't Touch My Hair, Don't Wish Me Well

Stand!

Sly & The Family Stone

4/5

Aww, I've been waiting for a Sly Stone album to come up. Not the one I exactly wanted to see (which would be There's a Riot Goin' On), but this one is always a great listen. This band of delightful weirdos, I love them. Sly & The Family Stone is one of those bands whose songs are so familiar and embedded in the musical firmament, that we have to remind people of how significant they are. An interracial, gender mixed band that blended funk, soul, pop and psychedelic rock... in 1969? Sign me up. They were musical revolutionaries whose influence can still be found in any number of genres today. And oh, they're also just so much fun to listen to. That's a party you really want to be at. The album takes a few songs to heat up, but when it gets there, look out. The funk is strong with this one. The tone is exuberant and joyful. You can tell they are having fun here. The music is soulful and groovy and a little hectic with more than a hint of psychedelic flavor. Lyrically, Stone hints at social commentary without really going incredibly deep with it. It’s more of a feel good activism he embraces in songs like “Everyday People” and “Stand.” That said, "Don't Call Me..." is probably even more jarring on the ear than it might have sounded in 1969. It is really a time capsule from another era, not to mention just kind of a musically weird song. Even with all the stone cold classics on this album, today I'm digging "Somebody's Watching You," which is the sleeper track of the album. “Sex Machine” is some kind of marvelous, funky musical odyssey that really stands out from the others. Love it. Must have been a blast live. Fave Songs: I Want to Take You Higher, Sing a Simple Song, Everyday People, Somebody's Watching You, Stand, You Can Make It If You Try

The Real Thing

Faith No More

3/5

I was not particularly a fan of this style of music at the time it came out, and it hasn't really grown on me since then. It's a quite good album as these things go, though, and clearly marks an important moment in rock/metal. Musically the band is really solid. It's a departure from most metal of the era, with some excellent guitar work and a prominent, funky bass. Never enjoyed Mike Patton's vocal style, which probably launched more than few crap 90s/00s vocalists. The cover of "War Pigs" is great, although it's a little too on the nose to be taken as much more than an extraordinarily faithful copy of a much better band. On balance, I would still give this album a 3. Fave Songs: Woodpecker from Mars, Falling to Pieces, Epic, War Pigs

Superfuzz Bigmuff

Mudhoney

4/5

The 1990 version includes some awesome songs, but I decided for the purposes of this review I'm just looking at the 6 songs on the 1988 release. I wasn't big on grunge when it first broke through, so I think really listened around bands like Mudhoney at the time. I suppose that's fine, as I don't think I would have much appreciated them at the time. But man, these guys are great. They're the only band I can think of that consistently embodies the raw energy of groups like the Stooges and the MC5. This is some stellar proto-grunge that burns with a ramshackle energy, with some furious guitar work and hard driving drums. The vocals by Mark Arm are some of the most blistering and I have heard. I like the contrast between slow burn and straight up rage he does in “If I Think.” Following it up and closing it out with the high energy “In 'n' Out of Grace,” and that’s a pretty compelling group of songs. It makes me want to hear more. Fave Songs (1988 version): In 'n' Out of Grace, No One Has, If I Think

Cloud Nine

The Temptations

4/5

This was fun. I know this album gets pegged as the Temps' big funk and psychedelic turn, but much of it is not. It's more that they took their signature sound and tweaked it slightly to go with the tone of what was on the charts at the time. It actually works pretty well. The more funk-driven tracks of side 1 are the real deal. The title track is a stone cold classic. I'm just realizing "Runaway Child" clocks in at 9+ minutes. It's pretty awesome as well, and kind of surprising coming from this group. Honestly the only side 1 song that left me a little cold was the cover of "Grapevine," which brought nothing new to the song. Dennis Edwards absolutely deserves credit here for making his mark as a vocalist in the wake of David Ruffin's departure. He was never going to top Ruffin, but he sounds great here, his grit balanced nicely by Eddie Kendricks’ splendid vocal. The album could have been a flat-out failure, and it's actually a really fun listen. I'm actually digging several of the more conventionally Temptations-y romantic songs. They're lovely, classic Motown songs, which are always a delight to hear. Fave Songs: Cloud Nine, Run Away Child Running Wild, I Gotta Find a Way (To Get You Back), Why Did She Have to Leave Me, Love is a Hurtin' Thing

Dig Your Own Hole

The Chemical Brothers

3/5

Fun, funky, top notch beats. An hour of it is a bit much. Fave Songs: Lost in the K Hole, Where Do I Begin, Dig Your Own Hole, Elektrobank

Behaviour

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

A really nice, more mature outing by the Pet Shop Boys. I think the Pet Shop Boys were always among the best of their genre, with smarter lyrics and better arrangements than a lot of their peers. But this is some next level Pet Shop Boys. Some really rich, elegant arrangements. Love the presence of Johnny Marr on guitar, which adds a nice additional texture you don't always get in electronic music. It teeters on the line of being a little overly torchy, but thank goodness for that. Otherwise it would be another drab synth album of the period. It feels a touch dated musically at times, but overall a really strong collection of songs. Fave Songs: Jealousy, The End of the World, To Face the Truth, This Must Be the Place I've Waited to Leave, Nervously, Being Boring, My October Symphony

Here Come The Warm Jets

Brian Eno

5/5

I know this album is a little challenging or odd for some listeners, but it’s actually one of Brian Eno’s more accessible albums. He’s working with a pop and rock palette but using his more avant-garde sensibility to push at the seams of what we’re used to hearing. It's 1973, a couple of years after T.Rex first put out Electric Warrior, same year as Queen's debut album and as Aladdin Sane. Eno is fresh off his time in Roxy Music. He fits in well into that art-prog-glam context, building on his work with Roxy, but he's pushing our comfort levels even more. Musically it rocks, it struts, it grates, it twists, it veers off key, it wanders from the noisy back into the lovely and sublime. It’s never boring. I love the anecdote that Eno chose the musicians for the album based on the idea that they were musically incompatible. He fully expected that there would be conflict and competition, resulting in musical “accidents.” It’s a creative risk that pays off with some of the more unusual and interesting rock songs from the past half century. The musicians he collaborates with are all top caliber, including several of his bandmates from Roxy Music. Robert Fripp’s and Phil Manzanera’s brilliant, far-ranging guitar work is worth the price of admission, they’re so good at what they do. The lyrics are whimsical, campy, and largely nonsensical, on purpose. I've said this before about Eno when I reviewed Before and After Science. It's not about understanding the lyrics, which are just a delivery method for the vocal instrument. And Eno’s vocals are always great, posh, aloof and wry but also emotionally affecting at times. “On Some Faraway Beach” is a good example of this, with a sweetness and a pathos you aren’t really expecting. I like that he jumps from that song into “Blank Frank,” which is such a noisy and jarring tonal switch. I think this is totally intentional, keeping us on our toes as listeners. This is one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite artists. I’ve been listening to it for the better part of 40 years, and it never ceases to delight me. It’s a great entry into his earlier “rock” oriented phase of the 70s. But don’t stop there if you like it. He has a whole career of adventurous and compelling music to explore, both in his own work and as a producer. Fave Songs: Needles in the Camel's Eye, On Some Faraway Beach, Some Of Them Are Old, The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch, Here Come the Warm Jets, Dead Finks Don't Talk

Second Toughest In The Infants

Underworld

4/5

We get a lot of electronic music here on 1001albums, in all its forms. I actually like a lot of electronic music. My brother does it for a living, so I've heard a fair bit of it. But after a while, another techno or house album comes up and I can't help but let out a sigh. This one is really good, though. A full hour+ of really listenable and diverse music, from progressive house to drum and bass to a splash of ambient, none of it tiring nor ear splitting. The album starts out strong and never lets up. Beats are perfect, not hard on the ear for the most part. The compositions are smoothly sequenced and layered, with subtle little progressions that make each track more complex and interesting as it develops. Even the long tracks (which are series of songs that lead into each other), are a breeze to listen to. Lyrics are poetic, but on the abstract side. Vocal distortions, noise and guitar loops are used economically, to nice effect. It’s not all danceable, but there is a solid mix of the clubby and the more contemplative, which makes for a better overall listen. Bravo. Fave Songs: Banstyle/Sappy's Curry, Juanita : Kiteless : To Dream of Love, Air Towel, Blueski, Rowla

Teenager Of The Year

Frank Black

3/5

I hate to judge solo artists too much by their previous work in a band. But I'm not really feeling this one from Frank Black. It's not bad per se, but musically it's just not particularly compelling. And Black's bona fides from his work in the Pixies are huge. Their sound was huge, intense, urgent. You can't help but have some expectations of him moving forward. On Teenager of the Year, Black's vocals in particular are weak. What's missing in him is the intensity we’re used to hearing. Like did he have a cold that day? You can see where Black is experimenting with some different sounds, applying his vocal in different ways. But unfortunately Black isn't a strong enough singer to pull off a subtler vocal. It’s a nice attempt that lands flat about half of the time. There are several solid tracks that keep the album from being a wash. My favorite track is probably “Superabound,” which shows a bit of the old Black spark, elevated by some excellent keyboard and guitar work. “Headache” is probably the other can’t miss track. The second half of the album for sure is pretty listenable. This is one of those albums that would have benefited from some decisive editing. Drop 4 or 5 of these songs and you would have had a much better album. Fave Songs: Superabound, Headache, Thalassocracy, Sir Rockaby, Bad Wicked World

Another Green World

Brian Eno

5/5

I'm thrilled by the number of Brian Eno albums I've been getting on here to review. He’s one of my favorite artists and I am fascinated with his music, no matter how often I hear it. This is undoubtedly the best album Eno created in that first group of albums he released in the 1970s, possibly his best one period. It’s really the launching point into more of a minimalist style of music for him and the beginning of his departure from rock music. I listen to it frequently and it never fails to move me. For any other artist, this album would be the masterpiece, but Eno’s just getting started here. The album is challenging in subtle ways, but absolutely accessible for those with an interest who are just getting into this kind of music. This is probably the album I would recommend for a new listener to Eno. For all of his creative dalliances over the years and tinkering with noise, there is an inherent prettiness to Eno’s approach on Another Green World. It's just simply lovely to listen to. The songs are all economical in composition, nothing over 4 minutes and the majority of them without vocals. The arrangements are quite simple and subtle, but with an incredibly rich and textured use of instruments and sounds. You can listen to them over and over and you’ll continue to notice new touches you hadn’t heard before. As usual, Eno brings together a murderer's row of talented musicians to this work, continuing his work with the brilliant Robert Fripp on guitar and Phil Collins on Drums. I absolutely love John Cale's contributions on viola. A lot of rock artists bring in strings here and there to their work, but Cale is always a next level collaborator in that regard, particularly on "Sky Saw." Cale and Fripp together on “Golden Hours” are a delight. On almost half of the songs, Eno is the only musician credited, working adeptly with a variety of instruments, from guitar and bass to synthesizer. His use of synthetic percussion on songs like “In Dark Trees” and “Sombre Reptiles” is really terrific and brings to mind future sounds utilized by Talking Heads (go check out “Listening Wind” after hearing this). His use of synthesizers in general is emotionally compelling and a pleasure to hear. Lyrically, Eno starts out with a joke in “Sky Saw,” suggesting that no one gets his lyrics anyway. But overall, when he does sing on this album, the lyrics are softer than on previous works, more poetic and more contemplative. The line I love is “I’ll come running to tie your shoes.” It's so intimate and sweet, a completely unexpected lyric from Eno. What a gem, all of it. Fave Songs (All songs from most to least favorite): Golden Hours, Everything Merges with the Night, I'll Come Running, St. Elmo's Fire, Sky Saw, Becalmed, The Big Ship, Sombre Reptiles, In Dark Trees, Another Green World, Little Fishes, Spirits Drifting, Over Fire Island, Zawinul/Lava

Infected

The The

2/5

You know, I owned this album when it came out. I actually owned three of their albums, but I never really connected with The The except for couple of songs. I thought maybe 35 odd years later, I might feel it a little more, but nope. Infected is still a noisy hodgepodge of an album. It’s still brassy and weird (which I usually would like), but also kind of bleak and soulless, like it was built in an 80s music lab without adding any of the fun stuff. Musically and lyrically it’s tense, like it stresses me out to listen to it. Credit to Matt Johnson for beating his own drum, I mean that sincerely. It’s just not a drum I care to listen to. I guess I’ll check back in 2056 and see how I feel about it then. Fave Songs: Infected, Heartland, Slow Train to Dawn

The Boatman's Call

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

Wow, this is absolutely lovely. Beautiful arrangements, minimalist and restrained. Striking lyrics, worth reading all on their own. It is a bit of a mood though to listen to, but today happens to be a gray, snowy day. It sounds pretty perfect. Fave Songs: West Country Girl, Lime Tree Arbour, Into My Arms, People Ain't No Good, Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere

Kala

M.I.A.

3/5

Nice to see a more diverse offering today. An interesting bricolage of styles, if a little repetitive at times. No, I didn’t feel every song on the album. But M.I.A. is clearly doing something really different and special musically here. Even almost 15 years out it’s a fresh sound with an uncompromising perspective. The beats are solid and the non-Western influences and samples make for a distinctive sound. Some of the songs (like the first three, unfortunately) were a drag on the overall pace and flow. That group of songs were all distinct from each other, but all repetitive in the same way, which was just tiring to listen to. She shines on songs like “Jimmy” and “Hussel” though, when the pace picks up and the sound gets way more complex and interesting. I enjoyed this. It's a little outside my regular listening, but that's why we all came to 1001albums right? Fave Songs: Jimmy, Hussel, XR2, The Turn

Devil Without A Cause

Kid Rock

1/5

Life's too short for this foolishness. Next.

Blue

Joni Mitchell

5/5

This is like being asked to review the Sistine Chapel. Where to begin. It took me some years to get in the rhythm of Joni Mitchell's music. Thankfully I stuck in there because her music is an indescribable gift. Blue in particular is an album I come back to frequently. Listening to Blue is like reading someone else's diary. It feels very personal, so intimate, so much so that you feel a little like you shouldn't have that kind of access to another person's thoughts. Mitchell’s lyrics are pure poetry. Her turns of phrase are stunning. "I could drink a case of you and still be on my feet" is a line that I think about a lot. It’s simple, but incredibly elegant, evoking all our own feelings and memories of being exuberantly, drunkenly lost in a love, regardless of the cost. The songs are a journey between those exuberant feelings to less pleasant feelings like melancholy, loneliness, disillusionment, loss. She revels in those emotions and displays them for us like jewels. Let's also not sleep on the quality of the music itself. The arrangements are simple, delicately rendered, but incredibly moving. Mitchell's piano and guitar work is a thing of beauty. Her accompanying musicians (James Taylor, Stephen Stills and Pete Kleinow) add great depth and texture to the work. Kleinow’s pedal steel guitar on “California” and especially “This Flight Tonight” is a delight. Mitchell’s vocal is so unique, it’s an instrument in itself. It’s angelically pretty, but she’s not afraid to bend her voice as it suits her, into some unexpected places. A lot of artists get compared to Joni Mitchell, but there’s really no one like her. I could say much more, but it would somehow never be enough. I could drink a case of this and still be on my feet. Fave Songs: A Case of You, River, California, This Flight Tonight, All I Want, Blue

Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos

3/5

I didn't really listen to Tori Amos at the time this came out, but this album was important to a lot of women my age and she loomed large over college radio in the early 1990s. She was part of a group of women artists who made really personal, uncompromising music and who had a firm grip on how they presented themselves as artists. Listening to it now, it’s pretty good. I'm actually surprised how many of these songs I remember. The album does feel very much of another time. Not every song has held up all that well, but it’s mostly a solid listen with some interesting arrangements. Lyrically, the songs can be a bit much. I just listened to Joni Mitchell’s Blue yesterday and well, that is how you do confessional lyrics. This here is some sort of free associative therapy and it’s a lot of words. I hope Amos was able to refine her songwriting over time, because she does have a way of turning a phrase when she wants to. It’s interesting all of the comparisons reviewers have been making between Amos and other artists, not all favorable. I try not to hold that against artists too much. All music is a conversation with what came before it. It’s almost unfair to compare her to Kate Bush because Bush is such a talented, singular artist. And Bush’s idiosyncrasies are quite natural for her. Tori Amos’ attempts at that style feel like contrivances and she does comes off as somewhat of a discount Kate Bush. There’s a tension between Amos’ attempts at being adventurous and what is in places a fairly anodyne sound. That doesn’t mean there aren’t good songs on this album because there are quite a few. But it is the difference between being a pretty good album from 30 years ago and being a classic. Fave Songs: Winter, Girl, Crucify, Mother

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

George Michael

5/5

When I listen to George Michael a couple of things cross my mind (and my heart). One, I just feel joy in everything he does, he was so very, very good. Everything he created was a gift. But now I also feel a sadness for the way we lost him, essentially to his fame. One thing is for sure, pop music probably would have taken a different trajectory without George Michael. There's a depth and maturity to some of his work that pop music is just starting to come back around to, after so many frivolous years. Listen Without Prejudice is not a perfect album. But it stands out so starkly from pop music of the 80s, from everything Michael had made up to that point. It's smart, seriously crafted pop that really cracked open the possibilities in 1990 of what a pop album could or should be. Another reviewer commented that the album essentially kicked off pop for the 90s, which is so true. The arrangements are more sophisticated, the lyrics are deeper, this is music for grown ass adults, not the teenagers who listened to Wham! in the 80s. That's not to say the album doesn't have fun, because that’s in there too. Maybe not as much fun as Faith, but that would be a hard one to top. There's another vibe at work here, one of introspection, one of growth. I can't think of a better opener than "Praying for Time." It has this lush, atmospheric arrangement that just pulls you in. Michael's vocal is so silky, so infectious, so gorgeous. I want to hear it forever. “Freedom '90” is damn catchy, a perfect pop song. It’s smooth, funky, more than a little angry. I have special fondness for it knowing it really is George Michael's declaration of independence from his image and our expectations of him. Being frank about the costs of stardom made Michael a far better artist. As I listen now, the album is a touch more dated than I expected it to be. But seriously, who cares? Pop music is specifically a time sensitive genre, but excellent is excellent. In that sense, Listen Without Prejudice is timeless. Fave Songs: Freedom! '90, They Won't Go When I Go, Praying for Time, Soul Free, Cowboys and Angels

The Contino Sessions

Death In Vegas

3/5

Interesting album. I like the the mix of guitars with the more electronic, noisy vibe. Cool, unexpected roster of guest vocalists. Fave Songs: Soul Auctioneer, Dirge, Broken Little Sister, Aisha, Flying

Sticky Fingers

The Rolling Stones

5/5

Sticky Fingers is a perfect, total package of an album. In my mind when I think about classic albums, this is one of the first ones that comes to mind. It’s everything an album is supposed to be. It was built for long haul listening, for hours and hours of listens and re-listens, and arguments with your friends over the best tracks, and figuring out the lyrics, while you contemplate that cover. Right, that cover. It’s got to be one of the most daring album covers of all time. It’s alluring in its way, but entirely too much. It’s the Rolling Stones of album covers. But that’s just the cover. Dare to look inside, and it’s a real gift. From track one, this album is on fire. That moment the needle drop takes you into that first riff on “Brown Sugar” is one of the most consequential of all time. I can’t think of a more appropriate song to kick off an album, except maybe “Hells Bells” on Back in Black. It’s a strutting, unrepentant masterpiece of a rocker that doesn’t lose a bit of its power, even as our perceptions of the song might change over time. To be clear, I think our perceptions should change of it over time. You can appreciate a song and still critique it. The album has plenty of that sultry, dirty blues, the badass sound that the Stones more or less invented, exemplified in "Bitch" and "Can't You Hear Me Knocking." But then there’s the other stuff, the deeeep Stones of “Sister Morphine,” “Moonlight Mile” and “Dead Flowers.” They aren’t afraid to go dark when they need to, or to hint that there’s some vulnerability hiding under all that bravado. Most of these songs are straight up classics and a joy to listen to. There are a couple of weak ones, but this was an easy 5. Fave Songs (all songs from most to least favorite): Moonlight Mile, Brown Sugar, Dead Flowers, Sway, Bitch, Wild Horses, Can't You Hear Me Knocking, Sister Morphine, I Got the Blues, You Gotta Move

I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail

Buck Owens

3/5

I don’t listen to a ton of country, but I have always had a soft spot for Buck Owens. He has a crisp, classic sound with catchy melodies and a vocal style that’s really heartfelt and earnest. Not every song on “Tiger” is a winner, but several of his very best are on here. Overall, this was a breath of fresh air. Fave Songs: I've Got a Tiger By the Tail, Cryin’ Time, Let the Sad Times Roll On, Fallin’ For You, Trouble and Me

Out of Step

Minor Threat

4/5

Ah, Out of Step. This album was my anger management therapy back during my teen years. I still come back to it from time to time when I'm in a particular kind of mood. This is really the epitome of a perfect hardcore punk album, full of wonderful little nuggets of burning intensity. It's brutal, blistering, raging, snotty, and entertaining as hell. Not a bad song on here. Fave Songs: Betray, Cashing In, Out of Step, Think Again, Sob Story

Call of the Valley

Shivkumar Sharma

3/5

Really beautiful music, pastoral, relaxing. Note that the version on Spotify is a re-recording and not worth your time. You need to go to YouTube to hear the original. I wasted half an hour listening to the wrong thing on Spotify before figuring that out. Fave Songs: Bhoop, Ahir Bhairav/Nat Bhairav, Rag Piloo

Live!

Fela Kuti

4/5

Stunningly good album. I mean geez, what can you even say about Fela and Ginger Baker? Two Olympian talents here, backed by the most incredible musicians. The sound is jazzy, groovy and funky. They make it seem so effortless. Fave Songs: Black Man's Cry, Ye Ye De Smell, Let's Start

90

808 State

3/5

A fun, energetic listen, and a Manchester/acid house classic. 808 deserves credit for bringing strong melodies into this genre while retaining the groove. It's a real bridge between electronic music of the 80s and all the electronic genres that would blow up in the next decade. I recall this sounding incredibly fresh and ahead of its time in '90, like we hadn't really heard anything like it. "Pacific 202" and "Sunrise" are the "prettiest" songs on the album, but "Donkey Doctor" "Cobra Bora" are just wonderfully layered and built for the dance floor. The only track I absolutely did not like was "Magical Dream," not because of the music but because of the terrible vocals. Fave Songs: Donkey Doctor, Cobra Bora, Pacific 202, Sunrise

A Rush Of Blood To The Head

Coldplay

3/5

This album is fine and perfectly listenable for the most part. I don't have strong feelings about it. Chris Martin's delivery feels emotionally flat, which makes it hard to care about these songs. The fairly plodding pace of the album doesn't help. Fave Songs: Clocks, The Scientist, A Rush of Blood to the Head, Amsterdam

My Generation

The Who

5/5

My Generation is probably one of the best of the mid-British invasion era albums that wasn't recorded by the Beatles. It’s so good, and I imagine as fresh sounding today as it ever was. The tight, punchy arrangements, the attitude, the crunchy sonic assault of Townshend, Moon and Entwistle. That’s a great rock band, and they’re just getting started here. I love how well the band works together and around each other, each with his own specific set of musical skills. It’s not their best album, but wow what a start. Roger Daltrey is an engaging and unusual front man. He's not a conventional singer of that time, but not delivering at full rock star intensity yet either. He's got a sneering delivery that probably launched a hundred punk bands. His pissy, stuttering vocal in "My Generation" is singularly awesome and like nothing else I can even think of in music. It's like he's so mad he can't get the words out. Daltrey’s style of delivery paired with Townshend’s lyrics in a song like “The Good’s Gone” is some sort of special chemistry that no other band ever had. It’s a moment of emotional honesty, but delivered with a meanness and intensity that’s rather unsettling. Songs like that speak to a youthful frustration and anger that long made this music a touchstone for what it means to be young. On the subject of vocals, I have always loved the alternating leads of intense-Daltrey and sensitive-Townshend, which vary depending on the mood of the particular song. I also love how when they go for harmonies, it comes off sometimes as slightly off-kilter. Lennon and McCartney they are not even trying to be, but it works. Townshend's guitar on the album is, of course, brilliant. It's grinding, jangly, crunchy and even distorted at times. John Entwistle is the steady backbone of the band who holds everything together. And if you ever wondered for a second why Keith Moon is such a beloved drummer and why the band lost its mojo after he died, check out “The Ox.” “My Generation" is full stop the best song of the album and a strong contender for best rock song ever. It's the Ur-anthem of youthful rebellion and captures a mood that no other artist has ever been able to fully duplicate. That song deserves five stars all on its own (ten stars actually). The next best tracks would be the hooky, more pop leaning “The Kids are Alright” and “A Legal Matter.” Calling these songs classics feels insufficient. Take your five stars, sirs. Fave Songs: My Generation, The Kids Are Alright, A Legal Matter, The Ox, Out in the Street

OK Computer

Radiohead

5/5

An exceptional album, pretty flawless. Artful arrangements + one of the most compelling vocalists ever to be recorded = Magic. Whatever else was happening musically in 1997 was pretty much reduced to rubble by this one. Fave Songs: Let Down, Exit Music (For a Film), No Surprises, Climbing Up the Walls, Karma Police, Electioneering

Suede

3/5

Solid Brit pop album, with a Smiths-y sound, overall a pleasant listen. Brett Anderson’s idiosyncratic vocals are a bit of an acquired taste, but I enjoyed them. He has a really varied range that can be quite elegant but also glammy and playful. I can see the comparisons some want to make to Bowie, but I’m getting more of a Russell Mael meets Pete Shelley vibe. I love how he hits the high range, but it’s also a lot, like eating a box of truffles in one sitting. Some may not want to sit through 45 minutes of it. Fave Songs: The Drowners, So Young, Sleeping Pills, Animal Nitrate, Metal Mickey

Let Love Rule

Lenny Kravitz

3/5

It's been a long time since I've listened to this, but it's pretty good. Heck of a debut album. As I recall, Let Love Rule was really fresh and unusual at the time it came out. It was rock, but with somewhat of an alternative slant and also a retro soul vibe. Nobody else was really making music like this in 1989. Lenny Kravitz wears his influences on his sleeve, but he still manages to pull it all together without seeming derivative of any particular artist or style. Kravitz's vocals are passionate, sexy and soulful and his charisma is on full display here. His guitar work is terrific. Just learning today that he played many of the instruments, which is really impressive. It gets a little soft in the middle and would have benefited from dropping several songs, but this is still a great album. Even early on, you could tell Kravitz had the potential for something much bigger and it's been great watching him develop over the years. Fave Songs: My Precious Love, Let Love Rule, I Built This Garden For Us, Freedom Train

Slanted And Enchanted

Pavement

3/5

A noisy, rambling 39-minute delight. Probably one of the best debut albums I have heard in this genre. As a front man Stephen Malkmus runs the gambit from bemused to insouciant to caterwauling, which is simultaneously a lot of fun and way too much. Musically, the album rocks, jangles, rattles, burns. The songs are all nice, crunchy, compact little numbers, most clocking in at 3:00 or less. The band toes the line between melodic and noisy, deliberately teetering over it at times to interesting effect. Lyrically both clever and absurd. Fave Songs: Two States, Here, Our Singer, Jackals, Summer Babe - Winter Version, Zurich is Stained, Perfume-V, Trigger Cut/Wounded Kite At: 17, In the Mouth a Desert

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg

Jerry Lee Lewis

3/5

Wow this is fun. Full energy live Jerry Lee, what's not to like? There's a reason why people call this guy "Killer," and this is Exhibit A. Lean, mean, foundational rock and roll. Fave Songs: Long Tall Sally, Great Balls of Fire, High School Confidential

The Sounds Of India

Ravi Shankar

3/5

Okay, this was pretty cool. I came in planning to be pretty bored, but Mr. Shankar set me straight. This is really gorgeous music, showcasing Ravi Shankar's talents beautifully. I will say a little Ravi Shankar goes a long way. I probably won't revisit on my own, but this really was a great introduction to Indian music. Fave Songs: Bhimpalasi, Dadra

Blonde On Blonde

Bob Dylan

5/5

It's daunting to thoughtfully take on any Bob Dylan album, even one I've listened to numerous times. Blonde on Blonde is more than a little intimidating in that regard. Other albums are mere collections of songs. This album is a whole universe, encompassing 14 other universes. People try interpreting his lyrics all the time, but I think Dylan resists that sort of analysis. It's like the album cover, it gives a hazy impression of the man, but focus in too closely, and it's increasingly harder to see. Blonde on Blonde is one of the most beautiful, perfectly crafted albums ever made. It's Dylan at his peak as a songwriter. When you realize how many of these songs were written as they were being recorded, it's pretty mind-boggling. This is some of the best songwriting ever done, and Dylan just kind of spun them out in the moment and called in the band when he needed them. No songwriter comes close to touching the quality of these lyrics and they flow from him so naturally. The album is full of gorgeous compositions, due in no small part to the brilliant work of Al Kooper and Robbie Robertson, as part of a crew of seasoned studio musicians. It’s full of languid, melancholy songs that somehow blend perfectly with the irreverent, blues-based ones, even though on paper they shouldn't. The lyrics run the range from delicate and vulnerable, to jocular and obtuse, to acidic and surreal. The scenes he paints with his words are masterful, as I said, universes unto themselves. Every song here individually is a gem, there is no filler. Put them all together and you have one of the greatest 72 minutes of music you will ever hear. It gets better every time I hear it. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later), Visions of Johanna, Temporary Like Achilles, Just Like a Woman, Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again, Obviously Five Believers, Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine), Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, Fourth Time Around, Absolutely Sweet Marie, Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat, I Want You, Pledging My Time, Rainy Day Women #12 & 35

Pump

Aerosmith

3/5

I'm really not an Aerosmith fan, and this era of the band in particular was a time when I wanted nothing to do with them. And they were everywhere in 1989, God help me. So, in my reconsideration of Aerosmith-version-1989, this is a pretty good album, with a few standout songs. Considering the dire state of hard rock and metal that year, this was actually a great offering from the band. They are in really solid musical form here. Aerosmith has always been a real workhorse of a band, with excellent chemistry and real musical chops. Joe Perry's riffs as always are stellar and worth the price of admission of any Aerosmith album. Steven Tyler also sounds great, his charisma in full force. Joey Kramer on drums is also excellent and noteworthy. I always see Aerosmith as being Steven and Joe, but Kramer’s energy is palpable and keeps the whole album moving rather effortlessly. Let’s talk about the lyrics, shall we? Yeah, that horndog shtick was warmed over in 1989 and it has not aged well at all. Now I remember what I didn’t like about this band. It’s just so sophomoric and frankly, dumb. You can do this kind of lyric and be clever about it, and this ain’t it. But if you can look past the lyrics, musically the songs are pretty tight. Despite the jailbait theme, "Young Lust" is actually a solid rocker, and a great way to kick off the album. I also really liked "Monkey On My Back," which is a mighty fine showcase for Joe Perry. It’s also a surprisingly dark turn, compared to the general hedonistic tone of the album. I was prepared not to like "Voodoo Medicine Man," but it's pretty great. Brad Whitford's guitar burns beautifully through this song with strong support on rhythm from Kramer and Tom Hamilton. "The Other Side" is a legitimately good song, probably the only single I much liked on this album. As for the rest, I never liked "Love in an Elevator" and that hasn't changed today. How that song was so big will eternally be a mystery to me. "Janie's Got a Gun" is just okay, but it’s got an understandably catchy hook. The subject matter was perplexing at weird at the time, but somehow, they were all over the radio with a hit about a girl killing her abusive father. Only in 1989 folks! "What It Takes" is a pretty solid power ballad by the band, just as listenable as ever. Fave Songs: The Other Side, Monkey on My Back, Voodoo Medicine Man, What It Takes

Colour By Numbers

Culture Club

3/5

This album is probably the best album that Culture Club ever did. It has a few quite good pop songs, with some excellent singles. I think it could have been improved by dropping a couple of songs. This is one of those bands that had a lot of potential, but ended up falling far off the radar, both from their own personal problems and the whims of pop music. That's too bad, because Boy George in particular had so much talent. I forgot what a pretty voice he had. Fave Songs: Karma Chameleon, It's a Miracle, That's the Way, Church of the Poison Mind, Stormkeeper

Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin

5/5

I'm back and forth a lot over which Led Zeppelin album I think is their best. But honestly, I think, song for song, IV really delivers everything that Zeppelin is about as a band. If you listen to classic rock at all, you probably know most if not all of these songs. They are stone cold classics, all of them. I cannot stress enough how rare that is in an album. Yeah, a few have been overplayed somewhat in the past 50(!) years. But this is an album that holds up ridiculously well to repeat listening. From the mega energy “Rock and Roll,” to the grandiose, epic “Stairway to Heaven,” to the delicate acoustic “Going to California,” to the slow burning blues of “When the Levee Breaks,” every flavor of Zeppelin is present here. “Black Dog,” my word. That is possibly the best intro to any album that I have heard. It's perfection. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite, adding that I love them all): When the Levee Breaks, Going to California, Rock and Roll, Black Dog, Stairway to Heaven, Misty Mountain Hop, Four Sticks, The Battle of Evermore

Moby Grape

4/5

Surprisingly excellent rock album from a really talented band. It reminds me a little of a lot of things, a little rock and roll, a little country-blues vibe, with shades of CCR, CSNY and the Dead. Some of the more high energy songs can get a little ramshackle or rambling, but when they're focused, it's great music. I absolutely love the guitars, which are exceptional, and in league with some of the best in country rock. I also like the all-band/multi-vocal approach, propelled by a strong lead in Peter Lewis. Go to YouTube for the full album. Spotify didn't have all of it. Fave Songs: Hey Grandma, Fall on You, 8:05, Ain't No Use

Young Americans

David Bowie

5/5

This is an excellent David Bowie albums, one of my favorites. This is also possibly the most accessible album he ever made, one I would recommend to someone looking to get into Bowie's music (after Ziggy, of course). Bowie really embraces the soulful aspects of his style that were always there, and just goes for full tilt funk and soul on this album. The result is a collection of sexy, groove-filled songs with warm, rich arrangements. The album also performs the neat/difficult trick of being very much of its time, but only in the best ways, in large part because it never loses Bowie’s own avant-garde sensibility. It's mid-70s hip, but entirely unique and a harbinger of what other singers would be doing for years after this. Vocally, Bowie sounds looser and more relaxed than usual. He is supported by a strong group of musicians and singers, including the exceptional David Sanborn on sax and a then unknown Luther Vandross. All of this this adds up to some incredibly engaging music and two of the very best singles of Bowie’s career in “Young Americans” and “Fame.” “Fascination” is my favorite deep track, a personal favorite. Bowie would move on rather quickly from this style, but this was a delightful detour. Fave Songs (All songs, ranked from most to least favorite): Young Americans, Fame, Fascination, Win, Right, Across the Universe, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Can You Hear Me

OK

Talvin Singh

2/5

I really didn’t feel this one. I will note that appreciate the attempt to do electronic music with an international influence, particularly with the use of Indian music. I also think the flute work of Sakamoto and Chaurasia was very nice, as well as Suchitra Pillai’s vocals. But overall, the album ends up being a bit of a hodgepodge mess. A little goes a long way when you do fusion in music, and Singh struggles to have a cohesive sound here. Additionally, the frenetic pace of some of these songs makes them a rather unpleasant listen, like I felt agitated and impatient for the album to just be over. Fave Songs: OK, Disser/Point.Mento.B, Sutrix

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

5/5

Oh, today is the day I learned the generator is not completely random! No way I get this album on December 25th just out of the blue. That said, I'm sad I only got to this at 10pm on Christmas, because I would have loved to listen to this album all day long or over the past week. It's a pretty perfect Christmas album, as good as it gets. This album is what all artists aspire to when they make a Christmas album, whether they know it or not. The rich, sonorous arrangements, the warm and engaging vocals, and infectious melodies you want to keep singing. This is it. I mean, what's not to love about Darlene Love, the Ronettes, the Crystals and Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans? I've heard most of these songs individually over the years, but as a collection you appreciate them so much more. Phil Spector had an ear for what makes beautiful music, and an ability to find really talented artists to present his musical vision. First and foremost, these are great pop songs, that also happen to be great Christmas songs. That is what makes a Christmas song a classic that never grows old, it has to be an excellent pop song first, and Spector understood this better than anyone. These songs are beautifully made and so much fun to listen to. They are standards for the most part that many artists had performed before Spector got a hold of them (the exception being the brilliant Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” but these versions are the ones that really have endured over time. Thanks for the gift 1001 Albums Generator, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Winter Wonderland, Sleigh Ride, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, White Christmas, The Bells of St. Mary, Frosty the Snowman, A Marshmallow World, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Here Comes Santa Claus, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, Silent Night

Sincere

Mj Cole

3/5

This was an enjoyable album, with a housey-jazzy-R&B vibe. I gather from some of the reviews that this album prefigured a lot of UK garage music, but it feels a little dated to me, coming out all the way in 2000. I still like it for the most part. It would have been better had he just let the singers sing and done less chopping up of the vocal pieces. Fave Songs: You're Mine, Crazy Love, Rough Out Here

Dirt

Alice In Chains

3/5

Dark, intense, unsettling. A masterfully made album by an incredibly talented band. I need to be in the right mood to listen to it, but it's really good. Fave Songs: Would?, Them Bones, Rain When I Die, Down in a Hole

A Night At The Opera

Queen

5/5

God, I love this album. It's the flaming cherries jubilee of rock albums. It's decadent and absolutely too much, but incredibly beautiful. I mean, have you ever spent a night at the opera? I have and it really isn’t like this at all, but at the same time, they kind of nail it here. It’s big and luxurious and theatrical and you might just shed a tear before it’s all over. This is probably Queen's most perfectly realized album. It's one of the only ones I can listen to without skipping a track. The production is superb and the band are in the best form of their lives. The layered vocals are stunning, the arrangements absolutely gorgeous. It has all the pomp and majesty and R-O-C-K you want in a Queen album, with plenty of surprises. The way the band breezily sways from twee, old timey confections like "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" or "Seaside Rendezvous" to muscular, complex songs like "Prophet's Song" and "Death on Two Legs" is a sonic joy, something no other band could hope to pull off without sounding ridiculous. Only Queen could put out an absurdity of a song called “I’m in Love with My Car” and not be met with endless derision. Queen gives us permission to let go and indulge as listeners like no one else. They were at heart a killer power trio plus one, the One being Freddie Mercury, rock’s greatest front man, with an operatic vocal range and a flair for the dramatic. It’s the interplay/tension between that huge rock sound and the band’s more elegant, progressive inclinations that creates a singular kind of magic. Throw in a little winking, campy humor and you have a style of music that delivers on every level. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is of course the star of the whole production. Queen does more musically with this song than most bands could hope to do with an entire album. The pathos, the grandeur, the bombast, the humor, the strutting rock assault. Yes, this song gets played a lot, but there's a reason why. There's nothing else in the world like it. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Bohemian Rhapsody, You're My Best Friend, Death on Two Legs, Love of My Life, Seaside Rendezvous, The Prophet's Song, Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon, '39, Sweet Lady, Good Company, God Save the Queen, I'm In Love With My Car

Shake Your Money Maker

The Black Crowes

4/5

This album was so good, and really a breath of fresh air when it came out. Music was so bloated in 1990, and these guys strut in like they own the place with just some great, classic bluesy rock and roll. It's laid back, no frills, and completely engaging. This is probably as close as anyone ever got to fully catching the Stones' vibe. What I like about the Crowes is how they move really effortlessly between rockers like "Hard to Handle" and the slower, more thoughtful songs like "Seeing Things" without missing a step. That gives such a nice flow to these songs that a lot of artists can't really capture. The hits get played a lot on the radio, with good reason. They've aged really well. Fave Songs: Jealous Again, Twice as Hard, Hard to Handle, She Talks to Angels, Seeing Things

The Notorious Byrd Brothers

The Byrds

4/5

I was a little skeptical about some of the raving critical reviews this album has gotten, especially starting out with the weird "Artificial Energy." But after the rough start, I was completely sold. This is a gorgeous collection of songs, full of rich vocal harmonies and some stunningly lovely guitar work. The Byrds beautifully marry a pop sensibility with psychedelic experimentation and a bit of a country twang. It really shouldn't all work together, but it does. Roger McGuinn's guitar work is ridiculously good, some of the best put to record. I really enjoyed this. Fave Songs: Get to You, Change is Now, Wasn't Born to Follow, Draft Morning, Goin' Back, Natural Harmony

Sister

Sonic Youth

4/5

I'm endlessly fascinated with the way Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo use guitars to such varied effects. Their noisy experimentations are a testament to the possibilities of sound. This music clangs and chimes, it screeches and grinds. It’s trippy and whirling, occasionally pretty, and often pointedly noisy. The contrast between Kim Gordon’s insouciant vocal and Moore’s more atonal style add interesting contrast and depth to the songs. The pacing of some of these songs is brutal, with credit due to some hard driving drums by Steve Shelley. There's an urgency that can feel oppressive as it pulls/drags you along, the only relief coming from strategically placed moments of quiet. If you don't dig noise, this will be a hard listen. If you enjoy it, this is glorious. Fave Songs: Schizophrenia, Pacific Coast Highway, Beauty Lies in the Eye, White Cross, Cotton Crown, Pipeline/Kill Time

(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)

Lynyrd Skynyrd

5/5

Lean and mean. Southern rock that really rocks. It's been probably 10 years or more since I've played this album all the way through. I forgot just how good it is. I almost went for a 4 but I mean, come on. An album this great is a rare thing. Several of these songs get heavy rotation on classic rock radio, to the point where you don't really want to hear them. But you really need to listen to these songs together as an album to appreciate how Lynyrd Skynyrd really was on to something special musically. Nobody sounded quite like this when they came out. And there have been so many imitators to this sound over the years. It all falls flat when compared to the original. Skynyrd pulls on a lot of musical threads that were around in the early seventies - blues, rock, country. They take those threads and turn them into something distinctively theirs. It's a heavier and bluesier than a lot of their contemporaries, but also with a soulfulness and heart that's unexpected. Only the Stones and the Allmans were able to navigate such varied waters so effortlessly. These are all strong tracks, and a lot of fun to listen to. Fave Songs: Gimme Three Steps, I Ain't the One, Simple Man, Things Goin' On, Mississippi Kid, Poison Whiskey

Happy Sad

Tim Buckley

4/5

I really liked this album. Tim Buckley is one of those artists who is a little hard to classify, but really fascinating musically. His music is always engaging and somewhat off the wall, which I appreciate. It’s like folk-rock with strong jazz vibes and a splash of the psychedelic/experimental. The songs are warm, rambling, laid back and sensual. Buckley has a rich, soulful voice, augmented by some unusual but elegant arrangements. Lee Underwood's resonant, free-ranging guitar works beautifully in concert with the jazzy feel of the marimba and vibraphone. The resulting sound is very much of that time, but it also stands out as something quite unique. Fave Songs: Buzzin' Fly, Love from Room 109, Strange Feelin', Gypsy Woman

Fleet Foxes

3/5

This was a pleasant listen, pretty, melodic music. Ultimately I find it pretty unmemorable though. I probably will not revisit. Fave Songs: Your Protector, Meadowlarks, Sun It Rises, He Doesn't Know Why

The Velvet Underground

5/5

I’ve heard this album a lot over the years, but I’m really enjoying it more now today for some reason. It’s nicely cohesive for a VU album, and far more musically accessible. The absence of John Cale gave the band an opportunity to be a little more restrained, moving into fresh territory while still retaining some of their trademark grit. The album also feels like more of an all-band affair, and frankly just sounds like they’re just having fun. The lyrics are more contemplative and emotionally earnest, with less of the cool cynicism you might expect from VU. The band really nailed a certain moody, melancholy vibe, one that other artists have been chasing unsuccessfully ever since. I really like the collaborative aspect of the vocals that the band took this time around. Lou Reed had a strong pop sensibility, which I don’t think a lot of people give him credit for. He didn’t want to do the vocal on every song, and the other band members were brought in to do lead or harmony depending on who he felt was most effective for each song. Doug Yule probably doesn’t get enough acknowledgement for the quality of his vocals, but his work on “Candy Says” is really lovely. Also, Moe Tucker on “After Hours” at the end is such a bright blossom of a song. When the band ventures into more energetic fare, the commingling guitars of Reed and Sterling Morrison are riveting, the sonic equivalent of a sneer. I tend to favor tensely melancholy songs like “Candy Says” and “I’m Set Free,” but the punchier little rockers like “What Goes On” and “Beginning to See the Light” are great fun, full of the old VU jangle and burn. “The Murder Mystery” is some kind of wackadoo madness that you’re only going to find on a VU album. It’s noisy and outlandish and so very 1969, but weirdly fascinating. The album would have been better without it, but you just know they couldn’t help themselves. And I can’t help but love them more for it. Fave Songs (all songs, in order from most to least favorite): What Goes On, Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, Beginning to See the Light, I’m Set Free, Jesus, Some Kinda Love, After Hours, That’s the Story of My Life, The Murder Mystery

Blood And Chocolate

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

5/5

I have been simultaneously waiting for and dreading my first Elvis Costello album. He is absolutely one of my favorite artists, but I feel like it’s impossible to talk about him without sounding like a bit of an idiot. I haven’t really given this album as much time over the years as I have for other EC albums, which was an incredible mistake on my part. This album is fantastic. I want to go off and spend a week with it and then listen to it all the time for the rest of my life. This the last of that first (best) series of albums Costello made with the Attractions in the 80s. Elvis Costello has done so much interesting work over the years, but musically, it never got better than when he was with the Attractions. It’s the end of an era, and a pretty damn good send-off. This is Costello & the Attractions at their best - smart, punchy, witty, seething. There are some really melodic, gorgeously arranged songs, offset by pointed, frequently dark songwriting. Lyrically Costello is clever as ever, with a flair for vivid imagery. It’s a very specific, bitter pill brand of pop that not everyone likes, and no one in the world can do like Elvis Costello. I also don’t know if the Attractions ever sounded better than this. What a pleasure to listen to. And Nick Lowe producing again? *Chef’s Kiss* This album was way too smart for the likes of 1986 (or 2022, for that matter). Maybe it could be a song or two shorter, but who cares? More Elvis Costello is not a bad thing. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I Want You, Tokyo Storm Warning, Battered Old Bird, Crimes of Paris, Next Time Round, Home is Anywhere You Hang Your Head, Uncomplicated, I Hope You're Happy, Poor Napoleon, Blue Chair, Honey Are You Straight or Are You Blind

The Holy Bible

Manic Street Preachers

2/5

I thought I would like this album more than I did, but it's not really my thing. It’s bleak, misanthropic subject matter, backed with a mostly lackluster and incoherent musical point of view. MSP clearly want to do post punk or alternative, but they’re better when they lean into their pop sensibility. I mean, the subject matter of “Yes” is repugnant, but musically it’s really engaging. Most of the songs aren’t able to pull that off and stylistically the album veers in too many directions. Some of the cultural critiques are nonsensical when you dig into them, but we're looking at the world from the inside of Richey Edwards' brain. It's not a pretty place. Fave Songs: This is Yesterday, She is Suffering, 4st 7lb, Yes

At San Quentin

Johnny Cash

4/5

This was a lot of fun. At Folsom Prison was probably the best of his prison performances, but At San Quentin has a similar spirit. Cash's live albums capture his talent and charisma in a way that's simply missing from a lot of his studio recordings. The raucous energy of the audience is on full display. And it's that interplay between Cash and his audience that really gives this album its fire. Fave Songs: A Boy Named Sue, I Walk the Line, Darlin' Companion, Wanted Man, Wreck of the Old 97

Vincebus Eruptum

Blue Cheer

4/5

Fierce, noisy, classic. The album starts out ridiculously strong with that exceptional cover of "Summertime Blues" and burns beautifully to the end. Rough-edged and a little jammier than I generally like, but this was a solid listen. Fave Songs: Summertime Blues, Doctor Please, Rock Me Baby, Second Time Around

Rio

Duran Duran

4/5

Ahaha, this is an album I know so well. I was an eleven-year-old girl when this came out, so there you go. Listening now, I think this album is as good as it ever was. It's a New Romantic classic, and a still a really fun listen. Rio is probably the strongest, most perfectly crafted album Duran Duran ever made, the album that made them stars. Credit where it's due: John Taylor is a legitimately great bassist, delivering a surprising, funky groove that a lot of English bands did not have. You pull Taylor out of Duran Duran and you have a considerably less interesting band. The best songs on this album are the ones that lean into that groove, like the title song and "New Religion." Taylor's funky bass plays well against Andy Taylor's equally strong, energetic riffs and Roger Taylor’s crisp, punchy drumming style. Nick Rhodes' keyboard arrangements are elegant and exotic sounding, with a vibe straight out of Bowie. Simon Le Bon had a lot of charisma as a front man and his voice works well with these songs, even if he wasn't as strong a vocalist as some of his contemporaries. The album is book ended with two excellent songs in "Rio" and "The Chauffeur." The rest of the songs vary in quality, but the overall flow from beginning to end is really good. The danceable stuff is where the band excels, but the ballads are also still lovely to listen to, with some of the prettiest, most stylish keyboard arrangements out at that time. Fave Songs: Rio, New Religion, The Chauffeur, Save a Prayer, Hungry Like the Wolf

Zombie

Fela Kuti

5/5

Outstanding album by Fela. A stunning act of political courage on his part, and a testament to the power of music. Fave Songs: Zombie, Mr. Follow Follow

It's A Shame About Ray

The Lemonheads

5/5

You really hit my sweet spot today. This was my absolute favorite album in '92-'93, one I still pull out to hear from time to time. It's a perfect little musical gem of that moment in time, one that has held up beautifully over the past 30 years. This album is full of edgy power pop, with a great mix of melodic, bittersweet toe tappers and muscular, energetic rockers. It has those ragged, grungy edges that made it fit in so well in its time. There is a nice interplay of jangly and jagged guitars burning at the edges that keep any of these songs from getting too pretty. The mood of the album goes a level deeper than most power pop, with a strangely cheerful malaise, conveyed through some wonderful, catchy hooks and thoughtful lyrics. It never gets overly dark or dour though. Some of Evan Dando’s lyrics may hint at dissatisfaction and restlessness, but the more pensive and personal songs like “Rudderless” or “Confetti” live easily alongside songs that are just pure fun like “Rockin Stroll” and “Alison’s Starting to Happen.” Dando delivers the lyrics perfectly, with a warm, sometimes slightly wistful and bittersweet vocal. He doesn’t convey the detachedness or irony of some of his contemporaries, so the lyrics come across as very heartfelt. Juliana Hatfield’s brief vocal appearances are like a little lemon zest on your pasta, bright and unexpected. I find myself really enjoying "Hannah & Gabi" today, which wasn't a song I gave much thought to in ‘92. It’s actually one of the best songs on the album, and probably the best musically executed song on here. The slide guitar on that song is really gorgeous. I did not know until today that it was the amazing Jeff "Skunk" Baxter playing on that song. Every song on here is terrific, with no filler. The flow of the album is crisp and concise, clocking in at around 33 minutes if you include “Mrs. Robinson.” The Simon & Garfunkel cover that was added to later versions of the album is doesn’t add a thing, but still sounds pretty great. The cover of “Frank Mills” from Hair is actually very sweet and engaging. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Confetti, Hannah & Gabi, Rudderless, It's a Shame About Ray, The Turnpike Down, My Drug Buddy, Rockin Stroll, Kitchen, Alison's Starting to Happen, Bit Part, Ceiling Fan in My Spoon, Frank Mills, Mrs. Robinson

Darkdancer

Les Rythmes Digitales

3/5

Oh, this is fun. Strong early 80s dance and new wave vibes in a 90s electro-pop package. I usually complain about the length of some of these electronic albums, but I didn't really feel that as much here. I might have dropped maybe two songs to make it tighter. Otherwise, it's pretty great. Fave Songs: Brothers, Hypnotise, Hey you what's that sound, Jacques Your Body (Make Me Sweat)

Elvis Presley

4/5

Classic album from Elvis in the early, early days of rock and roll. Tight, energetic and fun to listen to. His covers really don't touch the originals most of the time, but they don't need to. His charisma, his resonant, heartfelt vocal style, his raw talent. 66 years later, and the music still speaks for itself. Fave Songs: Blue Suede Shoes, Money Honey, Blue Moon, I Got a Woman, I'm Counting on You, One Sided Love Affair

Entertainment

Gang Of Four

4/5

This album is probably the best post punk album ever recorded. This is the album I would recommend for anyone with an interest in checking out this genre. It really sums up what post punk was all about, still embodying the energy and anger of punk, but so much smarter and more musically adept. The lyrics are more pointed, more driven by the band's political and philosophical points of view. The songs are tight and urgently paced with great jagged, menacing guitars, propulsive drumming, and some of the best, funkiest bass work in post punk. Fave Songs: Damaged Goods, Not Great Men, Ether, 5.45, At Home He's a Tourist, I Found Essence Rare

Black Monk Time

The Monks

3/5

This is some dark, weird, noisy business, It's wild, weird, irreverent, deliberately obnoxious stuff, and I am here for it. Such a fun listen. Fave Songs: I Hate You, Shut Up, Complication, Oh How to Do Now, Blast Off!

Phaedra

Tangerine Dream

4/5

This is a striking album of gorgeously composed songs. The arrangements move from sparse to lush, peaceful to spacey, with sometimes eerie and menacing sounds, drawn together with some expert sequencing. Whatever you're doing, stop and just listen to this one without interruption. Fave Song: Phaedra

Frampton Comes Alive

Peter Frampton

3/5

This is a classic live album, and great fun to listen to. It showcases Peter Frampton's talents better than any of his studio albums at the time could. He really is an excellent guitarist and he's so likeable, you can't help but be in a good mood listening to these songs. The quality of individual songs is somewhat uneven, with some absolute classics mixed in with other songs that are well-played, but ultimately unmemorable. "Show Me the Way" is just lovely, and something I will gladly listen to every day forever. Fave Songs: Show Me the Way, Do You Feel Like We Do, Baby I Love Your Way, Doobie Wah, Penny for Your Thoughts

The Joshua Tree

U2

5/5

What an album. It’s pretty flawless in every way, and an easy 5. I was 16 when this album came out. Joshua Tree felt timeless then and still does, so many years later. It was U2’s fourth album, but really different than anything else they had put out at that point. It was a continuation of the band’s relationship with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois that began with The Unforgettable Fire, but in a far more mature and carefully crafted work, their most perfectly realized album. Joshua Tree marks a turning point for U2, after which they were simply the most important band in the world. No one makes albums like this anymore. From that first slowly unfolding open in “Where the Streets Have No Name,” you know you’re in for something special, something monumental. It really does have a cinematic quality to it. This is mature, thoughtful music, beautifully written and expertly played. In 1987 it stood out starkly in a landscape full of spandex and hair, of glossy, gimmicky songs. It was also their most focused work to date as a band. Bono’s ode to/critique of “America” is palpable here, but not at all overwrought. I often think of this U2’s Springsteen album, which I mean as a giant compliment to both of them. The earthiness of these songs, the warm and resonant arrangements, the full throated expressions of emotion, the sense of spiritual longing, the images of a promised land out of reach… it all comes from the same musical place. Lyrically, Bono has matured tremendously on these songs. The lyrics reflect the band’s lived experiences at that time, like the death of band roadie and friend Greg Carroll (One Tree Hill) and Bono’s growing interest of global social and political issues (“Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Mothers of the Disappeared"). U2 was always an openly political band, but these songs just feel much more personal, more passionate, more spiritual. Still, he’s also able to address his own demons, with the stunningly lovely, slow burning “With You or With or Without You,” which pulls away from the political to look inward and face his own frustrations and anguish. The emotion feels real because it is real, simply put. Bono’s delivery of course is captivating. He sings with an urgency and an earnestness that I think a lot of people don't understand, but he makes you feel these songs in your bones. As for the Edge, I mean, come on. Here is one of the greatest guitarists of his generation, making some of his best music ever. There is a texture and a resonance to the Edge's playing that no one really can touch. I mean, he's painting with sound here, showcasing that signature chiming style through an adept use of studio effects. Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. are also in top form, one of the tightest rhythm sections in rock. Clayton and Mullen’s ability to intuit just the right amount of intensity to serve each particular song is an underappreciated talent and really the backbone of the band’s entire sound. Individually these songs are all exceptional. Taken together, they’re nothing short of a masterpiece. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Where the Streets Have No Name, With or Without You, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, In God's Country, Red Hill Mining Town, Bullet the Blue Sky, Mothers of the Disappeared, Exit, Running to Stand Still, One Tree Hill, Trip Through Your Wires

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Aretha Franklin

4/5

Great album, full of soulful, gorgeously produced songs. Franklin is in perfect voice and surrounded by some top notch musicians. Some of the middle songs are musically less interesting than others, but not due to Franklin, who gives her all to every song. Fave Songs: Do Right Woman, Do Right Man; I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You); Respect; Drown in My Own Tears, A Change Is Gonna Come, Dr. Feelgood, Save Me

Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite

Maxwell

3/5

Great album, with a smooth, sexy, retro vibe. My main critique is that so many of these songs are longer than they need to be, with more than half clocking in at over 5 minutes. It could be a tighter album. Still it's a lovely, fun listen. "Ascension" is the best song on the album, a classic. Fave Songs: Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder), Sumthin' Sumthin', Whenever Wherever Whatever, Dancewitme

Thriller

Michael Jackson

4/5

I was 11 when this album came out and folks, I cannot stress enough how massive it was at the time. These songs were on radio constantly and the videos in steady circulation on MTV. You were kind of forced to have an opinion on Thriller whether you were into it or not. But the adulation for Michael Jackson here was mostly well-deserved. It was fresh and different for the time and set a high bar for Jackson himself that he never really surpassed. It's been a while since I've heard this all the way through and I wasn't sure how I would end up rating it. Overall, the album has held up pretty well. Quincy Jones’ production is obviously great with bright, catchy songs throughout that are just plain fun to listen to. Jackson is in exceptional voice. He kicks it off in full energy with the awesome "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." That's a cool song because it's kind of a bridge between Off the Wall Michael and Thriller Michael. Similarly, "Baby Be Mine" has a certain "Rock with You" vibe to it. Further into the album Jackson ventures into newer territory, to spectacular effect. I suppose you had to be there, but "Billie Jean" was really something special and different. People lost their minds when that song came on, it was so cool (not to mention the great video). Similarly, "Beat It" is really different from what people expected of Jackson, with a solo from Eddie Van Halen that seemed so out of the blue, but was pretty perfect. I will say this, you would be hard pressed to find a bigger Paul McCartney fan than me, but "The Girl is Mine" is not a good song. It was a big deal at the time because, come on, Michael and Paul? WOWWW. But real talk, that song is dumb. There is this schmaltzy quality that exists in a lot of Jackson's music that appears on Thriller as well, in the McCartney song, as well as on pretty much all the more ballad-y stuff. Those songs hold up far less well than the songs that built for dancing. You know what, I said basically the same thing when I reviewed Off the Wall. When it was fresh, I’m sure that type of sound was quite lovely. It just lands a bit flat now. Fave Songs: Billie Jean, Beat It, Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', Thriller, P.Y.T., Human Nature

Fear Of Music

Talking Heads

5/5

You know what I love about Talking Heads? They completely existed in their own musical headspace. This is a band that basically invented their sound as they went along, frequently wandering into uncharted territory. They could draw on what was hip at the moment musically if they felt like it, but bend it into their own weird concoctions. Their music was off the wall, lyrically complex and sometimes pretty challenging. This is wickedly smart music that is also incredibly engaging and fun to listen to. There really is no other band like the Talking Heads and I live on this music. Fear of Music has everything you want or need in a Talking Heads album, full of funky grooves, offset with a little punk-tinged terseness and grit. The band is in top form with jagged, urgent guitars, frenetic drumming and some seriously funky bass. Byrne's singular vocal style lilts from whimsical to menacing and even melancholy in a sometimes surprising but always entertaining fashion. Not every song on this album is an easy listen, but the band is able to strike a balance between being adventurous and being fun, which is really hard to do. They get even better at it on the albums that come after this one. Fave Songs (All songs from most to least favorite): Cities, Life During Wartime, Heaven, I Zimbra, Mind, Memories Can't Wait, Air, Paper, Animals, Electric Guitar, Drugs

461 Ocean Boulevard

Eric Clapton

3/5

The vibe on 461 Ocean Boulevard is warm and relaxed, perhaps to a fault. While “Motherless Children” is a classic song and a perfect start for the album, some of the songs that follow are on the sleepy side and not particularly compelling musically. The band has great chemistry and Clapton’s guitar is spot on as ever, but ultimately the album only has a few standout tracks. When “I Shot the Sheriff” kicks off it’s almost a little startling in contrast to the songs that precede it. The strongest songs on the album are obviously “Sheriff” and “Motherless Children.” I also like a couple of the deeper tracks like “Please Be with Me” and “Give Me Strength.” It’s not Clapton’s best work, but it’s the musical equivalent of a side roads detour on a summer day – pleasant, laid back, more journey than destination. Fave Songs: I Shot the Sheriff, Motherless Children, Give Me Strength, Please Be with Me, Let It Grow

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

4/5

This is a great album from R.E.M, certainly one of the band’s best. What I really like is how Michael Stipe has opened up lyrically, with less of the opaque, muddily delivered lyrics he was known for on earlier albums. He goes darker in these songs, touching on themes of death, loss, and growing older. But still, the darkness is frequently tinged with sweetness and hope. "Everybody Hurts" is probably the best on the album. It’s so simply rendered, but still moving to me, even after all these years. I've listened to a lot of R.E.M. over the years, and this is the one song you can feel in your bones. It’s like Stipe is speaking directly to you. On that note, I appreciate that Stipe used two of his songs (“Everybody Hurts” and “Drive”) to address his fans quite directly. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but Stipe comes off as someone who really cares about his listeners. My other favorite song is “Nightswimming,” a bittersweet, gorgeously composed meditation on getting older. I was 21 when this album came out, and I’ll tell you, that song lands very differently at 50. Anther standout track is the hooky, wonderful “Man on the Moon,” which is simply a delight to listen to. I like to think Kaufman would have appreciated it. Fave Songs: Everybody Hurts, Nightswimming, Man on the Moon, Try Not to Breathe, Drive, Sweetness Follows, Monty Got a Raw Deal

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones

4/5

On a basic level, you can’t go wrong with the Stones. They’re an exceedingly talented band and they’re really the gift that keeps in giving. They have a deep catalog full of little gems to discover, many of which aren’t widely heard by casual listeners. The early albums are a bit of a mixed bag, a little overly fixated on mastering American blues. But Aftermath is probably the first album where the Stones really begin to stretch their musical legs. And oooh, Charlie Watts with that first beat crashing in on Brian Jones’ sitar in "Paint It Black," what a way to kick it off. That's one of the best openings to a song you will ever hear and a brilliant way to start an album. The exotic, middle eastern vibe gives this song such a rich sound. It’s one of the few earlier Stones songs that retains its musical power to this day. The rest of the album, although musically ambitious, is kind of all over the place. It comes off like this is a band in search of a sound. You have the dark numbers like "Paint It, Black" and “Under My Thumb,” mixed in with typical Stones bluesy fare like "Doncha Bother Me" and the affected, baroque sounding "Lady Jane." The Stones haven't figured out yet what kind of band they want to be, and it shows. That said, the album is absolutely a solid listen. The songs are crisp and concise, most of them barely clearing the 3-minute mark. The songwriting is dark, insouciant, full of attitude. And musically, the band is really tight. This is the best of the early albums, without a doubt. Fave Songs (U.S. version): Paint It Black, Under My Thumb, Doncha Bother Me, I Am Waiting; Lady Jane

Life Thru A Lens

Robbie Williams

3/5

I wanted to give this album a fair shot, but I'm not feeling it very much. The album has a fairly likeable poppy sound, if not particularly memorable. As a vocalist, Williams is fine, but ultimately neither here nor there. His voice is neither pretty nor gritty nor soulful enough to be particularly memorable. I can hear the Brit pop influences, but Williams didn't take them far enough to make it very interesting. The best song by far is "Killing Me," which is nicely arranged and features Williams' best vocal on the album. Fave Songs: Killing Me, Life Thru a Lens, Old Before I Die, Angels

Kimono My House

Sparks

5/5

You know how George Costanza said he would drape himself in velvet if it were socially acceptable? This is how I feel about this album. I just want to luxuriate in it all day long. Oh my, yes I'm weird. I have a special fondness for glam-era Mael brothers. Their music is so over the top, exuberant and whimsical. It's the word "dandified" in musical form. Did I also mention it rocks? Of all the band's albums, I think Kimono My House might be my favorite. The quality is consistent throughout and thoroughly entertaining. It’s an album full of fun, campy musical confections, with lush, frolicking arrangements, and a delightful sense of humor. It’s not all for show either; Sparks has real musical chops to back up their showy tendencies. This is an album that’s a pleasure to listen to, on every level. This band loves what they're doing, and it shows. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Falling in Love with Myself Again, Equator, This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us, Barbecutie, Here in Heaven, Lost and Found, Thank God It's Not Christmas, In My Family, Amateur Hour, Talent is an Asset, Complaints, Hasta Manana Monsieur

Crazysexycool

TLC

3/5

Sexy vibe, smooth and slick production. This was a really talented group of performers and this album was fire in ’94. Even I owned a copy, and I was never really into this kind of music. The hip hop underpinnings of these songs that made them sound so cool and fresh at the time make them sound somewhat dated now. The best songs ultimately are the ones that go more for straight R&B. The subject matter sometimes tends to be oversexed, which gets tiring. A little goes a long way with that sort of thing. As for the interludes, there are too many of them and they add nothing to the album. Rounded up to a 3 because when they’re good, TLC hits it out of the park. But there are more than a few skippable tracks. Fave Songs: Creep, Diggin' On You, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Waterfalls, Kick Your Game

Rattus Norvegicus

The Stranglers

4/5

Great album. Calling this music punk is somehow insufficient because the Stranglers were so much more clever and musically adventurous than many of their peers. But the sneering attitude is there for sure. I love the interplay of guitars and organ, which gives these songs a really distinctive sound. There really isn't another album like this. Fave Songs: Hanging Around, Sometimes, (Get A) Grip [on Yourself], Down in the Sewer, Goodbye Toulouse, Princess of the Streets

The Stone Roses

5/5

I like how so many 4/5 reviewers seem surprised by this album. That was me back in '89 when this band showed up. Believe me, they surprised all of us. 1989-90, my freshman year in college. Stone Roses may have technically debuted in the middle of '89 and this gets talked about as an ‘80s album, but really the band is more about the ‘90s and what was to come. The Stone Roses sounded ridiculously fresh at the time, ushering in a sound that was really different from what came before it. It was all over college radio for a couple of years, and I carried a cassette of this album everywhere with me. There wasn’t anything particularly revolutionary about The Stone Roses that you could point out. But they took all the best aspects of what came before them (pop, post punk, psychedelic) and somehow managed to make a sound and a genre that was distinctively theirs. It really changed the way music sounded, for years. They were a bridge between the post punk sound of the 80s and Britpop and Indie music to come, while somehow skating past a lot of what was going on with alternative here in the States. The songs are unabashedly lovely. They’re jangly, shimmering, melodic, gorgeously hooky songs. The lyrics are occasionally hazy and lacking in depth, but it's forgivable when the music sounds this good. It’s sometimes trippy, sometimes self-indulgent, but enjoyable from front to back. It's a downright shame this band was around so briefly. But they left behind a perfect album. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): I Wanna Be Adored, I Am the Resurrection, (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister, Made of Stone, Shoot You Down, Bye Bye Bad Man, She Bangs the Drums, Don't Stop, Waterfall, This is the One, Elizabeth My Dear. Fool’s Gold, which wasn’t part of the original UK version, but was on my well-worn cassette, deserves a 5 all on its own.

Night Life

Ray Price

4/5

Enjoyable. Classic honky tonk music with a bit of a sleepy, sometimes torchy vibe. It takes a few songs to settle into it, then it's pretty great. The only drag on the whole thing honestly is that weird intro, which was really unnecessary. Fave Songs: Pride, If She Could See Me Now, Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women, Sittin' and Thinkin', The Twenty-Fourth Hour, Night Life

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

5/5

I don’t really have anything to say about this album that hasn’t been said by many people. It’s in the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress, for Pete’s sake. There are better Dylan albums, but this is a better album than most artists will ever dream of making. It’s an important marker of the era in which it was made, but also a timeless work of art. Fave Songs (All songs from most to least favorite): Don't Think Twice, It's All Right; Girl from the North Country; Blowin' in the Wind; A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall; Masters of War; Corrina, Corrina; Bob Dylan's Dream, Talkin' World War III Blues, Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance; Oxford Town, Down the Highway; I Shall Be Free

Music for the Masses

Depeche Mode

4/5

This is a great album, one of Depeche Mode’s best. It’s probably the most musically cohesive of all the albums they had done to that point, with a dark, sensual and slightly menacing vibe. There are several straight up synth classics on here which make it a must listen, but had they dropped a couple of songs, it would have been a tighter album. Fave Songs: Never Let Me Down Again, Little 15, Behind the Wheel, Nothing, Pimpf, The Things You Said

Sea Change

Beck

4/5

I love the feel of this album. It’s languid, contemplative, intimate, with songs that linger with you long after they’re over. Beck starts with a bit of a warm Laurel Canyon-ish vibe, building on it with some really gorgeous string arrangements that give great depth to the sound. The lyrics are desolate, bleak and painful. Anyone who has experienced loss will feel these songs in their bones. The album is on the long side, without much change in tone to move it along. Beck’s trapped in an emotional inertia here, and so are we as listeners. It's a heavy listen, but really beautiful. Fave Songs: The Golden Age, Guess I'm Doing Fine, Lost Cause, Lonesome Tears, Already Dead, All in Your Mind

Goodbye And Hello

Tim Buckley

3/5

Tim Buckley is in exceptional voice and a real pleasure to listen to on this album, as always. I admire Buckley’s desire to experiment with different genres and take folk rock into some interesting places. But I have a hard time connecting with the demented troubadour vibe that runs through some of the songs. There's a fine line between inventive and overwrought. Buckley stumbles over that line with gusto occasionally with some incredibly dense, psychedelic arrangements. That said, “Once I Was” is an incredibly gorgeous song, probably my favorite Buckley song of them all. “Pleasant Street” and “Phantasmagoria in Two” are also terrific. Fave Songs: Once I Was, Pleasant Street, Phantasmagoria in Two, Morning Glory, I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

The Smashing Pumpkins

4/5

This is a fascinating album. I really enjoyed listening to it. It’s musically ambitious, hearkening back to the golden age of rock albums in the 70s, but fully in tune with the vibe of its time. Nobody else was putting this kind of effort into an album in 1995. Some of the arrangements are beyond gorgeous, tempered with some equally blistering harder songs. Smashing Pumpkins have a musical range few other bands can touch and this album was the band at their creative peak. I’m partial to the more melodic songs on the album, but the hard rocking songs are also wickedly good. This band has the wonderful ability to turn on a dime from artful to raging that’s pretty impressive. The experience of listing to this album is a bit overwhelming though. It’s packed with some really excellent songs. The ones that were released at singles (“Tonight,” “1979,” “Bullet,” “Thirty-Three, “Zero”) are all pretty much modern classics, they’re so good. But it’s just so long, so very, very, very long. This album is suffering from double album syndrome like I have never seen before. It meanders, it lacks much of a coherent tone or point of view, packing in some of the best songs of the 90s with a lot of other songs that are high quality, but fairly forgettable. There aren’t really any bad songs on this album. But the sheer volume makes it hard for any but the absolute best to stand out. In a way, this feels like two albums, the melodic album and the noisy album. But it’s not arranged that way. Oddly though, had they released this as two separate albums, it would have been far less impactful. Fave Songs: Tonight, Tonight; 1979; Love; An Ode to No One; Bullet with Butterfly Wings; Thirty-Three; Lily (My One and Only); Cupid de Locke; Zero; Galapogos; To Forgive; Porcelina of the Vast Oceans

The Grand Tour

George Jones

4/5

I just came off reviewing a 2 hour long Smashing Pumpkins album, so this album was a delight. It's crisp, concise and flawlessly rendered. The album has everything you want in a George Jones album, that affecting vocal, the gorgeous guitars, the lyrics that are a total mood. It's a pretty perfect country album. Fave Songs: The Grand Tour, Borrowed Angel, Darlin', Who Will I Be Loving Now, Once You've Had the Best, Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)

Faith

George Michael

4/5

This album is a lot of fun. I was an early Wham! fan, neon sweatshirt and all. This album was a surprise and a delight when it came out because it was so different from anything George Michael had done before. It was very apparent at that point that he was a real talent and not just a haircut. It still gives me so much joy (and a little sadness) to hear this album today. It's a pretty flawlessly executed album with some outstanding singles, although some of the songs are stronger than others. For depth and musical quality, I think Listen Without Prejudice is a better album, but this one is probably the more entertaining of the two. Fave Songs: One More Try, Kissing a Fool, Father Figure, Faith, Hard Day, Monkey

Destroy Rock & Roll

Mylo

4/5

Melodic, chill electronic music. A little dash of humor ("Missing Persons Duran Duran Duran Duran...") makes it darn delightful. A major mood lifter. Fave Songs: Otto's Journey, Zenophile, Emotion 98.6, Valley of the Dolls, Rikki, Paris Four Hundred

In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson

4/5

Not quite to my taste, but the innovation and musical proficiency of King Crimson is undeniable. Robert Fripp's guitar is beautiful, as always. I love his work. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is wickedly good. A squonky, propulsive musical odyssey. Fave Songs: 21st Century Schizoid Man, Epitaph, The Court of the Crimson King

Songs From A Room

Leonard Cohen

3/5

Moody, sparsely rendered songs. I really like the guitar work and Cohen's songwriting is always interesting. I don't like the use of the mouth harp, which gives a kind of hokey vibe to an otherwise serious collection of songs. "The Partisan" is gorgeous with some really lovely guitar work and violin, best song on the album. Fave Songs: The Partisan; Bird on a Wire; Tonight Will Be Fine; Lady Midnight

Rubber Soul

Beatles

5/5

Full disclosure: I was named after one of the songs on this album. When I was a little kid, adults would randomly sing my name at me and I didn’t really know what that was all about until some years later when I heard it on the radio. And oh, what a lovely, lovely song it is. I was already on the path to loving the Beatles at that point, but that song pretty much sealed the deal. I’m a total Beatles nerd. I listen to all of their music, but Rubber Soul is just one of a few of their albums I listen to regularly in full, beginning to end. This is such a marvelous album. It's a real turning point from the Beatles' early sound into what they would become as a band. It's also probably their first album that functions as more than just a collection of songs, with its own mood and flow, a cohesive work as a whole. The quality is probably slightly uneven when you consider the songs individually, but as a whole, the quality and the beauty is undeniable. This album has some of the best songs the Beatles ever made on it. You know them really well, some of them by heart. I don’t have to tell you this album is great. It’s in our cultural DNA. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Norwegian Wood, In My Life, Drive My Car, Michelle, Wait, Girl, The Word, You Won't See Me, Nowhere Man, I'm Looking Through You, Think for Yourself, What Goes On, If I Needed Someone, Run for Your Life

Red Headed Stranger

Willie Nelson

5/5

Exceptional album, a classic. Tight, minimalist compositions, with strong songwriting from Nelson. Not a bad song on here. Fave Songs: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Red Headed Stranger, Hands on the Wheel, Can I Sleep in Your Arms, Time of the Preacher

Vento De Maio

Elis Regina

3/5

Unusual, different from what I typically expect in Brazilian music. Elis Regina has a really lovely voice. Fave Songs: So Deus e Quem Sabe, Tiro Ao Alvaro, Nova Estacao, Sai Dessa, Vento de Maio

Guitar Town

Steve Earle

4/5

You know, this is an album that grows on you as you listen to it over time, kind of like a comfortable pair of old jeans. I've heard it before a few times here and there, but enjoyed it more this time around. I also enjoyed the album more as the songs progressed. It's a classic sound of stripped down, rock-tinged country. The songs are warm and catchy with some really earnest and engaging songwriting. It's a sound that doesn't really get old, even 30-odd years after it came out. Fave Songs: Think It Over, Someday, Goodbye's All We've Got Left, Fearless Heart, Down the Road, Little Rock 'n' Roller, My Old Friend the Blues

Maxinquaye

Tricky

3/5

Excellent trip hop album. Dark, weird and provocative, splendidly arranged. Considered individually, the song quality is a bit uneven, but overall a really interesting collection of songs Fave Songs: Aftermath, Overcome, Ponderosa, Hell is Round the Corner, Pumpkin

Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan

5/5

Oh here it is, this is the one. The one that made me love Bob Dylan, probably my personal favorite. So, this is the 5th Bob Dylan album I've been asked to review. Not everyone will feel the same way, but I think these albums really are the music everyone should hear before they die. Dylan is a once in a lifetime kind of artist. His sensibility, his humor, his attitude, his lyrical virtuosity, they're burned across the musical landscape. They exist in some way in pretty much every kind of music that followed him. I get that he’s a polarizing artist. I get that some people find him grating. It’s not always about sounding pretty. Sometimes the truth is in the flaws. The lyrics really are a kind of poetry – bitter and biting, reflective but unsentimental, cryptic and sometimes straight up hilarious. The way Dylan can flip from irreverent to profound without giving us all tonal whiplash is a true gift very few artists have. Musically, the songs are evocative and flow effortlessly throughout. Some are also pretty fun when Dylan wants them to be. This album takes you on a gorgeous, rollicking, absurdist odyssey like no other. If you don’t “get” Dylan after this one, keep trying. Hands down, “Like a Rolling Stone” is the best song on the album, and a strong candidate for best rock song ever. The other songs are varying shades of brilliant, and hard to rank. Fave Songs (All songs in order, from most to least favorite): Like a Rolling Stone; Queen Jane Approximately; It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry; Tombstone Blues; Highway 61 Revisited; Desolation Blues; Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues; Ballad of a Thin Man; From a Buick 6

Emergency On Planet Earth

Jamiroquai

4/5

Jamiroquai! Now there's someone I haven't really thought of in about 20 years, but boy did I love them when Travelling Without Moving came out. I'm not familiar with this album, but it's a jazzy, trippy, fun listen. Heck of a debut album. Jay Kay is a solid vocalist, full of energy and soul. He gets the Stevie comparisons a lot. He's not quite that good, but he's a lot of fun to listen to. Love the funky, jazz inflected arrangements. Strong Earth Wind & Fire and Sly Stone vibe, which I love. The politically driven songwriting doesn’t go super deep, but by 1993 pop music standards they were actually ahead of the curve. Fave Songs: Whatever It Is, I Just Can't Stop; If I Like It, I Do It; Emergency on Planet Earth; When You Gonna Learn; Didgin' Out

Gris Gris

Dr. John

4/5

You've got to love the late 60s. A wacky, brilliant little treasure like this could never get made today. This is really a singular kind of album from a singular artist. It's got a laid back and chill style of delivery but with a totally trippy and spooky psychedelic vibe. It's fascinating. Fave Songs: I Walk on Guilded Splinters, Mama Roux, Danse Kalinda Ba Doom, Jump Sturdy

Mott

Mott The Hoople

4/5

This is a lot of fun, good old fashioned, bluesy rock and roll with a touch of glam. Mott does an interesting job of balancing their swaggering rock star vibe with this softer, more elegant sensibility that reminds me of Bolan or Bowie. All great songs, front to back, with no filler. Fave Songs: I’m a Cadillac / El Camino Dolo Roso, All the Way from Memphis, I Wish I Was Your Mother, Whizz Kid, Ballad of Mott the Hoople, Hymn for the Dudes

Forever Changes

Love

3/5

The album has a wonderful baroque folk vibe, augmented with some beautiful strings and guitar work. I complained about Love's attempt at this style in my review of Da Capo, but they do it so much better on Forever Changes. They've lost a lot of that scattershot sound and come across as much more musically sophisticated and focused on this album. The album starts off strong with the gorgeous "Alone Again Or," but drags a bit in the second half and then wanders a little stylistically at the very end. They could have dropped a couple of songs and had a much better album. Fave Songs: Alone Again Or, A House is Not a Motel, The Red Telephone, Andmoreagain

Bayou Country

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

Nobody catches this bluesy, earthy vibe as well as CCR, their sound is so singular and so good. They're not the first rock band that comes to mind when you think of this era, but boy are they one of the best. "Proud Mary" never gets old, it's such a perfect song. Fave Songs: Proud Mary, Penthouse Pauper, Born on the Bayou, Keep On Chooglin'

Peggy Suicide

Julian Cope

3/5

In 1991 I didn't particularly care for Julian Cope and probably couldn't pick his hits out if pressed to do so. As I listen to Peggy Suicide now, I remember why his music never really connected with me. Musically the album is actually quite good, as early 90s college radio fare goes. Cope has a solid group of musicians working with him and some pretty interesting arrangements. But there was much better stuff going on with music in 1991 than this. Cope struggles to hit some of his notes, and his vocal style isn't interesting enough to excuse it. I still mostly enjoyed listening to this, but the album is also overly long. It should be several songs shorter. Fave Songs: Safesurfer, Las Vegas Basement, Beautiful Love, Pristine, Not Raving But Drowning

3 + 3

The Isley Brothers

4/5

Great album. Musically the band is really tight. The Isleys have a wonderful pop sensibility with a smooth vibe few of their peers can touch. Quite a few covers on this album, some brilliant ("Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," "Summer Breeze") and some just fairly good ("Sunshine," "Listen to the Music"). On the flip side, I was today years old when I learned that "If You Were There" was not an original Wham! song. Loved it. Fave Songs: What It Comes Down To, That Lady, Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight, Summer Breeze, If You Were There, The Highways of My Life

I Should Coco

Supergrass

5/5

Gosh, this is fun. I love the energy of this album. Catchy and tuneful, but also totally rocks. Starts fun and punchy, ends sweetly. This is Britpop masterfully done. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Sofa (of My Lethargy), Time, Alright, Time to Go, Mansize Rooster, Lose It, She's So Loose, Caught by the Fuzz, Sitting Up Straight, We're Not Supposed To, Lenny, Strange Ones, I'd Like to Know

Lady Soul

Aretha Franklin

5/5

This is an outstanding album, Aretha Franklin at her peak. The songs are rich, soulful and beautifully arranged, and Franklin herself has never sounded better. When she sings, you feel it in your bones. Easy 5. Fave Songs: Ain't No Way, Chain of Fools, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Good to Me as I Am to You, People Get Ready, (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone

Eliminator

ZZ Top

4/5

This album is a lot of fun. It was massive when it came out and it's just as catchy now as ever. One thing that stands out to me is how mechanized their sound is, something that's very different than the ZZ Top of the 70s. It was a brilliant move, because the band created this sound that rocked hard, but still fit in with the more electronic-leaning stuff that was dominant on MTV. Apparently the move didn't sit well with many of the band's longtime fans, but they really carved out a unique space in music that doesn't really sound like anything else. Many of the resulting songs are true classics. Fave Songs: Got Me Under Pressure, Sharp Dressed Man, Legs, Gimme All Your Lovin', I Need You Tonight

Scott 2

Scott Walker

3/5

Scott Walker is one of those artists Spotify always thinks I should be listening to. I kind of get it based on my own taste, but I've never really connected completely with his music. The best compliment I can give to Scott Walker is that there's nobody quite like him in music. Walker has an interesting, resonant vocal style, and his arrangements are grand, sweeping and theatrical. Some rather artful use of strings and use of studio effects on Walker's vocal makes for a pretty distinctive sound. But there is still something off kilter and weirdly plodding about his music, that makes a 3 minute song feel like it's 5. It's deliberately atonal in places, which makes it a bit of a rough listen. The lyrics are oddly frank yet contrived feeling, like Leonard Cohen attempting a Broadway musical. I'm glad to see Walker here, but I'm still unconvinced about him. I'm happy to keep trying though. Fave Songs: Black Sheep Boy, Come Next Spring, The Bridge, Wait Until Dark, Windows of the World

Since I Left You

The Avalanches

3/5

Musically this album is fine and pleasant enough to listen to, easy on the ear with a bit of a retro groove and a sense of humor. Much of the sampling is overly loopy and could have been used more creatively. Bleeps, static and other noises are also done a little heavy handedly. That said, this was pretty fun. The second half of the album is top notch. Fave Songs: ETOH, Summer Crane, Frontier Psychiatrist, Live at Dominoes, Electricity, Extra Kings

Funeral

Arcade Fire

4/5

I really enjoyed this album, more than I expected to. Great catchy, energetic songs, soaring arrangements. Fave Songs: Crown of Love, In the Backseat, Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies), Une année sans lumière,Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)

The Infotainment Scan

The Fall

4/5

I love Mark Smith's vocal style - insouciant, almost bemused, but the lyrics are all business, elegantly phrased but really acidic. I would hate to get on the wrong end of this guy's pen. This is old school social commentary that burns, pure punk in attitude, but smarter. Fave Songs: A Past Gone Mad, It's a Curse, The League of Bald-Headed Men, Lost in Music, Ladybird (Green Grass)

Arise

Sepultura

4/5

I previously reviewed the album Roots by Sepultura. Although that album was in some ways more creative than this one, I think Arise is the better album of the two, with more tonal consistency and arrangements that are a little more ear friendly (as far as Sepultura albums go LOL). This is high energy, thrashy music that burns. Musically it's really good, with magnificent guitars by Andreas Kisser and wicked drumming by Igor Cavalera. It's a top notch metal album. Fave Songs: Murder, Meaningless Movements, Altered State, Under Siege (Regnum Irae), Desperate Cry

The Wildest!

Louis Prima

5/5

This album was an absolute delight, including some splendid jazzy arrangements, a kickin' band, and the lovely surprise of Keely Smith on vocals. The star of the show is still Louis Prima. His big personality, exuberance and sense of humor are what keep this album going and make it so much fun to listen to. I really love this. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Jump, Jive, an' Wail; (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You; Medley: Just a Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody (and Nobody Cares for Me); Medley: Basin Street Blues / When It's Sleepy Time Down South; (Nothing's Too Good) For My Baby; Oh Marie; Buona Sera; Night Train; Body and Soul; The Lip

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

You know, I'm not much of a fan of double albums or albums that clock in over an hour. Not Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus though. This is a surprisingly compelling collection of songs that kept me rapt all the way to the end, it's so well done. It takes a song or two to settle into the mood of this one, which is contemplative, lusty, irreverent and spiritual all at once. But once you get in there, it's a real pleasure to listen to. Personally, I favored the second half of songs (Lyre). Musically the album is gorgeous, with rich arrangements and splendid musicianship. I don't know if Cave or Conway Savage does more of the piano on this album, but it's absolutely lovely. Warren Ellis also adds some real multi-instrumental depth to these songs. I also really like the strong backing vocals, which I didn't initially care for. They really grew on me by the end of the album though. Cave's songwriting is elegant and poetic. As a songwriter, he is among the best of his generation. He has a way of turning a phrase that few songwriters have. Fave Songs: Messiah Ward, Spell, Breathless, Easy Money, Carry Me, Babe, You Turn Me On, Let the Bells Ring, Cannibal's Hymn

Nebraska

Bruce Springsteen

5/5

There is a darkness to Bruce Springsteen's music that has always been there, from the earliest albums. But there's a period between Darkness on the Edge of Town and Born in the USA where he really leans into it. I would recommend listening to these albums as a group, to get the full impact of what he was doing. Nebraska is the apotheosis of this period. It's stripped down, mean, Steinbeck-level naturalism. Instrumentation is minimal, no Clarence Clemons solos to temper the dark stuff. The mood of course is pretty bleak. It's a hard, uncomfortable listen if you're looking for the Springsteen anthems of old. There are images from these songs that will haunt you long after you hear them. As a songwriter, Springsteen is at his best here. He drops some of the flowery turns of phrase that turn up in the earlier albums in favor of a more plain-spoken style. There are no "ghosts in the eyes of the all boys you sent away" here (I adore that line, btw, but it has no place here). These stories stare hard into the eyes of the struggling, the desperate, the broken, not necessarily with sympathy, but with honesty and pathos. Springsteen covers a lot of thematic territory with a purposefully limited lyrical and musical palette, and yet somehow spins complete narratives populated with some pretty memorable characters. The few mood breakers he offers are brief but impactful. The way he ratchets up the tension in "State Trooper" and then busts it open with a holler is nothing short of brilliant. Try listening to that riding in your car at night and see if you don't feel your hands tighten on the wheel. I also enjoyed the whistling in the dark exuberance of "Open All Night." Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Atlantic City, Johnny 99, Open All Night, State Trooper, Highway Patrolman, Nebraska, Reason to Believe, Used Cars, My Father's House, Mansion on the Hill

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

Tonally, this album is a little strange, combining two of the most profound pop songs ever recorded with a hodgepodge of styles that sometimes work, and sometimes don't. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "The Boxer" are both such hauntingly beautiful songs, they practically bear the weight of the whole album. It almost doesn't matter what the other songs are. There are a few other solid songs on here though. "El Cóndor Pasa" and "Song for the Asking" are both incredibly pretty, and Cecilia is simply one of the most fun, exuberant songs ever put to record. The rest of the songs are a mixed bag, with some interesting creative excursions and some borderline hokey pop-rockers. The live "Bye Bye Love" cover is a head scratcher as to why they included it. Overall I really enjoyed the album, but it teeters on the line between being eclectic and being unfocused. It should come to no one's surprise that it was Simon & Garfunkel's last studio album, but what a way to go out. Fave Songs: Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Boxer, Cecilia, Song for the Asking, El Cóndor Pasa (If I Could), Song for the Asking, The Only Living Boy in New York

GI

Germs

4/5

Raw, sneering, blistering, hyper-paced, classic punk album. The lyrics are pretty impossible to fully discern by ear but surprisingly smart and eloquent. It's incredibly biting political and social commentary, some of the best. Listen, the go read the lyrics to catch the full measure of what this band was about. Album is not on Spotify, go to YouTube. Fave Songs: Our Way, We Must Bleed, Media Blitz, The Other Newest One, Land of Treason, Strange Notes

Two Dancers

Wild Beasts

4/5

Reminiscent of Orange Juice and Suede, with a dash of U2. Gorgeous songs, elegantly arranged. I wasn't entirely sold on the vocals at first, but they grow on you. Fave Songs: Two Dancers (ii), We Still Got the Taste Dancin' on Our Tongues, Two Dancers (i), Empty Nest, This Is Our Lot, Underbelly

Moving Pictures

Rush

5/5

So many good songs on this album. It may be Rush's best, certainly their most accessible. I mean what can you say about this music? It's a perfectly executed album by one of the most talented bands of that era. The band is absolutely at their best here. The arrangements are tight and the musicianship is ridiculously good. This is smart music that also rocks, which is a pretty rare thing. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Vital Signs, Limelight, Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ, Witch Hunt, The Camera Eye

Broken English

Marianne Faithfull

3/5

I picked this up on vinyl when I was a teenager, specifically for the title track. The album as a whole is actually nothing like the title track, which is probably why teenage me never really listened to it. That's really too bad, because that's actually one of the weaker tracks on the album. Musically, it turns out the album is quite good. Lyrically and musically mature, the songs mix acidic social commentary with pointed sexual politics. Fave Songs: What's the Hurry, Witches' Song, Working Class Hero, Broken English 3 4 3 3 3 5 4

Elvis Is Back

Elvis Presley

3/5

I was hopeful going into this, but there are much better Elvis albums. This is fairly bland as Elvis albums go, with just a couple of notable songs. The ballads are better than most of the up-tempo numbers, with the exception of "Such a Night," which is a genuine delight and the best song on the album. Fave Songs: Such a Night, Thrill of Your Love, Soldier Boy, Reconsider Baby

Chelsea Girl

Nico

4/5

This album is a total mood, and I quite enjoyed it. It has a couple of songs on it that I listen to frequently, but this is the first time I heard it all the way through. Had I known it was a part baroque folk, part stealth Velvet Underground album, I would have gotten around to it sooner. I see why Nico disapproved of the string and flute overdubs, because the arrangements aren't particularly well timed to her vocals. I quite agree when it comes to the flute, which is superfluous and doesn't really add anything to the album. I do think the strings in particular are suited to Nico's voice though. John Cale's viola, as always, is a gift. The rambling, noisy distortions of "It Was a Pleasure Then" were jarring, but actually really welcome. That song really cuts through the softer aspect of some of the other songs and it perfectly showcases the great musical chemistry of Reed-Cale-Morrison. "These Days" and "I'll Keep It With Mine" are pure perfection. Fave Songs: These Days, I'll Keep It With Mine, The Fairest of the Seasons, Somewhere There's a Feather, It Was a Pleasure Then

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Eurythmics

3/5

There are several really excellent songs on this album that are worth the price of admission on their own. But overall, the quality is uneven, with a mix of styles that's all over the place. The saving grace of this album is of course the brilliant Annie Lennox. Lennox's vocal ranges from authoritative to soulful and is pretty flawless. Musically, the songs have some interesting elements here and there, but half the of the songs are fairly unmemorable. Fave Songs: Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), Love is a Stranger, Jennifer, The Walk, I've Got an Angel, Somebody Told Me

At Folsom Prison

Johnny Cash

5/5

Hello, I love this album. This is classic Cash, punchy, full of attitude and humor, but also tinged with faith and sadness. Cash has a mindfulness of where he is and a clear sense of purpose toward his audience. The love between Johnny Cash and his audience is genuine and it radiates through these songs beautifully. It's a joy to hear. The enthusiastic roars and hollers from the crowd (sometimes at inappropriate times) brings a gallows humor and an exuberance to these songs that doesn't always exist in the studio versions. Cash is charismatic, in excellent voice and the band has great energy. June Carter's presence is an added delight. There is nothing else quite like this in music, and it's a strong candidate for best live album of all time. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, Jackson, I Still Miss Someone, 25 Minutes to Go, The Long Black Veil, Orange Blossom Special, I Got Stripes, Dark as the Dungeon, Green, Green Grass of Home, Greystone Chapel, Send a Picture of Mother, Give My Love to Rose, Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog, The Wall, Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart

Back At The Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith

4/5

Groovy, chill vibe. Loved it. Fave Songs: Back at the Chicken Shack, When I Grow Too Old to Dream

Triangle

The Beau Brummels

3/5

This sound of this album isn't what immediately comes to mind when I think of the Beau Brummels. It certainly fits in with the musical vibe of its time though. It's a little musically scattered, as a lot of albums apparently were in the late 60s. You have baroque pop mixed in with psychedelic and folksy rock, which doesn't always work. But it grows on you a bit as the album progresses. The guitars are really lovely as are the strings, but some of the songs have too much going on in them. Fave Songs: Magic Hollow, It Won't Get Better, The Wolf of Velvet Fortune, Painter of Women, The Keeper of Time

Tellin’ Stories

The Charlatans

4/5

Solid, enjoyable Britpop album. Great, catchy songs with a mostly low key vibe that is hitting me just right today. This is an album I think I'll be coming back to. Fave Songs: Get on It, Only Teething, How Can You Leave Us, Tellin' Stories, You're a Big Girl Now, North Country Boy, How High

A Date With The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers

4/5

There are several true classics of the early years of rock and roll on this album. There's also more filler than I'd like to see, but that was pretty common for pop albums in the pre-Beatles years. It's still a pretty top notch album, with lots of catchy hooks and those classic Everly harmonies. I enjoyed this. Fave Songs: Cathy's Clown, Love Hurts, Stick With Me Baby, That's Just Too Much, Made to Love, Always It's You, A Change of Heart

Melodrama

Lorde

2/5

I'm not really feeling this album. I don't particularly care for Lorde's vocal style. Musically, the production is fine, but it's formulaic and fairly bland. All I'm taking away from this is a mild sense of annoyance. "Fave" Songs: The Louvre, Sober II, Homemade Dynamite

Cut

The Slits

3/5

I appreciate where they're going with this, but it's really not all that fun to listen to. I find it a bit of an atonal hodgepodge mess, and my tolerance level is higher than most. They do get points for creativity and the scratchy, jagged guitars are pretty spot on. It's not boring. Fave Songs: FM; Newtown; Instant Hit; Ping Pong Affair

In Rainbows

Radiohead

5/5

Wow, what a great album. These songs have a warmth to them that I don't typically associate with Radiohead. Nice to see this side of the band. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Jigsaw Falling into Place, Reckoner, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, All I Need, Videotape, Nude, House of Cards, Faust Arp, 15 Step, Bodysnatchers

You Want It Darker

Leonard Cohen

4/5

This is such a beautiful album. I really can't imagine a more fitting final work for an artist with the depth of Leonard Cohen. Musically, it's spare and stripped down with songwriting that is contemplative, intimate, and dark. Not an album I could listen to every day, but really excellent. Fave Songs: Leaving the Table, Steer Your Way, Treaty, You Want It Darker, Traveling Light, String Reprise/Treaty

Back to Mystery City

Hanoi Rocks

3/5

Another reviewer describes this album as "dumb glam." I mean, yeah. Isn't it great? Well, I had a blast listening to this album, but it turns out if you're listening on Spotify, this is not Back to Mystery City. About half the tracks are mislabeled. With a little digging on YouTube, you should be able to find the others. These are the actual songs Spotify shows as being on the album: 1) Strange Boys Play Weird Openings; 2) Malibu Beach Nightmare; 3) Mental Beat; 4) Don't You Ever Leave Me (mislabeled); 5) Lost in the City (mislabeled); 6) First Timer (mislabeled); 7) Cheyenne (mislabeled); 8) Beating Gets Faster; 9) Ice Cream Summer; 10) Back to Mystery City. In spite of the annoyance of having to find the right tracks, I really enjoyed listening to this. Hanoi Rocks gets associated so much with 80s glam metal that I was expecting not to like this, but they're better than a lot of those bands. This album has a Mott-Meets-Sweet-Meets-New York Dolls vibe to it, ramshackle but with a surprising pop sensibility. The songs are glammy and trashy and tongue in cheek, all of it in good fun. Fave Songs: Tooting Bec Wreck, Beating Gets Faster, Until I Get You, Ice Cream Summer, Mental Beat, Malibu Beach Nightmare

Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)

Loretta Lynn

4/5

This is a fun, classic country album. Loretta Lynn's voice is a pleasure to listen to, and there's a nice balance between the punchy, strident tunes and the sweet and sad ones. Fave Songs: Don't Come Home a Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind), I Really Don't Want to Know, The Shoe Goes on the Other Foot Tonight, Tomorrow Never Comes, I Can't Keep Away from You

Definitely Maybe

Oasis

5/5

This really is one of the great debut albums ever. Swirling, confident rock and roll laced with perfect pop melodies and some killer hooks. What's not to like about it? It's also just a really well crafted album that flows effortlessly. Starting out with a solid rocker like "Rock 'n' Roll Star" and ending up at the stripped down "Married with Children" is pretty brilliant. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Live Forever, Slide Away, Married with Children, Digsy's Dinner, Supersonic, Rock 'n' Roll Star, Cigarettes & Alcohol, Columbia, Shakermaker, Bring It on Down, Up in the Sky

Bubble And Scrape

Sebadoh

3/5

Grungy, jangly, noisy, ramshackle collection of songs. The album starts out strong and has some moments of real creativity and fun, but a little dissonance goes a long way. On the whole I enjoyed it, but it really is a lot. Fave Songs: Soul and Fire, Two Years Two Days, Cliche, Happily Divided, Think (Let Tomorrow Bee)

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry

Billy Bragg

5/5

I was so excited to get this album today because I'm a huge Billy Bragg fan. This album was probably my first exposure to his music. I don't know how Billy Bragg has pulled it off so well, but he has managed to thrive for 40 years as a folk singer with a punk sensibility. No one else really was making music like this in the 80s, but it was as natural for us to listen to Bragg as it was to listen to the Clash or the Smiths. Bragg mixes the personal and the political in surprising ways, but it works really well. This is music of a young man with a point of view, but also the music of a young man simply trying to figure out what he wants in life. Bragg's songs are crisp, concise, with simple arrangements. He's really one of those once in a generation songwriters, with lyrics that are honest and deeply heartfelt. The political songs are strident and sometimes downright acidic, but Bragg balances that with storytelling that is incredibly intimate and affecting. Bragg's not a conventional singer and he may grate on some, but he delivers a line with an earnestness, pathos and humor that really sticks with you. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Levi Stubbs' Tears, The Warmest Room, The Passion, Greetings to the New Brunette, The Home Front, Wishing the Days Away, Help Save the Youth of America, There Is Power in a Union, Ideology, The Marriage, Train Train, Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now

Are You Experienced

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

I mean, come on. Everything about this album is perfect, from the first mind blowing riffs right down to that cover art. I can't even imagine what it was like hearing this album fresh in 1967. Jimi's still years ahead of the rest of us, over 50 years later. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite, from original US version): Purple Haze, Foxey Lady, Fire, Are You Experienced?, The Wind Cries Mary, May This Be Love, I Don't Live Today, Manic Depression, Love or Confusion, Hey Joe, Third Stone from the Sun

Fever Ray

3/5

I enjoyed this for the most part, but a little goes a long way. I feel like it probably improves on repeated listenings. Fave Songs: Triangle Walks, Coconut, Seven, Concrete Walls

Central Reservation

Beth Orton

4/5

This is splendid. Beth Orton has a lovely voice, with just a hint of a Joni Mitchell vibe. Perusing the personnel, Orton has assembled a nice group of really talented supporting performers, including Dr. John, Benn Watt and Ben Harper. Will definitely come back to this. Fave Songs: Pass in Time, Central Reservation, Feel To Believe, Blood Red River, Sweetest Decline, Stolen Car

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Arctic Monkeys

4/5

High energy, catchy, fun stuff. Best so far of the post-2000 albums I've reviewed on here. Fave Songs: You Probably Couldn't See for the Lights but You Were Staring Straight at Me, From the Ritz to the Rubble, A Certain Romance, Mardy Bum, When the Sun Goes Down, Riot Van, Fake Tales of San Francisco

Head Hunters

Herbie Hancock

5/5

Admittedly, I don't listen to a ton of jazz. But this is one of my favorite jazz albums, one of just a few I actually own. Trippy, funky, sick grooves, front to back. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Watermelon Man, Chameleon, Vein Melter, Sly

Basket of Light

Pentangle

4/5

Every time I have attempted to engage with Pentangle's music in the past (usually by way of something like "Light Flight" or "Lyke-Wake Dirge"), I've been quickly put off and just shut it off/switched the station. I see as I listen to this that I haven't really been fair to them. This is really lovely music, with gorgeous vocals and incredibly elegant acoustic arrangements. A couple of songs I didn't love, but overall a great listen. Fave Songs: Train Song, Hunting Song, Once I Had a Sweetheart, The Cuckoo, Springtime Promises

The Dreaming

Kate Bush

5/5

An artful, whimsical delight. Gorgeous arrangements. Powerful, frequently surprising vocals. Unabashedly, unapologetically weird and all the more endearing for it. Kate Bush is an acquired taste, but she's also a once in a lifetime talent. I've been listening to her for 40 years and this album just gets better with every listen. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Suspended in Gaffa, Sat in Your Lap, All the Love, Houdini, Night of the Swallow, Get Out of My House, Leave It Open, The Dreaming, Pull the Pin Out, There Goes a Tenner

Born In The U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

5/5

You know, I've listened to this album many times, and I'm struck today by the fact that this is possibly the most upbeat-downbeat album I've ever heard. Yeah, the anthems are there, they're full of energy and they still feel great to listen to. But dig in and listen, this is some dark stuff. It's more polished and has more of a pop sensibility than The River or Nebraska, but it takes you on the same kind of downbound journey. There's humor, pathos, slow burning passion, oppressive sadness, joy, regret. Somehow it all lives together here in this perfect little package. That's an incredibly rare thing and Springsteen makes it all seem so effortless. I was 13 years old when this album came out, so I couldn't relate to a lot of these songs at the time. Almost 40 years on, Springsteen is now one of my absolute favorite artists. I listen to him every day, and the depth of this album grows for me every time I hear it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I'm on Fire, I'm Goin' Down, Born in the USA, Dancing in the Dark, Downbound Train, Darlington County, Cover Me, Working on the Highway, No Surrender, Glory Days, My Hometown, Bobby Jean. It's actually hard to rank these. I have clear favorites in my mind, but as each song comes up, I change my mind and have a new favorite. This is that kind of album.

Junkyard

The Birthday Party

3/5

This is my first listen to this album. I'm a little confused how this particular album seems to be so widely reviled, when there are way worse albums on here. It's fine, people. It's a little ramshackle and noisy, but it's also creative and weirdly fun. Musically, it has a gothic/post-punk/rockabilly sensibility, like Bauhaus and Cramps had a demon baby. I'll take this kind of snarling, high energy fun over Kid Rock any old day. Fave Songs: Dead Joe, Several Sins, The Dim Locator, Kewpie Doll, Junkyard

Street Life

The Crusaders

3/5

Oh this is really nice. "Street Life" has got to be practically the smoothest 11 minutes of music I have ever heard. I just wanted it to go on forever. The rest of the album falls short of the title track, but overall it's a jazzy, groovy, pleasant listen. Fave Songs: Street Life, My Lady, The Hustler, Carnival of the Night

Music in Exile

Songhoy Blues

4/5

This is really excellent. Great mix of the energetic and the laid back, with some solid guitar work. Loved it. Fave Songs: Sekou Oumarou, Petit Metier, Desert Melodie, Weyei, Jolie, Nick, Soubour

Remedy

Basement Jaxx

3/5

Great English house album. Twisty, funky, energetic. This was pretty fun. Fave Soungs: Red Alert, Rendez-Vu, Jump n' Shout, Rendez-Vu

Armed Forces

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

5/5

Anything Elvis Costello did with the Attractions is magic, but Armed Forces is one of their very best. The band's chemistry is rock solid, Nick Lowe's production is rich and nuanced, and Costello's songwriting is witty and incisive in a way most lyricists could only dream of being. The man can turn a phrase like no one else. These songs are incredibly listenable with stellar pop hooks and some beautiful arrangements, but it's not always easy music. It's beyond clever to couch interpersonal and sexual politics in the language of sociopolitical conflict (and vice versa), but it's also the kind of songwriting that leaves some listeners cold. I happen to love it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Oliver's Army; Two Little Hitlers; (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding; Big Boys; Accidents Will Happen; Goon Squad; Party Girl; Senior Service; Green Shirt; Busy Bodies; Chemistry Class; Sunday's Best; Moods for Moderns

Metallica

4/5

A great, classic Metallica album. It lacks the speed and energy of the earlier albums, trading it for a tighter and more polished sound. I will add that slowing down really helped the band amplify the depth and intensity of their sound, allowing them to venture into new musical territory and create some of their most memorable songs. The original fans may not all love it, but this is the album that really made them superstars. Fave Songs: Nothing Else Matters, Wherever I May Roam, Enter Sandman, Sad but True, The Unforgiven, The Struggle Within, Holier than Thou

White Blood Cells

The White Stripes

3/5

This album has a great energy. The quality of the individual songs is a little uneven throughout, but it's still an incredibly fun listen that has aged well. Fave Songs: Fell in Love with a Girl, Hotel Yorba, I Can Learn, Expecting, I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman, Now Mary

Savane

Ali Farka Touré

4/5

Rich, warm, laid back sound. Loved it. Fave Songs: Soya, Savane, Soko Yhinka, N'Jarou, Banga, Hanana, Gambari Didi

Wild Is The Wind

Nina Simone

5/5

This is just so stunningly good, a powerful album in every way. The album is a brief 39 minutes, but it's so rich and soulful. It feels more substantial than anything you could fit in 39 minutes, and yet not nearly long enough. I'm still turning over in my mind the fact that this album is comprised of leftover songs (!) from previous albums. Nina Simone's leftovers outshine the best songs of other artists. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Wild Is the Wind, Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair, Four Women, If I Should Lose You, What More Can I Say, Why Keep On Breaking My Heart, Lilac Wine, Either Way I Lose, I Love Your Lovin' Ways, That's All I Ask, Break Down and Let It All Out

Dog Man Star

Suede

3/5

This was quite good, although I think I prefer Suede's first album better. There are some elegant, soaring arrangements and nice use of strings. The album really could have been cut by several songs and been much better. Fave Songs: The Asphalt World, Still Life, The 2 of Us, The Power, The Wild Ones, Daddy's Speeding, Heroine

Vanishing Point

Primal Scream

4/5

This album is terrific. Nicely crafted sound, beautifully trippy, musically creative and diverse. The tonal shifts from song to song are sometimes pretty weird and extreme, but somehow it works. Fave Songs: Star, Motörhead, Long Life, Medication, If They Move, Kill 'Em, Stuka

Tommy

The Who

4/5

I think this album is fantastic. It's not one I often listen to all the way through, but I should. Tommy is such a great mix of the straightforward rocking with the theatrical and occasionally trippy. And it's at heart just a great Who album, creative and engaging and powerful from beginning to end. There's really nothing else like this in music. Most of the songs are great to listen to on their own, without even engaging with the somewhat hazy plot. A couple of the best songs the Who ever recorded are on this album ("I'm Free," "Pinball Wizard"), as well as some stellar deep tracks ("Christmas," "The Hawker"). The flow from song to song is seamless and the album never drags. It's over an hour long and you don't really feel it. Fave Songs: I'm Free, Pinball Wizard, Christmas, The Hawker, Tommy Can You Hear Me, Welcome, Go to the Mirror, The Acid Queen

Document

R.E.M.

5/5

This album was a solid fixture in my brain when I was 16 years old. The first time I drove on my own to a concert was to see R.E.M., in support of this album in the fall of '87. I listened to Document constantly in those days, so it means a great deal to me and is tied to so many memories. But it's also just a great album to listen to, even now. Every song is engaging and memorable. Document was the album that first brought R.E.M. into the mainstream spotlight in a major way. The quality of the album is terrific, with the band going for a tighter, more accessible musical style than on their earlier albums. The cryptic/quasi-political/frequently confounding/strangely whimsical lyrics are a deal breaker for some, but they shouldn't be. This is really an excellent album from one of the most uncompromising bands in rock, playing at their peak. They also opened the door to broader success for a lot of alternative bands with this album, and I'm forever grateful for that. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Welcome to the Occupation, Oddfellows Local 151, The One I Love, King of Birds, Finest Worksong, It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), Lightnin' Hopkins, Disturbance at the Heron House, Exhuming McCarthy, Fireplace, Strange

Dirty

Sonic Youth

4/5

This is really good as Sonic Youth albums go, certainly their most polished and accessible one that I've heard. It was easier on the ears for sure, but I do miss the grit and musical risk taking of the earlier albums. The vocals also seem a little shakier to me, especially Kim Gordon's. All that said, I'm still giving this a 4. Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo can bend, twist and grind a note like nobody's business and Sonic Youth is never not interesting. Fave Songs: Purr, Chapel Hill, Sugar Kane, JC, 100%, Youth Against Fascism

Gentlemen

The Afghan Whigs

3/5

Musically this album is fine, but Greg Dulli's vocals aren't doing it for me. I enjoyed Marcy Mays on "My Curse." This is a perfectly fine album of its genre/time, but not especially memorable. Fave Songs: My Curse, When We Two Parted, Fountain and Fairfax, Brother Woodrow

Kilimanjaro

The Teardrop Explodes

3/5

I enjoyed this quite a bit, more than I thought I would. It reminds me a bit of the Stranglers. I'm not a fan of the trumpets, which I actually assumed was a synthesizer at first. But in general this was a solid post punk album. Fave Songs: Poppies in the Field, Treason, Thief of Baghdad, Second Head, Sleeping Gas, Bouncing Babies

Achtung Baby

U2

5/5

I recently watched a documentary about the making of this album, so it's fun to sit down with it today. It is also never a bad time to hear a U2 album. I cannot stress enough how cool this album sounded when it came out. It’s still one of the most creative and memorable albums U2 ever made, arguably their best. U2 had made some great albums up to this point, but I don't think anyone expected that they could pull off an album like this. The band stretches creatively in a completely different direction, embracing more of the dance pop sounds that were popular at that time, more vocal and musical distortion, and darker subject matter. The lyrics are more introspective and personal. But there’s also a cynicism in these songs that was unexpected from this band. It shows the band’s capacity for growth and substance. It's a big part of why we still talk about U2 30 years later. What a fantastic album. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): One, Until the End of the World, Love Is Blindness, The Fly, So Cruel, Even Better Than the Real Thing, Ultraviolet (Light My Way), Acrobat, Mysterious Ways, Zoo Station, Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses

Coat Of Many Colors

Dolly Parton

3/5

Short and sweet. Beautiful vocals, with songwriting that must have stood out starkly against mainstream country at the time. The songs are a nice mix of the sweetly personal and even the surprisingly funny. On the whole, most of the songs never quite reach the quality of the album's title song, but this is still a great album that's a pleasure to listen to. Fave Songs: Coat of Many Colors, My Blue Tears, The Way I See You, Here I Am, She Never Met a Man (She Didn't Like)

Scream, Dracula, Scream

Rocket From The Crypt

3/5

Okay, I was really prepared not to like this, and the first few songs did nothing for me. But once you get get past those, this is a pretty solid album. It's catchy, has great energy, and it's distinct from a lot of what was going on musically in the mid-90s. These guys are pretty good. Fave Songs: Used, Drop Out, Fat Lip, On a Rope, Suit City

Welcome To The Pleasuredome

Frankie Goes To Hollywood

3/5

This is a pretty remarkable debut album, not because I necessarily think it's so great, but because the structure of the thing is so nutso. Here we have a debut album, a double album mind you, the first side of which contains a short intro and a 13+ minute rambling odyssey of a title song. It turns out "Pleasuredome" really is one of the best songs on the album, so I get it. The album as a whole though is kind of all over the place. I have to wonder what the thinking was behind all of it. It's like they knew they wanted to do the whole "Pleasuredome" thing and they had just a handful of singles and other ideas they wanted to use, which necessitated a whole 2nd disk that was mostly made of filler. It's very odd and I find the gleeful lack of flow or coherent musical point of view more than a little annoying. I’m annoyed because this has all the pieces of a great album, and they don’t quite get there. This is such a weird mix of the clubby, the political, the mildly obscene and the musically grandiose, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. Chris Barrie's little monologues pinpoint a moment in time, but ultimately are just weird. The covers are pretty random and generally not great. That said, the beats and the bass lines are solid fun. When this album hits the right notes, it's terrific. I will add that I give Frankie credit for being incredibly brave in 1984. I still can't believe they made an album like this and it wasn't just a niche recording. It was a massive hit record. Fave Songs: The Power of Love, Relax, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, The Only Star in Heaven, Bang, Black Night White Light

Dookie

Green Day

4/5

At the time this album came out, I had zero interest in Green Day, and have mostly managed avoided listening to them too much all these years. Looking at it now, I don't remember what my aversion to the band was. This is an excellent album and it kind of suits my mood today. The songs are short and sweet, punchy but melodic, polished but with a bit of an edge. The band's pop sensibility is second to none and I'm impressed how many hits came out of this album. I generally don't dig Billy Joe Armstrong's vocal style, but he's able to toe a line between insouciant and irritating, something most of Armstrong's peers can't do. Okay Green Day, I'm willing to admit when I'm wrong. Good show. Fave Songs: When I Come Around, Pulling Teeth, She, Longview, Welcome to Paradise, In the End, Coming Clean

Djam Leelii

Baaba Maal

3/5

Some really beautiful songs here. The album was a bit too long, but a really enjoyable listen. Fave Songs: Loodo, Ko Wone Mayo, Salminanam, Muudo Hormo, Lam Tooro, Kettodee

Bossanova

Pixies

5/5

Aww, I haven't listened to this album in full in a really long time. It was in my heavy rotation during my sophomore year in college though. 1989-91 was peak time to be a Pixie's fan. Little did we know the albums weren't going to keep coming out every year like that. This isn't the album that immediately comes to mind when I think of the Pixies, but Bossanova is still light years beyond most of the alternative albums that were out in 1990. It's missing some of that frenetic wildness of the earlier albums, but it's no less creative. The album is more polished, maybe a tad more accessible than previous efforts. It follows along the same lines from the previous year's Doolittle, with a catchier and more melodic sound. The Pixie's have an incredibly unique style, that twisted surfer from hell vibe with the strange cryptic lyrics... that hit all the right notes with weird kids like me. The songs are full of great tonal shifts from the quiet to the melodic to the raging. There aren't a lot of bands I can think of who float so effortlessly from pretty to ugly and back. It can be startling, but it's also exhilarating in a way no other band really captures. It goes without saying that nobody screams like Black Francis/Frank Black. What tempers that rage is of course the haunting softness of Kim Deal. There is some kind of special magic between those two when they hit an off-kilter harmony together. Musically, everyone is on point here. Joey Santiago's guitar is blisteringly good, Deal's bass is solid, David Lovering's drums are propulsive and energetic. I agree with the reviewer who said this album is greater than the sum of its parts. This is an album to enjoy in full, but it's more than worth the time. It also grows on you with repeated listens. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Dig for Fire, Havalina, Rock Music, Down to the Well, Stormy Weather, Blown Away, Velouria, The Happening, Cecilia Ann, Ana, Allison, Hang Wire, All Over the World, Is She Weird

Here Are the Sonics

The Sonics

3/5

Ahhh, some good old fashioned bare bones, badass garage rock. Sonics are cool as hell, punk before punk even existed. There is an undeniable edgy energy in these songs that is thrilling to hear. The best songs are of course their originals, although "Have Love Will Travel" is one the best songs on the album. The band excels when they lean into their grittiness, which is generally more pronounced in their own songs. Some of the covers are pretty weak by comparison, which is frequently the case when covering songs that were pretty perfect to begin with. The Beatles couldn't touch Chuck Berry, so the Sonics sure aren't going to either. But on the whole, the band's energy is on fire, and they are clearly having a blast playing these songs. Great fun. Fave Songs: Have Love Will Travel, Strychnine, Psycho, The Witch, Boss Hoss

Oxygène

Jean-Michel Jarre

4/5

Ooh, spacey, I like it. A trippy, elegant, slightly eerie electronic odyssey. It makes me want to go star gazing. Fave Songs: Oxygène (Part II), Oxygène (Part IV), Oxygène (Part VI)

Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)

Bob Dylan

4/5

You have to love yourself some Bob Dylan to really get into this whole album, but it's really lovely, showing off the two sides of Dylan at that pivotal moment in his career. Disk 1 is a really bare bones, slower paced recording that will probably try the patience of your casual listener. Disk 2 is much more to my taste, with Dylan supported by the excellent pre-Band Hawks. Just some really warm, rich performances that I could listen to for hours. Dylan is in excellent voice, singing some of the greatest songs of his career. Sound quality is mixed, with Dylan's vocal fading out quite a bit in "Ballad of a Thin Man," which is unfortunate. Not the album I would recommend as an intro to Dylan, but still pretty great. Fave Songs: Like a Rolling Stone, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues, One Too Many Mornings, I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met), Tell Me Momma, Just Like a Woman, Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, Visions of Johanna

Vol. 4

Black Sabbath

4/5

This is a great album from Sabbath, intense and often darkly beautiful. On my first pass through the album, I thought it was stylistically a little uneven, but coming at it again I appreciate the band’s efforts to stretch their legs a bit musically. There are some surprising touches here that you don’t really expect to find on a Sabbath album. I don't think Geezer Butler gets enough credit by the way for some pretty great songwriting. The lyrics are plainspoken, but often incisive and eloquent in a way that’s surprising for such heavy music. I think that is a big part of the magic for this band and for why they had such massive appeal. That, and they also freaking rock. Top notch all the way. Fave Songs: Snowblind, Supernaut, Changes, Under the Sun, St. Vitus Dance

Superunknown

Soundgarden

4/5

Soundgarden was always my favorite of the Seattle bands. They were at the core of the whole alternative scene, but they also were more “musical” than some of their peers. Soundgarden was a band that both alternative and metal fans could appreciate. They were the total package for this kind of music - grinding, searing, wailing guitars, a kickin' rhythm section, a vocalist who could do almost anything he wanted to with his voice. Dark, powerful songwriting that dealt with struggles of the mind and struggles of the spirit. Songs that rocked out heavily, but were still musically gorgeous. This album embodies all of that. The sound is rich, layered, sophisticated, surprisingly melodic. It’s really beautiful to listen to without sounding overly polished or losing a bit or the band’s fire. This is an album that grows on you with repeat listenings, as all great albums do. As I listen to Superunknown now, which I listened to a lot when it came out, I’m struck by how lyrically dark it really was. I mean, a lot of music was at the time, so I didn’t really think much about it then. It’s painful to listen to Chris Cornell’s lyrics now without thinking about where his story would end. Cornell was a once in a lifetime talent, and I miss him. Fave Songs: Fell on Black Days, My Wave, Black Hole Sun, 4th of July, The Day I Tried to Live, Let Me Drown, Spoonman, Like Suicide

Astral Weeks

Van Morrison

5/5

Astral Weeks is one of my favorite albums, one I can listen to endlessly on repeat. It's such a pleasure to hear. This is an album very much of its era, but somehow also out of time. I love the intermingling of jazz and folk, the delicate little baroque touches, the use of flute and vibes and that marvelous double bass. The style of the album is distinctive, improvisational, loose and dreamy. Morrison's lyrics are an eloquent stream of consciousness, best enjoyed as impressions of memory and feeling rather than analyzed for their content. The album was a deeply personal expression for Morrison, and it feels intimate to listen to, like we're privy to his deepest memories. I can't think of another album like it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Astral Weeks, Madame George, Ballerina, The Way Young Lovers Do, Sweet Thing, Cyprus Avenue, Beside You, Slim Slow Slider

Songs The Lord Taught Us

The Cramps

4/5

Oh, these twisted, wonderful weirdos. Rockabilly always had a dark and dangerous side, but by the 1970s, it was fast headed into the territory of "oldies but goodies." Along come Lux/Ivy and the Cramps, who had a vision. They took the music of the 1950s (with a strong assist from 60s surf and garage rock) and flipped it over so you could see all the little nasties and creepy crawlies hiding underneath. The result was the genesis of psychobilly, punk meets rockabilly and pulp horror. It's dark, grinding, noisy, kitschy, trashy, hilarious. Above all, Songs The Lord Taught Us totally rocks. Great noisy guitars, pounding drums, high energy, attitude for miles. What a blast. Fave Songs: I Was a Teenage Werewolf, I'm Cramped, Mystery Plane, Sunglasses After Dark, TV Set, The Mad Daddy, Fever, Strychnine

Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin

5/5

III isn’t necessarily one of the first albums I think of when I think of Led Zeppelin, but it's an outstanding album. It's interesting in that song for song, it probably has fewer classic rock staples on it than any other Zeppelin album, except for Presence. But as deep cuts go, the songs on this album are fantastic. Stylistically, III is more diverse than Zeppelin's first two albums, which is what makes it so exciting to listen to. The introduction of more acoustic, folk-based influences reveals so much more depth in the band's abilities. They don't have to be so heavy or hit you over the head with their sound. But man, when they want to be heavy, look out. You want bombast, here's "Immigrant Song." Need some cool pedal steel guitar, try "Tangerine." Looking for a lovely pastoral sounding acoustic number, here's "That's the Way." You want a slow burning blues odyssey, go for "Since I've Been Loving You." Practically every song is an excursion into a different musical territory, but everything comes together so organically. Nothing feels out of place. You can also tell the band is having a blast making this album. I absolutely love it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Since I've Been Loving You, That's the Way, Friends, Immigrant Song, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Tangerine, Gallows Pole, Hats Off to (Roy) Harper, Celebration Day, Out on the Tiles

B-52's

The B-52's

5/5

I have owned this album on cassette, vinyl, CD and mp3. For years I had the cover of this album hanging on my office wall. This is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite albums. There is an exuberance and joy to these songs that has held a really special place in my heart for 40 years now. There's a reason the B's are so beloved by such a diverse group of fans. On a basic level, they make catchy party songs that are easy to sing and dance to. Musically, they have always done what they wanted, whether it's on trend or not, and people love them for that. There's something about the B's that resonates then with misfits, nerds and outsiders. The B-52's are having a big party in their big tent, and everyone is invited. As for the album itself, come on. The band came out swinging (okay, frugging, probably) with their very first album. I love all their stuff, but this album really is the best thing the B-52's ever did. Musically it's purposefully bare bones, but the songs are crisp, energetic, quirky, F-U-N. No filler at all, just 9 perfect songs perfectly arranged in 39 minutes. The B's took all the cool things about surf, garage rock and girl groups, artfully rearranging them for the post punk era, and somehow it works! The lyrics are cleverer than people give the band credit for, kitschy and silly for sure, but also with warmth and sly humor. Held up against the musical excesses of stadium rock, the anger of punk and the coldness of new wave, the B-52's are a breath of fresh air. It's such an unusual, singular sound, but there’s nothing not to love about it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Rock Lobster, Lava, 52 Girls, Planet Claire, Dance This Mess Around, Hero Worship, Downtown, There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon), 6060-842

Screamadelica

Primal Scream

3/5

An interesting, creative, sonically diverse album. Trippy, quirky, psychedelic, with moments of surprising beauty. I liked this a lot. Fave Songs: Damaged, Higher than the Sun/Dub, Movin' On Up, I'm Comin' Down, Come Together, Loaded, Shine Like Stars

Ragged Glory

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

4/5

Musically, this is really well done, just about as good as anything Neil Young and Crazy Horse ever did together. It has a fun, rough edged, garage-y vibe and Young's guitar is blistering as ever. As good as it sounds, the lyrics are fairly toothless and mostly forgettable. I know I'm officially turning into your most annoying teacher when I say this, but I know Neil Young can write better songs than this. I guess he has other albums for that. Fave Songs: White Line, Love and Only Love, Country Home, Love to Burn, Over and Over This album was not available on Spotify, but can be found in full on YouTube. 4 4 3 3 4 3 3 3 5 3

Diamond Life

Sade

5/5

Stylish, soulfully smooth, musically flawless, timeless album. I love every song on it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Your Love Is King, Hang On to Your Love, Smooth Operator, Cherry Pie, I Will Be Your Friend, Why Can't We Live Together, When Am I Going to Make a Living, Sally, Frankie's First Affair

The Colour Of Spring

Talk Talk

4/5

I didn't immediately connect with this album on the first listen, but it grows on you. Some really lush, sophisticated arrangements, leagues beyond what Talk Talk's peers were doing at that time. Much of the album has a lingering pace, so you do really need to be in the right mood for it. Fave Songs: Time It's Time, Living in Another World, Life's What You Make It, I Don't Believe in You, Chameleon Day

Sound Affects

The Jam

5/5

Love this album, it's crisp, punchy and energetic. It's such a fun listen, and I enjoy it more each time I listen to it. The mix of the angular guitar with that insanely good foregrounded bass is a delight to listen to. The Jam had this ability to infuse the anger and energy of punk with a strong pop sensibility that none of their peers have. They remind me a lot of the early Who, more than pretty much any other band I can think of. There are maybe a couple of tracks I like less than the others, but on balance this is an outstanding album. Rounding up to a 5, then going back to listen again. As a side note, if you aren't familiar with Paul Weller, I strongly recommend checking out his post-Jam work. The man has been working practically non-stop for over 40 years and everything he does is interesting. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): That's Entertainment, Start!, Set the House Ablaze, Man in the Corner Shop, Scrape Away, Pretty Green, Boy About Town, Music for the Last Couple, But I'm Different Now, Monday, Dream Time

Smile

Brian Wilson

4/5

Holy cow, I don't even know how to talk about this album. You'll never catch me driving down the road, Smile blaring from my windows, but it's really cool. It feels a little like a hodgepodge mess initially, but every inch of this is deliberate and kind of wonderful. Beautiful arrangements, wild sonic experiments, and a sense of humor on top. The symphonic elements are gorgeous, and I love the musical threads that wind through multiple songs, which is really brilliant. This actually did make me smile. Fave Songs: Heroes and Villains, Good Vibrations, In Blue Hawaii, Vega-Tables, On a Holiday, Wind Chimes, Child Is Father of the Man

Fever To Tell

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

3/5

This was a fun listen, full of energetic, punchy rockers. Enjoyed it, but I'm unlikely to come back to it. Fave Songs: Y Control, Modern Romance, Maps, No No No, Date with the Night

Moondance

Van Morrison

5/5

Moondance is about as perfect a rock album as you will ever hear. It's probably the album I would first recommend to anyone who is new to Morrison's music. The songs are warm, soulful, intimate and endlessly catchy, a perfect summer day in musical form. This is an album built for repeat listenings, full of songs that will stay with you for a long time. I don't have a bad thing to say about it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Into the Mystic, Everyone, Moondance, Caravan, Brand New Day, And It Stoned Me, These Dreams of You, Glad Tidings, Come Running, Crazy Love

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

PJ Harvey

3/5

This was a well made album, musically really tight. Harvey's vocals are fantastic and Thom Yorke was a welcome surprise. Fave Songs: This Mess We're In, A Place Called Home, The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore, Horses in My Dreams

If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears

The Mamas & The Papas

3/5

I'm going to start off by saying some good things about this album. Two of the best pop songs ever recorded reside on this album ("California Dreamin'"/"Monday, Monday"), and across the board, the harmonies that came out of this band are astounding. The Mamas and the Papas are still synonymous with the idea of perfect vocal harmony, over 50 years after this album came out. They sound so great here. That said, time hasn't been kind to all of the songs on the album, some of which come off as hokey and dated. The covers are rather bland, lovely vocals notwithstanding. On balance though, when the Mamas & the Papas nail it, they really nail it. It's sunshine in a bottle with a little melancholy on the side, which is still pretty charming. Fave Songs: California Dreamin'; Monday, Monday; Go Where You Wanna Go; I Call Your Name; Spanish Harlem

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

Otis Redding

5/5

Years ago I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A couple of things I saw on that trip are burned in my memory: John Lennon's glasses, and two rumpled remnants of a H18 Beechcraft airplane. Otis Reddding's name was painted on the pieces. I think about that plane frequently when I hear his music, and listening to him is always a bit of a bittersweet experience. Otis Blue isn't a perfect album, but there are several songs on here that are so exceptional that they elevate the whole thing leagues beyond other soul albums. It's silly to quibble over 4 or 5 stars when the music is this good. Otis Redding is a titan among vocalists. He has an ability to exude such earnest sorrow and joy in a way very few singers can. You feel these songs in your bones. Now, most of the songs on this album are covers, but Redding was brilliant as a cover artist. He really makes these songs his own, even songs as iconic as "Satisfaction" or "Change Gonna Come." The star track of course is one Redding wrote with Jerry Butler, the achingly beautiful "I've Been Loving You Too Long." It's arguably the best song Redding ever recorded and possibly the best soul song ever. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I've Been Loving You Too Long, Change Gonna Come, You Don't Miss Your Water, Satisfaction, Shake, Ole Man Trouble, Down in the Valley, Respect, My Girl, Rock Me Baby, Wonderful World

Queen Of Denmark

John Grant

3/5

There's a retro '70s pop vibe to this that I'm really enjoying. It's also evocative of some of Beck's more contemplative work. The piano and string arrangements are really beautiful. Grant's vocals are a little lackluster in contrast to what's going on musically, but it's still quite good. Fave Songs: Where Dreams Go to Die, Silver Platter Club, Caramel, Outer Space, Queen of Denmark

Architecture And Morality

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

5/5

This is an outstanding album, one of the best of its genre. I can't really think of another band from that era that sounded like OMD. They were leagues ahead of their peers. I think one of the big differences is that OMD had a talent for balancing the lovely with the dissonant, the melodic/accessible with the experimental/strange. These songs are incredibly elegant, with gorgeous, thoughtfully crafted arrangements, but also with a strategic use of dissonance to keep it all from getting too pretty. A big part of this sound is Andy McCluskey's unusual and compelling vocal style, that ranges from croonerish to almost grating. There's no one else in music who sounds like him. The band headed in more of a (frankly, less interesting) pop direction as the decade progressed, but this album stands out as being some of the most inventive music of that time. It's a historically important collection of songs, but also just such a pleasure to listen to. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Souvenir, The Beginning and the End, She's Leaving, Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans), Joan of Arc, Sealand, The New Stone Age, Georgia, Architecture and Morality

Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam & The Ants

3/5

This is a fun collection of songs, full of absurdity and punk attitude. There is an exuberance and camp aspect to this music that runs contrary to so much of the self-serious post punk music coming out at the same time. I will say this for the band, the Ants sound like pretty much nothing else out there. The foregrounding of multiple drummers with a grinding surf-tinged guitar, performed by a bunch of guys in pirate cosplay? Yes, it was gimmicky, but Adam Ant had more than enough charisma to pull it off. Whatever he was selling, a lot of us bought it. Marco Pirroni's guitar is excellent and deserves a lion's share of the credit for what works on this album. His vibe in "Killer in the Home" is straight out of Link Wray's "Rumble" but he's a surprisingly nimble player who can move pretty effortlessly from jaunty to menacing. Contrast "Don’t Be Square (Be There)" with "Killer in the Home" to see what I mean. The lyrics are frequently silly, but what do you expect from a guy who dresses like that to go to work? Fave Songs: Dog Eat Dog, Antmusic, Killer in the Home, Kings of the Wild Frontier, Feed Me to the Lions, Ants Invasion, Don’t Be Square (Be There)

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

5/5

This album is... many things... musically brilliant, adventurous, groovy, trippy, heart rending, occasionally profound, gleefully weird, and a blast to listen to. There isn't another album like it. Tonally, the album is kind of all over the place, but who cares? The songs are entertaining and riveting to listen to, front to back. The title song is obviously the showpiece of the entire album, worth the price of admission and 5 stars all on its own. It's a darkly beautiful odyssey, an absolute masterpiece. On the flip side, I have a soft spot for the the wackadoo weirdness of "Back in Our Minds" and "Wars of Armageddon," which are both musically clever and just plain fun. "Super Stupid" rocks surprisingly hard, putting a lot of rock bands to shame. That all these songs live together on one album and it somehow works is a marvel. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Maggot Brain; Back in Our Minds; Super Stupid; Can You Get to That; You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks; Hit It and Quit It; Wars of Armageddon

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

5/5

I'm not gonna lie, my heart grew two sizes when this album popped up today, I love it so much. I'm back and forth sometimes between this album and Darkness on the Edge of Town as my favorite Springsteen album, but ultimately Born to Run really is The One. It's a perfect album, perfectly executed, the album I would recommend to any new listener who wants to get into Springsteen. The screen door slams, Mary's dress sways. From that first instance Springsteen pulls you into another world that feels so lived in and real, with riveting stories and characters you can really care about. His songwriting style is earnest, poetic and frequently surprising. His vocal is both sensitive and achingly passionate. And wow, what a big, beautiful sound. Musically this album is a deep bench of everything you could ever want out of a rock record. You can have a soulful, laid back song like "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" contrasted with the tension and doom in "Meeting Across the River" or the sonic catharsis of "Born to Run," and they all sound absolutely beautiful together. Bruce is pushing all the buttons here and it's magical to experience as a listener. The band is in top form, in what could arguably be called their best work. Special props for Roy Bittan, who is a genius on the piano. He wrings every bit of joy and pathos out of those keys in ways I didn't think possible. As with Clarence, these songs don't work without him. What an album. Exhilarating to listen to. A masterpiece. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Thunder Road, Backstreets, Born to Run, She's the One, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Jungleland, Meeting Across the River, Night

Music For The Jilted Generation

The Prodigy

3/5

Dark, intense, gritty, throttling, deeply cool. The energy of these songs is pretty great. I could see listening to it to power through a project. That said, I get that this is meant to be clubby, but I as an old lady do not find breaking glass on a loop to be particularly entertaining. I also agree with the assessments that the album is simply too long. This is an interesting place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live here. Fave Songs: Voodoo People, Speedway, No Good (Start the Dance), Full Throttle, The Heat (The Energy)

Very

Pet Shop Boys

3/5

Great songs, with lush, bubbly arrangements. Nice mix of the torchy and the danceable. Love that cover of "Go West." I always found the Pet Shop Boys' songwriting to be clever in a way a lot of their peers' work was not. On Very, there's more than a hint of emotional honesty as well, which I really like. Fave Songs: Can You Forgive Her?; Go West; I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing; Yesterday; When I Was Mad; The Theatre

Rhythm Nation 1814

Janet Jackson

4/5

Fantastic album. If you weren't there when this came out in 1989, it was such a huge deal. People lost their minds over this music, it was so fresh and powerful. It's not as fun as Control, but I think that's intentional. The album has its share of bubbly love songs, but Janet also wants to make a statement here. And she is in perfect voice. As a concept album, it's a bit of a fail, with less than half the songs addressing social issues, the only connecting thread being that series of vague interludes. I don't know if this album is specifically to blame for the trend of putting interludes on albums, but I suspect it. I'll give Janet a pass because it's kind of wrapped up in her style, but the interludes don't add a thing to this album, with the exception of the final one ("Livin'...In Complete Darkness" - minor quibble as well, it's not an interlude if nothing comes after it). Thankfully, she kept them brief. I feel like the album would have been tighter and more effective if they had limited the number of ballads, but it's a small complaint. I really enjoyed listening to this. Fave Songs: Alright, Rhythm Nation, The Knowledge, Lonely, State of the World

Underwater Moonlight

The Soft Boys

4/5

Brilliant album. Punk energy with a splash of pop sensibility and a generous helping of the surreal. Robyn Hitchcock's clever, wonderfully warped songwriting is a delight. There's nobody else like him in music. This is an extremely high 4 for me. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I Wanna Destroy You, Positive Vibrations, Tonight, Queen of Eyes, Kingdom of Love, You'll Have to Go Sideways, Underwater Moonlight, Insanely Jealous, Old Pervert, I Got the Hots

Gasoline Alley

Rod Stewart

4/5

It's been a while since I've been served up a good old rock and roll album on here, and this was such a refreshing change. This album is vintage Rod, laid back, warm and bluesy. It's a joy to listen to. Stewart is in perfect voice and has an outstanding band backing him up, including all of his mates from the Faces. I mean really, this sounds like a Faces album. No complaints here. Gorgeous sound, with some top notch guitar and mandolin work. Fave Songs: Gasoline Alley, It's All Over Now, Jo's Lament, My Way of Giving, You're My Girl (I Don't Want to Discuss It), Cut Across Shorty

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

3/5

What an odd little album. The highs and lows on this are amazing. I mean, "Disney Girls" is a really terrific, but the less we say about "Take a Load Off Your Feet," the better. I appreciate the willingness to try something different. It doesn't always land, but there are some lovely surprises on here. Fave Songs: Disney Girls (1957), Lookin' at Tomorrow (A Welfare Song), Feel Flows, A Day in the Life of a Tree

Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Aphex Twin

3/5

This was an enjoyable listen. It's the kind of music you can exist with while doing other things, but it also has a lot of nuances you can discover if you pay attention. As a collection of songs written over an extended period of time, obviously the album lacks a certain cohesiveness or point of view. It also could stand to be a few songs shorter. Not a bad song on here though. Fave Songs: Heliosphan, Tha, Delphium, Actium, Green Calx, Xtal

Kenza

Khaled

3/5

I enjoyed getting the opportunity to listen to this. The album has great energy, with bright, fun arrangements and an interesting fusion of styles. Khaled also has a very engaging voice. The run time is a little long, but it moves along pretty crisply. Fave Songs: Gouloulha-Dji, Trigue Lycee, Melha, Aâlach Tloumouni, Raba-Raba

D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle

Throbbing Gristle

2/5

I'm surprised more people haven't taken the time to review this album, for good or for bad. Thumbs up to anyone who gave it a shot. Yes, it's a difficult listen, but it's also pretty fascinating. I doubt I would listen to this again in its entirety, but it was interesting. You'd be hard pressed to find many musical acts as adventurous as Throbbing Gristle is on this album. They really push the boundaries of what you can call music, and also for our tolerance as listeners. Their palette is noise - blips, feedback, guitar distortion, fragments of conversations. Sometimes the effect is oddly musical, sometimes it's aggressively grating. The lyrics, if you care to look them up, can get disturbing. The general vibe is definitely creepy, but in the middle, a bright, synth-y song like "AB/7A." Go figure. There are some interesting ideas here, but I think the arrangement of the songs could have been a little more precise, like ordering the the songs so they flow better. The way they're organized now, they come off as tonally a little haphazard. I also think they could have dropped a couple of tracks and had a much tighter album. As for my review, I've been back and forth between 2 and 3 stars. That's not because I think it's bad necessarily, but because it's really challenging (and I like challenging stuff). Intellectually I appreciate it, but it's also unsettling in a way I didn't enjoy. Fave Songs: AB/7A, Dead on Arrival, Weeping

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

5/5

This album is pretty close to being perfect, and is a strong contender for best double album ever. It radiates beauty in a way you wish all music could do. Even in its most serious moments, Songs in the Key of Life has a brightness and a warmth that is incredibly engaging. The album showcases Stevie Wonder's unique musical gifts and musical point of view with such depth, but always with an ear toward what is entertaining. The songs are gorgeously crafted, joyful, confident, heartfelt, soulful and affirming. And oh yeah, the album is simply great fun. I absolutely love it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): As, I Wish, Sir Duke, Isn't She Lovely, Love's in Need of Love Today, Another Star, Black Man, Joy Inside My Tears, Ordinary Pain, Knocks Me Off My Feet, All Day Sucker, Pastime Paradise, Saturn, Summer Soft, If It's Magic, Village Ghetto Land, Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing, Ebony Eyes, Contusion, Have a Talk With God, Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)

If You're Feeling Sinister

Belle & Sebastian

3/5

Musically lovely, and a very nice listen overall. Not a fan of Stuart Murdoch's affected, Ray Davies-light style of vocal. Fave Songs: Me and the Major; Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying; Like Dylan in the Movies; The Boy Done Wrong Again; The Stars of Track and Field

Your New Favourite Band

The Hives

3/5

Remember how fresh these guys sounded when they came out? The music is as good as it ever was, but 20 years later the Hives come off as less a fully formed band than a fun, but highly derivative punk act. It's a great, entertaining listen, but apparently I'm less easily impressed now. Fave Songs: Die, All Right!; The Hives Are Law, You Are Crime; Here We Go Again; Automatic Schmuck; Hate to Say I Told You So

Unknown Pleasures

Joy Division

4/5

A classic album, unsettling and grim but darkly lovely in its way. When you hear Joy Division you know them right away, they're such a singular band, but they're also in the bones of so much music that came after them. The lyrics are harrowing, really. They're difficult to hear knowing how this story ends. Fave Songs: Disorder, Shadowplay, She's Lost Control, Interzone, Wilderness, New Dawn Fades

Rum Sodomy & The Lash

The Pogues

4/5

Oh it's the Pogues, my favorite band of rowdy Celtic punks. Love them. I love how they took all the energy and attitude of punk and merged it with traditional music to create something completely new. If this sounds wild to you now, imagine how this music landed in the 1980s. In an era teeming with musical creativity and experimentation, the Pogues managed to stand out with something both old and new, and more than a little badass. If you only have a general idea what the Pogues are all about, this album may come as a bit of a surprise. While it's as fun to listen to as you would expect, there are actually some striking songs, with great musical depth and gorgeous instrumentation. The songwriting is poetic, incisive, grim and occasionally shocking, with stories that stick with you. Delivered in Shane MacGowan's trademark boozy style, it's everything punk wishes it could be, but so much better. Fave Songs: Sally MacLennane, A Pair of Brown Eyes, I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day, Dirty Old Town, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

Fromohio

fIREHOSE

3/5

How was I not listening to this in '89? These songs are crisp, short and sweet, and just an all around fun listen. A little jangle, a little burn, a little funk, a little twang. Somehow fIREHOSE figured out how to make an album that feels improvisational and jammy in the best way, without actually being jammy at all. I enjoyed it. Fave Songs: What Gets Heard, Más Cojones, Some Things, The Softest Hammer, Time With You, In My Mind

Bluesbreakers

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

4/5

This is really good. Songs are concise and impactful, with a sense of economy that is missing from a lot of English blues. Everything is just spot on, no filler, no unnecessary jams. Musically, it's energetic, playful, such a fun listen. Fave Songs: It Ain't Right, All Your Love, Parchman Farm, Hideaway, Steppin' Out, What'd I Say

I’m a Lonesome Fugitive

Merle Haggard

4/5

Love me some bittersweet Bakersfield-style country. This is a classic country album, with Haggard in perfect voice. Musically, the Strangers are really tight, with some exceptional guitar work. Fave Songs: Drink Up and Be Somebody, Mixed Up Mess of a Heart, All of Me Belongs to You, Someone Told My Story, My Rough and Rowdy Ways

Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Koffi Olomide

3/5

A pleasant listen. Soukous always makes me think of my college days, because the local college radio station played a lot of it. This is such joyful music, you can't help but be in a good mood listening to it. A little repetitive from song to song, but still pretty fun. Fave Songs: Papa bonheur, Qui cherche trouve; Desepoir; Obrigado, Conte de fees

Rock 'N Soul

Solomon Burke

3/5

Fabulous album from one of the greatest soul voices of all time. Several of these songs are pure classics, with "Cry to Me" being the standout track. It gets a little weak on much of the back half of the album, but on balance this is a really lovely collection of songs. I enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Cry to Me, If You Need Me, Can't Nobody Love You, Someone to Love Me, He'll Have to Go

Murmur

R.E.M.

5/5

One of the strongest debut albums I've ever heard, and one of the most influential albums ever made. I don't know if I can really express how special this album was when it came out. Nobody really sounded like this at the time, but countless bands did sound like R.E.M. when all was said and done. It was fresh and exhilarating to hear at the time and that feeling comes back one thousand fold for me listening to it again today. Murmur is a perfect album and remains one of R.E.M.'s best even after a career full of brilliant work. R.E.M. have a musical palette that's really enjoyable to listen to, with swirling melodies and gorgeous jangling guitars. Musically, there may never have been a band more subtly expressive and in sync with each other then Berry-Buck-Mills. On top of that you have Michael Stipe's engaging, bittersweet vocals. I know some people don't dig the lyrics, but you have to get that they were deliberately cryptic and strange, and that was very much part of the band's appeal. R.E.M. weren't trying to be a mainstream band, but the music was so good, they were a success in spite of it. This is really a perfect album, with not a bad song to be found. Hard to pick a favorite. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Talk About the Passion, Radio Free Europe, Sitting Still, Moral Kiosk, Catapult, Shaking Through, Laughing, Perfect Circle, We Walk, West of the Fields, 9–9, Pilgrimage

Crime Of The Century

Supertramp

4/5

A really good album, very much of its time, but with a thoughtful, unique musical point of view. This is music that's really smart and well crafted, but also charming and accessible. Some of the songs are overly long, but musically, the album is solid. I liked it a lot more on the second listen and can tell it would improve immensely on repeated listenings. Fave Songs: Crime of the Century, Dreamer, Rudy, Bloody Well Right, If Everyone Was Listening

Street Signs

Ozomatli

3/5

I'm kind of surprised this album came out as late as it did. It feels like some kind of Latino pop collaboration out of the 90s, with a hip hop twist. Understand me, that's not necessarily a bad thing. This album is really tight musically, with fun grooves. The songs have a great fusion of styles that feels very natural and not pasted together. Great surprise appearance from Eddie Palmieri is all the proof you need that these guys are the real deal. I'm also pleased to hear a little Spanish on 1001 Albums, which has been weirdly absent thus far. It's only the 2nd most spoken language in the world, guys. Enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: Nadie Te Tira, Te Estoy Buscando, Santiago, (Who Discovered) America?, Love & Hope

Will The Circle Be Unbroken

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

4/5

If you watch Ken Burns' documentary series on country music (I highly recommend it), you know that the song "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" is used as a trope for the bonds of tradition and musical heritage that get passed from generation to generation. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band gets featured notably in that documentary because of their efforts to keep that bond going, through their collaborations with other artists. This album is a document of that bond, the partnership between the living legends of country/bluegrass with the next generation. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were viewed somewhat as a group of long-haired interlopers at a time when traditional country music was out of fashion. In playing this music, they were essentially what we might consider to be hipsters today. But the band's musical chops were for real, and their love of roots country and bluegrass was indisputable. Bringing together this group of musicians was an impressive feat and the resulting recordings are a delight to hear. I imagine it's not to everyone's taste, and 2 hours is a lot for any album. But it's as important an album as you will ever hear in roots music. It's also just a lot of fun. I suggest listening to disc 1 and disc 2 separately with a break in between. My goodness, musically this album is so tight. Across the board, everything is effortlessly perfect, from guitars to banjo to fiddle. Some of the best and most revered artists in early country music participated in this effort, including Roy Acuff, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs and Mother Maybelle Carter. Many of the songs are considered to be standards in the genre today. This music is earthy and joyful, equal parts plucky and heartfelt. The little bits of chatter between songs add a live vibe and sense of community that is foundational to country music. If there was ever an album that belonged on 1001 Albums, it's this one. Fave Songs: Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Nashville Blues, Sunny Side of the Mountain, Wabash Cannonball, Both Sides Now, You Are My Flower, I Saw the Light, Lonesome Fiddle Blues, The End of the World, Black Mountain Rag, Flint Hill Special, Soldier's Joy, Orange Blossom Special, Cannonball Rag, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Lost Highway

NEU! 75

Neu!

5/5

This is a fascinating album. Musically adventurous, but also with just the right amount of restraint. The resulting songs are really listenable, never grating, always a little surprising. I love that there's a more ambient, organic sounding side and then a noisier, more mechanical side. The contrast is mind blowing, but in the best way. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Leb' Wohl, Hero, After Eight, Seeland, E. Musik, Isi

Your Arsenal

Morrissey

4/5

I kind of stopped paying attention to what Morrissey was up to after his first 2 solo albums. Turns out that was a mistake, because Your Arsenal is pretty fantastic. The album starts off with a surprisingly harder edge than you would expect, which really works for Morrissey. He is more in tune with his band on this album than he had been up to that point and it's probably a more cohesive group of songs as a result. Morrissey's self deprecating yet acidic humor remains, but there's something else as well. There's disappointment and regret, as well as a vulnerability that feels honest, making these some of the most relatable songs I've ever heard from him. The album lacks a strong pop single a la "Suedehead" or "Everyday is Like Sunday," but taken on the whole, this is an excellent collection of songs. This may in fact be his best album. Fave Songs: I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday, You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side, Glamorous Glue, We'll Let You Know, Certain People I Know, Seasick, Yet Still Docked

Le Tigre

3/5

This is fun, energetic, little bit of a slick punk vibe. Le Tigre could sound like a hundred other bands, but it's the strident lyrics that really makes them stand out. A little goes a long way though. Fave Songs: Deceptacon, Eau d'Bedroom Dancing, Friendship Station, Phanta, Slideshow at Free University

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

5/5

This is an essential album in every sense of the word, a true masterpiece. It's one of the most beautiful, perfectly realized albums, gorgeously crafted but as warm and effortless sounding as anything I've ever heard. It's an album that would have easily fit in with the great soul albums of the 60s and 70s. But it has a modern attitude and sensibility that has stood the test of time, while a lot of music of that era has aged like milk. Musically, this is just insanely good, brimming with soulful, rich arrangements. Hill's vocals effortlessly run the gambit from velvety to strident, her lyrics full of passion, pain, spirituality and self affirmation. I'll add that this is the only album I can think of that uses interludes correctly and to brilliant effect. Other artists need to need to take note that using more interludes does not equal substance. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Ex-Factor, Doo Wop (That Thing), Lost Ones, To Zion, Tell Him, Nothing Even Matters, Everything Is Everything, I Used to Love Him, Final Hour, Forgive Them Father, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Every Ghetto, Every City, When It Hurts So Bad, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Superstar, Intro

Out Of The Blue

Electric Light Orchestra

4/5

ELO has such a soaring and monumental sound, full of gorgeous arrangements and infectious, melodic pop hooks. When they're at their best here, this is joyful, exhilarating, perfect music. The album moves along really breezily and avoids most of the pitfalls of double albums. Most of the songs are legitimately listenable for the most part, without much in the way of filler. Sure it has its self indulgent moments, as double albums often do, but we're talking ELO here. Self indulgent is a big part of the brand. Jeff Lynne and band really lean into the musical landscape around them in 1977, resulting in a slicker, pop-ier, spacier, somewhat disco-fied sound. ELO has better albums. But if we're not grading ELO against their own curve, there's still a lot to enjoy here. Several of the band's absolute best songs appear on this album, including "Mr. Blue Sky," and "Turn to Stone." You can't listen to these songs and be in a bad mood. I highly recommend enjoying "Mr. Blue Sky" outside, on a perfect day, preferably near water. Fave Songs: Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Mr. Blue Sky, It's Over, Wild West Hero, Big Wheels, Sweet Is the Night, Standin' in the Rain, Believe Me Now

This Nation’s Saving Grace

The Fall

4/5

The Fall really were the workhorses of post punk, weren't they? They just plowed along, releasing an amazing body of work over decades, while different styles and their flashier peers came and went. The musicianship here is fantastic, with standout performances across the board. The band maintains the looseness and off-the-cuff aspects of punk, but with an ear to moderation that reveals their method to be much more artful than you would expect. Their ability to judiciously use noise as if it's another instrument works great here. They also drift in and out of different genres and moods pretty seamlessly, which makes for an album that's really full of pleasant surprises, beginning to end. Fave Songs (CD and cassette version): Paint Work, Petty Thief Lout, My New House, Barmy, Bombast, I Am Damo Suzuki, Couldn't Get Ahead, Spoilt Victorian Child

Connected

Stereo MC's

3/5

Fun, trippy, groovy, very '90s. It's an enjoyable listen and definitely a throwback to my college days. But ultimately, excepting a few stand out tracks, much of this album is still pretty forgettable. Title track is the ultimate ear worm. Fave Songs: Connected, Ground Level, Creation, Chicken Shake, Step it Up, Playing With Fire

American Idiot

Green Day

4/5

I'm surprised how many songs I actually know on here, not having gone out of my way to listen to Green Day in '04. That just goes to show how huge this album was. The blending of power pop and punk has always been strong with Green Day, but it's next level on this album. It's so catchy, but with an undeniable burn. Great mix of the raging, the melodic and the anthemic. The lyrics are a scathing indictment of post-911 politics and American culture. They're pure punk, but more incisive and surprisingly eloquent at times. Great album. Fave Songs: Holiday, Jesus of Suburbia, Give Me Novacaine, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, American Idiot, Whatsername, Wake Me Up When September Ends

Liege And Lief

Fairport Convention

4/5

Really beautiful English folk. Sweet and elegant. You really can't go wrong with the pure talent of Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson, but everyone on here is exceptional. Fave Songs: Tam Lin, The Deserter, Crazy Man Michael, Reynardine

Van Halen

5/5

It's so fitting I got this on a Saturday in June. This is such a classic, windows rolled down in the summer kind of album, long a favorite. On the short list for best debut album ever to be sure. Out of the box, these guys were just perfect and so distinctive sounding. Nobody sounded like them, and for a good decade, countless bands chased that sound, unsuccessfully. Roasting hot licks and insane, virtuosic solos from Eddie. Perfect, hard driving rhythm section in Michael and Alex. One of the most mesmerizing and enjoyable front men ever in Dave. Slammin', roaring, swaggering fun. Turn it up and ROCK. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love, Eruption/You Really Got Me, Jamie's Cryin', Runnin' with the Devil, Atomic Punk, On Fire, Little Dreamer, Feel Your Love Tonight, I'm the One, Ice Cream Man

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Dead Kennedys

4/5

If you were angry and disaffected in the 1980s, the Dead Kennedys were your band. There is a singular anger and urgency to this music that's startling the first time you hear it. It's noisy, snotty, hectic, and full of attitude. But there's more. There's point of view and and a sharp satirical edge. The comparisons to the Sex Pistols are apt, except DK are smarter, more musically sophisticated, more politically minded, and not at all concerned with their own image. Their lyrics are far more caustic and outlandish. But sometimes they're also incredibly incisive. "Kill the Poor" is basically "A Modest Proposal" for the nuclear age. 40 years on, some of the politics feels almost quaint (like, who would write a song about Jerry Brown now?), but some of it is still timely in today's political climate. Jello Biafra's vocal is perfect for this kind of music - authoritative, pissed off, occasionally snide and/or bemused. This isn't for everyone, but it's a really important album in the development of American punk and hardcore, and it's never boring. High 3, bumped to 4. Fave Songs: California über alles, Funland at the Beach, Viva Las Vegas, Holiday in Cambodia, Stealing People's Mail, When Ya Get Drafted

Tanto Tempo

Bebel Gilberto

3/5

Warm, languid, elegant, easy on the ear. At a certain point it all starts to sound alike, but I enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Samba da Bênção, Mais Feliz, Tanto Tempo, Samba e Amor, Lonely

Want Two

Rufus Wainwright

5/5

I don't usually give fives to more recent albums, but this album was enthrallingly good. Musically it has a bit of an old world sensibility with artful, gorgeous arrangements. Rufus Wainwright's vocals are splendid, a bit torchy, but in the best way. With a voice suited for both pop and theatre, there's a pathos in his voice and his lyrics that feels really personal and honest. What a pleasure to listen to. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Peach Trees, The Art Teacher, The One You Love, Memphis Skyline, This Love Affair, Hometown Waltz, Old Whore's Diet, Gay Messiah, Little Sister, Agnus Dei, Crumb by Crumb, Waiting for a Dream

Truth

Jeff Beck

5/5

Twisty, bendy, bluesy, trippy, surprisingly heavy. There really isn't anything Jeff Beck can't do with a guitar. What I love about a Jeff Beck album besides his innate awesomeness is that in the early stuff, we also get to hear Rod Stewart. These two sound so perfect together and their work together is really some of their finest. Beck elevates the quality of Stewart's singing while Stewart's presence keeps Beck from stylistically wandering too far into the weeds. Beck is a guitar nerd's guitarist. In some ways he's not as listenable as some of his peers who are less talented than he is. He's off searching for new ways to bend a note while others could teach him a thing about editing and how to use a hook. It's still pretty brilliant, next level playing and exhilarating to hear. For any small flaw I might find, this is still a 5. "Beck's Bolero" and "I Ain't Superstitious" are worth the price of admission all on their own. Oh and would you look at that supporting list of players? Ronnie Wood and Micky Waller give a necessary backbone and counterweight to Beck's guitar, and Nicky Hopkins on piano is brilliant. I also love how artists supported each other's work and would show up on each other's albums back in the day. I mean, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page AND Keith Moon? Come the freak on. This is great. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I Ain't Superstitious, Beck's Bolero, Let Me Love You, Shapes of Things, Rock My Plimsoul, You Shook Me, Blues Deluxe, Ol' Man River, Greensleeves, Morning Dew

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

5/5

Marley/the Wailers have better albums, but this is still a great collection. Musically it's just so rich and soulful. The mixture of the personal and the political is always interesting in the band's work. They always give you food for thought, delivered so sweetly. Although I prefer political Marley to love songs Marley,, "Stir It Up" is just one of the loveliest songs I've ever heard. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite, "released album"): No More Trouble, Midnight Ravers, Stir It Up, Kinky Reggae, Concrete Jungle, Slave Driver, 400 Years, Stop That Train, Baby We've Got a Date (Rock It Baby)

Southern Rock Opera

Drive-By Truckers

4/5

I think some reviewers here are missing the point on what Southern Rock Opera is all about. You should go back, listen to Randy Newman's Good Old Boys, and then come back to Southern Rock Opera. Just because a lyric states something (about the "South" rising again, for instance), that doesn't mean the line was delivered unironically, or from a perspective that the songwriter doesn't want you to critique. You'll appreciate this album more if you understand that. This is an amazing album. It's smart, lyrically and musically ambitious, and it rocks really hard. It's one of the best recordings of the past 25 years, and has really stood the test of time. Drive-By Truckers is the only band I can think of that ever really captured the musical vibe of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but it's even deeper than that. This is a fully fleshed out, beautifully crafted examination of what "the Southern thing" is, that sense of identity, ghosts and burdens of the past included. But they never hit you over the head with it. The message is nuanced, the tragedy of history framed through the smaller tragedy of what happened to Lynyrd Skynyrd. The storytelling is simple, but really impactful and frequently haunting. That final three song sequence of "Shut Up and Get on the Plane"/"Greenville to Baton Rouge"/"Angels and Fuselage" is ominous and heartbreaking. Fave Songs: Birmingham, Women Without Whiskey, 72 (This Highway's Mean), Zip City, Plastic Flowers on the Highway, Angels and Fuselage, The Southern Thing, Let There Be Rock

The Rise & Fall

Madness

3/5

You know, from the handful of songs I'd heard from Madness over the years, I never would have expected that they had this type of album in them. But this was a really surprising and interesting album. Musically and lyrically, the album is smart, charming, catchy and well crafted. It has a certain quaintness and North London-ness about it that definitely calls to mind something like the Kinks' Village Green Preservation Society, in the best way. "Our House" stands as one the best pop songs of its era, one that holds up nicely all these years later. "New Delhi" has not held up quite so well, for obvious reasons (that album cover doesn't help). That's a shame, because it's one of the band's more musically creative songs. Album was not available on Spotify, but can be found on YouTube. Fave Songs: Our House, Primrose Hill, Tomorrow's (Just Another Day), Rise and Fall, Blue Skinned Beast

Bright Flight

Silver Jews

3/5

Great moody alt-country vibe. Excellent balance of the twangy and the dissonant. It took me a couple of songs to settle into David Berman's vocal style, but it works here. Will definitely revisit this. Fave Songs: Transylvania Blues, Room Games and Diamond Rain, I Remember Me, Death of an Heir of Sorrows, Slow Education

Jack Takes the Floor

Ramblin' Jack Elliott

3/5

This was an enjoyable listen. Simple, bare bones, good humored folk. I really like Elliott's laid back, slightly sweet vocal style, and his guitar picking is solid. Fave Songs: Salty Dog, Boll Weevil, New York Town, Mule Skinner Blues, San Francisco Bay Blues, Cocaine

All Mod Cons

The Jam

5/5

This is a brilliant album, not a bad song in the lot. What I enjoy about it is seeing how the Jam is evolving musically, to a more nuanced and sophisticated sound. The punchier style the band developed on their first two albums is still in there, but it has matured, with confident, melodic hooks, and surprising forays into psychedelia and jazz-pop. Paul Weller's ability to craft a lyric has developed tremendously here too, with vivid imagery and sly social commentary. I could listen to this all day. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, It's Too Bad, In the Crowd, Fly, To Be Someone (Didn't We Have a Nice Time), English Rose, Mr. Clean, All Mod Cons, David Watts, 'A' Bomb in Wardour Street, The Place I Love, Billy Hunt

Headquarters

The Monkees

3/5

For all the grief they took for being "prefab" during their time, the Monkees were actually a pretty talented group of performers. These songs are a testament to that, with some really charming, well-produced and highly listenable pop confections. This is an especially fun album if you're only familiar with the Monkees' hits, lots of surprisingly interesting stuff. You can hear shadows of the Beatles and the Byrds and everything in between in these songs. But we never entirely hear who the Monkees are. I genuinely like many of the songs here. The musicianship is solid, with some lovely melodies and beautiful guitar work. The vocals are crisp and spot on. But in the end it all just feels a little hollow. I think "Zilch" really made that point for me. It's an empty headed obverse of other musical experimentation going on at that time, made by far better bands. I had heard the song before, presumably on the TV show, but for some reason it bugged me today. Fave Songs: Randy Scouse Git, For Pete's Sake, I'll Spend My Life with You, You Told Me, You Just May Be the One

The Doors

5/5

This album is a darkly poetic masterpiece, definitely one of the best debut albums ever. There really isn't another band who ever sounded like the Doors, but their influence is massive on countless bands who came after them. It's brooding, artful, sexy and deeply cool. Despite these songs' ubiquity in our culture over the last 50+ years, musically the album still comes off as quite adventurous, with slow burning, strange progressions and loose arrangements. Both lyrically and sonically, these songs were always about exploration and opening your mind ("breaking through," as it were) to possibilities of the mind and body, the possibilities of music. The band also is broadly appealing and just so much fun to listen to. It's music that makes you think that also happens to totally rock. Yeah, "Alabama Song" is a weird outlier that probably didn't need to go on here, but it's also kind of fun. Happy to give this a 5. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Soul Kitchen, Break on Through (To the Other Side), The Crystal Ship, The End, Light My Fire, Twentieth Century Fox, Take It as It Comes, End of the Night, I Looked at You, Back Door Man, Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)

Sail Away

Randy Newman

5/5

Musically charming, understatedly elegant arrangements. Sly, unsentimental, frequently cynical lyrics. Randy Newman is a treasure. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Sail Away, Last Night I Had a Dream, Memo to My Son, Lonely at the Top, God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind), Political Science, You Can Leave Your Hat On, Old Man, Dayton, Ohio - 1903, He Gives Us All His Love, Burn On, Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear

Heartbreaker

Ryan Adams

3/5

I had some hopes for this album just based on "To Be Young," which a is fun, energetic song. But the album actually is far more quiet and downbeat for the most part. Maybe I have to be in the mood, but I found the album just dragged for the most part. Fave Songs: My Winding Wheel, To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High), Come Pick Me Up, Amy, In My Time of Need

A Short Album About Love

The Divine Comedy

3/5

I can only take Neil Hannon's idiosyncratic, Scott-Walker-lite vocal style in small doses. But I really enjoyed the big, sweeping sound. This sounds like some long lost orchestral pop gem out of the 60s. Fave Songs: I'm All You Need, Timewatching, Someone, Everybody Knows (Except You), In Pursuit of Happiness

Mermaid Avenue

Billy Bragg

5/5

I saw this album pop up today and and knew, this is going to be a great day. I really love this album. I listen to it frequently and have several songs in my regular rotation. So if you came to me and asked me to choose an artist who could take original lyrics from Woody Guthrie and frame them musically in a way that's fresh, yet totally captures Guthrie's complexity as a songwriter... Billy Bragg immediately would be my first pick. Wilco wouldn't necessarily have come to mind, but the partnership they have on this album is so special. In fact, Bragg + Wilco (+ Guthrie) is one of the most compelling musical collaborations I've ever heard. The way they support and complement each other musically is beyond words. Guthrie's lyrics are gorgeously, plain-spokenly eloquent. They're sometimes strident, sometimes quite sad, but also so much fun. But this is Billy Bragg's show, really. His pathos and sensitivity, his humor and cheekiness, these are what drive the songs on this album and really bring Guthrie's words to life. Wilco's presence adds a musicality and pop sensibility that really brightens the overall feel of the album as well. The songs are equal parts joyous and contemplative, funny even at times. They're warm and laid back, and clearly everyone is having a blast. A surprise Natalie Merchant appearance is icing on the cake. What a delight to hear. What. A Delight. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): California Stars, Walt Whitman's Niece, Another Man's Done Gone, Birds and Ships, Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key, The Unwelcome Guest, Eisler on the Go, Hesitating Beauty, One by One, At My Window Sad and Lonely, I Guess I Planted, Ingrid Bergman, She Came Along to Me, Christ for President, Hoodoo Voodoo

Something/Anything?

Todd Rundgren

4/5

There's something about Todd Rundgren that's hard to nail down. It's also what makes him a fascinating artist to me. Rundgren is clearly talented. He has a natural ability to create pop music with charming melodies and clever lyrics. His mastery of songcraft seems like something he takes for granted. He knows he could just record "Hello It's Me" a hundred times over and he would have been a huge star. But he doesn't want to do that; clearly that bores him. He has an experimental and somewhat impish inclination underneath it all. Sometimes he just likes to follow that into whatever weird corners it may take him. That's Something/Anything? in a nutshell. It's my contention that all great power pop is a little quirky to outright weird. I imagine a lot of that can be traced to Todd Rundgren in general, and this album in particular. Rundgren comes in strong at the beginning, with infectiously catchy pop hooks and one of the more engaging vocals in pop music. His musicianship is surprisingly nimble, as he negotiates a variety of styles. But there's always a little edge to everything he does. The more accessible stuff is chased with a hodgepodge of random silliness, noise and strange playful diversions that often seem like they're musical in-jokes between Todd Rundgren and, well, himself. Some people will hate that. All that said, on balance, this is a really fun album that's never boring. It has two of the most iconic pop songs of the 70s ("Hello It's Me" and "I Saw the Light") as well as a number of exceptional deep tracks that are well worth the price of admission. It's an enjoyable listen that's also very forward thinking for its time. Fave Songs: Hello It's Me, Couldn't I Just Tell You, I Saw the Light, It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, Dust in the Wind, You Left Me Sore, Saving Grace, Torch Song, Marlene, One More Day (No Word), Cold Morning Light, Sweeter Memories, Black Maria, The Night the Carousel Burned Down

Can't Buy A Thrill

Steely Dan

5/5

I know some fans consider Can't Buy a Thrill to be an outlier in their catalog, and they don't especially care for it. But it's actually one of my favorites, not just from Steely Dan, but one of my favorite albums period. It's the kind of album I can put on repeat for hours. Fagen and Becker made some masterpiece albums after this one, but Can't Buy a Thrill is easily their most accessible work. There's a softness and more laid back quality to the sound here that's absent from a lot of their later work. But the band's trademark elegant arrangements and musical creativity are all here, as well as Fagen's cagey and unsentimental approach to lyricism. There are the obvious hits that everyone knows, but every track here is a home run. You can drop the needle anywhere on here and you'll land on a gem. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Kings, Only a Fool Would Say That, Reelin' In the Years, Fire in the Hole, Dirty Work, Do It Again, Midnite Cruiser, Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me), Change of the Guard, Turn That Heartbeat Over Again

Chris

Christine and the Queens

1/5

This album is deeply boring. Bland vocals. Uninspired arrangements. Flat, tinny beats. Respect to Letissier/Chris for living her truth, but this album is like a clone of the most boring, formulaic aspects of pop music in the 80s. Fave Songs: Don't have one. Doesn't Matter and Girlfriend are probably the least annoying to me.

Sheet Music

10cc

3/5

I consider myself to be a pretty tolerant person when it comes to most music. But I have never quite connected with 10cc. The musicianship is solid, the lyrics are amusing, and many of their arrangements are pleasant enough to hear. But they have a peculiar manner of vocal styling that runs somewhere between distracting and straight up annoying. They also have a tendency to make sharp tonal shifts mid-song that I don't love. See also: Annoying. Not sure whether to admire their creativity, or call it a day on these guys and go listen to Sparks, who work in a similar vein but are much better at it. As I come back for an additional listen while I write this, it strikes me that the lyrics and the vocal style are far better suited for something like musical theatre/rock opera than they are for a rock band. Approach it from that perspective and it makes more sense. I'm still not a fan, but the album improves on multiple listenings. Fave Songs: The Wall Street Shuffle, Old Wild Men, Silly Love, Somewhere in Hollywood, Baron Samedi

New Boots And Panties

Ian Dury

3/5

Quirky, bawdy and irreverent, but also oddly charming at times. Deliberately noisy but whimsical as well, drawing on a wild variety of musical influences, from jazz and music hall to rockabilly. Ian Dury is an acquired taste, but this album grows on you if you give it a chance. Fave Songs: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Blockheads, Clevor Trever, Plaistow Patricia, Blackmail Man, My Old Man, Billericay Dickie

Truth And Soul

Fishbone

3/5

Joyful, energetic, funky and soulful. Rocks surprisingly hard at times. Tonally it's a little all over the map, but this is still a pretty fun listen. Fave Songs: Ma and Pa, One Day, Pouring Rain, Freddie's Dead, Question of Life, Ghetto Soundwave

1989

Taylor Swift

3/5

Bubbly, catchy pop songs. Pleasant enough to listen to. Top notch for contemporary pop, but it mostly left me a little cold. Fave Songs: Bad Blood, I Know Places, This Love, Wildest Dreams, I Wish You Would, Shake It Off

69 Love Songs

The Magnetic Fields

3/5

Charming, bittersweet little songs about love in all its forms. I really like the idea of this album and it was pretty delightful to listen to for the most part. Musically it's really lovely, with a rich and varied range of styles. Lyrically it's clever, sometimes humorous and surprising. Let's be clear though. Not every song worked and this album could have been significantly shorter. I was quite tired of it by the time I hit the 3rd disk. I'm ultimately not sure of the value of a project like this, if your listeners are going to dismiss the final third or forget half your songs due to the sheer volume of it. I also think the collection would had worked better if both tonally and thematically, there had been more internal structures, like building it as a progression from the brighter aspects of love to the darker ones. Here, it feels like a hodgepodge, even though all the songs are supposed to exist in relation to each other. Fave Songs: All My Little Words, Long-Forgotten Fairytale, I Shatter, Absolutely Cuckoo, Meaningless, Busby Berkeley Dreams, World Love, Nothing Matters When We're Dancing, The Way You Say Good-Night, Epitaph for My Heart, My Sentimental Melody, I Think I Need a New Heart, Asleep and Dreaming, The Book of Love, I Don't Want to Get Over You, Promises of Eternity, I Can't Touch You Anymore, Blue You

Yank Crime

Drive Like Jehu

3/5

This was pretty good. Some of the songs are a little on the long side, but they have a progressive quality, so they don't really feel that long as you're listening to them. Atonal, screamy, effective use of noise. Rocks hard. I like it. Fave Songs: Sinews, Super Unison, Human Interest, Golden Brown, Luau

Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette

3/5

Full disclosure: I hated this album when it came out. The songs were freaking everywhere and I couldn't stand it. Nearly 30 years on, and I can see I can see why these songs resonated so deeply with a lot of women my age. It's a really strong album that's dark and incisive, but also with a legitimate pop sensibility. That's a hard balance to maintain, and Alanis Morissette has a knack for it. Fave Songs: Head over Feet, You Learn, Hand in My Pocket, Wake Up, You Oughta Know, Ironic

Exodus

Bob Marley & The Wailers

5/5

Rich, soulful, laid back, uplifting, beautiful. Musically gorgeous with surprisingly diverse and nimble instrumentation. Moves lyrically between the personal, spiritual and political with an effortlessness that few artists are capable of. What a joy to hear. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Natural Mystic, Exodus, Waiting in Vain, Jamming, Three Little Birds, One Love/People Get Ready, Turn Your Lights Down Low, Guiltiness, The Heathen, So Much Things to Say

Boston

5/5

This is a perfect rock album, one of the truly great albums of the last 50 years and a strong candidate for best debut album ever. This is music made for blasting loudly out of car speakers on a summer day. The songs are catchy and a blast to listen to. What else do you need? Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): More Than a Feeling, Peace of Mind, Foreplay/Long Time, Something About You, Rock & Roll Band, Hitch a Ride, Smokin', Let Me Take You Home Tonight

Shalimar

Rahul Dev Burman

3/5

Fun, a little jazzy, a little spicy, a little trippy, frequently elegant. Makes me curious to see the film. Fave Songs: Aaina Wohi Rehta Hai, Naag Devta, Romantic Theme, Mera Pyaar Shalimar, Title Music (Shalimar)

Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches

Happy Mondays

4/5

Scuzzy, funky and vibrant. A genre-defining work that's also a delight to listen to. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Step On, Loose Fit, Dennis and Lois, God's Cop, Kinky Afro, Bob's Yer Uncle, Harmony, Holiday, Donovan, Grandbag's Funeral

A Northern Soul

The Verve

3/5

A serviceable if forgettable mid-90s Britpop/shoegaze album. Nothing wrong with it really. It has a couple of interesting songs and seems to improve on repeated listening. Fave Songs: Drive You Home, History, No Knock on My Door, (Reprise), So It Goes

KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)

Ministry

4/5

Hard driving, dark and grimy. Really effective use of loops, static, noise. Did I mention this freaking rocks? Brilliant. Fave Songs: N.W.O., Jesus Built My Hotrod, Hero, Scarecrow, Just One Fix

Odelay

Beck

5/5

No one is creative in quite the same way as Beck Hansen. His music is incredibly adventurous while also being very deliberately crafted. It has a loose and diverse feel stylistically, floating effortlessly through sounds and genres like colors on a painter's palette. The songs are funky and groove-full, blippy and noisy, insouciant but playful, and gleefully strange. This is an incredibly engaging and fun album to listen to. Fave songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The New Pollution, Where It's At, Devils Haircut, Ramshackle, High 5 (Rock the Catskills), Lord Only Knows, Sissyneck, Hotwax, Readymade, Minus, Derelict, Novacane, Computer Rock

Dub Housing

Pere Ubu

4/5

I was leery going in, seeing how low this album is in the global stats. But I have to tell you, I really enjoyed this. Probably what a lot of people are reacting to is David Thomas' atonal anti-vocals. If you can get past that, this album is a lot of fun. It's a gleefully freaky, noisy odyssey of warped, jangling guitars, squonks, blips, and shambolic rhythms. It reminds me at times of the Talking Heads, the Residents, Devo... but this band is totally doing their own unique thing as well. I like this more each time I hear it. Bumping from a high 3 to a 4. I may be in the minority, but I'll take Pere Ubu any day of the week over the overproduced, soulless music most people listen to. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): On the Surface; (Pa) Ubu Dance Part; Navvy; Codex; I, Will Wait; Drinking Wine Spodyody; Thriller!; Dub Housing; Blow Daddy-O; Caligari's Mirror

Songs Of Love And Hate

Leonard Cohen

4/5

This album has one of the most beautifully dark and melancholic songs ever made, the brilliant "Famous Blue Raincoat." Most of the other songs fail to measure up to it, but this is still a solid collection. Cohen's rich vocals and penchant for writing vivid, poetic lyrics are at full strength on this album, and there is some really gorgeous guitar work. As is the case with much of Cohen's work, this album is a total mood and some may find it gloomy. Fave Songs: Famous Blue Raincoat; Avalanche; Joan of Arc; Sing Another Song, Boys

Synchronicity

The Police

5/5

The Police were the first band I can remember that I loved, who broke up. At the time, it was shocking. Like, why wouldn't they just go on playing... forever? Listening to Synchronicity again today, I can see what I didn't see then. This album is the culmination of everything the band had been doing up to that point, and the completion of a circle. The songs are pretty terrific, perfectly arranged, some of the band's best, most complex and musically diverse work. There aren't really any notable flaws to this album, the strangeness of "Mother" notwithstanding (a song I actually like). What isn't on this album is the sense that band enjoyed making it. This is an album by three great artists who are ready to move on to other things, and from each other. I respect and enjoy this album enough to give it a 5. It's one of the great albums of that era. But they have other albums I love more. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Every Breath You Take, Wrapped Around Your Finger, King of Pain, Synchronicity I, Synchronicity II, O My God, Tea in the Sahara, Miss Gradenko, Walking in Your Footsteps, Murder by Numbers, Mother

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

4/5

It's weird how this incredibly iconic song from the Stones (many might argue their best) sits atop an album where it kind of doesn't belong. It's darker and more lyrically compelling than the balance of the album, which mostly contains songs in that laid back bluesy sound the Stones are known for. In a sense this album is a course correction for the band, from their attempts at psychedelic experimentation on Their Satanic Majesties Request. The band is in top form as always here, but half the songs feel like high quality filler. Ultimately the album is a fun listen, but their best albums have yet to come. Fave Songs: Sympathy for the Devil, No Expectations, Factory Girl, Street Fighting Man, Salt of the Earth

Let It Bleed

The Rolling Stones

5/5

Okay, now that's a 5 star Rolling Stones album. I pulled Beggars Banquet yesterday and debated with myself whether I should give it a 4 or a 5. After listening to Let It Bleed today, I know I was justified in giving Beggars a 4. I've listened to the Let It Bleed album many times over the years, and it never ceases to be an exhilarating experience. It's part of Rolling Stones lore how this album was recorded during a contentious time for the band, resulting in the firing of Brian Jones and then followed by his death. I can't say that you can hear all that in these songs, because I don't think you can. But there is an emotional intensity to the songs on this album that feels different from the band's earlier work. It's delivered with that laid back, effortless vibe that is quintessential to the Stones. Their ability to move so naturally between country and blues is something no other band has ever been able to capture as well, to the point where anyone who tries is immediately compared to them. The songs are rich, warm, soulful, gritty, fun. The band is in top form here, with work from a murderer's row of supporting musicians like Al Kooper, Nicky Hopkins and Leon Russell. Not to mention Merry Clayton's spine tingling backing vocals and the freaking London Bach Choir. Book ended with two of the most compelling songs in rock history, this is a finely crafted album that sounds like it just descended to us from the heavens on a cloud. It's pretty perfect. Few albums have aged as well as this one, 50 years on. It's a true classic and a joy to hear, every time. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Gimme Shelter, Let It Bleed, You Can't Always Get What You Want, Country Honk, Live with Me, Love in Vain, Midnight Rambler, Monkey Man, You Got the Silver

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

The 13th Floor Elevators

3/5

Darkly weird and intense garage/psychedelic rock. The quality level is a bit uneven from song to song, but it's still pretty great. Highly innovative and memorable. Fave Songs: You're Gonna Miss Me, Roller Coaster, Thru the Rhythm, Splash 1 (Now I'm Home), You Don't Know

Skylarking

XTC

4/5

Lovely, smart, quirky pop songs. Lyrically clever, absolutely beautiful arrangements. There's a complexity and depth to these songs that lends itself to repeat listening. The album is new to me, but I imagine you could listen to this many times over and find something new and interesting every time. It's that kind of album. Fave Songs: Season Cycle; Ballet for a Rainy Day; 1000 Umbrellas; Sacrificial Bonfire; That's Really Super, Supergirl; Big Day. I didn't include "Dear God" in my rating, which wasn't on the original version of the album. It's the best song on the album, really brilliant. But musically it sounds like it doesn't belong with the others.

Fisherman's Blues

The Waterboys

3/5

This was a really distinctive sound that stood out in the sea of late 80s post punk and proto alternative. It's warm, earthy, nuanced music with a strong pop sensibility, but also a lovely traditional vibe. The album is a little on the long side and could have benefitted from dropping a couple of songs. Fave Songs: We Will Not Be Lovers, Fisherman's Blues, Strange Boat, Sweet Thing, And a Bang on the Ear, When Will We Be Married?

Immigrés

Youssou N'Dour

5/5

Oh, this is wonderful. Joyful, richly arranged, musically gorgeous songs. Youssou N'Dour has really found the sweet spot where traditional Senegalese sounds blend perfectly with hints of Western pop, funk and jazz. The synths are actually pretty restrained and balanced for that era, so I don't know why anyone would single them out for criticism. Overall, this is really splendid. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Taaw, Badou, Immigrés/Bitim Rew, Pitche Mi

Groovin'

The Young Rascals

4/5

Catchy pop tunes that are genuinely soulful and fun to listen to. Top notch late '60s music. Fave Songs: Groovin', How Can I Be Sure, A Place in the Sun, It's Love, A Girl Like You, You Better Run

Oedipus Schmoedipus

Barry Adamson

3/5

Dark, jazzy, occasionally dissonant and strange. If you imagine this album as Adamson did, like a soundtrack, some of these songs work really well, like "Dirty Barry" or "State of Contraction." The effort to sound dark and seedy is occasionally overwrought, but I appreciate the creativity overall. Fave Songs: In a Moment of Clarity, State of Contraction, The Sweetest Embrace, Miles, The Vibes Ain't Nothin' but the Vibes

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Stevie Wonder

5/5

You know, Songs in the Key of Life and Innervisions get more attention than Fulfillingness' First Finale, but this really is a splendid album. It's got everything you love in a Stevie Wonder album. It's warm, soulful, sweet, musically diverse, gorgeously arranged, and technically pretty perfect. It's also so much fun to listen to. This one is going into my regular rotation. I absolutely love it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, They Won't Go When I Go, Boogie On Reggae Woman, You Haven't Done Nothin', Please Don't Go, Too Shy to Say, It Ain't No Use, Bird of Beauty, Smile Please, Creepin'

Country Life

Roxy Music

5/5

Country Life is arguably the best album Roxy Music ever made. The band has refined a lot of the more experimental/proggy aspects of their sound here, resulting in a really stylish, richly composed group of songs. But it's also still really musically diverse and full of all kinds of surprises. The band uses all the elements you might find in more mainstream music at that time - the bluesy piano, the saxophone, the guitar solo, the funky bass, the soulful vocals. But the band is painting with different brushes here. Their sound is more dramatic, artful, sensual, campy and strange. It elevated expectations for what you could do in in a rock or pop record in ways that changed how music would sound for years. This is the kind of album you can listen to endlessly and never get bored with it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Out of the Blue, Casanova, The Thrill of It All, Triptych, Bitter-Sweet, Prairie Rose, A Really Good Time, All I Want is You, Three and Nine, If It Takes All Night

No Other

Gene Clark

3/5

Some beautifully orchestrated, thoughtfully written songs with a solid roster of musical talent. It's a surprisingly underheard work, and a must hear if you have an interest in country rock. Fave Songs: The True One, Some Misunderstanding, Strength of Strings, From a Silver Phial, Silver Raven

Rattlesnakes

Lloyd Cole And The Commotions

3/5

The most striking thing about this album is Lloyd Cole's use of narrative songwriting. It's really nuanced and unique for its time, like reading a series of really clever short stories. Musically, the songs are pleasant fare with alternatingly jangly and jagged guitars and subdued melodies. Cole's sometimes wavering vocal style takes a little getting used to, but it's still a solid listen. I find I'm enjoying this more each time I hear it. High 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs: Perfect Skin, 2cv, Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?, Four Flights Up, Down on Mission Street, Patience

Time Out Of Mind

Bob Dylan

5/5

Beautifully rendered songs, atmospheric and bluesy. Dylan's vocal may have aged a little, but it suits the subject matter of these songs perfectly. His delivery is spot on, his songwriting dark, mournful and heart rending. This album is a total mood, but I enjoyed it immensely. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Tryin' to Get to Heaven, Not Dark Yet, Million Miles, Standing in the Doorway, Dirt Road Blues, Cold Irons Bound, Highlands, 'Til I Fell in Love with You, Love Sick, Make You Feel My Love, Can't Wait

Nick Of Time

Bonnie Raitt

3/5

This album is very much of its time, but taken on its own, it's quite good. Bonnie Raitt is an exceptional guitarist, but her playing is fairly polished and restrained on these songs. The arrangements are pleasant and musically tight, with Raitt incorporating a really strong supporting group of musicians. But the focal point is really Raitt's gorgeous, silky vocals. The songwriting is strong, although Raitt is only credited as writer on 3 of the songs. A little bit of grit would have improved this album immensely, but it's still a solid listen. Fave Songs: Thing Called Love, I Ain't Gonna Let You Break My Heart Again, Nick of Time, Too Soon to Tell, Have a Heart, Nobody's Girl, The Road's My Middle Name

The Pleasure Principle

Gary Numan

4/5

Cold, minimalist, occasionally lovely synth pop. This is a striking, immersive musical vision of a mechanized future, with a sound that sticks with you. Gary Numan lacks the warmth and soulfulness of many of the post punk-influenced electronic bands that would follow him in the 80s, but I think that's very much the point of this album. It makes him less fun to listen to than some of those bands, but his imprint on the electronic genres that came after him is hard to ignore. "Cars" is the obvious star track, one of the great songs of that era. Fave Songs: Cars, Metal, Films, M.E., Complex

Imagine

John Lennon

5/5

This is arguably the best of John Lennon's solo albums. It's certainly the one I would point to as being most representative of his work. If you want a sense of who John Lennon was as an artist, it's pretty much all on this album. The disarmingly direct lyricism, the acid-tinged vocal, the offbeat pop sensibility, the fondness for roots rhythm and blues, it's all here. The title song is massive, of course. It looms over the rest of the album more than it should. Part of that is less about the song "Imagine" itself, and more about how the song has been appropriated in various ways over the years. It's probably one of the most well known, well-loved, and overplayed songs of its time, but there's a reason for that. It's an absolutely lovely, perfectly crafted song, delivering a universal sentiment both sweetly and plainspokenly. It's incredibly rare for a song to have such broad appeal that spans across decades. It's Lennon's triumph as a solo songwriter. The range of the other songs is broad, touching on themes personal and political. The tone can be playful and jaunty, intimate and introspective, strident and biting. I don't know about other people, but I feel like I know a little more about John Lennon every time I hear this album. Not a single bad song on here, a real pleasure. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Imagine, How?, Oh My Love, Jealous Guy, It's So Hard, How Do You Sleep?, Oh Yoko!, Crippled Inside, Gimme Some Truth, I Don't Want To Be A Soldier

Heaven Or Las Vegas

Cocteau Twins

4/5

Shimmering, dreamy musical confections. Gorgeous arrangements elevated by Elizabeth Fraser's ethereal vocals and expressionistic lyrical style. Listening to this album is the musical equivalent of floating on a cloud. At its best, this is some of the loveliest music you'll ever hear. The quality of the individual songs is a little uneven, but it's overall still a joy to listen to. Launches me straight back to my sophomore year in college. Fave Songs: Cherry-Coloured Funk, Iceblink Luck, Heaven or Las Vegas, Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires, Pitch the Baby, Wolf in the Breast

Trafalgar

Bee Gees

3/5

This is a lovely album, full of sweeping, string-laden arrangements and heartfelt vocals. The sound is pretty downbeat and slow moving, gloomy even, so it's a bit of a mood. Lyric-wise, I'm less than impressed. Some of these songs feel more like writing exercises than fleshed out ideas. I mean... "there's beautiful sand" in Israel? I hope they got support from the Israeli tourist board for that one. That said, the talent of the Brothers Gibb is unmistakable, even on the more lackluster songs. They have some of the most unique, powerful vocals in pop music and a real natural talent for songcraft. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is an achingly gorgeous song, one of their best. Fave Songs: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Don't Wanna Live Inside Myself, Walking Back to Waterloo, Trafalgar, Israel, Somebody Stop the Music

Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Lucinda Williams

4/5

Earthy, languid, bittersweet and sexy. Effortless, bluesy sound that probably launched a hundred alt-country bands, all inferior. This is such a perfect listen for a late summer afternoon. Fave Songs: I Lost It, Metal Firecracker, Right in Time, Can't Let Go, Drunken Angel, Still I Long for Your Kiss, Joy

Treasure

Cocteau Twins

5/5

Had this album on constant play back in the 80s, but I hadn't revisited the whole thing in probably 30 years. Absolutely lovely, one of the great albums of that era. I agree with those who say that some of the technological aspects of this album's sound seem a bit dated. But you can't argue with that vibe, which sounds rather timeless. Darkly lovely, exotic and ethereal music. Gorgeous, haunting arrangements and one of the most striking uses of vocals I've ever heard. This is an outstanding album by one of the most unique and influential bands in music, arguably their best. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Persephone, Beatrix, Lorelei, Otterley, Donimo, Pandora (for Cindy), Aloysius, Amelia, Ivo, Cicely

Dance Mania

Tito Puente

4/5

At last! An album in Spanish! It only took 414 days to get here, for Pete's sake. This album was a lot of fun to listen to. Musically, it's top notch with impeccable musicianship across the board. The songs are warm, joyful and jazzy. It's impossible to listen to this and not want to dance. Fave Songs: Agua Limpia Todo, Mambo Gozón, Cuando Te Vea, Saca Tu Mujer, Complicación

World Clique

Deee-Lite

4/5

I can't really think of a better name for this group. They truly are delightful. Dee-Lite was such a breath of fresh air in 1990. Nothing else sounded like them. Between the campy style and the out of this world bricolage of sounds, I think a lot of people treated them as a novelty or just didn't know what to do with them. But musically, Dee-Lite is no joke. Their blending of live playing and samples is so effortless and creative. Their collaboration with Q-Tip and funk masters like Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley, and Maceo Parker adds a depth you don't always get in club/house music, not to mention some serious musical street cred. Dee-Lite really captured in a bottle this club-centric energy that was so fresh at that time. The music is colorful, exuberant, groovy and soulful. It has a playful sense of humor, but not a whiff of irony. This is earnest and optimistic in a way that music hasn't been in a really long time. It's a real mood lifter and so much fun to listen to. Their subsequent albums lacked the same fire, but World Clique is a classic. Fave Songs: Groove Is in the Heart, Power of Love, Good Beat, What Is Love?, Deep-Ending, Who Was That?, Build the Bridge

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Beatles

5/5

What hasn't been said about Sgt. Pepper? Suffice it to say that this is a brilliant album and a major milepost in music as we know it. There were great albums before SP and great albums after it, but it was a true inflection point for the Beatles, as well as what our expectations should be of the album as an art form. I love how this album showcases the Beatles' individual personalities and varying musical tastes. Paul's English dance hall ditties... John's psychedelic exploration... George's embrace of Indian culture and mysticism... Ringo's likeable, just glad to be here vibe. The band glides easily across a broad range of styles and moods. But the music never feels forced and it never loses that deep pop sensibility that is central to the band's work. The two songs where Lennon and McCartney share writing credits ("She's Leaving Home" and "A Day in the Life") are two of the best songs the band ever recorded. My favorite little non-"Day in the Life" moment is that last 30 seconds of "Lovely Rita," which sound like they were created in a time machine. The songs are elegantly arranged and endlessly charming as well, toeing a line between artful and entertaining in a way few artists can touch. Musically, the band is at their creative best, the songwriting is nuanced and clever, and George Martin remains the steady, guiding force who helps pull it all together. Taken individually, some songs are stronger than others, but collectively, it's a powerful, memorable work, a real gem. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): A Day in the Life, She's Leaving Home, Lovely Rita, Getting Better, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Within You Without You, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, With a Little Help from My Friends, When I'm Sixty-Four, Fixing a Hole, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!, Good Morning Good Morning, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols

Sex Pistols

5/5

Never Mind the Bollocks is one of most influential albums of all time, and also one of the most entertaining. It was probably the gateway to punk for a lot of people over the years, including yours truly. Yes it's everything it was hyped to be: Sneering, acidic, hard driving and full of attitude. But it was also just so much fun to listen to. The songs are incredibly catchy, with a surprising pop sensibility. It's a shame that this is the Pistols' only studio album, but their impact on what was to come in music is immeasurable. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): God Save the Queen, Anarchy in the U.K., Liar, EMI, Submission, Holidays in the Sun, Seventeen, Pretty Vacant, Problems, No Feelings, Bodies

Hot Fuss

The Killers

3/5

Catchy Alt/Indie rock album with a big, resonant sound. Brandon Flowers' glam-tinged, dramatic vocal really sells it. Loses steam on the back half. Fave Songs: Mr. Brightside, Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, All These Things That I've Done, Somebody Told Me, Change Your Mind

The Who Sell Out

The Who

4/5

As a concept album, this one is off the charts unique. There's really nothing else like it. Considering it was released just 7 months after Sgt. Pepper, The Who Sell Out really put the world on notice that The Who weren't interested in playing by anyone's rulebook but their own. And it really put the band on the map as one of the more creative and musically talented bands in rock. The jingles are cheeky and clever and deliberately kind of annoying as they pop up between the more conventional songs. It's not quite drive time terrestrial radio-level annoying, but if you've ever commuted with the radio on, you get the joke. The songs themselves are a fun listen, some surprisingly charming and catchy. Pete Townshend's forays into the psychedelic are blaring, trippy and exhilarating. Contrasting the psychedelic elements with some of the more jangly, melodic fare makes for a nice diverse collection of songs. The star track of course is "I Can See for Miles." It's a swaggering, grandiose rocker with hard driving performances from Keith Moon and John Entwistle, as well as a classic vocal performance from Roger Daltrey. Fave Songs: I Can See for Miles, Can't Reach You, Relax, Our Love Was, Sunrise, Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

4/5

I wasn't hugely into this album when it came out, but I recall it being pretty universally liked. Held up against other popular music from 1985 it fits right in, with slick production, lots of hooks and a blusey edge. Most of the singles are straight up classics that have held up pretty well over time. Mark Knopfler's nuanced, impeccable musicianship and more mature lyricism is what elevates this above a lot of other music from that time. The keyboards admittedly sound a bit dated, and the quality of the individual songs is somewhat uneven. But on the whole this is a really enjoyable listen, one of the better rock albums of the mid-80s. Fave Songs: Walk of Life, So Far Away, Money for Nothing, Brothers in Arms, One World

1999

Prince

4/5

This is such a great album. The songs are playful, sexy, funky, danceable, and just so much fun to listen to. I don't think I fully appreciated this music back in 1982. In my defense, I was 11 years old and into, I don't know, Duran Duran or something. Listening to him now though, I can see how Prince is really a once in a lifetime talent. This was a pleasure to hear. Fave Songs: Little Red Corvette, 1999, International Lover, Delirious, D.M.S.R., All the Critics Love U in New York

I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

Richard Thompson

4/5

Gorgeous songs with lovely vocals and melancholy, sometimes deeply cynical lyrics. The arrangements are elegant, yet also expertly restrained. This is the album I would give to anyone who claims they don't like folk rock. Fave Songs: When I Get to the Border, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, Withered and Died, The Calvary Cross The End of the Rainbow, Down Where the Drunkards Roll

Honky Tonk Heroes

Waylon Jennings

3/5

Laid back, enjoyable listen. Classic Outlaw country album. I'll take this over what currently passes for country any day. Fave Songs: You Ask Me To, Honky Tonk Heroes, Omaha, We Had It All

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

5/5

The sign of a good song is when you're not ready for it to be over, and this album is full of them. Live At The Regal is not only an outstanding blues album, but it's also an exemplary live album. King is at the top of his game here, full of high energy and superb musicianship. The hollers and cheers of the crowd just add to the energy and joy of the performance. One of the best live albums I've heard on here yet. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Please Love Me; It's My Own Fault; How Blue Can You Get; Worry, Worry; You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now; You Upset Me Baby; Help the Poor; Sweet Little Angel; Every Day I Have the Blues

Crooked Rain Crooked Rain

Pavement

5/5

I was in college when this album came out, and I probably caught "Range Life" or "Cut Your Hair" on the radio at the time. But I never really took the time to get into Pavement's music. I'm happy to admit I was off the mark back then, because this album is pretty brilliant. It fits in perfectly with what was going on in music in 1994, but Pavement has a musical depth lacking in a lot of their peers. The album is musically much smarter than it pretends to be, kind of in the same vein as some of Alex Chilton and/or Big Star's work. There are some nice jangly country rock-ish sounds and hints of a melodic pop hook here and there. But it's layered under a prickly, noisy veneer with strategic uses of dissonance and quiet. Stephen Malkmus' laid back, slacker-y vocals belie some surprisingly poetic and affecting lyrics - musings on war, love, disaffection and self-doubt. This is the kind of album I just want to hear over in over because there's so much in there to hear. I really loved hearing it today. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Range Life, Stop Breathin, Silence Kid, Fillmore Jive, Newark Wilder, Cut Your Hair, Gold Soundz, 5-4=Unity, Unfair, Heaven Is a Truck, Hit the Plane Down, Elevate Me Later

Born To Be With You

Dion

3/5

It's great to hear another side of Dion, outside of his music with the Belmonts and his solo stuff from the 60s. The collaboration with Phil Spector is fitting for a vocalist like Dion, and when it works, the results are really lovely. There does seem to be a little stylistic tension though, between what you might expect in a Phil Spector-produced record and what I suspect is Dion's preference for more of a contemporary, singer-songwriter sound (see: "New York City Song"). The result is a somewhat uneven quality from song to song. Added to that, the album has a fairly slow moving pace and a bit of a dour mood overall. In the mid-70s, apparently that didn't play so well, but I think the album has actually aged remarkably well. It was really ahead of its time. Very high 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs: Only You Know, In and Out of the Shadows, Born to Be with You, New York City Song

The Next Day

David Bowie

4/5

This album was a spectacular return to form for David Bowie, who released it in 2013 after a decade-long hiatus. I would not have imagined he had an album this good in him at that point in his career, but this album really delivers at every level. Musically, the songs are jagged, artful and frequently intense. Lots of little musical threads that point back to Bowie's past works, which makes this really exciting for a fan to hear. Bowie is in perfect voice and his band is on fire. Loved listening to this today. Fave Songs: The Stars (Are Out Tonight), Dirty Boys, The Next Day, Valentine's Day, Where Are We Now?, Heat, How Does the Grass Grow?

Caetano Veloso

3/5

A really intriguing listen, kind of trippy, very much of its time. Veloso's vocals are smooth as butter, really lovely. Fave songs: Soy loco por ti, Eles, América, Alegria, Alegria, Paisagem Útil, Superbacana

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

Marty Robbins

3/5

Surprisingly enjoyable listen. Engaging storytelling, beautiful vocals. Marty Robbins goes for a very specific mood/vibe here, and he commits to it admirably. If you don't really love this kind of music, it can get a bit tedious in the middle. That said, "El Paso" is a really gorgeous song, a true classic of the genre. Fave Songs: El Paso, In the Valley, They're Hanging Me Tonight, Big Iron

Close To You

Carpenters

4/5

If there was ever an album that was a product of its time, this is it, in good ways and in bad. The Carpenters mostly worked in the old style of easy listening orchestral pop, which might not resonate with you if you're more inclined to more rock/soul/hip hop genres. You're missing something special though if you dismiss it. If you just lean into this music, it's so lovely to hear. Karen Carpenter's sweetly melancholy vocal is incredibly engaging and just elevates every song, even the less interesting ones. On the flip side, I'm not a big fan of Richard Carpenter as a vocalist. I will say that, coincidentally, three of my favorite songs on this album happen to be Richard Carpenter compositions. He has an unusual ear for instrumentation and arrangement that we probably don't talk about enough. There's a level of talent and craft that you just don't see in pop anymore. Fave Songs: (They Long to Be) Close to You, We've Only Just Begun, Another Song, Mr. Guder, Crescent Noon

Bummed

Happy Mondays

3/5

When I reviewed Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches a while back, I think I used the word "scuzzy" to describe the sound of Happy Mondays. I've got a say, that's about as spot-on a descriptor that I have ever applied to a band, so I'm going to use it here as well. I'll add that I mean it in the most complimentary way. It's hard to put my finger on what it is exactly about them, but these guys are really entertaining. This is not Happy Mondays' best album, but it's a lot of fun. The band have yet to refine their funky, ramshackle sound (inasmuch as they ever do), resulting in a bit of a loose, musically untethered group of songs with a great groove. Interestingly enough, I think the looseness is really is part of its charm. They really own this genre. Fave Songs: Lazy Itis, Mad Cyril, Wrote for Luck, Country Song, Performance, Brain Dead

Opus Dei

Laibach

3/5

Okay wow, I didn't know exactly what I expected from this album, but kicking it off with a German-language version of "Live is Life" was exactly not it. So, thanks for that, I enjoyed it. I can imagine this as the soundtrack of some dystopian film where the post punks have taken over the state apparatus. I mean that in a good way, believe it or not. This is some weird, wackadoo stuff, but it's actually kind of fun. Laibach has a unique way of balancing some pretty darkwave vibes, militaristic sounds and imagery with the campy and theatrical. It's surprisingly entertaining. I didn't mind this at album all, although I probably can't see myself throwing it on again for any other purpose except to prove to myself that I didn't imagine it. Fave Songs: Trans-National, Leben - Tod, Opus Dei

Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds

4/5

Great album, among the best of its day and certainly one of the best the Byrds ever put out. The guitar work is gorgeous and innovative and probably launched a hundred bands. There is the requisite amount of silly experimentation you find in rock albums of the late '60s, which makes some the album seem a little unfocused. But on the whole musically, this is an incredibly lovely and vibrant collection of songs. Fave Songs: Have You Seen Her Face, So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star, My Back Pages, The Girl with No Name, Why, Thoughts and Words, Everybody's Been Burned

Psychocandy

The Jesus And Mary Chain

5/5

I have always enjoyed music by artists who really know how to use noise. I don't mean simply being noisy or being loud, which anyone can do. I mean artists with an ability to take noise - notes, feedback, fuzz, distortion - and employ it as a musical instrument in its own right. On Psychocandy, The Jesus & Mary Chain really embraces noise in beautiful and unsettling ways, always pushing against what we think we should expect from music. A lot of artists have done this to varying degrees, but J&MC is beyond next level in their talent for it. This music is unabashedly noisy and somehow also gorgeously melodic when they want it to be. To be sure, this isn't meant to be an easy album. It's piercingly dissonant and probably has induced quite a few earaches over the past 35+ years. But the cumulative effect of what they've created really is like an inverse of the wall of sound idea. It's difficult, noisy to be sure, but surprisingly beautiful if you can just let the sound wash over you. I loved this album when it came out and am pleased to see that it has held up beautifully over time. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The Hardest Walk, Just Like Honey, You Trip Me Up, Cut Dead, My Little Underground, Something's Wrong, Sowing Seeds, Taste of Cindy, Taste the Floor, Inside Me, Never Understand, In a Hole, It's So Hard, The Living End

Live At The Harlem Square Club

Sam Cooke

5/5

A lot of artists record live albums, often in big arenas. Something is definitely lost with that approach, and that's the intimacy of an album like Sam Cooke's Live At The Harlem Square Club. You really feel like you're in the room with Sam Cooke here, it's such a pleasure to hear. Both Cooke and his band are in top form, and the ambient sounds of the crowd really bring a feeling of pure joy. That's the whole point of making a live album, to transport the listener to the in-person experience. Sam Cooke nails it here. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Bring It On Home to Me, Nothing Can Change This Love, Having a Party, Twistin' the Night Away, Cupid, Chain Gang, Somebody Have Mercy, Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons, Feel It (Don't Fight It), Soul Twist/Introduction

Tonight's The Night

Neil Young

4/5

Earthy, raw, haggard sound. The album starts out shaky, but just gets progressively better as you go, until it's pretty damn excellent. The hurt underpinning these songs is palpable, to the point where it feels almost intrusive listening to it. But wow, what a journey. I feel like I've learned a lot about Neil Young listening to this album. Fave Songs: Albuquerque, Tired Eyes, Lookout Joe, Roll Another Number (For the Road), New Mama, Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown, Tonight's the Night

Daydream Nation

Sonic Youth

5/5

I have always felt that Sonic Youth made great albums, but that frequently their work is brilliant, but flawed. Daydream Nation though... this is the album where they got everything right. You have all the really beautiful wandering experimentation in feedback and noise the band is known for, but it's a bit more restrained and structured. I don't know how they manage to be so catchy and dissonant at the same time, but they do it. Occasionally, there are even moments of true loveliness. It may still be a difficult listen for some, but for me it's exhilarating to hear. Fave Songs (All songs from most to least favorite): Teen Age Riot, Silver Rocket, 'Cross the Breeze, The Sprawl, Total Trash, Candle, Kissability, Hyperstation, The Wonder, Rain King, Eliminator Jr., Eric's Trip, Hey Joni, Providence

Casanova

The Divine Comedy

3/5

I think I said this the last time I got a Divine Comedy album to review, but this sounds like it comes from another time. The difference really would be that Casanova mostly falls flat emotionally compared to the old orchestral pop sound The Divine Comedy is trying to emulate. I guess that's probably the point, but it doesn't make for a particularly engaging listen. Musically, the band is certainly interesting and Neil Hannon's performance has a certain aloof, theatrical flair. But it's hard to care about these songs or want to hear them again. The exception would be "Songs of Love," which is a delight. Fave Songs: Songs of Love, A Woman of the World, The Dogs & the Horses, Theme from Casanova, The Frog Princess, Through a Long & Sleepless Night

Lam Toro

Baaba Maal

3/5

This is a pleasant enough listen, although more subtle and less dynamic than other West African music I've heard. Not super memorable as an album. Fave Songs: Daniibe, Sy Sawande, Gidelam, Olel, Hamady Boiro

Heavy Weather

Weather Report

3/5

Jaunty, funky, rich with diverse musical influences. Not really my thing, but there's some top notch musicianship here. Fave Songs: Palladíum, Birdland, Teen Town, A Remark You Made

All That You Can't Leave Behind

U2

4/5

I don't have too much to say about this one, except that this was a really solid album by U2, their last really good one. I know some people aren't fond of the back to basics approach here, but I think it's a wonderfully thoughtful and down to earth collection of songs. There's a beauty in its simplicity. Fave Songs: Beautiful Day, Elevation, Wild Honey, Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of, Grace

Crocodiles

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

This is a pretty fantastic debut album from Echo and the Bunnymen. Jagged, yet darkly beautiful vibe. There isn't a flaw to speak of on it except that it lacks the variety and depth of their later works. But wow, what a great start. Fave Songs: Do It Clean, Rescue, Crocodiles, Stars Are Stars, Pictures on My Wall, Happy Death Men

Rock Bottom

Robert Wyatt

3/5

Quirky, fascinating. Some great layered, tonal experimentation that I really liked. Definitely not for everyone. Fave Songs: Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road (2), Sea Song, Alifib, Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road (1)

Kick Out The Jams (Live)

MC5

4/5

This rocks so hard. Hard driving, shambolic, visceral. Uncompromisingly badass. Love it. Fave Songs: Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa), Kick Out the Jams, Borderline, Motor City Is Burning, Come Together

Deloused in the Comatorium

The Mars Volta

4/5

This was really good. Trippy, creative, hard driving and free-ranging. Lyrics are completely obtuse, but I don't even mind. A lot of subtle moving parts in these songs. I imagine you'd hear something new every time you listen to it. Fave Songs: Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Inertiatic ESP, Drunkship of Lanterns, Eriatarka, Son et lumière, Televators

Among The Living

Anthrax

4/5

Anthrax was never really my thing, but you've got to respect the high level of musicianship that went into this record. Anthrax really are a tight machine of a band. There is no fat in this music, not a single unnecessary note. I would also add that Anthrax is pretty cool because they straddle the line between punk and metal better than just about any band. That's a hard balance to maintain, and they've pretty much perfected it. Fave Songs: Indians, One World, Caught in a Mosh, Among the Living, Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)

Back To Black

Amy Winehouse

3/5

Musically, this is pretty great. The band is soulful, smooth, hip as hell. There's also a rawness to Amy Winehouse's lyrics and delivery that's really compelling and keeps the songs from getting overly pretty. Although there's a nugget of something wonderful in just about every song here, Winehouse is still less impressive as a vocalist or songwriter than I expected/hoped her to be. Fave Songs: Some Unholy War, Back to Black, Just Friends, You Know I'm No Good, Wake Up Alone

The Idiot

Iggy Pop

5/5

As a casual listener of Iggy Pop over the years, I really would not have guessed that Iggy had this kind of album in him. It's exceptional, probably the best he's ever done. I love it more each time I hear it. David Bowie's fingerprints are obviously all over this. It has a lot of the markers of a late 70s Bowie album, the disciplined use of repetition and dissonance, the little touches of soul. But what Iggy brings to the table is his punk sensibility, as well as his trademark authoritative, yet detached vocal style. He also wrote most of the lyrics, which were dark and surprisingly artful. It's a collaboration that really works, one I don't really want to stop listening to. Fave Songs (All songs from most to least favorite): China Girl, Mass Production, Baby, Nightclubbing, Funtime, Dum Dum Boys, Tiny Girls, Sister Midnight

Rid Of Me

PJ Harvey

3/5

Intense, visceral, rocks surprisingly hard. Fave Songs: Rid of Me, Missed, 50ft Queenie, Dry, Ecstasy, Man-Size Sextet

Coles Corner

Richard Hawley

3/5

Charming, earnestly old fashioned pop with sleepy, languid arrangements. Wears a little thin well before it's over, but I enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Just Like the Rain, Born Under a Bad Sign, The Ocean, Last Orders, I Sleep Alone, Hotel Room

Either Or

Elliott Smith

4/5

Darkly minimalist pop music with a hint of sweetness, but an overall bleak and airless vibe. Elliott Smith's songwriting is stunningly good, somehow incredibly vulnerable but prickly and painful to hear. Fave Songs: Say Yes, Between the Bars, Angeles, Punch and Judy, 2:45 AM, Ballad of Big Nothing, Rose Parade, Pictures of Me

Face to Face

The Kinks

5/5

This is possibly my favorite of the Kinks' earlier albums. You can really feel the beginnings of a distinctive sound they're defining for themselves, rather than the focus on playing American rhythm and blues that bedevils so many English bands of that era. Musically, the album is crisp and charming, with some fun baroque touches that give a lot of depth to the arrangements without sounding overly quaint. The whole album is a pleasure, but "Sunny Afternoon" is truly delightful. Fave Songs (All songs, from most least favorite): Sunny Afternoon, Little Miss Queen of Darkness, Holiday in Waikiki, Rainy Day in June, Rosy Won't You Please Come Home, I'll Remember, Dandy, You're Lookin' Fine, A House in the Country, Party Line, Fancy, Most Exclusive Residence for Sale, Session Man, Too Much on My Mind

Freak Out!

The Mothers Of Invention

4/5

I have always had a bit of a ambivalent relationship with the music of Frank Zappa. I respect him immensely. He's a mad genius with a solid crew of musicians backing him up. Flashes of brilliance abound in his work. But admittedly, I have limited patience for the looser, sillier aspects of his work. This album is a good place to start for someone like me. Challenging in spots but incredibly entertaining. The Mothers frolic in a whole range of styles that would have resonated with listeners at the time - doo wop, psychedelic, baroque pop, blues, garage rock, jazz. They do so with a level of musical creativity that is beyond next level. The songs are wacky, snotty, and somehow familiar, despite being deeply strange. The approach is always, always with tongues firmly planted in cheek. This album will probably never be a regular listen to me, but I kind of loved it. Fave Songs: Help, I'm a Rock; Trouble Every Day; The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet; Any Way the Wind Blows; Motherly Love; Wowie Zowie; Go Cry on Somebody Else's Shoulder

The Band

4/5

This is an amazing album by the Band. It's earthy, laid back and effortlessly cool. This music never gets old. Fave Songs: Up on Cripple Creek, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Look Out Cleveland, Rockin' Chair, Jemima Surrender, When You Awake

Fuzzy Logic

Super Furry Animals

3/5

This album has a sound that is a little hard to nail down. A little hodgepodge and hectic, but occasionally fun. Ultimately forgettable. Fave Songs: Something for the Weekend, Frisbee, Hometown Unicorn, If You Don't Want Me to Destroy You, Long Gone

Foo Fighters

4/5

Made on a bit of a lark after the death of Kurt Cobain, this was the album that revealed the sly talent Dave Grohl had been keeping to himself. The sound is a little rough, but there are some real flashes of talent here, as well Grohl's strong pop sensibility, which really elevates a lot of these songs nicely. The fact that this is basically Grohl playing all the parts himself is really impressive. The lyrics are a little cryptic, but no more than most of Grohl's peers at the time. Fave Songs: Big Me; Exhausted; Floaty; I'll Stick Around; For All the Cows; Oh, George; X-Static

Woodface

Crowded House

3/5

Pleasant, melodic pop music. Not Crowded House's best album, but it was nice hearing the Finn brothers together again. Tim brings a little of the old Split Enz kookiness that you don't really expect on a typical Neil/Crowded House album. It's mostly welcome, but the hidden track at the end seems out of place/just odd. Fave Songs: Four Seasons in One Day, Fall at Your Feet, It's Only Natural, Chocolate Cake, There Goes God, Whispers and Moans, Weather with You

White Ladder

David Gray

3/5

Perfectly pleasant, low-key folk-pop. Good background music, like something you'd hear in a cafe ca. 2000. Nothing I'm likely to come back to, but I enjoyed it well enough. Fave Songs: Sail Away, Silver Lining, Nightblindness, This Year's Love, Babylon

Dusty In Memphis

Dusty Springfield

3/5

Really lovely. Dusty's sweet, soulful voice is a pleasure to hear. The languid, rich arrangements are a whole mood, but they also tend to drag down the energy of the whole album. Fave Songs: Son of a Preacher Man, No Easy Way Down, The Windmills of Your Mind, I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore, So Much Love

Damaged

Black Flag

4/5

Powerful, fierce hardcore punk, a classic among classics. Pissy, hard driving, badass, and also just a lot of fun. This is an album that grabs you from the first riff and and does not let go. I love how they burn though 15 songs in 35 minutes, like a freaking brush fire. Fave Songs: Rise Above, Police Story, Room 13, What I See, Damaged I, Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie, Life of Pain, Padded Cell

The Sensual World

Kate Bush

4/5

As Kate Bush albums go, this isn't particularly one of my favorites, but it's still leagues beyond much of the musical landscape in 1989. Her sound is a bit more restrained and accessible than in her earlier works, with rich arrangements and Bush's trademark ethereal vocals. It's a less-is-more approach from an artist we know has the capability to go for something much more extravagant. And it works. Fave Songs: This Woman's Work, Love and Anger, Rocket's Tail, The Fog, Heads We're Dancing, Never Be Mine

Shaft

Isaac Hayes

3/5

I was hopeful for this album, given that I like what I've heard of Isaac Hayes. Also this album is clearly important in how it how it elevated Black music and changed the way R&B music was used cinematically. It's worth a spot on this list simply for being groundbreaking in those ways. But ultimately I didn't find many of the songs to be particularly engaging. As a soundtrack album you want to sit all the way through, this album really didn't do it for me. The vocal tracks are terrific I will say. I wish more of that energy had carried over into the instrumentals, which have a great funky vibe, but tend to sound dated. "Theme from Shack" is a classic cut that never gets old. Fave Songs: Theme from Shaft, Do Your Thing, Soulsville, No Name Bar, Walk from Regio's

Sign 'O' The Times

Prince

4/5

This was wonderful. Sexy, soulful, funky, marvelously textured arrangements. Arguably Prince's best album. Fave Songs: U Got the Look, Slow Love, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, Starfish and Coffee, Adore, If I Was Your Girlfriend

Locust Abortion Technician

Butthole Surfers

4/5

Every time I get a bottom ranking album, I approach it with a little bit of dread, but I really liked this album. Musically it's pretty excellent, and more clever than I expected it to be. Noisy and trippy, grinding and grungy, gleefully weird, sometimes with a dash of humor. Love the experimentation with distortions and noise. The outlier is "22 Going on 23," which is dark and twisted, but brilliant. Fave Songs: Sweat Loaf, Human Cannonball, 22 Going on 23, Graveyard, Pittsburgh to Lebanon, Kuntz

System Of A Down

3/5

I'm very much not a fan of nu-metal, but this is probably as good as the genre ever got. Musically this is quite creative, with a great frenetic energy to it. Not really my thing, but for what it is it's top notch. Could have been shorter. Fave Songs: Soil, Spiders, Suggestions, Know

Rage Against The Machine

4/5

Riveting, uncompromising music that hits you like a punch to the gut. The band rocks extremely hard, but is also full of funk. I really like the balance they tread between slow burning menace and those throttling bursts of energy. I don't think anyone does that better than RATM. The message continues to resonate, even 30 years after it came out. Fave Songs: Killing in the Name, Bullet in the Head, Know Your Enemy, Settle for Nothing, Freedom

Survivor

Destiny's Child

3/5

Classic millennial R&B. Vocals are lovely. Arrangements are very much of that era, but excellent. Starts really strong, but overall it gets old pretty quick. Fave Songs: Independent Women Part I, Survivor, Emotion, Dangerously in Love, Bootylicious, The Story of Beauty

Reign In Blood

Slayer

3/5

A brutal, thrashy classic. Lacks the musical sophistication or versatility of Metallica or Megadeath, but still powerful, hard driving music that grabs you from the start and does no let go. The lyrics are vividly extreme and intentionally repellant. If you can get past that, this is one of the best metal albums out there. Undeniably belongs on this list.

Third

Portishead

4/5

Wow. This is probably going to end up being one of my favorite new-to-me albums that I'm encountered on here. It's pretty brilliant. Dark, moody, eerie, evocative sound. Nicely layered arrangements, with a Kraut rock-inspired vibe. The use of dissonance was really inspired. It's is incredibly difficult to take something ugly and make it sound pretty, and the bands excels here at that. Fave Songs: We Carry On, Plastic, Machine Gun, Hunter, Small, Magic Doors

New Wave

The Auteurs

3/5

This is a pleasant enough to listen to album of Britpop. I initially was a bit underwhelmed, but as the album progresses I think the songs improve. On repeat listenings, I imagine this could grow on you quite a bit. Fave Songs: How Could I Be Wrong, Early Years, Idiot Brother, Don't Trust the Stars, Home Again

Pieces Of The Sky

Emmylou Harris

4/5

It's always a pleasure to listen to Emmylou Harris' sweet, angelic voice. This album is a really nice collection that highlights her versatility and never ceases to be charming. The elegantly heart-rending "Boulder to Birmingham" is the obvious star track of the album. But Harris also shines on the covers, including an unexpectedly gorgeous, expressive rendition of "For No One." Fave Songs: Boulder to Birmingham, For No One, Before Believing, The Bottle Let Me Down, Too Far Gone, If I Could Only Win Your Love

Quiet Life

Japan

4/5

Kicking myself for not giving this album a chance sooner, because it was fantastic. With strong roots in Bowie and especially Roxy Music, Japan is part of that first wave of New Romantic and synth pop that would be everywhere within 3 or 4 years of when it came out in 1979. The sound is slick and stylish, but also subtly soulful and musically without any real flaws. In fact, as much as it's influenced by Roxy Music, in some ways Quiet Life is a tighter, better-executed album than a lot of Roxy's later stuff. I also feel like this is the album Duran Duran probably wish they made. The whole band is a tight machine here, but Mick Karn deserves extra props for some splendid work on bass and sax. If I have a critique, it's that the album loses a little steam on the back half. But I had a lot of fun with this one and will definitely come back to it. Fave Songs: Quiet Life, Despair, Fall in Love with Me, Alien, The Other Side of Life

Let's Get Killed

David Holmes

3/5

Groovy, trippy, great flow. This could have been just a hodgepodge of borrowed sounds on repeat, but it feels very unified. I really enjoyed this. Fave Songs: Freaknik, Caddell Returns, My Mate Paul, Radio 7, Gritty Shaker, Slashers Revenge

São Paulo Confessions

Suba

3/5

Brazilian/acid jazz fusion by a Serbian! Who knew? Great chill sound, very evocative. Starts a little flat, but improves as it goes. By track 3 I was all in. Fave Songs: Samba Do Gringo Paulista, Antropófagos, Sereia, A Noite Sem Fim, Na Neblina

Eli And The Thirteenth Confession

Laura Nyro

3/5

This is the kind of album that takes a bit for me to warm up to, but it was a pleasant listen. The layered vocals and arrangements are a bit of an acquired taste, but it's definitely a creative, unique sound. Laura Nyro's bold, expressive, somewhat torchy vocals are charming in their way. But I don't know that I need 56 minutes of her. Fave Songs: Stoned Soul Picnic, Sweet Blindness, Woman's Blues, Lu, Luckie

Bone Machine

Tom Waits

5/5

This album came out when I was in college. It's the first Tom Waits album I had heard all the way through, and the first one I ever bought. Looking back, this must have been fairly grim and weird listening for college-age me. But I appreciated the darkness and the depth of it. This was grittier and grungier than anything Seattle had to offer in 1992, without Waits feeling a need to be loud about it. Waits has always done a great job of balancing between his noisier and quieter impulses, and this album is no different. As I said before, grim. There's a heaviness and airlessness to these songs that stands out starkly in contrast to anything else in music. But it's like peeking at a wound that hasn't healed. Waits paints a landscape that's hard to look away from. These songs are sometimes dirgeful and vulnerable, sometimes disturbing or just plain creepy. But they're never boring. Waits has other albums I listen to more often, but I enjoyed coming back to this one today. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): A Little Rain, Who Are You, Goin' Out West, I Don't Wanna Grow Up, That Feel, Earth Died Screaming, All Stripped Down, Jesus Gonna Be Here, In the Colosseum, Whistle Down the Wind, Murder in the Red Barn, Black Wings, Such a Scream, Dirt in the Ground, Let Me Get Up on It, The Ocean Doesn't Want Me

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)

Motörhead

4/5

Excellent live album. I like how it jumps immediately into "Ace of Spades." No time for chatter, just rock. This is peak Motörhead, all muscle, no fat, and really as good as anything they've done in the studio. Enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Ace of Spades, The Hammer, Bomber, Motörhead, (We Are) The Road Crew, Capricorn

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

5/5

Easy 5. I wasn't always a fan of Neil Young, but this is the album that hooked me, where it finally clicked how brilliant the man is. It's easily my favorite Neil Young album, and for my money, his most perfectly realized work. Young strikes a balance here between his trademark grit and some really lovely songcraft that few artists are able to do. This is just his second solo album and he hits it out of the park, revealing his incredible depth as a musician and expressiveness as a vocalist and songwriter. His ability to move from prickly and dark to warm and introspective is effortless and enthralling. Every song on here is a gem. I could go on all day, but I think I'll just go listen to it again. Album was not available on Spotify, but is easy to find on YouTube. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Cowgirl in the Sand, Down by the River, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Round & Round (It Won't Be Long), The Losing End (When You're On), Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets), Cinnamon Girl

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

4/5

It's tempting to give this album 5 stars reflexively, just based on one song, a song that happens to be one of the greatest songs ever recorded. But if I'm being honest, this is a solid 4 album with a couple of exceptional 5+ star tracks. That takes nothing away from the fact that Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs is a beautiful album that's always a pleasure to hear, one of the great albums of its era. This is laid back, bluesy stuff with an undercurrent of longing and sadness that brings a lot of depth to the sound. Yeah, there's a pronounced self-indulgence on some of these songs that gets to be a bit much. But when that self-indulgence results in "Layla," I'll listen to it gladly anytime. Fave Songs: Layla, Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?, Little Wing, Anyday, Bell Bottom Blues, I Am Yours

The Rising

Bruce Springsteen

5/5

This is an album Bruce Springsteen had to make. It's probably one of the first albums made in the wake of 9-11 that grappled with the events of that day. It's also Bruce's first real full-length album of new material since 1995's The Ghost of Tom Joad. As Jersey's favorite son and an artist whose collective work is bound inextricably to New York, there was a weight on him to put his thoughts on record, a feat he accomplishes admirably. He could be talking about any tragedy, which is probably what makes this album work. 9-11 was brutal, and something I certainly don’t like to think about at all. But The Rising takes all the confusion and grief of living through a traumatic event and allows us to process and work through it with these songs. It's not linear either as you can see. There are bright moments and grim moments and moments of questioning and anger, and they all live together in you at the same time. That's a very real way of thinking about loss. I still have a bit of a fraught relationship with The Rising. I listen to Springsteen a lot, every day in fact. Several of the songs on this album are among my favorites and there are other songs I actively avoid. This isn't an album I listen to straight through often at all. So I was struck today what a good album this is as a whole. Bruce's more recent works sometimes can be a little hit and miss, but this one is really tight musically. The band is in top form and each song flows beautifully into the next. The themes of love and faith weave elegantly through the songs and he lands in a place of hope. We really needed this in 2002, but the songs still resonate deeply, 20 years on. I wasn't initially inclined to give this a 5, but this is really a testament of what you do with music, and it's one of Springsteen’s finest. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The Rising, Further On (Up the Road), Into the Fire, Nothing Man, Waitin' on a Sunny Day, My City of Ruins, You're Missing, Countin' on a Miracle, Mary's Place, Lonesome Day, The Fuse, Empty Sky, Worlds Apart, Paradise, Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)

Slipknot

3/5

Not really my thing, but a strong album and an impressive debut. The album is tightly structured in a way that really serves the band's sound well. The songs are generally brief, many coming in under three minutes, with super tight percussion-driven pacing. Yes, it's loud and aggressive, but it moves along briskly and never drags or gets boring. It's also not super hard on the ears compared to a lot of Nu Metal. Apparently Slipknot doesn't like being classified as Nu Metal, with good reason. They're better than most of those bands. My main quibble is that the album could have been 2 or 3 songs shorter. Fave Songs: Eyeless, Surfacing, Prosthetics, Diluted, (sic), Tattered & Torn

Court And Spark

Joni Mitchell

4/5

This is a lovely album. There's a surprising level of nuance in these songs that you rarely see in pop or rock music. Joni Mitchell's vocals are wonderful, her voice so much richer and more mature sounding than on her earlier albums. Fave Songs: Help Me, Down to You, Car on a Hill, Trouble Child, Just Like This Train, People's Parties, Free Man in Paris

Repeater

Fugazi

3/5

Excellent album that was ahead of its time musically. Unique basslines... rowdy, riff-heavy guitars... solid, propulsive beat. Ian MacKaye has sounded better, but I prefer his vocal to Guy Picciotto. Fave Songs: Merchandise, Brendan #1, Repeater, Greed, Shut the Door

Pink Moon

Nick Drake

5/5

A spare, melancholy masterpiece. I'm honoring this by not saying another word. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Pink Moon, Place to Be, Things Behind the Sun, From the Morning, Road, Which Will, Horn, Parasite, Harvest Breed, Free Ride, Know

Hot Buttered Soul

Isaac Hayes

3/5

Soulful, decadent, beautifully arranged. Sexy as hell. More than a little self-indulgent. That 8+ minute intro to "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" is brutal, but overall this is a pleasure. High 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Walk On By, Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic, One Woman, By the Time I Get to Phoenix

The Fat Of The Land

The Prodigy

4/5

One thing I like about taking on this 1001 project is having the opportunity see how artists evolve from album to album. Fat of the Land is an excellent example of this. I listened to Music For The Jilted Generation a few months ago and liked it well enough, but this album is far superior. It shows tremendous growth in the band. The album is tighter, more polished and more focused. The band has lost some of their grit in the 3 years between albums, but this is a case study in how you can trim away the rawness of your sound without losing your edge or your power. This is an album with a clear musical point of view, memorable songs, strong beats. And it has aged really well. I enjoyed this. Fave Songs: Firestarter, Breathe, Climbatize, Funky Shit, Narayan, Mindfields

Scott 4

Scott Walker

3/5

I've never been a huge fan of Scott Walker's music. But I will say this, I respect where Walker is coming from. He's a unique performer, with a distinctive, resonant vocal style and an ear for unusual arrangements. Although his lyrics can get a little murky, they can also be quite poetic. I had a hard time getting into the groove of this album, but I especially liked side 2. Fave Songs: The Old Man's Back Again, Duchess, Angels of Ashes, Get Behind Me, The Seventh Seal

Iron Maiden

4/5

I kind of came into this with a bit of a Bruce Dickinson bias, but this was a pleasant surprise. I'm happy to report that this album stands up just fine on its own merits in Iron Maiden's discography. It's beautifully done. It's an album full of flourishes, but never feels overwrought or self-indulgent. Every note counts. This is an interesting album, because it sits on the cusp between classic 70s prog and 80s metal. It also sits on the cusp of Iron Maiden's evolution as a band. There are threads of what would become band's signature sound already evident in these songs, with dramatic arrangements, a strong rhythm section, and some excellent guitar work. Paul DiAnno's vocal is obviously really different from you might expect if your main interaction with this band was through the later albums. Had he stuck around, Maiden would have been a very different band. But I enjoyed this quite a bit. I could listen to this album a lot. Fave Songs: Transylvania, Prowler, Phantom of the Opera, Running Free, Remember Tomorrow

Nixon

Lambchop

3/5

Musically I found this interesting enough, charming even at times. But that strained vocal by Kurt Wagner did nothing for me. I'm a fan of unconventional vocals. But this guy sounds like he revels in the fact that he's not even trying. Fave Songs: Grumpus, You Masculine You, The Distance from Her to There, The Book I Haven't Read

Nevermind

Nirvana

5/5

Many words have been spent talking about Nevermind over the past 30 years, to the point where it kind of loses its impact. But it's really a once in a lifetime kind of album, in part because of its quality, but equally due to its timing. It was the perfect album for its time and it really changed the way music would sound moving forward. The album comes off now as somewhat more polished than I remember it being when it came out. There's also more variety in these songs than I remembered. Rough edged ragers like "Territorial Pissings" and "Endless, Nameless" perfectly complement the surprising hookiness of songs like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come as You Are." The sensibility of the album is pure punk, but it's also incredibly catchy and it quite simply rocks hard. Every track isn't necessarily a standout track, but as a whole you can't really fault this album as all. It's outstanding. Fave Songs (All Songs from most to least favorite): Come as You Are; Smells Like Teen Spirit; In Bloom; Stay Away; Drain You; Breed, Lithium; Something in the Way; Endless, Nameless; On a Plain; Lounge Act; Territorial Pissings; Polly

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

3/5

As Leonard Cohen albums go, this one is rather uneven and strange. Lyrically the album is as rich and poetic as anything we might expect from Cohen, but he struggles a little to land on a sound, leaning on a kind of limp, synth backed pop. "Take This Waltz" and "I'm Your Man" are the best songs on the album, with an honorable mention to "Everybody Knows." Bonus points for that album cover. Fave Songs: Take This Waltz, I'm Your Man, Everybody Knows, Tower of Song

Club Classics Vol. One

Soul II Soul

3/5

Fun but mostly forgettable early 90s club R&B. Very much of its time. Generally enjoyed it, but it's not one I'm likely to go back to. Fave Songs: Keep on Movin', Happiness, Holdin' On, Fairplay, Back to Life

Exile On Main Street

The Rolling Stones

5/5

Oh, I needed this one today. This is truly one of the greats. This is the album I probably would present to anyone who asked me what the big deal is about the Rolling Stones. I go back and forth whether Exile is the Stones' greatest album, or if Let It Bleed is. Let It Bleed has the advantage in that it's a shorter and tighter album with more standout tracks. Exile is more of a vibe, but what a vibe it is. And the album doesn't suffer from the self-indulgence that tends to plague double albums. This is the Stones in top fighting form, lean and mean as they ever were. The songs are earthy, laid back, bluesy and engaging. The energetic boogie of songs like "Rocks Off" and "Rip This Joint" draws you in, but it's easygoing, soulful fare like "Tumbling Dice" and "Sweet Virginia" that give this album its depth. The quality from individual song to song can be a little uneven, but on this whole this is a masterpiece. Fave songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Tumbling Dice, Shine a Light, Rip This Joint, Sweet Virginia, Torn and Frayed, Let It Loose, Happy, Loving Cup, Rocks Off, Shake Your Hips, Turd on the Run, Ventilator Blues, Stop Breaking Down, Casino Boogie, All Down the Line, Soul Survivor, Sweet Black Angel, I Just Want to See His Face

Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

4/5

Oh well, this is delightful. This is one of those albums that shows how something quite simple can be incredibly impactful. The sound is clean, crisp and melodic. The mood is sometimes infectiously jubilant, sometimes charmingly wistful. This is an album full of catchy hooks and engaging lyrics that is a joy to hear, even 60 years on. A real gem. Fave Songs: That'll Be the Day; Oh, Boy!; Not Fade Away; Maybe Baby; Rock Me My Baby; I'm Looking for Someone to Love

Calenture

The Triffids

3/5

This was an okay album, not a bad listen, but also not super memorable. It starts a little slow, but improves as the album progresses. Fave Songs: Open for You, Unmade Love, Hometown Farewell Kiss, Blinder by the Hour, Calenture

The Age Of The Understatement

The Last Shadow Puppets

3/5

This album isn't bad, but I found the attempts at more extravagant arrangements to be kind of overbearing. I usually love this kind of stuff, but this really didn't do anything for me. There were a few interesting tracks, but I'm unlikely to revisit this. Fave Songs: The Chamber, My Mistakes Were Made for You, Calm Like You, Time Has Come Again, I Don't Like You Anymore

John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic

4/5

Traffic has a knack for making rich, textured music that is also incredibly warm and effortless sounding. The band's musical sensibilities cover a broad range, encompassing rock, jazz and folk in ways that are quite unique. I can't really think of another band that sounds quite like this. This album as a whole is solid, with several classic Traffic songs on it. The band's musicianship is spot on, with Steve Winwood's soulful vocal elevating everything to the next level. I do have to be in the right mood to listen to this kind of music, but it's really excellent. Fave Songs: Empty Pages, Freedom Rider, Every Mother's Son, Glad, John Barleycorn

Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear

3/5

Well-crafted, nuanced album that can swing from sweeping orchestral to jaunty pop to hauntingly psychedelic. I started out very much not in the mood for this, but actually ended up enjoying it a lot. I'd like to come back and listen to it more, because this feels like an album that improves on repeated listening. Fave Songs: Cheerleader; Foreground; Two Weeks; About Face; Ready, Able; Dory

When I Was Born For The 7th Time

Cornershop

3/5

Charming, laid back 90s indie, rich with Indian influences and a hint of the psychedelic. It's enjoyable and quite unique, which I respect. But it was a bit long. I lost interest long before it was over. Fave Songs: Good to Be on the Road Back Home, Brimful of Asha, Good Shit, We're in Yr Corner, Chocolat

Debut

Björk

4/5

This is a striking album from one of music's most creative performers. It's gorgeously arranged and musically diverse. Sometimes jazzy, frequently housey, delightfully quirky, always Bjork. It's smarter than much of what was going on musically at the time it came out and there's still nothing in the world that sounds like her, even now. Fave Songs: Human Behaviour, Come to Me, Crying, Venus as a Boy, One Day, The Anchor Song

The Gilded Palace Of Sin

The Flying Burrito Brothers

5/5

I didn't always love this album, but it grew on me over time. It's the kind of album I could have on repeat all day long. It's one of the great seminal albums of country rock and has also got to be one of the best debut albums by a band ever. Musically, the Burritos are stellar, with gorgeous pedal steel guitar, heartfelt vocal harmonies, and disarmingly vulnerable lyrics. Gram Parsons' artfully flawed vocal style can be a bit of an acquired taste, but once you settle into it, it's really expressive and hauntingly beautiful. Fave Songs (All songs, from most least favorite): Hot Burrito #1, Dark End of the Street, Juanita, Wheels, Do Right Woman, Hot Burrito #2, Do You Know How It Feels, Sin City, My Uncle, Hippie Boy, Christine's Tune

Nighthawks At The Diner

Tom Waits

4/5

There's something really alluring, but also freewheeling and unsettled about this album. It's like wandering into a really great conversation where it takes you a minute to figure out the joke. But once you get there, it's so much fun. The musicianship is on point, and Tom Waits leans into his world weary persona with humor and heart. His vocal quality is really excellent here as well, and he probably never sounded more personable on record. What a blast. Fave Songs: Eggs and Sausage (In a Cadillac with Susan Michelson), Better Off Without a Wife, Warm Beer and Cold Women, Nobody, Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission), Nighthawk Postcards (From Easy Street)

The Seldom Seen Kid

Elbow

3/5

This was quite nice, with a rich sound and elegant arrangements. Nice diverse range of styles from song to song. This really does sound a bit like some lost Peter Gabriel album, doesn't it? Fave Songs: An Audience with the Pope, One Day Like This, Weather to Fly, Some Riot, The Fix, The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver

Exit Planet Dust

The Chemical Brothers

3/5

I wracked my brain for half an hour trying to figure out where I heard the melody in "Chico's Groove" before and I figured it out... it's very similar to "Trapped" by Bruce Springsteen. Now I can sleep. Seriously though, I enjoyed this album quite a bit. Top notch electronic music, really accessible, but smarter than most. A little trippy, a little atmospheric, just a spot of grit, never overbearing. Great flow, and a nice balance of styles. Fave Songs: Chico's Groove, In Dust We Trust, Three Little Birdies Down Beats, One Too Many Mornings, Alive Alone, Life Is Sweet

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

4/5

Lovely, soulful renditions of jazz and pop standards. Not a bad song on here really, but Charles really shines on the ballads. There are better versions of many of these songs out there, but this is pretty excellent. I would expect no less from Ray Charles. Fave Songs: Just for a Thrill, You Won't Let Me Go, It Had to Be You, Come Rain or Come Shine, Alexander's Ragtime Band, Let the Good Times Roll, Am I Blue

Copper Blue

Sugar

4/5

Bob Mould and company have a real gift for songcraft that I don't think I fully appreciated at the time this album came out. Mould never really got the credit he deserved for building the bones of all the music that came after him, but that's frequently the case with those who arrive early to the party. Musically, the band has a great buzzsaw burn of a sound, with a well-placed, economical use of distortion. But it's perfectly melodic as well and surprisingly catchy. That's an impressive balance that a lot of alternative bands never really captured as adeptly. Lyrically, there's a gloominess here that you kind of expect in this genre, but more with a deep sense of resignation and pathos than with anger. This is really excellent, something I want to just throw on repeat for a while. Fave Songs: Helpless, A Good Idea, The Slim, If I Can't Change Your Mind, Hoover Dam, Slick

Queens of the Stone Age

3/5

Fuzzy, sludgy, badassery that rocks hard. My only critique is that this could have been one or two songs shorter. Fave Songs: If Only, Regular John, Avon, You Would Know, How to Handle a Rope, Hispanic Impressions

Transformer

Lou Reed

4/5

This is such an inherently interesting album, full of well crafted songs that are so much fun to listen to. The real spark of this album lies in how Lou Reed tempers the darker, more prickly aspects of his sound with moments of sweetness and vulnerability. This is arguably Reed's best album. Fave Songs: Satellite of Love, Walk on the Wild Side, Perfect Day, Vicious, Goodnight Ladies, I'm So Free

Different Class

Pulp

4/5

Excellent Britpop album, really a high watermark for this genre. Strong pop sensibility, lovely arrangements, and incisive lyrics. Jarvis Cocker's vocals are posh and melodramatic in all the best ways. Fave Songs: Monday Morning, Something Changed, Otte, Mis-Shapes, Live Bed Show, Sorted for E's & Wizz, Common People

Made In Japan

Deep Purple

3/5

A solid live album, that has all the great Deep Purple songs you would expect to hear. The band is outstanding here, serving up technically perfect songs that are as good as or better than the studio versions. The album gets insanely jam-heavy in places, but mostly never ceases to be entertaining. Fave songs: Smoke on the Water, Highway Star, Child in Time, Space Truckin'

Suicide

4/5

Fuzzy, repetitive and dark. Minimalist sound with a rockabilly swagger and a recurring tension you could cut with a knife. Brilliant. Fave Songs: Ghost Rider, Rocket U.S.A., Johnny, Cheree, Che

American IV: The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash

5/5

I bought this album it when it first came out, so it was shortly before Johnny Cash died. I listened to it a lot after he passed, so some of these songs still hit me quite hard when I hear them now. It's definitely a pretty dour album, but listening today I also hear subtle moments of brightness, sweetness, attitude, humor. It's a final album by a man who is ready to meet his maker, but it also has a retrospective feel. It's like Cash is contemplating not only his mortality, but his career and his place in country music. Much has been said and written about Johnny Cash's collaborations with Rick Rubin, and rightly so. This is some of the most vital and surprising music of the past 25 years. The songs chosen for the album are an interesting and inspired mix, mostly covers of other artists, plus remade versions of several of Cash's earlier recordings. All are fitting for a singer of Cash's particular vocal abilities and for a man considering his life and career in retrospective. The title track sets the mood for the whole album - somber and jarring, but also jubilant in its way. The covers are a masterclass in how a singer can interpret the work of other artists without losing an ounce of their own musical vision. Some of these original songs are so well-known and hard to imagine as covers. But Cash makes them his own with a stark, yet expressive style that is so compelling. I mean, can you hear even NIN's version of "Hurt" anymore without recalling Cash's version? Backing Cash is a deep and surprising bench of musical talent. I don't think anyone but Cash could have inspired such a diverse group of artists to work with him - Don Henley, Fiona Apple, Marty Stuart, Nick Cave, Billy Preston, John Frusciante, Mike Campbell... it boggles the mind. What could have become a bloated production is instead a stripped-down masterpiece. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Hurt, Personal Jesus, In My Life, The Man Comes Around, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Desperado, Sam Hall, I Hung My Head, We'll Meet Again, Danny Boy, Streets of Laredo, Give My Love to Rose, Tear Stained Letter

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

5/5

This is one of my favorite Steely Dan albums. It's such a smooth listen, front to back. Laid back and refined all at once, with a rich, warm sound. This is probably one of the Dan's most accessible and perfectly realized works as well. No flaws, really. Lyrically, I like the combo of Donald Fagen's detached, incisive writing with some surprise moments of empathy and feeling. It's uncharacteristic for Fagen, and not something I look for in his songwriting, but I kind of dug it today. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Pretzel Logic, Night by Night, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Charlie Freak, Barrytown, East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, Through with Buzz, Parker's Band, Monkey in Your Soul, With a Gun

Pacific Ocean Blue

Dennis Wilson

3/5

This album was a lovely surprise. I wouldn't have necessarily thought that Dennis Wilson had this kind of an album in him. It's creative and expressive, with a mature but offbeat pop sensibility and a bit of grit. His sound has echoes of his work with the Beach Boys, but it's very much his own, fitting in squarely with what a lot of singer-songwriters were doing in the 70s. I really enjoyed this. Fave Songs: Thoughts of You, You and I, Pacific Ocean Blues, Time, River Song, Dreamer, Rainbows

Fuzzy

Grant Lee Buffalo

3/5

A big, emotive style, that makes me think of the Waterboys with a dash of U2. The album grew on me as it progressed, but much of it was unmemorable. Fave Songs: Grace, Stars 'n' Stripes, The Hook, Fuzzy, America Snoring

Ctrl

SZA

3/5

Musically this is interesting and grows on you as the album progresses. Some lovely arrangements and a pretty laid back vibe work well here. Lyrically, there is a openness and rawness that's a little uncomfortable, but really appealing. I'm less a fan of some of the more explicit stuff, but that's just me. Fave Songs: Prom, Drew Barrymore, Broken Clocks

Moon Safari

Air

3/5

Great low key, retro mood. I preferred the instrumental to the tracks with vocals. Fave Songs: La femme d'argent, Ce matin là, Talisman, Remember, Sexy Boy, You Make It Easy

Ogden's Nut Gone Flake

Small Faces

3/5

This was fun. Interesting mix of that classic Small Faces sound, with wanderings into psychedelia and prog. Well made album, quirky and full of creativity and charm. I was less of a fan of the conceptual bits of the second half, but it grows on you if you give it a chance. Fave Songs: Song of a Baker, Afterglow, Long Agos and Worlds Apart, Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake, Rene, Rollin' Over

Femi Kuti

3/5

Musically rich and groove-ful album. A really pleasant listen, but it runs a little long. Fave Songs: Stubborn Problems, Plenty Nonsense, Frustrations, Changes, Survival, Live for Today

Make Yourself

Incubus

2/5

I didn't get much out of this. Musically fine, vocals are flat, scratching is annoying. Mostly forgettable. Fave Songs: Drive, Clean, The Warmth

Public Image: First Issue

Public Image Ltd.

4/5

I can see why some people wouldn't respond well to this album, either for reasons musical or ideological. It's not the easiest listen. But I really am enjoying it. I like it better each time I hear it. It's crashingly noisy and provocative in all the right ways, with grinding guitars and in your face lyrics. John Lydon's urgent, pained vocal style is somehow both abrasive and engaging at the same time. As for the writing, wow. I think we take it for granted now because everyone is on social media and everyone has an opinion. But that "Religion" monologue is searing and dripping with contempt. In '78 it must have been pretty shocking to hear. Then the band goes ahead and repeats it again to music (you know, in case you didn't catch the point the first time around). We may call this post-punk, but that is just about the most punk think I've seen on an album yet. Bravo. High 4. Fave Songs: Public Image, Annalisa, Low Life, Theme, Religion II, Fodderstompf

Warehouse: Songs And Stories

Hüsker Dü

3/5

The obvious question here is what Husker Du thought they were accomplishing by making a double album. While the album is fine, there's nothing here that couldn't have been done on a single disk. Usually double albums reflect a desire of a band to expand their horizons. This feels more like a married couple having a child in lieu of getting divorced. Musically, the album is pretty good. There's just a fair amount of filler that shouldn't have made the cut. It's full of Husker Du's characteristic late-era stuff, which is a little more melodic, but still has a nice burn to it. In '87, this is several years ahead of the curve in terms of what alternative music would end up being, even if it's a bit lackluster compared to some of the band's other albums. I think I can say affirmatively though that I prefer the songs where Bob Mould handles vocals. In fact, if you lifted most of Grant Hart's songs from it, this would be a significantly better album. Fave Songs: Turn It Around, No Reservations, Ice Cold Ice, Standing in the Rain, Could You Be the One?, It's Not Peculiar, Actual Condition, Up in the Air

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Red Hot Chili Peppers

3/5

It's been about 30 years since I've really given this album a listen. It does show its age, but this was still a fun listen. This is the Chili Peppers at their best - funky, confident and gleefully libidinous. I'm less tolerant of the horndog vibe than I was at age 20, but I will say as a woman that this is more sex positive than exploitative or demeaning. There's just a lot of it. But for all the bravado, there are also surprising moments of introspection and vulnerability that really add a lot of depth to the album. Most importantly, the musicianship on here is no joke, just really excellent. There are quite a few songs that are ultimately forgettable, but the standout tracks are pure classics. High 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs: Give It Away, Breaking the Girl, Under the Bridge, Funky Monks, I Could Have Lied, The Righteous & the Wicked

Let's Stay Together

Al Green

4/5

An enjoyable, classic soul album, full of great songs. Honestly, if you're going to go for one Al Green album, I'd recommend a greatest hits package, because so many of his best songs are scattered across about half a dozen albums. But this was a pleasure to hear. The star track here is obviously "Let's Stay Together," and nothing else on the album comes close to measuring up to it. But Green brings charisma, depth and feeling to every song, and his band is top notch. Fave Songs: Let's Stay Together, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, La-La for You, I've Never Found a Girl (Who Loves Me Like You Do), So You're Leaving, Old Time Lovin

The Last Broadcast

Doves

3/5

This was quite good. Nicely textured sound that elegantly blends a pop sensibility with some moodiness and depth. I enjoyed it. Fave Songs: N.Y., Satellites, M62 Song, Last Broadcast, There Goes the Fear, Caught by the River

Group Sex

Circle Jerks

4/5

You've got to applaud the Circle Jerks for their brevity. I mean, wow. What a perfect 15-minute nugget of hardcore that burns brilliantly without overstaying its welcome. All muscle, no fat, minimal brains. What a blast. Fave Songs: Behind the Door, I Just Want Some Skank, Live Fast Die Young, Deny Everything, Back Against the Wall

Hypnotised

The Undertones

3/5

Shoots for something between a frenetic post punk and quirky pop, with mixed results. Starts off shaky but improves as the album progresses. There are a couple of real clunkers on here, but when they're good, this is catchy and quite a bit of fun. Feargal Sharkey's vocal is a real acquired taste, but he has one of the more unique and memorable styles I've ever heard. Fave Songs: Wednesday Week, The Way Girls Talk, Boys Will Be Boys, Nine Times Out of Ten, Tearproof, Hypnotised

Beauty And The Beat

The Go-Go's

4/5

There is a lot of pop music from the 80s we don't talk about anymore. So what is it about the Go-Go's? The Go-Go's so perfectly express a very specific time and place in music. They fit in just fine with a lot of the new wave of rock that came out in the late 70s to 80s. But this music has a nice California vibe as well. The songs are crisp, melodic and catchy, but they also have this hint of a retro edge that adds depth to the sound. It's also music that was made by young women for young women, which really resonated with fans in a way other bands didn't. The album is near flawless. Every song is perfectly placed, with little in the way of filler. And, above all, it's just a heck of a lot of fun to listen to. Fave Songs: Our Lips Are Sealed, This Town, Skidmarks on My Heart, How Much More, Fading Fast, We Got the Beat, Lust to Love

Billion Dollar Babies

Alice Cooper

5/5

Alice Cooper is one of those artists you might overlook because you don't think there is any substance behind that massive persona. I know I did for years. But, man, is this guy brilliant. What a big, elegantly crafted sound, so much better than it has any right or expectation to be. But it's also incredibly catchy and engaging, music that's really easy to just play endlessly on repeat. Cooper consistently surrounds himself with stellar musicians. His musical sensibilities cover everything from the prog to glam to pure pop and early rock and roll. And he makes it all work so effortlessly. His lyrics are smart, darkly funny, whimsically creepy, even surprisingly heartfelt. And they're probably all written with a big, wry smile. On top of all that, Cooper just rocks. He's so much fun to listen to. Not only is Billion Dollar Babies Alice Cooper's greatest album, it's one of the best albums of the 1970s. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): No More Mr. Nice Guy, Billion Dollar Babies, Mary Ann, I Love the Dead, Hello Hooray, Raped and Freezin', Elected, Generation Landslide, Unfinished Sweet, Sick Things

Machine Head

Deep Purple

4/5

When I think of Deep Purple, I immediately think of the high level of technical mastery the band had. They're really exceptional on pretty much every level. That makes the jamminess of some of these songs somewhat forgivable. I mean, if I could play like these guys, I'd probably indulge myself a bit with it too. The band is actually really good here at restraining themselves. This album is a mere 37 minutes of intense power blues/proto-metal that packs the punch of an album twice as long. There are several classic rock staples included on here as well as some forceful deep cuts that still burn 50+ years on. It's probably the best album Deep Purple ever made. Fave Songs: Space Truckin', Highway Star, Smoke on the Water, Pictures of Home

Maverick A Strike

Finley Quaye

2/5

Although this album isn't completely without its charms, it starts rough. The quality improves on the second half, but it's ultimately fairly forgettable. I had a hard time connecting with that vocal, which is frequently tuneless and doesn't sync with what's going on musically at the same time. Fave Songs: Your Love Gets Sweeter, Red Rolled and Seen, Sweet and Loving Man, Supreme I Preme

Atomizer

Big Black

3/5

I didn't really know what to expect here, but this is some really great industrial punk. From an American band, no less! I don't want to take away from the quality of the music, which is quite excellent. It's heavy and raw and raging and visceral and it quite simply rocks. I enjoyed it quite a bit. But some of the lyrics get pretty bleak and disturbing. Consider this your trigger warning if you are a survivor of abuse, I mean it. Fave Songs: Kerosene, Strange Things, Bad Houses, Passing Complexion, Bazooka Joe

Shaka Zulu

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

4/5

Really gorgeous. Warm, joyous, uplifting. I'm pretty sure I added a day to my life listening to this. Fave Songs: King of Kings, Golgotha, Lomhlaba Kawunoni, Unomathemba, Wawusho Kubani?

The Only Ones

4/5

Love this album. I see this band get lumped in frequently with punk, but The Only Ones were really on their own track in a lot of ways. Some songs are raucous and energetic like the best English punk. But the band is also surprisingly nuanced as well, with strong melodies and alternating jagged-to-jangling guitars. They also played around with more complex uses of keyboards and horns than you might expect in this type of band. Peter Perrett's splendidly insouciant vocals make him sound a bit like an English Lou Reed, but it's a style that also probably influenced numerous post-punk era singers. Fave Songs: Another Girl, Another Planet; The Whole of the Law; No Peace for the Wicked; City of Fun; The Immortal Story

Nilsson Schmilsson

Harry Nilsson

5/5

I've waiting to hear this album on here, but It's hard to even know where to begin talking about it. I've become big fan of Nilsson in recent years and this album represents him so well- in every charming, messy and fascinating way. But... I mean, it's a lot to digest. My thought right off the bat was that this was probably a 4. But really, this album is everything that the absolute best, best albums are. It's musically adventurous, technically gorgeous, effortlessly endearing, and with an ear for pop songcraft that very few artists can touch. Nilsson also is also slightly off his rocker, which is probably the secret sauce behind the whole thing. There are pieces to this album that absolutely should not work together, but he makes them work. That's some kind of mad genius. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I'll Never Leave You, Jump into the Fire, Without You, The Moonbeam Song, Gotta Get Up, Down, Driving Along, Early in the Morning, Coconut, Let the Good Times Roll

Giant Steps

The Boo Radleys

3/5

I guess what I will say about The Boo Radleys is that they went all in and took some risks here. And you know, I'm all for playing around with genre and trying new things. But it's really hard to get what they're trying to do, because it's such a hodgepodge of styles. Some interesting moments here, and it improves quite a bit by the back half, but there's also a lot of filler. Fave Songs: If You Want It, Take It; Leaves and Sand; One Is For; Wish I Was Skinny; Run My Way Runway; Spun Around

Penthouse And Pavement

Heaven 17

3/5

For all the synth pop that came out in the early 80s, Heaven 17 stands out from their peers for a couple of reasons. First of all, they embraced a lot of Latin and disco-infused rhythms, which gives a nice funky edge to their sound. I also think adding some strategic use of "live" instrumentation like bass, piano and sax adds some depth that you don't always hear on this kind of music. The band also wears their politics on their sleeves, which is something I always like to hear. As an American teen growing up in the Reagan era, I remember appreciating dance music with more politically provocative subject matter. My main critique is that stylistically, it feels like they're playing around with sounds rather than having clearly thought out arrangements. As a result, some of the songs don't really land as well as others. Fave Songs: Penthouse and Pavement, (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang, Play to Win, Let's All Make a Bomb, Soul Warfare

Pink Flag

Wire

4/5

This is probably one of the best, if not the best album to come out of the punk era. Punchy, snotty, tightly wound, gloriously fast moving. This album probably launched a hundred bands. Fave Songs: Mannequin, Surgeon's Girl, Reuters, Lowdown, Pink Flag, Field Day for the Sundays

Bryter Layter

Nick Drake

4/5

It's interesting hearing this album after having spent considerable time with Pink Moon, the album that came out after Bryter Layter. It's a little odd hearing Nick Drake with so much going on behind him. I find some of the songs to be overly-arranged, to the point of distraction. But when it does all come together, this music is sublimely beautiful. The album is full of gorgeously written, melancholy gems. And Drake is accompanied by some stellar musicians, including John Cale, Richard Thompson, and several members of Fairport Convention. You really do get a sense of Drake's soul in his songs. Fave Songs: Fly, One of These Things First, Northern Sky, Hazey Jane I, Introduction

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

3/5

Dusty Springfield's talent is evident on this album, but not particularly well served by the arrangements of the songs themselves, which are mostly covers. Some genuine classics in songwriting here as you would expect - Holland/Dozier/Holland, Goffin/King, Bacharach/David, etc.). But of course, none of these versions really come near the originals. If you're a Dusty fan, your time would probably be better spent finding a good collection of her hits. "Wishin' and Hopin'" is splendid, beat song on the album. The album isn't available in this order on Spotify, but you can get all the songs by picking around the albums "Dusty" and "Stay Awhile/I Only Want To Be With You," both of which are available. Fave Songs: Wishin' and Hopin', Anyone Who Had a Heart, My Colouring Book, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, Don't You Know

Punishing Kiss

Ute Lemper

3/5

This album has a dark and monumental sound, kind of in the vein of Scott Walker. Like other reviewers, I was hopeful seeing songs by Nick Cave, Elvis Costello and Tom Waits, but ultimately the album mostly left me cold. I don't know anything about Ute Lemper and have no idea if all her music sounds like this. I do know Neil Hannon though, and his fingerprints are all over this album. As with much of his work with Divine Comedy, I had difficulty feeling much of a connection to this music. It's well-constructed music that is awfully heavy handed and draggy in its execution. 57 minutes of this is beyond enough and I was weary of it long before it was over. Lemper is a talented enough vocalist, if a fairly bland one. I keep thinking these songs would work better if someone else were singing them. Fave Songs: Purple Avenue, Passionate Fight, The Part You Throw Away, Couldn't You Keep That to Yourself, You Were Meant For Me

Revolver

Beatles

5/5

Easy 5 right, so we're done? A lot has been written and said about Revolver, and I'm sure I have nothing particularly interesting to add to that conversation. I will say that although I think Abbey Road remains The Beatles' masterpiece, Revolver has really grown in my estimation over the years. If I had to hold up one album that really encompasses what this band was about, I think it would be this one. There are threads that lead back to the band's earlier work, but this is also the gateway between that early work and the more experimental, more monumental later albums. It's appealing on various levels to every kind of Beatle fan. It's melodic, creatively adventurous, spiritual, whimsical, and lyrically smart. And for every step the band takes into new territory, they never lose their pop sensibility and their inherent gift of songcraft. This is an album that grows more interesting the more you hear it, the kind of album countless other artists have been trying/failing to make for over 50 years now. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): For No One; Taxman; And Your Bird Can Sing; Eleanor Rigby; Here, There and Everywhere; I'm Only Sleeping; Yellow Submarine; She Said She Said; Tomorrow Never Knows; Love You To; Got to Get You into My Life; I Want to Tell You; Good Day Sunshine; Doctor Robert

Madman Across The Water

Elton John

4/5

This is just one of several excellent albums that Elton John released in the 1970s. It's striking to see how creatively mature John and his band are, relatively early in their career at this point. I mean, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is 2 years and 3 albums away from Madman Across the Water, and it sounds like he has been doing this for 15 years. Side 1 is ridiculously good, with 3 of John's all time best songs on it ("Levon," "Madman Across the Water," "Tiny Dancer"). Credit where it is also due, to Bernie Taupin's eloquent yet winsome lyrics. For all his natural talent and charisma, the Elton John we all know and love doesn't exist without Taupin. The rest of the album is less spectacular, but how could it not be after those songs? None of John's albums are exactly perfect, but I think the minor flaws actually add to the charm of his music. This album never fails to be a unique and engaging listen, with some stellar deep tracks in the mix. I'm personally fond of "Rotten Peaches" and "Razor Face." He finishes the whole thing just gorgeously with "Goodbye." Fave Songs: Levon, Madman Across the Water, Tiny Dancer, Rotten Peaches, Razor Face, Goodbye

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse

Faces

4/5

What a fun album. Just a great, classic rock and roll album in all the best ways. It's loose and bluesy with top notch musicianship and soulful, gritty vocals by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Lane. Probably the best album the Faces ever put out. "Stay with Me" is the obvious star track, a true classic. Rod is in perfect voice here and this is almost as good as he gets. But I've got to say, I'm enjoying the Ronnie Lane songs today. He's an unusual but underrated vocalist. Fave Songs: Stay with Me, Debris, Last Orders Please, Too Bad, That's All You Need, Memphis

Electric Music For The Mind And Body

Country Joe & The Fish

3/5

This is pretty good, very much of its time. Loose, bluesy, jammy, druggy late 60s psychedelia. Shades of better bands like the Doors and Jefferson Airplane. The quality of the songs picks up as the album progresses. There are threads of some interesting stuff in here and it's probably a notable album of that genre, but I can't imagine coming back to it. Fave Songs: Bass Strings, Sad and Lonely Times, Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine, Superbird

Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin

5/5

This album is everything that's great about the classic rock era, and everything you can ask for in an album. Led Zeppelin never really made a bad album, and this one is the band really just getting started. It's kind of a transitional album between the band's early bluesier sound, and the more experimental stuff that would follow. But basically what you're hearing here is one of the tightest, most talented bands in music creating their own genre. This is visceral, self-indulgent, knock-your-socks-off rock and roll, some of the best ever made. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Whole Lotta Love, Heartbreaker/Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman), Ramble On, The Lemon Song, Thank You, What Is and What Should Never Be, Bring It On Home, Moby Dick

Unhalfbricking

Fairport Convention

4/5

An incredibly rich and warm sound, with gorgeous vocals and elegant guitar work. I am thoroughly charmed. Fave Songs: Who Knows Where the Time Goes?, Si Tu Dois Partir, Autopsy, A Sailor's Life, Genesis Hall

The Poet

Bobby Womack

3/5

This is basically a solid 3 album with a couple of top notch tracks. Expertly produced, smooth and soulful sound, and Womack is in excellent voice. Fave Songs: So Many Sides of You, If You Think You're Lonely Now, Stand Up, Games, Just My Imagination

Highway to Hell

AC/DC

4/5

Lean, mean, tough as nails and a lot of fun. Best Bon Scott-era AC/DC album. Fave Songs: Girls Got Rhythm, Highway to Hell, Shot Down in Flames, Night Prowler, Walk All Over You, Get It Hot

Seventeen Seconds

The Cure

4/5

A total mood of an album. Minimalist, bleak and darkly elegant. The Cure has better albums than Seventeen Seconds, but what I like about this one is that it has a clear, unified musical point of view and little in the way of window dressing. This is the band stripped down to their most elemental, and it's really lovely. Fave Songs: A Forest, M, In Your House, Seventeen Seconds, Play for Today, Secrets

Live And Dangerous

Thin Lizzy

3/5

Not the Thin Lizzy album I would have liked to hear today, but it's pretty enjoyable. I was prepared not to like it, and I do agree that the "overdubbing" gives the album somewhat of an uncanny, live-not-live feel. Like something is just off about it. But then you know, I listened, and these songs still rock. I'd probably recommend the studio albums, which have better production, but you can't deny that TL were pretty awesome. Fave Songs: Emerald, Massacre, Cowboy Song, Still in Love with You, Suicide, Don't Believe a Word, Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed, The Boys Are Back in Town

Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi

3/5

Big hooks, big sound, big feeling. This was absolutely not my thing when it came out, but I've come around a bit on it. The singles hold up well and are a fun listen. And as an album, it's extremely well conceived and arranged, a whole vibe. Catchy, anthemic 80s music that rocks. Fave Songs: You Give Love a Bad Name, Livin' on a Prayer, I'd Die for You, Never Say Goodbye, Wanted Dead or Alive

The Specials

5/5

Like a lot of Americans of a certain age, my introduction to the Specials came by way of MTV. In a sea of bands best remembered by their haircuts, the Specials stood out. They were smartly dressed but sharp-elbowed, political and full of attitude. But also, the band was always energetic, musically talented, engaging and a lot of fun. This is party music with a point of view. It seems so very much of its moment, but it's an important moment, musically, historically and socially as well. The lyrics on this album are startling honest and delivered with a great sense of conviction. They speak to the social troubles that have plagued young people for generations and continue to do so. It also helps that the music is just so good. This album is a crisp, practically perfect distillation of what I imagine a Specials live show to be. There's an immediacy and live energy to these songs that's really hard to capture on record, and the band does it brilliantly. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): A Message to You, Rudy; Too Hot; Monkey Man; Doesn't Make It Alright; You're Wondering Now; Blank Expression; It's Up to You; Little Bitch; (Dawning of A) New Era; Concrete Jungle; Nite Klub; Too Much Too Young; Do the Dog; Stupid Marriage

Hejira

Joni Mitchell

4/5

Beautifully intertwining ruminations on travel, relationships, and independence. Mitchell's elegance as a lyricist remains untouched on this album. She spins these intimate, highly detailed tales that are so relatable but also make me long for a Cliff's notes version of her writing. She moves quickly, and you have to keep up. It really is like peering into someone's private thoughts, which is so lovely. Fave Songs: Coyote, Amelia, Blue Motel Room, Hejira, Blue Motel Room, Song for Sharon

Legalize It

Peter Tosh

4/5

This album has staying power for something that came out in 1976, you've got to give it that. I recall these songs getting frequent play on college radio back in the 90s and imagine it still does in some quarters. That's funny, because the title track is one of the least interesting things on the album. This album is much better than I remember it being. It's a real classic for its genre and shows that Peter Tosh's talents weren't limited to what he could do in the Wailers. The songs have a variety of moods, delivered with depth, conviction, a dash of humor, and an earnestness of feeling that I'm really enjoying. Fave Songs: Burial, No Sympathy, Why Must I Cry, Igziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised), Till Your Well Runs Dry, What'cha Gonna Do?

Like Water For Chocolate

Common

4/5

Smart, well crafted music, with rich arrangements, strong lyrics and creative vocal effects. My main critique is that it runs a little long. Fave Songs: Time Travelin' (A Tribute to Fela), Cold Blooded, Heat, The 6th Sense, A Film Called (Pimp), Geto Heaven Part Two

Double Nickels On The Dime

Minutemen

4/5

I love the less is more approach of this album. Some of these songs are blink and you'll miss it fast, but it's worth it to pay attention because it's so much more musically impressive than you might imagine it could be. It's also shambolic, loose, lyrically incisive, punk in the all best ways. I also love the implied sense of travel, like we're flipping through radio stations in the car, ca. 1984. You've got a little bit of every flavor in there, but it works somehow - post-hardcore, jazz, jam band, funk, even a little Laurel Canyon and Bakersfield sound. Not to mention some surprisingly elegant acoustic guitar work. I'm immediately inclined to give this a 4 because some songs are definitely better than others. "Side Chaff" is very much just that. But as a cleverly conceived and executed concept of an album, and all around fun listen, this is pretty brilliant. Fave Songs: #1 Hit Song, Cohesion, Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth?, Corona, West Germany, Spillage, History Lesson – Part II, Themselves, Shit from an Old Notebook, Two Beads at the End, Take 5, D., Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing, The Roar of the Masses Could Be Farts

Mr. Tambourine Man

The Byrds

4/5

For sheer prettiness, it doesn't get much better than this album. Some of the loveliest harmonies and most gorgeous guitar ever put to record. The best tracks disproportionately outshine the lesser tracks, which makes this a bit less than a 5. But still a delight. Fave Songs: I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better, Mr. Tambourine Man, The Bells of Rhymney, All I Really Want to Do, Here Without You, Spanish Harlem Incident

Fragile

Yes

4/5

Yes is probably one of the first bands people think of when they think of prog, and this album probably has a lot to do with that. As prog albums go, this is wonderfully accessible and easy to digest, with some top notch musicianship. Fave Songs: Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus), Roundabout, Heart of the Sunrise, Mood for a Day, Five per Cent for Nothing

Manassas

Stephen Stills

4/5

This is the album that got me to like Stephen Stills. Bluesy, laid back sound featuring some really strong musicianship. Love the low key Latin percussive vibe on some of the songs. I do think this would have made a spectacular single disk. As a double album, it feels a bit watered down and the best tracks get buried. Fave Songs: It Doesn't Matter, Colorado, Song of Love, Anyway, How Far, Rock & Roll Crazies/Cuban Bluegrass, Hide It So Deep, Don't Look at My Shadow

Morrison Hotel

The Doors

5/5

This album is anchored with a really brilliant side 1, which includes one the all time great album openers ("Roadhouse Blues"), along with several of The Doors' best songs. Side 2 is a little uneven, but taken as a whole, the album is better than most bands could ever hope to muster. I don't think the band ever sounded better. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Roadhouse Blues, Indian Summer, Waiting for the Sun, Blue Sunday, Peace Frog, The Spy, Queen of the Highway, Maggie M'Gill, Land Ho!, Ship of Fools, You Make Me Real

Violent Femmes

5/5

The Violent Femmes really capture a lot of the awkwardness, anger and uncertainty of being young. Musically, the songs are earthy, bare bones, and full of attitude. The lyrics are pissy and unrepentantly hormonal, with a generous dose of humor. But there are surprising moments of raw vulnerability and off-kilter charm as well. It feels like just about the most unsettlingly honest group of songs you'll ever hear. It's a pretty perfect album. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Blister in the Sun, Good Feeling, Gone Daddy Gone, Kiss Off, Please Do Not Go, Add It Up, Prove My Love, To the Kill, Promise, Confessions

Bitte Orca

Dirty Projectors

3/5

This has a certain oddball charm. Clever, disjointed pop sounds with alternatingly pretty and atonal aspects to it. It starts out rough, but improves by the back half. Fave Songs: Two Doves, Useful Chamber, Fluorescent Half Dome, Stillness Is the Move

Toys In The Attic

Aerosmith

4/5

Love it. Fun, saucy, riffy rockers. Two of Aerosmith's greatest tracks ever on this album in "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way." I don't think the band ever sounded tighter than they do here. Fave Songs: Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way, Uncle Salty, Round and Round, You See Me Crying, Adam's Apple

New York Dolls

5/5

This album is a lot of fun. Raucous, trashy proto-punk that never gets old. The music is rough edged and fall-down-the-stairs messy, but served up with humor and sass. The Dolls were destined not to last very long, but wow, what an impression they made. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Trash, Jet Boy, Subway Train, Private World, Vietnamese Baby, Looking for a Kiss, Personality Crisis, Pills, Bad Girl, Lonely Planet Boy, Frankenstein

The Stooges

5/5

Tense, muscular and tough as nails, with twisted, fuzzy guitars and a frontman who is equal parts charismatic and menacing. This is a band with a sizeable chip on its shoulder and they make you feel it. Years ahead of its time and still crackling today. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I Wanna Be Your Dog, 1969, No Fun, Ann, Not Right, Real Cool Time, We Will Fall, Little Doll

Isn't Anything

My Bloody Valentine

3/5

Fuzzy, dreamy and occasionally unsettling, but really creative. Plays in the same noisy pool with the likes of Sonic Youth and the Jesus & Mary Chain, but you can see they are also creating something new and intriguing here. A little goes a long way. Fave Songs: Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside), I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It), Nothing Much to Lose, (When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream, You Never Should, Sueisfine

One Nation Under A Groove

Funkadelic

4/5

After listening to 500 or so albums, I've really come to appreciate creative, distinctive sounding artists that march to their own beat. Funkadelic is one of those bands. This is such a deeply joyful and fun ride of an album. It's groovy and irreverent and downright ridiculous at times, like all the best funk is. It's an exercise in excess, built with richly textured sounds, stellar musicianship and some of the best guitar work ever put to record. Not on Spotify, but easy to find on YouTube. Fave Songs: One Nation Under a Groove, Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?!, Cholly (Funk Getting Ready To Roll!), Groovallegiance, Into You

Live Through This

Hole

4/5

People give Courtney Love a hard time, but I've got to say, Hole made a brilliant album here. It's a standout work from an era where a lot of the music just blurs into a sludgy, unmemorable mess. I was really surprised at this album and am sorry I never took the time to listen to it until now. Hole perfectly conveys the mood and sensibility of the time in which this was made. Every song is catchy, well crafted and moves beautifully into the next, which makes for a really engaging listen. Love's energy is also simply incandescent. She simultaneously conveys a grit, raw vulnerability, brokenness and rage that must have been so compelling for young women to hear. That is no small feat in a genre dominated by men. Not to mention, these songs really rock. Fave Songs: Doll Parts; Jennifer's Body; Violet; Softer, Softest; Asking for It; Plump

The Hour Of Bewilderbeast

Badly Drawn Boy

4/5

This album is really clever and engaging, as well as musically diverse and elegantly arranged. The lyrics can get a little dark, but musically there's an underlying sweetness that balances out the overall mood really well. I appreciate one reviewer's comparison to Todd Rundgren, which I think is really spot on. Damon Gough shares Rundgren's natural/oddball sense of pop songcraft and taking diverse ideas into interesting territory. He also shares Rundgren's tendency to wander into the weeds a bit to do whatever weird thing he feels like. In that sense, not everything lands well, but when it does it's marvelous. Fave Songs: Magic in the Air, Pissing in the Wind, Once Around the Block, Cause a Rockslide, Epitaph, Say It Again, Fall in a River, Blistered Heart, Bewilderbeast, Disillusion

Beautiful Freak

Eels

3/5

I appreciate the creative slant of this band, but I found some of this to be tedious, the first couple of songs in particular. Once they get that out of their system, there's some decent songs on here. Fave Songs: My Beloved Monster, Beautiful Freak, Manchild, Spunky, Guest List, Your Lucky Day in Hell

Marquee Moon

Television

5/5

Television is the best band most people have never heard, and Marquee Moon is truly a gem of an album. It's one of those perfectly crafted albums that offers something new to discover with each listen. I can just play it all day long and never get bored. The title song is a wide-ranging, hypnotic masterpiece that I would be happy playing on a loop for the rest of my life. The songs are masterfully played, jagged yet elegant, with a weirdly off kilter energy. Great twisty, haunting, layered guitars by Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. Their sound is so intricate, yet somehow crisp and clear as a bell. The lyrics are delightfully clever and surreal, worth reading on their own like poetry. This is a top 5 album for me, one of my favorites. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Marquee Moon, See No Evil, Venus, Prove It, Torn Curtain, Elevation, Friction, Guiding Light

Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine

Cee Lo Green

3/5

Interesting, diverse vibe. Some of the songs leave me flat, but there's some good stuff on here, especially the two tracks with Pharrell. Runs a bit long. Fave Songs: I'll Be Around, Die Trying, Let's Stay Together, The Art of Noise, Sometimes

Hysteria

Def Leppard

4/5

This wasn't the Def Leppard album I might have preferred to hear today (that would be Pyromania), but I've got to give it them. This is really excellent. It's sharper and more polished than anything the band had done before. It's full of riffs, hooks and big, anthemic choruses. Sounds freaking great coming through a pair of headphones, or blasting out of your car speakers. It's a high water mark for 80s hard rock and just a lot of fun to listen to. Fave Songs: Hysteria, Animal, Love Bites, Rocket, Armageddon It, Women, Pour Some Sugar on Me

Untitled (Black Is)

SAULT

3/5

Musically, I generally like what they are doing here and the message is really important right now. Nice mix of musical styles. I think this would have a tighter album had they cut it back by about 10 minutes or so. Fave Songs: Bow, Miracles, Sorry Ain't Enough, Hold Me, Pray Up Stay Up

Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts

The Adverts

3/5

Great, classic punk album. Tightly composed, crisply paced, catchy. The album is a fun listen, but in the end a lot of the songs end up sounding alike and being unmemorable. That wears a little thin by the back half. Fave Songs: One Chord Wonders, Great British Mistake, Newboys, New Church, No Time to Be 21

Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem

3/5

I had hoped I would like this album more than I did. Musically, LCD Soundsystem is pretty tight. They have a lot of musical influences that align with my interests, and their stuff can be pretty fun. But something in the mix hits me as grating. Ultimately it's a dead-hearted copy of the music it tries to emulate, even if it's well done. Fave Songs: Get Innocuous! Sound of Silver, Someone Great, Time to Get Away

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Genesis

4/5

I'm not a big fan of concept albums, especially those that are double albums as well. This one started off well enough, but ended up being a bit of a slog by the time it was over. Musically, Genesis is spot on as ever here, with plenty of flashes of brilliance to be found. The flip side of that is that the band is prone to a certain amount of prog wankery and weirdness that doesn't always sit well with me. Nevertheless, it a really substantial album with a lot interesting music to unpack if you're willing to give it the time. The quiet elegance of "Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats" is the best of the album's excellent instrumentals and the title track is a classic. "Counting Out Time" is just kind of dumb. Fave Songs: Back in N.Y.C., Anyway, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats, Broadway Melody of 1974, Fly on a Windshield

The Man Who

Travis

3/5

Catchy and melodic, if stylistically a little mopey and one note. A pleasant listen, but ultimately fairly forgettable. Fave Songs: As You Are, Luv, She's So Strange, Writing to Reach You, Why Does It Always Rain on Me?, Slide Show/Blue Flashing Light

Deep Purple In Rock

Deep Purple

4/5

Rocks extremely hard from front to back, with a surprisingly weighty sound. Ritchie Blackmore's guitar is stunningly good and Ian Gillan is a compelling lead with a striking vocal range. The band is also anchored by that powerful rhythm section in Roger Glover and Ian Pace. I could take a pass on some of those organ solos, but I tell you what... Jon Lord basically uses that organ like another guitar and manages to keep pace with the likes of Blackmore, which is some next level playing. This is a powerful group of musicians, playing at the peak of their talents. Fave Songs: Child in Time, Bloodsucker, Into the Fire, Hard Lovin' Man, Speed King

Violator

Depeche Mode

5/5

This is probably one of the most perfectly realized albums of the synth pop era. Interestingly, this album didn't show up until 1990, when the genre was petering out into a different sound for the 90s. What works for Depeche Mode here is the darkness that was inherently always a part of their work - that vaguely unsettling and menacing undertone, the elegantly ominous synth arrangements, the complex lyricism that dealt with darker themes. This made the band thrive in ways that their more bubbly peers could not. Then there's Gahan and Gore, the alternatingly commanding and gently emotive vocal core of the group. DM didn't really have any true equals at this point in their career, and this album demonstrates why. It's just about the best thing they ever made. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Personal Jesus, World in My Eyes, Policy of Truth, Halo, Enjoy the Silence, Waiting for the Night, Sweetest Perfection, Blue Dress, Clean

Ray Of Light

Madonna

3/5

This is a really good album. There's a reason Madge has such a devoted fanbase, and this album is a testament to why. The arrangements are really intricate and lovely, some surprisingly so. Madonna is in great voice, with some of the best vocals of her career. The album was a bit too long, but an enjoyable listen. Fave Songs: Frozen, The Power of Good-Bye, Drowned World/Substitute for Love, Nothing Really Matters, Ray of Light

Bat Out Of Hell

Meat Loaf

4/5

I know without checking the reviews that this album is a polarizing one. You either love it or you really, really don't. But I mean, come on. It doesn't get much more fun than Bat Out of Hell. Big-hearted, anthemic, toe-tappingly, batshittingly brilliant music. Solid musicianship, with a deep bench of musical talent. Wildly excessive in the best way. Truly a unique album and a pure joy to hear. Let it go, snobby, this one is pretty great. High 4. Fave Songs: Paradise by the Dashboard Light, You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night), Bat Out of Hell, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, For Crying Out Loud

Fred Neil

4/5

Laid back and earthy with resonant vocals and nice hints of psychedelia. Surprisingly spicy finish. Fave Songs: I've Got a Secret (Didn't We Shake Sugaree), The Dolphins, Faretheewell (Fred's Tune), That's the Bag I'm In, Everybody's Talkin'

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Stereolab

3/5

Groovy, charming, really lovely. A little goes a long way though. Fave Songs: Cybele's Reverie, Motoroller Scalatron, Metronomic Underground, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Spark Plug

This Year's Model

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

5/5

"Don't act like you're above me, just look at your shoes." There are some doozies in This Year's Model, but for some reason that line stood out to me today. My other favorite one is "Sometimes, I think that love is just a tumor/You've got to cut it out." I think the lyrics encompass what some people don’t like about Elvis Costello. The songs are biting, mean spirited at times even. Sometimes he speaks in innuendo and ironies, and you can't immediately tell if he’s smitten or embittered (or both). That's what makes these songs so great. There's a built-in prickliness and tension both lyrically and musically that is so compelling to hear. Costello's confrontational, yet emotionally expressive vocals pull you right in and keep you interested from front to back. And the band complements that tension beautifully, shifting readily from jaunty to frantic as each song requires. This is a crisply moving whirlwind of an album, with half the songs clocking in under 3 minutes. This is all underpinned with a pop sensibility and ear for songcraft that few other artists can touch. When I play this album, which I do quite a bit, I never listen to it just once. It's one of those albums I can have on all day and not get tired of it. Costello has a really deep catalogue and it's full of gems. But for my money, the work he did with Attractions is his best work. This Year's Model is their masterpiece. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite, including extra tracks): (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea; Pump It Up; Radio, Radio; Little Triggers; Big Tears; Lipstick Vogue; The Beat; No Action; This Year's Girl; Living in Paradise; You Belong to Me; Lip Service; Night Rally; Hand in Hand

Roxy Music

5/5

Squonky, freewheeling, innovative, exuberantly weird. I love it. Top-notch debut album that still sounds surprisingly fresh today. One thing I really love about Roxy Music is how every member plays full tilt on these songs. It's like each one is playing lead in his own head and don't tell him otherwise. The result is this really full and vibrant sound that keeps delivering, no matter how many times you hear it. I was going to go 4 stars, but boosting to a 5 for sheer creativity. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Virginia Plain, Re-Make/Re-Model, Ladytron, If There Is Something, Sea Breezes, Would You Believe?, 2HB, Bitters End, The Bob (Medley), Chance Meeting

One World

John Martyn

3/5

Some nice jazzy, laid back vibes. Martyn's voice is a little rougher than I cared for, but overall this was an intriguing listen. Fave Songs: Small Hours, Dancing, Certain Surprise, Dealer, Couldn't Love You More

Inspiration Information

Shuggie Otis

3/5

Oh, this is really unusual. Smooth and soulful, but also quirky. I really like the songs where Otis sings, but some of the instrumentals are giving me flashbacks to the organ we had in the basement when I was a kid. Fave Songs: Inspiration Information, Rainy Day, Sparkle City, Island Letter, Aht Uh Mi Hed

Californication

Red Hot Chili Peppers

3/5

This is an album with a bit of an identity crisis. Musically it is less freewheeling and energetic than RHCPs earlier albums, but you can also see how the band is trying to mature into a more refined sound. When it works, it's fire. Like the first half, which boasts several exceptional singles. The rest of the album meanders a bit and is uneven in quality and tone. The lyrics range from surprisingly introspective and honest to inanely horny. For such a vibrant and talented group of musicians, I would have hoped to see a stronger album from them at this point in their career. Fave Songs: Scar Tissue, Otherside, Californication, This Velvet Glove, Easily

Pearl

Janis Joplin

5/5

Quite the album to get for Valentine's Day. Warm and saucy and bluesy with an ever-present undertone of heartache. That's Janis. There are very few artists who have the power to grab you from the first note like Janis Joplin does. If you've ever watched recordings of her performing live, you can see how she physically threw herself into her singing. She put everything out there until there wasn't anything left. It's always a little bittersweet listening to her, because we know how her life was tragically cut short and you can hear her struggles in her music. Haughty, gritty, heart wrenching, vulnerable, songs of longing and passion. That's Janis. Pearl is probably Janis' most polished, perfectly realized album. Three or four of the best songs of her career reside on this album, some of the great songs of that era. The album gets just a little soft in the middle, but the best songs more than carry the weight of the whole work. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Me and Bobby McGee, Move Over, Cry Baby, Get It While You Can, Trust Me, Mercedes Benz, A Woman Left Lonely, My Baby, Half Moon, Buried Alive in the Blues

Franz Ferdinand

3/5

High watermark Indie album that holds up quite well. Swaggering, energetic, well-made music. Fave Songs: Take Me Out, Cheating on You, This Fire, Auf Achse, The Dark of the Matinée

Django Django

3/5

Musically, I don't really have a problem with this, but I'm mostly not feeling it. I'm usually pretty tolerant of most music, but this I just found to be unfocused and mildly annoying. Coming back the next day, it improved somewhat, but I'm unlikely to revisit this. Fave Songs: Life's a Beach, Skies Over Cairo, Storm, WOR, Hand of Man

Grace

Jeff Buckley

3/5

Tim Buckley is incredibly talented as a performer, with an impressive vocal range. He has this way of using his voice to create an intimate space with the listener that's really disarming and engaging. Some of the songs lean a bit into the melodramatic and a few of them are simply too long. But on the whole, this is a really strong album that is both somehow very much of its era and rather timeless. Fave Songs: Lover, You Should've Come Over; Lilac Wine; Hallelujah; Mojo Pin

Rejoicing In The Hands

Devendra Banhart

3/5

This was a really lovely listen. It feels some eccentric folk album from the late 60s, but still quite fresh. I think the brevity of a lot of the songs really helps keep the album flowing nicely. Banhart's vocal style is a bit of an acquired taste, but suits his songs well. Meanders a bit. Fave Songs: A Sight to Behold, There Was Sun, Fall, Insect Eyes, Autumn's Child, Tit Smoking in the Temple of Artesan Mimicry, Rejoicing in the Hands, The Body Breaks

Siamese Dream

The Smashing Pumpkins

5/5

I don't have a ton to say about this album, except that it's pretty brilliant. It's really a quintessential mood piece for its era, gorgeously arranged with some powerful songwriting. It's lyrically dark and painful and eloquent. But musically the band also strikes a wonderful balance between being blisteringly hard and elegantly lovely. I haven't really listened to SP for quite a while, but this album is a strong case for going back and listening to them all over again. One of the great albums of the 90s. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Today, Disarm, Cherub Rock, Spaceboy, Mayonaise, Rocket, Silverfuck, Spaceboy, Geek U.S.A., Luna, Sweet Sweet, Soma, Hummer

Aladdin Sane

David Bowie

5/5

Before I read a bit about Aladdin Sane yesterday, I never really thought about how one album led into the next. It greatly increases my enjoyment of Aladdin Sane to listen to it as an outgrowth of David Bowie's experiences and challenges during and after Ziggy. Not that Aladdin Sane needs any help being enjoyable. The album is just a dream to listen to in all its swaggering, glammy, debauched rock and roll glory. And Bowie does what he's best at, holding court with lyrical touches all at once artful, whimsical, jaded, suggestive, and even contemplative. It's an album you can just rock out to, but one that's also provocative in all sorts of interesting ways. Fave Songs (all songs, from most to least favorite): The Jean Genie, Aladdin Sane, Lady Grinning Soul, Panic in Detroit, Time, Drive-In Saturday, Cracked Actor, The Prettiest Star, Watch That Man, Let's Spend the Night Together

Dire Straits

4/5

It's probably a good idea that Dire Straits didn't start this album off with "Sultans of Swing." No one would have been able to focus on the rest of the album. That's truly one of the best songs ever recorded. It's gorgeously played, perfectly paced, and deeply, effortlessly cool. I would love to live in that song, or at least hang out there on Friday nights. The rest of the songs vary in quality by comparison. But the depth of musicianship is top notch across the board, with Mark Knopfler's impeccably smooth guitarwork setting the easygoing, blues-inflected tone. It's mind boggling that this is a debut album. The sound feels well-honed, like something that developed over decades, although the band had really only been together in that form for a year. Do not sleep on Knopfler's lyrics either. The lyrics are mature, quietly elegant, and appropriately restrained without seeming fussy or overthought. That's a skill few songwriters possess. Fave Songs: Sultans of Swing, Down to the Waterline, In the Gallery, Setting Me Up, Wild West End, Lions

White Light / White Heat

The Velvet Underground

5/5

Gritty, dark and chaotic. Gleefully, sometimes piercingly noisy. Lyrically vivid and provocative with dashes of whimsy. Pushes all the buttons VU liked to push, but stripped bare of the melodic touches that were on their first album. It can be a hard listen for some but it's pretty brilliant. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): White Light/White Heat, Here She Comes Now, The Gift, Lady Godiva's Operation, Sister Ray, I Heard Her Call My Name

Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space

Spiritualized

3/5

Ambitious, spacy, great use of layered sounds and vocals. Noisy, tonally a little inconsistent, swinging back and forth between ethereal and brassy. This would work better with another vocalist. Fave Songs: Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (I Can't Help Falling in Love), Broken Heart, Stay with Me, Cool Waves, No God Only Religion

Orbital 2

Orbital

3/5

Solid, enjoyable techno album. A little repetitive for my taste, but well done. Fave Songs: Halcyon + On + On, Lush 3-1, Remind, Lush 3-2, Impact (The Earth Is Burning), Walk Now...

Vauxhall And I

Morrissey

4/5

You know, for all of Morrissey's foolishness, I still like a lot of his music. It's really clever pop music with strikingly eloquent lyrics. You have to be in the mood for this type of stuff, but Vauxhall and I is a really good album. Lovely arrangements and strong as ever vocals from Morrissey. It's less memorable than some of his other albums, but really engaging overall. Morrissey has this way of connecting with you on a really personal level as a listener, in a way most artists can't. Fave Songs: The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get, I Am Hated for Loving, Why Don't You Find Out for Yourself, Now My Heart Is Full, Hold On to Your Friends,

Blackstar

David Bowie

5/5

I recall listening to Blackstar maybe once or twice when it first came out. I had a hard time with David Bowie's death and was listening to his music a lot, but didn't feel up to engaging with this album at the time. As others has said, it was just too much an emotional lift to try to unpack it at the time. But I'm so glad to come back to it today because, wow. Just wow. The sophistication and depth of these songs would be a career defining high point for any other artist. For Bowie it's a beautiful swan song and a gift to us as listeners, standing among his best work. The fact that he created something this vital and creative at the end of his life is amazing. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I Can't Give Everything Away, Lazarus, Blackstar, Tis a Pity She Was a Whore, Sue (Or in a Season of Crime), Dollar Days, Girl Loves Me

American Pie

Don McLean

4/5

Lovely and bittersweet acoustic folk rock, with a surprising depth. I did not expect to particularly like this one, but it was really excellent. You can hear the influence of Pete Seeger in Don McLean's vocal style, but I'm also hearing little hints of English/Celtic folk, which is really nice. The title track is the one everyone knows, but there are some stellar deep cuts here. Fave Songs: Vincent, Till Tomorrow, American Pie, Crossroads, Empty Chairs, The Grave

Urban Hymns

The Verve

3/5

As excellent as that title track is, the rest of this album comes off as fairly generic. It's well enough made late 90s Britpop, but pretty forgettable. Fave Songs: Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Drugs Don't Work, Lucky Man, Space and Time, Neon Wilderness, This Time

Throwing Muses

3/5

I don't recall this album from '86, but did listen a bit to this band in the 90s. I always enjoyed their style, which is jagged and grungy, but still has surprise melodic elements as well. For when it came out, the album would have been pretty edgy. It's actually quite prescient of how music would sound 5-7 years down the line. In the grand scheme, it gets lost in the shuffle of a lot of the music that came after it. But it's a really interesting listen. Album isn't available on Spotify. With a little digging on YouTube, you can find most of the album tracks and live versions of others. Fave Songs: Fear, Vicky's Box, Rabbits Dying, Green, Call Me

Histoire De Melody Nelson

Serge Gainsbourg

3/5

The concept of this album has not aged well at all, but it's pretty excellent musically. This is probably one of the great examples of how orchestral and pop/rock elements can work together without sounding overwrought. But am I the only one who finds Jane Birkin's pop-ins deeply annoying? Fave Songs: Cargo culte, Melody, L'hôtel particulier

Oracular Spectacular

MGMT

3/5

Catchy, quirky, likeable stuff. Fave Songs: Of Moons, Birds & Monsters; Electric Feel; Pieces of What; The Youth; 4th Dimensional Transition

Slayed?

Slade

3/5

Bluesy and rough edged rock and roll. Rocks surprisingly hard, yet charming in its way. Fun stuff. Fave Songs: I Won't Let It 'Appen Agen, Move Over, Gudbuy Gudbuy, I Don' Mind, Mama Weer All Crazee Now

Gorillaz

3/5

Diverse music with a chill vibe. Maybe tries a little overly to be clever. I imagine I'm in the minority here, but I've decided that Gorillaz only interests me in limited doses. Fave Songs: Tomorrow Comes Today, Double Bass, 5/4, New Genious (Brother), Clint Eastwood, Starshine

Dear Science

TV On The Radio

3/5

This was really clever. I'm not familiar with TV on the Radio, but the band covers a ton of musical ground quite effortlessly. Enjoyable. Fave Songs: Crying, Stork & Owl, Love Dog, Family Tree, Halfway Home

Hail To the Thief

Radiohead

3/5

Note how many self-professed Radiohead fans here say they don't even listen to this one very much. The album is musically on point like Radiohead always is, but it's a bit of a drag to listen to and not something I would just throw on. This is one that would benefit from repeated listenings, I'm sure. But I'm not a masochist. Fave Songs: Scatterbrain, Where I End and You Begin, Myxomatosis, 2 + 2 = 5, Go to Sleep

The Last Of The True Believers

Nanci Griffith

3/5

This album was a nice change of pace. Enjoyed the pedal steel guitar. Nanci Griffith has a very sweet vocal that's lovely enough to listen to, but ultimately a bit bland. Fave Songs: Love at the Five and Dime, Love's Found a Shoulder, One of These Days, Fly by Night, St. Olav's Gate

Post Orgasmic Chill

Skunk Anansie

3/5

On the first note, my thought was, oh yippee, alt metal... how quickly can I get through this. But I really enjoyed Skin as a vocalist in particular and the band on the whole has great energy. Surprisingly good, soulful stuff, if a bit melodramatic. High 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs: Lately, Tracy's Flaw, Charlie Big Potato, Cheap Honesty, We Don't Need Who You Think You Are, Secretly, You'll Follow Me Down

This Is Hardcore

Pulp

3/5

You know, every time I've encountered the cover of this album over the years, something about it seemed off to me, and I never really put my finger on it until today. It's supposed to be a little twisted and unsettling, in an expectations vs. reality kind of way. That's the central conceit of this whole album. Musically, the album is stylish and well-crafted. Thematically it's a bit of a bummer. It's full of dark and jaded vignettes about aging, sex, loneliness and disillusionment. It's an excellent album, but has this built-in sense of emptiness that makes it a less than fun listen. Fave Songs: I'm a Man, Glory Days, TV Movie, Sylvia, Help the Aged

Siembra

Willie Colón & Rubén Blades

5/5

I've heard some of these songs on compilations, but never had the pleasure of hearing them together as intended until today. This album is a high water mark for the salsa genre. It's also one of the great Latin music albums, not just of its era, but of all time. Spectacular, nuanced musicianship and rich, flawless vocals from Ruben Blades. Not to mention, this album is just deeply, deeply fun. No hyperbole, this is a pretty perfect album. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Pedro Navaja, Dime, Plástico, Buscando Guayaba, María Lionza, Ojos, Siembra

Tago Mago

Can

4/5

Brilliantly funky and percussive. Also gleefully twisted, absurdist and straight up weird, in the best ways. Be prepared to be pleasantly surprised, and/or completely baffled and annoyed, depending on your tolerance level. Fave Songs: Halleluhwah, Bring Me Coffee or Tea, Oh Yeah, Paperhouse

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Wilco

4/5

You know, I like Wilco quite a bit. They have this wonderful balance of the melodic and the dissonant that I always enjoy. My first listen through, the album felt a little off, like all the pieces didn't fit. But coming back to it, the album sat much better with me. Layers on layers of tiny details to discover on each subsequent listening. It's really lovely. Fave Songs: Pot Kettle Black, Jesus, Etc., I'm the Man Who Loves You, War on War, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, Kamera, Ashes of American Flags, Reservations

...Baby One More Time

Britney Spears

2/5

Trying to give this one the benefit of the doubt, despite the fact that it's really not my taste. For what it is, the album is fine. But if you're looking for substance, you'll need to look elsewhere. Vocally, Spears sounds more natural and less processed than she will in later works. Arrangements are tight and boppy, if a little shallow. Ultimately, most of the songs are forgettable, although the title track is a pretty solid pop song. I can understand why this might be a touchstone for some people of a certain age, but I was 28 when this came out. I don't need to hear it again. Fave Songs: ..Baby One More Time, (You Drive Me) Crazy, Born to Make You Happy

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

4/5

As I recall, at the time this album came out, it was highly regarded for its polish and really modern sound. Really, it cemented Tina Turner's status as a star, but it's also a product of its era. In spite of some solid musical and songwriting talents backing Turner up, some of the music on this album is chintzy/flat in an 80s kind of way. Turner's powerful vocals cut through much of that like a knife, but there's a limit to how much she can carry some of these songs on her own. Several outstanding tracks make this album a classic for its era, and certainly Turner's best album. But it's definitely a little worse for wear 40 years on. Fave Songs: What's Love Got to Do with It, Better Be Good to Me, Private Dancer, Steel Claw, Let's Stay Together

Neon Bible

Arcade Fire

4/5

This album inexplicably sounds like it was made by someone who grew up heavily listening to Springsteen AND Echo and the Bunnymen. Somehow it works and I kind of love it. Fave Songs: The Well and the Lighthouse, Windowsill, (Antichrist Television Blues), Black Mirror, Intervention, Keep the Car Running

Fire Of Love

The Gun Club

4/5

Gothic punk with an urgent pace that jangles and burns. The album has a great rockabilly sensibility and darkly unhinged lyrics. Part punk, part blues, part tent revival, part shovel to the head. Love it. Fave Songs: Preaching the Blues, Sex Beat, She's Like Heroin to Me, For the Love of Ivy, Promise Me, Ghost on the Highway

Dig Me Out

Sleater-Kinney

3/5

Assertive, energetic sound that rocks hard, but loses steam a little in the middle. I have a limited tolerance for the vocals. Fave Songs: One More Hour, Dance Song '97, Dig Me Out, Not What You Want, Turn It On

Leftism

Leftfield

3/5

This is an clever assortment of house and techno sounds. Some classic trippy club fare mixed with dub, trip hop and tribal/World Beat sounds. I appreciated the unexpected presence of John Lydon on "Open Up." This is quite good, if overly long. Fave Songs: Melt, Storm 3000, Open Up, Song of Life, Space Shanty

Axis: Bold As Love

Jimi Hendrix

4/5

You can't really go wrong with Hendrix, can you? "Little Wing" by itself is worth the full price of admission on this one. This album has several of Jimi Hendrix's best songs on it, which more than make up for most of its shortcomings... most of them. For all of Hendrix's natural genius and charisma as a performer, some of the psychedelic wanderings are more grating than I honestly expected them to be. And that Noel Redding song is just plain bad. Ultimately, the album suffers a bit from a lack of cohesion stylistically, and there is more filler than I thought Hendrix had in him. As albums of this era go though, Axis is still one of the greats. Fave Songs: Little Wing, Spanish Castle Magic, You've Got Me Floating, Castles Made of Sand, Bold as Love, One Rainy Wish

Real Life

Magazine

4/5

What a great album. Musically, the arrangements are idiosyncratic, well crafted and smarter than you might expect. Howard Devoto takes what he learned in the Buzzcocks and builds on that with echoes of Bowie, Iggy, Roxy Music. That said, this is very much the band's own sound, foundational to post-punk and one that probably launched a hundred bands. Devoto is also an impressive vocalist in a sly kind of way. He's all at once snotty, menacing and playful in a way few singers can pull off. Fave Songs: Burst, The Light Pours Out of Me, Definitive Gaze, Motorcade, Recoil, The Great Beautician in the Sky

Ágætis Byrjun

Sigur Rós

3/5

Soothing and elegant. Fave Songs: Olsen Olsen, Svefn-g-englar, Starálfur, Viðrar vel til loftárása, Ný batterí

The Scream

Siouxsie And The Banshees

4/5

Although I feel Siouxsie and the Banshees would find their footing better on later albums (particularly Juju and Kaleidoscope), this is a really strong debut, one that apparently helped launched a whole genre and probably a hundred other bands. Equal parts alluring and unsettling. Powerful angular guitar and rhythm-forward sound. Striking, commanding vocals from Siouxsie Sioux. Fave Songs: Overground, Switch, Nicotine Stain, Suburban Relapse, Jigsaw Feeling

Trio

Dolly Parton

3/5

This is really lovely. Out of this world harmonies. Three gorgeous vocals singing as one, and it's pretty great. This album mixes a traditional vibe with an 80s sheen, which isn't the most exciting use of the talent involved. But the simplicity of the songs helps keep them from sounding too dated. Fave Songs: To Know Him Is to Love Him, Those Memories of You, The Pain of Loving You, Rosewood Casket, Making Plans, I've Had Enough

Blue Lines

Massive Attack

3/5

Great chill vibe, with a really diverse range of influences. Enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Unfinished Sympathy, Be Thankful for What You've Got, Safe from Harm, One Love, Lately

Abraxas

Santana

5/5

This is still one of the most original musical works of the past 50+ years, which is really impressive. Groovy, spicy, surprisingly jazzy, earthy and spiritual. A bit jammy, but only in the best ways, with nuanced guitar work, crazy good percussion and a real fire in the belly kind of sound. You can tell Carlos and the band put their whole selves into this music. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Oye Cómo Va; Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen; Hope You're Feeling Better; Samba Pa Ti; Se a Cabó; Incident at Neshabur; El Nicoya; Singing Winds, Crying Beasts; Mother's Daughter

Murder Ballads

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

I'll give this to Nick Cave: If I were going to ask someone to make an album of murder ballads, Cave would be my guy. That said, I don't particularly feel like I need a collection of murder ballads in my life. The concept is clever and musically the album is fine. It's just an unsettling listen and the substance of the music isn't enough to hold up the subject matter. Cave/the Seeds are capable of much better. Bonus star for creativity and a willingness to go pretty dark, but this is much closer to a 2. Fave Songs: Henry Lee, Lovely Creature, Where the Wild Roses Grow

In It For The Money

Supergrass

3/5

This album is a bit aimless stylistically, sort of a throw everything at the wall approach. That said, there are some really delightful, rough-edged pop gems on here. Some of that gets lost in the mix, but there's a lot to enjoy here. Fave Songs: You Can See Me, Hollow Little Reign, It's Not Me, Cheapskate, Going Out, Late in the Day

Music From The Penguin Cafe

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

4/5

Alternatingly jaunty, melancholy, unabashedly weird, at times uncomfortable. Pleasantly odd, with strategically employed moments of dissonance. Ahead of its time musically. Not an artist I was familiar with at all, so this was a nice surprise. Fave Songs: The sound of someone you love who's going away and it doesn't matter, Chartered Flight, Giles Farnaby's Dream, Surface Tension (Where the Trees Meet the Sky), Hugebaby

Melody A.M.

Röyksopp

3/5

This was a really pleasant album to listen to, with a mostly chill, late night kind of vibe. The vocal bits don't always land as well as they could, but I enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Eple, A Higher Place, In Space, Remind Me, Röyksopp's Night Out

A Hard Day's Night

Beatles

5/5

I decided, what the heck, I have a free evening. So, I decided to listen to this album, watch the movie and then come back to the album. I recommend the movie, which was beautifully filmed and is just great silly fun to watch. The album and the movie don't relate to each other at all really, and you don't need to know one to enjoy the other. As for the album itself, it's a masterful work, full of delightful pop songcraft, refreshing musical substance, and a copious amount of toe-tapping hits that pretty much everyone knows. The album is a joy to listen to front to back, with no real duds, and teeming with creativity and charm. George Harrison's guitar work in particular stands out as something really special in the landscape of what was going on at the time musically, but the whole band is on fire here. We might forget because we know these songs so well, but this album must have felt like such a breath of fresh air when it came out. It's the spark of everything that came after it, not just for the Beatles, but for everyone else. How many artists in '64 do you think were putting out full albums of their own stuff? Flash forward a decade, and it was more or less expected if you wanted any credibility as an artist. The Beatles did that. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I Should Have Known Better, Things We Said Today, And I Love Her, If I Fell, Can't Buy Me Love, Any Time at All, A Hard Day's Night, Tell Me Why, I'm Happy Just to Dance with You, I'll Cry Instead, You Can't Do That, When I Get Home

Music Has The Right To Children

Boards of Canada

3/5

I really enjoyed this. It's smarter than you really expect it to be, with subtly layered sounds and an avant garde sensibility. Chill, but mildly trippy. My main critique is that it's a bit long. Fave Songs: Telephasic Workshop, Aquarius, Sixtyten, Turquoise Hexagon Sun, Pete Standing Alone, An Eagle in Your Mind

Parallel Lines

Blondie

3/5

As cool as I think Blondie are, I don't know if they've ever stuck the landing on a whole album. Their first album comes close, but there's a reason why most people encounter this band via their greatest hits. Parallel Lines is a good example of this. I've always thought this album was basically 4-5 excellent songs, plus a bunch of fairly unmemorable ones. When the band gets it right, they are riveting, with that wonderful late 70s new wave/power pop energy that just doesn't exist in music anymore. But for what is actually a pretty brief album, there are way too many skippable tracks. That said, "Heart of Glass" is simply one of the prettiest songs ever made. You can't listen to that song and not want to put your platforms on and dance. Bonus points for bringing in Fripp, but still a high 3. Fave Songs: Heart of Glass, Hanging on the Telephone, Sunday Girl, One Way or Another, Just Go Away, Pretty Baby, Fade Away and Radiate

L'Eau Rouge

The Young Gods

3/5

You know, I listen to a lot of music, but this was something else. Young Gods aren't particularly extreme compared to some of their peers but geez, do they even have peers? I can't see myself coming back to this album, but it gets strong points for creativity. This was a wild whirlwind of symphonic noise, gritty cabaret sounds, and industrial thrash. I see others have made the Tom Waits connection, so I'll refrain. From what I've seen of the lyrics they're kind of poetic in a way I can only describe as, well, French. Moody and a little twisted, but not as dark as some of the song titles led me to think they would be. Fave Songs: L'eau rouge, Charlotte, Longue route, Rue des Tempêtes

Let England Shake

PJ Harvey

4/5

A brilliant album, maybe one of the best musical examinations of war ever made. Stark, biting lyrics, mournful but strident, with powerful, memorable imagery. I'm liking Harvey's vocal style on this album. It's different from other things I've heard from her, almost like she's channeling another singer. But it suits the subject matter and tone of the album really well. This isn't an album you listen to for fun, but it's an important one, and beautifully done. Fave Songs: In the Dark Places, On Battleship Hill, England, The Last Living Rose, The Colour of the Earth, All and Everyone

Hotel California

Eagles

5/5

Look at that scene. Hazy, balmy, the day settling into the night. But for all of its allure and its promises, there's a dark side to paradise. That's a central theme of the Eagles on Hotel California. It was intended as a concept album, but the band navigates that water cleverly. Some tracks deal more directly with the album's dark themes ("Life in the Fast Lane," "New Kid in Town," "The Last Resort"), but others address similar themes of disillusionment and uncertainty on a more granular level, through the lens of sex and romantic relationships ("Victim of Love," "Wasted Time," "Try And Love Again"). The title track is of course *the* rock allegory of all time, maybe a little on the nose, but with some of the most vivid and memorable lyrical/musical imagery ever put to record. There isn't a rigid concept to follow or understand on this album, and every song stands perfectly well on its own outside of the framework of the album as a whole. That makes Hotel California a real pleasure to hear and not just some intellectual exercise. The album itself is gorgeously made, really a masterclass on how to make an album. Any flaws you might pick out of the Eagles' earlier works are absent here. Their trademark harmonies and pop sensibility are there, with a decided lean into the "rock" part of country rock. The combined guitar mastery of Joe Walsh and Don Felder can be searing or lovely and delicate as each song requires. Don Henley and Glenn Frey bring a potent combination of introspection and cynicism to their songwriting that gives these songs incredible substance. Add a dash of Randy Meisner's sweetness and sensitivity to the mix, and you have an album that hits you at just about every level. The band is operating at an artistic level here that outshines everything they had made up to that point and, frankly, none of them has ever come close to repeating, as the Eagles or as solo artists. A lot of people have personal issues with the Eagles for some reason, but their work speaks for itself. This album is a masterpiece, for the band, for a genre, for an entire era. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Hotel California, Wasted Time, New Kid in Town, Victim of Love, The Last Resort, Pretty Maids All in a Row, Try and Love Again, Life in the Fast Lane, "Wasted Time" (Reprise)

Tragic Songs of Life

The Louvin Brothers

3/5

Really lovely, traditional country with a crisp and resonant sound. Subject matter is surprisingly stark and unsettling at times. Ultimately a little one note for me to want to hear often, but an essential listen to anyone with an interest in roots music. Fave Songs: Take the News to Mother, In the Pines, Katie Dear, I'll Be All Smiles Tonight, Alabama, Knoxville Girl

Abbey Road

Beatles

5/5

Abbey Road is my favorite album, always has been. Coming to it today, 644 albums into this little experiment, it hit me differently. It was like meeting my soulmate after a long time apart. I think listening to so many diverse albums by so many artists has certainly broadened my horizons. But it has only strengthened my love and appreciation for Abbey Road. 1001 Albums is littered with artists who were inspired by this album, who attempted to make their own Abbey Road and failed. I could go on about this album for hours, but I won't. We all know this album. Most of us love this album. It's as good as any album will ever get. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Medley, Oh! Darling, Something, I Want You (She's So Heavy), Come Together, Here Comes the Sun, Because, Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Octopus's Garden, Her Majesty

Remain In Light

Talking Heads

5/5

Funky and frenetic... wonderful and weird... thick with grooves... dripping with musical influences, but stunningly original. T-Heads made brilliant albums, always, and this was arguably their best. Brian Eno's influence is strongly felt, with shades of his album Before and After Science in particular. But the band is very much still themselves here, just better than they had been before, more layered and complex. It's a partnership that really works. David Byrne's presence crackles as always, with a whirlwind of lyrics that are like reading the manifesto of some prophet or mad genius. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Once in a Lifetime, The Great Curve, Listening Wind, Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On), Crosseyed and Painless, Houses in Motion, Seen and Not Seen, The Overload

Virgin Suicides

Air

3/5

It's funny, I was just thinking the other day about what kind of soundtrack album I might expect to see on this list. I thought that the only soundtracks that really deserve to be on here are those with a single, unified musical vision, preferably with a limited number of individual artists. In that respect, this is a successful soundtrack. It's basically an album by Air. But there are a couple of other factors I didn't consider. The album needs mostly to stand on its own without our needing to see the movie to get it (i.e., Superfly, Purple Rain, Saturday Night Fever). Also, it should make you want to see the movie, otherwise, what's the point? In that regard, this album fails. This was lovely in an unsettling way, but it was hard to get a real feel for it and it really didn't make me want to check out the movie at all. The songs are interesting and well done, but not compelling enough on their own for me to want to come back to them. I feel obviously like I would have gotten more out of this had I seen the movie, because the songs probably correspond to particular moments in the plot. Fave Songs: Playground Love, Highschool Lover, Clouds Up, Dirty Trip, Dark Messages

Aja

Steely Dan

5/5

Sleek, elegant, jazzy, cooler than you. What a pleasure. One of the more soulful albums I can remember in Steely Dan's catalog. Splendid, flawless production and strong musicianship, with well crafted compositions that feel really loose but are actually quite intricate. Lots of musical twists and turns for the band's aficionados to pore over, but nothing a casual listener can't enjoy. The lyrics are surprisingly straightforward as Steely Dan lyrics go, with Fagen and Becker using fewer obscure references and a more sly approach to their trademark cynicism. I mean, maybe Deacon Blue is a loser, but at least he's a sincere loser. I can dig that. Side note: I see a lot of reviewers struggling to "get" this album. I cannot stress this enough: Stop trying to understand Steely Dan. This is music that is designed to be a bit inscrutable. Some people love that. Others would be best served by just choosing a groove and settling in for some quality music. If you're still not feeling it, you may want to check out the bottom 20 albums on the global stats for some perspective. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Deacon Blues, Peg, Josie, Home at Last, Aja, I Got the News, Black Cow

Doolittle

Pixies

5/5

I was a couple of years behind the curve on the Pixies when they came out, so when I finally heard them I was listening to their first three albums all at the same time. What great days those were, to discover this band who sounded like nothing else, and had all these albums out in the span of like three years. It would turn out that this band would abruptly fall apart after their first four albums and we wouldn't hear a new album for years. It would also turn out that this band would be acknowledged as one of the most groundbreaking and influential of an entire genre and era. You don't hear albums like this anymore. The album is less rough-edged than its predecessor, Surfer Rosa, with an emerging pop sensibility and some surprisingly catchy melodies. Make no mistake though, this album is all Pixies - the menacing guitars, the twisted and cryptic lyricism, the off-kilter harmonies, Black Francis' quiet-to-raging vocal style. It all adds up to a sound that just pulls you in and doesn't let go. The band burns through 15 tracks in 38 minutes like a freaking brush fire. Doolittle isn't a flawless album. Some of the songs sound almost like fragments that needed to be fleshed out more. But it's an album that embraces that fragmentation to create something really vital and haunting. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Here Comes Your Man, Monkey Gone to Heaven, Wave of Mutilation, Debaser, Gouge Away, Hey, Silver, I Bleed, Dead, Tame, La La Love You, Crackity Jones, There Goes My Gun, No. 13 Baby, Mr. Grieves

Disintegration

The Cure

4/5

Gloomy, gorgeous, dark and dreamy, total mood of an album. Quintessential album by the Cure, the album it took a decade for the band to evolve their way up to, but totally the sound you hear in your head when you think of the Cure. The band takes their time laying out each musical idea, with only two songs clocking in under five minutes. It takes a little patience to settle into this vibe, but it's a pleasure to just let the sound wash over you. Fave Songs: Fascination Street, Lovesong, Pictures of You, Lullaby, Disintegration

Buena Vista Social Club

4/5

This a beautiful collection of songs that really transports you to another time and place. The sound is languid, earthy, joyful, even surprisingly jazzy. The music isn't complicated, but it feels monumental. A real mood lifter. Fave Songs: Candela, El cuarto de Tula, El carretero, Veinte años, Amor de loca juventud, Buena Vista Social Club

25

Adele

3/5

I'm not sure what I expected here. But given Adele's talent and all the adulation she gets, I don't know... maybe something less boring? She has a lovely voice, but production is bland and most of these songs are pretty forgettable. Low 3. Fave Songs: Love in the Dark, Remedy, Water Under the Bridge

Tidal

Fiona Apple

4/5

This is another one of those instances where I avoided an album at the time it came out only to prove myself stupidly wrong now. This was marvelous. So much smarter than a lot of music of its time, with gorgeous, refined arrangements and rich, sultry vocals from Fiona Apple. I'd say this has aged really well, but it really hasn't aged a day. Current pop singers should be taking notes on this album instead of whatever they're doing now, because this puts all of it to shame. Fave Songs: Criminal, The First Taste, Pale September, Sleep to Dream, Sullen Girl, Shadowboxer

All Directions

The Temptations

3/5

This was a great album. A funky, soulful work by the 70s-era Temptations that builds onto some solid songwriting, from the likes of Isaac Hayes, Barrett Strong, Ashford & Simpson, etc. It seems like the band had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 70s to do this album, but they pulled it off nicely. Excellent musicianship from the Funk Brothers and top notch vocals, as we would expect in a Motown production. I appreciate how all the band members shared in vocal duties. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is the obvious star track and is still a really powerful song, 50+ years on. Really the only negative would be "Run Charlie Run," which I'm sure was daring for the band to do in '72, but is a rough listen in 2023. High 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs: Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, Do Your Thing, Mother Nature, The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face), Love Woke Me Up This Morning

School's Out

Alice Cooper

4/5

I respect the sly weirdness and wit of this one, as well the excellent musicianship. I don't think a lot of people appreciate just how musically GOOD Alice Cooper's music can be, because you have to look past the big persona, the gritty vocals, the twisted approach to lyricism, etc. But Cooper always surrounded himself with outstanding musicians and was willing to go off the beaten path musically. "Blue Turk" and "My Stars" are great examples of this. The songs are carefully crafted and the overall work is structured loosely like a concept album about school, with a broad range of musical styles. Most importantly, this album totally rocks. No one else making rock music sounds like this, and it's pretty damn cool. Fave Songs: School's Out, Blue Turk, My Stars, Luney Tune, Alma Mater

Good Old Boys

Randy Newman

5/5

Daring, witty and biting. Breezy and accessible, but smartly and elegantly arranged. Randy Newman has a true gift for crafting songs that feel lived in and authentic, but are pointed in their satire. It's not something we expect to hear much in pop music and Newman has really carved out a niche in the genre that no one else really occupies. Newman wants you to understand why Johnny Cutler is the way he is, without letting him (or Southerners) off the hook for any of it. And while he's at it, Newman makes clear that politicians and white Northerners' hands aren't clean either. This a surprisingly clear eyed view on this subject, decades before the idea of systemic racism was commonly discussed. It's nuanced in the way satire often is, in a way that would be immediately misunderstood were the album to come out today. I almost went for a 4, but this is such a singular work, such a testament to Newman's talents and what you can accomplish with music. And, even with the subject matter, these songs are great fun to hear. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Guilty, Marie, Louisiana 1927, A Wedding in Cherokee County, Back on My Feet Again, Rednecks, Kingfish, Birmingham, Naked Man, Rollin', Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man), Every Man a King

If I Could Only Remember My Name

David Crosby

3/5

In a lot of ways this plays like a CSNY album, but looser. It's almost like David Crosby called all his friends over to jam and decided to record it without having a real cohesive plan for an album. Crosby has a really strong bench of players backing him up, with a who's who of San Francisco's best musicians, as well as Crosby's bandmates Neil Young and Graham Nash. My favorite part of the album may well be the incredible guitar work by Young, Jerry Garcia, Jorma Kaukonen and Crosby himself. The album is mildly jammy and meandering but reasonably concise, if that's possible. More than half the songs clock in under 5 minutes. That said, one of the best songs ("Cowboy Movie") is over 8 minutes long and I didn't even mind. The album is a chill, pleasant listen that still could have been stronger, given the level of talent involved. The 2 Neil Young songs aren't available on Spotify, but can easily be found on YouTube. Fave Songs: Laughing, Cowboy Movie, Tamalpais High (At About 3), Traction in the Rain

The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks

5/5

I'm a huge fan of this album. It doesn't have the recognizable hits of some of the Kinks' other albums, but it's the one that solidifies them as the smartest of the British invasion bands, and probably the one Kinks album I listen to the most. The album is so well crafted, full of delightful, melodic songs, sly wit, sweetness and charm. Subtly and elegantly arranged, with elements of baroque pop, folk, and English music hall as well as odd little detours into old timey vaudeville, calypso and psychedelia. The musical choices for each song cleverly highlight the album's central themes of nostalgia and memory, acknowledging the past while also understanding that nostalgia isn't all it's cracked up to be. There's a high level of creativity and nuance here that you rarely find in music. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Picture Book, Sitting by the Riverside, The Village Green Preservation Society, Johnny Thunder, Animal Farm, Last of the Steam-Powered Trains, Do You Remember Walter, Village Green, Big Sky, Starstruck, Monica, Wicked Annabella, All of My Friends Were There, Phenomenal Cat, People Take Pictures of Each Other

Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye

4/5

Marvin Gaye's epic double album on the subject of divorce is one of those albums many of us probably heard about long before we actually listened to it. The story behind the creation of this album is well known. But you don't really feel it until you actually sit with the album yourself. Plenty of artists have made albums about marriage and divorce, but this one feels especially raw. Yes, the anger and the hurt you would expect to hear on an album like this is there, but also passion, sadness and hope for the future. And it's so elegantly and soulfully done, a real pleasure to hear. I kind of expected the album to be a bit of a throwaway for him, but Gaye delivers on every level here. You can feel the craft that went into creating it. The quality of individual songs varies somewhat and Gaye might have benefitted releasing the album as a single disk. But this is a truly engaging and memorable work, one of Gaye's best. Fave Songs: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You; Is That Enough; Everybody Needs Love; Time to Get It Together; Here, My Dear; Falling in Love Again; Anger; I Met a Little Girl; You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You

Gold

Ryan Adams

3/5

Laid back, country-infused rock. A likeable and well-executed album, but far too long. Fave songs: Firecracker; When the Stars Go Blue; La Cienega Just Smiled; Answering Bell; New York, New York; Somehow, Someday; Wild Flowers

(What's The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis

5/5

Ah, I miss the days when bands made albums like this. This is pretty perfect. Big, anthemic sound with elegant melodies, muscular guitars, and some of the catchiest, most engaging pop hooks ever put to record. There's also a lot of variety from track to track, which I really enjoy. This is an album that begs for repeated listenings and delivers every single time. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Don't Look Back in Anger, Champagne Supernova, Wonderwall, Some Might Say, Cast No Shadow, She's Electric, Hello, Hey Now!, Roll with It, Morning Glory, Untitled (Swamp Song 2), Untitled (Swamp Song 1)

Ten

Pearl Jam

4/5

I had this album on cassette when it came out (like probably everyone my age did), but haven't fully listened to it in probably 30 years. What strikes me today is how fairly straightforward a rock sound this is, compared to what some of Pearl Jam's peers were putting out at the time. That explains a lot of their success. This is a band that rocks hard and is appealing to multiple audiences, but isn't afraid to go dark. Sometimes really dark. But this album fit in perfectly for the times in which it was made. Looking back at it now in light of the state of music today, it's amazing how many of these songs got major play on mainstream rock radio. These were massive, genre defining songs. A few of the songs are kind of samey and the album would have improved without them. But when the band gets it right, they hit it out of the park. Really an outstanding album, particularly as a debut. Fave Songs: Black, Alive, Even Flow, Once, Jeremy, Release

The White Album

Beatles

5/5

I grew up in the 70s. Now the Beatles have never really been out of style, but by the time I discovered this album in the mid-80s, no one my age particularly wanted to listen to them. I DID NOT CARE. If you were riding in my car, you were going to listen to "Wild Honey Pie" and "Revolution 9" and you were going to like it, damn it. If I was going on this journey, I was taking everyone I knew with me. My whole 17th year in this world revolved around this album, which I played endlessly. I was a weird pre-alternative kid who loved the Smiths and REM, but this album spoke to me. It still does, more than almost any other album. It opened my mind to all kinds of possibilities in music. This is probably one of the most creative and diverse albums ever made. The songs really don't connect at all and it absolutely should not work to put them together, but somehow it works. That's a testament to the talents of the Beatles that they managed to pull it off, in spite of personal tensions and creative splintering. In fact, I would say that this tension allows these songs to live together in this space. It's that disjointed sensibility that gives this album its fire. It's all at once melodic and whimsical, ethereal and lovely, even abrasive and gleefully weird. You have several of the most well known and beloved Beatles songs ever made, mixed in with all kinds of odd little gems that you don't hear much if you're not a fan. This album remains a stunningly vital work, over 50 years since it came out. It never ceases to be entertaining and it always encourages us to expand our ideas of what music should be. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): While My Guitar Gently Weeps; Helter Skelter; Long, Long, Long; I'm So Tired; I Will; Blackbird; Dear Prudence; Don't Pass Me By; Julia; Martha My Dear; Happiness Is a Warm Gun; Rocky Raccoon; Good Night; Mother Nature's Son; Why Don't We Do It in the Road?; Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey; Glass Onion; Cry Baby Cry; Wild Honey Pie; The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill; Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da; Savoy Truffle; Honey Pie; Revolution 1; Sexy Sadie; Yer Blues; Piggies; Back in the U.S.S.R.; Birthday; Revolution 9

Brothers

The Black Keys

3/5

On paper, I should like this album a lot. But I mostly found it unmemorable. It's well done and there's nothing really wrong with it, but if I want to listen to blues, it won't be these guys. Fave Songs: The Only One, Tighten Up, Howlin' for You, She's Long Gone, Ten Cent Pistol

Timeless

Goldie

2/5

It was a bit of a chore to get through this one. It's very much of its time and also very much in need of some serious editing. There's nothing on here that justifies the length. I get the significance of this to its genre and can't knock it for that, but it was hard to stay engaged with this one. Diane Charlemagne's vocals help warm up the sound considerably where she appears. But much of this is forgettable. Fave Songs: This Is a Bad, A Sense of Rage, State of Mind, Angel

Harvest

Neil Young

5/5

Like pretty much all of Neil Young's early post-CSNY work, this is a really beautiful album. It's classic Young, with a rich, country-inflected sound and contemplative lyrics. Two of his best known and most popular songs reside here ("Old Man" and "Heart of Gold") as well as some stellar deep cuts. "Words (Between the Lines of Age)" is the stealth best song of the whole album. Wow. I'm less a fan of Young's attempts at sweeping symphonic numbers. It may be the London Symphony Orchestra, but the songs are entirely too polished and really don't suit his his style. On balance though, I would still give this album a 5. Young has better albums, but most artists will never make an album this good. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Old Man, Heart of Gold, Words (Between the Lines of Age), The Needle and the Damage Done, Out on the Weekend, Harvest, Alabama, Are You Ready for the Country?, A Man Needs a Maid, There's a World

Every Picture Tells A Story

Rod Stewart

5/5

I love how early Rod Stewart albums often turn out to be stealth Faces albums. This is vintage Rod, probably the best he ever made. Backed up by some stellar musicians (including his Faces bandmates Ronnie Wood, Kenney Jones, Ian McLagan and Ronnie Lane), the sound is rich and bluesy and loose. Rod is in perfect voice, both on his own songs and on some fantastic songs from the likes of Dylan, Tim Hardin and the Temptations. Rod manages to make them all his own. Fave Songs (All Songs, from most to least favorite). Maggie May, Mandolin Wind, (I Know) I'm Losing You, Every Picture Tells a Story, (Find a) Reason to Believe, That's All Right / Amazing Grace, Seems Like a Long Time, Tomorrow Is a Long Time, Henry

Songs From The Big Chair

Tears For Fears

5/5

Great album, low key one of the best of the 80s. It doesn't immediately come to my mind when I think of albums of that era because TFF is more subtle and less bombastic than a lot of their peers. But dig in, and you have some of the best pop music from the past 40 years. The album also has a variety of musical influences, including that post punk depth that's missing from most 80s pop. Striking arrangements, eloquent songwriting, plenty of hooks. Not to mention, it has aged beautifully. In an era of throwaway music, TFF delivered an album that's of its time, but pretty timeless. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Head over Heels / Broken (reprise), Shout, The Working Hour, I Believe, Mothers Talk, Listen, Broken

More Songs About Buildings And Food

Talking Heads

5/5

I love a T-Heads and Eno collaboration, always. Eno has a way of teasing the best work out of brilliant artists, and it's no different here. These songs are quirky and energetic, frequently strange, adventurous and insanely funky. This is the kind of album that's full of angular twists and turns, without much in the way of hooks. You have to work a little to settle into this one, but once you're in the groove, it's amazing. The funny part is that one of the greatest covers of all time resides on this album, and it's not even remotely the most interesting song. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): I'm Not in Love, Stay Hungry, The Big Country, Found a Job, Artists Only, Take Me to the River, Thank You for Sending Me an Angel, The Good Thing, With Our Love, Warning Sign, The Girls Want to Be with the Girls

The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys

3/5

This was a fun album by the Beach Boys, with some surprisingly rich arrangements. It has less of the "fun-fun" vibe of their earlier works, which really suits the band. When they lean more into the ballads (i.e., side 2), the band has more opportunities to harmonize in interesting ways. I adore "Help me Ronda," although the album version isn't quite as good as the one they released for the single. And I just don't get the waste of space that is "Bull Session with the 'Big Daddy.'" Fave Songs: Help Me, Ronda; Kiss Me, Baby; I'm So Young; Please Let Me Wonder; In the Back of My Mind; Dance, Dance, Dance

MTV Unplugged In New York

Nirvana

4/5

Great album, acoustic and stripped down, but not lacking at all in Nirvana's trademark slow burning anguish and menace. Surprisingly cover-heavy, which was disappointing to see at first blush, but the Meat Puppets covers work really well here. The Bowie cover is obviously next level. One of the best cover songs ever recorded. Nice to hear the crowd reactions, but there's a bit of a volume problem whenever the band is speaking. I had to crank it up to hear what they were saying. Not perfect, but riveting from start to finish. Fave Songs: All Apologies, The Man Who Sold the World, About a Girl, Dumb, Where Did You Sleep Last Night, On a Plain, Come as You Are

Illinois

Sufjan Stevens

3/5

Creative, grandiose, lovely and weird, mildly pretentious. Enjoyable, but really too long. Fave Songs: The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!; Come On! Feel the Illinoise!; Go! Chicago! Go! Yeah!; The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders; To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region...; The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts

Felt Mountain

Goldfrapp

3/5

Dark, retro and weird (in a good way). Has a vaguely Shirley Bassey meets Joe Meek vibe. I know they're aiming for languid, but it frequently comes off as plodding. I don't hate it, but a little goes a long way. Fave Songs: Felt Mountain, Human, Horse Tears, Lovely Head, Paper Bag

Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

Spirit

3/5

Stylistically a hodgepodge and tonally kind of weird. Not sure whether Spirit wants to be earthy or proggy or psychedelic, so they threw a little of everything against the wall. An odd but ultimately unmemorable album, with a few bright moments and buoyed by one exceptional track in "Nature's Way." Fave Songs: Nature's Way, Street Worm, When I Touch You, Animal Zoo, Life Has Just Begun

Low

David Bowie

5/5

This is one of those albums that is hard to talk about, because you feel like you have to say something smart about it. But that's really not necessary, because the album speaks for itself. Suffice it to say, Low is a powerful work, just about as fascinating an album as David Bowie ever made. Disjointed, dreamy and strange, this is an album that could have killed Bowie's career. Instead, it's a big part of why we still talk about him today. It was a creative leap for Bowie that really cracked open like an egg our ideas of what music can and should be. It's also the gift that keeps on giving, with new things to discover every time I hear it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most least favorite): Sound and Vision, Always Crashing in the Same Car, Art Decade, Warszawa, Be My Wife, Subterraneans, Weeping Wall, A New Career in a New Town, What in the World, Breaking Glass, Speed of Life

Sweet Baby James

James Taylor

4/5

There are several really excellent songs on here. "Fire and Rain" is gorgeous, one of the true great songs of the 1970s. I've also long been a fan of the title track. The best songs are elegantly arranged and pleasant to listen to, with a nice contrast between sweetness and ennui. The worst songs lean to the hokey and James' attempts at the blues are just kind of dumb. On balance, this is still a pretty great album, which gets better on repeat listenings. Fave Songs: Fire and Rain; Sweet Baby James; Country Road; Anywhere Like Heaven; Blossom

Darkness on the Edge of Town

Bruce Springsteen

5/5

I was on a Springsteen kick about 15 years ago and had really been enjoying his first three albums. But when I got to Darkness, it was like the proverbial needle scratch on the vinyl moment for me. It's one of my absolute favorites now, but Darkness was so different from anything I had heard from him and I didn't connect with it at first. It's tense and unsettling, equal parts raging, soaring and mournful. It's an album full of sharp edges and seething with raw emotion. His characters are wounded, struggling, hopeful, the one thing they want just out of reach. It's wrenching, compelling songwriting that's somehow never overwrought. Musically, the songs are spare, resonant and intense. This is a band at the height of their powers and vocally, Bruce has probably never sounded better. He's made a lot of great albums in his career, but this is arguably his best. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The Promised Land, Prove It All Night, Racing in the Street, Badlands, Streets of Fire, Something in the Night, Adam Raised a Cain, Candy's Room, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Factory

Innervisions

Stevie Wonder

5/5

This is almost as perfect an album as you'll ever hear. I'm a bit jealous of anyone who is hearing it for the first time, because it's such a sublime experience. For an album that's 50 years old, it has barely aged a day. It's everything we expect of a Stevie Wonder album - smooth, groovy, elegantly arranged, eminently entertaining. The lyrics are earnest, thoughtful and spiritual, very much of their time but with a message that's relevant today in many ways. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing, Living For The City, All In Love Is Fair, Jesus Children Of America, He's Misstra Know-It-All, Higher Ground, Golden Lady, Too High, Visions

Apocalypse Dudes

Turbonegro

2/5

This got old fast. I get the whole retro glam metal shtick, and Turbonegro is perfectly adept at what they're doing, but what's missing is any sense of charisma. The lyrics are purposefully dumb, which isn't necessarily a problem, but without being entertaining at all. I imagine this band is fun live, but I could have lived without hearing this album. Fave Songs: Humiliation Street,Prince of the Rodeo, Zillion Dollar Sadist, Back to Dungaree High

The Madcap Laughs

Syd Barrett

3/5

Stylistically out of sorts and frequently incoherent, with the elephant in the room of Syd Barrett's mental state looming large. Some really creative songs here with moments of bright whimsy and a stripped down sound that has aged surprisingly well. But the hodgepodge musical style and frequently surreal lyrics reveal glimpses into Barrett's fractured perspective, which can be unsettling. I didn't particularly connect with this, but I can see why some people are drawn to him. Fave Songs: Feel, Octopus, Long Gone, Here I Go, Dark Globe, Terrapin

Happy Trails

Quicksilver Messenger Service

3/5

Building half your album around an extended jam session inspired by [checks notes] a guy who generally managed to keep his songs well under 4 minutes... was a choice, I guess. Okay, clearly these guys can play. But man, was this jammy, unnecessarily so. One thing I will say for it is that you're a good 10 minutes into the album before you realize that oh, this is live. That speaks to Quicksilver Messenger Service's technical talents, but that only carries this album so far. Musically this was fine, probably one of the better live recordings I've heard yet, but I don't have any interest in returning to it. Fave Songs: Who Do You Love Suite, Mona

There's A Riot Goin' On

Sly & The Family Stone

5/5

Sly Stone captures the darkness, disillusionment and exhaustion of his era and funnels it all into one truly profound work that has aged beautifully. Funky and gritty and warped, with cryptic and cynical lyrics. But the album never loses its soul in the process, delivering a sound that's equal parts thought provoking and entertaining. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Family Affair, Luv N' Haight, Just Like a Baby, Poet, Runnin' Away, Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa, Africa Talks to You 'The Asphalt Jungle, Brave & Strong, Spaced Cowboy, (You Caught Me) Smilin', Time, There's a Riot Goin' On

Red Dirt Girl

Emmylou Harris

3/5

Lovely, well-crafted songs. Surprisingly strong, affecting songwriting from Emmylou Harris, who up to that point wasn't generally known as a songwriter. Harris is also in excellent voice, as she always is. The pace can drag a bit at points, but it grows on you as the album progresses. Fave Songs: Bang the Drum Slowly, J'Ai Fait Tout, My Antonia, Boy from Tupelo, Michelangelo, Red Dirt Girl

Bandwagonesque

Teenage Fanclub

5/5

Loved it. A power pop classic with strong echoes of Big Star. Hooky, melodic and charming, with a nice bit of burn to keep it from getting too pretty. Not perfect, but the magic is in the quirks and imperfections. I was leaning toward giving this a 4, but it's just so infectiously good. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The Concept, What You Do to Me, Is This Music?, Metal Baby, December, Star Sign, Sidewinder, Alcoholiday, Guiding Star, I Don't Know, Pet Rock, Satan

Green River

Creedence Clearwater Revival

5/5

It's funny, when I think of Creedence Clearwater Revival I always think of this local classic rock radio station that sometimes would do a weekend promotion where they played their whole catalog, from the longest song to the shortest. The end of the weekend would be packed with Creedence songs - guitar-driven, intense, tight as hell, deeply fun. The antithesis of every draggy, jammy band you've ever heard. Love it. Creedence probably isn't the first, or even the third band you think of when you think about the 60s. But they're one of the best. Their sound encompasses so much of the mood of their time. But it's also a sound with incredible staying power, which still feels vital 50+ years on. This is Creedence at their lean and mean best, packing in a powerful group of 9 songs in just 29 minutes. It's well-paced but warm and earthy. Several of the band's best known songs appear on here, but the deep tracks are compelling as well. Fave Songs (all songs, from most to least favorite): Green River, Lodi, Commotion, Bad Moon Rising, Wrote a Song for Everyone, Sinister Purpose, Cross-Tie Walker, Tombstone Shadow, The Night Time Is the Right Time

Hybrid Theory

Linkin Park

1/5

Dense, formulaic, stylistically hollow. Overly produced sound with annoying rap-to-raging vocals. Unmemorable. Fave Songs: None, really. Favorite quote from a fellow reviewer: "I get screamed at enough in real life."

Dummy

Portishead

3/5

An unusual mix of soulful with dark and moody. Well crafted songs with a restrained use of scratching and sampling, which gives the songs a grittiness without making them feel heavy handed. Not every song lands, but when the get it right, it's splendid. Fave Songs: Sour Times, Glory Box, Mysterons, It Could Be Sweet, Roads, Wandering Star

Fly Or Die

N.E.R.D

3/5

This was a really fun listen. Playful songs with a chill vibe, nimbly drawing on a variety of musical influences. Remember when this kind of creativity wasn't so rare in music? Fave Songs: Maybe, Breakout, Don't Worry About It, Jump, Thrasher

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Pink Floyd

3/5

Stylistically all over the map and very much of its time, but psychedelic-era Pink Floyd is never boring. This is a twisted, strange odyssey of a listen. Musicianship is a little uneven, with some well crafted songs, and others that sound like the band is just off on some creative lark (See: most of side 2). There is a silliness and sing-songiness that's a little hard to take, but it's fortunately mitigated somewhat by the fact that most of the songs are pretty brief. That said, "Interstellar Overdrive" is just way too long and just feels like 9 minutes of funhouse music. The laughter at the end of "Bike" is kind of a perfect way to end it, but also leads one to wonder if we haven't all just been had in some kind of massive musical joke. Not something I see myself coming back to, but it's incredibly creative and adventurous music and for what it's worth, pretty fun to listen to. It's not hard to see how this album must have been vastly mind-opening and influential on artists who would be making music 10-15 years down the line. Fave Songs: Lucifer Sam, Astronomy Dominé, Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk, Matilda Mother, Pow R. Toc H.

Floodland

Sisters Of Mercy

4/5

Total mood of an album, in the best way. What I love about this kind of music is how monumental it all sounds. It's a really immersive sound with authoritative vocals, intense arrangements, and evocative lyrics. As I recall when this album came out, it sounded really dark and exotic compared to a lot of 80s postpunk. Sure there were better bands, but listening to Sisters of Mercy was like stepping into another world. Listening to the album 35+ years on, the best songs are still really compelling. As a total production, the album is nicely crafted, with a strong musical point of view. There's an almost theatrical approach to how the songs are placed and flow in relation to each other (Yes, I did see Jim Steinman in the production credits, which seems fitting). There really isn't a bad song on here. The only downside of course, is how the band relied so much on synths and drum machines, which may have sounded top of the line cool in 1987, but can come off now as rather flat and dated. Fave Songs: This Corrosion, Flood II, Driven Like the Snow, Lucretia My Reflection, Flood I

Hot Rats

Frank Zappa

5/5

Great album, possibly Frank Zappa's best. Certainly it's his most cohesive, stylistically coherent work. It's a rich, groovy, jazz-soaked sound, with strong musicianship and less of Zappa's tendency to lean into the silly/absurd. I think having the bulk of the album be instrumental allows Zappa to express his irreverence musically instead of through lyrics, which really works. That said, the one song with vocals ("Willie the Pimp") is probably the best of the whole album. Overall, a twisted adventure that also happens to rock. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Willie the Pimp, Peaches en Regalia, Son of Mr. Green Genes, It Must Be a Camel, The Gumbo Variations, Little Umbrellas

Disraeli Gears

Cream

5/5

Such a classic album that epitomizes so much of its time. Bluesy, psychedelic brilliance that never gets overwrought or jammy. Stunning bass work and authoritative vocals from Jack Bruce. Powerful drumming by Ginger Baker. Some of Eric Clapton's best guitar work ever. Mind blowing stuff, even today. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Sunshine of Your Love, Strange Brew, Tales of Brave Ulysses, SWLABR, Outside Woman Blues, We're Going Wrong, Take It Back, World of Pain, Dance the Night Away, Blue Condition, Mother's Lament

16 Lovers Lane

The Go-Betweens

3/5

This is a perfectly pleasant album with some interesting arrangements and quirks that lift it above your typical late 80s pop fare. This is definitely the Go-Betweens' most accessible work, but it lacks a certain prickliness that I enjoy from their earlier works. Still some interesting songs, and the quality of the album improves by the second half. 17 year old me would enjoyed this well enough, but there are better bands in this vein. Fave Songs: Streets of Your Town, Clouds, Dive for Your Memory, You Can't Say No Forever, The Devil's Eye

Appetite For Destruction

Guns N' Roses

5/5

I cannot stress enough what a breath of fresh air this album was in '87-88. Music, especially hard rock and metal, was awash in spandex, party tunes and power ballads, bereft of real feeling. At the edges, you had the cracklings of change that would happen a few years off, but from the vantage point of what you heard on the radio, there was little there that wasn't more of the same old. This was an album that came out of left field, spreading like wildfire by word of mouth and passed hand to hand on cassette. Thanks by the way to Amy Meyer for passing this album to me. Windows down, full volume, we had a blast. So, this little masterpiece. What made it special? GNR actually made blues rock and metal sound vital again. They share as much DNA with Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones as they do with AC/DC and Van Halen, with a dash of glam and even punk. It's raw-edged and mean, assertive, scuzzy, riffy wonderfulness. There's also a strong sense of melody and songcraft just under the grime that makes these songs catchy and memorable as hell. All you need to hear is a few opening notes to "Sweet Child O' Mine," and that song will live in your brain for days. And you want it there, it's so damn good. Before the band imploded under their own weight, GNR had the world in their hands for a time, and it was good. Very much of its time, but the album has aged well, as all classics do. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Welcome to the Jungle, Sweet Child o' Mine, Paradise City, Mr. Brownstone, Rocket Queen, You're Crazy, Nightrain, It's So Easy, Out ta Get Me, Think About You, Anything Goes, My Michelle

1984

Van Halen

4/5

A great, undeniably fun album, probably Van Halen's last truly excellent work. Several of the band's best known hits reside on this album, as well as some solid deep tracks. This is of course the one where Eddie really leans into keyboards, which made for a much slicker sound than on VH's earlier works. It's also Dave's last album with the band, but what a way to go out, right? Just an album full of big, strutting, joyful rockers. At the time, the band splitting was the last thing on anyone's minds, but in retrospect you can always see it. The band in this form had nowhere else to go creatively after 1984, but this album stands as a testament to how brilliant they were while it lasted. Fave Songs: Jump, Hot for Teacher, I'll Wait, Panama, Drop Dead Legs

Hunky Dory

David Bowie

5/5

One of David Bowie's finest albums. Elegantly crafted, wonderfully melodic songs, with a surprising softness and effortless charm. It’s simply arranged and surprisingly… I guess the word I'm looking for is quiet… compared to the oft-noisy and rock driven Man Who Sold the World that came before it. It's like Bowie took off the kabuki mask for a minute and we could really connect with him in a way that doesn't always happen. To that end, Bowie also took a less stylistic approach to his lyricism on this album that works so well. These are probably among the most straightforward and accessible lyrics he ever wrote and the album is so much better for it. "Queen Bitch" really doesn't belong on Hunky Dory in a lot of ways. It's on another track stylistically from the rest of it. That said, it's still my favorite song on the album and a top 5 Bowie song for me in general. I wouldn't remove it for anything. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Queen Bitch, Changes, Life on Mars?, The Bewlay Brothers, Quicksand, Oh! You Pretty Things, Eight Line Poem, Andy Warhol, Kooks, Song for Bob Dylan, Fill Your Heart

2112

Rush

4/5

Powerful, essential prog rock album. This album basically has no flaws to speak of, although the 20 minute long conceptual side 1 requires a little more patience than the looser-structured side 2 (which happens to be the side I prefer). Even so, the band makes every second of that 20 minutes count, and the album as a whole mostly avoids the self indulgence you hear in a lot of prog. This isn't an album I generally see myself putting on for the heck of it, but the band's talent is undeniable. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Something for Nothing, A Passage to Bangkok, Tears, The Twilight Zone, Lessons, 2112

Raw Like Sushi

Neneh Cherry

3/5

While this really isn't my thing and I feel like it hasn't aged particularly well, I am happy to concede that Neneh Cherry was onto something really different with this album. The incorporation of various styles of music was really forward thinking for its time. Cherry also tackles subject matter that isn't common in late 80s pop music. Several strong songs and quite a bit of filler. Fave Songs: Buffalo Stance, Phoney Ladies, Love Ghetto, Outré Risqué Locomotive

Buffalo Springfield Again

Buffalo Springfield

4/5

Excellent folk rock album, with creative uses of country, baroque pop and psychedelia. I love how Stephen Stills, Neil Young and Richie Furay share lead vocal duties, which brings a nice variety to the sound. Stylistically, a few of the songs run a bit far afield and don't quite hit the mark, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: Mr. Soul, Hung Upside Down, A Child's Claim to Fame, Rock & Roll Woman, Expecting to Fly, Bluebird, Everydays

Crosby, Stills & Nash

4/5

Great chill, summer vibe. Effortlessly warm and earthy folk rock classic, with some of the best harmonies ever put to record. There is a very small number of bands who can effectively do the multiple voices singing as one thing, and CSN is one of the best. High 4. Fave Songs: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Wooden Ships, Long Time Gone, Helplessly Hoping, Marrakesh Express, You Don't Have to Cry

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

5/5

You really can't go wrong with a Tom Petty album. His discography is the gift that keeps on giving, with treasures to be found on pretty much everything he ever made. This little gem was the band's debut, showing the band was still a work in progress, but with a level of quality that some bands strive for over years and never can match. It's wonderfully crafted, full of youthful energy but also moments of emotional honesty in the songwriting that would become central to all of Petty's work going forward. It reveals Petty's/the band's full understanding of songcraft and what makes a great album. And they were just getting started. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): American Girl; Breakdown; Mystery Man; Hometown Blues; Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll; Strangered in the Night; Luna; Fooled Again (I Don't Like It); The Wild One, Forever; Rockin' Around (With You)

With The Beatles

Beatles

5/5

It pains me a little not to give 5 stars to a Beatles album. As someone who listens to these albums all the time and loves all their songs, it almost feels like a form of self harm. But it's okay to admit that the earlier Beatles albums were more of a work in progress. Graded on the curve of their own catalog, With the Beatles falls somewhere around a low 4. Graded on the curve of other albums that came out in 1963, it's an easy 5. Look it up. You could make a case for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, but the only pop album from '63 even in the ballpark of this one is another Beatles album. Not quite half the songs on this album are covers by other artists. They're generally excellent, if not entirely show stopping. But the band pretty well owns their version of "Money," which is a solidly entertaining rocker. Even their cover of "You Really Got a Hold on Me," which is no match for the Miracles, is a dreamy delight to hear. As for the original Beatle songs, they are full of exuberance, charm and flashes of brilliance. And every one of the songs on the album is deeply catchy and fun to listen to, with an innate sense of pop songcraft that few artists possess. I find myself enjoying this more on each subsequent listen. Okay, I didn't think I was heading this way when I started this review but I've convinced myself LOL - low 5, without a doubt. Fave Songs (All songs, from most least favorite): All My Loving, Not a Second Time, Don't Bother Me, All I've Got to Do, Money (That's What I Want), You Really Got a Hold on Me, Till There Was You, Devil in Her Heart, I Wanna Be Your Man, It Won't Be Long, Hold Me Tight, Please Mr. Postman, Roll Over Beethoven, Little Child

This Is Fats Domino

Fats Domino

3/5

Bluesy and laid back, full of personality, a real joy to listen to. Several excellent songs, including two of the true classics of that era. But a lot of the songs end up being a bit of an unmemorable/samey blur, despite Fats' obvious talents. Spotify doesn't have this full album, but you can piece it together from various compilations and YouTube. Fave Songs: Blueberry Hill, Blue Monday, Honey Chile, So Long, What's the Reason (I'm Not Pleasing You)

Feast of Wire

Calexico

4/5

This is pretty amazing. Richly crafted and awash in musical influences. Just levels upon levels of sound and mood, an incredible flow from track to track, and an almost cinematic quality to the sound. Fave Songs: Quattro (World Drifts In), Sunken Waltz, Across the Wire, Attack el Robot! Attack!, Woven Birds, No Doze, Dub Latina, Crumble

Pictures At An Exhibition

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

2/5

Okay, so ELP have obvious musical chops. Also, for a live production, they did an excellent job here. I wish more artists explored classical music through the lens of other genres, because there's so much creative potential to be found there. And yet... a couple of decent songs + a creative concept, but this album mostly left me cold. High 2. Fave Songs: The Sage; Blues Variation; Promenade, pt. 2

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

What a delight this was to hear. Heartfelt, soulful and properly pissy. Distinctive vocals from Kevin Rowland and a rich, energetic, horn infused sound. Not a lot of bands could effectively blend the emotional honesty of American soul with the attitude of punk, but Dexy's nails it on the head. The lyrics can sometimes be a little vague or obscure, but the feeling is genuine. Fave Songs: : Seven Days Too Long, Tell Me When My Light Turns Green, I Couldn't Help If I Tried, I'm Just Looking, Burn It Down

Lust For Life

Iggy Pop

4/5

This is a splendid album by Iggy Pop, arguably his best. It's kind of all elbows, ragged and chaotic, shaking off the more structured sound of his work with David Bowie on The Idiot. This is Iggy embracing himself as an artist and where he wants to go musically - raw hedonism, aggressive proto-punk energy, frank subject matter, surprising moments of vulnerability. Warts and all, somehow he makes it all work beautifully. What do most people think of when they think of Iggy Pop? Lust for Life, what's what. Fave Songs: The Passenger, Lust for Life, Neighborhood Threat, Tonight, Success

Protection

Massive Attack

3/5

This one kind of grows on you. Really chill, moody vibe. The cover of "Light My Fire" really doesn't belong and adds nothing to the album. Fave Songs: Weather Storm, Protection, Better Things, Heat Miser, Sly

Microshift

Hookworms

3/5

If Krautrock and pop had a baby. Catchy, yet adventurous. Nice to see a newer act that knows how to put a strong album together, although it appears the band has split. I enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: The Soft Season, Opener, Negative Space, Ullswater, Static Resistance

Tom Tom Club

4/5

Charming, joyfully odd, irresistibly fun. This is a funky, blippy and percussive musical adventure that invites us all to just embrace our inner weirdos and dance. Lots of little nuances that sound amazing coming through a pair of headphones. The album loses steam on the final few tracks, but it's an absolutely unique and delightful experience. Fave Songs: Genius of Love; Wordy Rappinghood; Lorelei; As Above, So Below; L'éléphant

Foxbase Alpha

Saint Etienne

3/5

Charming in its way, if a bit bland, with a chill vibe that's easy on the ears. The band takes a very subtle approach to incorporating several musical styles with a clever use of sampling. A little goes a long way. Fave songs: Nothing Can Stop Us, People Get Real, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, London Belongs to Me, Stoned to Say the Least

Green Onions

Booker T. & The MG's

4/5

This a fun album, full of easygoing, soulful grooves. It's like a trip into another time and place, some smoke filled little 60s club where the drinks are plentiful and everyone is cooler than you. The title track is the obvious star of the album, one of the most killer instrumental tracks ever made. It's a genre-defining and era-defining song that never gets old. Nobody else sounds like this, and if you can find someone who does, they're absolutely biting this band's style. The album as a whole could never match up to that song, it's just not possible. It's almost entirely comprised of covers, a common practice for artists at that time. But Booker T. & The MG's pretty much owns these covers, with an incredibly distinctive sound that's catchy and affable and hip as hell. The band's own songs are among the best on the album, for what it's worth. I would have liked to hear more of their original stuff. Fave Songs: Green Onions, Lonely Avenue, Comin' Home Baby, Behave Yourself, One Who Really Loves You, Stranger on the Shore

Penance Soiree

The Icarus Line

3/5

I have to be in the mood for this kind of album, but it has its moments. Noisy, swaggering, ramshackle fun with echoes of the Stooges, Suicide, Jesus & Mary Chain. If your main attribute is that you sound like a bunch of other, better artists, it's a bit of a problem. A solid listen, but not something I see myself coming back to. Fave Songs: Caviar, Getting Bright at Night, Party the Baby Off, Spike Island, On the Lash, Seasick

Risque

CHIC

3/5

There are some excellent Disco-era artists don't really get credit they deserve for their music, or its influence on future genres. It gets treated like a novelty, when really, we're still hearing the effects of Disco today in all kinds of music. Chic is among the best, most memorable bands of this era. In a genre that gets a bad rap for being all studio fabrication, Chic was a real band playing real music that Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards wrote and produced themselves. And this particular album was well crafted, both with songs built for the dance floor and some thoughtful ballads that I didn't imagine the band had in them. The sound is distinctive and self consciously aspirational, highly polished funk that embraces the decadence of the times. Some songs on the album are better than others, but the flow from front to back is flawless, and the vocals and musicianship are solid. The star track is obviously "Good Times," which is an era-defining song that is so much fun to listen to and hasn't lost a bit of its fire. Fave Songs: Good Times, What About Me?, A Warm Summer Night, My Feet Keep Dancing

Reggatta De Blanc

The Police

4/5

Some people are very quick to dismiss the Police, and I don't really understand it. They were a massively talented band whose music was smarter and better crafted than most bands working in rock in the late 70s/early 80s. Their sound is incredibly distinctive, so much so that absolutely no one else sounds like them. Creatively speaking, this album is more technically sophisticated than their first one and among the band's more adventurous works. The band shakes some of the punk energy of Outlandos, but they trade it for a sharper, more intricate sound. Every single member of the band is playing at an extremely high level here, better than most bands could ever hope to play. And this isn't remotely their best album. The lyrical content is on the darker side at times, dealing with subjects of alienation and loneliness. But the warmth of the band's sound, augmented by their signature reggae-tinged style, helps balance it out beautifully. Fave Songs: The Bed's Too Big Without You, Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon, Bring On the Night, It's Alright for You

Beyond Skin

Nitin Sawhney

3/5

This is a really diverse, interesting collection of songs. Awash in musical influences, from drum and bass to R&B and hip hop and world music. This is eclecticism done right. Some of the vocal tracks sound pretty dated and the whole album would have benefitted from dropping a couple of songs. But overall a great listen. Fave Songs: Tides, Letting Go, Broken Skin, Nadia, Homelands

Third/Sister Lovers

Big Star

5/5

A fractured, unsettling masterpiece that is decades ahead of its time. Third is not the easiest album to connect with, but there's something in these songs that's haunting and beautiful. It's all at once prickly and elegant, with an emotional honesty that's pretty breathtaking. Big Star's well documented distribution problems and bad timing may have kept their music from reaching an audience in their day. But for many of us who have been lucky enough to find them in the decades since, this is music that just burns itself into you. It has incredibly staying power, even 45 years on. If you know anything about Big Star, you know that Third is really Alex Chilton's album (with Jody Stephens, to a far lesser extent) and that the original band was done at this point. Some have described this as an album about a relationship crumbling, or the band crumbling, but it's also about Chilton's fragmenting sense of self and of what he thought he could do with music. It's notable that after Chilton put Third behind him, he went into the New York punk scene and evolved into a whole new sound. This album doesn't sound like Chilton's solo work, but it is his creative launching point. There are remnants of the muscular yet dreamy power pop that dominates Big Star's first 2 albums, but this work is less structured and more experimental than the others. It's a sound that contrasts deliberate atonality/raggedness with more polished, classically informed piano and string arrangements. Chilton is able to take the music into some very dark spaces that are equal parts ethereal and heart rending, with odd occasional moments of whimsy and brightness. If you enjoyed this, I strongly recommend taking the time to listen to the album Complete Third, not to mention the first 2 albums. Also, the documentary Nothing Can Hurt Me is a must see. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite, 1978 PVC US LP version): For You; Stroke It Noel; Blue Moon; Nightime; Kanga Roo; Holocaust; Big Black Car; Femme Fatale; O, Dana; Take Care; Nature Boy; Dream Lover; You Can't Have Me; Jesus Christ; Kizza Me; Thank You Friends; Downs.

Highly Evolved

The Vines

3/5

This was pretty good. Catchy, with the right amount of acidity. Stylistically this is all over the place, and a couple of these tracks could have been dropped to make a much better album, but I enjoyed it. I get the comparisons to Nirvana, but The Vines are pretty toothless by comparison. Most insightful comment by a fellow reviewer: "Garage rock for Britpop fans." Fave Songs: Homesick, Get Free, Sunshinin, Autumn Shade, Country Yard

Led Zeppelin

5/5

Stunningly good debut album by a band that was pretty perfect out of the box, but somehow only got better with each successive album. This is pure, early Zeppelin. Long on blues and dripping with sex. Slow burning and ethereal one minute, raw and blistering the next. Not a bad song to be found. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Communication Breakdown, Dazed and Confused, Good Times Bad Times, How Many More Times, You Shook Me, Your Time Is Gonna Come, Black Mountain Side

Miriam Makeba

3/5

Rich and joyful. Miriam Makeba's voice is delightful, containing a depth of emotion that transcends any language barriers. Musically, this is a really nice blend of traditional songs with a polished pop sound. Fave Songs: Mbube; Lakutshn, Ilanga; Iya Guduza; The Click Song; Where Does It Lead?

Ghosteen

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

Lovely, mournful and desolate. Definitely a gloomy listen, but a really compelling view of mortality and loss. Among Nick Cave's best. Fave Songs: Waiting for You, Sun Forest, Ghosteen, Galleon Ship, Ghosteen Speaks, Hollywood

Clube Da Esquina

Milton Nascimento

3/5

Stylistically kind of unfocused, which is harder to follow as a listener when you don't have the benefit of being able to understand the lyrics. Also a bit long, but this was still really enjoyable, a nice summer listen. Fave Songs: Um Girassol Da Cor De Seu Cabelo, Tudo Que Você Podia Ser, Um Gosto De Sol, Paisagem Da Janela, Trem De Doido, Dos Cruces

Blur

3/5

Musically clever and nuanced with a nice variety from song to song. The risk of going stylistically diverse of course is that you risk sounding unfocused. There's a bit of that happening here, but the album is anchored by some pretty solid songs. Had the band dropped 2-3 of them, this would have been a much tighter album. Fave Songs: Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man, Beetlebum, Death of a Party, Strange News from Another Star, Look Inside America

Actually

Pet Shop Boys

5/5

I love this album. It's one of the great examples of a techno pop album that functions beautifully as a whole. Every song is perfectly placed and there's not much in the way of filler. It's really a total package of an album, one of the greats of its genre. Several of the Pet Shop Boys' best songs appear on here, including "What Have I Done to Deserve This?," "It's a Sin," and "Rent," but there are some really compelling deep tracks as well. The whole album is a sly political statement about the emptiness of the age in which it was made, much of it still resonating today. I promise you, there were not a lot of pop artists occupying this particular space in music in 1987. Musically, the arrangements are top notch, with a smart, textured use of sequencing and some really lovely melodies. Neil Tennant's approach to vocals suits the tone of the songs beautifully. He comes off as jaded and detached, but then he has these lovely, surprising moments of vulnerability that add well-placed emotional depth to the sound. These are songs that speak evocatively of decadence, ennui, longing and regret, in ways that few artists can do. And all of that with a perfect pop sensibility. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): It's a Sin, Rent, What Have I Done to Deserve This?, It Couldn't Happen Here, I Want to Wake Up, Heart, King's Cross, One More Chance, Shopping, Hit Music

So

Peter Gabriel

5/5

Spectacular, one of the smartest, most creative albums of the 80s. Richly arranged with a properly restrained avant garde sensibility, it's Peter Gabriel's most accessible work. This album's big hits ("Sledgehammer," "Big Time") managed to fit in well with the bombast of the mid-80s, but it also has a nuance and thoughtfulness that you almost never see in popular music. The vast range of artists who worked on various elements is also really impressive, from Kate Bush and Laurie Anderson to Stewart Copeland and Nile Rodgers. Gabriel's inclusion of international artists like Youssou N'Dour and Djalma Correa is never heavy handed or exploitative, and adds great depth to the sound. This is an album that begs repeat listening, with new things to discover each time you hear it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Don't Give Up, In Your Eyes, Sledgehammer, Big Time, Red Rain, This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds), Mercy Street, We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37), That Voice Again

Myths Of The Near Future

Klaxons

3/5

The literary element of this album is interesting and musically it's is fine, although the band struggles to land on a definitive focus or musical point of view. So it's kind of all over the place, but not in a way that's particularly memorable. I guess that album cover should have been taken as a warning. Fave Songs: As Above, So Below; Two Receivers; Totem on the Timeline

Honky Tonk Masquerade

Joe Ely

3/5

Enjoyable Texas honky tonk with a rock edge and some really great guitar. A nice warm sound that grows on you as the album goes on and still sounds pretty fresh today. Great stuff. Fave Songs: Because of the Wind, I'll Be Your Fool, West Texas Waltz, Honky Tonkin', Boxcars, Cornbread Moon

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

4/5

This is one of the great socially conscious albums, a thoughtful, elegant rumination on troubled times. It's the greatest work of Marvin Gaye's career, one that still has resonance 50 years later. These songs come across as a series of conversations on war, the environment, faith and social struggle, all expressed with great thoughtfulness and pathos. You can really feel the uncertainty and sadness in Gaye's voice, who has never sounded better. The songs are artful and soulful and a pleasure to listen to. The middle of the album is a little weak, which keeps this from being a solid 5. But it's a unique and unforgettable work, a high water mark of its genre and its time. Fave Songs: What's Going On, Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler), Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Right On, What's Happening Brother

That's The Way Of The World

Earth, Wind & Fire

4/5

Jazzy, funky, life affirming music. EWF occupies a very specific niche in music that's all their own, one of positivity and joy, delivered on the waves of a masterful groove. You cannot listen to this without cracking a smile, it's such a delight. Fave Songs: Shining Star, That's the Way of the World, Reasons, Happy Feelin', Yearnin' Learnin'

In Our Heads

Hot Chip

3/5

This album was fine, danceable fun with an 80s sensibility. I am less a fan of the vocals, which range from just tolerable to just plain bad. Fave Songs: How Do You Do?, Look at Where We Are, Ends of the Earth, Motion Sickness, Now There Is Nothing

Stripped

Christina Aguilera

3/5

This was a solid pop album, with catchy arrangements and some really lovely vocals by Christina Aguilera. Her lyrical game here is also strong here, with an emotionally honest, empowering message that doesn't take away one bit from the album's solid pop sensibility. On the negative side, there is way too much filler and the interludes add nothing to the album. She could have dropped 20 minutes from this album and it would have been so much better. The less said about "Dirrty," the better. That song is simply terrible. Fave Songs: Fighter, Beautiful, Walk Away, Can't Hold Us Down, Infatuation, Impossible

Clandestino

Manu Chao

3/5

This was a fun, eclectic journey into a variety of world music that has a chill vibe and a bit of an edge. Manu Chao manages to draw from a lot of musical influences without sounding overly disjointed or contrived at all. A couple of songs are a bit silly, but overall I enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: Desaparecido, Lágrimas de Oro, Clandestino, Luna y Sol, Mentira..., Je ne t'aime plus

White Light

Gene Clark

3/5

Warm, melodic and bittersweet. A nice listen for a summer day, if not super memorable. I appreciate that Clark picked up the tempo at the end, which closes out the album nicely. Fave Songs: Tears of Rage, With Tomorrow, The Virgin, 1975, White Light

Purple Rain

Prince

4/5

This is such a great album on its own, but also one of the great movie soundtracks of all time. The movie itself wasn't particularly great, but the album became the soundtrack of 1984, it was so huge at the time. The songs are musically creative and wide ranging, but tightly arranged and beautifully cohesive as a whole. Ultimately the album is just so much fun to listen to. It's funky and soulful, frequently hard rocking, sometimes straight up weird, and never boring. Three of Prince's best songs reside on this album, and it's tempting to give it an outright 5, but there are a few throwaway tracks that keep this album at a solid 4. When he gets it right though, it's masterful. Fave Songs: When Doves Cry, Let's Go Crazy, Purple Rain, I Would Die 4 U, Baby I'm a Star

Tres Hombres

ZZ Top

4/5

Aw yeah... badass, effortlessly cool Texas blues that rocks hard. I can't think of another trio as tight as this band. Gritty, bluesy, endlessly listenable. Fave Songs: La Grange, Waitin' for the Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago, Sheik, Master of Sparks, Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers

Now I Got Worry

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

3/5

Okay, I came in dreading this, but I actually liked it. A bit of an oddball, ramshackle mess of an album, but in a really good way. Noisy, garage-y, bluesy and fun. But the band is best when they lean into that twisted psychobilly vibe, which shows a strong influence of the Cramps. I liked the crisp pace; no dilly dallying here at all. Fave Songs: 2Kindsa Love, Eyeballin, Can't Stop, Dynamite Lover, Love All of Me, Wail, Rocketship

It's Too Late to Stop Now

Van Morrison

3/5

I guess I can see a little of why Van Morrison was such an arse about being able to tour in the middle of a global pandemic. He clearly enjoys performing live and he's really good at it. This album, recorded live in 1973, should be a great example of Morrison in his prime as a live performer, and he mostly delivers in that regard. He's in excellent voice on the album and the band supports him nicely. These songs sound nearly as good as the studio recordings, with that added bit of energy, improvisation and grit you can only hear in a live performance. The whole performance has a small club vibe to it, which is nice. I agree with reviewers who say he has better songs, but the casual Van Morrison listener will find a lot of recognizable songs to enjoy here. His covers of Ray Charles, Sonny Boy Williamson II and others in general are great, among the best songs here. I could have done without this being a double album, but I still enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Saint Dominic's Preview, Caravan, I Believe to My Soul, I've Been Working, Listen to the Lion, Domino

Aqualung

Jethro Tull

4/5

If nothing else, Jethro Tull will always stand out as one of the most distinctive sounding groups. No one else sounds quite like them. Aqualung is easily the band's best, most accessible album, with a nice mix of prog and English folk-influenced rock. For me, the folk side of it can wear a little thin. But the band really shines when they lean more into their heavier rock sound. The lyricism is sharp with vivid imagery, although probably better understood if you read them. This was excellent, one of the great rock albums of the 70s. Fave Songs: Locomotive Breath, Hymn 43, Cross-Eyed Mary, Aqualung, Wind-Up

Winter In America

Gil Scott-Heron

4/5

This is such a fascinating album on multiple levels. Musically it's nuanced, with jazzy and soulful elements. The lyrics both elegantly and pointedly speak to both the political and the personal in ways that are quite moving. Many of these songs are still really relevant today. Even "H2Ogate Blues" can be framed in terms of our current political culture, even though Scott-Heron is speaking specifically about Richard Nixon. Fave Songs: The Bottle, Your Daddy Loves You, Peace Go with You Brother (Wa-Alaikum-Salaam), Back Home, Rivers of My Fathers

The Cars

5/5

This is such an iconic album for me. It's one of just a few titles that pop into my mind when I think of a perfect album. What's immediately impressive is how simple an album is, but also how it's a study in contrasts. Clean and crisp, it's never flashy and still somehow the band delivers a pretty big sound when they want to. It's those outsized layered harmonies set against a minimalist backdrop that should be wrong, but the contrast makes it work. It's also a solidly guitar-forward sound, despite the band's synth explorations. This is a sound that's somehow bare bones and muscular all at once. Baked into it are some of the greatest pop hooks you can find in rock music. This is an album built for blasting out of your car speakers, which I highly recommend. It's another pleasure entirely though listening to these songs (especially "Moving Through Stereo") through headphones, because the band uses some subtle but clever panning effects. The lyrics are crisp, quirky and mostly devoid of sentiment, conveyed perfectly by Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr's slick and aloof vocals. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Just What I Needed, Moving in Stereo, My Best Friend's Girl, Bye Bye Love, You're All I've Got Tonight, Good Times Roll, All Mixed Up, In Touch With Your World, Don't Cha Stop

Black Sabbath

5/5

Tense, dark and menacing, slow burning start with a powerful payoff. This is an amazing first album by Black Sabbath without a bad song to be found. This album probably launched a hundred bands, as well as a few concerned parents' groups. I remember Ozzy saying in an interview that they hated the hippies and they just wanted to scare everyone. I think the band accomplishes that on levels, not just from the occult stuff, but how terrifying and apocalyptic this must have sounded against the post-Woodstock rock music landscape in 1970. It really changed the way music sounded. Masters all of them, and none over the age of 22 - Scorching riffs from Tony Iommi... bass lines straight out hell from Geezer Butler... propulsive, nuanced drumming from Bill Ward. And then there's Ozzy, one of the most compelling/ unnerving front men to ever pick up a mike. The lyrics are sometimes surprisingly eloquent, other times straight up scary. Really splendid, all the way. A little more noodling than I typically like to hear, but this is still a solid 5. Fave Songs: The Wizard, N.I.B., Black Sabbath

All Things Must Pass

George Harrison

4/5

This is a lovely album, one the best of the Beatle solo albums. But listening today, I got a strong reminder of why I listen to All Things Must Past pretty rarely. There are about half a dozen brilliant songs on this album, and a whole lot of filler. Don't get me wrong, it's some high quality filler. Look at all the talented artists who were involved in the making of this album. The lyrics are thoughtful and spiritual and Phil Spector's production is lush and elegant. But it still feels like George Harrison just cracked open his song book after leaving the Beatles and decided to make up for lost time and record every song he had on hand. What Harrison really needed was some serious editing and no one was willing to do it. The result is a meandering album with a handful of classic tracks. Fave Songs: What Is Life, Hear Me Lord, My Sweet Lord, Isn't It a Pity, All Things Must Pass, Awaiting on You All, Wah-Wah, If Not for You, Art of Dying

Pyromania

Def Leppard

4/5

This album was such a juggernaut when it first came out. Pyromania was everywhere for years, and Def Leppard really changed the way rock music sounded for much of the 1980s. It's practically a perfect album in a number of ways, with tight arrangements, slick production values, and an innate melodicism and pop sensibility that you rarely see in metal. Not to mention, this album simply rocks hard. It's an album full of big, swaggering, take no prisoners anthems that are also incredibly fun to listen to. That's incredibly hard to do and DL makes it seem so effortless. A high 4, not quite a 5. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Photograph, Too Late for Love, Foolin', Rock of Ages, Billy's Got a Gun, Comin' Under Fire, Die Hard the Hunter, Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop), Stagefright, Action! Not Words

I Am a Bird Now

Antony and the Johnsons

4/5

I just... wow. This is heartbreakingly beautiful, with elegant, minimalist arrangements and striking vocals. The lyrics are some of the most vulnerable and honest that I can ever recall hearing. Fave Songs: Fistful of Love, Bird Gerhl, My Lady Story, Spiralling, You Are My Sister, For Today I Am a Boy

Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Buzzcocks

4/5

Energetic, properly noisy, snotty and fun. A solidly excellent album from one of the best bands to come out of punk. I think the songs on side two for the most part are more focused and musically diverse, while side one tends to blur together a bit. Fave Songs: I Don't Mind, Fiction Romance, Moving Away from the Pulsebeat, Autonomy, No Reply, You Tear Me Up. "What Do I Get?" wasn't on the original release, but it's my personal favorite.

Juju

Siouxsie And The Banshees

4/5

A post punk/goth classic, one of the great albums of the genre. Moody, unsettling arrangements combined with Siouxsie Sioux's hauntingly authoritative vocal and dark lyrical imagery. The rhythm forward style and wide ranging creative use of guitar creates a really singular sound that doesn't really sound like anything else. This is probably the Banshees' best album. Fave songs: Spellbound, Into the Light, Sin in My Heart

Chicago Transit Authority

Chicago

5/5

An amazing first album from CTA/Chicago. Possibly the best album they ever made. Rich and vibrant, jazzy, horn-laden sound. A little jammy, but in all the right ways. I love the older albums with Terry Kath playing mind-bending guitar and the shared vocals between Kath and Peter Cetera. There's a soulfulness and grit here that is absent from the band's later work. There is so much nuance and care in every single song, with something new to appreciate each time I hear it. "Free Form Guitar" is a little bonkers, and "Liberation" is waaaay too long. But when the band gets it right, it's stunningly good. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Beginnings, Questions 67 and 68; Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?; I'm a Man; Introduction; Listen; South California Purples; Poem 58; Liberation; Someday (August 29, 1968); Prologue, August 29, 1968; Free Form Guitar

Ramones

5/5

The Ramones are the backbone of probably hundreds of bands that came after them. The look, the sound, the attitude... it's rock and roll in it's purest, most anarchic form, served up with a smirk. As debut albums go, this one is top notch, 29 minutes of energy and attitude that is also just a lot of fun to listen to. A few of the middle tracks are less compelling than the others, but as a complete work, this album is beyond excellent. It takes some kind of mad genius to take a dash of the brightness and melodicism of early 1960s pop and marry it with the noise and grit of the Stooges and the MC5. That's exactly what's so much fun about the Ramones. It's a crisp, no nonsense sound, full of buzzsaw guitars, punchy beats and catchy hooks. Joey Ramone serves up his vocals with pissy boredom and humor, occasionally shouty and sometimes even laced with surprising moments of sweetness. The band doesn't take themselves particularly seriously, which makes them really engaging and likeable. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Blitzkrieg Bop; Judy Is a Punk; Beat on the Brat; I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend; Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World; I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You; Let's Dance; Chain Saw; 53rd & 3rd; Listen to My Heart; Havana Affair; I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement; Loudmouth; Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue

Heartattack And Vine

Tom Waits

5/5

This is a classic Tom Waits album, probably one of his most accessible and definitely one of my favorites. It has all the touches I enjoy hearing in his music, without some of the abrasiveness that you find in his later works. This is the album I would probably give to a new listener of Waits, rather than throwing them straight into the more adventurous stuff. The album has a sultry, bluesy kind of sound, augmented with some really lovely piano and string arrangements. The lyrics are full of vivid, often gritty imagery, populated with the colorful miscreants and wandering souls we see in a lot of Waits' songs. But there are also some really lovely, heartfelt moments as well, with Waits' vocal bringing in a lot of vulnerability and pathos. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Jersey Girl, Heartattack and Vine, Ruby's Arms, Til the Money Runs Out, On the Nickel, Mr. Siegal, Downtown, Saving All My Love for You, In Shades

Antichrist Superstar

Marilyn Manson

3/5

Reading the background on this album, I'm reminded what a controversial figure Marilyn Manson was back in the 90s. Like seriously, he had religious groups picketing his shows. Everyone had something to say about this band. And although I always felt Manson's shtick was a pastiche of elements he lifted from much better artists and cranked to 11, none of it would have mattered if the music wasn't good. As albums go, both for its genre and the time in which it was made, it turns out this album is pretty solid. The structure, the musicianship, the packaging, it's all really cohesive and well done. Reading how hellish the recording sessions were, it's surprising the band was able to pull it off. That said, it's really not for everyone. This album has some raw, visceral energy that's pretty impressive. The band has a pretty harrowing industrial sound, with a creepy and unsettling vibe. The concept of the album is ambitious, something rare for the 90s. But the concept is not readily apparent if you're listening without any awareness of what the album is supposed to be about. Occasionally the imagery of the lyrics is striking, but maybe more often, the lyrics end up sounding clunky and nonsensical. Edgy for edginess' sake. Manson wastes a lot of energy going for dark and disturbing, but a lot of it ends up being tedious. Fave Songs: The Beautiful People; Cryptorchid, Irresponsible Hate Anthem, Minute of Decay

Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Terence Trent D'Arby

4/5

A solid album, with some really lovely, soulful vocals by Terence Trent D'Arby. The production by Martyn Ware is really interesting. There's definitely this stylish, "new wave" or British pop kind of vibe to the music that made it sound really fresh at the time. The flip side of that is that some it sounds dated, but the overall quality of the album is inarguable. This was an excellent debut by an artist who should have been more successful. Fave Songs: Sign Your Name, Wishing Well, If You Let Me Stay, Who's Loving You, Dance Little Sister, I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words)

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

Sinead O'Connor

5/5

When I think of this album, the video comes to mind that they did for "Nothing Compares 2 U." It was unusual at the time, very simple. For much of the video the camera was trained closely on Sinead O'Connor's face. No bells or whistles, the camera forces you to confront only her voice and her face, and all the emotion that passes over her as you watch. It's such a striking visual, one I can't watch without tearing up a little. This album functions much in the same way. The best arrangements are simple, with a gorgeous use of strings, or sometimes not much more than a guitar and O'Connor's voice. Some songs have more of an alt-folk-celtic rock vibe that suits O'Connor's voice well, but she is at her best when the songs use a less is more approach. For baby me in 1990 (my freshman year in college), having someone like Sinead O'Connor to listen to was so emotionally and personally affirming. She didn't sing go-girl anthems like a lot of pop singers do now. She laid everything she felt on the table, holding nothing back. She could make her voice sound lovely and ethereal, or make it crack with rage or sorrow when she wanted to. She didn't care if she came off as abrasive or strident or weird; she also didn't care if she was a pop star. She suffered for that though, didn't she? But, for all O'Connor's personal struggles over the years, she's as uncompromising now as she ever was. We could use a lot more like her in music. The songs range from unabashedly political to painfully intimate, with incredibly eloquent lyrics that read like poetry. Her devastatingly lovely rendition of the Prince-penned song "Nothing Compares 2 U" is splendid, best thing on the album. All this to say, I feel really lucky to have experienced this album the first time around and I'm happy to report that the album has aged beautifully. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Nothing Compares 2 U, Three Babies, The Emperor's New Clothes, Black Boys on Mopeds, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, I Am Stretched on Your Grave, You Cause as Much Sorrow, The Last Day of Our Acquaintance, Feel So Different, Jump in the River

Africa Brasil

Jorge Ben Jor

3/5

Vibrant, funky and fun to listen to. I understand that there's some real lyrical depth here, which I unfortunately don't get to experience just due to the language barrier. But I enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro; Cavaleiro do Cavalo Imaculado; Camisa 10 da Gávea; O Plebeu; Taj Mahal

Raw Power

The Stooges

5/5

Raw power... indeed. This album is viscerally raw and riveting to listen to. This is meaner, grittier and heavier than just about anything that came after it, with a performance by Iggy Pop that just drips with dark, menacing charisma. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Search and Destroy, Gimme Danger, I Need Somebody, Shake Appeal, Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell, Penetration, Raw Power, Death Trip

The New Tango

Astor Piazzolla

3/5

Occasionally challenging, but surprisingly delightful! Today is the day I learned I like the vibes. Fave Songs: Little Italy, Laura's Dream, Vibraphonissimo, Nuevo Tango

Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter

3/5

Richly atmospheric and melodic, with carefully deployed uses of distortion and noise that give the sound a lot depth. I don't have a lot of interest in Indie bands, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: Memory Boy, Don't Cry, Desire Lines, He Would Have Laughed, Revival, Sailing

Green

R.E.M.

4/5

You can't really go wrong with any of the albums REM put out in the 80s. Green is probably my least favorite of that era, although it's still better than most albums that came out in '88. It's one of their most accessible of their earlier albums, and the band is solid as always. Graded on the curve of their own work though, this is a bit of a mixed bag. Most of the singles I can take or leave, but there are some excellent deep tracks worth listening to. High 3, rounded to a 4. Fave Songs: Orange Crush, World Leader Pretend, Hairshirt, I Remember California, You Are the Everything, Stand

Rust In Peace

Megadeth

4/5

I wasn't in the mood for this when it came up, but hoo boy, is this great. A wickedly good thrash album by Megadeath, with searing guitars and a heavy as hell rhythm section. It's a really rich, weighty sound. And I have to give credit to Dave Mustaine and Mike Clink for really knowing how to put together a cohesive album that feels carefully crafted without sounding over-produced. The one weak point I would mention is Mustaine's vocals, which are somewhat uneven across the board. Fave Songs: Holy Wars... The Punishment Due, Rust in Peace... Polaris, Hangar 18, Take No Prisoners, Poison Was the Cure

Imperial Bedroom

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

5/5

One of the most creative pop albums I've ever heard. This is a great album to wander through on a Sunday afternoon. It's an album that's full of nuances, one best appreciated when you have time to really sit with it. Sophisticated, richly arranged and stylistically diverse. A bit challenging compared to some of Elvis Costello's other works, but totally worth the effort. Gorgeous arrangements, outstanding musicianship, strikingly clever lyrics, and one of Costello's best vocal performances of his career. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Beyond Belief, Almost Blue, Man Out of Time, Shabby Doll, The Long Honeymoon, Kid About It, Human Hands, The Loved Ones, Boy With a Problem, Pidgin English, Town Cryer, You Little Fool, Little Savage, ...And in Every Home, Tears Before Bedtime

Vivid

Living Colour

3/5

Metal that's thoughtfully written, creative and soulful? Sign me up. Musically, this album is excellent, if very much of its time. "Cult of Personality" is the obvious star track and one of the great songs of the era, but there's also a lot of filler here. Fave Songs: Cult of Personality, Memories Can't Wait, Glamour Boys

Pelican West

Haircut 100

5/5

I've been waiting for this album to come up, because it has long been one of my favorite albums of the 1980s. Optimal when listened to with the car windows open on a fine spring day. It's so much fun. Don't let the teen magazine album cover fool you. These gents bring some solid musical chops to the table. This album is full of gorgeous, danceable songs with breezy pop hooks, latin jazz-inflected arrangements, and some the most effective uses of horns that you will ever hear in pop music. Like the best British pop, these songs are clever, charming and pleasant on the ears, but they're also surprisingly funky. I get how this ended up being a niche sound, but I would love to live a day in the alternate 1982 universe where this became the dominant sound in pop music, because it's delightful. The band totally went for a certain vibe with this album, and they nailed it. Fave Songs: (All songs, from most to least favorite... okay fine, "favourite"): Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl), Love Plus One, Baked Bean, Kingsize (You're My Little Steam Whistle), Fantastic Day, Calling Captain Autumn, Lemon Firebrigade, Surprise Me Again, Snow Girl, Milk Film, Marine Boy, Love's Got Me in Triangles

Paranoid

Black Sabbath

5/5

Dark and ominous, heavy as a hammer. This is the best Black Sabbath album, hands down, with several of the band's best songs. Sabbath somehow managed to create an entirely unique musical language that no one has truly touched, even as dozens of bands have tried to lift their sound over the years. This isn't just music, it's a world building and genre defining sound that has not lost one bit of its haunting power over time. The dark musical soundscapes of Tony Iomi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler... the pleading, searing vocals of Ozzy Osbourne... the surprising lyrical depth, touching on themes like war, drugs and mental illness. This is a total package of a band playing at the height of their powers and the album is simply perfect. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Paranoid, Iron Man, War Pigs/Luke's Wall, Fairies Wear Boots, Electric Funeral, Hand of Doom, Rat Salad, Planet Caravan

Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

Bill Callahan

3/5

It takes a few songs for this album to warm up, but once it gets there, this is really nice. Not a fan of Bill Callahan's vocal, but there are some lovely guitar and string arrangements that I'm enjoying here. The lyrics are thoughtful and eloquent, worth reading on their own like poetry. Fave Songs: Rococo Zephyr, Too Many Birds, All Thoughts Are Prey to Some Beast, Faith/Void, The Wind and the Dove

Henry's Dream

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

This album starts off rough, and I really wasn't in the mood for it. But as the album progresses, it's actually quite good. On a good day Nick Cave can be challenging, and this album is in line with what you might expect in a good Cave album. The songs are raw and dense, frequently unsettling and grim, but with surprising moments of haunting loveliness. Fave Songs: Straight to You; When I First Came to Town; I Had a Dream, Joe; Loom of the Land; Jack the Ripper

The Healer

John Lee Hooker

4/5

I was skeptical going in, but this album is the real deal. Although I would have preferred some classic John Lee Hooker, this album is a great listen. Hooker's in excellent voice and the collaborations with other artists work really well. The guest performers could have been just icing on the cake, but every performance on here is top notch. I love how you can very specifically hear the idiosyncrasies of the individual artists, all of whom are masters in their own right. I mean, the Los Lobos song is totally a Los Lobos song and the Canned Heat song is unmistakably Canned Heat. George Thorogood, yep that's him for sure. But every song is also completely a John Lee Hooker song; he commands every inch of the album. This is collaboration done right. Finishing off the whole thing with the three Hooker solo tracks was absolutely a perfect touch. Fave Songs: I'm in the Mood, Cuttin' Out, Sally Mae, My Dream, No Substitute, Baby Lee

2/5

Wow, so that was a bit of a rough listen. It's weird because it's rowdy and trashy and a little glammy in a way that should work, but it comes off as rather joyless and not at all fun to listen to. The lyrics, best described as lusty and dumb, don't really help. If this sensibility appeals to you, you're probably better off checking out some early AC/DC. Fave songs: Vambo Marble Eye, Swampsnake

Movies

Holger Czukay

3/5

Innovative and exuberantly weird. Nicely crafted blend of the pleasing and the dissonant, with a good dose of whimsy. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Cool in the Pool; Persian Love; Oh Lord, Give Us More Money; Hollywood Symphony

The Rolling Stones

3/5

Here's the thing about those early Rolling Stones albums. As with a lot of the early English invasion bands, their aim was to make the music they loved, which was American rhythm and blues. They mostly failed at it. Except... they failed so well that they created an entirely new sound that ended up being as much a part of the bones of rock and roll as anything that came before them. So this album... it's really good, but the Stones haven't figured out who they want to be musically yet. This is an album almost entirely of covers, the majority of which come nowhere near the originals. It is a credit to the Stones' talent that they can make an attempt at a Chuck Berry and a Bo Diddley cover on the same album and not get laughed out of the music industry. The songs are actually pretty great if you're considering them on their own merits and not measuring them against the originals. It would take a few years for the band to hit their stride, but this is a solid start. Fave Songs: Carol, Little by Little, Tell Me (You're Coming Back), Mona (I Need You Baby), I Just Want to Make Love to You

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

3/5

Well this was lovely, with lush arrangements and an atmospheric, retro feel. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Fave Songs: Hard to Say Goodbye, Final Days, Living in Denial, Hero, I've Been Dazed, Piano Joint (This Kind of Love)

21

Adele

3/5

Okay, so Adele is a talented enough singer, if a bit bland. There are a few decent songs here, but a lot of it just blurs together and sounds like the same thing. Compared to a lot of music that's out there, this is some upper tier contemporary pop, which is fine. But I'm just not that interested in listening to your diary, Adele. Best song on the album was a Cure cover, take from that what you will. Fave Songs: Lovesong, Rolling in the Deep, Someone like You, Turning Tables

Modern Life Is Rubbish

Blur

3/5

I was initially unimpressed with this, but it grew on me as the album progressed. It's a strong Britpop album with a proper balance of the melodic and the snotty. For as smart as this was musically though, lyrically I found it to be fairly dumb. Fave Songs: Turn It Up, Sunday Sunday, Chemical World, Resigned, Oily Water

L.A. Woman

The Doors

4/5

Although I think some of the songs on this album are better than others, you really can't fault the Doors when they're at their best. They deliver amply here, with a bluesy badass vibe and several of the best songs in their career. Fave Songs: L.A. Woman, Love Her Madly, Riders on the Storm, Crawling King Snake, Hyacinth House

Stephen Stills

3/5

This album is full of guest appearances by a ridiculously talented group of artists. But it feels unfocused and a little pasted together. This seems to be a problem with some of CSNY's solo works, because I've complained of similar issues on albums by Neil Young and David Crosby. It's like they had a bunch of random ideas they're working on, and they invite all their friends over to flesh it out. The result is some solid songs that are interesting enough to listen to, but lacking in vision and probably a little more ambitious than Stephen Stills' vocals could handle. Fave Songs: Love the One You're With, Go Back Home, Old Times Good Times, Sit Yourself Down, We Are Not Helpless

Cheap Thrills

Big Brother & The Holding Company

4/5

This is really a stunning work, one of just a few that I would describe as a cultural marker for the time in which it was made. Some of it doesn't work from a modern sensibility. But the rawness and soulfulness and the grit can't really be denied here. If Pearl was an attempt at a more polished album for Janis, Cheap Thrills is Janis, pure and uncut. She's ballsy and beautiful and messy and vulnerable and enthralling, a force of nature in the truest sense. The fact that Big Brother & the Holding Company can even keep up with her is a testament to some serious musical talent as well. Fave Songs: Summertime, Piece of My Heart, Ball and Chain, Turtle Blues, I Need a Man to Love

A Wizard, A True Star

Todd Rundgren

4/5

A spacey and ridiculous, occasionally lovely, disorientingly entertaining descent into Todd Rundgren's brain. I wouldn't want to live there, but it was a fun trip. Fave Songs: Just One Victory, Zen Archer, Does Anybody Love You?, Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, You Don't Have to Camp Around

S.F. Sorrow

The Pretty Things

3/5

I wasn't expecting much, but this was really excellent. It may not be the most adventurous work of its time, but one thing I will say for this album is that it's a very accessible entry into psychedelic and proto-prog that never gets too weird or heavy handed. It's also just a well made album that's not particularly bogged down by the concept, which can be an issue with concept albums/rock operas. Fave Songs: Trust, Baron Saturday, I See You, The Journey, Balloon Burning, Old Man Going, Death, Well of Destiny

Beach Samba

Astrud Gilberto

3/5

A somewhat cloying little confection of an album. Lovely vocals, languid arrangements, a very specific vibe that is very much of its time. I kind of lost the will to live a little by track 11, but the last song ("Nao Bate O Coracao") was really excellent. Fave Songs: Nao Bate O Coracao, Bossa Na Praia (Beach Samba), The Face I Love, Misty Roses, Canoeiro, Stay

Peter Gabriel

4/5

I enjoyed Peter Gabriel on this album more than on anything he ever did with Genesis. Still, the album suffers from what a lot of first solo albums do, which is a lack of focus. This is kind of a stylistically random collection of songs, with a pastiche of styles and varying in quality. Still, it's a strong first solo effort from Gabriel, with flashes of brilliance throughout. High 3, rounded to a 4. Fave Songs: Solsbury Hill, Here Comes the Flood, Waiting for the Big One, Humdrum, Slowburn, Excuse Me

Scissor Sisters

3/5

This an interesting album, if an occasionally haphazard one. The quality swings from pure brilliance to absolute dreck. Still, it's playful and clever and frank in a way you don't often hear in pop music. Fave Songs: Take Your Mama, Return to Oz, Mary, Comfortably Numb, Lovers in the Backseat

Mama's Gun

Erykah Badu

4/5

Oh, this was just lovely. Laid back, silky, earthy, sexy. Everything you want in a great soul album. Fave Songs: Bag Lady, Didn't Cha Know?, In Love with You, My Life, Time's a Wastin', Orange Moon, Green Eyes

Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby

Girls Against Boys

2/5

Wow, I'm impressed... at how a band could put out such a warmed over, hackneyed alt/post-hardcore sound in 1993. These guys were really pioneers of sounding tired when their peers were just hitting their stride. They somehow managed to convey all the dullest aspects of their genre, and none of the interesting ones. I've also come to the conclusion that Ned Raggett of AllMusic must be part of the band, because there's no way these guys deserved that write-up. They are the antithesis of charismatic. Fave Songs: Let Me Come Back, Bulletproof Cupid, Billy's One Stop

Picture Book

Simply Red

3/5

There's a tension on this album between the Simply Red who wants to play smooth, 60s-style soul and the Simply Red who wants to fit in with the big synthy sound of pop music in 1985. I don't have to tell you which of the two sounds better and which has held up better over time. The band really shines when they remember to lean into the soul. The downbeat numbers ("Holding Back the Years," "Picture Book," "Heaven") are really lovely, and the best showcase for Mick Hucknall's wonderful vocal. Of the upbeat numbers, "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)" and "Come to My Aid" really swing. Fave Songs: Holding Back the Years, Money's Too Tight (to Mention), Come to My Aid, Jericho, Sad Old Red, Picture Book

Odessey And Oracle

The Zombies

4/5

Bittersweet, nuanced and elegant baroque pop that's ahead of its time in a lot of ways. A really lovely listen. Some of the baroque elements are a bit quaint, but many of these songs are still surprisingly fresh sounding now. Time of the Season is obviously the star track of the album, one of the great songs of its time. Fave Songs: Time of the Season; This Will Be Our Year; A Rose for Emily; Beechwood Park; Care of Cell 44; I Want Her, She Wants Me; Maybe After He's Gone

Sulk

The Associates

3/5

Frequently wild and haphazard, but also a really unique, compelling listen. Striking vocals from Billy Mackenzie and some really inventive arrangements. Surprisingly dark lyrics at times. Fave Songs: Party Fears Two, Club Country, Gloomy Sunday, It's Better This Way, Skipping

Parachutes

Coldplay

4/5

Incredibly well crafted debut album from Coldplay. Drags a little on the back half, but overall really lovely. Fave Songs: Yellow, Shiver, Don't Panic, Everything's Not Lost, Spies

Blood, Sweat & Tears

3/5

A stylistically weird stew of pop, classical, big band blues and jazz that has its moments but frequently doesn't land anywhere meaningful. From the jump, BS&T wants you to know that yes, this is a serious band that can play all the styles, which is fine. But from there the band just kind of wanders around to nowhere in particular. I can see they're going for a kind of loose and improvisational sound, but much of it comes off as calculated and self-indulgent. The band's strained attempts at playfulness also feel somewhat hokey today. There are several of the band's best known hits on this album, which are interesting enough to listen to. And the classical bits are quite pretty. But mostly this just made me want to go off and listen to CTA, who did the big band sound so much better. Fave Songs: You've Made Me So Very Happy, Spinning Wheel, More and More, And When I Die, God Bless the Child

Only By The Night

Kings of Leon

3/5

This is a nicely crafted straight up rock album that is a solid listen, if not super memorable. Fave Songs: Use Somebody, Sex on Fire, Manhattan, Closer

Ananda Shankar

2/5

I've got to say it, I reeeally didn't care for the covers of the Stones and the Doors. I get the idea behind it, but they're just not good. The other songs on the album fall on the spectrum between intriguing and irritating. I had to check out early on the last song. Fave Songs: Snow Flower, Dance Indra, Metamorphosis, Sagar (The Ocean)

Elephant Mountain

The Youngbloods

3/5

Bland, unfocused, stylistically scattered. The album certainly has its moments, and I like Jesse Colin Young's vocal. But much of this unmemorable. Fave Songs: Darkness, Darkness; Sunlight; Smug; Quicksand; Sham

Sunshine Superman

Donovan

4/5

Groovy, whimsical, elegant when it needs to be. What I really appreciate about Donovan is that he was one of the few singers in the "psychedelic folk" vein with a strong pop sensibility and who also seems to be having fun. This is an album full of diverse influences, but Donovan still manages to keep a balanced, cohesive sound. Every little flourish and detail adds depth and value without ever sounding heavy handed, which is frequently not the case in albums from this era. Donovan's vocal is earnestly sweet and always engaging. Fave Songs: Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch, Bert's Blues, Celeste, The Trip, Ferris Wheel, The Fat Angel

La Revancha Del Tango

Gotan Project

3/5

This was kind of fun as background music, a total mood of an album. A little goes a long way though. Fave Songs: Queremos Paz, Santa María (del Buen Ayre), Vuelvo al Sur, Tríptico

Roger the Engineer

The Yardbirds

4/5

This is a really interesting album, if not a perfect one. A diverse and innovative take on the Yardbirds' classic American blues influences, played with a whimsy and adventurousness you can only get from the best British bands of the 60s. I love the conciseness of these songs, most clocking in at barely 3 minutes or less. That allows Jeff Beck and company ample room to pack a punch without ever getting tedious or jammy. The weak link here is probably Keith Relf, whose vocals tend to fall a bit flat. Fave Songs: Over Under Sideways Down, What Do You Want, Lost Woman, Jeff's Boogie, The Nazz Are Blue, Ever Since the World Began. It's worth seeking out later editions of the album, which include the brilliant tunes "Psycho Daisies" and "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago."

m b v

My Bloody Valentine

3/5

Dissonant, moody, dark and dreamy. A frequently lovely sound, but a little goes a long way. Fave Songs: if i am, only tomorrow, she found now, wonder 2, new you

En-Tact

The Shamen

2/5

Somewhat listenable but ultimately forgettable early 90s electronic music. The Shamen managed to capture everything that's tedious about this genre without conveying any of the fun and energy. The sampled bits were fine, but this album would have been much better without vocals. Fave Songs: Possible Worlds: Deep PSI, Lightspan, Make It Mine, Hear Me O My People, Move Any Mountain

Hunting High And Low

a-ha

4/5

Oh, I forgot how lovely this album is. This is an incredibly pleasant listen, with creative and elegantly crafted arrangements, strong pop melodies, and Morten Harket's gorgeous vocals. "Take on Me" is the obvious star track, and really one of the best pop songs to come out of the 80s. But there's so much more to love on this album beyond the one song. Enjoyed revisiting this today. Fave Songs: Take On Me, The Sun Always Shines on T.V., Hunting High and Low, And You Tell Me, The Blue Sky, Living a Boy's Adventure Tale

Ys

Joanna Newsom

2/5

Musically this is well made, if unremarkable. That vocal is dreadful though, and really does not work with this style of music. There are far worse albums, but there are also much better folk albums if this is what you're looking for. I have no interest in hearing this again. Fave Songs: None

Wonderful Rainbow

Lightning Bolt

2/5

I was hesitant going in, but this was interesting. Not an everyday listen, but well-done. There's some creative and nuanced uses of feedback and dissonance that are really appealing to me. It's fast paced, full of great energy, and even oddly pretty at moments. What really ultimately gets me though is that, although I enjoy a certain amount of noise in my music, this one really pushes the line into physically unpleasant to hear. One listen was enough. Fave Songs: Dracula Mountain, Assassins, Hello Morning, Crown of Storms, Longstockings

The Bones Of What You Believe

CHVRCHES

2/5

Wow, this is dull. I can't even muster up the will to review it. I just want to take this space to apologize to Lightning Bolt. I should have just given you the 3 stars yesterday.

Joan Baez

4/5

Hauntingly lovely. Bare bones classic folk with one of the prettiest, most charming vocals you will hear in music. Pretty much a flawless collection of songs, although it's the kind of album you have to sit quietly with to appreciate. Fave Songs: El Preso Número Nueve, All My Trials, Donna Donna, House of the Rising Sun, John Riley, Little Moses, Silver Dagger, Girl of Constant Sorrow

Guero

Beck

3/5

A little slow to start, but most an enjoyable listen by Beck. Quirky and musically diverse in the best ways, although it feels a little more calculated and less natural than some of his earlier work. Enjoyed it, but Beck has done better. Fave Songs: Broken Drum, Missing, Black Tambourine, Earthquake Weather, E-Pro

Black Metal

Venom

2/5

Musically this is pretty tight, a pretty easy 3, but the vocals are terrible. The lyrics are as bad as you would expect them to be, to the point of sounding like a parody. Hard to imagine ever coming back to it. Fave Songs: Black Metal, To Hell and Back, Buried Alive

Ace of Spades

Motörhead

5/5

Look up "badass" in the dictionary, and you will find these guys. A standout album from a band who was always bigger than any genre that would have them. Embraced by rockers, metal heads and punks alike, Motorhead was harder, faster and meaner than just about anyone else. These songs have raw, muscular, hard driving sound that's the sonic equivalent of getting run over by a truck. But it's still highly listenable, never overbearing, and Lemmy is mesmerizing as a front man. Some songs are better than others on here, but the album as a whole is pretty amazing. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Ace of Spades, Love Me Like a Reptile, (We Are) the Road Crew, Live to Win, Shoot You in the Back, Fast and Loose, Fire Fire, The Hammer, Bite the Bullet, The Chase is Better Than the Catch, Dance, Jailbait

The Downward Spiral

Nine Inch Nails

4/5

This is a powerful, unsettling work from Trent Reznor and NiN. Rezner has created a textured, well-crafted sound, with a dark and gritty vibe. It's a noisy sonic hellscape, full grinding guitars, industrialized beats, and blistering vocals. That said, some the more interesting aspects of this album are Reznor's strategic use of quiet and melody. I found that to be kind of a relief from the intensity of the sound, but it ultimately has the effect of making that intensity feel more profound and disorienting. Add to that an effortless sounding use of loops and samples, and Adrian Belew's innovative guitar work, and you have a really haunting and compelling album. It's not the easiest album to get through, in fact it's kind of exhausting. But it's a high watermark for both its genre and its era. Fave Songs: Closer, Hurt, The Downward Spiral, Mr. Self Destruct, A Warm Place, Heresy

Trout Mask Replica

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

3/5

Best YouTube comment on this album: "This sounds like an entire band falling down stairs, but they keep playing." Disjointed, shambolic and absurd. Gleefully weird. Creative and entertaining in its way... but I can't really imagine choosing to listen to much of this album except to say that I did it. Fave Songs: Moonlight on Vermont, She's Too Much for My Mirror, Pachuco Cadaver, Hair Pie: Bake 1, Ella Guru

The Suburbs

Arcade Fire

4/5

Someone should tell Win Butler this album sounds neither like Neil Young nor like Depeche Mode. Not even a little. But it's really excellent, probably one of the best albums of the last 20 years. A melodic and bittersweet masterpiece of its time with a nuanced, cohesive sound and low key undercurrent of angst. Would have improved by dropping 2 or 3 tracks. Fave Songs: Modern Man, Wasted Hours, Deep Blue, The Suburbs, Half Light I, Half Light II (No Celebration), Ready to Start

Playing With Fire

Spacemen 3

3/5

Minimalist, atmospheric, properly noisy. Sounds amazing coming through the headphones. "Suicide" was physically a bit draining to get through, but also kind of mesmerizing. Fave Songs: Lord Can You Hear Me?, Come Down Softly to My Soul, Honey, How Does It Feel?, Let Me Down Gently

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo

Devo

5/5

A genre and era-defining album for Devo, and one of the best debut albums I’ve ever heard. This is a perfect album in so many ways, long one of my favorites. It’s cold, angular, strident and unabashedly weird. It’s smart and satirical and precise in its delivery in a way that should make it seem overly aloof, but this is music that’s also crisp and catchy and just so much fun to listen to. For a band as singularly strange as Devo is, they’re also incredibly engaging and likeable, which is the secret sauce that keeps this album from being remembered as some bizarre manifesto for art school kids and weirdos (I mean, it’s also that, but I mean that as a great compliment). Add to that the best cover of a Stones song ever recorded, and you’ve got something really special. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Mongoloid, Uncontrollable Urge, Praying Hands, Gut Feeling / (Slap Your Mammy), Jocko Homo, Come Back Jonee, Too Much Paranoias, Space Junk, Shrivel-Up, Sloppy (I Saw My Baby Gettin')

Getz/Gilberto

Stan Getz

4/5

Really lovely, and pretty flawless. Transports you to another place and time, someplace warm and dreamy. Fave Songs: The Girl from Ipanema, Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars), O Grande Amor, Só Danço Samba, Para Machucar Meu Coração

Teen Dream

Beach House

3/5

A lovely listen, with languid, melancholy arrangements. The vocals are occasionally flat, but overall this was enjoyable. Fave Songs: Zebra, Silver Soul, Walk in the Park, Norway, Better Times

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

4/5

Chill but catchy, with rich arrangements and a bit of a burned out old school vibe, which I really like. Lyrically frank (pun not intended) and compelling, with surprising emotional rawness and a willingness to go quite dark. Fave Songs: Pyramids, Thinkin Bout You, Sweet Life, Bad Religion, Pink Matter, Crack Rock

Electric Warrior

T. Rex

5/5

I was so excited to get this album today. It's an all timer for me, easily one of my top 10 favorites. Electric Warrior is a genre and decade-defining work, the perfect distillation of all the best things about glam. It's catchy and cheeky, fanciful and freaky. It can be gleefully nonsensical, but also disarmingly lovely. The album has an infectious blend of bold rockers and shimmering, dreamboat ballads that all flows beautifully from one song to the next. Marc Bolan is a force of nature here as front man - swaggeringly sexy, but with a vulnerability that is incredibly engaging. This is a perfect rock album that continues to get better with age. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Get It On, Cosmic Dancer, Mambo Sun, Life's a Gas, Jeepster, Monolith, The Motivator, Planet Queen, Rip Off, Girl, Lean Woman Blues

You Are The Quarry

Morrissey

3/5

I don't know that I would have put You Are the Quarry on this list, but I also don't know that I would have expected Morrissey to put out an album this good 20 years into his career. Lyrically, Morrissey is scathing and acidic as ever when he wants to be, turning on a dime to reveal great vulnerability and pathos. He sounds excellent here, with anguished, self-loathing and torchy vocals that recall his best solo work from the late 80s/early 90s. The quality of individual songs might vary, but it's never not interesting. Fave Songs: Let Me Kiss You; Come Back to Camden; America Is Not the World; I Have Forgiven Jesus; Irish Blood, English Heart; The World Is Full of Crashing Bores

Live At Leeds

The Who

5/5

One of the great live albums of all time, a real pleasure to listen to. It's one of just a few live albums that I would recommend over an artist's studio work to give an idea of what they're all about. This is the Who in their element, an electrifying presence playing at the height of all their powers and rocking surprisingly hard. If you don't understand what the big deal is about the Who after listening to this, go check your ears. I have always favored "Summertime Blues," as a quintessential Who live track, but man, that side 2 combo of the "My Generation" medley and "Magic Bus" is a freaking revelation. Rating this just based on the original 6-song track list, which is an easy 5. I'm lukewarm on the tracks that were added for the reissues. They don't add much, other than getting to hear live versions of some of the band's more recognizable songs. Fave Songs (All songs on original release, from most to least favorite): My Generation, Magic Bus, Summertime Blues, Young Man Blues, Shakin' All Over, Substitute

If I Should Fall From Grace With God

The Pogues

5/5

For a pure Pogues experience, you may wish to go with Rum, Sodomy and the Lash. But If I Should Fall from Grace with God is more polished and musically far ranging, the band's best album by far. Somewhere I have a well worn cassette of this album, which was a frequent companion during my teen years. This was exhilarating to hear 35 years ago, and it has lost none of its fire. In fact I would say this album has improved with age. What a joyful whirlwind of a listen this is. Sometimes pissy and cranky and rowdy, but also rootsy, melodic and charming. The songs have a strong pop sensibility, but the band also makes you feel the sweep of history, a sound somehow old as time but incredibly fresh. Lyrically heartfelt and eloquent, darkly humorous, and frequently mournful. Surprisingly diverse musically, with elements of punk, jazz and traditional Irish folk, seasoned with a a little Spanish/Middle Eastern spice and punctuated with a rebel yell. It's hard to pick a favorite on this album. "Fairytale of New York" is heartbreakingly lovely and just soars above the rest of the album, so much so that it somehow became a holiday standard. But I also have a special fondness for the f-bomb laden "Bottle of Smoke" and the sweet sadness of "Streets of Sorrow." Also, having grown up in a household hearing a lot of Mexican music, "Fiesta" is a real delight. Not a bad song on here. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Fairytale of New York, Bottle of Smoke, If I Should Fall from Grace with God, The Broad Majestic Shannon, Sit Down by the Fire, Fiesta, Lullaby of London, Medley: The Recruiting Sergeant/The Rocky Road to Dublin/The Galway Races, Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six, Thousands Are Sailing, Turkish Song of the Damned, Metropolis, Worms

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Mudhoney

3/5

I think I said this about Mudhoney before when I reviewed Superfuzz Bigmuff, but this reminds me of the Stooges and MC5, but with a 90s sensibility. More punk than grunge. Gets a little rambling and unfocused in the middle tracks, but they have a great fuzzy sound that never gets too murky and is surprisingly catchy when they want it to be. Fave Songs: Good Enough, Broken Hands, Something So Clear, Pokin' Around, Into the Drink, Check-Out Time

Live / Dead

Grateful Dead

3/5

I'm neither a fan of the Dead, nor of far rambling live albums with extensive jamming. But this is a pretty excellent album, by any standard. I enjoyed it. Carefully crafted yet improvisational, surprisingly innovative. "Feedback" nearly did me in, but this is still one of the better live albums I have heard. Fave Songs: Death Don't Have No Mercy, The Eleven, St. Stephen

Tracy Chapman

5/5

This album stood out starkly against the musical landscape of 1988. It was almost shocking, something so simple and heartbreakingly lovely. But whatever it was Tracy Chapman had, it was something we needed. For a fairly stripped down folk rock sound, you could find her songs everywhere from top 40 to college radio and MTV. In the age of "greed is good," this young woman dared us to care about things bigger (and smaller) than ourselves. She's not strident either as a songwriter. Her stories are gently rendered, intimate portraits of serious themes - poverty, racism, relationship violence, what people call social justice today. It resonates even more today, delivered softly and soulfully in a way that will haunt you long after the album is over. Then there are the other songs, the relationship songs that are so painfully personal sounding that you feel them in your bones. It's like opening a diary you're not supposed to be reading. This is a gift few songwriters possess. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Fast Car, Talkin' 'bout a Revolution, Baby Can I Hold You, Across the Lines, For My Lover, Why?, If Not Now…, Mountains o' Things, For You, She's Got Her Ticket, Behind the Wall

My Aim Is True

Elvis Costello

5/5

Early Elvis Costello is the best Elvis Costello. Prickly, punchy, catchy as hell. Costello would never sound more raw and pure than he sounds on this album. It's a concise, razor sharp sound that must have stood out starkly against the bloated landscape of rock in 1977. This was the first Elvis Costello album I encountered as a teenager and it's one of maybe two albums (the other being This Year's Model) I would recommend to someone coming to Costello's music for the first time. Costello's witty, cantankerous brand of songwriting is still a work in progress here, but still he's writing on a level most songwriters will never match. I have a lot of favorite lines, but the one that stands out to me today is "Our love got fractured in the echo and sway." I mean, wow. Fave songs: (All songs, from most to least favorite): Alison, Watching the Detectives, I'm Not Angry, Welcome to the Working Week, (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes, Miracle Man, Less Than Zero, Pay It Back, Blame It on Cain, Sneaky Feelings, Waiting for the End of the World, Mystery Dance, No Dancing

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon

4/5

The musical equivalent of an open wound. Emotionally honest and even nihilistic at times in a way that's frequently hard to hear, but also deeply compelling. But while John Lennon has a way of pulling out every emotion and wringing it until not much is left, I find the weak point of this album is his songwriting, which is fairly repetitive and simplistic. Fave Songs: Working Class Hero, I Found Out, Mother, Isolation, Well Well Well, My Mummy's Dead

Swordfishtrombones

Tom Waits

5/5

What a stunningly creative, immersive musical experience. So much of the music we hear on 1001 Albums is a piece of the time in which it was made. A lot of it is pretty forgettable, but this album is a creative masterpiece that manages to exist outside of time. I listen to a fair amount of Tom Waits, and no, it's not something most people would care to put on every day. But Waits is a truly unique artist in music, and this is just about as close to a perfect album as he ever made. Wildly entertaining front to back, this album feels cinematic in its scope, like an anthology of grimy tales about loneliness and desperation, with a stealth love story tucked in the middle. Lyrically vivid, with moments of both dark humor and surprise tenderness. Each of the seemingly unconnected vignettes is a carefully crafted universe on its own. Musically, the songs swing from percussively off-kilter to softly elegant, steeped in dusky blues, tin pan alley and jazz. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Swordfishtrombone; In the Neighborhood; Gin Soaked Boy; Just Another Sucker on the Vine; Rainbirds; Soldier's Things; 16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought-Six; Down, Down, Down; Underground; Town with No Cheer; Johnsburg, Illinois; Shore Leave; Frank's Wild Years; Dave the Butcher; Trouble's Braids

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

3/5

There's nothing really good or bad about this album. It's perfectly pleasant to listen to, but not especially memorable. Fave Songs: Skeletons, Heads Will Roll, Hysteric, Zero

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

4/5

Exceptional, highly listenable, classic blues sound. Muddy Waters is in perfect voice here, sounding every bit as good as he ever did, and his backing band is top notch. Guitars are insanely good. Credit due as well to Johnny Winter, whose love for the blues is palpable and keeps the production lean. This easily could have become a bloated, late career dud for Waters, but instead it's a true classic of the genre. Fave Songs: Mannish Boy, Crosseyed Cat, Deep Down in Florida, Bus Driver, I Can't Be Satisfied, Jealous Hearted Man

E.V.O.L.

Sonic Youth

5/5

Growing up in a small Midwestern city in the 80s and having no interest in the local radio station, I bought a lot of music through the mail. I would read the classified ads in any music magazine I could get my hands on, and send away for music catalogs. The catalogs were just huge newspapers full of titles, with little in the way of explanation and maybe a picture here and there. This was my first experience with EVOL. I picked it out of a mail order catalog based on a picture of that cover, and a general sense that this was something I really needed to hear. I don't remember if I had ever actually heard Sonic Youth at the time, and I don't know what I expected exactly. But this album really delivered. I think EVOL gets unfairly overshadowed by a lot of Sonic Youth's later, more ambitious works. But front to back, EVOL is possibly the most cohesive album the band ever made. It's a gritty, tense, unsettling collection of songs, the soundtrack of nightmares. Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo (and Mike Watt!) use guitars like a painter uses a brush. Guitars that squeal like tires on the highway, they twitter like birds, they roar like emergency sirens, they chime like church bells in hell. The band uses feedback, distortion and quiet like instruments all on their own. Add to that the propulsive rhythm section of Kim Gordon and Steve Shelley and the haunting vocals of Moore and Gordon, and you have a sound that gets under your skin and stays there. It's dark and unnerving, but with surprise moments of loveliness. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Starpower; Shadow of a Doubt; Tom Violence; Expressway to Yr. Skull/Madonna, Sean and Me; Green Light; Marilyn Moore; Secret Girl; Bubblegum; Death to Our Friends; In the Kingdom #19

Trans Europe Express

Kraftwerk

5/5

You'll think I'm weird for this, but I listen to Trans Europe Express a lot when I'm working. There's something about it that keeps me focused. My personal work habits aside, this is a perfect album in a lot of ways, and the influence and power of Kraftwerk can never be overstated. They never got enough credit for what they did, but Kraftwerk in general and this album in particular are directly responsible for so much of what we hear in all kinds of music going forward, even to this day. Not only that, but it's also such a beautifully made album. Gorgeous music that runs the gambit from elegant and ethereal to coldly authoritative and trancelike, even menacing at times. The songs are minimalist, but subtly layered in a way that allows you to really hear and appreciate every tone. It's stunning how an almost 50 year old album can still sound so innovative. All the stars for this one. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Impossible to rank. All these songs are perfect. Europe Endless, Franz Schubert, Showroom Dummies, Trans-Europe Express/Metal on Metal/Abzug, Endless Endless, The Hall of Mirrors

The Trinity Session

Cowboy Junkies

3/5

Languid and torchy proto-alt country with a simmering, bare bones vintage vibe. I've got to say, I appreciate the band's original work over most of the covers, which tend to be rather flat reimaginings of some pretty iconic songs. That said, the band's interpretation of "Sweet Jane" is really lovely, best song on the album by far. Fave Songs: Sweet Jane, Dreaming My Dreams with You, Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis), 200 More Miles, Misguided Angel

Chore of Enchantment

Giant Sand

3/5

I was prepared not to like this, I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. It's a mix of dreamy, strange, and surprisingly affecting tracks, a total mood. It worked great a day after listening to Cowboy Junkies yesterday. They are like two sides of the same rootsy coin, with CJ having more of a torchy alt-country vibe and Giant Sand leaning into the hauntingly surreal. There's a lot to like here and I plan to come back to it. Fave Songs: Raw, Punishing Sun, Wolfy, Astonished (In Memphis), Way to End the Day, Shiver, Bottom Line Man, No Reply

Odessa

Bee Gees

3/5

An ambitious album that certainly was the Bee Gees' creative high point of their 60s works, but I think it would have worked far better as a single disc. Artful arrangements and gorgeous vocals, but way too many skippable tracks. Fave Songs: Lamplight, Marley Purt Drive,Never Say Never Again, Odessa (City on the Black Sea), Sound of Love, Whisper Whisper

Duck Stab/Buster & Glen

The Residents

3/5

Innovative and gleefully bizarre, with a whimsically unsettling vibe. I haven't listened to a ton of The Residents, but I have a lot respect for this band. They always pushed the boundaries of what music could sound like, and kept going regardless of what anyone thought about them. Musically structureless, frequently atonal and noisy, with a delightfully surreal approach to lyrics. Not an everyday listen, but I had fun with it. Fave Songs: Sinister Exaggerator, Semolina, The Booker Tease, Constantinople, Laughing Song

More Specials

The Specials

3/5

This is an interesting, musically diverse second album by the Specials. I appreciate how the band has pushed themselves to explore other musical ideas beyond the ska sound that comes to mind when I think of them. Socially conscious lyrics that are still on point, even 40+ years later. High 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs: Do Nothing; Rat Race; Hey, Little Rich Girl; Holiday Fortnight; Enjoy Yourself; Stereotypes/Stereotypes Pt. 2

What's That Noise?

Coldcut

3/5

Wow, I don't know if I've heard an album so completely of its era, as much as this album is. Generally a solid 3, but I really liked "(I'm) In Deep" with Mark E. Smith. Quick moving, housey/clubby, peppered with random blips and samples. A bit silly at times, but it was fun. Not available on Spotify, but easily found on YouTube. Fave Songs: (I'm) In Deep, Stop This Crazy Thing, Which Doctor?, Theme From "Reportage," My Telephone

Live At The Witch Trials

The Fall

4/5

As spot-on a post punk album as you'll find. Intense but properly pissy, full of prickly, bass-forward rhythms and stark, jagged guitars. I appreciate the band's start-stop, punk-inflected approach to pacing, with an effective use of both volume and speed that propels the listener through each song. The songwriting is less coherent than on later albums, but Mark E. Smith's delivery is so compelling, I'm not particularly bothered by it. For a first album this is pretty fantastic. Fave Songs: Frightened, Rebellious Jukebox, Futures and Pasts, Music Scene, Underground Medecin, Industrial Estate

The Modern Dance

Pere Ubu

3/5

Noisy and ridiculous, in the best ways. I used to really dislike Pere Ubu, but they've kind of grown on me over the years. Not everyday listening, but I appreciate this band's fearless creativity. Fave Songs: Street Waves, The Modern Dance, Non-Alignment Pact, Humor Me, Real World, Chinese Radiation

The Coral

3/5

This is a hodgepodge of early 2000s Indie, 60s garage rock and Brit-pop styles, with some odd little flourishes drawn from everything from folk to ska and psychedelia. Throw in a sea shanty in while you're at it, why the hell not? Some of the songs sound weirdly of another time, mostly in a cool way. It's fine musically, but I found the vocals irritating. Fave Songs: Goodbye, Dreaming of You, Calendars and Clocks, I Remember When, Wildfire

Aha Shake Heartbreak

Kings of Leon

3/5

This was a solid if somewhat forgettable early 2000s rock album. I enjoyed listening to it, but I'll be darned if I can remember what I listened to a day later. Those vocals were rough though, I do remember that. Fave Songs: The Bucket, Rememo, Soft, Velvet Snow, Four Kicks, King of the Rodeo

Devotional Songs

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

3/5

I don't have a ton to say about this, but it was lovely to listen to. Nice mix of the chill and contemplative, with progressive songs that gradually build in intensity and speed. Khan & Party's joy and passion transcend the language barrier, which is really the great thing about music, isn't it? Fave Songs: Haq Ali Ali Haq, Ali Maula Ali Maula Ali Dam Dam, Allah Hoo Allah Hoo

Permission to Land

The Darkness

4/5

It's impossible to express what a breath of fresh air this album was when it arrived in 2003. It was just a ridiculous flaming comet that seemingly came out of nowhere. I was so ready for it, and pretty much had it on constant rotation for the better part of a year. So what's so special about it? There was nothing particularly new about The Darkness. They embraced a lot of musical ideas that were long out of date at the time, but they do it with an energy that you can't help but feel drawn to. Much of the band's success was in their timing. We needed something campy and hedonistic and completely unserious at that time. Someone who was just there to rock. The band and this album deliver that in spades. Alternatingly glammy and scuzzy, these songs are full of sassy licks and unafraid of a good old fashioned guitar solo. The band rocks hard when they feel like it, but there's also a pop sensibility and charm here that elevates these songs to a level where they have no business being. It's what 80s glam should have been. In Justin Hawkins, you have a singer who embraced a high vocal at a time when it could not have been less cool to do so. He channels the energy of 70s singers like Bolan, Mael and Mercury, but laces it with a pissyness and grit very much his own. The lyrical content is fairly dumb, but it suits the band's sound in the best ways. The big star track of the album was of course "I Believe in a Thing Called Love," an unapologetically jubilant and lusty love song. Some of the best lyrics tread a line between contradictory ideas. I never thought for instance that I would be singing the praises of a bubbly ode to heroin addiction ("Givin' Up"), but here we are. It requires a serious gift for songcraft to make those opposing elements work in a song, but the band makes it feel effortless. I also read somewhere that you can interpret the song "Growing on Me" as either being about a girl or about an STI, which is pretty hilarious when you think about it. There was no way the band was going to be able to keep this sound going, and their other albums never come anywhere close to this one. But it was such a big, fun moment in time by a bunch of guys who clearly love what they're doing. We could use more of that in music. Fave Songs: I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Growing on Me, Love Is Only a Feeling, Givin' Up, Love on the Rocks with No Ice, Holding My Own

The United States Of America

2/5

As a series of formal experiments, this album should be intriguing. As an album I actually want to listen to, not so much. Musically, it's an album in search of sound. Or, rather, it's an album that rejects the idea that there should even be a cohesive sound. This makes for a pretty joyless listen. The band is certainly capable enough, and there are some interesting musical threads being explored. But it feels more like an intellectual exercise than anything particularly entertaining. The vocals frequently clash with whatever is happening behind them, when they aren't just outright bad (looking at you, "Wooden Wife"). The band's supposed attempts at making a political statement are murky at best. I'll give United States of America credit for the fact that some of their lyrics are genuinely eloquent. But this is still 2 star territory at best. Fave Songs: Where Is Yesterday, Stranded in Time, Cloud Song

Lost In The Dream

The War On Drugs

4/5

This was simply a well crafted, enjoyable album, if a bit gloomy. Melodic, melancholy and dreamy. Adam Granduciel's vocal reminds me of Paul Simon at times, although musically and lyrically this album owes a lot to Bruce Springsteen. The general vibe also suggests work from Henley, Knopfler, even Bob Dylan. I could have used a little more variety from song to song, but this was really excellent. Fave Songs: An Ocean in Between the Waves, Lost in the Dream, Red Eyes, Burning, Disappearing, Under the Pressure

Superfly

Curtis Mayfield

5/5

This is one of the greatest soundtrack albums ever made, if not the best. Absolutely my favorite. This is really everything a great soundtrack should be, and it's an outstanding album all on it own. Curtis Mayfield could have phoned this one in and collected the paycheck, but he is on fire creatively here. He has crafted rich, nuanced arrangements that are so much smarter than the film he made them for, but he also never loses sight of the fact that a soundtrack needs to be entertaining. Spicy, funky and intense, the songs reveal the world of the film, with soulful vocals and a side of sly social commentary. The result is a powerful album with a message that transcends its original purpose, one of the finest albums of its genre and its time. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Little Child Runnin' Wild, Pusherman, Superfly, Freddie's Dead, Give Me Your Love (Love Song), Junkie Chase, Eddie You Should Know Better, No Thing on Me (Cocaine Song), Think

Strangeways, Here We Come

The Smiths

5/5

When this album came out it was kind of a life raft for Smiths fans, because it came out right after the band called it quits. Some of it didn't click with me at the time and I was surprised to read that the band generally considered Strangeways to be their best. I can see why now. It's their most musically diverse and mature album, the album that sounds the least like a typical Smiths album. It sounds like an album by a band that is playing at their highest level, but ready to move on from each other. Strangeways, indeed. The Smiths never made a bad album, so I have no complaints on the quality of this one. I'm glad to come back to it after 35 odd years, because I find myself appreciating songs more now that I was lukewarm on as a teenager. The band incorporates a variety of instruments that give these songs a really rich sound. Johnny Marr tempers his jangly sound in favor of more varied, muscular riffs, to astounding effect. The increased use of piano, keyboard and strings add so much depth to the sound here as well. Morrissey is in fine voice as always, and his lyrics balance melancholy softness, cynicism and wry humor masterfully. Fave songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Death of a Disco Dancer, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me, Girlfriend in a Coma, I Won't Share You, I Started Something I Couldn't Finish, Paint a Vulgar Picture, A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours, Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before, Unhappy Birthday, Death at One's Elbow

Apple Venus Volume 1

XTC

3/5

Musically ambitious and mostly lovely on the ears, although the vocals are a little hit and miss. Lyrically odd and eloquent at the same time, which is fun. The not so good part: This comes off as music by someone who has listened to the Beatles way too much, but fails to understand what made the Beatles great in the first place. The skill is there, the songcraft is (mostly) there, the heart is not. Unavailable on Spotify, but easy to find on YouTube. Fave Songs: I'd Like That, Knights in Shining Karma, River of Orchids, Easter Theatre

Exile In Guyville

Liz Phair

3/5

This album has been talked about as some sort of generational work for women my age, but I never really connected with it. Even Liz Phair seems a little baffled by the reception of her album in that regard. The album fits in well with other things that were going on musically in 1993, but what really works on this album is Phair's songwriting. Lyrically, her songs are frank and emotionally honest, in a way that was uncommon for women artists at the time. Her vocals are rough though, which works about half the time. One thing I will say for this album is that it has aged really well. She could put it out today and it would sound just as fresh. Fave Songs: Never Said, Shatter, Johnny Sunshine, Explain It to Me, Gunshy

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

King Crimson

3/5

An interesting, well-crafted prog album that rocks heavier than expected at times. Nuanced, layered and frequently intense. Vocals tend to be weak by comparison. Great use of percussion and strings. One annoyance with it is that I find myself having to adjust the volume all the time, as it frequently swings from very quiet to too loud. Additionally, not a fan of all the noodling, which tends to take a decent song and lead it in to the weeds. Fave Songs: Easy Money; Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One; Exiles

Rings Around The World

Super Furry Animals

3/5

Adventurous, pop and psychedelic tinged Indie album. A really pleasant listen with some surprising genre shifts I enjoyed. But for all the richness of its sound, the vocals feel flat. Fave Songs: Presidential Suite, Fragile Happiness, (Drawing) Rings Around the World, It's Not the End of the World?, [A] Touch Sensitive

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Iron Butterfly

3/5

You know, this is a weird album. It's competently done, if unfocused and fairly unmemorable on the front half. The title track is different from the rest of the album. But it looms large over the whole thing, in good ways and bad. I mean, it's one of the more iconic rock tunes of the past 60 years, but it's also one of the most self-indulgent things you'll ever hear. It's a dark, wide ranging, psychedelic odyssey of a song, which would have been too much at the 10 minute mark. But it's weirdly enthralling in a way few songs are. Say what you will about that song, it has some staying power and is worth hearing. The album as a whole, not so much. Fave Songs: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Termination, Are You Happy

LP1

FKA twigs

3/5

Weird and creative with some truly lovely moments. Would have liked to see some variety in Twigs' vocal, because it really wears thin after a while. On the whole, I'm surprised how unfocused this seems. Like it's really interesting, but it mostly ended up going nowhere. Fave Songs: Closer, Preface, Pendulum, Numbers, Give Up

The Bends

Radiohead

4/5

Starts off a little flat, but builds to something really beautiful. I don't know if Radiohead has made anything less than an excellent album, but this one is gorgeously crafted and highly listenable. I would recommend this as a nice entry point into the band. Fave Songs: High and Dry, Black Star, My Iron Lung, (Nice Dream), Fake Plastic Trees, Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was

Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

4/5

A classic album full of earthy, melodic, well-written songs. Maybe a little too broad stylistically, but still a highly enjoyable listen. Fave Songs: Our House, Helpless, Carry On, Woodstock, Teach Your Children, Déjà Vu

Peter Gabriel 3

Peter Gabriel

5/5

Eccentric and dark, but also heartfelt. Intelligent, richly layered compositions and top notch musicianship. Check out the deep bench of musical talent backing Gabriel up - Fripp, Collins, Weller, Bush. Not a bad track to be found. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Games Without Frontiers, I Don't Remember, No Self Control, Not One of Us, And Through the Wire, Intruder, Biko, Lead a Normal Life, Family Snapshot, Start

Vulgar Display Of Power

Pantera

4/5

An outstanding thrash metal album. Dark, gritty and powerful. A couple of songs try to go in a different direction stylistically ("This Love," "Hollow") and it doesn't quite work. But still overall a riveting listen. Fave Songs: A New Level, Walk, Regular People (Conceit), Hollow, Mouth for War, Live in a Hole

The Wall

Pink Floyd

5/5

This is such a stunningly crafted, monumental work. It accomplishes what many concept albums fail to do, which is to immerse the listener in a coherent story that you don't need to overthink to understand. And it does this so artfully. The story contains several plot threads that move over decades in time, but it never feels convoluted. The album is an emotional whirlwind, pulling you through moments of anxiety, mania, rage and sorrow in ways that feel genuinely unsettling at times. If you listen to classic rock radio at all, you will recognize quite a few of these songs on their own. But I have to say, the songs lose something when you listen to them outside of the context of the album. They're simply meant to be heard together. For instance, songs like "Young Lust," "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2" or "Run Like Hell" are solid rockers on their own. But detached from the flow of the album, you lose this whole other level of meaning. Additionally, the structure of the album uses recurring musical echoes to weave memories of past trauma into present pain in a way that feels really authentic. Trauma is something that can live with you your whole life and can crop up at any time, which is something the album conveys brilliantly. This is a long, frequently intense listen, but every bit of it is compelling in a way most music is not. And this isn't even Pink Floyd's best album. Ponder that. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Young Lust, Comfortably Numb, Hey You, The Happiest Days of Our Lives/Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2, Run Like Hell, Is There Anybody Out There?, Nobody Home, The Thin Ice, Mother, Empty Spaces, Goodbye Blue Sky, Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1, In the Flesh?, Goodbye Cruel World, Vera, Another Brick in the Wall, Part 3, Don't Leave Me Now, Outside the Wall, Bring the Boys Back Home, Waiting for the Worms, Stop/The Trial, One of My Turns, In the Flesh

Snivilisation

Orbital

3/5

Highly enjoyable. Creative, musically diverse techno album, one of the better ones I've heard. You could drop 15 minutes off this though and it would be a much better album. Fave Songs: Kein Trink Wasser, Science Friction, Forever, Crash and Carry, Attached

Ambient 1/Music For Airports

Brian Eno

5/5

I remember buying this as a teen and having the reaction a lot of people probably had when it came out. I think I gave it to my brother who, funnily enough, ended up becoming a musician who uses ambient elements in his work. I wasn't ready for that kind of nuance in my music at the time, but it was absolutely lovely to listen to today. This is an elegant, minimalist masterpiece. I think the key to enjoying this album is finding it in yourself to let go. I mean, most albums we listen to have a bunch of songs, generally under 5 to 6 minutes each, so you're always anticipating something - a chorus, a bridge, a fairly speedy closure, the next song. This album forces you to sit with the quiet in it and not have expectations of what comes next. It fades away, it comes back, it pulls you in and releases you. Each new element becomes a surprise when you aren't waiting for it. It's transcendent in a way most music is unable to be. Ordinarily I dread songs that pass the 10 minute mark, but once I was able to just let the music be and not check on its progress like I'm cooking an egg or something, the whole thing flowed really smoothly here. I loved it, and can see myself coming back to it a lot. No favorite tracks, it was all pretty sublime.

Closer

Joy Division

4/5

Occasionally gnarly and a little chaotic, frequently moody and bleak. It's always hard to listen to Ian Curtis knowing where this story ended. You hear his pain in his lyrics and it's emotionally draining to experience as a listener. But what strikes me listening to this today though is how good the band is. I mean, Peter Hook is on fire and Stephen Morris sounds better on drums than I ever remember him sounding. Curtis is definitely the X factor here that makes the band stand out from their peers. His vocals have always been an acquired taste, but losing his songwriting is really what left a hole in Joy Division when he died. All they could do was make a completely different band after that. Fave Songs: Twenty Four Hours, The Eternal, Decades, Atrocity Exhibition, Isolation

Medúlla

Björk

4/5

This is really beautiful. It took me a minute to get into it, but this is a singularly creative, exceptionally well crafted album. Bjork's arrangements are somehow both minimalist and complex at the same time, with layered vocals doing the heavy lifting, augmented with spare use of instrumentation. The result is a sonic landscape that is both ethereal and mildly unsettling. Bjork herself is in perfect voice and her songwriting is surprisingly intimate. Fave Songs: Who Is It (Carry My Joy on the Left, Carry My Pain on the Right), Desired Constellation, Vökuró, Oceania, Mouth's Cradle

Blunderbuss

Jack White

3/5

This was an interesting, musically diverse album with top notch musicianship. A solid listen, if not a particularly memorable one. Fave Songs: Weep Themselves to Sleep, Take Me with You When You Go, Love Interruption, Trash Tongue Talker, Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy

Band On The Run

Paul McCartney and Wings

5/5

Just a delightful album, and so much fun to listen to. Full of brightness, brilliant hooks and charm. Several of Paul McCartney's best known and best loved songs are found on here. As a McCartney/Wings album, this is arguably their best. You could also make a case for it being the best of the Beatle solo albums. Paul understands his own skills and embraces them, crafting a big rock and pop sound that really doesn't sound like anything else. Side 1 is clearly superior to side 2, but you know, even the lesser songs on this album are a lot of fun. And the band really sticks the landing by closing it out with "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five." Throw in "Helen Wheels" from the original US version, and it's a pretty easy 5. Fave Songs: (All songs, from most to least favorite): Band on the Run, Jet, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five, Helen Wheels, Let Me Roll It, Mrs. Vandebilt, Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)

Brutal Youth

Elvis Costello

4/5

Musically, this album is fantastic. It's Costello + the Attractions, which is always Elvis Costello at his best. This is a catchy, diverse collection of songs in the Attractions' classic style, as good as much of their earlier work. Steve Nieve's piano work in particular is stunningly good and Costello himself is in perfect voice. The arrangements are rich and hook-laden, and the lyrics are vivid and eloquent. I don't think I have spent time with this album before, so it was a nice surprise. Will definitely listen again. Fave Songs: 13 Steps Lead Down, Just About Glad, All the Rage, You Tripped at Every Step, Rocking Horse Road, Sulky Girl, London's Brilliant Parade

The White Room

The KLF

3/5

This is a fun album with a diverse sound that is in many ways very much of its time. Stylistically a bit of a hodgepodge, but that pedal steel in "Build a Fire" was a nice surprise. In fact, the album has a number of lovely little surprises like that. As someone whose main awareness of KLF was by way of "3 a.m. Eternal," this was not at all what I expected, and really enjoyable. Fave Songs: Build a Fire, Last Train to Trancentral, The White Room, No More Tears, 3 a.m. Eternal

Electric Ladyland

Jimi Hendrix

4/5

Probably my least favorite Hendrix album. Jimi's performances are brilliant of course, but the overall work feels bloated and unfocused. Stylistically kind of a mess, running the gambit from tight and muscular to blistering and free-associative to downright self-indulgent. It's worth the full price of admission and then some to hear "All Along the Watchtower" and a handful of other songs, but there are way too many skipable tracks. Fave Songs: All Along the Watchtower, Voodoo Child (Slight Return), Crosstown Traffic, Gypsy Eyes, Voodoo Chile

My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts

Brian Eno

5/5

Dark, twisted, frequently funky and hauntingly weird. I bought this album years ago on cassette as a teenager after hearing "The Jezebel Spirit" on the radio. Back then, the album mostly confounded me, but I have grown to love it over the years. This is a really diverse and unique work from Brian Eno and David Byrne, two of the most creative minds in music. It's a collaboration that really works, full of moments both unsettling and transcendent. The layers of samples and looped sounds are central to the album's sound, giving off a cool found footage vibe. But listen deeper, and you will find elements of solid musicianship that give the album its depth, particularly on percussion and bass. There's really nothing else like this in music. The album was years ahead of its time when it came out, but it has aged beautifully. The song "Qu'ran" from the original album is not available on Spotify, but you can easily find it on YouTube. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Regiment; America Is Waiting; Mountain of Needles; Help Me Somebody; The Jezebel Spirit; Mea Culpa; Qu'ran; The Carrier; Come with Us; Moonlight in Glory; Very, Very Hungry; A Secret Life

Want One

Rufus Wainwright

3/5

Elegant and engaging. Beautiful arrangements with a strong sense of pop songcraft. Charming and earnest vocals. The album could have been a couple of songs shorter, but overall it was a really lovely listen. Fave Songs: Oh What a World, Want, I Don't Know What It Is, Vibrate, Natasha, Dinner at Eight

American Gothic

David Ackles

2/5

I guess there's a reason why some deep cuts stay deep. I can't help but wonder, who the heck was David Ackles making this album for in 1972? Out of the box it must have already sounded dated, but not musically adventurous enough to garner a cult following. Yet, enough people liked it at the time to crack the Billboard charts. Go figure. Bombastic, old timey arrangements with an earnest pop vocal better suited to the theatrical stage than to whatever this is supposed to be. Lyrically far ranging, but not particularly compelling. The more restrained piano and acoustic tracks aren't too bad ("Waiting for the Moving Van" was actually quite nice), but not something I plan to come back to. Fave Songs: Waiting for the Moving Van, Love's Enough, Another Friday Night, One Night Stand, Blues for Billy Whitecloud

Frank

Amy Winehouse

3/5

Enjoyed this. Lovely, soulful vocals and laid back arrangements that are easy on the ears. The approach to lyricism is frank (pun not intended) and emotionally honest, if a bit structureless and overly free associative. As a result you have a really great sound with songs that are somewhat unmemorable on their own. Fave Songs: What Is It About Men, Know You Now, Mr Magic (Through the Smoke), (There Is) No Greater Love, Stronger Than Me

You're Living All Over Me

Dinosaur Jr.

4/5

Brilliant album. Noisy, raw-edged and occasionally blistering with a welcome melodic side, several years ahead of the grunge curve. Much smarter musically than you might expect. Fave Songs: In a Jar, SludgeFeast, Raisans, Tarpit, The Lung, Lose

1977

Ash

3/5

Fun, energetic album that's a little ramshackle in execution, but it rocks harder than expected. The album also has some great melodic moments that are reminiscent of Big Star or Teenage Fanclub. More than a little rough around the edges, but there's a lot to like here. Fave Songs: Angel Interceptor, Gone the Dream, I'd Give You Anything, Girl from Mars, Oh Yeah, Let It Flow

Moss Side Story

Barry Adamson

3/5

Noir-ish and cool, cinematic in feel. Really interesting listen, but obviously not something I would want to hear every day. This is a more successful album I think than the other Barry Adamson album I've heard on 1001 Albums (Oedipus Schmoedipus), which I found to be a bit overwrought. Here, Adamson shows proper restraint on all the added sounds so that they add needed ambiance, without tipping into kitsch. There's also a real sense of movement through a plot, even if the plot is something that doesn't actually exist. Fave Songs: Everything Happens to Me, Under Wraps, Central Control, Autodestruction, Intensive Care, Sounds from the Big House

Golden Hour

Kacey Musgraves

2/5

This is a fairly anodyne country pop album with an overly tuned, saccharine vocal. Musically fine if not particularly interesting. The songwriting is notably bad. I hope I had more interesting things to talk about when I was 20. Fave Songs: None. Favorite comments from another reviewer: "Too much time rolling around in the satin sheet production, not enough time on the writing. When they aren't outright clunkers, they're pap. And when when they're not pap, the drippy aesthetic makes them sound like it."

BEYONCÉ

Beyoncé

3/5

Slickly produced with unabashedly intimate lyrics. TBH, the tone gets a little too horny at times for my taste, and that aspect if the album wears thin pretty quickly. But there are also some really lovely and heartfelt ballads that I enjoyed. The album is really well made, to the point where it feels slightly inauthentic. But it's pretty entertaining, and Beyoncé sounds like she's having a lot of fun. That's more than you get from a lot of pop artists nowadays. Fave Songs: Heaven, XO, Superpower, Blue, Haunted, Drunk in Love

Hot Shots II

The Beta Band

3/5

The title made me approach this with a bit of a side-eye, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. Chill and a little spacey with nuanced arrangements. Worth coming back to. Fave Songs: Quiet, Alleged, Gone, Al Sharp, Human Being

Bug

Dinosaur Jr.

4/5

It's hard to praise an album like this enough, it's such a foundational work. And it's one that continues to fly under radar all these years after it came out. Let me tell you though, nothing really sounded like this in 1988. Tons of bands tried to sound like Dinosaur Jr. in the following decade, most falling far short. Even today the album sounds as vital and powerful as it did the day it came out. As an album, every song here is perfectly placed. The flow from song to song feels effortless. It's frequently rowdy and occasionally blow your speakers out blistering. It's sometimes pleasantly melodic. But every note and bit of dissonance seems purposeful, strategic. Every moment of it is riveting. That's a skill few artists possess. Fave Songs: Freak Scene, No Bones, Yeah We Know, Pond Song, Budge, They Always Come

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water

Limp Bizkit

1/5

Spending 75 minutes in an MRI machine would be better than giving one more minute to this molten dumpster fire of an album. No redeeming musical value AT ALL.

Justified

Justin Timberlake

3/5

I guess one thing this album has got going for it is that I'm hearing it one day after suffering through Limp Bizkit. So I'm feeling generous... to a point. Okay, so let's set the table here. Justin Timberlake wants (needs, really) to be taken seriously as a solo artist, so he brings in the Neptunes and Timbaland among others to help craft his debut album. On that level they generally succeed. Production is pretty excellent, if very much of its time. There are some solid pop hooks and a few pretty danceable bops. I imagine this was top tier pop 20 years ago. So what's missing? For starters, songwriting. I'm not coming to Justin Timberlake looking for well crafted lyrics, so it's hard to ding him too much for that. But it's really not helping his case that these songs just feel really brainless. I'm losing IQ points talking about it. It's like eavesdropping on a dumb conversation in the club, interspersed with the occasional heartbreak song. Blah. What else? The vocals, seriously the vocals. I keep seeing reviewers describe Justin Timberlake as a great singer, but he's really not. You guys need to listen to more actual soul music. Try as the Neptunes et al might to dress him up, this is a pretty soulless album, and that's fully on Timberlake. He tries to channel Michael Jackson here in his vocals and he almost gets there, but the ultimate effect is that this feels like what would have been a lesser Michael Jackson album. The backing vocals for the most part are also terrible, which only highlights Timberlake's own deficiencies. Even Janet's brief appearances, which I barely noticed, don't really add value. Why bring someone with her level of talent in, if you're not going to use it? Far from the worst thing I've heard, but this is a 3 at best. I suspect 10-15 years from now, these songs won't hold up well at all. Fave Songs: Last Night, Rock Your Body, Cry Me a River, (And She Said) Take Me Now

Countdown To Ecstasy

Steely Dan

5/5

This is such an exceptional album. It's kind of a dark horse as Steely Dan albums go, because it doesn't have any major singles. A few of the songs, most notably "Bodhisattva" and “My Old School,” have deservedly become classic rock radio staples, but this is an album of deep cuts for people who love deep cuts. It's also the first album where the band maps out what would become their trademark sound. Musically, the band is flawless. The songs are crisp, clean and jazz-infused, with nuanced arrangements. They're somehow laid back and academic at the same time, which kind of sums up a lot of what Steely Dan is all about. The musicianship is crazy good, and hip as hell. The band is making brilliant choices here that no one else would even think of trying, like mixing a pedal steel guitar with the vibes. It's insane, but it works so well, blending the warmth and looseness of country rock with the aloof virtuosity of jazz. Donald Fagen shows up full force with his trademark incisive songwriting, delivered no doubt with a bit of a smirk. Grifters, prostitutes, suckers and the idle rich provide a rich palette for his stories – frequently obscure, sometimes bluntly dark, and mostly devoid of sentiment. After a week of mostly bad albums, this was a joy to listen to. Not a bad song to be found. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): My Old School, Pearl of the Quarter, Bodhisattva, Show Biz Kids, The Boston Rag, Your Gold Teeth, King of the World, Razor Boy

The World is a Ghetto

War

4/5

Spicy and soulful, jazzy and progressive, with a dark and moody undercurrent that is really appealing. Vibrant, masterfully crafted songs that are incredibly smart, but lacking in any kind of pretension. This is just incredibly fun to listen to. Fave Songs: The World Is a Ghetto; Beetles in the Bog; The Cisco Kid; City, Country, City; Four Cornered Room

Go Girl Crazy

The Dictators

3/5

The Dictators are kind of on a similar track to what the New York Dolls were up to around the same time, without the platforms and makeup. The band's influence on punk and garage bands that came after them is palpable in every one of these songs. They have a snotty, ramshackle energy and off-kilter approach to melody that's fun in its way, if more than a little rough around the edges. It's mostly a dumb, fun listen, which I'm pretty sure was all the band meant it to be. Fave Songs: (I Live For) Cars and Girls, Teengenerate, California Sun, I Got You Babe

Black Holes and Revelations

Muse

3/5

There's a lot to like about this album. It's also... a lot. Stylistically this feels like Muse were going for a really big, diverse sound, but ended up with something more haphazard. When they get it right it's really excellent. Soaring, earnest vocals. Intense, richly composed arrangements. Where they don't get it right, you get weird tonal shifts and over the top lyrics that land like a lead balloon. You know, if they had reworked/dropped a few songs, this actually would have made a more cohesive dystopian concept album. Instead we get an overstuffed album that's not sure what it wants to be. Fave Songs: Soldier's Poem, Invincible, Exo-Politics, Hoodoo, City of Delusion

The Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd

5/5

There is a very small number of albums I will say this about. But Dark Side of the Moon is an album all serious albums aspire to be, most of them falling far short. There are few albums this carefully crafted, this unified in concept, this technically masterful. It's creative in ways that are nuanced and restrained, which makes it more universally accessible without getting too proggy or losing any of its fire. It's a dark and haunting odyssey of an album that is fascinating down to its finest details. It's hard to even tackle the details, because the album is so richly rendered. Soaring, ethereal moments linger with softly unsettling moments and even flashes of humor. The subject matter ponders themes that are dark but essentially human - madness, mortality, materialism, war, the malaise of daily life - in ways you rarely hear in music, frequently with surprising lyrical economy. The music very much speaks for itself. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Money, Time/The Great Gig in the Sky, Speak to Me/Breathe (In the Air), Us and Them, Brain Damage/Eclipse, Any Colour You Like, On the Run

D

White Denim

3/5

Diverse if somewhat overstuffed, fairly forgettable indie. Nothing to love or hate about it, really. For being somewhat short songs, they're way too jammy. Fave Songs: Street Joy, Keys, Anvil Everything

Here's Little Richard

Little Richard

4/5

It's hard to argue the power of this album. It lives in the bones of much of what came after it. And the songs still cook today. Joyful, saucy, full-tilt rock and roll that's incredibly fun to listen to. Fave Songs: Tutti Frutti; Slippin' and Slidin'; Rip It Up; Long Tall Sally; Ready Teddy; Jenny, Jenny

Butterfly

Mariah Carey

4/5

This is a classic R&B album of the late 90s, one of the best. Rich production, that utilizes some of the typical bells and whistles of the era, but always keeps Mariah at the center, where she should be. And my, doesn't Mariah sound like an angel? Fave Songs: Butterfly, The Roof, Breakdown, My All, Honey, Fourth of July

Back to Basics

Christina Aguilera

3/5

I like the idea of this vintage framework on an album and Christina Aguilera certainly has the vocal chops to do something ambitious with it. But the concept, such as it is, is uneven and not fully fleshed out. The samples and other bells and whistles were mostly just annoying to my ears. Christina is obviously an extremely talented vocalist and her performances are technically excellent here. But she’s very much a belter who relies on volume rather than nuance, and I needed her to dial that back. To paraphrase another reviewer, you can name check other/better singers all you like, but you’d better be prepared to serve up something remarkable, and I don’t think she has here. A second disc was unnecessary and should have been shelved or worked into a separate album. Fave Songs: Understand, Hurt, On Our Way, Oh Mother, Here to Stay, Without You

Tuesday Night Music Club

Sheryl Crow

3/5

I was 22 when this album came out and, even at the time, the songs just felt a little long in the tooth for me. You know, like it wouldn’t be long before they were in the regular rotation at your local grocery store. But you know, to be fair, this is a solid debut album by Sheryl Crow. It’s earthy and bluesy, in the same neighborhood as something you might hear from Lucinda Williams or Bonnie Raitt. But Crow’s softer vocal style really could have used a little grit and she would have had a more substantial sound. I suspect the songs sound better when she sings them now. Crow's vocals are always earnest though, with relatable lyrics. There's a reason you heard these songs everywhere for a good chunk of the 90s. The middle part of the album gets little soft and some of those songs aren't particularly memorable. But the hits are pretty catchy and easy on the ears. I have heard \"All I Wanna Do\" way too many times in my life, but it’s hooky and pretty fun. Sometimes that's all you need in an album. Fave Songs: Leaving Las Vegas, Strong Enough, We Do What We Can, Can't Cry Anymore, All I Wanna Do

...The Dandy Warhols Come Down

The Dandy Warhols

4/5

Ooh, these boys threw it all in, didn’t they? This is so good. It's like some of the best Britpop, but made by a group of Americans! So much to enjoy here. Rich, layered arrangements with a strong pop sensibility. Really diverse uses of guitar, jangly and psychedelic, but also surprisingly muscular and dissonant at times. I definitely plan to come back and spend more time with this one. Fave Songs: Good Morning, Whipping Tree, Hard On for Jesus, Pete International Airport, Be-In, Green, Orange, Boys Better

Music

Madonna

4/5

I have long been on the record as “not a fan” of Madonna. But this was really great, probably the best album I have heard from her. Madonna is in excellent voice and she gives 100 percent to her performances. She always does. The key to this album’s success though is as much in the production of Mirwais Ahmadzaï and William Orbitwhich, which is wonderful. This is just great fun, with a mix of instant club classics and some nice straightforward pop as well. I love all the quirky, blippy little touches, the unusual chord progressions, the strategic uses of vocal tuning and guitar. They lean into the artifice and experimentalism of electronica, but with great warmth and nuance. Fabulous work, a classic of its era. Fave Songs: Music, Gone, Paradise (Not for Me), Impressive Instant, Runaway Lover, Don't Tell Me

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

5/5

A stunningly good album by Creedence Clearwater Revival, easily the band's most creative and vital work. Some of CCR's most famous songs appear here, as well as some stellar deep tracks. This is an era defining work that sounds as fresh as the day it was made. Earthy blues and country infused songs with a great relaxed energy and exceptional musicianship. Most of the songs are executed with brilliant economy, the majority clocking in well under 3 minutes. I don’t even mind the insane jamminess of the 11+ minute "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." Just about the most satisfying 42 minutes you can spend listening to music. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Who'll Stop the Rain, Ramble Tamble, Lookin' out My Back Door, Run Through the Jungle, Up Around the Bend, Travelin' Band, I Heard It Through the Grapevine,Long as I Can See the Light, My Baby Left Me, Before You Accuse Me, Ooby Dooby

Suzanne Vega

4/5

“Marlene on the Wall” was probably the first song I can remember hearing from Suzanne Vega, which made a ripple on college radio shortly after this album came out. Interestingly enough, what made Suzanne Vega stand out in 1985-86 was all the things she wasn’t. ‘85-86 was all noise and bombast and hairspray and frippery and what looked good in a music video. This music stood out starkly because it was quiet - nuanced, thoughtful, minimalist, grown up. The lyrics are gorgeous- intimate, beautiful enough to read on their own, like poetry. This sound felt incredibly fresh, and was an early arrival in a wave of women singer songwriters who would appear in the late 80s into the 90s. For a young woman coming up in a time that didn’t make much space for young women’s voices, music like this was more meaningful than I can express. The worst thing you can say about this album is that its best qualities are kind of also its weakest qualities. If I say it’s thoughtful and minimalist, some might dismiss it as bland or boring. It all boils down to taste, but it’s worth a little patience. I will say that this album has aged really well, better than most of the music that overshadowed it at the time. Minus some of the backing instrumentation that feels a touch dated now, Vega could put these songs out today and they’d still sound incredibly fresh. Fave Songs: Marlene on the Wall, Knight Moves, Small Blue Thing, Undertow, The Queen and the Soldier

Master Of Puppets

Metallica

5/5

This is probably my favorite Metallica album. A friend introduced me to the band through this album shortly after it came out, and it’s really the album that brought me back into the metal fold, after moving on from metal for a couple of years prior. Master of Puppets really opened up all the possibilities of what you can do in metal. The sheer sonic power, the incredibly nuanced musicianship, the lyrical depth… I imagine hearing this for the first time was somewhat akin to what it like hearing Sabbath when they came out. And my people, the band just simply rocks, harder than we knew was possible at the time. I said this in another review, but listening to this for the first time was like having someone turn the lights on for the first time, and everything was different after that. But also, for as hard as it rocks, the band never loses their musicality. The album is full of really lovely, classically beautiful moments, and it's never particularly hard on the ears. It can be as elegant as it is blistering, and the band balances this dichotomy on the thinnest of lines, which is just about the hardest thing a band can do in this genre without sounding forced or inauthentic. Loved hearing it again today. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Master of Puppets, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Battery, Orion, Damage, Inc., Leper Messiah, Disposable Heroes, The Thing That Should Not Be

We Are Family

Sister Sledge

3/5

Silky, highly produced disco-era music. This isn’t a genre known for a lot of front to back great albums, but this one has some solid grooves courtesy of the ever-excellent Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. On the whole though, it was basically 2 outstanding songs and a fair amount that was unmemorable, but I enjoyed it. Fave Songs: We Are Family, He's the Greatest Dancer, Lost in Music, Thinking of You, Somebody Loves Me

Too Rye Ay

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

Plucky, sweet and soulful with rich arrangements and a strong pop sensibility. And, I'll add, really unique for a pop album of its time. The musical landscape of 1982 was really all over the map, and Dexy's still managed to stand out from every other crazy thing that was going on. It sounds as refreshing now as it did then and it was a joy hearing it today. I'll also add that this album has the best Van Morrison cover I can ever recall hearing. Fave Songs: Come On Eileen, Old, Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile), The Celtic Soul Brothers (More, Please, Thank You), Until I Believe in My Soul, All in All (This One Last Wild Waltz)

Chemtrails Over The Country Club

Lana Del Rey

3/5

Musically fine, if on the bland side. Some nice moments and hints of a great atmospheric sound, but much of this is pretty forgettable. It’s like she almost headed into something interesting, but doesn’t go quite far enough to stick the landing. Fave Songs: Not All Who Wander Are Lost, Dark but Just a Game, Yosemite

Kollaps

Einstürzende Neubauten

4/5

So, this is my first time hearing this album and… I have a lot of thoughts. First though, I have a question for my fellow reviewers out there. How many times in your life have you uttered some version of the sentence, "I listen to all kinds of music," or "My tastes are diverse," or "I like everything"? So today we have Einstürzende Neubauten, here to call all of us to the carpet and really make us examine what we consider to be music. What do we even consider to be music? How far can that line be pushed? Are we all full of shit? At almost 900 albums into this little project, I kind of love that. It's why we're here, right? When we hear a piece of "music" for the first time, it's instinctual to look for what feels familiar, to orient us into whatever it is we're about to experience. We unconsciously look for structure when we listen to music just to comprehend what we're experiencing. EN is consistent in their refusal to provide that structure for us, so as a listener you're kind of on your own to figure it out. On an essential level, this album is pretty disorienting and unsettling from the get-go because of this. I mean, the boundaries you expect from music are completely gone here, and you just have to strap in and let it take you wherever it's going. There is nary a hook nor a bridge nor a melody to be found, so be prepared. This is the purest, most stripped-down representation of industrial music that exists out there. It's gritty and noisy and minimalist in ways that are incredibly daring. As you work through this 1001 albums project, you will find pieces of this music in the DNA of dozens of albums from artists that came after it - industrial, post-punk, goth, alternative, metal, electronica. It's not a particularly easy listen, but it's not a hard listen either. It's not the kind of album I would just want to hear on the regular, but this is pretty compelling, primal stuff. The "Dub" songs probably are the most listenable of the bunch, but across the board, the album is never boring. I was planning for a 3 with this album, but this is a 4. Truly mind bending, fascinating stuff. I'll also add, EN is still out there making music today, 40+ years later. Sleep well. Fave Songs: Rivieradub, Kollaps, Sado-Masodub, Spionagedub, Lünebest, Jet'm, Sehnsucht, Rohrbombe, Liebesdub

Fetch The Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple

4/5

This album has such a wacky, free associative vibe to it. Ordinarily I'd be inclined not to like something like this, but it also feels incredibly relatable and honest, brutally honest. Musically, it's minimalist and percussion forward, which is incredibly compelling. It's also been quite a few years since I've checked out Fiona Apple's music, and I'm enjoying how her voice has matured. It really fits the mood of these songs. Fave Songs: Ladies, I Want You to Love Me, Rack of His, Under the Table, Newspaper, Drumset

Jazz Samba

Stan Getz

5/5

A really delightful, bossa nova jazz album by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd. Smooth and accessible for any level of listener. This is the kind of jazz that was really influential on all the jazz pop music that was around in the 1970s and 80s, so it's fresh to me, but also feels really familiar. My only complaint is that it's far too short! Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Desafinado, É Luxo Só, Samba Triste, O Pato, Samba Dees Days, Samba de Uma Nota Só, Bahia

Heroes

David Bowie

5/5

Elegant and strange and always slightly inscrutable. Berlin Trilogy Bowie is my favorite David Bowie. One moment it's brash with a quirkily funky groove, another moment it's artful and transcendent. Brian Eno's masterful fingerprints are all over this thing, especially on side 2. Robert Fripp's presence is also something I'm always on board to hear. But it's the complementary and sometimes conflicting aesthetics of the Bowie and Eno partnership that give this album its fire. It's Bowie with all of his avant garde, mannerist visions of rock, combined with Eno's perfect ear for creating delicate soundscapes.The album clashes with itself in weird and fascinating ways as a result and it's a beautiful thing. The title song is of course one of the most gorgeous rock songs ever made, but I'm kind of loving the instrumentals today. I want to hear "Moss Garden" all day long and float off on a cloud. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): 'Heroes,' Moss Garden, The Secret Life of Arabia, Sense of Doubt, Blackout, Neuköln, Sons of the Silent Age, Joe the Lion, Beauty and the Beast, V-2 Schneider

I See You

The xx

3/5

Not sure if it deserves a spot on this list, but it was pretty enjoyable. Fave Songs: On Hold, Performance, Dangerous, Lips, A Violent Noise

Loveless

My Bloody Valentine

4/5

Dreamy, ethereal and twisted. I remember buying this on cassette when it came out, and I didn't listen to it much because I found it to be a bit too noisy. Flash forward, and I am delighted at the creativity and beauty of this album. It's a free-form odyssey into the possibilities of sound and I just love it. Fave Songs: Soon, When You Sleep, Sometimes, Come in Alone, I Only Said, Loomer, What You Want, Blown a Wish, Only Shallow, To Here Knows When, Touched

Being There

Wilco

4/5

I love this sound, rootsy, affable power pop with earnest, relatable lyrics and hints of psychedelia. Shades of the Replacements and the Stones. Really enjoyable. Fave Songs: Far, Far Away; Say You Miss Me; Outtasite (Outta Mind); Red-Eyed and Blue; Someday Soon; Sunken Treasure; Hotel Arizona; The Lonely 1; Monday

Vulnicura

Björk

4/5

Elegant and idiosyncratic. Vivid, painful, personal lyrics. I have to be in a particular mood to listen to Bjork, but she makes legitimately beautiful albums. I've never heard a bad one. Fave Songs: Stonemilker, Black Lake, Family, Lionsong, Atom Dance, Mouth Mantra

C'est Chic

CHIC

3/5

Smooth groove. A couple of outstanding songs plus a little too much filler. Fave Songs: Le Freak, I Want Your Love, Sometimes You Win, Chic Cheer

Hms Fable

Shack

3/5

Pleasant, hooky rockers with a strong pop sensibility. Kind of a middling album when held up against other Britpop albums, and I find the vocals to be a bit rough. But this album certainly is not without its charms. Fave Songs: Comedy, Reinstated, Daniella, I Want You, Natalie's Party

Talk Talk Talk

The Psychedelic Furs

3/5

I listened to this quite a bit as a teenager but haven't engaged with it for years. It's definitely a more radio friendly album than the Furs' debut album and it has some good songs, although a lot of them strike me now as one-note. The judicious use of squonky sax adds a welcome dose of texture to the songs without veering into the annoying. The general tone of the album can best be described as emotionally arid. It's interesting enough with some flashes of creativity, and it's a solid listen as post punk albums go. But these songs aren't really designed to make you feel much of anything. What felt cool and aloof to me in the 80s strikes me more as hollow now. Fave Songs: Dumb Waiters, Pretty in Pink, Into You Like a Train, It Goes On, All of This and Nothing

Don't Stand Me Down

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

I don't know what it says about me that I liked Dexys' least liked album, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. This album is more polished than the band's first two albums, but it's still soulful, catchy, charming and surprisingly creative. I especially appreciated the use of mandolin and steel guitar. This was a really pleasant listen, and a much smarter, more nuanced work than people are allowing it to be. I started out grumbling that Dexys made the list 3 times, but now I'm giving this a 4. Fave Songs: The Waltz, The Occasional Flicker, Listen to This, This Is What She's Like, Knowledge of Beauty

Strange Cargo III

William Orbit

3/5

Blippy, trippy, innovative and stylistically diverse, easy on the ears. Fave Songs: Into the Paradise; Water from a Vine Leaf; A Hazy Shade of Random; Harry Flowers; Best Friend, Paranoia

High Violet

The National

3/5

Enjoyable album, if a bit dreary. Rich, moody, resonant sound. The lyrics can get cryptic and comically repetitive at times. Fave Songs: Runaway, Sorrow, Conversation 16, Anyone's Ghost, Terrible Love, England

Traffic

4/5

I've always found Traffic to be one of those bands best experienced by way of a greatest hits collection. They have some outstanding songs, which unfortunately are scattered among half a dozen or so albums. This album is like much of their discography, flashes of brilliance but with a dose of filler. The band's folk infused sound is soulful, earthy, a bit jammy, and amiable across the board. Always a solid listen. The tracks with Winwood on vocals are generally superior to Mason's, although "You Can All Join In" happens to be my favorite. Fave Songs: You Can All Join In, Roamin' Thru' the Gloamin' with 40,000 Headmen, No Time to Live, Pearly Queen, Means to an End, Feelin' Alright?

american dream

LCD Soundsystem

3/5

This was a decent album, with a mix of listenable grooves and awash with all kinds of musical influences. Not especially memorable though. On paper, this feels like something I should like, but it mostly lands flat with me. Fave Songs: Change Yr Mind, Call the Police, How Do You Sleep?, Oh Baby

Talking Timbuktu

Ali Farka Touré

4/5

Really lovely, an excellent album. Musically, this is pretty perfect, with a rich, earthy, bluesy sound. Fave Songs: Bonde, Soukora, Lasidan, Gomni, Sega

War

U2

5/5

So it's 1983. U2 was one of a dozen bands I was interested in at the time. But if you had told me they were the ones who would end up being the biggest band in the world, I wouldn't have believed you. Their talent was fierce and undeniable, but they seemed like they would always be somewhat on the fringe. Contrasted with the brightness and fluff of early 80s music, U2 simply didn't fit. There's an earnestness and straightforwardness to their sound and their lyrics, born out of punk, that's incredibly disarming. This iteration of their sound lacks the ambiguity of post-punk and the frivolity that came with a lot of MTV-friendly music. It's unabashedly political, urgent in its execution, and lyrically powerful, with substance and heart. It's also incredibly catchy and engaging, anthemic even at times. And quite simply, thanks to the power and the fury of Larry Mullen Jr. and The Edge, it also really rocks. People criticize Bono for his earnestness, but this is the heart of what makes U2 continue to be relevant now, the stuff of all great music. It's music that sears itself into your consciousness and retains its fire, even 40 years on. Why make music, if you can't make music with meaning? This is in a lot of ways a transitional album. It retains some of the rawness of Boy and October, but with flashes of creativity that reveal a desire in the band to move into new musical territory. This album was an important one in my house. They made better, more polished and adventurous albums as the years would go on. But War is a brushfire of an album that stands among the band's finest works. I also just have to say, I’m so grateful that I was around to watch U2 grow and develop as a band. You can like them or hate them, but they're undeniably a generational talent that massively influenced the way much of how rock music would sound moving forward. But there’s still no one else out there quite like them. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorites): New Year's Day, 40, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Like a Song..., Drowning Man, Seconds, Surrender, The Refugee, Red Light

The Good, The Bad & The Queen

3/5

Incredibly creative and well-written, with a solid roster of talent. I wouldn't have caught on that it was supposed to be a concept album though had Wiki not told me. I could see this growing on me considerably with repeated listening. Fave Songs: Green Fields, Herculean, The Good, the Bad & the Queen, Three Changes, 80's Life, Northern Whale

evermore

Taylor Swift

3/5

A well produced and richly arranged collection of songs, if a bit bland and dragging in pace. Honestly better than I expected from Taylor Swift. But I am definitely not a fan of her lyrical style, which I would describe as rambling verisimilitude, peppered with overly-repeated refrains. As contemporary pop goes, this is close to as good as it gets, but I found myself waiting for it to end. Fave Songs: Champagne Problems, Willow, Tolerate It, Tis the Damn Season

At Newport 1960

Muddy Waters

5/5

Pure, essential blues recording. Sounds as good as anything Muddy Waters ever did in the studio. Fave Songs (All Songs, from most to least favorite): Got My Mojo Working, I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man, Got My Mojo Working, Part 2, I Got My Brand on You, Goodbye Newport Blues, I Feel So Good, Soon Forgotten, Tiger in Your Tank

Ritual De Lo Habitual

Jane's Addiction

4/5

This is one of the most creative and adventurous bands in rock, certainly of their time. Jane's Addiction is funky and freewheeling in all the best ways, with a bohemian vibe straight out of Zeppelin. There are some powerful tracks here, among the most memorable of the 90s, as well as some solid deep cuts. Fave Songs: Been Caught Stealing, Three Days, Stop!, Then She Did..., Classic Girl

Talking Book

Stevie Wonder

4/5

Another gorgeous album by Stevie Wonder. Incredibly creative, catchy and expressive music. Stevie sparkles when he brings the funk, while the more pop-focused songs tend to be more hit or miss. 2 or 3 weaker songs keep this from being a 5, but this is still one of the great albums of the 70s, a real joy to listen to. Fave Songs: Superstition, You Are the Sunshine of My Life, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever), Maybe Your Baby, Blame It on the Sun, You and I (We Can Conquer the World)

Ingenue

k.d. lang

3/5

Torchy and easy on the ears. Not without its charms, but frequently bland. k.d. lang sounds marvelous here, but this collection of songs lacks the twang and charisma of her earlier work. Fave Songs: Miss Chatelaine, Wash Me Clean, Still Thrives This Love, So It Shall Be, Constant Craving

Soul Mining

The The

4/5

Just great, artful post-punk with a synthpop chaser. I bought this album shortly after it came out, on the strength of "This is the Day," a song I obsessed over for much of my teen years. It's been a long time since I've listened to the whole thing, as I'm not a fan of The The's later music. I will admit to being wrong about this one though. It's far more musically clever than I remember it being, more nuanced than what similar artists were doing at the time. The subject matter here gets pretty gloomy and nihilistic, but Matt Johnson sure has a flair for vivid lyrics. The album is arguably Johnson's best work and I enjoyed hearing it again today. High 3, rounding up for that brilliant piano solo in "Uncertain Smile." Fave Songs: This Is the Day, Uncertain Smile, Soul Mining, The Twilight Hour, Giant

Let's Get It On

Marvin Gaye

3/5

So this a pretty fun album, smooth, sexy and soulful to be sure with some really rich arrangements. Marvin Gaye is in his prime, and in amazing voice. The title track is an all time classic. But after a few songs it just gets thematically tired. You really have to be in the right mood for it. The final track also seems completely out of place. I see what Marvin was doing with it, but it would have worked better had he transitioned more subtly to it, or just saved it for another album. Fave Songs: Let's Get It On, Come Get to This, Distant Lover, If I Should Die Tonight

Heroes to Zeros

The Beta Band

3/5

This is a really well-crafted album with a variety of musical ideas to explore. The band has a strong pop sensibility, augmented with a gift for thinking outside the box musically. I enjoyed this quite a bit. Fave Songs: Space Beatle, Rhododendron, Out-Side, Space, Liquid Bird, Pure For

Wild Wood

Paul Weller

5/5

What a gorgeous album. Rich, soulful and eclectic, with threads of rock, blues, funk, jazz, folk. It's a sound that draws from a myriad of influences but sounds pretty timeless. They don't make albums like this anymore. Paul Weller is one of the most talented and prolific artists of his generation. His gift for songcraft is on full display here, with incredibly eloquent lyrics, powerful but nuanced vocals, and top notch musicianship. You really get a strong sense that this is someone who loves and understands music deeply, and knows how to make every note hit perfectly and effortlessly. This album would be worth it solely for Weller's guitar work and vocals, but this album is just layer upon layer of pure magic. I'm calling it today, this is the best new-to-me album I have encountered on this whole project, and I've been at it for 918 days. Shut it down. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Moon on Your Pyjamas, Sunflower, Wild Wood, All the Pictures on the Wall, 5th Season, Shadow of the Sun, Hung Up, Foot of the Mountain, Country, Can You Heal Us (Holy Man), Holy Man (reprise), The Weaver, Has My Fire Really Gone Out?, Instrumental (Pt 1), Instrumental One (Pt 2, Country, Instrumental Two

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks

5/5

Such a splendid, perfectly realized album. I've listened to this album a lot, but never read about the concept until today. But no matter, Ray Davies crafted this album with such clarity and care that you get a strong feel for the story even knowing nothing about it. That's incredibly difficult to achieve on a concept album without sounding overwrought, and the band handles it masterfully. The subject matter is bread and butter for the Kinks - a sardonic view of England through the lens of nostalgia; the broad sweep of history viewed through the life of one man and his family. All of this is presented with humor, pathos and irony. Musically, the album swings deftly from grandiose baroque pop to a folksy skiffle with everything in between, but it all flows together flawlessly. It's melodic, quirky , sharply satirical, and surprisingly moving at times. A truly satisfying listen. Fave songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Victoria; Shangri-La; Brainwashed; Drivin'; Mr. Churchill Says; Arthur; Yes Sir, No Sir; Some Mother's Son; Australia; Nothing to Say; She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina; Young and Innocent Days

#1 Record

Big Star

5/5

It takes a certain confidence to name your unknown band Big Star. It takes some next level audacity to then call your debut album "#1 Record." These are guys who know they're good. Sadly, the band's star would crash rather inauspiciously in the end, but what they left behind was nothing short of a musical treasure. You can hear echoes of Big Star in all kinds of bands that came after them - in power pop, alternative, jangle pop, Indie. For an album that came out over 50 years ago, this album sounds as fresh and vital as the day it was made. #1 Record is an album full of hooky, bittersweet melodies and masterful guitar work that can turn from jangly and ethereal to muscular and hard rocking on a dime. Lyrically, the songs range from the easygoing slacker anthem "In the Street" to the sweetly intimate "Thirteen." For every moment of raw and earnest vulnerability, there are nearly as many full-tilt, cruising with the windows down rockers, and somehow the band makes this all work. Essentially this is an album that speaks to the essence of being young - innocent but headstrong, freewheeling but frustrated, awash with feelings you don't quite understand. I can't really think of another album that captures that feeling better and it's a true joy to listen to. If you enjoyed this, I strongly recommend taking the time to listen to the albums Radio City and (Complete) Third. Also, the documentary Nothing Can Hurt Me is a must see. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Thirteen, The Ballad of El Goodo, Try Again, Watch the Sunrise, Give Me Another Chance, In the Street, My Life Is Right, Feel, Don't Lie to Me, When My Baby's Beside Me, ST 100/6, The India Song

Smokers Delight

Nightmares On Wax

3/5

Groovy, trippy. Great chill vibe with old school flourishes. Mostly pretty enjoyable, but some of the songs are overly repetitive. The album would have benefited by removing a few songs. Fave Songs: Wait a Minute/Praying for a Jeepbeat, What I'm Feelin (Good), Nights Introlude, Pipes Honour, Stars, Dreddoverboard

Meat Is Murder

The Smiths

5/5

The Smiths never made a bad album. Everything they did was pretty outstanding. But of all the albums, this isn't one I would necessarily recommend as a first listen for anyone new to the band. It lacks some of the emotional heft of the band's other albums, or even a really standout single (with one massive exception, if you count "How Soon Is Now?"). What it does have is some of the most creative musicianship of its time, with ridiculously nimble guitar work from Johnny Marr. This is just gorgeously, richly melodic music, that never ceases to be enthralling. Marr's growth as a guitarist from the first album to here is nothing short of astounding, while Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce gamely keep up with everything Marr lays out for them. Rourke's work in particular on "Barbarism Begins at Home" is probably his most interesting and expressive contribution to the band. Additionally, the production is far more sophisticated on this album, showing the level of the depth where the band would head in the albums to follow. Morrissey is at his best here, with lyrical themes both strident and peppered with startling vulnerability. This man can turn a phrase like few songwriters can, switching from heart-rending to acidic on a dime. The one song I never really vibed with is the title track though. Legitimately beautiful on the musical side, the lyrics are off-putting enough that it is the one Smiths song I specifically have gone out of my way to avoid over the past 40 years. On the whole though, this is an exceptional listen. I had the US vinyl version originally, so "How Soon Is Now?," is a big part of my personal relationship with this album. It is a singular, incredibly gorgeous and innovative work, one of the best songs of the 80s and arguably the best song the Smiths ever made. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): How Soon Is Now?, The Headmaster Ritual, Well I Wonder, Barbarism Begins at Home, I Want the One I Can't Have, Nowhere Fast, Rusholme Ruffians, What She Said, Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, Meat Is Murder

The Soft Bulletin

The Flaming Lips

4/5

Beautifully melodic and strange. Surprisingly nuanced arrangements and heartfelt lyrics. Still really not a fan of Wayne Coyne's vocal, but this album was so well-crafted, and a joy to listen to. Fave Songs: Feeling Yourself Disintegrate, Race for the Prize, Buggin', Waitin' for a Superman, Suddenly Everything Has Changed, What Is the Light?

Deserter's Songs

Mercury Rev

3/5

Idiosyncratic and hauntingly lovely. You can feel the level of care that went into building all the layers of these songs and there are so many musical threads to follow. Wore a little thin by the end, but I enjoyed this. Fave Songs: Opus 40, Goddess on a Hiway, I Collect Coins, Tonite It Shows, Holes, Endlessly

Life's Too Good

The Sugarcubes

3/5

Quirky and diverse sound... playfully twisted lyrics... oddball sensibility. This album sounded like it dropped from Mars when it first came out, and it still sounds fresh 35 years later. Fave Songs: Birthday, Deus, Coldsweat, Mama, F***ing in Rhythm & Sorrow, Blue Eyed Pop

Home Is Where The Music Is

Hugh Masekela

4/5

Love this. Capital-C Coooool. Smooth and artful jazz that plays with a diverse palette of styles, with a high level of musicianship. Fave Songs: Nomali, Maesha, Maseru, Minawa, Inner Crisis, The Big Apple

Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

TV On The Radio

4/5

Creative, seethingly intense, with an undercurrent of darkness. Really fantastic work. Fave Songs: Dreams, Staring at the Sun, Poppy, The Wrong Way, Ambulance, Don't Love You

Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys

5/5

This is truly gorgeous, the platinum standard of pop albums. Richly textured musically, with stunning moments of creativity and thoughtful, plain-sung lyrics that hit you straight in the heart. Just layers and layers of pure beauty to unpack, but so accessible and full of boundless charm. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Wouldn't It Be Nice; God Only Knows; I Know There's an Answer; Caroline, No; You Still Believe in Me; Sloop John B; I Just Wasn't Made for These Times; Here Today; That's Not Me; I'm Waiting for the Day; Let's Go Away for Awhile; Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder); Pet Sounds

After The Gold Rush

Neil Young

4/5

Melancholy with a bit of a burn and some beautiful guitar work. A stellar, total mood of an album featuring some of the best songs of Neil Young's career. Really, this is a genre and era-defining album, in all the best ways. "Southern Man" doesn't quite fit tonally with the other songs, but it's so, so brutally good. Fave Songs: Birds; Southern Man; Only Love Can Break Your Heart; Don't Let It Bring You Down; After the Gold Rush; I Believe in You; Tell Me Why

Metal Box

Public Image Ltd.

4/5

Outstanding post-punk album. Noisy and strident in the best way. Fantastically jarring, jagged guitars and twisted disco rhythms. Somewhat obscure, unsettling lyrics. Fave Songs: Swan Lake, Graveyard, Memories, No Birds

The Undertones

3/5

Fun, punchy and fast moving English punk with bit of a pop sensibility. Lyrics aren't particularly deep, but they're about what you would expect from this kind of band. "Teenage Kicks" is a classic of the genre. Fave Songs: Teenage Kicks, Here Comes The Summer, Get Over You, True Confessions, Listening In

Paul Simon

5/5

A beautifully crafted collection of songs by Paul Simon. Tonally and stylistically far-ranging, with an affable mix of folk rock, reggae, Latin, blues and jazz. Simon plays with genre with a fluidity and depth that feels effortless. He's in his prime here, with thoughtful lyrics and a laid back but expressive vocal delivery that is thoroughly engaging. Several of the best known/loved songs of Simon's career (and all time) are here, as well as some stellar deep tracks. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Mother and Child Reunion, Peace Like a River, Duncan, Run That Body Down, Congratulations, Armistice Day, Everything Put Together Falls Apart, Hobo's Blues, Paranoia Blues, Papa Hobo

Signing Off

UB40

5/5

This is the album that made me appreciate UB40, but it's also an album that bothers me a bit because the album shows so much potential that the band left behind to make hits. This album though, it's stunningly good. This is one of those albums that's so powerful, it burns itself into your consciousness. It's the best thing UB40 ever made. The album has an intense sound, full of haunting arrangements and a persistent undercurrent of anger. All this is punctuated with well-placed dub effects and a clever use of saxophone. The lyrics are unabashedly strident, unsettling, scathing. This is heavy stuff, much of which is still relevant today. The instrumentals are moody and rough edged, but create an essential flow that helps temper the weight of the other songs. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Food for Thought, Tyler, Burden of Shame, King, I Think It's Going to Rain Today, Signing Off, Reefer Madness, Strange Fruit, 25%, 12 Bar, Madam Medusa, Little by Little, Adella

From Elvis In Memphis

Elvis Presley

5/5

Such a great album, Elvis at his best. Elvis is perfect voice, leaning into the country and soul and leaving behind the silliness of the movie phase in his career. His charisma is palpable in these songs, with a rock solid group of musicians behind him. Production is tight and flawless. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Gentle on My Mind, Any Day Now, In the Ghetto, I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms), After Loving You, I'm Movin' On, Long Black Limousine, Only the Strong Survive, Wearin' That Loved On Look, True Love Travels on a Gravel Road, It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'

Logical Progression

LTJ Bukem

3/5

Outstanding drum and bass compilation. Sublime mix of the blippy and briskly paced with the atmospheric and dreamy. It could have been a bit shorter, but overall an excellent listen. Album was not available on Spotify and as far as I can tell, the versions on YouTube are incomplete.

Grievous Angel

Gram Parsons

4/5

Warm, engaging, imperfectly pretty, full of heart. Grows on me more each time I hear it. The pasted together quality of this album is hard to ignore, but there are still quite a few charmers to find on here. Gram Parsons' vocals with Emmylou Harris are the best thing about this album. They have a bittersweet chemistry that is rare in music. Fave Songs: Love Hurts, Return of the Grievous Angel, In My Hour of Darkness, Hearts on Fire, Brass Buttons

Porcupine

Echo And The Bunnymen

4/5

This is a really excellent album from Echo and the Bunnymen, second only to Ocean Rain in terms of musical depth. Prickly and dark, with stark lyrics and a haunting use of strings. I especially enjoyed Will Sergeant's adventurous guitar work, which runs the gambit from percussively jagged to exotic and psychedelic. Apparently the recording of this album was a tense time for the band, which only seems to have only improved the final product. A compelling, textured, unsettling collection of songs. Fave Songs: The Cutter, Porcupine, The Back of Love, Gods Will Be Gods, In Bluer Skies, Ripeness, Heads Will Roll

Mask

Bauhaus

4/5

A bare bones proto-gothic classic, with an airless, uneasy vibe that probably launched a dozen bands. Daniel Ash's menacing, wildly diverse guitar work is solidly creepy while David J/Kevin Haskins' rhythm section can turn on a dime from chaotic to funky to funereal in a way I never thought I needed until today. Peter Murphy's sonorous but haunting vocal style is the most memorable element, the black frosting on the cake. Fave Songs: The Passion of Lovers, Mask, Hollow Hills, Hair of the Dog, The Man with the X-Ray Eyes, Kick in the Eye

Pornography

The Cure

4/5

Incredibly well done album. Grim, twisted vibe, with strong rhythms, haunting vocals from Robert Smith, and cryptic and unsettling lyrics. Not for the casual Cure listener, but a necessary listen for anyone who enjoys their music dark, distorted and nuanced. Fave Songs: The Hanging Garden, Cold, A Strange Day, One Hundred Years, The Figurehead

The Libertines

3/5

I came into this prepared to dislike this album, but it was a lot of fun. Full of shambolic garage rocking energy, but with plenty of melodic hooks as well. The vocals get pretty rough though. They're what keep some very good songs from being great songs. Fave Songs: Music When the Lights Go Out, The Man Who Would Be King, Campaign of Hate, What Became of the Likely Lads, Road to Ruin

Shleep

Robert Wyatt

4/5

I tend to be lukewarm if respectful toward Robert Wyatt, but I was excited to listen to this one today. Whimsically weird and adventurous, with alternating moments of dissonance and loveliness. Gorgeously arranged, with a brilliant group of musicians on board, including Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera and Paul Weller. A bit challenging, but in the best ways. Fave Songs: Heaps of Sheeps, Blues in Bob Minor, The Whole Point of No Return, Alien, Free Will and Testament, A Sunday in Madrid

Safe As Milk

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

4/5

I enjoy this earlier, normie iteration of Beefheart. It's bluesy and adventurous and stylistically diverse, while staying fairly grounded musically. It fits in with the garage rock sensibility of its era, but with little flashes of weird brilliance that tell you these guys are heading somewhere completely different. A lot of fun. Fave Songs: Electricity, I'm Glad, Zig Zag Wanderer, Abba Zaba, Yellow Brick Road, Call on Me

G. Love And Special Sauce

G. Love & Special Sauce

2/5

It's seems I'm in the minority around here, but this is really, really... not good. Messy, white boy rappin' blues that wears out its welcome long before the album is over. I can picture a certain type of dude who would have loved this stuff in '94 and he was pretty insufferable. Fave Songs: Don't have one. "The Things That I Used to Do" and "This Ain't Living" are tolerable.

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

Joni Mitchell

5/5

Creative and lushly arranged and a little weird in the right ways. Joni Mitchell's musical choices here are often surprising and adventurous, but still pleasing on the ears. The stories Joni weaves with her lyrics are vibrant and engaging, worth reading on their own as poetry. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): The Jungle Line, The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Shades of Scarlett Conquering, Edith and the Kingpin, Don't Interrupt the Sorrow, In France They Kiss on Main Street, Sweet Bird, The Boho Dance, Harry's House, Shadows and Light

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

The Byrds

5/5

It's interesting to me what time does to an album, how something that was audacious in how it bucked convention when it was made, can be viewed by some now as utterly conventional. If this album doesn't quite land with everyone here, no matter. Where it did land was substantial, and these songs can be heard in the bones of a lot of music that came after it, both in mainstream country and in roots/alt/outlaw/Americana country genres. That's quite a feat considering that the Byrds were considered longhaired hipster interlopers when they attempted to bring this sound to Nashville. It really is a thing of loveliness though. Every song here is a gem, no filler. The songs are warm and engaging, with gorgeous guitar work, earnestly expressive vocals, and an off-kilter sweetness and charm that's hard not to enjoy. I love this more every time I listen to it. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): You Ain't Goin' Nowhere, You're Still on My Mind, Nothing Was Delivered, You Don't Miss Your Water, Life in Prison, One Hundred Years from Now, The Christian Life, Hickory Wind, I Am a Pilgrim, Pretty Boy Floyd, Blue Canadian Rockies

Get Behind Me Satan

The White Stripes

3/5

Solid, hard rocking album with some interesting forays into a rootsier sound. Jack White makes good albums, full stop. I'm still unconvinced though whether he can make a great one. Overall quality is a bit uneven, with a few outstanding tracks and more than a few skippable ones. Fave Songs: Blue Orchid; My Doorbell; The Denial Twist; Take, Take, Take; Red Rain

McCartney

Paul McCartney

5/5

I was really pleased to see this album come up, as I wasn't sure we'd be getting any non-Wings McCartney albums. While it lacks the full-band punch of something like Band on the Run, I feel like this album best showcases Paul's raw creativity better than practically anything else he has done. I think it also effectively puts to rest any ideas that Paul was somehow less innovative than his bandmates in the Beatles. There are songs on this album that sound 40 years ahead of their time. Yeah, some of the individual songs seem like fragments that he hadn't completely fleshed out, but that bare bones quality is what gives these songs their charm. When he gets it just right, it's stunningly beautiful, some of the loveliest songs of McCartney's career. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Maybe I'm Amazed, Junk/Singalong Junk, Every Night, Man We Was Lonely, Teddy Boy, Momma Miss America, Oo You, The Lovely Linda, Hot as Sun/Glasses, Valentine Day, That Would Be Something, Kreen-Akrore

Meat Puppets II

Meat Puppets

4/5

Never was able to get into the Meat Puppets too much, but I enjoyed this quite a bit today. Great proto-grunge energy, a good decade ahead of its time. Noisy and ramshackle on the surface with hints of sophisticated songcraft going on underneath. Noodly in places with some excellent guitar playing, and yet somehow most of the songs don't crack the 3 minute mark. The vocal can get rough and deliberately tuneless, but it's not without an off-kilter charm. Fave Songs: Lost; Plateau; Climbing; I'm a Mindless Idiot; The Whistling Song; Oh, Me; Aurora Borealis

Celebrity Skin

Hole

4/5

While I think this album lacks the edge of Hole's earlier works, they traded that edge for musical and lyrical depth, and really created something beautiful here as a result. It's cleaner, catchier, more polished and incredibly listenable, while the lyrics point to darker, more cynical themes. It's an interesting, smartly crafted contrast of the brightness of California against the dark side of the music business. Courtney Love's lyrics are incredibly poetic and rich with references, pointed but subtle. That's a rare thing in music. Fave Songs: Celebrity Skin, Boys on the Radio, Heaven Tonight, Hit So Hard, Awful, Malibu, Petals

Natty Dread

Bob Marley & The Wailers

4/5

I mean, it's Bob Marley, right? The excellence is kind of built into just about everything he ever did. Deeply soulful, spiritual, and lyrically honest music that's a real pleasure to hear. Fave Songs: Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock), Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), Natty Dread, Talkin' Blues, So Jah Seh

Five Leaves Left

Nick Drake

5/5

Incredibly gorgeous album, without a flaw. I prefer the stripped down sound of Pink Moon, but this album is absolutely its equal in depth and quality. Melancholy, dreamy and elegantly arranged, with contemplative vocals and a rich use of instrumentation that's never heavy handed or distracting. Drake's acoustic playing is beautifully expressive and Richard Thompson's appearance on the opening track was a lovely surprise. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Three Hours, River Man, Way to Blue, Day Is Done, Saturday Sun, The Thoughts of Mary Jane, Man in a Shed, Time Has Told Me, 'Cello Song, Fruit Tree

Steve McQueen

Prefab Sprout

4/5

An elegant and unusual album, a total mood. Dreamy, bittersweet arrangements with hints of a jazz sensibility. The synth elements and use of backing vocals are rich, shimmering and ethereal, giving the songs a really heavenly quality. The back half has a few lesser tracks, but overall, this is such a beautiful listen that has only improved over time. Fave Songs: Goodbye Lucille #1, When Love Breaks Down, Bonny, Appetite, Faron Young, Desire As

Hounds Of Love

Kate Bush

5/5

This is a monumental work, an album that's the apotheosis of everything that can be done in popular music. There's really nothing else like it in music. Gorgeously crafted arrangements, powerful vocals, lyrics that are equally grandiose and intimate. It's ethereal, intensely unsettling, and strangely, achingly beautiful. The first time I heard this album it was exhilarating, moving me in a way few albums have before or since. I never stopped listening to it, carrying this album through my life with me for nigh 40 years and it still gives me chills. To those of you who are hearing it for the first time, I've got to say, I'm a little jealous. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God), Cloudbusting, Hounds of Love, Jig of Life, Hello Earth, The Big Sky, And Dream of Sheep, Watching You Without Me, Under Ice, The Morning Fog, Mother Stands for Comfort, Waking the Witch

Darklands

The Jesus And Mary Chain

4/5

This is a more accessible, more pop-driven album by The Jesus and Mary Chain, following the band's classic, feedback-laden debut, Psychocandy. Although the band retains much of their sensibility on this album, the replacement of a live drummer with drum machines diminishes a certain texture from their sound. Additionally, I didn't particularly like the 3 tracks with William Reid on vocals, who really has a flat voice compared to his brother Jim. When the band gets it right though, they really get it right, creating a rainy day album for the ages. Jangly, dreamy and bittersweet, the songs lack the aggressive noisiness of the band's earlier work, making for a much more pleasant listen. The lyrics are typically gloomy for JMC, but they really work with the whole mood of the album. Although I personally tend to prefer Psychocandy, Darklands is in a lot of ways a more listenable and more successful album. It's probably the better album to start with if you're new to the band. Fave Songs: Happy When It Rains, April Skies, Fall, Deep One Perfect Morning, Cherry Came Too

Elephant

The White Stripes

4/5

Sonically striking with flashes of raw brilliance. All the burning urgency of the best garage rock, with bluesy overtones and moments of real emotional depth. I don't personally love every song on this album. But its power is pretty undeniable and it's possibly the best thing the White Stripes have ever done. Fave Songs: Seven Nation Army; Ball and Biscuit; Hypnotize; I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself; I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart; Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine

Queen II

Queen

4/5

The fact that all but one song on this album could be described as deep tracks is telling. This is an album not without considerable charms, but it's overshadowed by much of the rest of Queen's discography. It's an odd thing, a well-made album that has so much skippable material on it. I mean, the elements are all here, the wildly adventurous instrumentation, the creative use of studio effects, a lead singer for the gods, big flashes of brilliance peppered throughout. What's missing though is the hook. A lot of these songs are fun enough to listen to, but not especially memorable. The exception of course is "Seven Seas of Rhye," which is a sonic delight and blast to sing along to. This album belongs to Brian May. Intricate, adventurous and heavy as hell, May's doing things here with a guitar that few others can touch. The combination of that early, heavy May sound with Freddie Mercury's heavenly tenor and what would become the band's signature use of massive vocal layers... it's almost jarring. But this is still very much a band developing their sound here and the quality from song to song is a bit uneven. The lyrics are frequently silly, and mostly without enough substance to grab onto as a listener. A middling Queen album is still a pretty great album though. Fave Songs: Seven Seas of Rhye, Nevermore, The March of the Black Queen, Ogre Battle, White Queen (As It Began), The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke

California

American Music Club

2/5

When this came up, I remarked to myself that I was surprised I've never heard it. I mean, I was a senior in high school when this came out. But having heard it, now I see why. On paper, this is the sort of thing I might like well enough, but there's just not a lot of there, there. The vocals in particular are pretty amateurish, making an otherwise pleasant album kind of a chore to listen to. "Bad Liquor" is just kind of confounding, like a bad attempt at throwing in a Replacements-style rowdy rocker, but they don 't pull it off. There is some talent in this band, which makes me want to rate it more harshly. Like you're not technically bad, but you just couldn't be bothered to make a better album. Fave songs: Western Sky, Firefly, Highway 5

Stardust

Willie Nelson

4/5

There's something incredibly comforting about hearing Willie Nelson sing the standards. The song choices really suit Willie's voice, with restrained, languid arrangements, a low key jazz-pop sensibility, and an abundance of charm. A ton of artists from different genres have done this type of album, but this album sets a high bar. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Stardust, September Song, Georgia on My Mind, Unchained Melody, Blue Skies, All of Me, Moonlight in Vermont, Someone to Watch Over Me, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Don't Get Around Much Anymore

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe

3/5

Well now, this is pretty cool. Creative, vibrantly weird arrangements with a stylistically far ranging, time traveling sensibility. Quality is a little uneven from song to song, and I have hard time believing most listeners have patience for every song on the album. Still, it was great fun to listen to. I wish we had more contemporary artists as willing to take these kinds of creative risks. Fave Songs: Neon Valley Street; Oh, Maker; 57821; BabopbyeYa; Dance or Die; Sir Greendown

Electric

The Cult

4/5

When the Cult first came out, they hewed more toward a post punk/gothic sensibility. But what became quite apparent by the time this album came out was that the band was able to straddle a musical line like few artists can. In addition to fitting quite easily in the college rock/proto-alternative scene, the band had solid rock chops. They were popular with metal fans and straight ahead rock fans. It's a assertive, lusty, riff-forward sound that seriously rocks. Lead singer Ian Astbury has the kind of natural charisma and swagger that you just don't see too much this side of Jim Morrison. The songs on this album are sexy, energetic and great fun to listen to, preferably at full blast out a car window. Lots to enjoy here, but "Love Removal Machine" is one of the great rock songs of that era. Fave Songs: Love Removal Machine, Wild Flower, Bad Fun, Peace Dog, Lil' Devil

Tarkus

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

3/5

You know what, this is a confounding album with a bit of an identity crisis. Side 1 is what I might expect from a band like ELP - technically well-done and stylistically far-ranging if also bloated and lacking of a fully coherent concept. Not terrible, but not particularly compelling. No qualities to justify the 20 minute runtime, other than they just felt like it. Side 2 is an improvement, sort of? The songs are mercifully brief and very eclectic in sound, but ultimately pretty unremarkable. Considered in view of the work that went into side 1, the back half sounds like a ton of filler. The talent no doubt is here, but the vision is muddled. Fave Songs: Bitches Crystal, Jeremy Bender, Tarkus

Os Mutantes

3/5

Eclectic and trippy and more than a little self-indulgent and silly. Very much of its time, but fun in its way. One thing listening to an album like this does is reveal just how audacious a lot of music at that time was, regardless of where it was made. I appreciate this album for all those things, but I'm unlikely to listen to it all the way through again. Fave Songs: Baby; Le premier bonheur du jour; Tempo no Tempo; Adeus, Maria Fulô; Ave Gengis Khan; Bat Macumba

Horses

Patti Smith

4/5

This is one of those albums that burns itself into your consciousness and is hard to shake after you've heard it. Raw, confident and jarring, with vivid lyrics that are worth reading on their own as poetry. Patti Smith is an acidic, authoritative vocalist, who can wring all the ugly emotion out of a lyric like few can. Fave Songs: Free Money, Gloria, Elegie, Redondo Beach, Kimberly

Future Days

Can

4/5

Loved this. Dreamy, atmospheric and incredibly forward-thinking music that glides elegantly between a laid back vibe and escalating moments of tension. Brilliantly textured, with some the best uses of percussion ever put to record. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Future Days, Moonshake, Spray, Bel Air

Amnesiac

Radiohead

3/5

I don't have a lot to say about this one. It's a good enough Radiohead album, if not a particularly groundbreaking or moving one. Don't get me wrong, there are some nicely layered arrangements and solid musicianship, if delivered by way of a mostly dragging, funereal vibe. Fave Songs: I Might Be Wrong, Pyramid Song, Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box, Life in a Glasshouse, Hunting Bears, Knives Out

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

The Incredible String Band

2/5

Oh, my head, this was a bit of a slog to get through. This album is a colorful, strange exploration of psychedelic folk, not without a certain sweetness and humor. But I honestly can't pick out a song I would want to hear again. Probably won't listen again (and I really can't see giving this better than a 2), but I give ISB credit for doing something unique. Fave Songs: Witches Hat, Koeeoaddi There, A Very Cellular Song, The Water Song

Talking Heads 77

Talking Heads

5/5

This is the first album I can remember buying by the Talking Heads and, for many years, it was my immediate answer if you were to ask me which album was my favorite. I tend to listen more broadly nowadays to all the band's albums, but '77 stands out starkly against everything else the band ever made. It's T-Heads in their purest form, with a sly simplicity that speaks volumes. It's hard to even talk about an album like this without comparing it to everything that came after it, it's so unique. And it absolutely had a profound influence on numerous artists and genres that would follow, but somehow '77 remains its own thing. The vibe of this album is a study in contradictions, quirky and detached, but heartfelt; funky, but awkward; melodic, but angular; intellectual, but whimsical; all of this with a low-key undercurrent of tension and even menace. The group as a whole is nimble, nuanced, deeply creative, with a compelling lead in David Byrne and some truly striking uses of guitar. I find that some of these songs need to be listened to a few times to really warm up to them, but there isn't a bad song to be found on here. Considering the band is barely getting started here, it's pretty masterful. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Psycho Killer; The Book I Read; Pulled Up; First Week/Last Week… Carefree; Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town; No Compassion; New Feeling; Who Is It?; Happy Day; Don't Worry About the Government; Tentative Decisions

They Were Wrong, So We Drowned

Liars

2/5

Noisy, abrasive and dark, sometimes challenging on the ears. I usually want to give the benefit of the doubt to the albums that have ended up at the bottom of the global stats, because many of them are pretty innovative. I've heard worse, but honestly, I mostly found this album to be pretty boring and not a fun listen at all. The concept should have made this way more compelling than it ended up being. Liars may have mostly accomplished what they wanted through the music, but the vocals and the lyrics make it all fall pretty flat Fave Songs: Steam Rose from the Lifeless Cloak, They Don't Want Your Corn, They Want Your Kids, We Fenced Other Gardens with the Bones of Our Own

Sunshine Hit Me

The Bees

4/5

This was a lot of fun. I absolutely loved it. Smooth and easygoing vibe, with rich arrangements and solid musicianship. Fave Songs: Sweet Like a Champion, Zia, Sunshine, Angryman, Binnel Bay, Lying in the Snow, A Minha Menina

Cupid & Psyche 85

Scritti Politti

2/5

You know, I never liked Scritti Politti when they first came out. I appreciate having a chance to reassess them all these years later, but I've got to say that my opinion hasn't changed. The band is going for this sort of fizzy and soulful pop vibe, which is mostly pretty bland. Limp vocals, shallow lyrics, and an attempt at soulfulness that rings very, very hollow. The songs that were released as singles are tolerable, but there's a lot of filler here. Fave Songs: Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin), Perfect Way

All Hope Is Gone

Slipknot

2/5

This was kind of hard to rate, because it does have a few pretty good, well-executed songs. Subtle as a Panzer attack, but I don't hate it. As a cohesive work, this was pretty well done. My issues with this are primarily with the quality of the vocals, which are flatly irritating, and the generally grim overall vibe. Quality-wise, this is probably on the higher end for this genre of music. But it's not entertaining at all to me. Fave Songs: Dead Memories, Snuff, Gematria (The Killing Name), Vendetta

Lost Souls

Doves

3/5

This album is really good, with a great moody vibe. Overall a lovely listen, although some of the middle songs land flat. Fave Songs: Lost Souls, The Cedar Room, Sea Song, Break Me Gently, Reprise, Rise

Surfer Rosa

Pixies

5/5

Oh my golly, this album and I go way back. I had a cassette I took everywhere with me all through my college years, I listened to it so much. Thanks for letting me feel 19 again for a minute. Surfer Rosa isn't as polished as the Pixies' later albums, but it has this raw, vital quality that's still startling over 35 years after it came out. This is the band at their twisted, ramshackle best. Noisy, disjointed and irreverent. Weirdly cryptic. Jaggedly melodic. Winkingly profane. The band burns through 34 minutes like a freaking brushfire, but every second of this album is completely riveting. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Gigantic, Where Is My Mind?, Bone Machine, Cactus, Brick Is Red, Vamos, Oh My Golly!, Break My Body, River Euphrates, Broken Face, Tony's Theme, Something Against You, I'm Amazed

Mothership Connection

Parliament

5/5

Funky, groovy, joyfully weird, infinitely fun. Probably the most cohesive, nuanced, perfectly executed funk album ever made. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker), Mothership Connection (Star Child), Unfunky UFO, Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication, Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples, P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up), Handcuffs

Vespertine

Björk

4/5

Absolutely lovely, arguably Bjork's best album. Rich, nuanced arrangements, gorgeous production. No flaws, although the back half drags a little toward the end. Fave Songs: Frosti, Aurora, Unison, Hidden Place, Cocoon, Undo, Pagan Poetry

Who Killed...... The Zutons?

The Zutons

3/5

This was fine, if bland. Millennial garage rock with a bit of a retro sheen. I liked it well enough, but no one needs to hear this album before they die. Fave Songs: Pressure Point, Long Time Coming, Nightmare Part II, Confusion

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

5/5

Pink Floyd might have greater, more ambitious albums, but this one cuts like a knife. Painfully cynical while at the same time elegantly haunting and mournful. Every song on here is a classic. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Wish You Were Here, Have a Cigar, Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I–V), Welcome to the Machine, Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI–IX)

A Little Deeper

Ms. Dynamite

3/5

Musically, this is fine, with some decent arrangements and solid vocals from Ms. Dynamite. Very much of its time. I question its inclusion on this list, as there are better albums from better artists working in a similar vein. Fave Songs: Afraid 2 Fly, Sick 'n' Tired, Now U Want My Love, Seed Will Grow

Merriweather Post Pavilion

Animal Collective

4/5

Atmospheric, trippy and whimsical. It really is like an alternate universe Brian Wilson, in all the best ways. Really delightful and mildly mind blowing. Fave Songs: Summertime Clothes, Bluish, No More Runnin, Taste, Daily Routine, Guys Eyes, Lion in a Coma

So Much For The City

The Thrills

3/5

Pleasant, easygoing vibe, full of poppy hooks and bittersweet melodies. Enjoyed it and will probably listen again, but I'm unconvinced this belongs on the list. Fave Songs: Don't Steal Our Sun; Big Sur; Just Travelling Through; Til the Tide Creeps In/Plans; Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far); Old Friends, New Lovers

Smash

The Offspring

4/5

Punk-pop excellence, loaded with buzzsaw guitars, a propulsive rhythm section, some ridiculously catchy hooks, and an engaging frontman in Dexter Holland. I haven't thought about Offspring in years, so this was great to hear again. They were a great band back in the day, with an infectious energy and playfulness that stood out from much of the sludginess you heard in music in at the time. This still rocks 30 years later and hasn't really aged a day. Fave Songs: Come Out and Play, Self Esteem, Gotta Get Away, Not the One, So Alone, It'll Be a Long Time, Smash

For Your Pleasure

Roxy Music

5/5

Elegant and strange, alluringly sleazy, mildly challenging, effortlessly cool. Toeing the line between prog and soulful pop, inventing a whole new sound in the process. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Editions of You, Beauty Queen, Do the Strand, In Every Dream Home a Heartache, For Your Pleasure, The Bogus Man, Grey Lagoons, Strictly Confidential

We're Only In It For The Money

The Mothers Of Invention

2/5

This album has way too much of what I don't like about Frank Zappa. On paper, he's on the money - brassy, irreverent, stylistically eclectic, freewheelingly creative, larger than life but weirdly relatable. In reality, this may be intended as sharp satire, but it's mostly a hodgepodge of ideas that are hard on the ears. The album lacks any musicality to temper its sharp edges, and the jokes don't land 50+ years later. This just isn't fun to listen to. It doesn't even sound like it was all that fun to make, although knowing what I know about Zappa, I'm sure he was endlessly entertained at least. On behalf of weird kids everywhere though, God bless Frank Zappa. The man was one of a kind. Fave Songs: Nasal Retentive Calliope Music, Mom & Dad, Are You Hung Up?, What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?

Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

This is a lovely, mostly breezy listen. A classic of its era and a high bar set for the genres of folk rock and acoustic pop. Bittersweet and whimsical, thoughtfully written. Several of Simon and Garfunkel's best songs reside here. I think I might have liked it better if they had carried the concept through the entire album. Fave Songs: Mrs. Robinson, A Hazy Shade of Winter, At the Zoo, America, Bookends Theme, Punky's Dilemma

Cafe Bleu

The Style Council

4/5

I know some people tend to be lukewarm on the whole so-called "sophisti-pop" genre, but Style Council were really the best of this particular moment in music. Their sound was smooth, smart, soulful, eclectic and beautifully crafted. But its musical loveliness belies a striking political undercurrent that's really unusual. There's nothing else quite like it, a truly enjoyable listen. Café Bleu is probably the band's second best work, after the outstanding Our Favourite Shop. My minor critiques of the album would be that some of synth elements sound a bit dated, and that the album is a bit overly-weighted with instrumentals. But when they get it right, it's pure jazz-pop perfection. Tracey Thorn's vocal on "The Paris Match" is one of the prettiest things I've ever heard and "You're the Best Thing" is an underheard classic of the era. The album version of "My Ever Changing Moods" pales in comparison to the more upbeat version that was released as a single, but it's still one of my favorites. Fave Songs: Here's One That Got Away, The Paris Match, Headstart for Happiness, My Ever Changing Moods, You're the Best Thing, The Whole Point of No Return, Dropping Bombs on the Whitehouse

New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)

Simple Minds

3/5

A solid early 80s synth-pop album. Very much of its era, but in the right ways. Splendid, nuanced synth arrangements and standout vocals from Jim Kerr. Fave Song: Promised You a Miracle, Someone Somewhere in Summertime, Glittering Prize, King is White and in the Crowd, Big Sleep, Hunter and the Hunted

Youth And Young Manhood

Kings of Leon

3/5

Raucous, sleazy, briskly paced. A fun enough listen, but there are other bands who do this shtick better. Fave Songs: Joe's Head, Red Morning Light, California Waiting

She's So Unusual

Cyndi Lauper

3/5

I was 12 years old when this album came out, and I recall that I had a 45 of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" that got a lot of play in my house. Never got around to hearing the whole album, although it's so packed with hits that I almost feel like I have. These songs were all over the place for the next couple of years and Cyndi Lauper was an MTV darling. Listening to it today, I'm struck at how strong most of the singles are. It's a nice mix of the heartfelt and the wacky that fit right into the landscape of early 80s pop and new wave. The arrangements are bright and catchy and Lauper has a lovely voice, when she cares to be serious with it. The affected baby voice and other silly touches that appear on some of these songs plant the album squarely in its time and aren't particularly fun to listen to now. The songwriting is of course all over the map, coming from a hodgepodge of songwriters. Lauper's own songwriting collaborations are a mixed bag, ranging from the marvelous "Time After Time" to the straight up bad "I'll Kiss You." Side 1 is definitely where the best songs reside, and side 2 starts off strong. But the quality slides quickly after "All Through the Night" and never recovers. Fave Songs: Time After Time, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, She Bop, Money Changes Everything, All Through the Night, When You Were Mine

Nowhere

Ride

4/5

Beautifully swirling shoegaze, with a drum-forward sensibility, jangling guitars, bittersweet melodies, and just enough noise to keep it interesting. Total mood of an album. Fave Songs: Vapour Trail, In a Different Place, Polar Bear, Decay, Kaleidoscope

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

Great album by Simon & Garfunkel. Elegant arrangements, gorgeous harmonies, songwriting that effortlessly runs the gambit from melancholy to whimsical to irreverent. I always found "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" to be overly blunt and lacking in subtlety, but most of the songs are really lovely. Fave Songs: Homeward Bound, Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall, Scarborough Fair/Canticle, Cloudy, The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy), The Dangling Conversation

Modern Kosmology

Jane Weaver

3/5

So I've been at this for 991 days and this was not the album I needed to get today. It's not Jane Weaver's fault, and this was a perfectly decent listen, but I've had it with these albums that can best be described as superfluous. I absolutely could have shuffled off without ever hearing this album. The album itself was fine if unoriginal, melodic with hints of a Krautrock vibe. The vocals were fairly unremarkable. I probably will wake up tomorrow having forgotten most of it but with a mild sense of irritation that I wasted my time and some apprehension over what day 992 will hold for me. Fave Songs: The Lightning Back, The Architect, Ravenspoint, Loops in the Secret Society

Electric Prunes

The Electric Prunes

3/5

This is a bit of an odd one that never really settles on a single mood or style. So it's a hodgepodge of psychedelic, baroque pop and garage rock, sometimes creative, sometimes silly, sometimes fairly forgettable, sometimes straight up annoying. Fave Songs: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), Get Me to the World on Time, Train for Tomorrow

Fun House

The Stooges

5/5

Gritty, intense, raw and noisy. Slow burningly sleazy in a way no other artist can pull off short of the Doors. The band gradually ratchets up the tension and chaos as the album progresses, to the point where you feel it in your bones. Not always pleasant on the ears, but incredibly brilliant. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): T.V. Eye, Dirt, 1970, Fun House, Down on the Street, Loose, L.A. Blues

Idlewild

Everything But The Girl

3/5

This was a perfectly lovely listen, if a bit milquetoast. I generally enjoy EBTG, who have several very good albums in their 80s "sophisti-pop" incarnation. But this is one of the less interesting ones. "Apron Strings" and the cover of "I Don't Want to Talk About It" are both excellent, standout tracks while the rest of the album is fairly unmemorable. Fave Songs: I Don't Want to Talk About It, Apron Strings, Shadow on a Harvest Moon, Goodbye Sunday, Oxford Street

London Calling

The Clash

5/5

Although born out of punk, this album is the story of a band and a genre growing up into something far more creative and compelling than punk could ever be on its own. A true classic, one of the greatest albums of all time and the best thing the Clash ever did. The band goes for a far more expansive, eclectic sound than they had up tot hat point, with nuanced instrumentation and a strong pop sensibility. They play nimbly with a variety of musical styles, including punk, rockabilly, rhythm and blues, reggae and ska. The album is loaded with many of the band's best songs, including an originally hidden track that ended up becoming one of the most recognizable and beloved songs of the Clash's career. The songs are lyrically thoughtful, provocative and edgy, but also hooky, melodic, and incredibly fun to listen to. This is an album that delivers on every level and is still full of fire, 45 years later. Fave Songs: (All songs, from most to least favorite) Train in Vain, London Calling, Spanish Bombs, Lost in the Supermarket, Death or Glory, Clampdown, Hateful, Lover's Rock, Rudie Can't Fail, The Guns of Brixton, Brand New Cadillac, I'm Not Down, The Card Cheat, Revolution Rock, Jimmy Jazz, Wrong 'Em Boyo, Four Horsemen, Koka Kola, The Right Profile

Arular

M.I.A.

2/5

Catchy and creative, with some solid rhythms. Way too repetitive for my taste. I know the lyrics are supposed to be politically charged and all, but I found them to be fairly dumb. Fave Songs: Fire Fire, Amazon, Bingo

Duck Rock

Malcolm McLaren

3/5

This was fun, more than I expected it to be. The variety of styles on this album is incredibly expansive to the point of near absurdity. It shouldn't really work at all, but somehow it does. The songs themselves are clever, charming, occasionally silly, and entirely over the top, but never boring. The weak spot for me would be anywhere McLaren uses his own vocal, which frequently is too weak to hold up to the boldness of whatever is going on musically behind him. Also yeah, these musicians deserved proper credit for their work. There's no album without them. Fave Songs: Buffalo Gals, Obatala, Double Dutch, Jive My Baby, Song for Chango

Third

Soft Machine

3/5

The first track starts rough and seems to go on forever. But if you can you settle into it, this is actually quite good. Eclectic, creative, solid musicianship. A bit too noodly for my taste. Fave Songs: Slightly All the Time, Out-Bloody-Rageous

I See A Darkness

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

3/5

Definitely a gloomy, contemplative vibe, but I enjoyed this quite a bit. You have to be in a certain kind of a mood to appreciate it. Not available on Spotify, but easy to find on YouTube. Fave Songs: Madeleine-Mary, Another Day Full of Dread, A Minor Place, Song for the New Breed, Today I Was an Evil One, Black, Raining in Darling

Something Else By The Kinks

The Kinks

4/5

A real pleasure. The Kinks have better albums, but there is something really charming about this one. It's musically eclectic with engaging lyrics, but also lacking in the experimental excesses the weigh down a lot of albums from this era. Smart and elegant, but crafted with a light touch, which is a hard thing to do, especially for a band with as much talent as the Kinks. Fave Songs: Waterloo Sunset, Situation Vacant, Tin Soldier Man, Afternoon Tea, Harry Rag, David Watts

Seventh Tree

Goldfrapp

3/5

Rich, atmospheric sound that's pleasing on the ears. Fave Songs: Little Bird, Road to Somewhere, A&E, Clowns, Some People, Monster Love

The Nightfly

Donald Fagen

4/5

This is the kind of album (like many great albums) that's shallow on the surface but infinitely complex if you're willing to spend a little time with it. Sleek and elegant sound with a jazzy vintage vibe. I love the bouncier tracks like "I.G.Y.," "Green Flower Street" and "New Frontier," which I would live in if they were a place. Way too smart and way too deep for the times in which it was made, but it has aged infinitely better than many other albums of the era. Fave Songs: I.G.Y., New Frontier, Green Flower Street, The Nightfly, Walk Between Raindrops

Endtroducing.....

DJ Shadow

3/5

Nicely constructed album that has some of the more nimble and diverse uses of sampling that I've heard. Surprisingly evocative at times. Mostly fun to listen to, but my main critique is that it gets a bit repetitive. I needed it to be several songs shorter. Fave Songs: Building Steam with a Grain of Salt, Midnight in a Perfect World, Stem/Long Stem, Organ Donor, Changeling/Transmission 1, Mutual Slump

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

5/5

Brilliant. The smartest, grooviest thing to come out of 1991, and still one of the c-o-o-l-est albums ever made. This is the album you give to your friends who claim not to like hip hop. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Check the Rhime, Jazz (We've Got), Buggin' Out, Skypager, Excursions, Everything Is Fair, Verses from the Abstract, Vibes and Stuff, The Infamous Date Rape, What?, Scenario, Rap Promoter, Butter, Show Business

Power In Numbers

Jurassic 5

4/5

Great album, with a cohesive vibe and an impressive flow. Serious, often thoughtful lyrics, but Jurassic 5 never loses track of the fact that if you're going to deliver a message, you need a solid groove. Fave Songs: A Day at the Races, Acetate Prophets, Remember His Name, High Fidelity, Freedom, Thin Line, I Am Somebody

Boy In Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal

2/5

Assertive and energetic sound, with a dizzying flow and idiosyncratic vibe I like. Uncomfortably dark and misanthropic lyrics, particularly rough when he speaks about women. Ultimately, it's a lot to take and way too long. Fave Songs: Sittin' Here, Do It!, Stop Dat, Brand New Day, Fix Up

O.G. Original Gangster

Ice T

3/5

Very much of a specific time but highly listenable, with an authoritative and compelling flow. Tough as hell vibe with a hard rock sensibility that hits you like a hammer. "Body Count" is worth the cost of admission several times over. Fave Songs: Body Count, Mic Contract, Midnight, New Jack Hustler (Nino's Theme), Escape from the Killing Fields, The Tower

Supa Dupa Fly

Missy Elliott

4/5

Wonderfully assertive and soulful with rich production. I appreciate hearing Missy collaborate with so many great women artists. Maybe a couple of weak tracks, but overall pretty brilliant. Fave Songs: Sock It 2 Me, Friendly Skies, Best Friends, The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), They Don't Wanna Fuck wit Me, Beep Me 911, Izzy Izzy Ahh

Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black

Public Enemy

4/5

Smart, unapologetically strident message, spiked with humor and righteous anger. The lyrics hit hard, because they still ring true today. Tough as nails vibe, but beautifully crafted flow from track to track. Fave songs: Bring tha Noize, How to Kill a Radio Consultant, Can't Truss It, By the Time I Get to Arizona, Shut 'Em Down, Nighttrain, 1 Million Bottlebags

Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

50 Cent

1/5

I'd like to take this opportunity to say I've enjoyed listening to a variety of hip hop albums as a part of this project. Just some of the most creative, vibrant music ever made by some incredibly talented people. Albums I love and will listen to again long after this project is over. This... is not one of those albums. I've been thinking a lot about this album, which I almost gave a higher rating. I tried to consider it for its contributions to the genre, or give it credit for being clearly very popular. But, nah. Popularity doesn't bestow value on a work of art; neither does a positive critical response. The music is fairly listenable as these things go and as a total work, 50 Cent pulled together a cohesive collection of songs. It's not a complete shell of an album in that regard. But I didn't enjoy it on any level. It lacks creativity, nuance and lyrical depth, and I couldn't wait for it to be over. And I owe don't owe 50 Cent any of my stars. Fave Songs: Don't Push Me, In da Club

Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury

The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy

3/5

Smart, socially conscious lyrics, with a creative use of samples. The album has good intentions and hits the mark musically for the most part, but it lacks lyrical nuance or real emotional fire. Several tracks not available on Spotify, but can be found on YouTube. Fave Songs: Satanic Reverses; California über alles; Television, the Drug of the Nation; Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

3/5

Musically this is fine, pretty creative at times and not hard on the ears at all. But I find Kanye's voice really annoying. I find I get more out of it if I ignore the lyrics, which I find to be disjointed and dumb. From everything I've heard about Kanye over the years as a talent, I was expecting more. Fave Songs: Runaway, Lost in the World, All of the Lights

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

Raekwon

3/5

Raekwon creates a vibrant universe here, with excellent flow and some solid grooves, although the lyrics are dense and sometimes hard to follow. Quite well done as a concept, but it needed to be shorter. He lost me somewhere on the back half. Fave Songs: Knuckleheadz, Heaven & Hell, Knowledge God, Criminology, Glaciers of Ice

Brilliant Corners

Thelonious Monk

5/5

Gorgeous, creative sound, mildly challenging but elegant at its core. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are; Bemsha Swing; I Surrender, Dear; Brilliant Corners; Pannonica

Run-D.M.C.

3/5

Crisp, bare bones, assertive sound. A little one-note. Speaks to a very specific moment in time, and the attempts at socially conscious lyrics are a bit shallow. But this is still incredibly engaging and fun to listen to. Fave Songs: It's Like That, Hard Times, Rock Box, Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2), Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1)

Planet Rock: The Album

Afrika Bambaataa

3/5

Aww, this album takes me back to my brother and his friends breakdancing in our basement. So much fun. Monumental sound, with a space-aged sheen. Starts strong, but loses steam on the back half. Fave Songs: Planet Rock, Looking for the Perfect Beat, Renegades of Funk, Who You Funkin' With?

At Mister Kelly's

Sarah Vaughan

4/5

Total mood of an album, in the best way. A lovely performance, with an intimate vibe that makes you wish you were there. Fave Songs: September in the Rain, Be Anything (But Be Mine), Just One of Those Things, Willow Weep for Me, Thou Swell

Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman

John Zorn

2/5

Ow, my freaking ears. You know, when I reviewed Trout Mask Replica, I quoted a YouTube comment that said "This sounds like an entire band falling down stairs, but they keep playing." Today I owe an apology to Captain Beefheart, because this is the album that truly sounds like an entire band falling down the stairs. This is all kinds of too much, but I kind of dig it conceptually anyway. Noisy and messy and totally nutso, but also creative and passionate and the absolute opposite of boring. It gets a 2 from me because it was not enjoyable to listen to on any level, but this is one a few of albums in this project that I'm never going to forget. Fave Tracks: None. Couldn't tell you my favorite tracks, because I heard it on YouTube and they all kind of run together. Couldn't keep up.

Licensed To Ill

Beastie Boys

3/5

Admittedly, I had no interest in this when it came out, but the Beastie Boys have grown on me considerably over the years. They weren't really doing anything that others hadn't done before them, but what they brought to the table was a deep appreciation of a lot of different kinds of music, and a snotty punk irreverence that's still good natured at its core. You can't really not like these guys. There's a certain silliness to these songs and they would get much, much better on subsequent albums, but this one's a lot of fun. Fave Songs: No Sleep till Brooklyn, Fight for Your Right, The New Style, Brass Monkey, She's Crafty, Rhymin & Stealin

The Atomic Mr Basie

Count Basie & His Orchestra

4/5

Classic album, classic sound. A nice mix of songs both sultry and energetic. Musicianship is top notch. Fave Songs: Whirlybird, Splanky, Fantail, Midnite Blue, Teddy the Toad, Flight of the Foo Birds

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OutKast

4/5

Smart, funky and gleefully weird. Plays with a lot of genres and has a bit of a retro vibe, but manages to sound really fresh. I don't know if I could handle a double album by a lot of hip hop artists, but Outkast was really made for this medium. They have so many ideas and creative impulses to explore and they have a rich sound that welcomes extended listening. They also have an extremely impressive bench of talented artists working on these songs with them that just adds to the album's depth. Fave Songs: Hey Ya!, Church, Bowtie, Dracula's Wedding, Flip Flop Rock, Bamboo, The Way You Move, Knowing, She Lives in My Lap, Happy Valentine's Day

To Pimp A Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar

2/5

Musically really ambitious and creative with solid production, but I'm not feeling it. Not a fan of Lamar's voice and tonally it's all over the place. You get a sense he's got something to say, but it's lost under all the details. Fave Songs: I, You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said), Wesley's Theory, These Walls

Come Find Yourself

Fun Lovin' Criminals

2/5

Plays with a variety of genres, but somehow manages to not be particularly interesting at any of them. Fave Songs: Methadonia, We Have All the Time in the World, I Can't Get with That (Schmoove Version)

Yeezus

Kanye West

1/5

The vibe here is too abrasive and crude for my taste and there isn't enough musical substance to offset how bad the lyrics are. Did not enjoy.

Step In The Arena

Gang Starr

3/5

Musically nuanced, with a smooth and confident flow, and smart lyrics. My small critique is that they could have dropped a couple of songs from the back half and had a much tighter album. Fave Songs: Who's Gonna Take the Weight?, Step in the Arena, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, Check the Technique, Take a Rest

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Wu-Tang Clan

4/5

Assertive and intense, with vivid imagery and an inspired use of sampling. Wu-Tang created a whole new musical sensibility here that was mind blowing at the time and still impresses today. Fave Songs: C.R.E.A.M., Da Mystery of Chessboxin', Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F' Wit, Protect Ya Neck, Shame on a N----

Bitches Brew

Miles Davis

4/5

Stunningly vibrant and intricate, frequently gnarly and discordant. Not an album for the impatient, but man, there's a lot to enjoy in here if you're willing to embrace a little creative chaos. Fave Songs: Pharaoh's Dance, Spanish Key, Bitches Brew, Miles Runs the Voodoo Down

A Love Supreme

John Coltrane

5/5

A splendid, highly satisfying jazz odyssey, not to mention a masterclass in how to create a perfect album. Honestly, it puts most of the albums on this list to shame. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Psalm, Resolution, Acknowledgement, Pursuance

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul

5/5

This is a legendary album in a lot of ways, spoken of with such reverence by everyone who encountered it when it came out in 1989 and a bit of a holy grail album over all the years that it was widely unavailable. There was nothing else like it at the time it came out, and really nothing quite like it since. Whimsical, groovy and endlessly creative, with an artful use of sampling. It really cracked open the possibilities of what you can do with hip hop. Endlessly engaging and a true joy to listen to. Fave Songs: Me Myself and I, Eye Know, Say No Go, D.A.I.S.Y. Age, This Is a Recording 4 Living in a Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E.), Plug Tunin' (Last Chance to Comprehend), Buddy

The Score

Fugees

3/5

Really enjoyable. This was really fresh and unique when it came out, and it has aged well. Rich and soulful but assertive vibe, with strong, fast flowing lyrics. The chemistry between Lauryn Hill, Wyclef and Pras absolutely crackles. Fave Songs: Killing Me Softly, Fu-Gee-La, Ready or Not, The Score, Family Business, The Beast

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

4/5

Vibrantly creative and full of bravado, this album is so much fun to listen to. Snotty and irreverent and smarter than it has any right to be. This is about as rich and eclectic an album as you will find in hip hop, with some of the most nimble uses of sampling ever recorded. Fave Songs: Shake Your Rump, Egg Man, Hey Ladies, Shadrach, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun, Car Thief

Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

The Pharcyde

2/5

Musically this was interesting enough, with solid beats and a fun vibe. But I had a hard time with the lyrics, which I found to be crass and immature, without being particularly clever. Ultimately, there are better artists making music in this vein, so this one felt like a waste of time.

Ill Communication

Beastie Boys

5/5

I always generally favored Paul's Boutique up to this point, which is a gold standard album all on its own. But I'm really feeling this one today. You could arguably say either album is their best, but ultimately you're arguing apples to apples (the best freaking apples you've ever had). Ill Communication is the more musically focused and ambitious of the two albums. It's incredibly creative and eclectic, with a mix of more subtly rendered sampling and live instrumentation, to brilliant effect. They also lean in a bit on their punk roots, creating a musical lane for themselves that no one else really occupies. Smart and nuanced and front to back brilliant, no filler. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Sabotage, Sure Shot, Bodhisattva Vow, Flute Loop, Tough Guy, Get It Together, The Scoop, Transitions, Heart Attack Man, The Update, Eugene's Lament, Do It, Root Down, Alright Hear This, B-Boys Makin' with the Freak Freak, Futterman's Rule, Shambala, Sabrosa, Bobo on the Corner, Ricky's Theme

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady

Charles Mingus

3/5

Adventurous and unsettling, definitely not for everyone. Interesting blend of loveliness and chaos. Fave Song: Track C – Group Dancers

The Renaissance

Q-Tip

3/5

Really different from what I expected from Q-Tip, but musically this is a nice, soulful album that's easy on the ears. Enjoyed it. Fave Songs: Life Is Better, We Fight/We Love, Move/Renaissance Rap, Manwomanboogie, Gettin' Up, Official

Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Frank Sinatra

3/5

Smooth sound with a bit of a sleepy vibe. As a collaboration, I don't particularly feel like this works, but when it does, Jobim deserves most of the credit. Fave Songs: The Girl from Ipanema, Change Partners, Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

5/5

A smooth, beautifully crafted album. A far cry from Miles' more challenging stuff, but infinitely pleasing to the ears. Fave Songs: Moon Dreams, Budo, Move, Rocker, Jeru

Kind Of Blue

Miles Davis

5/5

I used to play this album as study music all the time when I was back in college. Setting aside my mixed feelings about my time in college, the album was a great companion for when I needed to focus - smooth and elegant, but also dynamic and constantly changing. The sound picks you up gently and moves you through its narrative without ever needing to bash you over the head with its cleverness. It's creative and richly rendered, but accessible for listeners at any level. I've always felt Kind of Blue was the perfect jazz album, a perfect album really. Nothing I've heard in over 1000 days of listening has really changed my mind on the subject. This album is a thing of beauty that really exists in a class all its own. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): So What, Blue in Green, Freddie Freeloader, Flamenco Sketches, All Blues

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem

2/5

This is a hard album for me to review. It's prickly and crass and mean spirited in a way that makes me want to hate it. The misogyny and homophobia were cringeworthy at best in 2000, and are straight up appalling today. I forgot how difficult it is to listen to "Kim," which... I'm just speechless. But there are also flashes of brilliance here that are impossible to dismiss. The rapid fire flow, the sharp hooks, the dark vibe, the subtly crafted narrative - this album is the real deal. Eminem's anger and animosity toward his own fame, his fans and the music industry in general (not to mention his own freaking wife) are palpable in these songs. But it's riveting in a way few albums are in this genre. To be clear, I don't want to hear this again. I don't even think I can do higher than a 2. But I have a grudging respect for it. Fave Songs: Stan, The Way I Am, Marshall Mathers, Bitch Please II

The Köln Concert

Keith Jarrett

4/5

Well this is just delightful, one of the best piano performances I've heard. Elegant but playful and expressive. Completely enjoyable to hear. The story behind this makes it all the more impressive. Fave Songs: Part I, Part II a

Lady In Satin

Billie Holiday

3/5

Rich, elegant sound, although a little of this sleepy vibe goes a long way. Holiday's voice is noticeably worse for wear on these songs, but it works well with Ray Ellis' arrangements. Fave Songs: I Get Along Without You Very Well, I'm a Fool to Want You, But Beautiful, For All We Know

Done By The Forces Of Nature

Jungle Brothers

4/5

Highly enjoyable! Danceable rhythms and a playful vibe, with creative sampling. Lyrics that are fun but with plenty of genuine substance. There's so much to enjoy here. Fave Songs: Feelin' Alright, What U Waitin' 4, Tribe Vibes, Good Newz Comin, In Dayz 2 Come, Sunshine, Doin' Our Own Dang, Beyond This World, Acknowledge Your Own History

good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick Lamar

3/5

Musically creative with lyrics that unflinchingly paint an entire universe. Gets to the heart of what it's like just trying to come of age in such a dangerous space, as well as the ambivalence that comes with every choice. Conceptually, one of the best executed hip hop albums I have heard. Fave Songs: Good Kid, The Art of Peer Pressure, Swimming Pools (Drank), Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst, Real

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

5/5

Sophisticated but highly listenable sound with nuanced, confident piano work by Dave Brubeck. Nimble, expressive sax and drums by Paul Desmond and Joe Morello. Pretty perfect. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Take Five, Blue Rondo à la Turk, Pick Up Sticks, Strange Meadow Lark, Everybody's Jumpin', Kathy's Waltz, Three to Get Ready

The Predator

Ice Cube

3/5

This is really not my thing. But I will say, Ice Cube has a commanding flow that's pretty excellent and impossible to dismiss. An album with a really compelling sound, creative use of sampling and righteous fury. Fave Song: Wicked, Check Yo Self, I'm Scared, It Was a Good Day

The Chronic

Dr. Dre

2/5

Intense and menacing but often entertaining in its way. Excellent beats and really creative use of sampling. I remember when this came out, and it really did change music and the culture in a significant way. But I find lot of the lyrics extremely difficult to hear and I tend to agree with the reviewer who says this album sucked the intellect out of much of hip hop. Not all change is necessarily for the better. Fave Songs: Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang, Lil' Ghetto Boy, Let Me Ride, Lyrical Gangbang

Water From An Ancient Well

Abdullah Ibrahim

3/5

A pleasant listen and a well made collection of songs, although maybe not necessarily something I needed to hear before I shuffle off. I can't help but wonder if this didn't already sound a bit dated when it came out in '86. It really sounds like something out of time. A bit of a swing vibe that's most successful where it's upbeat. Fave Songs: Mandela, Tuang Guru, Mannenberg Revisited (Cape Town Fringe)

The Sun Rises In The East

Jeru The Damaja

3/5

I didn't find this super memorable, but it was a solid listen. Strong beats, an assertive flow and clever lyrics. Fave Songs: Mental Stamina, Brooklyn Took It, Ain't the Devil Happy

GREY Area

Little Simz

3/5

About half these songs are interesting and the rest are a bit of a blur. Little Simz's brisk flow is impressive, if a bit emotionally flat, and it gets a bit tiring after a while. Happy to hear a strong, talented woman artist in this genre though. There aren't enough featured on here. Fave Songs: Selfish, Wounds, Flowers, 101 FM

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

2/5

Belligerent, tough as nails, with flashes of brilliance. Lyrically a bit hard to take. Fave Songs: Express Yourself, Straight Outta Compton

All Hail the Queen

Queen Latifah

4/5

Assertive and energetic, with a positive vibe. Although it's true that the album gets a little redundant in terms of style, it was really enjoyable to listen to. After having to sit through NWA the day before, this was so refreshing. Fave Songs: Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children, Ladies First, Latifah's Law, Evil That Men Do, Princess of the Posse, Dance for Me

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Public Enemy

4/5

Fierce stuff, arguably the best hip hop album of its era and still one of the greatest of the genre. Assertive, energetic and full of righteous anger, but still great fun to listen to. Fave Songs: Rebel Without a Pause, Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Night of the Living Baseheads, Can We Get a Witness?, Prophets of Rage, Louder Than a Bomb

The Gershwin Songbook

Ella Fitzgerald

3/5

Technically perfect, if not particularly compelling. This is a pretty comprehensive collection for fans of the Gershwins and the Great American Songbook. The collection certainly has a number of gems to be found on it, but there are also so, so many skippable songs. Ultimately it's a lot to take and much of it becomes a blur after 3 hours. Fave Songs: But Not for Me; Someone to Watch Over Me; Let's Call the Whole Thing Off; They Can't Take That Away from Me; Our Love Is Here to Stay; 'S Wonderful; Oh, Lady Be Good!; Embraceable You; I Got Rhythm

Me Against The World

2Pac

4/5

Although I'm admittedly not a huge fan of hip hop, I was looking forward to hearing Tupac Shakur. The reputation of this album precedes it, and 2Pac largely delivers on every level. The album is beautifully crafted and highly listenable, with 2Pac's lyrical skill being second to none. Shakur presents a dark, fatalist worldview in these songs which is a little hard to take knowing how his story ended. But he delivers it with surprising sensitivity and an ear to the musical. Really compelling stuff, one of the truly great albums of this genre. Fave Songs: Dear Mama, So Many Tears, Old School, Me Against the World, Lord Knows, If I Die 2Nite

Under Construction

Missy Elliott

4/5

This was so enjoyable. Slick production, with infectious, highly danceable beats and some excellent uses of sampling. Missy Elliott is a talented, entertaining MC and singer, serving up the perfect balance of the assertive and the soulful. We tend to talk about women rappers as their own category, but really, Missy's way more fun to listen to than most of her male peers. Gotta laugh at that Donald Trump reference in the intro though. That petty man does nothing but hate LOL Fave Songs: Gossip Folks, Back in the Day, Nothing Out There for Me, Slide, Can You Hear Me, Funky Fresh Dressed, Ain't that Funny

Doggystyle

Snoop Dogg

3/5

Musically this is so much fun, but yeah, some of those lyrics are rough. I absolutely love Snoop's smooth, nimble flow and the whole G Funk retro vibe sits really well with me. So it's hard to get too mad at this, but I can only appreciate it so much. Fave Songs: Gin and Juice, Who Am I? (What's My Name?), Tha Shiznit, Murder Was the Case (DeathAfterVisualizingEternity), Lodi Dodi

Songs For Swingin' Lovers!

Frank Sinatra

4/5

Frank at his peak. Technically perfect and probably the best collection of songs he ever put out. Maybe a couple of skippable tracks, but overall this is pretty excellent. Fave Songs: I've Got You Under My Skin, Love Is Here to Stay, You Make Me Feel So Young, Pennies from Heaven, You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me

Mama Said Knock You Out

LL Cool J

3/5

I was kind of bored by this one. Musically it has its moments, but the lyrics frequently feel a bit try-hard. Title track is solid though. Fave Songs: Mama Said Knock You Out, Farmers Blvd.

Kenya

Machito

4/5

Ooooh, this is wonderful. Vibrant and spicy, expertly played, highly listenable. Fave Songs: Congo Mulence, Wild Jungle, Tin Tin Deo, Cannonology, Minor Rama, Kenya

Sunday At The Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio

5/5

There are two things that I have to keep reminding myself of as I listen to this album. First, this is a trio. Such an expansive, nuanced sound, coming from just three guys, no brass. Scott LaFaro's work on bass is especially noteworthy, but all three are playing at top level. Second, I have to remind myself that these songs were recorded live, which is a little bonkers to comprehend. It's flawless across the board, and without the audience interaction, I would have no idea this was a live album. I enjoyed this immensely. Fave Songs: Alice in Wonderland, All of You, Gloria's Step (take 2), Solar

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

A Tribe Called Quest

5/5

Easygoing vibe, with masterful sampling choices, smooth flow, clever lyrics, and a healthy dose of whimsy. What's not to like? Front to back, a really delightful album. I'm thinking about the alternate universe where this became the dominant voice in hip hop and man, we're missing out. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Can I Kick It?, Bonita Applebum, Go Ahead in the Rain, Mr. Muhammad, Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts), Description of a Fool, I Left My Wallet in El Segundo, Luck of Lucien, Youthful Expression, After Hours, Pubic Enemy, Footprints, Ham 'n' Eggs, Push it Along

Ready To Die

The Notorious B.I.G.

3/5

I love the way Biggie starts this album off in the intro. From the jump, he builds a compelling story that's intense and cinematic in scope. But this is some grim stuff, in spite of Biggie's clear talent and vision. The darkness and fatalism of his worldview as well the sheer misanthropy and crudeness of the lyrics made this a rough listen. I can't say I enjoyed much of this at all, but I do respect it. Fave Song: Big Poppa, Juicy, Things Done Changed

3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...

Arrested Development

4/5

There's so much to enjoy on this album. It's very much of its time, but it has an earnestness, vibrancy and earthy spirituality that I wish we heard more in music. The lyrics are thoughtful and aspirational and the live instrumentation is really refreshing to hear. My main critique is that the album sometimes feels rushed in pace and stylistically cluttered. It's like AD had so much they wanted to express and tried to cram in all the things. I get how some people find this overly didactic or corny. But there's a certain honesty in not trying to be so hard all the time, which I find really lovely. Fave Songs: Tennessee, Mr. Wendal, Fishin' 4 Religion, Raining Revolution, People Everyday, Give a Man a Fish, U, Washed Away

Stankonia

OutKast

3/5

Funky, creative and full of personality. Also overly long and with too many interludes. A lot to enjoy here, but an equal amount that I'm fine with not hearing again. Fave Songs: So Fresh, So Clean; Ms. Jackson; Gasoline Dreams

Fishscale

Ghostface Killah

3/5

Not really my thing. But Ghostface Killah has a way with building up a narrative that's impressive. Musically it's fairly diverse and moves along at a brisk pace. Way too many skits and short tracks that don't really add value to the album.

The Message

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

3/5

Fun old school hip hop album. This has a vibe from a very specific place and time, which isn't always super appealing from a current sensibility. But it's still highly listenable and a great blast from the past. More melodic and soulful than I expected it to be, which was a nice surprise. The title song is, of course, one of the greatest songs in hip hop and well worth the cost of admission. Fave Songs: The Message, Scorpio, You Are, She's Fresh

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Lupe Fiasco

4/5

Fantastic album. Musically rich and engaging, with vivid, thought provoking lyrics. Fave Songs: Kick, Push; Kick, Push II; The Instrumental; Daydreamin'; The Cool; Pressure; I Gotcha; Sunshine; He Say She Say

The Slim Shady LP

Eminem

1/5

About 10 years prior to this everyone had their hackles up over Andrew Dice Clay and, you know what? We were right about him too. I do get that this is a character. But it's not a good one. It's crass and juvenile and not even fun to listen to. Eminem has the talent to be better than this, but he chose not to be.

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Ice Cube

2/5

Lyrically fierce with an assertive flow, although musically, there's not a ton of variety or depth here. And a rough listen for any woman to have to sit through. Salvaged a bit by the fact that there is some social commentary. So you get one more star than Eminem got yesterday, congrats.

Tical

Method Man

3/5

Unique flow, clever rhymes, solid beats. All muscle, no fat. Enjoyed it.

Welcome to the Afterfuture

Mike Ladd

3/5

This is a really intriguing, creative album, with a spacey, oddball sensibility that I enjoyed. Mike Ladd's vocal/flow is the least interesting part of the album. But overall this was pretty great. Fave Songs: To the Moon's Contractor, Planet 10, Takes More Than 41, 5000 Miles West of the Future, Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon, I Feel Like $100

Phrenology

The Roots

3/5

Highly creative and full of surprises. Thought provoking and challenging in all the right ways. Fave Songs: Water, Something in the Way of Things (In Town), Thought @ Work, Rolling with Heat, Rock You, !!!!!!!

Ellington at Newport

Duke Ellington

4/5

This is so lovely. Richly resonant, expressive music that really swings. Fave Songs: Festival Junction, Newport Up

Heaux Tales

Jazmine Sullivan

3/5

This was a really interesting album that nails its concept while staying on point musically. Assertive and soulful. Pointedly honest and even occasionally uncomfortable in the way it presents the nuances of modern sexual politics. Centers the point of view of women in a way few albums do. This is also one of the few albums I can think of where interludes/skits are used effectively. Fave Songs: Pick Up Your Feelings, On It, Girl Like Me, Lost One

Dr. Octagonecologyst

Dr. Octagon

1/5

What a wackadoo concept. Completely ridiculous lyrics, like this guy is not all there. The parts of it that are coherent are just so wrong, on levels. Musically, I didn't hate it. But on the whole, I can't bring myself to anything higher than a 1 after that intro.

Tank Battles

Dagmar Krause

3/5

As I'm winding down the final days of my journey on this project, it's fitting that I land here. I didn't come to 1001 albums necessarily to hear all the Dylan and Beatles albums I already love. I wanted to push myself and hear new things, and for that purpose, this album delivers. Really a unique, compelling listening experience, with bold arrangements and a powerful vocal performance by Dagmar Krause. I may or may not revisit this, but I appreciate getting the chance to hear it. Fave Songs: Lied von der Belebeden Wirkung des Geldes, Genevieve: Ostern ist Ein Ball sur Seine, Und Endlich Stirbt, The Trenches, Mankind, Change the World – It Needs It

Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

MC Solaar

3/5

Chill vibe, skillful flow, highly listenable. My limited high school French prevents me from enjoying it fully, but it's a lot of fun. Fave Songs: A temps partiel, Caroline, L'histoire de l'art, Bouge de là (part. 1), Bouge de là (part. 2), Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

Illmatic

Nas

4/5

An impressive album, beginning to end. Spellbinding flow and a vivid lyricism that evokes a space in time in a way few albums do. Fave Songs: Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park), N.Y. State of Mind, It Ain't Hard to Tell, The World Is Yours, The Genesis, Halftime

A Grand Don't Come For Free

The Streets

1/5

The concept of this album could have been really interesting in the right hands, but this is just bad. Small scale odyssey depicting the adventures of an idiot.

Come Away With Me

Norah Jones

3/5

Norah Jones draws a certain amount of criticism that seems disproportionate to the nature of her music, which is well made and pleasant on the ears, if a bit milquetoast. I don't really have particularly strong feelings for this music. It's pretty and relaxing, with a sleepy vibe that goes a long way, but it's a perfectly lovely listen for a quiet afternoon. I would listen to it again. Fave Songs: Don't Know Why, Come Away with Me, Lonestar, I've Got to See You Again, One Flight Down, Seven Years

Cypress Hill

4/5

Cyprus Hill has a distinctive style I really enjoy and this is one of the most entertaining hip hop albums I've ever heard. Smoke-drenched vibe that's menacing yet playful. Nimble, creative uses of sampling and a unique flow that's somehow both assertive and easygoing. Fave Songs: How I Could Just Kill a Man, The Phuncky Feel One, Light Another, Hand on the Pump, Latin Lingo, Hole in the Head, Something for the Blunted

Fear Of A Black Planet

Public Enemy

4/5

Authoritative flow, relentless beats, perfectly crafted interludes, brilliant use of sampling. Intensely aggressive and full of righteous fury that's still relevant today, but still great fun to listen to. Fave Songs: Fight the Power, Welcome to the Terrordome, Brothers Gonna Work It Out, Burn Hollywood Burn, 911 Is a Joke, Contract on the World Love Jam, Can't Do Nuttin' for Ya Man, Power to the People

In A Silent Way

Miles Davis

4/5

Vibrant, groovy, alternatingly brisk and delicate. The closing part is transcendentally lovely.

Raising Hell

Run-D.M.C.

3/5

Energetic and fun, but some of these rhymes are pretty dumb. The singles are all solid. Fave Songs: It's Tricky, Walk This Way, My Adidas, You Be Illin'

Liquid Swords

GZA

3/5

Lyrically nimble, with an compelling flow and a substantial, ominous vibe. Fave Songs: Liquid Swords, Cold World, Duel of the Iron Mic

The College Dropout

Kanye West

3/5

I generally can't stand Kanye's more recent stuff, which is just too belligerent. This one is really good though. Musically creative and lyrically thoughtful. This album explains why people are still talking about Kanye today. Fave Songs: Spaceship, All Falls Down, Jesus Walks, Never Let Me Down, Breathe In Breathe Out

In The Wee Small Hours

Frank Sinatra

3/5

A bit of a sleepy, melancholy vibe, but musically on point. Frank is in perfect voice here. My main critique is the song selections, many of which aren't particularly memorable. Fave Songs: In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning, I'll Be Around, Mood Indigo, I See Your Face Before Me, Can't We Be Friends?

The Blueprint

JAY Z

3/5

I'm not a huge fan of Jay-Z's style, but musically this is pretty tight. Enjoyed his use of samples. And bonus points for a song featuring Eminem that I actually enjoyed, even if it seemed a bit out of sorts from the rest of the album. Fave Songs: Heart of the City (Ain't No Love), Takeover, Never Change, Renegade, Izzo (H.O.V.A.)

Konnichiwa

Skepta

3/5

I think this started off well enough, but I lost interest fairly quickly. Didn't hate it. Fave Songs: Konnichiwa, Lyrics

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