Journey Complete!
Finisher #538 to complete the list
1089
Albums Rated
3.1
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100%
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2020s
Favorite Decade
Blues
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US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
67
5-Star Albums
49
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
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Ratings by genre
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Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Grand Don't Come For Free | 5 | 2.67 | +2.33 |
| G. Love And Special Sauce | 5 | 2.74 | +2.26 |
| Gold | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| You Are The Quarry | 5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| Nighthawks At The Diner | 5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
| Heartbreaker | 5 | 3.03 | +1.97 |
| Highly Evolved | 5 | 3.03 | +1.97 |
| White Ladder | 5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
| The Blueprint | 5 | 3.22 | +1.78 |
| 1989 | 5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Love Supreme | 1 | 3.63 | -2.63 |
| Heaven Or Las Vegas | 1 | 3.37 | -2.37 |
| Surf's Up | 1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
| Ace of Spades | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| Selected Ambient Works 85-92 | 1 | 3.21 | -2.21 |
| Close To The Edge | 1 | 3.19 | -2.19 |
| Machine Gun Etiquette | 1 | 3.15 | -2.15 |
| Another Green World | 1 | 3.12 | -2.12 |
| Drunk | 1 | 3.12 | -2.12 |
| Dig Your Own Hole | 1 | 3.11 | -2.11 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.8 |
| Beatles | 7 | 4.29 |
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 4.5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.67 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Ryan Adams | 2 | 5 |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 5 |
| Prince | 3 | 4.33 |
| Kanye West | 3 | 4.33 |
| Van Morrison | 3 | 4.33 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 5 | 4 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Barry Adamson | 2 | 1 |
| Madonna | 3 | 1.67 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 1.67 |
| The Chemical Brothers | 2 | 1.5 |
| Orbital | 2 | 1.5 |
| Scott Walker | 2 | 1.5 |
| Yes | 3 | 2 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Fleetwood Mac | 5, 2 |
| The Prodigy | 4, 1 |
| Michael Jackson | 2, 3, 5 |
| Metallica | 5, 2, 2, 3 |
5-Star Albums (67)
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Popular Reviews
Beatles
3/5
I might get some hate for this, but I'm not a huge fan of this album. Let me explain.
Obviously, the Beatles are great - and there are enough great songs on this album (some that got plenty of radio play and other lesser-knowns) to warrant a 5-star rating.
But - there are a lot of duds on this album too. It sounds like the Beatles were just like, "let's record everything and throw it on there because we're the fucking Beatles and people will go ape-shit no matter what we do." Which, to be fair, is true - but it seems like there was a little lack of quality control. Part of this is likely contextual. Were they really "the Beatles" on this album - or just a bunch of guys recording their own shit and trying to get it included in the final product? There's Paul's songs, and John's songs, and George's songs - shit, even Ringo's songs - but only a handful of "Beatles" songs. Plus - what's with all the animal references? Piggies, and birds, and monkeys, and racoons.
I feel like - more than any of their other albums - this one is full of songs where the story behind the song is probably more interesting than the actual song in a lot of cases. There's something to be said for that I suppose.
It's a must-hear if you're interested in Beatles history, but if you just came for the music - it's a bit of a roller coaster.
61 likes
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
If you took a group of good-ole-boys, fed them nothing but Skynyrd, Tom Petty, and the Eagles from the time they were born until they dropped out of high school halfway through their sophomore year, gave them 2 weeks worth of free music lessons, and then locked them in a studio with three half barrels of Busch and a brick of cocaine - this album would be the result.
It's trash (a fuckin' hour and a half of trash) - minus Plastic Flowers and Cassie's Brother, which were okay (but still derivative).
Oh - and did I mention Skynyrd? Because they did. Like probably 40 times.
At least it was 90+ minutes long . . . .
30 likes
Adele
4/5
I'm not quite sure if I'm ashamed to admit this or not, but I really like Adele's music. She is an undeniable, generational talent. And it's not just the voice, but the authenticity. Not sure what else to say really. Any album that has this many hits (even in today's over-commercialized market) is impressive.
20 likes
Hawkwind
1/5
Why are the worst albums always so long?
This sounds like a garage band that formed hell-bent on becoming the next Black Sabbath but then just got way more in to the drugs part than the rock and roll.
18 likes
The Fall
2/5
I don’t like it. The British punk thing is cool, but it sounds like they were writing these songs while they were recording them. They found a two-bar lick they liked, stuck it on repeat, and mumbled over top of it.
17 likes
1-Star Albums (49)
All Ratings
The Who
4/5
This is how we got from the Beatles to Green Day.
Funkadelic
3/5
This band definitely lives up to its name.
Sweet bass work by Bootsy, Skeet, and Boogie (who'd expect anything less from those guys?).
Love the grooves, but - just like SNL makes the mistake of turning a two-minute sketch into a two-hour long movie - the grooves become less enjoyable at about the 4-minute mark.
Fred Neil
3/5
Never heard of Fred Neil (although I was familiar with Everybody's Talkin'), and I'm not a big "folk" fan, but this is a solid album and I enjoyed listening to it.
It's simple, not over-produced (or produced at all, really) - just good song writing and solid execution.
That's the Bag I'm In - great lyrics, sweet tune
Everything Happens and Sweet Cocaine are also great songs.
The La's
2/5
This album grew on me as I listened, though I hated it at first. Overall, it's a decent album, but I'm not sure how it made this list.
The La's are clearly rooted in early-60's rock (I heard the Animals and Yardbirds in there, specifically), but they showed up about 25 years too late and didn't really add anything too it. It just sounds like an album that came out in '64.
To their credit, in retrospect "There She Goes" and "The Looking Glass" were a preview of what 90's popular music would become. Kudos for that, but - as an album? It's okay.
Tom Waits
4/5
This is equal part Louis Armstrong, Randy Newman, and Sesame Street. I half-expected "Daddy Would You Like Some Sausage?" by Tom Green to start playing at some point.
Still - this shit is pretty cool. Great lyrics. I laughed a lot. I appreciated the instrumentation and Waits' successful attempt to create something different, yet familiar (at least those who like New Orleans' style jazz/blues).
"16 Shells" is cool - I dig it. "Frank" and "Gin-Soaked" are also dope.
And watch this - I think I want to be friends with Tom Waits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bQ1cfM13Jg
Kraftwerk
3/5
I set out wanting to hate this album, but I really don't. The instrumental pieces just kinda sound like my kids are playing video games in the next room and sounds (at first) like something I could recreate in Garage Band in about five minutes.
But - to my surprise - the vocals actually make these seem more like songs, not just guys playing with the synth buttons on their Casios. And - this clearly influenced a lot of popular 80s music and there are remnants of it in more recent bands (Daft Punk). I don't hate it like I thought it would, but it's still not really my bag.
"Showroom Dummies" is cool.
Ends on a real weird 0:56 song.
Pink Floyd
4/5
The album is a little weird - not sure I really "like" any of the songs, but it's so cool to hear Pink Floyd's roots - knowing how they would soon after change rock and roll.
It's equal parts British Invasion of the 60s and Psychadelic Rock of the 70s. You can hear them inventing something new on this album - something they would eventually perfect.
The Boo Radleys
4/5
I have so much to say, but not sure how to articulate it.
First of all, great name - I'm a big To Kill a Mockingbird fan.
But also - the songs on this album somehow combine all of the musical styles that came in the 20 years before them as well as what would come in the next 20 years. You can hear British Invasion, psychedelic rock, 80s metal, 90s pop/punk (Rivers Cuomo definitely heard this album), techno, indy rock, and on and on.
Big fan.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Fun guitar stuff in Ramble Tamble.
I've never heard a bad version of Before You Accuse Me - this one didn't disappoint either. It's hard to cover a song, stay so true to the original, and still make it your own. The same thing goes for Grapevine.
It's country, folk, blues, rock - uniquely and unmistakably CCR.
R.E.M.
4/5
Having grown up in the 90s, this just about sums it up.
It's somehow depressing to listen to, but leaves me feeling hopeful - not sure how they pulled that off.
Great instrumentation, really well-produced. Stipe's vocals are haunting and unmistakable.
Everybody Hurts gets played a lot, but - dammit - it's a great song.
Lou Reed
5/5
This is the album my Dad would have made.
Vicious is maybe the best first track I’ve ever heard - just in how it sets up the rest of the album.
Blues, rockabilly, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, beatnick poetry - I heard it all in this one.
Music a good, lyric are maybe even better. Great album
The Sonics
2/5
There is just a hint of the beginning of punk rock in here I guess, but the rest of it is pretty middle of the road - exactly what I expected based on looking at the album cover. The screaming got real old after a bit.
Still, some good songs.
Little Richard
4/5
It's so odd that, I got "Here's Little Richard" (1956) a day after "Here are the Sonics" (1965). The Sonics pretty poorly covered several R&B songs and apparently decided to even steal the title of their album from an R&B artist as well.
It was interesting how similar these albums were in terms of intended style, instrumentation, vocals, etc. - but, by all accounts, Little Richard and his band actually pulled it off. The musicianship is better, the production quality is better, the energy is better - it's just better.
Still - it get's a little repetitive. Tutti Fruity, Ready Teddy, Jenny Jenny - I get it.
Morrissey
5/5
Never really listened to Morrisey, but I like this album a lot. His lyrics are poetic in a refreshing way.
Lots of interesting guitar sounds on this album as well. It’s cool how every song sounds different, but they somehow all fit together. Great stuff all the way through.
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
If you took a group of good-ole-boys, fed them nothing but Skynyrd, Tom Petty, and the Eagles from the time they were born until they dropped out of high school halfway through their sophomore year, gave them 2 weeks worth of free music lessons, and then locked them in a studio with three half barrels of Busch and a brick of cocaine - this album would be the result.
It's trash (a fuckin' hour and a half of trash) - minus Plastic Flowers and Cassie's Brother, which were okay (but still derivative).
Oh - and did I mention Skynyrd? Because they did. Like probably 40 times.
At least it was 90+ minutes long . . . .
David Bowie
3/5
Just the right amount of weird for me. I appreciated all the instrumentation, both real (bass lines were rocking through most of the album) and synthentic. Most of the songs were between 2-3 minutes, which I think was perfect - it was just long enough for me to think "hey, this is pretty cool" and then it would end before I got bored. Last few tracks lost me though.
In general, I wish I would have heard more of Bowie's voice - most of the time I felt like I was listening to a movie score.
The Auteurs
2/5
Nothing really special about this one - sounds like a pretty typical early-90s album. It has a little more of an "indy rock" sound I suppose. It's like they were trying to do something different, but just didn't really pull it off
I enjoyed it though. It fits right in with all the other stuff I would have listened to on the radio during this time in my life - shades of Blur, Weezer, Soul Asylum, etc. But it obviously never broke through then, and it doesn't really stand out now.
Talking Heads
3/5
Fun album. Clearly influenced a lot of what came out in the 80's.
Queen
4/5
How have a never heard anything from this album before?
Most Queen is unmistakably and uniquely Queen. They don't sound like anyone else and no one else has really been able to replicate their sound. But - I felt like I could hear their influences in this "early" Queen (shades of The Who and others). That was cool - hearing them "on their way" to developing their own sound (which this album still very much is). There are some tones, licks, and vocal stylings that they obviously came back to on later, more iconic albums.
Also, Queen was a glam rock opera powerhouse. I always felt like they were "one sound" - but, on this album, you can hear all four of them if that makes sense. It's still operatic, but they sound like four guys in a band - and I mean that in a good way. You can hear the work they're putting in individually and it's awesome. Brian May's guitar kicks ass almost the entire album - maybe may favorite work of his now.
The only reason it's not a 5 star rating is because I assume there are more Queen albums to come that - still - are better than this. But I love this album.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
This is a solid transition album, sitting right in between 80s hair-metal and 90s grunge/emo stuff. I like angry sounding guitars and angsty lyrics. Great listen - not sure it's really all that special, but Jane's Addiction had a unique sound and were clearly influential.
Michael Jackson
2/5
This is the first album where the artist doesn't actually "play" on any of the songs. I'm finding it hard to judge a solo artist who just sings (granted, I know he also wrote most of the songs) - but here I go.
I've never listened to an entire MJ album top to bottom. I was excited to, and then disappointed. His songs are much easier to appreciate in single doses. I really enjoyed (and even sang along with) the tracks I knew (Bad, Smooth Criminal, The Way You Make Me Feel), but I hated almost everything else - which made me wonder if my enjoyment of the former was really more nostalgia than appreciation.
Still - he is the King of Pop in the sense that he is the mold for how to build a pop star - catchy hooks, lots of energy, swagger/attitude, huge live productions. Clearly, many have followed in his footsteps (Justin Timberlake, Brittney Spears, Bruno Mars, and so on and so on). But, in retrospect, it's like McDonald's - game changing at the time, but then Ray Kroc comes in and makes it all about money - which leads to a shitty product and a million other shitty restaurants all out to make a buck. Does that make sense?
Beatles
5/5
Is this their best album? Maybe.
The Beatles are cool. Even people who don't "like" the Beatles have to appreciate them. Those who say they don't at least appreciate them (or acknowledge their greatness) are just trying to be "different" or "cool" - but they aren't.
Kickin' bass lines throughout this one Paul - way to go.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
I'm not sure if I should be embarrassed to admit that I'd never listened to Buffalo Springfield before (at least not knowingly) - but I dug it.
It's like a nice little combo of everything the 60s had to offer - a little British invasion, a little hippie folk, a little country-western, a little jazz/blues. You can definitely pick up the evolving CSNY vibe, and a few of the tracks reminded me of the Allman Brothers a little bit. In that sense, I think I liked every song, but they didn't really seem to fit together.
Hung Upside Down was probably my favorite. Good Time Boy gets an honorable mention.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
2/5
I actually really like Jazz. Jazz musicians understand their craft at a level most people will never appreciate. You have to really know music and your instrument in order to step on stage without knowing what you're going to do - if that makes sense.
BUT - to me - Jazz shouldn't really be recorded. It's meant to be listened to live. AND, if you're going to record it, it should be a live recording, in my humble opinion. I like "dirty" jazz - I want to hear mistakes and guys talking to each other while they're playing.
Dave and the rest of the quartet are truly talented musicians, but this seemed over-produced for a jazz album - and maybe a little self-indulgent (almost half the songs featured only Dave, not the quartet).
Sigur Rós
4/5
This style of music isn't typically my thing, but I really enjoyed this album. The melodies were really interesting and the instrumentation was cool. I'm not sure if it was spoiled or enhanced by the fact that I can't understand what they were saying.
I was initially annoyed seeing so many songs that were 7-10 minutes long, but they really held my attention - which is odd. I actually enjoyed some of the longer songs more than the 3-4 minute ones.
In any case, I was leaning towards a "3" through most of this, but I'm giving it a "4" in the context of this list. It really is an album that I think people should listen to, and one that they probably haven't already heard. I'd recommend it.
Rush
3/5
Rush is cool. Great musicians, real "powerful" songs. I'm not a huge fan of the rock opera genre - but it's hard to listen to Rush and not enjoy it.
Jeff Buckley
2/5
I'm lukewarm on this one. I get that he kinda perfected the crooning, angsty folk/rock genre - but it's just not my bag. I spent most of my listening experience waiting for the next song.
Highlights:
Lover, You Should've Come Over is - by far - the standout track for me. The story, the lyrics, the arrangement, Buckley's vocals - all amazing. This is the first time during this experience that I skipped back to listen to a song again just to see if it held up, and it did.
Hallelujah. This is a great version of the song. But, in fairness, as long as you stick close to Cohen's original version, I'm gonna love it.
Honorable mentions:
Forget Her is a cool song. Eternal Life was also good, but didn't feel like it belonged on the album.
Anyway, I'll definitely revisit a few of these tracks, but - as an album - meh.
I feel dumb that Ive never heard of this all-star band, but I’m glad I know about them now. Solid album - like discovering each of these guys again.
The Fall
2/5
I don’t like it. The British punk thing is cool, but it sounds like they were writing these songs while they were recording them. They found a two-bar lick they liked, stuck it on repeat, and mumbled over top of it.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
No West End Girls? Still, pretty cool. I feel like I’m in a Delorian on my way to pick up some Ludes after a long day of day trading.
Seriously though, this has a Pure 80s vibe and is solid all the way through. There are remnants of lot of what the Pet Shop Boys did here.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Muddy is maybe the best blues vocalist ever. He’s also a solid blues guitarist, and he leans on one, the other, or both in really smart ways throughout this album. He does a good job of leaning in the band (especially the harp player who is phenomenal) and not “sealing the show” - it’s a real nice balance.
It’s also perfectly imperfect- if that makes sense. It’s good sloppy blues. I loved hearing them BS with each other after most of the tracks.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
Perfect name for this group. I had heard several of these songs but forgotten all about them.
I have nothing bad to say about this album, really. It's a fun combination of a lot of my favorite kinds of music.
Black Sabbath
3/5
This was way bluesier than I expected it to be, but still very Sabbath. You can definitely hear the beginnings of the much “heavier” music they would start recording after this.
To be honest, the worst part of BS for me was always Ozzys voice - it just kinda rakes on me. This album was much more about the music, and his vocals were less prominent. They sounded much more like an early-70s band. I dug it.
Isaac Hayes
2/5
No Chocolate Salty Balls? Bummer.
This music is awesome - a nice jazz/funk blend and great arrangements. The whole thing is varying shades of sexy (from corny to porny). I recommend not listening to is while you drop your kid off at the bus stop if you don't want to get weird, judgmental looks for the "good" parents.
I could rate this album as high as a 4, but I won't on principle. It's a theatrical score and was never meant to be listened to as an album. As great as the music is, it was created as one piece of a larger puzzle, meant to be enjoyed in the context of the film. No one should have to listen to this album before they die - they should watch the movie with the sound all the way up.
Os Mutantes
2/5
So, I'm not familiar enough (or at all) with traditional Brazilian music to really know whether Os Mutantes successfully incorporated cultural mainstays into this album (like the description indicates) or if the slurping, glass-clinking, random banging noises were just weird.
Aside from that though, it was interesting to hear the American (or, more accurately, British Invasion of American) rock and roll throughout. Clearly, the Beatles were a big influence - they straight up ripped off a few guitar tones (a la Revolution) and even the Yellow Submarine "yelling into a can" bit.
Baby was cool - not just because I actually understood a few words - I genuinely enjoyed it. The rest? not for me.
Sonic Youth
3/5
If you're going to be a punk band, keep your songs in the 2-4 minute range. There's no need to "explore" these songs and drag them out to 7-8 minutes.
Having said that, the ones the fell around 3 minutes, I actually enjoyed. Hey Joni, Candle, Kissability - pretty good stuff.
The other songs were mostly great punk songs, just broken up with a bunch of unnecessary nonsense. I can definitely hear how they influenced 90s punk/rock though - I'll give them that.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
This album was real good. She has a great voice and a perfect, folksy, singer-songwriter vibe. I'll listen to this again - really, really enjoyed it.
Fairport Convention
2/5
I like the vocal - a real Allison Krause-y thing going on. I was also sucked in by some of the cool bass lines in a few of these songs. Overall, really great musicianship. They did the Irish folk, story-telling thing about as well as you can do it. It's just not really for me. I had a lot of trouble getting into it.
Metallica
5/5
I'll equate this album with Revolver by the Beatles (previously reviewed) in the sense that they're both examples of bands who defined their respective genres really hitting their strides and delivering, perhaps, their best collective works and inspiring decades worth of other music. And, in both cases, it's ALL them - written, performed, and produced by. No real outside influence.
Specific to Metallica, they prove that Heavy Metal doesn't have to be yelling over something loud and sloppy. It can be perfected. It can be clean, thoughtful, nuanced, and still make you feel like you got punched in the gut.
John Coltrane
1/5
I appreciate the attempt to create an album that has "movements" instead of songs in order to tell a story.
Free form jazz, as far as I can tell, is just a bunch of really talented musicians each playing their own song, but all at the same time. It just doesn't land right with me. There's too much going on.
I loved Alvin Jones's work on the kit in this one though.
Primal Scream
3/5
I'll admit to pre-judging this album based on the title, the band name, and the cover art. Everything about those three thing made be dread what I was about to listen to - but I actually kinda dug it. It was a real interesting and creative mix of genres. My apologies.
Beth Orton
3/5
I've been getting a lot of folk-rock from this list lately. I don't normally like that genre very much, but Beth Orton has a great voice - good storytelling voice. It's an interesting take on the genre too, and clearly influential on other artists. Plus - Dr. John and Ben Harper collaboration = pretty cool.
Common
5/5
Ironically, Common is not common at all. In fact, he’s uncommon - a special breed of rapper/poet unlike most others. Maybe that’s what he was going for?
Seriously though. This is a great rap album. One of my favorite. It’s also nice (and a little weird) to hear Kanye before he was crazy - or before we all knew for sure he was crazy.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Great album. Not much else to say.
George Michael
2/5
I listened to this on a plane with crappy headphones, but I don't think it mattered. I'm not a fan of all the treble and the fact that all the music sounds like it was played on a Casio keyboard. The subject matter also got old after awhile - I get it, George liked to have sex.
Still - some good songs. Father Figure (although super creepy) has a nice hook. Faith is a classic pop song. It's not "bad" - it's just not good.
Daft Punk
3/5
I don't really listen to this type of music often, but there's something about Daft Punk that I like. Because I don't listen to the genre, I can't really critique or assess it. I don't know what Daft Punk does differently or better or whatever - but it's good.
Boards of Canada
3/5
I know there is an art to this type of music, but I never feel comfortable rating it because I don't understand it.
Having said that, it was great background music while working. It kept me interested. I appreciated the way the songs built and then died. Decent.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
I feel like Neil Young's voice should annoy me, but it's oddly endearing. He's whiny and a little off-key, but somehow that makes the songs better. There's a real folksy, subway-busker kinda vibe that I appreciate.
I also liked how the album built. The first few songs feature an acoustic guitar with real "treble-y" effects, then in the middle there were songs with nice, clean acoustic songs. Towards the end, he moved to a clean electric and then a dirty, punk-like electric on Sedan Delivery and the reprise of Hey Hey, My My. I'm not sure if this was on purpose or not, but I dug it.
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
I obviously did not have the same childhood and adolescent experiences as Biggy did, but he makes me feel like a gangsta. Great rhymes, great beats. I appreciate this “old school” style rap that still incorporated real instruments (guitars and horns and such).
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I like the Stones, but not sure I’d ever listened to this album. It’s fun to hear them experiment with some new sounds and instruments - especially in the context of 1966 when this would have seemed a little more “out there” compared to what other bands were doing. Still, it makes the album, as a whole, seem a little disjointed.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Man - I want to vote so fucking bad right now! Morella and de la Roche for President.
Seriously though - great music, well-executed and performed. The lyrics are simple, poetic, and poignant. Rage is one of my favorite all time bands. Also enjoyed the cameo by Maynard (Tool is also awesome and better be on this list at some point).
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
This is good. I think Marley does this type of music about as well as anyone could, but it seems to me a simplistic art form. Not that simple music can’t be great, but there just isn’t much to this in my opinion.
The song Jammin’ sums it up. They’re sitting around, jammin, riffing lyrics. It’s good.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Great album. My review is tainted slightly by my own ignorance. I always though of Janis Joplin as a singer/songwriter/musician - come to find out she didn't write any of these songs and only played guitar on one (Me and Bobby McGee).
Still - I'm tasked with rating the album, not my preconceived notions of a single artist. To that end - the songs are great, but made great by Joplin's vocals. Sung by anyone else, I don't think they'd land as well. The music is just sloppy enough to match her rough vocal style.
Get it While You Can is a standout track - even with the more iconic songs on this album.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
The OG Diva - and I mean that in the post positive sense of the term. Aretha is the shit. All "divas" since her (for better or worse - Tina, Whitney, Mariah, Adele, Beyonce, Lizzo) are emulating her - or trying. There may not be a better female (or male?) vocalist.
But - let's also talk about the songs as a whole. I was really impressed with the arrangement of almost every track. These can be very simple, straight-forward songs - but they didn't settle for that. The horns, the strings, the little "kicks" and syncopations and chord structures - very well done.
And - though I know it wasn't written for me - there may not be a prettier song than Natural Woman.
I'm leaning 4 on this, but The Queen is getting a 5 out of respect (that's , r-e-s-p-e-c-t).
Alice Cooper
2/5
I was never a big Alice Cooper fan, but this album is okay. It's odd that he's portrayed as this "shock-rock" icon when most of these songs are kinda goofy, jazz-based tunes. It reminded me of the Stray Cats more than anything else.
School's Out is awesome though.
Patti Smith
3/5
I thought I would dislike this album (not a big Smiths/Patti Smith fan) - but, overall, I enjoyed it.
Smith's mumbly, squeeky, talk-singing gets old after a while, but it's definitely unique and (the good parts of it) clearly influenced some female vocalists of the 80s (Pet Benatar, Joan Jett, etc.) - so I'll give her credit there.
It was the band that held this together for me. I really liked the music (even when I didn't like the vocals).
Redondo Beach was the standout track for me.
Crowded House
3/5
Based solely on the fact that all I knew of Crowded House going in to this was "Don't Dream It's Over" (hey now, heeeeeyyy nooowww) - I was pleasantly surprised.
I like the vocals/harmonies - not sure what it is about it, but I dig it. They were also smart enough with the arrangement to throw a random "extra" instrument on each track to keep it interesting. I was like "oh, some strings" - "hmm, are those bongos?" - "cool, an accordion" - "cool piano" - stuff like that.
"Chocolate Cake" and "Italian Plastic" were standouts. The rest was a little too melancholy for me.
Beatles
3/5
I know it's probably blasphemous to give this a 3, but I think that might even be pushing it. This one may be my least favorite of the Beatles' albums. I get that it's "early Beatles" - but it's still not as good as their first album. Everybody gets a sophomore slump - no love lost, boys.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
It's easy to write this off as "hokey" - but these guys basically invented rap, so big props for that. I mean, not only did they popularize a movement and a genre, but Grandmaster Flash is also credited with creating some of the technology that made DJing (as an art form) possible - rewiring shit from Radio Shack so he could hear one record in his headphones while another one was playing in the speakers.
Highlights are obviously "The Message" and "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash" - but it's all intriguing.
Radiohead
3/5
I wish I could be as "into" this as I feel like I'm supposed to be. Like - is this cool and I'm not cool because I don't think it's cool? Or is the music inherently not cool, and that's what makes it cool - unless I think it's cool, then I'm a loser? What drives a band to never play their most popular song in public again because too many people liked it? It must be that cool = not cool?
Regardless, based purely on it's musical merits, I like this album. Admittedly, some of it is too "out there" for me, but a lot of it is quite good. I especially liked Iditoteque and Morning Bell. I at least appreciate the rest of it.
Overall, it's pretty cool (or it's not). I don't know.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Rolling Stones? More like Rolling Jones.
Brian Jones’ influence (and slide guitar) definitely drive this album. That’s not a horrible thing - the country/western/blues sound is cool and definitely drives the rest of what the Stones would go on to do - it’s just clear they (or, at least most of them) were starting to break away from that sound in this album and it seems a little chaotic at times.
Plus - I would have thought the production value on a stones album in 1968 would have been a bit better.
Pulp
3/5
I had never heard of Pulp before. It took me a while to get into this one, but I'm not really sure why. It's like a mix between Blur and U2 (and maybe a little bit of Weezer). I also heard a few flashes of Radiohead, actually - but that may be just because Kid A was just a few days back.
I think part of what made it difficult to get into was I wasn't sure if they were trying to be serious or a little tongue-in-cheek. My favorite track was A Little Soul -
"I could show you how to do it right
I used to practice every night on my wife
Now she's gone"
Great line. That is still making me laugh for some reason.
I'd go as high as a 4 on this, but I think that's partly influenced by hearing it for the first time. The baritone vocals and general weirdness might wear on me in subsequent listens.
Madonna
1/5
I never understood Madonna's popularity. Don't get me wrong. Can she sing? Yes. Has she written, recorded, and produced several hit songs. Sure thing. But she's pretty average in my opinion - and this album is evidence of that.
These songs sound like a hundred other songs that came out around this time - there's nothing really innovative or different about it. Every song is 6 minutes long and they could have been 3. In fact, the whole album could have been one 3-minute song. They all sound the exact same.
It's like the soundtrack for a Disney movie that was way to sad and weird to make it to theaters. And, even though I'm not a fan of Madonna, this album cannot be her best effort. Not sure why it's on the list.
Frank Ocean
3/5
Pretty cool vibes on this one. I heard a little Prince, a little Stevie Wonder - but overall a pretty unique sounds. I'll be singing "Crack Rock Crack Rock" probably for the rest of my life (just that line).
John Prine
4/5
This is what country/folk music should be. The music is simple, but Prine's lyrics and delivery are awesome. I laughed out loud a few times, but was also impressed at how poignant some of these "stories" still are. It's protest music with a twang. I dug it.
Elastica
3/5
Apparently I’m a fan of British pop punk. I’m also a sucker for female punk singers - they’re somehow more punk.
This album has some classic-sounding punk guitar tones and that real “throaty” bass. Solid album. I’m stuck between a 3 and a 4. Not sure it’s quite a 4, so 3.5?
Cypress Hill
3/5
I’m in no position to judge this genre, but I will say that it’s “fun” to listen to (which, I know, is not the intent). Cypress Hill is definitely unique in this space. They developed their own sound, and I can appreciate that.
It grinds on my after a while, though.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
I only really knew Todd Rungren from Hello - so this was a really nice education for me.
I really like the “just stupid enough” lyrics for songs like Piss Aaron and Slut. Even at 90 minutes, the album did t seem to long - quality just about all the way through. Even the other Hello-ish ballads were mostly great.
I also really enjoyed all the studio talk before some of the songs - especially the scavenger hunt for hissing and other evidence of “poor engineering” - really fun stuff.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
They sound like a bad high school band. I like “sloppy” punk rock - but only when it’s intentional. This seems like just poor execution of mediocre songs.
Ray Charles
2/5
I love Ray Charles - and kudos for this being the seventh album he put out in three years - but this album is behind it’s time. It sounds like it was recorded in the mid-40s to early 50s. I mean, he’s good - don’t get me wrong. But I don’t think this is near his best work - nor could it have been considered unique in any way at its release in 1959 or at any point since. I’ll consider this a “blip” in an otherwise awesome catalog of albums.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
So, this guy wrote, recorded (almost all the instruments), and produced an entire "soundtrack" based the history of people of an entire state? It doesn't get any more indie-folk than that people!
It took me a little bit to get into this album - but I eventually did. It does play very much like a movie or Broadway score, though (which I think is the intent), but that makes it feel like it's missing something at times.
Still - I really dug a lot of the songs. Jacksonville, Decatur, and Chicago were probably my favorites.
On pure listening enjoyment, I'd probably give this a 3, but the feat that Stevens undertook (and pulled off), definitely makes it worthy of this list. People should hear and appreciate this. So - 4.
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
I'm not sure that I should like this album as much as I do - but I do. It's like a collection of the greatest TV and game show themes from the 70s and 80s, and I mean that as a compliment. It's just fun.
Their rendition of Satisfaction is almost (maybe) better than the original.
Ironically, the only thing that wore on me was the bongos. Sometimes they were cool, but - at the end of the day - they end up making every song sound like Apache.
Every ounce of my being wants to give this a 5, but I'm just not sure I can justify it.
Violent Femmes
4/5
I don't know if I actually never heard the rest of this album (past Blister) or if I just don't remember it. But - either way - I love it. It's so good.
I get that it sounds simple - or even "bad" - to a lot of people. They may listen to it and think - "I could write those nonsense lyrics" or "I can play the guitar as good as him" or "I could have come up with that bass riff" - but guess what? They can't. And even if they could, they didn't. So fuck them.
Plus, I now realize what an influence the Femmes must have had on Dispatch - another band I'm fond of. So props for that.
The Fall
2/5
Whoever put this list together was really into British punk music. We've had a lot of it lately - most of which I've really like. Not this one.
I think if you're going to be in a band like this, they key is not to take yourself too seriously. I feel like these guys take themselves very seriously - something about it just seems like they're trying very hard to make it sound like they aren't trying very hard. You know?
Anyhoo, I won't give them the lowest possible rating because - to their credit - this was probably pretty unique in the "post punk" era and I can actually here how this may have influenced some of the British pop-punk that came later. But still. . .
The Yardbirds
3/5
I feel like The Yardbirds lived (unfortunately) in the shadow of the Beatles and Stones and are grossly under-appreciated.
To me, they are a near perfect marriage of the aforementioned bands - not to say they are better, just a sold mix of the two. The had the musical talent (song-writing aside) of the Beatles - I mean, Clapton, Page, and Beck all had stints with this group, and I could argue that the Yardbirds' Paul is every bit the bassist as the Beatles' Paul. They also had a similar prowess for incorporating interesting instrumentation and progressions. AND, they had that "dirty" blues/rock, fuck-the-establishment vibe of the Stones.
Still, this is not my favorite of their albums. I'm a bigger fan of the Clapton years - no offense to Jeff Beck.
Peter Frampton
2/5
This is another one I never actually listened to. I was actually embarrassed to admit that I never heard it. The way some people talked about it, I thought this was some iconic, Queen at Live-Aid, type of show that I just never experienced. Alas, I am disappointed.
Maybe if I had seen the show live - or even on TV - I'd feel differently, but I don't get it. It was good. Just good. I thought Peter Frampton "coming alive" would serve to set him apart somehow. It doesn't. The songs are good "70's rock playlist" material - I don't think I'd ever complain if someone played them at a party. His vocals are okay, but definitely not compared to some of the other singers of the day. Likewise for his guitar playing - he's really good, but probably not even top 10 among others that were touring in the mid-70s. (Although "Penny for Your Thoughts" was technically impressive).
Maybe I built it up too much in my head? But I don't think so.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Surprised to find another Jane's Addiction album on here. As I noted in my first review - unique sound, not necessarily special. This one is even a little weirder than the other - but Been Caught Stealing is the saving grace. If they had to produce this whole pile of an album just to deliver that song, then it was worth it.
Still, 2.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
This was like Bob Marley, Isaac Hayes, and - like - Jason Mraz had a baby. I mean that in a good way.
It was funky and fun to listen to, even though I had no idea what he was singing about. I probably won't ever listen to it again, but I enjoyed it and it is well-deserving of a spot on this list.
(On a side note - how did this guy not sue the pants off of Rod Stewart for stealing the melody from Taj Mahal and using it to record Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?).
Brian Eno
1/5
This album should have been called "Disjointed Warm-up Exercises for Small Orchestras" - because that's what it sounds like.
Shame on Phil Collins for participating in this.
Talking Heads
3/5
I like the Talking Heads. They're interesting without being too weird. David Byrne vocals sound like he's recording them from a padded room - in a good way.
Also - it was interesting to see that Brian Eno (who's album I just listened to and hated) was a studio musician on this album.
I'm close to a 4 on this one, but not quite there.
Gary Numan
4/5
I was on the second track when I was like - “this sounds like the guy who sang that Cars song” - the I found out I was right a few track later!
This isn’t normally my favorite genre, but I really like this one. It’s aged really well, which I think is saying something. Good on you, Gary.
Slayer
3/5
Let's play everything as loud and as fast as we can. Nailed it!
Oddly, I enjoyed listening to this in the background while I did the dishes. As background music, I appreciated it and found it weirdly calming.
But, I don't think I could ever enjoy it the way it's meant to be enjoyed - live, in the pit, with a bunch of angry bikers. Still, Slayer is Slayer.
Neil Young
3/5
I can never tell if I like Neil Young or not. I think I do. I hate his voice, but not as much as I feel like I should.
In any case, this album is a little too theatrical and "busy" for me. Play the guitar/harmonica and sing, Neil. That's all I want from you. Heart of Gold, Old Man - stick to that.
Also, The Needle and the Damage Done is a stand-out track.
XTC
4/5
First time listener - new fan of this album.
I feel like this album would have held up in any of the decades that followed its release in '86. It sounds very 80s, but - at the same time - very current. If the right bands covered these songs today, they'd be huge commercial success, IMO.
Plus, the vocal remind me of Ben Folds.
Judas Priest
2/5
Living After Midnight is a solid 80s rock anthem, but this whole album is pretty "okay" - and that's it. Nothing about JP really stands out to me.
And I hate how the drums were recorded.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Without knowing what I already know about Cohen - or looking at WikiPedia or something - it's really hard to tell what decade he was recording in or what type of genre this is. That's to his credit. He's unique; timeless.
Also, kinda boring.
Sheryl Crow
4/5
I think Sheryl Crow is under-rated as a singer/songwriter. Vocally, she's like a perfect combination of all 90's female vocalists - Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, that lady from Garbage - but still uniquely her own.
On the songwriting front, her stuff is still "poppy" and accessible, but not cookie-cutter or predictable. It's too bad Run, Baby, Run isn't more well-known. It's a great tune.
Also, this brought back memories of playing "All I Wanna Do" on my bass guitar - one of the first things I taught myself how to play.
Magazine
2/5
Not bad. I like the mix of weird psychedelic rock with synthesizers and stuff as long as there are also "real" instruments.
I feel like I should rate this higher than I'm going to, but there's just been so much of this genre on the list already.
Suicide
2/5
After the first few tracks, I kinda dug this. I was like, "oh, it's the Violent Femmes but with keyboards instead of guitars" - but then it got real, real sketchy.
The incessant grunting and screaming felt a bit lazy, lyrically. I'm never getting the 10 minutes I invested in "Frankie Teardrop" back.
Marty Robbins
2/5
Is it still cultural appropriation if you take something super white and make it even whiter? This guy is about as close to being a cowboy as I am to being an Olympic gymnast.
Kidding aside, I know a lot of these Marty Robbins songs - so that's saying something. He has a great voice and this is iconic early Country/Western music - classic storytelling. I just can't get over how inauthentic it is. It's like he dressed up in a 6-year-old's Halloween costume and wrote songs about his favorite stories from one of those old radio shows.
Prince
4/5
Prince is awesome, but (just one critique) this album could have been shorter. Some of the songs get a bit repetitive after minute 6 or so.
Still, he's one of the greatest all-around musicians, songwriters, producers, performers, and cool guys ever.
Steely Dan
4/5
So - like Chicago without the horn section?
I never really listened to Steely Dan much (I'm not big into the jazz/rock/fusion stuff), but this was a really solid album.
It's really well produced, the arrangements are cool, the melodies are interesting, and there are some really great guitar tones.
Sabu
2/5
This is another album I'm not equipped to judge. But I'll do it. :)
Pros: These songs only have percussion, one guitar, and vocals. That's actually an impressive level of simplicity. Also, I do like the "call and answer" vocals on a lot of these songs. It's fun.
Cons: I don't get it. I don't really know what I'm listening to, what makes it good, who else performs in the genre, etc.
Mudhoney
3/5
Mudhoney (and a few others) don't get enough credit for really "inventing" grunge music. Everyone thinks of Nirvana - but this is clearly one of that bands that influenced them. Nirvana's popularity always kinda pissed me off because of that.
But - is Nirvana better than Mudhoney? For sure. Is Modhoney "good"? Not really.
Still, credit where credit is due.
The Verve
3/5
I think I "appreciate" this album more than I "like" it.
I mean, I do like - in the same way I like a lot of bands from the 90s. They created a different sound by adding strings and making it a little more orchestral than, say, Oasis or Robbie Williams or {insert 90s British musicians here} - which I totally respect.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I never really dug deep into Dylan's catalog. My default impression of his music has always been the incoherent, beatnick/hippie, campfire folk vibe. I liked some of his songs, but wouldn't have considered myself a "fan" of his.
This album may have changed that. It's actually a really solid dirty blues/folk album and - while he still sounds like he has gauze in his mouth all the time - his vocals are well suited to the genre. He mentions in "Highlands" that he listens to Neil Young - I'd say that influence is evident here, but still 100% Bob Dylan.
Standing in the Doorway, Not Dark Yet, Cold Irons Bound, and Can't Wait were standouts for me.
Dwight Yoakam
4/5
I don't like most country music - from any time period - but I love Dwight. He is, in my opinion, the epitome of country music: Story telling, sweet guitar pickin, cool hat, undeniable "twang" - he's got it all.
Still can't say I "love" this album, but it's the best of what it is.
Sade
2/5
Sade one of those smokey, lounge-singer voices - and the hook in Smooth Operator is classic - but I can't really get into this (despite its heavy leaning on the bass guitar).
I'm sure it's popular in elevators, department store playlists, and candle-lit motel rooms - but it ain't for me.
Ryan Adams
5/5
I love Ryan Adams' music. I'm not sure why I don't listen to it more, but it's great.
I'm not even really sure why I like it so much - it just seems kinda timeless to me. There is definitely a Neil Young, Bob Dylan vibe, but also like the Stones and a bit of the Beatles. It's blues, but it's folk, but it's also country. He could have performed at Woodstock or at a contemporary music festival and people would dig it.
It's somehow genius in its simplicity. I don't know. But - 5.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
I feel like I’m supposed to like Joni Mitchell. I know a lot of people really do like her. Not me.
She can definitely sing, but her voice irritates me. And I was already irritated when I started listening to this.
Def Leppard
3/5
Hopefully this is the only time I have to make this joke throughout this entire experience:
What has 9 arms and sucks? Def Leppard.
Named for the only living thing on the planet that can stand to listen to all 60 minutes of this album, the band is Def Leppard, but their fans are Blind Sheep.
Okay - I'm done. In all seriousness, They're pretty cool. I will never really understand what separates them from other bands (like Poison) that did the exact same shit during the 80s. Maybe it's just that their songs are way longer? Not better, just longer?
Anyhoo, this is - by far - their best album. The hits just keep coming. Is it "good"? I don't know. Is it fun to listen to? For sure.
Beyoncé
4/5
She's like the Voltron of all the divas that came before - Aretha, Madonna, Mariah - but also, like, a little Prince, a little R&B, a little gangsta rap. She's bad ass.
This is not really my go-to genre of music (and I won't pretend like Beyonce was aiming for the middle-aged, straight, white guy audience) - still, this album is a work of art in many senses. Vocally, she's clearly talented.
Even though some of the songs don't really have consistent melodies (they're more stream of consciousness almost), it's still interesting to listen to. And, she was clearly going through some shit in her life while recording this - and I was impressed with the honesty and vulnerability on a lot of the tracks.
In summation - I'm not sure I "liked" this album, but I enjoyed listening to it and respect it. Credit where credit is due.
Ride
3/5
Really liked this one. I've never heard of Ride, but they are right up my musical alley.
It's 90s rock/pop, but still pretty indy rock - not too commercial sounding. I like that. At times I heard some Toad the Wet Sprocket in there (although I'm sure that's not what they were going for).
Really good. My gut says this is a 4, but I'm wondering if it's just the newness. I reserve the right to amend my rating upon subsequent listens.
k.d. lang
3/5
This is solid, classic country music. It's not really my cup of tea, but k.d. has a great voice, it's well-suited to the genre, she's believable.
I really liked "My Last Cigarette" - if that's not a near-perfect country-western song, I don't know what it.
On the whole, I'd put it up there with Patsy Cline, George Jones, etc - well executed, but nothing really mind-blowing.
ZZ Top
3/5
So, I like ZZ Top, but I don't think they're really that good. I appreciate that it's three guys and they were like, "Hey, let's stick to a shuffle on the drums, eighth notes on the base, a single guitar tone, and write a buncha songs about girls and cars. Oh, also, we'll have cool beards and spin our guitars around."
And - to their credit - it worked. They are iconic in the sense that you can play 5 seconds of any of their songs and people will be like, "oh, that's ZZ Top."
The part of me that loves this music wants to rate it favorably. The critique in me can't get past the horrible slap-bass on Thug (or the general "okay-ness" of the entire album).
Given that I believe ZZ Top has a place on a "top 1001" list, and given my assumption that this is the only one of their albums we'll encounter on the list - 3.
Depeche Mode
4/5
I appreciate Depeche Mode. There's a difference between listening to a song that someone "wrote" and a song that was "composed" - the latter being a much more impressive feat in my mind. Granted, I find the former more entertaining to listen to.
This kind of music just always feels like it's missing something (which is a me problem, not the fault of those who record in this genre). It needs a visual element. I always feel like I should also be watching an intense scene in a movie, or a video game cut scene, or a ballet or something. I don't know if that makes sense.
At the end of the day, Depeche Mode is really good at something I don't really understand.
Faust
2/5
I don't know what "krautrock" is, but it sounds offensive. Like, the name is offensive, but it also "sounds" offensive. Overall, I don't like it.
But - Jennifer was a cool song.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Oh man, I listened to this a while ago and failed to take good notes.
I'll tell you this though - I liked it.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
I scoffed at this at first glance. How could something so new (2019) be on the list? I'd think there'd be some grace period - some time required to let it "breathe" before determining if it's great.
But - it's great. The instrumentation beautiful. There's a lot going on, but it doesn't seem like it - it all fits. I know this is listed as folk, but it's also blues, R&B, pop, and probably a few other things.
It reminded me (at times) of Robert Bradley (without the Blackwater Surprise). It's old-timey and new. It's artsy, but accessible.
I really dug it.
Various Artists
2/5
I'm skipping this because I'm a week behind, it's now January 3rd, and I can't take anymore Christmas music.
Still - I can honestly say that I heard every song on this album at least once over Christmas break. I listened to them individually and mostly on purpose. They are Christmas classics, one and all.
White Christmas by Irving Berlin and Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love are my favorite on the list.
Blue Christmas by Elvis, Please Come Home for Christmas by the Eagles, This Christmas by Donny Hathaway, and Back Door Santa by Clarence Carter are the notable snubs (granted, these wouldn't fit the "classic" genre as well).
But - as a "Top 1001" album? No. No compilations. I could make a compilation of the greatest songs ever - it would still have no place on this list.
Beastie Boys
5/5
I love this album. I didn't even realize how much I loved it until I listened to it top to bottom (which I'm not sure I've ever actually done in a single sitting before).
It's early hip-hop that's done well. The sampling, scratching, and "hyping" at its finest. But the Beastie Boys are also punk rock. They rap AND play instruments. They're angry and anti-establishment.
It's also crazy to think that this was their debut album. It has so many classics on it. Well done, boys.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Overall, this album is okay. Her voice kinda got to me after a while. But- I really dug a couple of the tracks, especially Why'd Ya Do it?.
It's cool that she did a Lennon cover and that she used poets' lyrics (including Shel Silverstein), and that Steve Winwood played keyboards. (and that she dated Mick Jagger)
Solid album.
Sugar
4/5
This was a nice little surprise. A hidden gem. At first glance, I thought I remembered this band from the 90s, but I didn't. This was a first listen for me.
It's what I'd consider more "thoughtful" rock/pop 90s music - not cookie-cutter, hook-driven, slop. It gave me a real Our Lady Peace meets Foo Fighters vibe, even a few hints of Smashing Pumpkins at times. Overall, a solid 3 I thought.
BUT - I'm giving this a 4 based on historical context, given that it was recorded and released before any of the aforementioned bands got together. While I wasn't familiar with Sugar, my guess is that some of these other bands were. Also, as far as influence goes, late-90s commercial pop bands like Vertical Horizon and Sister Hazel and (insert one-hit-wonder here) all kinda sound like a watered-down version of this. So, props.
Black Sabbath
4/5
This has to be the best Sabbath album, right? War Pigs, Paranoid, Iron Man - all the songs that drunk bikers karaoke to.
I actually do like this album, but I'm not sure why. I think I was surprised by the simplicity of it. It hits you hard, but it's also really under-produced and stripped down. Guitar, bass, drums, vocals - that's it. No special effects - just point a microphone and go. There's something respectable about that.
I'm not sure if this is a "hard 4" - but I gave their last album a 3 and this one is definitely superior.
Neil Young
4/5
This will fly in the face of the last Neil Young review I did where I think I said something to the effect that NY should be a one-man show - guitar, harmonica, and vocal.
But, turns out I really like this album. It's got a bluesy rock vibe that I dig.
Well done, sir.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Of the "not qualified to judge this because it represents a culture of which I am ignorant" genre - this is one of my favorites so far.
It's simple. It's happy. Didn't hate it on a Monday morning.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
Okay, so - fine. Early 80s hip-hop with a little island vibe - I can dig it. Hearing the source of Eminem's "two trailor park girls" hook was cool.
But, overall - whatever. This isn't really my genre, but - even so - it certainly doesn't measure up to Grandmaster Flash and those who (imho) really popularized the genre.
The Smiths
4/5
I'm bouncing between a 3 and a 4 here. Musically, the Smiths have always just been kinda okay for me.
But, I'm a sucker for the "I sound happy but really these lyrics are pretty dark and morbid" vibe. That's really where the Smiths (or, more accurately, Morrisey) get me. I mean, "Girlfriend in a Coma" - c'mon.
Dammit. 4.
Blondie
3/5
I love "One Way or Another" but it is (objectively) not a great song. I could say that about most of the songs on this album. They're fun. They kinda sound like they were written by a band of middle-schoolers - both the music and the lyrics.
Blondie seems to me like the No Doubt of the 70s-80s. A female lead singer who is versatile enough (Debbie Harry strikes me as a poor-man's Stevie Nicks - with a little bit of Joan Jett mixed in there), but is definitely the selling point of a mediocre backing band.
Everything in me says this is a 2, but I'm going to give it a bump because I can definitely hear how Blondie's sound (especially on this album) likely influenced a lot of 80s pop - as well as several female-fronted bands that would follow. So, Kudos.
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
At first I wasn't real impressed with this album, but it grew on me a bit. It's a solid mid-90s punk album with a unique-ish sound due to the horns. But, overall, I can't point to anything really intriguing or special about it.
Brian Eno
3/5
Ok, Brian Eno. I hated you so much after the first album of yours that I had to sit through.
But - this album actually sounds like music. Like it has melodies and lyrics and stuff. It's still not my "thing" - but I actually kinda enjoyed this album.
Joy Division
2/5
This is okay, but it didn't do much for me. It's pretty run-of-the-mill late-70s punk as far as I can tell.
I dug a few of the riffs and melodies, but overall I found it hard to figure out what makes it special.
T. Rex
4/5
So, I may have biased myself by digging too far into the liner notes for this one. I noticed that Ringo Starr was credited with the cover art, then learned that he took the photos as part of a documentary he was filming about a poolside concert that John Lennon was throwing at his house featuring, among other bands, T-Rex.
This is a great album even if I hadn't known any of that. But, knowing that, it's easy to picture them playing for the Beatles. This definitely sounds like a band they would dig. They're clearly influenced by the Beatles, but also unique and talented in their own right.
It actually sounds like an album that the Beatles would have put out had they still been together at the time. The guitar tones, harmonies, and even the lyrics are familiar in that sense - but they also built on it and made it their own.
I could go 5 on this, but I'm acknowledging my own bias. I may regret it later, but - high 4.
Bob Dylan
4/5
This list is kind of making me a Bob Dylan fan. I never really was one before this - not sure why exactly.
I get it, okay? I get it.
Metallica
2/5
So, you put me in a rough spot here. Previously, I rated Metallica's black album a 5 - and I stand by that. For the genre, there is no better band than Metallica at writing, performing, recording, producing. They are the complete package. Metal perfected. So, yeah, their best album (the black album) deserves to be on this list, and everyone should listen to it.
But - I also thought that would be the only Metallica album on the list. This album is long, egregious, pretentious, etc. Unnecessary.
Elton John
3/5
Tiny Dancer is a classic - one of my all time favorites. Levon is also great. So, we were off to a great start.
It leveled off a little after that, but this is still a solid album. Great tunes, fun lyrics. No complaints.
Beatles
3/5
I might get some hate for this, but I'm not a huge fan of this album. Let me explain.
Obviously, the Beatles are great - and there are enough great songs on this album (some that got plenty of radio play and other lesser-knowns) to warrant a 5-star rating.
But - there are a lot of duds on this album too. It sounds like the Beatles were just like, "let's record everything and throw it on there because we're the fucking Beatles and people will go ape-shit no matter what we do." Which, to be fair, is true - but it seems like there was a little lack of quality control. Part of this is likely contextual. Were they really "the Beatles" on this album - or just a bunch of guys recording their own shit and trying to get it included in the final product? There's Paul's songs, and John's songs, and George's songs - shit, even Ringo's songs - but only a handful of "Beatles" songs. Plus - what's with all the animal references? Piggies, and birds, and monkeys, and racoons.
I feel like - more than any of their other albums - this one is full of songs where the story behind the song is probably more interesting than the actual song in a lot of cases. There's something to be said for that I suppose.
It's a must-hear if you're interested in Beatles history, but if you just came for the music - it's a bit of a roller coaster.
The Kinks
2/5
I like the Kinks, but this album seems like a weird "dark ages" thing that happened between the cool punky stuff of the early-mid 60s (like You Really Got Me and All Day) and the less-cool-but-still-cool stuff that came later (like Lola).
Maybe they were searching for something here? Maybe they were just trying to make more radio-friendly stuff? I'm not sure, but it left much to be desired.
Muddy Waters
3/5
I love Muddy Waters, but it's really hard for me to "judge" albums like this. In truth, a live blues album from 1960 doesn't sound much different that a studio blues album (outside of the people clapping in between). And, the performance is solid - but I'm not sure it's special in relation to other Muddy Waters albums, or even other blues musicians.
Blues is good. Muddy Waters is good at the blues. Good job.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
Again, it's amazing how difficult it is to judge music when I know so little about the history, culture, and language from which it was derived.
However, this was pretty jammy. It reminded me a lot of when I used to play in the high school jazz band - it has that kind of free-formy vibe. Also, I'm real impressed with the producing and engineering. There is a lot going on, but all the "stuff" came through crisp. Really dug it.
Stan Getz
2/5
This album lives up to its name. Stan is a good jazz saxophonist and Charlie is good at Samba guitar. Two white guys playing Latin music. It's fine.
Hole
2/5
I think Hole always got a little less than a fair shake. It's not Courtney's fault that she married a rock icon and he killed himself. Or, maybe it is - I don't know.
The fact remains that this is a decent late-90s grunge-pop album (which, isn't saying much). A lot of bands were doing this about as well as Hole was, though, so I'm not sure what makes them different. They're 75% female - which is something, but it doesn't really impact the sound outside of the vocals. But, even in that sense, it's not unique to them (Garbage, anyone?)
Pixies
4/5
I always kinda hated on the Pixies, but I'm not sure why. It probably had more to do with me not really liking the people who liked the Pixies back in the day.
But - they're pretty dope. The songs are "out there" enough while still being catchy in a weird way. Plus, I think their influence on a lot of the 90s-2000s bands that I dig is pretty obvious.
I'm still not sure I'm a Pixies "fan" - but I respect them. And - I'm giving them a one-star bump for all the hate and shade I used to throw their way.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Elvis Costello is cool, man. Like in a timeless way. Any of his stuff could have been released at just about any point in time and been just far enough outside the mainstream to be recognizable and relevant, but also way different and cooler than everything else.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
Though I'm not really a big fan of the gospel/folk/country & western genre - I do like Emmylou Harris. She's got a unique "storyteller" voice that is perfectly suited to the genre.
But, this seems misplaced and overproduced in the year 2000. It's like they were trying to make her relevant to a wider audience (queue Dave Matthews as a guest star on one track), but it didn't work. Sorry.
1/5
Nope.
I mean, I realize there's and "art" to this and probably some transcendental poetic meaning to it all - but it's lost on me.
Adele
4/5
I'm not quite sure if I'm ashamed to admit this or not, but I really like Adele's music. She is an undeniable, generational talent. And it's not just the voice, but the authenticity. Not sure what else to say really. Any album that has this many hits (even in today's over-commercialized market) is impressive.
Motörhead
1/5
Whatever, Motorhead. I never got the draw to you. I feel dirty listening to you.
Neil Young
3/5
This is classic Neil Young. I love how sloppy and under-produced it is. How can something so bad be so good? I don’t know, but I dig it.
The Slits
4/5
These ladies are fun. I’m a sucker for female-driven punk - something about it is just MORE punk to me.
This was good, sloppy 70s punk, but they were savvy enough to show some flashes of really crafty licks and arrangement that showed like, “yeah, we know how to play we just don’t give a shot because we’re punk.
Badass.
Spiritualized
4/5
This kinda thing isn't normally by bag, but I really, really liked this album.
The melodies were cool. It really did feel like they were guided by lasers.
I'll admit the bias in my rating, but they get a bump for A) my never having heard of them before, and B) the surprise nature of my enjoyment.
Butthole Surfers
1/5
I remember hearing about these "buttholes" (and seeing them a little on MTV) when I was a child. Even then they struck me as dumb. A name like Butthole Surfers is a desperate grab for attention, so I purposely never listened to them.
Their music is also a desperate grab for attention. I hate it.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
I’ll reiterate this every time I’m presented with a jazz album on this list - jazz should be enjoyed live and in person, imho. Theres just something about it that I want to “see” when I hear it. It should be an experience.
That said, this trio is clearly talented. Also, it was recorded live with all the glasses clinking in the background and everything - that was cool. And, admittedly, this is as close as you can get to experiencing these guys live at this point as I assume they’re all dead. So - nice work.
Aerosmith
4/5
I don’t know that I’ve ever listened to this album all the way through, but it’s pretty great.
70s Aerosmith checks a lot of boxes for the time. It’s still blues-heavy like the Stones (complete with horns and harmonicas), but they also stand right up with other psychedelic/glam rock bands (a la Sweet Emotion). Plus, you can hear the beginnings of 80s hair bands, power ballads, and heavy metal.
I love albums like this - you can hear where it came from and where it’s going.
Massive Attack
3/5
This is actually a pretty cool album for the early 90s. The beats and samples seem "sophisticated" for a hip-hop album in 1991. It's certainly more complex than the beats used by Beastie Boys, Fat Boys, and all the other "boys" of the 80s hip-hop scene.
The lyrics rely pretty heavily on cliche - not sure what I expected from British rappers. Still - it vibed pretty good all the way through.
It actually reminded me of the Gorillaz, which makes a lot of sense.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Simon > Simon & Garfunkel > Garfunkel.
What does Garfunkel even do, anyway? :)
On a serious note, this is a good album - deserving of being on the list. They had a unique sound and some deserving commercial success. Still - albums like this make me feel like I don't listen to music right. I always approach an album with a "how many good songs are on here?" attitude, which is - perhaps - unfair to albums like these that are build more like a soundtrack or a movement. It has old people talking and weird interludes in there that make it seem like a story is people told, but I don't know what it is.
It's weird.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Two S&G albums in a row.
This one is better than the last one, but it's the same review.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
This album is wonderfully melancholy.
I'm not sure anyone else could pull this kinda thing off without it sounding like a pretentious beatnik poetry wannabe. But, somehow, Cohen's simple melodies and talk/sing vibe is just cool.
I can't explain it - which is good.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
I tried really hard to hate this album. It's not really in my wheelhouse and - at least early on - the Casio keyboard sound annoyed me at the beginning of each track.
But - it really kinda grew on me. I heard a little Beck, a little U2 at times - even some Stones-like vibes in fleeting moments. It kept me interested, and there really isn't a "bad" track on the whole album. I really dug "New York" - granted that was a big departure from the rest of the album.
Good stuff, all around.
Supertramp
3/5
They're a really talented group of musician's - and I actually enjoy their music to an extent. Still, they seem like the poor-man's Queen. It's decent "orchestral rock" (if that's a thing), but in the context of all the other bands at the time, I'm not sure what makes them special.
Bon Jovi
4/5
Is this "great" music? Objectively, no.
But, is it fun? Yep. Is it, perhaps, the quintessential 80s rock album? Maybe.
Not much else to say. If you want to understand 80s music, this is a must-listen.
Gang Of Four
3/5
Not sure that I had ever heard this band before - but they're okay. Coming out in 1979 I can see how it would have hit a little different than some other stuff at the time. It seems like a nice little "bridge" from the 70s punk scene to the New Wave 80s.
Also - I'm biased, but I love how they relied on the bassist to kinda drive everything.
The Cure
3/5
The Cure was never really my cup of tea - but I get it. They're good. I can appreciate the musicality, but it's just kinda boring to me. I actually lost my in the album and couldn't remember where I left of when searching through the tracks because they all just sound the same to me.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
This is okay. I'm not sure what separates it from other "weird" mid-90s bands. They did seems to use an impressive number of effects - seemingly at random.
There were a few songs that I really enjoyed, but - as an album - not so much.
Incubus
4/5
I'm glad Incubus is on this list. While I'm not a huge fan of the rock-band-with-a-DJ genre, I always thought Incubus got unfairly shoved in the shadows a bit. Compared to their counterparts (Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, CrazyTown, etc.) - they are, objectively - more talented and just better.
They have a better vocalist with a more distinct sound, better musicians, and the lyrics are more thoughtful and poetic than, say "break somebody's face tonight" (Bizkit, L.).
Elliott Smith
3/5
I wish I hadn’t have read his Wikipedia page and found out he killed himself (or was stabbed to death?) in his early thirties. It made a melancholy album even sadder to listen to.
But it’s good. Kinda Beatles-esque in a way. It’s cool that he plus all the instruments. I respect that.
FKA twigs
2/5
This is an unfair (and probably inaccurate) comparison - but, she's like the UK version of Ariana Grade?
I know -it's mostly just the voice and the subject matter that makes that connection for me. The "music" is definitely more "indie" that "pop" - but not by that much.
It's okay - probably worthy of a better ranking than I'm going to give it.
Dr. Dre
4/5
One of the greatest gangster rap albums of all time. Few albums can make you feel more like a bad ass than this one.
The level of talent Dre has discovered and groomed is ridiculous. He doesn’t get as much credit as like JayZ because he didn’t start a clothing line or a make his own cologne. But - he just stuck to rap. For like 40 years. And is awesome at it.
Miles Davis
2/5
Same as all other jazz albums - I’d love this live. I can’t really enjoy listening to it otherwise. Miles is awesome. Sorry
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
I actually missed listening to this album on the day it came up because I was at a conference where I got to see DMC talk about his rise to fame and the resulting mental health issues that he suffered.
I'm glad I saw him speak before listening to this again. Hearing him talk about how this album came to be, what his life was like at the time, and how it changed him (and, arguably, music) forever really gives some context and credit to an album that could otherwise seem like a typical, cheesy, 80s rap album.
Lambchop
3/5
I'm not sure I've ever heard of the "alternative country" genre, but I suppose it's a fitting title for this type of music.
This album was pretty cool. It was a nice blend of weird and melancholy and funny and interesting. You know, staples of the alternative country movement. :)
Adam & The Ants
4/5
I really like this one. It's like the Animals meets the Talking Heads, but with a little something special mixed in there.
Honestly, I can't iterate why I dug this so much. I just did.
Machito
3/5
So, I know I am overly critical of jazz albums on here, but this one hit me different. It reminded me of the "fun" stuff we used to play in my high school jazz band. It's more structure (and less jazz), but it's good.
Lauryn Hill
5/5
Isn't this the girl from Sister Act 2? She made an album? (Just kidding).
This is five stars. I don't see how it couldn't be. It's an authentic expression of (what I can only assume is) Lauryn Hill's lived experienced. It's one of those albums that feel like she just made it for herself, but also for everybody.
It's gospel, reggae, soul, R&B, and hip-hop all smashed together. She probably could have put out an album an each of those genres and it would have gone to the top, but she combined them in a way that is uniquely hers. You know a Lauryn Hill song within 5 seconds of hearing it.
Nirvana
4/5
I shit on Nirvana a lot because I don't think they really "invented" Grunge or "revolutionized" music in the 90s. The fact is that there were plenty of other (and better) Grunge bands - they just got famous early.
Still - they are the simplest, most raw, most garage-bandy Grunge band. And they made a lot of kids want to pick up guitars and start creating music.
And - I like most of their songs. They are a good band that everyone should hear - just one of many, though. They aren't gods. :)
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I love Led Zeppelin, but I really don't know much about them or their discography - which makes it hard to judge this album against their others.
But - at the end of the day - they're the Zep, the album rocks. What more do I need to know?
The The
2/5
This album is fine - pretty solid 80s new-age, weird stuff. I like it. I just don't really care.
Radiohead
3/5
Radiohead is cool. Too cool for me I think, but I get it now.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
This album was pretty awesome, actually. I don't think I can give it a 4, but it's real, real close.
Some Kinda Love and Pale Blue Eyes are two of my new favorite songs.
Mariah Carey
1/5
Mariah Carey's voice is an amazing instrument.
But this album sucks hard. It's boring and lazy on just about every front.
Krazie Bone is cool though.
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
This genre isn't really my bad, but I kinda dug this album. It's nothing special in my book, but it was good background music while I worked on some pretty boring shit.
The War On Drugs
3/5
Never heard of this. Thought I'd hate it. Actually really enjoyed it. I'm not sure why - it was just pleasant to listen to. Nothing earth shattering, just well-executed artsy rock stuff.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Is there anyone who doesn't love this album? I'm not sure if that's possible. This is one of the greatest rock pairings of all time. So many hits came off this album, but somehow the lesser-known stuff is even better.
3/5
Bob Dylan is cool. I'm a fan of his for kinda being bad at guitar and singing and harmonica but somehow making it all work to create something unique and interesting.
Still, I'm not sure how I feel about all these live albums being on the list. All these songs are on other albums. Am I rating his performance? I don't know. It's fine.
Willie Nelson
4/5
I don't know much about Wilie's catalog or album history, but he's just good, old-fashioned, singer-songwriter awesomeness.
Maybe I'm sentimental because I recently toured the Moody Theater (where they film Austin City Limits), but I really, really like this album.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
This is okay. I mean, it's really simple and pretty - but I don't necessarily like it. Still, I appreciate it.
Soft Cell
3/5
I didn’t think I would like this album (minus the opportunity to hear Tainted Love for the first time in a long time), but it was actually pretty fun.
Some of it (like Sex Dwarf) made me real uncomfortable, but for the most part - good stuff.
Public Enemy
3/5
It's funny how many people were scared of this "Gangsta Rap" album back in the day. It's so tame compared to the how it was billed at the time.
But, it's a solid early rap album. And it is a transition from the "fun" rap (Beastie Boys, RUN DMC) to more of a direct affront to "the system" - which, unfortunately, hasn't changed much.
The Hives
2/5
Full disclosure - I liked this album. They are not my "new favourite" - but it's a decent punk rock album (by a band with a great punk rock name).
The problem is that it's about 30 years after a bunch of other (better) bands did the same thing. I'm not sure the Hives really improved upon the genre or offered anything new to it.
So, good album. But, worthy of the list? Meh.
The Byrds
3/5
The Byrds are cool. This album is a cool mix of everything that was happening at the time. It's a little British Invasion, a little Country/Blues, and little Experimental/Psychadelic Rock. And they blend it all into something that makes sense. Like I said, it's cool.
The Beach Boys
1/5
I never really cared for the Beach Boys anyway, but I was a little excited to give them another shot in the context of this list. And then - horrible disappointment.
Apparently, in the later years, the Beach Boys got away from what at least made them unique - the happy, fun surfing and driving music - and attempted to make an experimental protest album about the environment and civil unrest. That's not their bag, man.
This sounds like if the Lorax dropped acid and put his shitty poetry to music.
Mekons
2/5
I was excited about this one. I mean “Fear and Whiskey” is basically my personal mantra. Alas, while it was definitely interesting, I wasn’t a huge fan. Sorry.
Alanis Morissette
3/5
When this album first game out, I liked it enough. Then I hated it because it seemed like every song on the radio was Alanis. I think there were like 7 singles off this album?
But I’m glad I got a chance to listen to it again and surprised at how well it holds up. Sure, her voice rakes on you after a while, but her sound is unique and her lyrics are oddly hopeful and inspiring. She’s both timid and angry and shy and won’t take any shit - it’s cool. Plus - honestly - how many legit female rockers came out of the 90s? Not many.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
This album is real good. It's everything that was actually good about 90s music combined and executed to perfection. It's like you can hear every other 90s rock band in these songs - Nirvana, Our Lady Peace, Soundgarden, even like Tool or Metallica - except they do it better. Plus, every song has arc. It's not the same 3-4 chords in the same progression (or, if it is, they've arranged it in such a way that you can't tell). It's almost operatic.
This is also one of the best-produced albums I think I've ever heard. It's just so clean, even though it's so busy.
The Undertones
2/5
I mean, okay. It's fine.
Solid punk album. One of (too) many solid punk albums on this list.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
I appreciate that this band had some longevity it an industry that is notorious for producing one-hit wonders. He is a decent DJ and she is a decent singer. Good for them.
But, this is the second of their albums on this list, and I couldn't figure out why the first one made it either, so . . .
Tina Turner
2/5
I feel like I'm supposed to like this - and her - but I really don't.
Her voice is unique and cool, but the music is pure cheese (made cheesier by all the cover songs). I don't care and you can't make me.
Arrested Development
2/5
I was excited to listen to this album because I remember really liking Tennessee and Mr. Wendell growing up. Turns out, my excitement was mostly for nostalgic reasons.
I mean, the reggae/rap sound is fun. The motivational, Christian, political vibe is fine with me. But, the album didn't age well.
Mr. Wendell is still a good song, and I'll give them a small bump because my over-excitedness is partially responsible for my disappointment.
System Of A Down
3/5
I like System of A Down, but I can't really tell why. They're definitely unique - the only band I can think of that can be describe as Heavy Metal Shuffle. It's a weird mix of metal, country, and punk. Serj may also be the first one to put the microphone all the way into his mouth and scream - that's something.
I don't think this is their best album (so I assume we'll see another on the list), but it definitely made a splash as their debut and has held up.
Aphex Twin
1/5
This was dumb. I mean, kudos for doing this before GarageBand came out and made it so much easier - but I just can't bring myself to care.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
She's the Queen. The Queen of Soul. Queen of MoTown (the genre and the city). The original Diva. Aretha is a goddamn rock star, and this is probably one of the sexiest albums ever recorded.
Note 1: I had never heard her version of "A Change Gonna Come" - which was a beautiful tribute.
Note 2: I didn't know Whitney Houston's mom sang back up on this. That's cool.
The Style Council
3/5
I thought I would hate this, but I really didn't. It was pretty crisp "studio jazz" - which is okay in my book. But, it also encompassed a lot of what made the 80s the 80s (for better or worse). This guy has the stereotypical new wave vocals down, and they even through in a little hip-hop.
I'm fine with all of it.
Nirvana
3/5
I've said my piece about live albums being on this list. Would I have loved to be at this show? Yes. But, it's still a performance of songs that were part of other albums. I disagree with it being on the list in principle.
Which is too bad, because it's actually my favorite Nirvana "album" out of all of them. I'd give it a 4, but - again - under protest.
Johnny Cash
3/5
I'm not real familiar with Johnny's catalog, but I went in to this thinking, "Oh, it's from 2002 - probably a crappy last-ditch grab at relevance" - but I was pleasantly surprised.
For the most part, he stayed true to his roots, not straying from the formula. Most of the songs are about killing someone or finding someone about to die. It's odd, but I appreciate that storytelling is a big part of this genre.
Also I didn't know that "In My Life" was from this album. It's probably my favorite Man-in-Black song and I assumed it was real old. That speaks to the timelessness of his work I suppose. Still, I'm wavering between a 2-3 only because I suspect some of his earlier (better) work to be on the list as well. Oh, to hell with it.
Dr. John
2/5
Dr. John is like the Bayou Bob Dylan. Take some drugs, mumble some shit into the microphone that only makes sense to you, and become a cult music hero.
It's fun, but it's weird.
The Doors
3/5
The Doors are cool. I never really got into them. It's sloppy drug rock - but it's like the best sloppy drug rock there is maybe, so . . .
PJ Harvey
2/5
I didn't really like this. Although, it reminded me of Tool at times - which I understand is an odd comparison. But, at times, it sounded like three people trying to recreate Tool's sound in their garage. Like, it was faint and sloppy, but it was there. That was the only interesting part to me though.
JAY Z
5/5
I don't even know what makes this so good, but it's so good.
It's pure swagger, and they use real instruments. The music itself is much more complex than most rap music, and Jay-Z is just so . . . smooth, I guess is the word. I kinda hate that a lot of the credit goes to Kanye West, but whatever - he knows how to produce an album.
The Temptations
2/5
Never realized the Temptations released an "Explicit" song. This album sounds like an "end of career" album. It strays from what made the Temptations cool and tried to hard to incorporate what was commercially cool in the early 70s. Not their best work. Plus, the guy with the high voice has always annoyed me and he's featured a lot on this one.
The Fall
3/5
This was kinda shitty, but I also kinda dug it. It's like a little Talking Heads, and little punk-rock, and a little 80s New Wave all crammed together with some Wesley Willis level psychotic musings.
Bert Jansch
4/5
Never heard of this guy, but I'll listen again. It was simple and sad. I really enjoyed his guitar playing - something about it was just really beautiful.
Plus, I like the story of this album - recorded it in his friends living room, sold it to the label for $100, and then sold 150,000 copies. That's bad ass (and bad business).
5/5
I always thought U2 was a bit over-rated. I mean, people (still) treat them like they are the collective second coming of Christ.
But - I can't deny the greatness of this album. It's enjoyable and unique in a variety of ways. There are only moments of it that left me bored or annoyed (and I'll blame those moments on Brain Eno's involvement). :)
Are they a great band? Yes. Is this their best album? Probably. Should everyone hear it "before they die"? For sure.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I feel like the title of this album didn't age well. I also feel like Frank was probably an even bigger asshole/womanizer/alcoholic/mafia pawn that we'll ever realize.
But, the dude can croon. He's probably the best at it. I'll rate this album higher than I want to because he certainly made his mark, and because - Sinatra aside - his band kicks ass.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
You can tell LB took a back seat on this album. It's still good in the sense that the talent and musicianship is there, but I still find this album mostly boring. It feels lazy (especially after Rumors).
Billy Joel
5/5
I kinda hate and love Billy Joel at the same time. It’s so cheesy and corny, but I also crank every song and jam to it. Same with Bon Jovi. Plus I think every song on this album charted excepted for like two. That’s impressive.
Le Tigre
3/5
I’m a sucker for female punk, so I really dig this. I was a tad annoyed that the vocal are so far off in the background, but I also think her voice would have gotten to me of it were any louder - so, nicely done I guess.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
This Marley album sounds way happier than I feel like it should. Yeah, he’s still singing about injustices (and some other stuff), but it seemed disingenuous on this album for some reason. Maybe it’s hard to sing about being oppressed when you’ve had several successful albums?
The Modern Lovers
3/5
I had heard (and am a fan of) Roadrunner, but I was pessimistic about this album being on the list. But - I liked it.
It's a nice "bridge" album. There some 60s Animals vibe (with the guitar tones and organ), a 70s punk-rock feel, and it's a clear pre-cursor to the 80s new wave stuff that would come after.
I like it.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
You could play me just about any Tom Petty song and ask me to guess what year it came out - and I might be off by as much as 15 years in either direction. This dude basically stayed true to his "vibe" and rode it for 4+ decades. These songs would have been hits whether they were released in the 60s or the early 2000's. They're timeless (most of them).
Still, you could hear TP and the HB figuring it out a little bit in this debut album (which isn't a bad thing). It's more eclectic than I remember some of his other albums being. Great stuff.
Carole King
5/5
I'm a fan of Carole King's music, but I never really dug real deep into it. So, I'll put my ignorance on full display here by acknowledging that I had no idea she played the piano (or even how piano-driven these songs really are) - which made me appreciate her (and this album) even more.
There are a ton of great songs on here. Way Over Yonder is a beautiful song that I was previously unaware of - one of my new favorites.
This recent listen also made me realize how much of an influence King must have been on Grace Potter, who I think is amazing.
For all of those reasons, I'm bumping what everything in me says is a "high 4" up to a solid 5.
Heaven 17
1/5
I mostly hated this entire thing.
CHIC
2/5
I'm not a fan of Disco, but - I suppose - there should be one or two albums representing the genre on this list.
I'm still not sure what makes it special. I do like the bass lines and it seems to be well-produced.
The Who
3/5
I like The Who, but this is not my favorite of their albums. Still, it's pretty classic Who. I enjoyed it, but I found myself less "engaged" with it than their other stuff - it was just kinda on in the background.
The Replacements
2/5
This seems like a pretty typical alt/punk album. I'm not sure what makes it special, but I enjoyed most of it. This is the stuff I loved growing up, so my enjoyment of it was probably more nostalgia than anything.
Jeff Beck
4/5
Jeff Beck is good at guitar. And - even after gaining some notoriety with the Yardbirds - it's super impressive to get Rod, Ronnie, and half of Led Zepplin on your debut album.
From a technical perspective, it's not his best work, but it's fucking fun. I love the whole album.
Sebadoh
2/5
I'm not real sure about this one. I don't mind the "sloppy" indie-punk vibe when it's done well, but I can't tell if this is sloppy on purpose or if they really just aren't good musicians. The album seemed disconnected as well. It's like they couldn't decide if they wanted to be Nirvana, or the Cure, or Radiohead.
Still, there were some bright spots. I really enjoyed "Happily Divided" and "Think" - so it wasn't a horrible experience.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
This was pretty good background music for the work day. I have nothing really to compare it to.
OutKast
4/5
This album (these albums?) are loooooong. It took me three days to get through it. But - I love it.
OutKast is like their own genre. It's rap, sure - but it's like everything wrapped into one (funk, gospel, crooner, broadway, rock). The production level and sheer number of people involved in this is impressive.
Definitely a must-listen.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I love Stevie. I could listen to any of his music basically all day long. That said, this isn't my favorite of his albums and I'm not real sure why it's on the list (unless ALL of his albums are on the list). This one is more background music for me (except for Higher Ground, which is one of my all time favorites of his).
Frank Zappa
3/5
I always dismissed Zappa as being unnecessarily weird, but I actually kinda dug this album. It was definitely weird, but also had a New Orleans bluesy/jazzy thing that was actually unique and interesting.
Kid Rock
2/5
It's tough to balance the nostalgia I have for this album with the general disdain I have for present-day Kid Rock.
But - objectively - this album did not age well. When the biggest boast on your rap album is that you now have that "fuckin' Matchbox 20 money" - you may not be as bad ass as you thought you were.
Most of the album is still "fun" to listen to, but not as much as it used to be. It's full of old (bad) hip-hop cliches and tropes. He reuses rhymes. Each song is the same 2-bar guitar riff repeated for five minutes.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
I never listened to this band much when they were putting stuff out, and - honestly - I probably would have hated it at the time. But now, it’s hitting me at the right time.
I can’t even explain what I like about it - the music is cool, there is some fun wordplay, but nothing objectively special. Still - I really like it.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
This album is okay-enough. She has an interesting voice and overall vibe, but it's really hard to differentiate any of the songs on this album. It all kinda sounds the same.
I feel like it would have been better if she either went full-acoustic (instead of a faint electric guitar with lame effects) or leaned all the way in the the electric sound with a full band and really rocked these suckers out. Overall, meh.
Metallica
2/5
I never listened to this band much when they were putting stuff out, and - honestly - I probably would have hated it at the time. But now, it’s hitting me at the right time.
I can’t even explain what I like about it - the music is cool, there is some fun wordplay, but nothing objectively special. Still - I really like it.
John Lennon
3/5
I never listened to this before, but I like it. It’s kinda Beatles, kinda new. There’s some passive aggressiveness towards Paul. I dig it.
The Who
4/5
There’s a couple duds on here but overall The Who’s best album. Not sure there’s a better first/last track combo. Wicked.
Cocteau Twins
1/5
I listened to this in an airport and it was decent background music while waiting to board the plane. It actually ended right as they announced that the boarding process would start - so that’s cool. Otherwise, I didn’t care.
Duran Duran
3/5
I’m not a huge fan of this genre, but I like Duran Duran. That has to mean something right?
Couple of if their best songs are on this album.
Joy Division
2/5
See previous review. I'm not sure one of their albums was worthy of the list. Two is definitely pushing it.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
I've already said my piece about how soundtracks shouldn't be on this list.
But, I still really enjoyed this music. It was a mix of cultures, styles, genres, and even eras that somehow worked together. I almost want to see the movie now.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
This isn't normally my thing, but I really enjoyed this album. Fine for Now and While You Wait for the Others were standout tracks in my opinion.
In general, I just liked most of the melodies and the simplistic-sounding recording. It was very pleasant.
I can't quite get to 4 stars on this, but it's a solid 3+
Gene Clark
3/5
This was a good album. I enjoyed it. Not sure what makes it worthy of the list, but it was something I had never heard of before - so it was worth the time.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Another movie soundtrack! That's two in a week!
Whatever, it's cool. Pusherman and Superfly - great tunes.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
This was a fun album. It kept me interested and "boppin' along" the whole time - which is more than most studio jazz does for me.
Public Enemy
2/5
It's funny to think of how scared people were of this type of "gangsta rap" when it first came out. Even I remember being scared to listen to it, just based on it's reputations. And I get it - the message is intimidating to assholes trying to stay in power (which is the point), but the music itself is still so early "hip hop" that it's hard to have any real negative reaction to it.
Still, this album is real busy. There's too much going on at once through most of it (which I know was innovative in the genre at the time), but it just seemed messy.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Hendrix is the shit. It’s crazy to think that an artist could lock in on their sound in a debut album. It’s quintessential Jimi right from the jump. So many bangers on this one. It’s damn near perfect.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
Cathy’s Clown is classic, but this album all kinda sounds the same. It’s a too-clean, watered-down attempt at blues by two white dudes. They have a unique sound, but I’m not really keen on the two-part harmony vibe. There’s a reason only them, Hall and Oates, and Wham have tried it.
I guess it’s is what’s sock hop would have sounded like? No thanks.
Pavement
3/5
I’m not sure what makes this special. It’s cool, and they definitely have a different sound than most 90s bands while not straying too far from the formula.
It’s a little like Third Eye Blind but sloppy and more punk I guess. It’s fine.
Foo Fighters
4/5
I love the Foo Fighters. IMO, they are one of the greatest rock bands of all time. I also love this album - but more for the story than the music. This album was a therapeutic experience for Dave that he didn’t necessarily mean for anyone to hear. He recorded it in a week and it consists of stuff he wrote prior to or during his time with Nirvana, which raises so many questions about what the future of nirvana may have sounded like.
There are some great songs in here and some that are clearly him finding his voice. Whatever it is, I love it.
The Killers
4/5
The Killers are cool. I always talk about how cool they are, but - honestly - I'm not sure I ever really listened to anything other than what's on the radio.
So - I was happy to discover that the album lived up to the expectation I had set. It's kinda punky, kinda indie, and just weird enough to keep me interested. Definitely a unique sound. Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll was a standout track for me.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Hey - it's the most recent album on the list, so that's impressive.
I wouldn't say I'm a TS fan, but - whatever - I get it. She's a good storyteller, good songwriter, and she comes across as genuine. And this is definitely better than her first few country/pop albums. It seems much less radio friendly and more "artsy" - which I appreciate.
Air
2/5
I don't get this "music" - not that it's bad, I just can't get into it. The first song (which appears to be the only one anyone else on Amazon Music ever listened to) was pretty good, then it fell way off for me.
Gene Clark
2/5
Never heard of this. Read the wikipedia page about how the studio wasted a lot of money on it, it was a commercial failure and overall disappointment, and then - suddenly - was rediscovered and met with acclaim.
They should have just left it in storage. It's uninspired. Not special.
Brian Eno
2/5
When I told someone that there is no such thing as "ambient music" (which, to me, means "background noise"), they responded that "ambient music is ambient sound, but well-organized."
I stand by my original statement.
The album is appropriately named, however. I've been in airports and heard this same type of thing in the background. I just normally put my headphones in (or hang out at the PF Chang's Airport Bar).
John Martyn
3/5
First track caught me a little off guard and I was sure I was going to hate this.
But, there's a few Neil Young (and even some Johnny Cash) vibes that I dig. At times it even felt a little "punk folk" - if that's a genre.
He's got a unique sound and style. I dig the mostly acoustic, singer-songwriter thing. And, the album art is cool (which should count for something).
David Bowie
3/5
Bowie is cool. Probably too cool for me because I don't always get the hype - but this is a good album. He's unique. It's fun. I dig it.
Shuggie Otis
2/5
Love this dude's name. I'm not sure if Shuggie is his birthname or a nickname. Or, maybe his first name is Otis and "shuggie" is like a cool adjective that describes him? Like, "Man, you are shuggie, Otis."
Either way, that was the most interesting part of this album.
Nick Drake
4/5
I really liked this album. It's probably getting a higher rating because I had never heard it before and it out-performed my expectations for it.
It's simple and authentic. Well done, Mr. Drake.
Sam Cooke
3/5
Again, not sure live albums should be on this list. But, he’s a great singer/performer and this would have been a great fucking show.
Paul Simon
4/5
Paul Simon is cool. This album has a few of my favorites by him, but - while I appreciate his “discovery” of African music - it feels more like watered-down appropriation at times than it should. It’s one thing to be influenced by other music and another to try to replicate it for commercial gain. I’m not sure which category this falls into.
Still, musically, I like it.
2Pac
4/5
He's the most authentic rapper that ever was. It's not posturing or braggadocios. He's just laying out things as he sees them, for better or worse.
I don't know that I can compare one of his albums to another. To me, they're all pretty great. Solid all the way through.
Beastie Boys
4/5
I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I think I like this better than License to Ill. Maybe that's just because the former is so familiar and the latter is much less so. But, in many ways, it's better. Not as "raw" as LtI, but thoughtfully-produced I would say. They show some more range on this one.
The Streets
5/5
I fucking love this album. Never heard it before, but it speaks to me in so many ways. Obviously, it's got that British-angsty-goofy (but still melancholy) thing going for it. It's classic British story-telling too. It brought me the same level of joy I get from watching Snatch or Lock Stock and the rest of those brilliant movies. It's just so "every day / nothing special" but conveyed in a way that sucks you in. Plus, having the first song being about losing 1000 pounds and the last one about finding it gave a nice sense of closure - like I just lived through something with this guy. Love it.
Van Halen
3/5
"Van Halen, not Van Hagar" - Joe Dirt
Eddie is a great guitarist, and Van Halen is a decent 80s rock band. This is probably their best album and they definitely have a distinct sounds - so, therefore, worthy of the list. But - still - it kinda sounds like the opening scene from Back to the Future where Marty cranks up all those amps and, upon striking the first chord, blows them all up in a blaze of feedback and smoke - except it lasts for 30 minutes.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I've always had mixed feelings about the Chili Peppers. I feel like I should like them more than I do, but I find it difficult to care about them at all.
I feel the same way about he Eagles - like the the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Like, Anthony is a great front man, Flea's amazing, John (and Navarro before him) are solid rock guitarists - but, still, I get bored listening to them after a while.
All that to say, this album is probably their best and deserving of being on the list. Unique, recognizable sound that's solidly executed. Put any one of these songs on and I'm rocking out right along with them. Put 2 or more on in a row and I'll zone out.
Aerosmith
2/5
Some good stuff on here, but I wouldn't say it's their best work.
The Cure
2/5
The Cure is cool, but I'm not real familiar with their catalog to be honest. I just never really got that into them.
Listened to this yesterday, but forgot to take notes. Now I honestly can't even remember what it sounded like. That can't be a great sign.
Oasis
4/5
Oasis tried really hard to be the Beatles of the mid-nineties. I'd argue that they succeeded in many ways. The music is clearly rooted in the Beatles, they blew up fast and ended quickly, they were dysfunctional in all the most interesting ways. Liam and Noel. John and Paul. Which one was the real talent? Who needed who more?
Anyway, this band was like the soundtrack of most of my high school career. Love it. "Morning Glory" is better, but this is a solid album. Married with Children is the perfect song to end on.
The Who
2/5
This would have been a fun show to be at, but it's not an "album" - how many times do I have to say that?
Spiritualized
3/5
I thought for sure this was gonna be too weird, but it turned out to be just weird enough. I liked it.
Funkadelic
3/5
This is funk at its finest.
The Blue Nile
3/5
Pretty solid mid-80s album that I'd never heard. Little Talking Heads, little U2, little somthin' unique to them. Kudos, gents.
The Avalanches
4/5
I thought I was going to hate this, but I actually really enjoyed it. Not typically my cup of tea, but it was quite good.
Cheap Trick
1/5
This album sucks real bad. It's like when you go to a restaurant and the pictures of food on the menu look disgusting. Like, if you can't make it look good for the menu, how shitty will it be when you actually bring it to the table. That's what Cheap Trick live is like. The recording sucks, so it sucks worse live.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Pretty groovy. I had heard a few random things by PJ just in passing, but I liked this album. It's fun and depressing all at the same time. Definitely unique. Well done, Miss Harvey.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Tracy Chapman is boss. So sincere and authentic. Pure soul. I love her.
Queen
3/5
Queen's a great band, but we don't need to put all of their albums on this list. This one is okay in the grand scheme of things.
Eminem
3/5
I'm a big fan of this guy, but this isn't his best album. I get that it's "Marshal" - not Eminem or Slim Shady - so it's more "real" or whatever. This album's just a little too angry for my taste. But, it's still good.
ABBA
2/5
Never been a big ABBA fan (or even a little ABBA fan), but I get it. Contextually, this would have been fun if I were a child of the 70s.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
So, Nick Cave is Australia's sad, less-talented version of Johnny Cash?
Joking aside, the lyrics are great - poetic even. But - and I say this genuinely - it would have been more enjoyable as poetry than as music. The music and Cave's vocals left a lot to be desired.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Mellow, folksy awesomeness.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
Pretty good. I vibed to this one.
Jacques Brel
3/5
I keep saying that live albums don't belong on this list - and I stand by it.
But, I will say, this album doesn't sound live. It's musically simple enough that it sounds "clean" - like it could have been recorded in studio. Also, the audience is completely inaudible except for in between songs - which I think is a testament to the way in which Brel must have had them captivated.
He certainly has a classic, crooner voice. He's good. The songs are pretty.
Julian Cope
4/5
First time listening to this (or really anything by Cope as far as I can remember), but I really dug it.
It was fun, but also musically interesting. His vocals are just bad enough that it's endearing. Great album. Will listen again.
4/5
The Kinks are cool. They were like a little more "punk" version of the Beatles. Really enjoyed this one.
Pixies
4/5
I never actually listened to this album - despite being well-aware of its existence. It was never really more to me than a pop culture reference that I heard other artists swooning about. It was probably the "I'm too cool to listen to the thing you think is cool" part of me that prevented me from ever caring enough to give it a shot.
But, I get it. It's a great punk album. It's different. It's impressive for a debut album. No complaints.
Circle Jerks
3/5
I'm trying not to hate on this being only 15 minutes long. I get it - it's a real punk rock thing to do.
So - outside of the brevity - it's a solid, early-80s punk rock album. Exactly what I'd expect. I can definitely hear how this influenced later bands. Good on you, Circle Jerks.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
The BOSS! So many bangers on this album.
Not sure what more to say. Bruce is a great mix of like Petty, the Stones, Johnny Cash, and everything else that's good about music.
The Clash
4/5
Quintessential punk rock band doing what they do best.
Dead Kennedys
4/5
I'm glad that this album fell right after The Clash. I know they weren't released that far apart from each other, but I feel like the Dead Kennedys successfully picked up the torch from 70's-era punk and passed it on to the Green Days and Nirvanas of the 90s.
I feel like this album represents a little bit of a fork in the road too. Like, if you make it just a little more radio friendly, it's 90's alt-rock - a little louder and it's 90s metal.
For that reason, it gets a small bump in my rating.
David Bowie
3/5
I was never a big Bowie fan. I'm still not.
He's weird in a cool way, and he definitely took a more artsy approach to composing, recording, and performing this music. I appreciate it, but I just can't bring myself to enjoy it.
Small Faces
3/5
This album was fun. I can't say much more about it. I have no real critiques or compliments. It was just fun.
Ryan Adams
5/5
I know he's reportedly a big-league asshole, but I love this guy's music. This is clearly (in my opinion) his best album. There isn't a song on here that I don't love. I listened to the whole album twice. It's so good.
Queen Latifah
3/5
Listening to this "old-school" style is a little comical now that I'm in my 40s. This was such hard-hitting, scary stuff back in the day, but now it sounds so basic.
But - it's still awesome, and Latifah did it just as well as her male counterparts.
4/5
Finally - a Bowie album I can get behind!
This has to be his best album right?
I have no complaints.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
It's still odd to hear "early" Stones when they were obviously fighting to figure out if they were a rock band or a country band. Ultimately, they made the right choice.
Gimme Shelter and You Can't Always Get What You Want are standouts (obviously) - the perfect opener and closer. Hearing "Country Honk" was pretty cool too.
The album really give you a sense of who the Stones were and where they were headed (sans Bryan).
Electric Light Orchestra
2/5
Pretty impressive elevator music - but elevator music all the same.
I wanted to like this album because - honestly - it's full of really well-written, interesting songs. It's just that they seemed to have recorded them in a way that makes them sound as uninteresting as possible. I feel like if you took these songs and had Queen or Chicago or even REO Speedwagon record them, they'd all be hit songs. Alas, they removed all the guitars, horns, and keys that make those bands cool.
Beatles
5/5
This is probably my favorite Beatles album. I think I like it because, in a sense, you can hear "all" of what the Beatle were throughout their career. It's a little bit "poppy" early 60's Beatles with hints of what their later albums would bring.
I also like that most of the songs are about loneliness and heartbreak. It feels like the most authentically-Beatles Beatles album.
Richard Hawley
3/5
I was sure I was going to hate this album by about two songs in, but it actually kinda grew on me. It's a real folksy, melancholy thing that I dig.
The Smiths
4/5
What are the odds that I get this album the day after Elizabeth II dies? I'd say not great. Had a buddy of mine who's also going through the list check to see if he got the same one. He didn't, but he did get an album by . . . Queen! Good on you, 1001 Albums Generator team!
Anyway, this album is good stuff. I never really got into the Smiths when my friends in high school did. In fairness, I don't think they really liked them - they just thought it was cool to say they liked them. For me, I'm glad I didn't really listen to most of their stuff until I was older. I appreciate it more.
GZA
2/5
GZA is an OG and a solid rapper, but he was not at the top of my list of favorite Wu Tang alum. This album is okay, but the beat/music is actually pretty "cheap" and distracting on most of these tracks. My favorite parts were not GZA, but the features by other rappers. Just okay.
The Lemonheads
3/5
Had heard of the Lemonheads, but never really paid attention. It's good stuff.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
Pretty weird, but I like it. Any band that is “unknown” but can still get Lou Reed and Boy George to guest star is pretty cool in my book!
Public Enemy
3/5
How many PE albums are on here? I think this is the third one for me. They’re all pretty good but it’s really hard to distinguish between them.
5/5
One of my favorite albums. I'll acknowledge my bias as a child of the 90s and admit that it may not be as great as I think it is. There's a fair bit of nostalgia creeping in.
Still - I've listened to this album hundreds of times and I still love every song on it. I let out an audible "Yes!" when I saw it pop up on my list. Objectively, I think it holds up as one of the best albums of the 90s. It epitomizes what that decade was.
New Order
3/5
This genre isn't really my bag, but this was a solid album. Normally, I'd expect to like a song or two on something like this, but there was a consistent quality from start to finish on this. It's still not really my thing, but I'll give them credit for at least keeping my interest the whole way through. Well done.
Saint Etienne
2/5
This is like if Madonna sucked even more than she already does.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
Pretty easy to see why this is one of the most popular Salsa albums of all time. It's easily the best one I've ever heard (out of the 3-5 I've heard).
Even without knowing much about the genre, I can tell that this is "good" - there's something about it, from start to finish, that sets it apart.
The Mars Volta
3/5
Got some Tool vibes from this one that I really enjoyed. I kinda scoffed at a "prog rock" album at first, but I actually dug this. Flea is cool.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Stevie is awesome. One of my favorite things to watch is people karaoke to Stevie - they never really how difficult it truly is to sing his stuff. He makes it sounds so easy, but it's really on a whole other level.
That said, I'm not sure this is his best album. Still, some real bangers on here.
DJ Shadow
4/5
Thought I would hate this. I was expecting it to be like an hour of Sandstorm by Darude.
But I was pleasantly surprised. Loved that he samplemteal instruments and not all synths. Some real contemporary beats in here.
Lana Del Rey
4/5
I can really appreciate LDR, I just can't decide if I like her music. Objectively, she's a great singer/artist with a unique sound. The whole album was interesting to me, and I enjoyed it in that sense. But, I don't know if I "liked" it. I'm in a weird space with this one.
Still - high marks as I do believe the album is deserving of being on the list. It's definitely a must-hear.
Sparks
2/5
I kinda hated this album. I'm not saying that Glam Rock is easy to pull off, but there just wasn't really anything special about this one.
M.I.A.
3/5
I never really knew what to think about MIA - and I still don’t. In a way, this album is kinda childish and stupid and chaotic, but - at the same time - there’s a structure and some thought and some real artsy uniqueness to it.
Definitely worth a listen.
David Bowie
3/5
I'll admit that Bowie is maybe starting to grow on me. I also enjoyed this album more than the others I've listened to on this list - some pretty obvious Rolling Stones influence on this one.
Still, enough of these albums. Thank you.
Madonna
3/5
I hate Madonna so much. But, she's an icon and ONE of her albums should definitely be on this list for posterity's sake. That ONE album should be this one. It's Madonna in her prime (not teeny-bopper Madonna or old, washed-up Madonna).
Giving it a one-star bump out of respect, but it's a 2 at best.
Air
3/5
Again, I don't think soundtracks should be on this list. You're only getting half of the artist's intended effect by listening to "songs" that were written to accompany something visual.
But, based solely on listening, this is pretty cool. It almost makes me want to watch the movie - even though I won't because I heard it doesn't do justice to the book (which I haven't read). :)
The Verve
4/5
The Verve is so cool. So is the Verve Pipe - though maybe not quite as much. They are, in fact different bands for anyone still wondering.
This is like mean, gritty Oasis and I love it.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
I'm not sure if this is "music" so much as it is, like, beatnik hip-hop - which is still cool.
It's quite interesting (and sad) to listen to an album from so long a go that seems to outline some real current and critical issues (climate, poverty, xenophobia, corporate greed, etc.).
ABBA
3/5
I never understood the hype around ABBA. They aren't really anything special in my opinion. I'm glad a lot of people enjoy them. I don't.
But - of the songs/albums I've heard by them, this is (so far) the least annoying. Worthy of a spot on the list - if only to preserve ABBA for posterity's sake.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Love this album. Their best, in my opinion. I have no more words.
Hawkwind
1/5
Why are the worst albums always so long?
This sounds like a garage band that formed hell-bent on becoming the next Black Sabbath but then just got way more in to the drugs part than the rock and roll.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
Never heard this before. Love the name, and really dug the music. It probably helps that I'm also a fan of the Byrds. :)
Koffi Olomide
2/5
I normally give a 3-star, middle-of-the-road rating to most of these world music albums, simply because I don't feel like I know enough about the genres/cultures to rate it.
However, I didn't like this one. Even without speaking the language, I get a real creepy vibe from this guy. Also, the music and his vocals are subpar.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
This should be on the 5 albums to listen to before you die list. It epitomized rock and roll. One of the greatest albums ever recorded.
The Roots
3/5
I'm not quite cool enough for The Roots, but I do enjoy them.
This album was a little odd with all of the "interludes" - I enjoyed two-thirds of the songs, the rest were just kinda weird. Still, solid album.
Deep Purple
3/5
Pretty typical 70s drug-rock. Well executed drug-rock, though - the genre at its best.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Pretty classic folk. Dug it.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
This is a solid album, but I'm not quite sure I should listen to it before I die. Just okay. Top-to-bottom okay.
MGMT
4/5
I had heard more songs from this album than I realized (without even really knowing they were all by the same band) - so that was a nice surprise. But then, I also really dug all the songs that I hadn't heard before. This is a solid, fun album.
The Cure
3/5
What’s the cure for The Cure? Just kidding. I don’t hate this band, I just never really got into them. This album is good, but I can’t bring myself to care that much.
Iron Maiden
4/5
These dudes have to be one of the tightest, crispest metal bands of all time. It’s not just “trash” metal or “death” metal - there’s an art to it. They are talented musicians who used their skill for evil! Rarrr!
Just kidding - but this album is awesome.
Fugazi
3/5
Pretty cool punk band.
Elvis Costello
4/5
Elvis Costello is the coolest Elvis.
Def Leppard
3/5
The songs that were released to the radio are awesome. The rest barely qualify as music. That's not a knock against DL, I think it's just how they did business. They kept recording knowing that roughly every fourth song they wrote would be a hit. Not a bad way to get rich.
Yes
2/5
Not for me. Thanks.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
4/5
I wasn't holding out a lot of hope for this based on the name and the cover art, but it's true what they say about assumptions.
I really liked this album. It was really ahead of its time given the whole "do you love" theme, connected tracks that bleed together, and the fact that they seem to have beaten everyone to the drug-rock era (clear and obvious influence on the Doors and others). I'm giving it a bump in the rating just for being early to this scene.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
Not sure how this made the list, but I am sure why he only made one album.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
LC is cool. This isn't my favorite album of his, but it's still solid.
Traffic
3/5
I liked the parts where they weren't singing. They jammed when they were just playing.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I said it before, and I'll say it again - Elvis Costello is a cool cat. This isn't my favorite album of his, but - top to bottom - solid stuff.
Willie Nelson
5/5
Willie! Timeless. Classic. Genius.
The Specials
4/5
This was truly special. I'd say it was a nice blend of reggae and ska. There were 2-3 songs on here that I really enjoyed (married couple was probably my favorite), but they were all solid tracks. Pleasant surprise on a Wednesday.
The Black Keys
4/5
The Black Keys are cool. Two dudes, rockin' out. Love it.
Moby
4/5
Moby was on the in-store rotation when I worked at Sam Goody in the late-90s - early 2000s. I actually saw him in concert (he opened for Bush - which was the weirdest combo I've ever seen).
A few of these songs are really cool, most of them didn't hold up as well as I had hoped. Still, I respect what the guy did. This form of composition isn't easy and he pulled it off in an interesting way that actually became quite popular - making serious noise among the punk-pop/boy-band era. I respect him for that.
Despite Eminem's dig against Moby ("nobody listens to techno!") - he actually did turn a new generation on to this, which is cool.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
I never really got the appeal of this group. Definitely some classics on here and (I suppose) an iconic album in some senses. I guess I just prefer the dirty hippie music to the more polished, happy, sunshiny hippies.
Peter Tosh
3/5
This guy likes weed. He's cool enough I guess. I'm not sure what separates him from others in the genre (that's on me, though, not him).
Overall, pretty cool
The Clash
5/5
The Clash is so cool. I feel like they're one of those bands that influenced a lot of other genres. Punk rock bands, pop artists, ska groups, even heavy metal thrashers all drew (at least a little bit) from something the Clash did.
I also like that they stay true to their version of punk rock, but that the songs still feel varied and unique. Most punk rock albums (especially ones that end up over the hour mark like this one does) end up feeling very repetitive. This doesn't. It's all different, but all very clearly The Clash.
James Taylor
4/5
The original JT! So smooth. Iconic.
Alice Cooper
2/5
This is the second Alice Cooper album I've been disappointed in. I had an image of him in my mind as this larger-than-life "shock rocker" growing up, but never really listened to much of his music (outside of what they played on the classic rock stations). In reality, his music seems kinda hollow and gimmicky.
This one was better than the last one though. So there's that.
Wilco
4/5
Wilco is weird in the coolest way. They’re hard to pin down. I’m not really sure what genre they’re in or who to compare them to - but that’s probably what makes them cool. Really dig this one.
Elvis Costello
4/5
Elvis Costello is consistently awesome.
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
Instrumentally, I really dig this - but the vocals (not just his voice but the actually melodies) are annoying.
Music 5. Vocals 1. Avg = 3
Goldie
1/5
Not sure I'll be able to finish this one. I mean - good God it's so long. It seems like there's either nothing going on and it's putting me to sleep, or there's too much going on and it's annoying.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
I had heard some random Flaming Lips stuff in the late 90s, but never bothered to listen to a whole album. I'm not sure where this one rates in their catalog, but I really enjoyed it. It was fun and trippy, but you could also hear the 90s grunge/rock/pop sound in there. They put a unique spin on the stuff I grew up with.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Flea's cool, but I never really got into the RHCP. Don't get me wrong - there are a few great songs on this album, but I can only take their "style" for about 3 of them and then I'm out.
Still, they warrant a spot on the list given how recognizable of a sound they created.
Paul Simon
4/5
This is probably my favorite Paul Simon album. It's his second, so he had time to shake off the rest of the Garfunkel, but he hadn't yet started appropriating African culture.
Dolly Parton
5/5
Classic country by a classic (and classy) singer/songwriter. Iconic.
Pulp
3/5
Pretty solid English rock.
1/5
Yes? No.
Beatles
5/5
I probably still like Revolver and Rubber Soul a little better, but they're all 5 stars in my book. Great album. George was really starting to come into his own and contribute in a meaningful way. I know they took some slack for all of the effects and instrumentation, but they were really pioneers in retrospect.
Tom Waits
3/5
I like Tom Waits, but this one was just okay for me.
George Jones
4/5
Again, not really my genre, but mad respect for these classic country artists. They were "real" country storytellers and singer/songwriters.
Germs
3/5
This reminds me of all the songs that Jay and Silent Bob dance to outside the Qwik Stop. I never got much into this scene, but wikipedia says the Germs basically invented hard core punk - so I’ll give them that. Pat Smears is cool.
Billie Holiday
3/5
Clearly a great voice and worthy of the list as it represents an entire genre/era. I don’t really like it though.
Rod Stewart
4/5
I never really followed his discography, but this has to be his best album, right?
Missy Elliott
4/5
Missy is a badass. Even without listening the the album, just reading the liner notes and seeing who is featured on it would tell you how much respect the industry has for her. She can rap, she can sing, the beats are unique and not repetitive. It's just a fun album.
I was actually surprised at how well this album held up. I think I actually like it even more now than I did when it came out.
The Damned
1/5
I can't bring myself to care about this one at all.
Screaming Trees
4/5
I didn't expect much from this, but I actually really enjoyed it. These dudes kinda combined all of the 90s bands into one, unique sound. There were shades of Nirvana, Collective Soul, Our Lady Peace, REM, and a few others.
Really interesting listen. I didn't know a single song before I hit play but ended up humming or singing along to almost all of them.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
I don't like country, but I also think that's an unfair tag for Kacey. She's really invented a unique mashup of country, pop, and folk that I really like. Slow Burn and Rainbow are two standouts and maybe make for one of the best first/last track combos I can think of.
Beautiful voice, smart song writing, simple melodies. I dig it.
Gil Scott-Heron
2/5
H20Gate Blues was cool - that's kinda what I thought the whole album would be. Unfortunately, the rest of it was pretty lame.
David Bowie
3/5
Thank goodness that's over. I (still) really can't get into Bowie. A few of the songs on every album are really cool, but maybe he should have thrown those songs on like 4 albums and not put out 25 weird-for-the-sake-of-weird albums.
I do understand the appeal though. I appreciate it. I just don't like it.
Fairport Convention
4/5
This was really good. I don’t think the “folk” tag is 100% fair - a few of these tracks were real rocky, i.e. the Sailors song. The likely influence of this album on Stevie Nicks, Heart, and others that followed is pretty cool.
Tim Buckley
2/5
This was pretty fun. Nothing special, but pretty fun.
Dire Straits
4/5
These guys are underrated by a lot of people (including me). I always forget how good of a guitar player Knopfler is. They have a unique and recognizable sound, and this is a better than average debut album.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
All of this guys albums deserve to be on the list. However, this is not my favorite album of his. It’s good, but pales in comparison to a few of his others.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
The best hip hop group’s best album.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
I love Ella - she has a classic, generational voice. Gershwin was a great composer. But - I don’t have 3+ hours to listen to this. I assume it’s awesome.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Lou Read and VU are awesome but this this one was kinda meh for me.
Kanye West
4/5
Kanye is a mess but this is an above average hip-hop album and an impressive debut.
Mike Oldfield
2/5
This definitely sounded like tubular bells. It was good background music while I painted my kid's room, but not really my cup of tea.
Bob Dylan
4/5
This is the most Bob-Dylany Bob Dylan album I think. It's probably his best (in my opinion). Not sure what else to say.
Cornershop
4/5
I wasn't overly excited about another British pop\punk album - but I really enjoyed this one. It's definitely everything I love about 90s music, but with some obvious and interesting cultural and world-music influences that makes it unique. "Cool Shit" was immediately added to my Summer BBQ playlist and was a standout track for me. But, it was all good.
The Cramps
2/5
I can hear how this was influential on some other bands - bands that I enjoy listening to more than I did listening to the Cramps.
The Band
3/5
Solid album by a solid band. I can't say I love it, but I definitely don't hate it either. I mean that in the best possible way. Like, it's good all the way through, but it doesn't "do" much for me either.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Good voice, probably a shit person. Outside of this list, I only ever listen to Frank when I’m eating at weddings - and that’s not by choice.
Beastie Boys
3/5
Great album. Not AS great as License to Ill, but still solid. It's clear that Kid Rock tried (and failed) to emulate this album with a lot of his early stuff, but I won't blame "the Boys" for Kid Rock. He was bound to happen.
Lucinda Williams
4/5
Objectively, this is a really good album. She influenced and outlasted artists like Sheryl Crow and KT Tunstall. Good voice, great story-telling. Good shit.
T. Rex
4/5
I went back and looked at my review of the last T. Rex. In that review, I admitted my bias having read their story and about their connection to the Beatles. This time, remembering how much I liked that other album maybe got me a little too excited.
This album is still great, and of course "Band the Gong" is them (I never knew who sang that song but always loved it). Still, it was a little disappointing based on the high expectations I had for it. That's not their fault. I want to give this a 4 because I think it's deserving. But I also want to give it a 3 because it's not as good as the other one (which I rated a 4).
Screw it. Low 4 (not to be confused with the High 4 last time).
Amy Winehouse
4/5
She was awesome. Great voice, great attitude, and it comes through on just about every track.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
I said no live albums. Especially not this one. It’s sloppy.
Steve Earle
4/5
Steve Earle is cool. I’d consider him “real” country music. The twang ain’t faked. The drawl is real. The reverb is awesome. There’s a clear influence on artist like Dwight Yokam and others who I’d consider the last real country artists. Great album.
Derek & The Dominos
5/5
This, objectively, a great album by a talented group of musicians. It’s also worthy of the list given they were one-and-done. Still, my gut tells me it’s still a 4. That might be because Clapton’s style is so familiar at this point that it’s hard to give this the appreciation that a fresh set of ears might have. Also, he kinda turned in to a crazy old man and I can’t get that part out of my head. Still, the album. The album is a 5.
Pixies
2/5
Never really got the appeal of the Pixies. They’re fun, but so what?
Sonic Youth
3/5
I really liked a few of these tracks, but really hated a few others.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Never heard this. It’s real pretty. And unique for an album sandwiched in between centuries. I dig it.
Green Day
4/5
It’s not Dookie, but it’s probably, technically better. I’m too big of a fan to rate Green Day objectively, but i won’t apologize.
The Doors
4/5
The Doors are one of those bands that is iconic and also not that good. Even so, this album is basically their greatest hits. Just about every “good” Doors song is on this album - which makes it a no-brainer for the list. I’m giving it a bump based on that deserved mess, but -musically - it’s a 3 at best.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Didn’t know what to think about this going in. I was ready to give it my standard “3” for world music that I don’t know enough about to fairly judge. But - maybe because it’s more recent or maybe because I just really dig the bluesy vibe - I’m breaking my rule and bumping this one up.
I’ll come back to this one.
Wire
2/5
This was okay. Honestly, I listened to it Friday and - now that it's Monday - I don't even really remember it.
Doves
3/5
I liked this more than I thought I would.
TLC
1/5
I could make an argument for Waterfalls to be on the top 1001 songs to listen to list, but this album isn’t good.
I tried to give them some credit for time period. Like maybe they inspired Destiny’s Child and TLC is now somehow responsible for Beyoncé - but I think that’s a real stretch.
My favorite tracks (outside of Waterfalls) were the ones that Busta and Andre were on.
Eels
4/5
I always forget about the Eels. I few people tried to get me into them years ago and I didn't pay that close attention - they were just "okay" to me.
This fresh listen made me wish I had started with them earlier. It's really good. Just, good. I don't even really know why.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
These song are really repetitive. I know a lot of songs are, but I just couldn’t pay attention past like a minute in to any of them. The only exceptions were Everyday People (which clocked in at just over 2 minutes anyway), and - ironically - Sex Machine (which was 13 minutes long but actually included some variation and was a good, funky jam).
Overall, it’s fine. But weren’t there other bands doing the whole “funk” thing better at the time. This just doesn’t do much for me.
The B-52's
4/5
I'm pretty sure the B52s invented the whole "New Wave" genre with this album. I mean, that's gotta be something, right?
The Jam
3/5
Pretty decent. Never heard this before, but they're cool.
Buzzcocks
2/5
Another 70's British punk band, huh? Someone has a type.
I'm a fan of this genre - I am - but this one felt lazy and sloppy. All the songs sound like the first "songs" I wrote when I picked up a guitar at 14 years old.
Beck
4/5
Beck is super cool. This isn't my favorite album of his, but it's still great. I also think it's easier to appreciate Beck by listening to all of his stuff (or at least a sampling of all of his albums) at the same time. The man has range, but each album is different. So, when you listen to just one, it's easy to just think he's "okay" - but you'd be wrong.
The Monkees
2/5
Why are the Monkees on this list at all? They were created in a lab, taught to play instruments (mostly poorly), and released to an army of teenage girls whose parents wouldn't let them list to Elvis or the Beatles.
Don't get me wrong, there are 3-4 Monkees songs that I like - but not a single one of them was on this album. That leads me to believe that there will be more Monkees to come on this list. More Monkees? Nope.
Massive Attack
3/5
I could basically copy/paste my review of the first Massive Attack album I heard during this project. Still pleasantly surprised, but not overly impressed.
Linkin Park
4/5
I really kinda hate Linkin Park, but I'll give them some credit. For a debut album, this was HUGE when it came out. They had people going ape shit. Even listening to it now, I can hate it and kinda get into it at the same time. It jacks you up, that's for sure.
It's okay, but I'll bump up the rating in the context of this list. I don't necessarily want to listen to it, but I think everyone probably should listen to it, ya know?
Blur
4/5
I'm going to tell on myself a bit here. I always told people I was a big Blur fan but secretly had only ever listened to their greatest hits album.
But, after hearing a full-length studio album of theirs for the first time, I'm proud to say I wasn't as big of a poser as I thought I was. I really am a big fan of Blur.
This did not disappoint. They combine so many genres into one unique sound. It's rock, punk, techno, and new wave all rolled in to one. It's Beatles-esque in a lot of ways but also the foundation of a lot of music that came after. Solid work gentlemen.
The Who
3/5
The Who is cool and this is a solid example of those work. But - it’s a score/soundtrack and you know how I feel about that.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Great name - really dug this album. It seems ahead of its time for when it was released. I didn't see the date before listening to it, and I had guessed late 90s. But, it is also reminiscent of the British Invasion era (especially the Beatles and the Animals). I guess that adds to its appeal.
Waterfall was the stand out track for me, but I enjoyed almost all of them.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Solid mid-career sampling of The King and therefore worthy of the list. I never really got into Elvis - maybe just never appreciated him like I should have - still, he's always been just okay for me.
The Band
4/5
Great album - especially for a debut.
"The Weight" is such a great song, but all of the other songs on this album have that same vibe/feel to them. What's not to love?
Steely Dan
2/5
I just can't get into this. They're great musicians, though.
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
Wasn’t looking forward to this as I really don’t like “electronica” - but this was pretty good. I’m still not a fan of the genre, but this was less repetitive and annoying than almost all the rest of it. And, given the time frame it came out in and the list of artist I see he’s worked with, it’s clear that this was influential in the industry. It’s a 3 for me, but I’ll give it a bump to check my own bias and give it the credit it probably deserves.
The Offspring
3/5
I remember how big this album was when it came out. The album cover was so cool, their sound was different (annoying, but in a good way), it was fun to sing along to. The intro to Come Out and Play was one of the first things I taught myself on my first drum set. I think like half of these songs made their way to the airwaves.
Nostalgia aside, it's okay. Come Out and Play and Self Esteem still hold up, but the rest of the tracks lack the dynamics that these two songs have. Most of the rest of the album is just Noodle screaming and it wears on me a little now.
Pink Floyd
5/5
I mean, this is 5-stars, right? It has to be. Part of me wants to be a hipster and make a "yeah, but" argument for why this album is overrated - but I just can't do it.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Lou Reed > The Velvet Underground. That's just my opinion.
Aimee Mann
2/5
This is appropriately named.
Aimee's voice is okay at best - she's got a Carpenters kinda vibe. But, I never liked the Carpenters either. I can definitely hear how (maybe) subsequent artists picked up on a few of the unique "vibes" and ran with them later in the 90s, but those artists would fall mostly into the one-hit wonder category - so I'm not sure how impressive that is.
Anyway, not for me.
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
This is not music.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
I really dig this. Solid blues riffs and interesting melodies. There’s a simplicity to it that was intriguing to me.
David Bowie
4/5
Not a big Bowie fan, but this has to be his best album right? It’s definitely my favorite. If I had to pick one of his for this list, it’d be this one.
Nina Simone
3/5
Powerful blues vocals. A force.
Loved a couple of these songs but there were a few weird ones too. Definitely worth the listen.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
Never heard this, but I loved it.
There are so many 70s-80s Brit Punk bands in this list that I wasn’t super excited to hear another one, but this stood out. It’s got all the sloppy punk stuff that I love but it’s executed with precision and the musicianship exceeds that of most of their peers. The saxophone was a nice touch as well.
New York Dolls
3/5
Pretty solid. It's nothing special in my opinion, but I can definitely see it as an important "transition piece" between the late-60's punk scene and the late 70's metal scene. Worth a listen.
David Crosby
3/5
He's like my third favorite member of CSNY. Still, it's solid folk music. I listened to it on my way home from work after a long day and almost fell asleep. Maybe that's more on me than it is on Dave.
Sex Pistols
5/5
I've complained a lot about the number of 70s British Punk on this list - but I won't complain about this one. It's the gold standard. It's everything that's cool about all those other albums and nothing that makes them crappy.
Tori Amos
3/5
I like Tori Amos (I think), but I've never listened to an entire album of hers all the way through. This one sounds like the soundtrack to a really sad and depressing Disney musical. Still, she has a unique, recognizable voice and overall sound. This album is definitely worthy of the list.
UB40
2/5
Red, Red, Wi--- Wait! They had other songs?
I never considered UB40 one of the top reggae bands I should listen to before I die. I still don't.
Suede
2/5
Couldn’t really bring myself to care about this one. I didn’t hate most of it. Didn’t love any of it.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
I should have appreciated B&S more than I did in my punk-pop 90s heyday.
Granted, these are simple songs - mostly two or three chords on a loop for 4 minutes at a time. If I heard one person singing this in a coffee shop I'd probably hate it, but the arrangements and the instrumentation are really well done. It can be hard to make a simple song interesting - much less a whole album of simple songs.
I don't know if Toad the Wet Sprocket is a far comparison here, but they trigger the same happy spot in my brain.
Love
2/5
This was fine.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
I never really enjoyed listening to NIN, but I appreciate them. Trent definitely brought something new to the way he composed, arranged, and recorded. There’s an art to it. Plus, I just learned that he lived in and recorded this at the house where Sharon Tate was murdered - that’s creepy cool.
It’s probably a three for me, but I’m giving it a bump because it’s deserving of the list.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
I hate that I feel compelled to give this album a 5 because like, I hate Lynyrd Skynyrd in so many ways. But - at the same time - they did kind of invent/perfect southern rock. They merged blues, country, and rock into a unique sound that a lot of people copied. .
Plus, I didn't realize that basically every LS song I know (minus Sweet Home Alabama) ended up on the same album - and it was their debut. Therefore, one could argue that it was all downhill for them after this - which is fair. But this album - I Ain't the One, 3 Steps, Tuesday's Gone, Simple Man, Free Bird - that's an impressive rookie performance. I was hopeful maybe I'd be able to hate some of the lesser-knowns, but Things Goin' On and Poison Whiskey were solid tracks as well.
Bottom line, I liked this album all the way through and - if you're going to listen to one album that "represents" the entire genre of southern rock, it's this one. Dammit.
The Human League
1/5
Hated it from the first note - until the last song which, admittedly, is catchy. But it also always made me feel dirty. It's such a creepy-stalker song. "Don't forget it's me who put you where you are now / and I can put you back down too"? "You better change your mind or we will both be sorry"? Gross.
Black Sabbath
3/5
I forget how bluesy Black Sabbath was. I don’t know much about their overall catalog, but this one is just okay for me. Solid, but just okay.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
I think I like this album more than "Infinite Sadness" - but I can also admit that it's not as good. That thing is a work of art, this album is just a solid 90s rock album.
Cherub Rock and Disarm are classics and the rest of this album is solid. Still probably one of the best to come out of this era.
Queen
3/5
This one started slow for me, but it got awesome about 4-5 tracks in and stayed pretty consistently awesome. Obviously, people should hear Bohemian Rhapsody before they die, but I'm not sure they should have to sit through I'm in Love with My Car to do it.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Never really been a Dead Head, but that's probably more because of my lack of interest in really checking out their catalog. Having been "forced" to listen to this album in the context of this list makes me want to check out a few more. This is a solid folk/rock hippy album, and I'm here for it.
Radiohead
4/5
I like to talk shit about Radiohead, but this is actually a great album. It seems less "out there" than some of their other records, which makes it a little more in my wheelhouse. The arrangements, melodies, and tones are unique and interesting. Nothing bad to say about them this time. :)
Steely Dan
2/5
Still not a Steely Dan fan. It’s just okay.
Taylor Swift
5/5
I can't say I'm a fan of Taylor Swift, but that won't prevent me from giving credit where credit is due here. This album was (is?) HUGE. I think she released just about everything as a single off of this one. And, even though it's not her first album, it was really her breakout album into pop. And, admittedly, it's great.
Elliott Smith
3/5
This is fine. Maybe not "top 1001" fine, but it's fine.
David Bowie
3/5
I get it. Bowie is cool. Whatever.
This is like the fourth album of his I've listened to. I'm not sure they all need to be on here. But, I'll give him some credit in that they are all unique (not only from each other, but from the other stuff that was out there at the time). I still can't say I'm a Bowie fan, but I have an appreciation for him.
Happy Mondays
2/5
This album was okay. I didn't mind it playing in the background while I worked on other stuff.
Michael Jackson
3/5
This is better than Bad and not as good as Thriller.
Aerosmith
3/5
Solid album by one of the greats.
Faith No More
3/5
Epic is a great song. I'd never heard anything else by them - at least not that I can recall.
They are definitely a "jack of all trades" kinda band. Some funk, new wave, rock, hip hop, metal - all fused into one. Listening to it, I started to think, "well, they just kinda copied all the sounds of other 80s bands and threw them all together" - they didn't really invent any of these sounds. However, they were the only ones (that I can think of) combining them in this way.
And, having finished the album, I can see how they fueled some of the bands that would be come popular in the 90s - Linkin Park, Chili Peppers, Limp Bizkit, etc. There are echoes of this album in those bands for sure. So, credit where credit is due.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Okay. It's fine. I don't really care.
Cool name though.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
"John Hancock? It's Herbie Hancock. Derr!" - Tommy Boy
My high school jazz band played Chameleon. I didn't remember that until I listed to this album, so that was a fun little piece of nostalgia.
I respect the Herbie found four grooves he liked and just turned them into 10-15 minute jams. Why come up with more crap just to fill an album? I'm not sure how many time I'd come back to this album, but it's a Master Class in jazz fusion and worthy of the list. As such, it gets a bump.
Blur
3/5
I like Blur. This is probably not my favorite album of theirs ("Blur" is better). I could do with out some of it. In general, I would like their albums more if they had cut the "fluff" and stuck to the "approved" 35 minutes for 90s punk/pop albums. But, who am I to hinder their creative process?
Neu!
2/5
I listened to this last Friday and - if I'm being honest - can't remember a damn thing about it now that it's Monday. That's not typically a good sign.
Pearl Jam
5/5
This a a solid 5 stars. A debut album by a future R&R Hall of Fame band (that's still touring stadiums), and it has (almost) all of their best songs on it. They created a sound that stuck out from the rest of the 90s grunge/pop, perfected it, and got an entire generation hooked - all in one album.
Fever Ray
3/5
Not really my thing, but this album was actually really cool. I can't pinpoint way, but I dug it. Still - that's not enough for more than an average review.
Orange Juice
3/5
Pretty good.
The Monks
4/5
I enjoyed listening to this. A great "one and done" band that had an interesting punk-rock take on the "British Invasion" style of popular music that dominated the day. It was familiar, but new. It's getting a bump because of the "hidden gem" status it has in my mind.
Paul Weller
4/5
This is another one I'd never heard before, but I really dug it.
"Shadow of the Sun" was a great song. I feel like the album started solid and just got better as it went.
Glad I heard it. Will come back to it.
The Waterboys
3/5
Never heard this one, but I really liked it. It was musically interesting and I enjoyed their take on a few of the covers. Not many albums can keep my attention for a full hour, but this one did.
The Youngbloods
3/5
I'm on a short streak of stuff I hadn't heard before. This was another good first experience for me. It's nothing special, really - but a solid album.
R.E.M.
3/5
Solid album - especially for a debut album. REM was a welcomed deviation from a lot of stuff at the time. They definitely had a unique, more "thoughtful" sound. Still, this isn't quite yet the whiny REM that I came to really enjoy. Really good though. Catapult was a stand-out track for me.
John Martyn
3/5
This one was just okay for me. I can appreciate most of it - he's a talented composer and musician, but I couldn't really get into most of it.
Big Muff was the standout track.
Worthy of the list, but not for me.
Khaled
3/5
I have no frame of reference or culture context to evaluate this by. However, it is - objectively - an enjoyable album.
Manic Street Preachers
2/5
I listened to this one at work. I don't remember it except for the fact that Amazon music repeats the last track when it gets to the end, so - based on the amount of time I was working - it must have played the last track of this album 4 times. I didn't even notice. That says all I need to say about it I guess.
The Zombies
4/5
This has like Beatles and Chicago vibes. Also, the foresight to close with Time of the Season - brilliant. They must have known that was an instant classic.
Sepultura
3/5
I didn't know two things before I listened to this album.
1. Sepultura is Brazilian
2. I wanted to be angry today
Digital Underground
3/5
I had only ever listened to the Humpty Dance and just assumed the rest of this album was garbage. I was wrong. I'm not sure it's "iconic" or overly influential, but it's a lot better than I thought it would be. Solid jams from top to bottom.
Korn
4/5
I never really got into Korn when they came out, but I get it. I was working at a Sam Goody when there first couple albums dropped and they definitely caused a stir. They were different and quickly created a following. I just always kinda thought they sucked. But, having listened to this album again, I can confidently say they don't suck. I still don't really like it, but they deserve to be on the list. And, I'm giving them a bump for having created a unique sound in the middle of the pop-punk, pop-metal era.
U2 is a great band, but their stuff (especially this album) all kinda blends together for me. It's brilliant and boring at the same time.
The Pharcyde
2/5
This was okay. Not up there with the other rap albums that were coming out at the time though.
The Chemical Brothers
1/5
I never got into the techno/electro genre back in the day (mid-90s to mid-2000s). There was some of it that I could at least appreciate, but this doesn't fall into that category. It's overly repetitive. It's music for raves. Maybe if I had a necklace made of glow sticks and a pocket full of ecstasy I'd feel differently.
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
Pretty good.
Bee Gees
2/5
I'll give these guys credit for being good song writers and arrangers, but (in my opinion) they should have left the performing to someone else. It's just poor execution of some good ideas.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
I was expecting something different based on the title. It wasn't very nightmare-y at all. It's also not really my thing. It just made me sleepy.
Can
3/5
Pretty solid experimental rock. Had some definite Grateful Dead, Phish, jam band stuff happening that I dug.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
John Paul is friggin awesome on this album. I don't think he gets enough credit. Great album by a great band - not much else to say.
Mott The Hoople
4/5
Never heard of these dudes, but I like this album. They threw in a bunch of extra instrumentation (violins, kazoos, etc.) and used them to the point that they were borderline annoying - but just borderline, never actually annoying. I think that's an art.
I also thought I recognized 2 or 3 of the songs at the beginning and then realized that they just sounded like other songs I knew - songs that came out after this. So, I'm giving them a bump based on the assumption that subsequent bands of the era (most notably Skynyrd) were probably Mott fans.
SZA
3/5
It's great to see a "newer" album on this list. I'm just not sure why it's this one.
I did enjoy the little snippets of wisdom from her mom and grandma, but the music was just okay.
Syd Barrett
1/5
This sounds like a Ringo Starr album if Ringo didn't have the benefit of John, Paul, and George helping him write and perform any of it.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
An okay Elvis Costello album is better than a lot of other albums. And this is a pretty good Elvis Costello album.
He's probably one of a very few artists I won't get sick of seeing on this list.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
This is a solid representation of CCR's work and CCR is worthy of the list. So, cool.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
I was sure I was going to hate this from basically the first note, but then it grew on me a little. It's a decent thrash-punk-metal album, but I'm not sure there is anything special about it. Seems like a flash-in-a-pan band made a flash-in-the-pan album. Enjoyable - but, did I have to hear it before I died? No.
50 Cent
4/5
I kinda hate how much I liked this album. He really is about as close to 2Pac (style and content-wise) as you can get. Mix in some hints of Eminem and Jay-Z, I mean - it's good.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Classic stuff. This guy's voice is iconic, but the musicianship and arrangement that compliment his voice are equally impressive. It's sexy as hell.
Pretenders
4/5
I like the Pretenders, but never knew much about them. I was surprised to learn that this album was released in 1979. Brass in Pocket was still a popular song when I was in high school, and the rest of their stuff I had heard sounded contemporary at the time (mid-90s).
So, I have a new appreciation for them now. They clearly influenced a lot of the bands I listened to growing up, and her voice is so unique.
Big Star
3/5
Never heard of this band or album before. I enjoyed it.
The Stooges
3/5
I know Iggy is the founder of punk or whatever, and this is a solid punk album, but I'm still not convinced he deserves as much credit as he gets. It's good, but it's not THAT good.
Lorde
4/5
I'm not saying they're the same, but Lorde kinda replaced the void that Amy Winehouse left for me. She's just a really unique and interesting talent. I'm not saying that I listen to her stuff regularly (I don't), but it always draws me in when I hear it.
Miles Davis
3/5
Miles is the coolest. So smooth.
Meat Loaf
4/5
Such a great album. I didn't know how many great musicians participated in this. It's Todd Rundgren, his band, and most of the E-street band? That's who's playing on this? How did I not know that? It's great. Plus, Meatloaf was like the Jack Black of the 70s-80s - just a fun, over the top personality.
Björk
2/5
I get it. She's got a unique voice and the music is interesting - very ethereal. But I just can't get into it.
Prefab Sprout
3/5
I dug this album. I heard little hints of Simon & Garfunkel, a little Romantics, even some Wham! It's a solid, well-executed representation of the mid-80s. Moving the River was the standout track for me.
Bauhaus
3/5
Pretty good.
Django Django
4/5
Pleasantly surprised by this one. Kinda like the Animals meets AJR, but meshed into a unique vibe. I may think differently after a few more listens, but . . . 4.
Iron Butterfly
1/5
This was disappointing. It's like a watered down version of the Doors (and I don't even really like the Doors all that much). An-a-gadda has that cool lick, but otherwise, it ain't much of a song. I remember thinking it was cool growing up because someone said that it was really supposed to be "In the Garden of Eden" but he was so drunk when they recorded it that he couldn't say it correctly. BUT - he annunciates every other word it the song with no problem, so I assume that was BS.
Simple Minds
2/5
This is not really my thing, but I'll say two things:
1 - it was consistent; even though I don't really like it, there weren't really any "bad" songs I guess
2. The bass lines were dope.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
Pretty decent 60s rock. Not really sure what stands out about it other than it’s a little sloppier and less polished - which is cool I guess.
Van Halen
3/5
"Van Halen - not Van HAGAR" - Joe Dirt
While I agree with Mr. Dirt, I'm not a huge fan of either. They were definitely better with David Lee, and Eddie shreds. They at least helped invent a sound that a lot of others copied and never quite achieved. This is an impressive debut album with a few classics.
Respect (event from a fair-weather fan).
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
This was a pretty good album. I really enjoyed the guitar work - especially the acoustic stuff. It kinda gave off some REM/U2 vibes and time. I can also see how this may have influenced some bands that would come on in the 90s - like Soul Asylum and the Counting Crows (though that may just be the accordion talking).
Solid.
New Order
2/5
I'll rate this the same as I rated their previous work in Joy Division. No major improvement.
In like 1987, I had a Casio keyboard with a bunch of colored "rhythms" buttons on it. I feel like maybe these guys inspired the sounds that would play when I pushed those buttons. That's not necessarily a compliment.
Eminem
3/5
Being so familiar with his work since this album, it's easy to say this album is not anywhere near his best work. He's definitely finding his voice/style a little bit on this one. Honestly, it's probably the "least good" album of his.
But, in context, this was such a huge deal when it came out. It was so different - not just stylistically, but even content-wise. Other rappers were talking about how bad ass they are, and Eminem came out and really just rapped about how much it sucks growing up urban-poor. He talks about everything he doesn't have, what he can't do, what's hard about life, and how he struggles with it. That kinda flipped the script.
Definitely a must listen contextually, but still early Eminem.
White Denim
4/5
I dug this album. It would have definitely contrasted from most other "stuff" that was coming out at the time. While listening, I thought, "This sounds like if Simon and Garfunkel had kept making records into the 2010s."
But - it's also really jam-bandy, which I dig. Not quite like Phish or Widespread Panic, but there is definitely some "we actually know what we're doing" musicianship in there. I like all the odd time signatures they threw in.
It might just be because I was surprisingly impressed, but I'll give it a 4.
Van Morrison
5/5
Stoned Me, Moondance, Crazy Love - maybe the best opening three to an album ever? (I said maybe).
Seriously though, Van is iconic. He makes this sound so much easier than it actually is. It's jazz, folk, rock all mixed together - but in a really crafty way. No complaints.
David Bowie
4/5
Okay - so I've blasted Bowie a few times on here, and I wasn't excited to see another (like, the 20th?) of his albums on this list.
But - I actually really like this album, so it's okay. It's got everything that makes Bowie good, but it's got an actual rock n roll vibe. There isn't really a dull moment anywhere.
Good job, Bowie. Now, hopefully that's the last one. :)
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
This was like Jack White, Tom Waits, and Wesley Willis all in one album. After the first 30 second, I was sure I would hate it, but it grew on me.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
I can see how this album wasn't a commercial success. I can also see how it ultimately made this list. It's not what I would consider "classic" Marvin Gaye, but it's an honest album, the story behind it is intriguing, and - let's face it - I'd listen to this guy sing about anything.
Fiona Apple
5/5
I don't know the story behind Fiona Apple, but I'm definitely disappointed that she didn't make more music. Criminal and Shadowboxer were obviously huge successes, but the rest of the songs on this album are equally impressive.
Her voice is iconic (in my opinion), and I dig the whole vibe. It's sexy. Like an old jazz lounge singer, but with all the teen angst of the 90s.
Every time I hear her, I'm reminded of the old jazz classic "Fever" - and I think almost everything on this album measures up to that. It's so good.
Arcade Fire
3/5
This was fine. It’s like a combo of U2 and the Bengals. At least, that’s what I heard. Never really got into this band. Probably still won’t. But I don’t hate it.
Travis
4/5
I was working at Sam goody when this came out. I fell in love with it. I remember liking how the sound didn’t match the lyrics. Like, the songs about happy stuff sounded sad and vice versa.
I also had recently made friends with the new kid at my high school who had lived here from England. I asked him if he had ever heard of Travis and was subjected to a lecture about dumb Americans and how much oasis sucked. That made me like it even more.
Kraftwerk
2/5
Not to sound like a broken record, but I really can't get into this genre. I have nothing against the artists - I just don't understand what's "good" or "unique" among the bands that do this.
This album sounds like the soundtrack to an acid trip - which is cool I guess.
The Associates
1/5
I get this right after a Kraftwerk album? Bleh.
This actually sounds like David Bowie became the lead singer of Kraftwerk. Since I don't really like either of those artists - 1.
Supergrass
3/5
I really dug this. Cool vibe. I vaguely remember this band being talked about when I was in high school, but I never bothered to check them out. Now I wish I would have. I'll come back to this one.
G-Song was the stand out track for me.
Bad Company
3/5
I wasn’t real excited about this album, but BC is actually a really solid band. I mean, are they great? No. But I love the early 70s blues-rock genre and they were one of the originals.
I also like how this album is noticeable under-produced. It sounds like they put one mic on everything and just went for it. At first that was a little annoying and empty-sounding, but I ended up appreciating it by the end.
This is a high 3.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
I enjoyed this album. It's a cool bit of "fusion" - but as cool as Jumpin Jack Flash and Light My Fire were, it's really just someone else's song played with different instruments. The original pieces were actually a little more interesting.
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Pretty lame if you ask me. I was bored and unimpressed.
Ice Cube
3/5
Ice Cube is an OG. He never really (and still doesn't) stick out to me as one of "the greats" - but he was certainly talented and you can hear the influence he had on artists that would come later. Worthy of the list.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sonic Youth is cool. This is the third album I’ve heard from them on this list. They’re all basically the same. So - good job on staying consistently pretty good.
Culture Club
2/5
One or two good songs here (Karma Chameleon being a classic), but most of it is just cheesy 80s new wave.
Brian Wilson
2/5
This album is just okay. The story behind it is more interesting.
Madness
3/5
Hey - turns out these dudes are more than just "Our House" - I actually really liked this one. It had a fun energy.
Ray Charles
3/5
Not my favorite of his albums, but still classic Ray.
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
I dug most of this. It was Animals-esque at times. But, still not the Animals.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
I love Amy. She’s like the UK Lauren Hill. Iconic voice, combining multiple genres and styles into something that is uniquely hers. Plus, she’s a bad ass.
The Darkness
4/5
I remember when "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" came out and I couldn't tell if the song was meant to be serious or not. That song was Tenacious D-esque.
Now that I've heard the whole album, I still can't tell if it's meant to me a joke or not. But - I will say this - I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Objectively, these are good musicians and his voice (while annoying after a while) is impressive. The arrangements are good, the melodies are cool. I really enjoyed several of the tracks even more than "I Believe" (Holding My Own was a standout).
I can't believe I'm going to do this, but - in the context of this list - I have to give it a 4.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Sounds like a Janis Joplin album. Good stuff.
Ice T
3/5
Musically, I never really thought Ice T was a great rapper - although I do appreciate his lyrics. I don't know why but he does seem more thoughtful and poetic (at times) than a lot of other rappers.
Elton John
4/5
Great album. Classic Elton. There's some bangers on here.
Goldfrapp
3/5
First listen to this one. I thought I would hate it, but I didn't it. She has a really pretty voice that kinda drew me in.
Genesis
2/5
Ah, prog rock. I hate it.
I mean, Peter's cool, Phil's cool, the musicianship is great - and I totally appreciate bands that experiment. Let's play with time signatures and instrumentations - see what's possible and maybe inspire some future bands. Kudos for doing that. I just don't care.
Coldplay
3/5
I like Coldplay. I hate that I like them, but I do.
That said, I don't think this is their best album, but it's still good. I would have rather seen their debut on this list - but maybe I will later.
Tom Waits
2/5
I like Tom waits a lot but this was a rough one for me. Maybe I’m more of an “early Tom waits” fan? I appreciate the stripped down nature of it. It sounds like recorded it with one mic in his living room, which is endearing in a lot of ways. The stories and lyrics are still what I’ve come to expect, but he just kinda sounded like he needed to clear his throat the whole time.
The Thrills
4/5
Really dug this one. It's one of the few albums that was as advertised - a 60s-inspired band releasing music in the early 2000s. What's not to love?
Jurassic 5
4/5
Love Jurassic 5 but I somehow always forget about them. This is a great album from top to bottom. It's old school hip hop, but uniquely their style. IT seems more sophisticated in a lot of ways - real instruments, thoughtful arrangements. Lots of talent in this group.
Talk Talk
3/5
Decent album in a genre I don’t really like.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Still not a fan of Prog Rock - this one especially. I'm not sure where the line is between progressive and appropriation, but Pete's flirting with it on this one.
The Young Gods
3/5
This was an odd album for sure, but it was interesting. They definitely forged a unique rock/techno/metal kinda sound. I think the fact that it was in French is biasing my review - not sure I would have liked it as much if he was singing in English.
The Byrds
3/5
This band definitely played around with some different genres. Not sure I expected this out of them - even after reading the album title. It's a solid country album by a group of good musicians. I just don't really like it.
As a fan of their other stuff, it made this a little extra disappointing in some ways.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Dug this one. It's like bluesy Tom Waits. The backing singers really made it for me. Really solid compositions and arrangements.
Nas
3/5
I never really paid much attention to Nas when he came out, but this is a solid rap album. I like that the beats were relatively simple. His style is much more hip-hop than "gangsta" rap, but he blends the two nicely.
Kings of Leon
4/5
KoL is an under-rated band in my opinion. Especially with this album, they forged a pretty unique sound that is somehow fun and sad and rocky and poetic all at the same time. And they're consistent - a few tracks off this were "hits" but they all sound equally great.
2/5
Meh - pretty typical new wave pop stuff.
Suzanne Vega
4/5
Based on the first 30 seconds of this, I was sure I'd hate it, but it really grew on me. She has a really good voice and the album was musically interesting. I can definitely hear how she may have influenced the Cranberries, Natalie Imbruglia, Alanis, and a few others. That alone will earn Suzanne a one-star bump.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Solid debut album by a solid metal band. Guitar work on Strange World was the highlight. Vocals always leave something to be desired form IM.
The Beta Band
2/5
Good background music at work, but kinda boring. Sounds like a good Ringo Starr album - which isn't a compliment.
Tricky
2/5
If "gangsta rap" is a genre, then so is "beatnik rap" I guess.
The arrangements are interesting and I don't mind the vocals, but both are super repetitive.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
It’s weird how the good songs are so good and the rest are solid crap.
The Prodigy
4/5
This isn't really my genre, but I always kinda liked Prodigy. They're punk rock - like if the Clash did electronica. They keep the tracks relatively short and there is enough variety that I stay interested the whole time. That's saying something.
Portishead
2/5
Ah, Portis Head (or porta-shed according to every dbag fan of theirs I've ever met).
I actually like her voice and the songs are interesting enough. Still, the music all just sounds like you're playing the boss level of the lamest NES game that was ever made.
James Brown
2/5
Again - live albums should not be on the list. This isn't 1001 performances you should have been to.
I'm sure JB put on a hell of a show that night. The crowd seemed into it, and I would have loved to have been there. But, as an album, it poor audio quality and I just feel like I'm missing the real show (which is not his vocals).
Hookworms
3/5
I've been getting a lot of techno/electronic stuff lately. Not my jam. I was prepared to hate this one too, but I actually really liked it. It gave off some serious 90s vibes (Blur/Weezer, maybe a little Pumpkins). It was fun.
Shortcomings was the standout track for me. Great way to close it out.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
I don't know why I don't listen to Rufus more often. He has such a great voice, which the simple instrumentation makes beautifully clear on this album. It's not something I'd ever put on to "jam" to, but it really draws me in when it's on. Great work.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Very pretty voice. Still against live albums being on this list. But - she is very, very good.
Morrissey
3/5
I was never a big Morrissey fan, but I have nothing against him. This is a solid debut performance.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Great voice. Good storytelling. Cheech and Chong were fun.
Van Morrison
4/5
Van is the best. So soulful. I don't know that any of his albums are better than the others. They're all just solid.
Fishbone
2/5
As advertised - funk/metal fusion, which I assume was unique for the late 80s. It's executed well and fun enough that I was intrigued for most of it. Still, it's difficult to get over the 80s "cheese" dripping all over it.
Mudhoney
2/5
Mudhoney is okay. I appreciate that they pioneered a genre, and it's interesting to here the beginnings of grunge - but it's still just okay.
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
Hated every second of this. All 4609 of them.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Lots of rappers samples songs from this album.
Sir Duke is one of my all-time favorite songs by any artist ever. So good.
But - this album is too long. They can't all be bangers, Stevie.
Jack White
5/5
I really like Jack White, but I'm not sure I ever listened to an entire album front to back. I was missing out. This is an impressive debut album where he builds on the new(ish) sound of the White Stripes but also solidifies himself as a solo talent, visionary, and perfectionist. It's really, really good.
The The
2/5
This was okay. Honestly, I listened to it on Friday and now it's Monday and I don't really remember it. That's probably not a great sign.
Jean-Michel Jarre
1/5
This almost put me to sleep like 8 times - and I was driving while I was listening to it. Maybe that's on me, but this album could have gotten me killed.
Finley Quaye
4/5
Never heard this. Really liked it. Obviously some Bob Marley vibes, but a really unique "psychedelic reggae" feel to the whole thing. I was also getting a real Sam Cooke vibe from his voice as well - which was awesome.
Norah Jones
5/5
I love her voice. It's raspy and smooth and sweet and sexy. The music is great too. So simple, no effects, nowhere to hide. Every track is simultaneously happy and sad. It's great.
The Young Rascals
3/5
This is a solid album. In a way it sounds like it's ripping everything off - little Beach Boys, little Animals, little Beatles, little world music - but there's an art to doing that and still making it sound like your own. Groovin' is still one of my all time favorites. It's hard not to smile when you hear it.
Janelle Monáe
2/5
I'm all for combining genres in an attempt to create something unique, but this is too much. It's a hodge-podge of musical styles that don't really seem to gel in my opinion. And it's too bad because - by all accounts - she has a great voice. It's just too weird for me. I didn't get it.
Although I did dig Say You'll Go.
The Smiths
3/5
I like the Smiths, but do all of their albums need to be on the list? They can't all me must-listens before death. Granted, this one is pretty good. Love the bassist from the Smiths and he does some of his best work on this one.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I think there was one other Nick Cave album on here. I'm not sure what I rated that one, but my review was probably similar.
It's weird in a fun way that gets annoying after a while.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Solid album from the king of punk.
Morrissey
3/5
Solid Morrissey. I like Bowie's influence on this one.
The 13th Floor Elevators
4/5
Listened to the original mono recording of this and really liked it. It's a solid psychedelic rock album, but it's getting a bump because - although I have no way to verify this - they sound like a band who influenced a lot of other bands that followed. And, I'm not talking about other similar bands. There are some clear connections between this and some new wave 80s stuff and 90s grunge stuff that struck me as I listed.
The National
3/5
I dug this album even though this kinda thing's not normally my vibe. It was Coldplay-ish (a comparison that I'm sure fans of this band would hate), but also some Tom Waits, U2, Morrisey and a smattering of other bands in there.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Pretty bad ass album by a band with a pretty bad ass name.
Joe Ely
4/5
This is actually a really great country album - especially for 1978. It seems a little ahead of it's time in some ways. Obviously, there were other country icons at the time, but this has some mid-80s, early-90s country vibes as well.
Plus, the horns on Cornbread Moon, that lead guitar tone on Boxcars, and the general "groove" of Jericho were really unique for this genre.
Joe Ely gets a bump.
Mylo
2/5
I'm not even done listening to this yet (but, I'll finish it - don't worry). Still, I don't like it. I will probably never understand the over-hyped elevator music genre.
Motörhead
3/5
I'm still against the idea of live albums on this list. But, this is a solid performance by one of the OG metal bands.
Charles Mingus
3/5
Solid stuff.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
This was a fun one. I always perk up when I hear songs that were sampled to create stuff that's on the radio now. Genius of Love becomes Big Dick Energy 40 years later. Love it.
Jerry Lee Lewis
2/5
This is fun, but pretty sloppy. He just kinda sounds like the creep he was.
Megadeth
4/5
I'm not a big metal head, but Megadeth is pretty great. I'd put them up there with Metallica. This album is a 40-minute gut punch.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Listened to this Friday. It's Monday. I remember liking it, but not sure exactly why. Whatever it was, it didn't stick with me over the weekend.
Minor Threat
3/5
On the one hand, this is just okay. On the other, I can definitely hear the influence these guys must have had on 90s punk - most notably The Offspring, but also Blink, Green Day, and the rest. Plus, their bassist was cool.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
Not a huge fan of prog rock, so I tried to hate this but actually ended up liking most of it. Blues in Bob Major was the standout track (and the least proggy).
Neil Young
4/5
I want to hate Neil Young so bad because is voice is objectively annoying. But, it's also oddly endearing. This album in particular was so simple and clean. The songs just felt honest somehow - even though I have no idea what's he's singing about most of the time. This one pulled me in, and I dig that.
Björk
3/5
Saying her name is more fun than listen to her music. Bjork!
At least - that's what I thought. After listening to this, I still don't think I'd say I'm a fan, but she has a unique style and a really interesting voice. It's different in a good way.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
I was excited to listen to this because I never had and I knew KL was a big deal. However, I'm not impressed. The beats are lame, the lyrics seems scattered and disconnected. Not for me.
Prince
4/5
I had never heard this Prince album before and - initially - I was a little disappointed that some of his "hits" weren't on here (and it was over an hour long). But, man, Prince never disappoints. He's got an iconic voice and style, he's probably one of the most talented pop arrangers/composers ever, and it's just good. I can't describe why - it's just good.
Joanna Newsom
2/5
She has a great folk, story-telling voice. It's just that the stories don't make any sense and are too long. She drew me in, just couldn't hold my attention.
Coldcut
2/5
This was pretty fun, but I'll never listen to it again.
Jethro Tull
3/5
Jethro Tull is cooler than I give them credit for. It's a little bit like Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tenacious D, Black Sabbath, and some other stuff all stirred together. Definitely a unique sound. Also, both songs I knew by them were on this album, so I'll assume it was their best one.
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
Bonnie is so underrated. I even forget how much I like her sometimes. She's just pure and clean.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Impressive vocal range on this guy, decent folk music - but that’s all I can muster for a review. I was generally unimpressed.
Liz Phair
4/5
This is a great album. Liz has a great voice and a unique style - well, unique at the time. It's clear that a lot of other 90s bands stole from her bag of tricks.
The Prodigy
1/5
I remember when GarageBand first came out. My buddy and I got drunk and made a whole bunch of songs that sounded just like this. Maybe it's better with strobe lights and ecstasy, but I'm not really willing to try it at my age.
The Chemical Brothers
2/5
Two techno albums in a row!?!?!
This one is better than the Prodigy, but I still don't like it.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
This one brought back some memories. I used to love Green Onions (the song) growing up. How many studio bands get to make their own album and enjoy success from it? That's pretty cool. These are some of the gnarliest grooves.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
This band is like the Simon & Garfunkel of the 1990's. I never really listened to them at the time, so I'm always prepared to hate them when I hear them. Alas, I don't. I enjoy the songs, but appreciate them more. It deserves to be appreciated - good musicians, unique melodies, clean instrumentation. I like music that sounds simple but is difficult to pull off. This is that.
Elvis Presley
4/5
It's funny to listen to this now and think about how bat-shit crazy people went over (both as fans and as opponents of the "devil's music"). Objectively, these are all solid songs. I feel like they could have gotten him a better lead guitar player, but he was also a new act on a budget. He got better musicians as he got more famous.
And, he IS Elvis, after all. His range is impressive, from the falsetto down to the signature "uh huh uh" stuff he does. This is a 3, but I'm giving it a "historical significance" bump.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I love that this was meant to be a demo. The E Streeters are great, but they also make it easy to forget how good Bruce really is. Hearing him by himself is a great reminder of his genius.
Sepultura
3/5
I think it's easy to dismiss this type of metal as gimmicky and easy to do, but Sepultura is a talented (and weird) group of dudes. It's definitely a unique sound - thanks in large part to the incorporation of world and native chants/instrumentation. But there is some skill involved in this too. I found the guitar work on Jasco to be impressive.
Black Flag
2/5
Henry Rollins is pretty cool I guess, but he (and Black Flag) were never really my jam.
Kelela
2/5
This sounds like the score to every late-night HBO movie. Her voice is fine, the music is fine. It's just fine.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Hey - it's my third favorite Beach Boy!
So, the band breaks up and Dennis decides he wants to cut out on his own and do like a Pink Floyd meets Joe Walsh kinda album. Spoiler alert - it didn't work.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
Solid guitar work. Not too stiff, not too sloppy. I dug it.
B.B. King
3/5
BB King is a legend. I'm still against live albums on the list. I saw him live at the HoB in Chicago when he was in his 80s - it was way better than this.
Still - he's a legend.
AC/DC
5/5
Iconic album. Consistent from start to finish. So many hits. Definitely a must listen - even if you're not into them.
Girls Against Boys
3/5
This was decent. It came out in 1993, so it's hard to tell if it's derivative of or an inspiration for bands like Rage, Tool, and Marilyn Mason - but I'd consider it to be in the same bucket. It's very much NOT any of those bands, but you catch hints of it throughout.
Deerhunter
2/5
It's fine. Some cool instrumentation, but not really my jam.
Genesis
2/5
I don't like prog rock.
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Pretty solid jazz album. Not too crazy-weird. Just good musicians sharing their craft.
Kate Bush
1/5
This was horrible. Like a really bad knock of of the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Buttery-smooth funk stuff. The falsetto wore on me after a while, but this is s really good album.
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
Solid punk album. Can't say much more or much less about it.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
I'm all punked out this week, otherwise I might have appreciated this more. It's good.
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
3 hours is too long. This guy sounds like emo Elvis, but I dug this for the most part. "Chicken with its Head Cut Off" was my favorite track, but there were several similar, "sweet and funny" songs like that.
Hüsker Dü
4/5
Never heard of them, but the notes said they should get shared credit with REM for creating the post-punk genre that ushered in 90s alternative music. I can definitely hear that. Glad I got the chance to listen to it. It's a better-than-solid album.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Is this the best debut album in rock and roll history? I mean - imagine the first track people hear from you is Good Times, Bad Times and then you just don't let off the gas the rest of the way. LZ forged their own sound, nailed it, and stayed true to it throughout their career. Definitely a must-listen.
Weather Report
3/5
My high school jazz band played Birdland and, until now, I didn't realize how badly I was screwing up the bass part. :)
This is a solid album. I'm bias because it features the bassist pretty heavily (and he happens to be a bad ass). Still - good stuff.
Television
3/5
Pretty good. A lot of Rolling Stones vibe, but still an original sound that I'd call "forward looking" in a lot of ways.
Cream
3/5
Solid Cream. (cheese?)
Robbie Williams
4/5
Glad to see Robbie on this list because I always thought he was underrated. Granted, I can't put my finger on what's so great about him. Objectively, there's no one thing about him that makes him great, but he's greater than the sum of his parts I guess. He's just high-energy and fun. I love the arrangements and the use of horns on this album. It's great.
Talvin Singh
1/5
I don't know much about this genre, but some things in music are universal. And this is universally crap. I was so bored the whole time.
American Music Club
3/5
Pretty great background music. I appreciated it, even if I didn't really "like" it that much.
Mj Cole
2/5
This was okay.
Don McLean
4/5
I (like most people, I assume) had never listened to anything past "American Pie" on this album. Maybe that's a fear of being disappointed. That song is so iconic that the rest of the album couldn't be good right? Well, it's definitely not "as good" as American Pie, but this is a really solid folk album. It's simple, Don's vocals are really great, the lyrics are introspective - the whole thing just draws you in.
Beck
4/5
Beck is great. You can hear hints of a lot of other great artists in these songs (Weezer, Chris Cornell, Prince, and others), but it's all uniquely his.
I hadn't ever listened to this album all the way through, but it didn't disappoint. I'm not sure it's his best, but it's still great. Which says something about him.
Tito Puente
3/5
I'm not well-versed in this genre, but Tito's the one everyone else copies right? This is a good album. Lot's of swag.
3/5
I'd say this is an above average "electronic" album. The Brazilian drum beats and odd instrumentation at least make it interesting. It's a 3.49, rounded down.
George Harrison
4/5
Imagine being the third most talented member of a band and still having a hall of fame solo career. George made a whole album off the cutting room floor of his time with the Beatles - which is awesome, but also kinda sad when you think about how much more that band had left in the tank.
Still, these are great songs in their own right and I don't think George gets enough credit for his impact on the Beatles' sound. He made that case pretty clear on this one. He's a good songwriter and a great guitarist.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2/5
These guys were real horny in a creepier-than-usual way. And the music was just okay.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Bruce! What is there to say really? You know what you’re getting and it never disappoints.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
CSNY perfected (and probably invented?) the “harmonizing hippies” sound. They have a unique sound together but each member could have (and eventually was) an artist I. Their own right. AND this is probably their best album. If you want to “get to know” CSNY, this is the record you should grab.
Isaac Hayes
2/5
There’s only one thing this music is good for, and that’s not what I was doing while I listened to it.
Carpenters
3/5
Lots of classics on this one. Not a Carpenters fan per se, but this is the one to listen to if you are.
Iggy Pop
4/5
I forget how bluesy Iggy Pop was since he was such a punk icon. Lust for Life is probably one of my favorite songs, but this whole album holds up. Some of these songs sound like they could have been recorded by Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen even. Anyway - good stuff from start to finish.
Talking Heads
3/5
Pretty good. Solid talking heads.
The Soft Boys
3/5
Never heard of this band before. Pretty solid stuff.
Christina Aguilera
4/5
Christina is a true diva of the 90s (and early 2000s) - not Brittney or Pink or Arianna. She has such a unique, powerful, soulful voice - which is a good thing because most of these songs aren't that good on their own. She makes them interesting to listen to. A true talent, even if you aren't a fan.
I'm guessing this will be the only album of hers on the list, which is why it's getting a one-star bump. Everyone should listen to and appreciate Christina in their lifetime. This is the album to listen to (granted it's too long).
The Incredible String Band
2/5
Sometimes hippies make great music. Not this time. They're just being hippies.
The Kinks
3/5
This is the second of three Kinks albums from this list that I was disappointed in. Maybe I don't like them as much as I thought? It's not bad, it's just kinda goofy.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Sonic Youth sounds like all of the middle school garage bands that started among those of us who thought we could be rock stars at 12. The difference is that we eventually realized we weren't talented enough.
Nick Drake
3/5
This is the most folksy folk album in history (which is probably why it's on the list).
Mr. Drake is a real talent and I can't help but appreciate him, even if this album did almost put me to sleep.
Rush
4/5
Slappin da bass, man!
Rush is cool. Super talented and a ton of sound for a core of just three dudes. All three of them are great musicians and, together, they created a unique and iconic sound. Great album.
David Holmes
3/5
I'm not a big fan of this genre, but - so far - this is the most tolerable album within it. It had a bit of a jazz feel the way the songs were structured. It was still too long, but - hey - worth a listen.
Hole
3/5
I think Hole gets a bad rap. People (including myself) kinda shit on them because they saw Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain's Yoko. I never became obsessed with Nirvana like a lot of people did, and - in retrospect - I think this album rivals a lot of what Nirvana and their contemporary's were doing at the time. It's dirty. It's punk. It's kinda shitty but on purpose. It's a solid representation of the grunge era.
LCD Soundsystem
2/5
This was okay.
Calexico
4/5
Really liked this one. There was an obvious cajun/jazz thing going on, but it was also very spaghetti western, 90s emo, and a few other familiar sounds at times. I guess what I'm saying is that it was a little bit of everything and I liked it. The instrumentation was beautiful as well.
G. Love & Special Sauce
5/5
I actually love this album. I'm not sure it really counts as "hip hop" but it also doesn't fall cleanly into any genre - which is what makes it cool. It's simple, it's fun, it's well-executed. What's not to love?
Goldfrapp
1/5
This was real bad.
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
This was a slow start for me. At first, I was annoyed that it sounded like a rough demo of an album they were going to record later, but then I read about how they recorded it all in a single day with one microphone - so, okay, that's kinda cool.
She's got a great voice, and it's real old-timey, jazzy, country vibes. I was a little bored, but the last 4 tracks really saved it for me. Solid work, Junkies.
The Stooges
3/5
I'm not sure if the Stooges really rise above the noise. It's solid late-60s-early-70s psychedelic, pop, punk - but I'm not sure they did it better than most other bands at the time. Good album, I'm just not sure it warrants being on the list as a "must listen"
Burning Spear
4/5
Good stuff. I know Bob Marley gets all the credit, but there were several other great Reggae artists, Burning Spear is right there at the top with Bob.
The Byrds
3/5
Really great debut album. Folksy-rock goodness all the way through.
Sisters Of Mercy
2/5
Not a fan of this genre - therefore not sure what makes this special. It's two people and a synth that sound like every other late-80s band that did the same thing.
"Lucretia" and "1959" were stand out tracks. I enjoyed listening to them and musing about how much better they would have been if Pearl Jam had recorded them. Still, credit for the song writing and arrangement on those.
Destiny's Child
1/5
I knew the hits from this album, but never listened to the whole thing. This definitely doesn't warrant being on the list. The first song (or two) and "Emotion" - people should hear those so that they at least know who Destiny's Child was. Outside of that, this album is mostly drivel. Weird melodies and no real lyrical substance.
Listening to the whole thing did make it clear why it's Destiny's Child and not Destiny's Children. Michelle and Kelly were barely noticeable.
Klaxons
4/5
I was sure I would hate this, but I didn't. It was actually really interesting. I dug the overall vibe - pleasantly surprised.
Tom Waits
3/5
I don't know if Tom Waits is a genius or just a weirdo, but I love him. I don't know why. On the one hand, his songs are dumb but - from a technical perspective - they're also unique, thoughtful, and well executed. This isn't my favorite album of his, but solid.
Orbital
1/5
This is the worst genre, and the worst album in the genre (so far anyway). I actually hated it. 0 stars
The United States Of America
2/5
I understand that this is supposed to be one of those albums that ushered in a new sound or genre or recording process, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
Adele
5/5
Did she release every song on this album as a single? Honestly, there were only two songs on here that I hadn't heard on the radio (or ever) - both of which were equally as great. My plan was to skip the songs I knew (or at least only listen to parts of them as a refresher), but I played the whole thing front to back and sang along as loud as I could the whole time.
Adele is my favorite female vocalist of all time. She's a diva, but seems chill. She's got pipes, but she's raspy, and rocky, and sexy, and a little dirty sounding.
Van Morrison
4/5
I'm still against live albums being part of the list, but this one is really good. It sounds like it was just a board tape with some crowd noise brought in between tracks, which is even more impressive. It almost sounds like a studio album. It's an extremely well-executed performance by one of the best to ever do it.
Barry Adamson
1/5
Moss Side must suck to live in.
The Birthday Party
2/5
I appreciate weirdness of experimental "post-punk" and Nick Cave in particular. But, I can't say that I "like" it or that it necessarily had any positive impact on future genres of music.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Really dug this one. It's not great but you can definitely hear how it served as an influence for grunge.
Bob Dylan
4/5
There are so many comical Bob Dylan impressions where they slur garbled, nonsense words and really dial up the twang that I sometimes forget how good Bob really was. Unlike the exaggerated impressions, he does have a really endearing, folksy/bluesy voice and - at least in his early work - can actually "sing" at times. I thought the songs on this album were mostly poignant, hippy, protest songs - which I dig. Classic Bob Dylan. Worthy of the list.
Underworld
1/5
Why are the worst albums always so long?
Hard pass on this one.
Donovan
4/5
Great album. Obviously, Sunshine Superman is a classic tune - granted I never actually knew the name of it or who the artist was. I heard (and loved) Season of the Witch for the first time when watching "The Other Guys" - again, loved the song but never knew the artist. The rest of the album didn't disappoint. It has a "psychedelic folk" vibe.
I also read that there is a shot of this album spinning in one of the recent Beatles "found footage" documentaries. It's easy to see why this album would have caught there attention.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
I had heard snippets of this, but never the whole album. I liked it. It had that familiar late-90s vibe that I dig but they clearly have their own unique style and sound. It was a long album, but pretty consistently good.
Flamin' Groovies
4/5
Well -these guys are fun. Love the name of the band and the album cover is super rad - so I was already excited to hear it. I get the comparison to (and praise from) the Stones, but the Groovies were still their own, unique thing. I caught some Dr. John vibes in there too. Great album.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Iconic G-funk. Snoop's a legend.
Radiohead
3/5
Was never a huge Radiohead fan, but I appreciate them. This is a solid creative effort.
George Michael
2/5
Listening to George Michael makes me feel dirty. He's either whispering or yelling at me the whole time and I'm never really sure what he's talking about. It may not all be innuendo, but it definitely sounds like it. Objectively thought, he does have a good voice.
The Isley Brothers
2/5
I'm not real familiar with the Isley Brother's catalog, so I can't say where this ranks among the rest of their albums. They're good, but the album seems a little lazy. It's 9 songs and I think 3 of them were covers. Otherwise, I don't have any real complaints. It's fine.
Thundercat
1/5
I love that a bass player got to make some solo albums, but this is weird.
5/5
The Beatles were good. This is a top three album of theirs in my opinion. Even Ringo got a good one in there. It's hard to find anything wrong with it.
Scott Walker
1/5
This was like if Frank Sinatra attempted to be Tom Waits. It's real cheesy and dumb.
Common
3/5
Common's cool and he has cool friends (like Questlove) on his album. He's unique in the sense that his music is kinda beatnik rap, but I dig it.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
This one was just okay. They definitely have an interesting vibe, but that's about it.
3/5
PJ Harvey is pretty cool. If this album were played faster and by less-talented musicians, it would sound like Hole. But, it's better than Hole. How's that for a review?
Mercury Rev
4/5
I wasn't a fan of every single track but - overall - I really liked this one. It's got a real recognizable 90s vibe that I dig, but there was also some Neil Young, Bob Dylan, REM stuff going on in there too. The instrumentation was cool as well - a little weird but just enough to make it interesting.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Pretty solid effort here. Her voice got to me after awhile, but - otherwise - this has all the trappings of a 90s grunge/punk album. I dug it.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Still against live albums being on the list, but - dang - this one's good. Love the Allman Brothers. Wish I coulda been there.
Kanye West
4/5
Not a fan of Kanye the person, but he did develop a unique sound and definitely left his mark on the genre. And, as much as I hate to admit it, this is a good album. I'm even giving him a bump up from 3 stars to 4 because he is an artist worthy of the list.
fIREHOSE
4/5
This is not FireHOUSE - despite what I expected to hear when I hit play.
But - very pleasantly surprised by this one. It seems ahead of its time - perhaps helping to usher in that in stream 90s “rock” sound.
It’s has fun lyrics, sweet ass baselines, and was just all around fun. Loved it.
CHIC
2/5
This is kinda fun I guess, but it's really repetitive and simple. There isn't much to the music and even less to the lyrics. Still, kinda fun I guess.
Turbonegro
3/5
Pretty fun album. It was exactly what I thought it'd be based on the description, so - in that regard - it didn't disappoint.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
Solid debut album. Hard to believe it was released in 1989. Maybe Lenny was a little ahead of his time?
This isn't his best album, but it's definitely interested to hear him figuring out his sound. Good stuff.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Weird prog-rock. Not for me, but I appreciate the level of talent involved.
Hot Chip
2/5
I was prepared to hate this just based on the genre, but I didn't mind the instrumental part at all. If I'm being fair, a lot of the backing tracks sounded like they could have been popular songs on the radio when this came out and even today - as long as someone else was writing and recording the vocals. That's where they lost me. There were a few songs that sounded like they could be Justin Timberlake or Bruno Mars tracks - but instead of selling them to artists like that who could have done something with them, these guys wrote weird lyrics and sung them poorly.
Napalm Death
1/5
These guys play really fast - and shittily.
Giant Sand
4/5
I really liked this one. It was a blend of a lot of cool artists. There were definitely some Ben Harper guitar tones at times, a little bit of Phish vibes, and - for some reason - the singer's voice reminded me of the guy from Cake.
It was a fun exercise is trying to figure out who they sound like and then realizing that they created a pretty unique sound. I'll definitely come back to this one.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Who knew that Stills was the fun one. :)
Just kidding - but this is a pretty funky/rocky album. I didn't realize the star power he had on this one either - Hendrix, Clapton, Ringo - pretty impressive.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
He's the boss. Even in his later work (which I didn't have high hopes for), he's the boss.
The Icarus Line
3/5
Didn't mind this one. Solid punk album.
Laibach
2/5
The music sounds like the stuff they play on the home screen of those old "Medal of Honor" Playstation games - or like the menu of a "Saving Private Ryan" DVD. The vocal are a poor imitation of Rammstein, minus everything that makes Rammstein cool.
Michael Jackson
5/5
All the good MJ songs are on this album. And, for the most part, there are no “bad” tracks. He should have let Quincy keep writing his songs for him after this. Iconic.
The Jam
3/5
Pretty rad album. I get why they got popular. It's fun.
SAULT
3/5
Not bad. Had some Lauryn Hill/Common vibes, but not better than either of those artists, and not necessarily original either. Still, pretty good.
Roxy Music
3/5
Did Brain Eno make this list? Why else would he be on it so much?
Roxy Music is actually pretty cool though. It's ahead of its time in a lot of ways. It's experimental in a fun way. I dug it.
The Beau Brummels
2/5
Beau Brummels? More like the Bargain Basement Bob Dylans.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Solid debut album with some real classics. Her voice always boarders on annoying, but it also pulls me in a bit at the same time. Not sure what else to say about it.
Haircut 100
2/5
As far as new wave albums go, it's not bad - better than most I'd say. However, like all new wave albums, I'm not surprised it was their only one.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
Solid old timey country album. Anyone who can get Lyle Lovett to sing back up on their album is cool with me.
The xx
3/5
I'm not a huge fan of this genre, but The xx made something unique here. I dig it.
Kate Bush
2/5
She has as good a voice as her contemporaries, including (and maybe even better than) Madonna. But, it's wasted on these weird arrangements and over-dramatic songs.
Pere Ubu
1/5
Props for trying something new for the times. Sorry I don't really like it, or appreciate it, or even "get" it.
The Triffids
3/5
Australians. This is a pretty soft album for the descendants of hardened criminals. Just kidding. It's fine. Some folky-new wave goodness.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
I wasn't much in to rap when all of these albums came out, but I wish I would have been. Maybe I wouldn't have appreciated it as much then, but - in retrospect - there were a lot of great artists innovating in the genre at the time, Including Killah.
Solomon Burke
2/5
A poor man's Otis Redding.
The White Stripes
4/5
I love Jack White (and the White Stripes). I'm not sure I've ever really heard anything I didn't like. Not being that familiar with his discography, I couldn't say if this was is best album or not - but it's gotta be up there.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Of all the 90s techno artists, Fatboy Slim was the only one that I could really tolerate for any length of time. His stuff is less electronic and more samples of real music - at least it sounds that way. I don't know, it somehow seems more artful or intentional than its counterparts. There are some great tracks on here, and the rest are decent. Glad it made the list.
The Beta Band
2/5
This was okay. I listened to it yesterday and can't really even remember what I thought about it.
Stereolab
3/5
Really dug the bass-driven melodies. The first and last tracks were the best - both gave me some Chili Peppers vibes. However, the middle just kinda drug along for me.
The xx
4/5
I know this list is randomly generated, but I just had one of The xx's subsequent albums a few days ago. I liked it just fine, and I'm actually glad to have heard them so close together because I like this one even better. It's everything I liked about the first (their fourth) album minus a lot of the "electronica" that annoyed me at times.
This was a great album.
3/5
I love Blur. This probably isn't my favorite album of theirs, but it's solid.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Pretty decent album. I didn't mind it at all.
The Shamen
2/5
I still can't convince myself that an album like this takes any real talent to create. All this album did was inspire other people to make equally stupid albums.
N.W.A.
4/5
This is the invention of gangsta rap and the launch of some pretty iconic individual artists (dare I say, icons). Definitely worthy of the list.
Lou Reed
3/5
I like Lou Reed, but I'm not sure every single one of his albums needs to be on this list. Still, it's a solid album - probably not my favorite of his, but classic Lou.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
4/5
Pretty solid. I dug it from top to bottom. Nothing stuck out as particularly genius, but I can't really find anything negative to say about it either. It's just a good listen.
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
Never heard this, but it was an interesting bridge between hip hop and gangsta rap. I'm sure that's the reason this one made the list.
Dagmar Krause
1/5
Blah. Sorry - Dagmar seems to be a real talent, but I can't get into this.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
I liked Come On Eileen prior to listening to this, but I wasn't prepared to listens to in over and over and over. All of these songs sounded similar in a lot of ways. I'm not necessarily knocking it - they created a pretty unique and recognizable sound. Good album.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
I'm impressed that this cam out in the late 80s and sounds so much like early-mid 90s grunge and even some late 90s alt-rock. I had never heard this before, but it gives the impression that a lot of people in Seattle heard it during their formative years.
I liked the album. I'm giving it a bump for being (more than likely) an influential force on the 90s.
Missy Elliott
4/5
One of the best rappers of the 90s-2000s. She's fun, she's clever, she's a badass. What's not to love?
Japan
3/5
Above average new wave album. In Vogue and Alien were stand out tracks for me.
Buck Owens
4/5
Classic Buck Owen’s. Had I not been to Nashville three times this year I might not appreciate this as much, but - for all its corniness - it’s the best of a genre.
Radiohead
4/5
Well, dammit - do I like Radiohead now? I've been fighting it for a while now, but I really, really liked this album.
Pantera
3/5
I couldn't think of a more fitting album title. This is heavy man. It got me jacked up. It's heavy metal precision. It's like if Metallica stayed angry all the time.
The Police
2/5
I just listened to an NWA album from this list last week and they said to fuck the Police. I'm not sure what they had against Sting and the boys (except maybe that Sting is a cooler rap name than Easy). I wouldn't go so far as to say "fuck them" - but this isn't a great album.
I like Sting, the Police never really did much for me.
Lightning Bolt
2/5
I'm not generally in favor of "noise rock" - but I actually didn't mind this album. It's not great by any means, but it constitutes a little more than just noise.
Billy Bragg
3/5
I liked this one. Protest music is always fun and this one had an interesting vibe.
John Lennon
3/5
Well, it ain't the Beatles - but John was an undeniable talent. This album gets a little weird at times. It seems Paul made a better writing partner than Yoko. Still, good stuff.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Every time I see an Elvis album cover or poster or old video - I can't help but think about how cheesy this guy is and how only my parent/grandparents were really fans. But, then I listen to the album (which, are still kinda cheesy) and can't help but get sucked in. He did have a great voice and a certain swagger. He's iconic for all the right (and wrong) reasons. He's the world's first true pop star. Even this album - which doesn't contain any of his "hits" - is a solid album and fun to listen to.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
This isn't really my favorite genre of music, but I'll give them some credit for innovating something (seemingly). If I wouldn't have read anything about this album first, I would have guessed it was released in the early-mid 2000s. I think it rivals a lot of similar stuff that was coming out at the time. I can appreciate that.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Lot of bangers on this one. It's a pretty impressive debut album given the number of classics on here. I'm not sure that there is anything that really sets Dusty apart from some of her contemporaries, but she picked a thing, did it as well or better than the rest of them, and found a lot of success with it.
Great album, definitely worthy of the list.
Brian Eno
3/5
This was my 730th album - and the 352nd one that Brian Eno was somehow involved in. Like the others - it's fine. David Byrne saved it.
Gorillaz
4/5
I was enamored with this album when it came out. Listening to it again - I wasn't quite as impressed as I remember being back in the day. Still, they did something pretty unique here. And a lot of these tracks (especially the ones with Del) really held up well.
Roxy Music
4/5
I'm starting to think Brian Eno wrote this list. Why is every album he's ever been involved in on here? It can't be that he was such an influential force on decades worth of music that everything he's ever done is worthy of praise. I smell a conspiracy.
That said - I really liked this album. It was a lot of fun. :)
Bad Brains
3/5
Pretty bad ass. I liked it.
William Orbit
2/5
It was definitely strange, but I didn't hate it.
Pink Floyd
5/5
One of the best albums of all time, probably. It's so good that I can't even explain it. Some of these songs have low-key Stevie Ray Vaughan vibes. I love it.
Roni Size
3/5
The first few tracks I actually kinda liked, then it got boring and repetitive like most of the rest of the stuff in this genre.
Ravi Shankar
4/5
I appreciate the instructional tidbits in this one. They made listening to a type of music I know little about much more enjoyable. Ravi was a clear talent and an influential artist - so he gets a bump.
Holger Czukay
2/5
Interesting. I didn't hate it.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
Some stuff is just weird for no reason - but I feel like this is weird on purpose. There's a difference.
Q-Tip
3/5
Funky goodness!
Traffic
3/5
This is a fun folk-rock album. I love me some Steve Winwood. Just a solid album - not much else to say.
The Byrds
3/5
The Byrds are cool. This isn't my favorite album of theirs, but it's still pretty awesome.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
This does not sound like it's from 1997. It sounds like a copy of late 70s, early 80s - just 20 years later and not any better. He's like Emo David Bowie.
King Crimson
3/5
I dug this one.
Slipknot
3/5
I never paid much attention to Slipknot when they came out. I only remember thinking that there were too many of them and I hated there outfits. I wasn't really interested in another Limp Bizkit-esque "heavy" band - especially when Tool and Rage were still recording.
For the most part, I still don't really like it. However, I will admit that - at times - it seems melodic and thoughtful. That's probably mostly the Cory Taylor effect (I liked Stone Sour).
The Charlatans
4/5
The Charlatans are cool. I hadn't ever heard much by them before, so it was nice to listen to a full album. It's got all the 90s stuff I love, but it's also very Bob Dylan-y and gets just weird enough at times.
M.I.A.
3/5
MIA is kinda weird, but kinda fun. She has a certain swagger that makes me think I'm the weird one and she knows exactly what she's doing. I'm not sure if I "like" this album, but it kept my attention.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
She's got a great voice. I liked how simple the accompaniment was. Just let her sing.
Living Colour
4/5
Cult of Personality is one of my all time favorite jams. The rest of the album didn't disappoint. It's punchy and angry and funky and I like it.
Steely Dan
3/5
I appreciate Steely Dan, even though I don't usually seek them out. They're folky, bluesy, funky, rocky, and fun. I like that they let different instruments drive each song - some are heavy on piano while others ride the guitar or bass. It's all a little different but still recognizable.
Suede
3/5
Hadn't heard this one before, but was excited to listen since 90s British alt-rock is a favorite genre of mine. They didn't disappoint.
Justin Timberlake
3/5
So, I want to start by saying that
1. I like JT
2. This albums has some iconic JT tracks on it, and they hold up
But, as far as the album as a whole
1. It sounds like he's still figuring out who he want's to be as a solo artist
2. The really good tracks (you know the ones) are clearly Tim and Pharrell songs that JT just got to sing
3. The rest of the songs sound like NSYNC b-sides or Michael Jackson wanna-be's
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Great voice, but I was never a really big Marvin Gaye fan. Most of these songs are a little "free-flowing" for my taste. But - still - great voice and superb musicianship.
Laura Nyro
4/5
Really nice voice and eclectic musical style. I can see how she influenced a lot of other artisits.
Devendra Banhart
4/5
Never heard this before and not sure what makes it "psychedelic" but I really enjoyed it. It's simple and beautiful. I'll listen again.
Nico
3/5
I was initially excited to see that this was basically a Velvet Underground album, then disappointed that it was kinda slow and boring. But - by the end - I was getting some real Fionna Apple vibes that I dug.
Can
2/5
Let's go in a studio and just bang on stuff. No thanks.
Jamiroquai
4/5
Funky, jammy goodness. What's not to love?
Green Day
5/5
One of my all time favorites. This album is the reason I wanted (and did) learn how to play guitar/bass/drums. Longview was the first song I learned to play on bass. When I Come Around was the first song I learned to play on guitar.
These guys are punk rock legends.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
This band is like the sad, less talented Cranberries. A little too depressing for my tastes, though I can appreciate a lot of it. The last track - Soon - was really cool.
Stereo MC's
3/5
This was a fun album. Not great, but it helped pass the time.
The Psychedelic Furs
2/5
This is okay. Nothing special as far as I can tell though.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Leo is cool. It was interesting to hear something from so early in his career. Not that I could tell. Dude was born cool.
R.E.M.
4/5
I'm always surprised by how much older all of REMs stuff is than it sounds. They were a solid decade ahead of everyone else for their whole career. Clearly influential. I like me a good protest band. Plus, all their songs are so simple, instrumentally, but so awesome.
Jungle Brothers
3/5
Pretty solid early hip-hop album. Nothing special IMO, but I liked it.
The Vines
5/5
I hadn't listened to much of the Vines music, but always remembered liking it. I'm happy to say this album didn't disappoint. It's great from start to finish.
On the one hand, it's unoriginal in the sense that you can hear bits of Blur, Nirvana, the Clash, Oasis, and a few others. However, they seem to have blended it all together in a unique way.
Impressive debut album and one that I'll definitely come back to.
Ministry
2/5
This is a bit much for me. :)
Tears For Fears
2/5
There were some big hits for them on this album, but I never really bought into the sound.
Arcade Fire
4/5
I've heard a lot of Arcade Fire but never listened to a full album. I'm also not familiar with their whole discography, so I don't have an opinion on where this one ranks among them. Still, I like it. They have a unique sound but there are hints of like Travis, and Coldplay, and Radiohead. Pretty cool.
Venom
2/5
Pretty cliché metal album. Great band name, though.
Deep Purple
3/5
No live albums! (even though this sounded like a fun show to be at)
Garbage
4/5
Underrated group in my opinion. It's angsty and well-executed.
CHVRCHES
3/5
Not typically a genre I listed to or appreciate, but I really like this one. Lots of buttery synth, great vocals, and some dope vibes. I was impressed.
Ray Price
2/5
I like the band more than the featured artist (Willy Nelson AND Johnny Paycheck?!).
This is what most 60s country albums sound like to my (admittedly untrained) ear. It's just a lot of songs about them being sad that women are out in the bars having a good time.
Eagles
2/5
I don't dislike the Eagles, but I always thought the sum was less than the individual parts if that makes sense. I think they're all very talented individuals in their own right and they created a recognizable sound, but it never seemed to make sense together.
I'm also less of a fan of pre-Joe Walsh Eagles. This one has too much of Glenn Fry's country-western influence.
Bobby Womack
3/5
Solid R&B/Funk-ish album. I'll go out on a limb and say that "If You Think You're Lonely Now" rivals every other song in the genre, including Let's Get it On. The rest of the album is solid.
1/5
I've wondered whether or not a few of these albums have been worthy of the list, but this one makes me question the validity of the list itself. Why is this anywhere near the list of albums you should have to hear before you die.
Granted - I might have turned up the volume on Rollin for a little bit, but that was mostly nostalgia. This album is 75 minutes of cliches and stolen lyrics on top of garbage. I understand they were popular for 10 minutes, but there is nothing unique or interesting or worthy of attention on this one.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
This one is just okay. Sly (and his family) are fun, but this can't be their best album.
The Gun Club
3/5
Got some Jack White, Animals, Clash vibes from this one. I like it!
Ian Dury
4/5
My kind of Tom Waits/ Todd Rundgren weirdness. But - it’s also pretty jam-tastic.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
I never got techno. I mean - some of it is cool I guess. This album has some cool stuff, but everything is sooooo loooooong. I think I'd like it (and the whole genre) better if they weren't so self indulgent.
Miles Davis
4/5
"If peeing your pants is cool, I'm Miles Davis."
Miles Davis is, indeed, cool. This album has some real legends on it and it doesn't disappoint.
Yes
3/5
I'm not usually into progressive rock, but this is pretty jammy. There is some clear talent in "The Yes" and I appreciated it.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
I was more excited about this album than I should have been. I remember listening to Kicks as a kids and thinking it was pretty great. But the rest of the album was just okay. They're like a poor man's Animals.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Solid Neil Young stuff (including Hey Hey - which is my favorite of his).
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
I liked this a little better than the first Cap'n Beefheart record I heard on this list. It's fine.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Sensational might be a bit much, but pretty good. It was funky and bluesy and weird. I liked it.
Raekwon
2/5
He's the guy from Wu Tang that I always forget was in Wu Tang. It's okay.
David Gray
5/5
David Gray was a bridge between Bob Dylan and, like, Coldplay. His voice, phrasing, and lyrics are very Dylan-esque. He could have just made acoustic albums with guitar/piano, but he added the whole whimsical, orchestral thing.
I also never realized how many songs from this album made it to the radio. Not sure where he is now, but he certainly made his mark. Great album from a unique talent.
Femi Kuti
3/5
I enjoyed this one.
Kings of Leon
4/5
I liked Kings of Leon when I first heard "Use Somebody" and "Sex on Fire" - they have a unique sound and I like his voice. It's different.
I had never heard their debut album (I also never knew they were all related). It did not disappoint. Even not knowing a single song going into it, I found myself really into it.
Big Star
2/5
I did not like this. Poorly executed, sappy nonsense.
Deep Purple
3/5
I dig Deep Purple. Solid rock band.
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
Sinead was never really my vibe, but I appreciate her. She can definitely sing and created a unique sound - a sound that likely influenced (at least in part) the Cranberries, Alanis Morissett, and a few other badasses. Respect.
Beatles
4/5
This is the most Beatles-y Beatles album ever. It's still the young, poppy, kinda sad early stuff that most people think of when they think about the Beatles.
It's interesting how simple (even bad?) the recording quality is and how short the songs are. It's so simple, but clearly the beginnings of what changed music.
AC/DC
3/5
Solid rock album by a Hall of Fame rock band. It's probably not their best album, but it's good.
I don't think AC/DC gets enough credit for the use of "space" in their music. They're a hard rock band, but almost all of their songs include short periods of silence - breaks in the heavy guitar riffs that kinda draw you in. I think that's what makes their sound so unique and recognizable.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
I wasn't expecting much from this album - I decided a while ago that Kendrick is overrated (not untalented, just overrated). I still can't say I'm a big fan, but I did gain an appreciation for him after hearing this.
It's similar to Common in the sense that it's spoken word-y and poetic in a lot of ways. I can get behind that.
The Louvin Brothers
1/5
No way these guys weren't in the Klan.
Also, the only good part of the album was the mandolin/guitar player (who apparently wasn't even one of the brothers"), so . . .
Dirty Projectors
4/5
I tried to hate this album from the get-go, but I actually really liked it. It's a little chaotic, but in a creative way. The vocals are great and the guitar work is impressive.
3/5
Got some Talking Heads vibes from this one. Maybe Devo was cooler than I thought?
The Beach Boys
3/5
I think the Beach Boys get more credit than they deserve, but they definitely found a sound that filled a niche. Good for them.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
See previous Nick Cave reviews. Great poet, but I don't care for the musical accompaniment.
Talking Heads
3/5
The Talking Heads are cool. I'm a little disappointed in myself that I didn't realize "Cities" was originally their tune. I used to listen to Phish's version of it all the time back when I was working at Sam Goody (remember those?). It always had some TH vibes - now I know why.
Radiohead
3/5
I don't know that ALL the Radiohead albums need to be on the list, but this one (like the rest) is pretty solid. It gave me some weird Neil Young vibes for some reason.
But, it also sounded much more like Coldplay or even Travis than some of their other work. Obviously, I'm not saying Radiohead copied these other bands - they were clearly the influence on them. However, they sound more like their contemporaries on this album than they did with other releases.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
I'm not a huge Christina fan, but it really is a shame that she got lumped in with Brittany and Pink and the like. She's clearly in a different league. This album seems like a real attempt to gain that separation in the early 2000s. It feels more genuine. And, the collabs she got on this album (Scott Storch, Alicia Keys, etc.) show the respect she had (has) as an artist compared to her contemporaries.
The Beach Boys
3/5
This is probably the quintessential Beach Boys album, huh? I never really cared much for them, but whatever - unique sound and deserving of the list.
U2
3/5
U2 is good. I haven't followed them closely enough to distinguish between the albums in their catalog, but I like them. They get a little "whiny" after a while, but 42 minutes is an acceptable amount of U2.
Meat Puppets
3/5
I can definitely hear how these guys influenced Nirvana (and the whole Grunge thing). It also makes sense how this guy ended up on Nirvana's MTV unplugged show. Pretty good. Extra props for being influential.
The Bees
4/5
Cool name, cool album cover - but I was still prepared to hate this based on the overview. Happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I don't know that I loved it, but it was different and interesting. I'll give it a bump for being something deserving of the list. I think they carved out something unique here.
Erykah Badu
4/5
Badu is like a slightly more chill version of Lauren Hill - which I dig. Very poetic, kinda funky. Good stuff.
Nick Drake
4/5
I had good things to say about the first Nick Drake album that came up on the list, but noted that it almost lulled me to sleep at times (in a good way).
This one had all the same stuff I liked but was a little "peppier" which seemed to strike the perfect balance.
He's a really intriguing artist.
The Specials
3/5
This album was just fun. I loved it.
Deee-Lite
3/5
Pretty funky. I guess it deserves to be on the list.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
Jazz is a completely different beast. The way it is conceived, composed, and recorded is so different (imho) than most other genres. Good jazz musicians know their instruments at a level that I find difficult to even comprehend. And T-Monk is one of the GOATs.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I get why Mick and the boys don't really like this album. The production value did suffer a bit and it didn't have much commercial success in terms of singles. However, I also get why everyone else (including me) loves it. It's classic (not over-produced) Stones.
Morrissey
3/5
Morrissey is cool. Maybe not as cool as people think he is, but still cool.
I dig this. He's a cross between the Doors and Bowie.
The Stranglers
4/5
Got some really Rolling Stones, Doors, Pink Floyd vibes from this one. Pretty impressive debut album - especially for when it came out. Loved it!
Ash
2/5
Listened to it while I was working. Couldn't remember much about it when it was over.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Love Elvis Costello. This is a good album, just not one of my favorite of his. But, an "okay" EC album is still better than most.
The Black Crowes
4/5
Great album. Always wanted to see them in concert but heard they suck. It also seems like they're kinda dicks, but - whatever - the music's great.
Moby Grape
3/5
Above average SF hippy rock stuff. Cool name, cool vibe. I dug it.
Keith Jarrett
2/5
He's good at piano. What do you want from me?
Roxy Music
3/5
This is a fun one. I dug it.
Dire Straits
3/5
Dire Straits always sounds like they're goofing around but in a really smart way. Super talented. Unique sound.
MC Solaar
3/5
Old school hip-hop vibes with some jazz-influenced beats - I like it. This guy has a pretty smooth flow. I have no idea what he's saying, but the vibe translates.
Soul II Soul
2/5
This is not great. Kinda all over the place. Also, it didn't age well.
Randy Newman
4/5
Randy Newman is so cool, and this album has most of my favorite songs of his. In addition to having a unique voice and a niche genre (Orchestral Pop), he's part poet, part humorist, part satirist, part spirit guide - a little bit of everything.
1/5
"Noise rock" is - by definition - not music. It's just noise.
a-ha
2/5
He has a seriously impressive vocal range, but - overall - this isn't really any better than any other 80s synth pop that was out there at the time. Granted, Take on Me is a near perfect synth pop song, but - the album - meh.
The Cult
4/5
Never listened to this one before. It didn't have any of the "Cult classics" (pun intended), but it actually might be my favorite of their albums. I'm not even sure why really. It just spoke to me.
The Pogues
3/5
Never heard of these guys - but I like 'em!
The Go-Go's
4/5
The narrative around the Go-Go's is always about how they're the best "all female" rock groups ever. That's so niche. They're flat out one of the best rock groups - period. They're bad ass. This is a great album.
John Grant
4/5
Another good one that I was not previously familiar with. I like the snarky vibe that he has. The melodies are interesting. Just a fun album.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
The Flaming Lips are like if Neil Young was the front man for Phish. And I mean that as a compliment.
R.E.M.
3/5
REM really ushered in the 90s. I'm always a little surprised to be reminded that they were doing this in the late 80s because it seems so ahead of the time.
Stipe's trademark "whininess" gets to me after a while, but - still - great band. Good album.
Pentangle
2/5
Pretty boring.
Joan Baez
3/5
Not really my jam, but Joan has an incredible voice.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Jazz is pretty cool.
Brian Eno
3/5
I was ready to hate this as much as (or more than) I've hated everything else Brian Eno was involved. But dammit if this one wasn't actually good!
Fela Kuti
3/5
Funky goodness
Throwing Muses
4/5
A pretty badass pair of step sisters. Loved the angst. Loved the lyrics. It's got 70s punk roots, 90s punk vibes, but was released in the 80s. Great album.
Gram Parsons
3/5
solid classic folksy country stuff. Emmy Lou is the best part though.
Louis Prima
4/5
King Louie! I know it's a little hokey, but I love this album. So many classics, and it's just fun.
Solange
2/5
Who even cares about this album. I couldn't even finish it.
Beyonce doesn't even like this album.
Hey - I really hope that there are some Tito Jackson, Lance Bass, and Jamie Lynn Spears albums on this list too!
Barf.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Pretty great. Had a real mid-90s feel even though they recorded it in the late 80s. Visionaries.
Dion
4/5
Folksy with some Van Morrison vibes. Timeless in a way.
Cee Lo Green
4/5
I'm not sure why I love this guy, but I do. Goodie Mob, Cee-Lo, Gnarls Barkley - whatever he wants to call himself, he's a force. His shit is so well-produced. And it's fun.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Jimi is good at guitar. I usually don't like long albums, but this one was great from start to finish.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
I like Dusty. Her voice is only okay - but it's got a sultriness that I appreciate. Love the songs with horns, don't care for the ones with strings.
The Libertines
4/5
Never heard of these guys, but I really liked it. I can't even quite put my finger on why - it's just good.
Sister Sledge
2/5
Disco isn't good and this isn't even one of the "good" disco albums. There are a few catching hooks here and there, but - for the most part - it's garbage. And the ripped off "Gettin' Jiggy Wit' It" by Will Smith.
Gang Starr
4/5
The wikipedia page said this was (at some point) named the greatest rap album of all time. I was skeptical, but after hearing it I'd be willing to say that it's ONE OF the greatest HIP HOP albums of all time. Very well executed. Clearly influential on the genre.
The Only Ones
3/5
Pretty good.
The Divine Comedy
4/5
Hipster Orchestral Rock is a pretty niche genre, but it's pretty cool. I got Rocky Horror Picture Show vibes from this. It was like listening to the soundtrack of a musical that doesn't actually exist. I rename the band Tran-Siberian Dork-estra, but I really liked it. The Frog Princess was the standout for me.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
This might be the perfect hip-hop album. It's so well produced and arranged. It's got dance songs, social justice songs, "chillin'" songs - even songs about eating healthy (Ham N'Eggs). This is one you can just turn on in the Summer and vibe to.
ZZ Top
3/5
ZZ Top is cool in that they have a unique, super-recognizable sound. They are also smart enough to know what they do and not overcomplicated it. Each song is one cool guitar lick on repeat, but never for more than three minutes - and sometimes with a key change in there to keep it interesting. Simple. This is also probably their best album.
Elis Regina
3/5
Beautiful voice for sure. Really pulls you in (even though I have no idea what she's saying).
Miles Davis
4/5
Perfect name for this album. Miles Davis is the coolest.
Frank Black
4/5
I've never listened to this before, and I was always kinda luke-warm on the Pixies - but I like this one. It's like the Pixies meets Neil Young.
Christine and the Queens
2/5
This is fine.
Marilyn Manson
3/5
Everything that’s cool about this is what’s also cool about Nine Inch Nails. Trent gets a 4, Marilyn gets a 2.
Primal Scream
1/5
This is real dumb.
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
Pretty good. I dug the vibes on this one.
Paul Simon
3/5
Paul Simon is great. Unmistakable voice and unique melodies. The instrumentation on this album (all of his albums, really) is really interesting. This definitely isn't my favorite album of his, but it's good.
Anthrax
2/5
Never really cared much for Anthrax. Maybe they pioneered this sound, but I doubt it.
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
Makes me want to wiggle my hips with my hand on my stomach.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Pretty impressive that they can do this a cappella. It's vibey.
Simply Red
2/5
Not sure what this is? Is it New Wave? Is it Funk Pop? Is it 1920s lounge music? Why does it sound like Wham sometimes. It's a little too all over the place for me, though I did like a few of the songs.
Paul McCartney
4/5
It's cool to hear what is basically demo tracks for Paul's first solo venture. Sure, some of these songs might have been even better with John's, George's, and (to a lesser extent) Ringo's influence. But they're still good songs (a couple great ones), and they all show what a talented musician he was/is. Definitely worthy of the list.
David Ackles
2/5
This guy has a good voice. Oh, California was good. Everything else seemed pretty pretentious and self-indulgent.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
As a fellow bassist, I appreciate Jah's bass-centric approach to this album. It also gave me some Talking Heads vibes at times. But, I didn't much care for most of it.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Classic. I know this album deserves 5 stars, but I always forget about the few weird tracks that are just sound effects. I was also stone sober when I listened to it. So, 4.
Cat Stevens
3/5
Real solid folk album. His voice bothers me sometimes, but I really like the instrumentation and arrangement of most of his songs.
LL Cool J
3/5
This is a pretty important transitional hip-hop/rap record. But I never really thought LL was that Cool, J.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Contextually, this is an important album. It's a transition from 80s British punk to 90s emo/grunge. You can hear how this influenced a lot of the great bands of the 90s. All that to say, I'm not sure I really like it. :)
Earth, Wind & Fire
2/5
This one is mostly annoying.
Pere Ubu
3/5
This was weird, but there was a really cool groove behind all the weirdness. It's like they started with something and were like, "that's cool, but let's see what kinda crazy shit we can add to it" - and I appreciated it.
Ozomatli
4/5
This is so good. Artists I was reminded of while listening to this include Carlos Santana, Robert Bradley, the Gorillaz, Linkin Park, Sugar Ray, Chance the Rapper - which is crazy, but it somehow all works.
The Crusaders
3/5
Great musicianship. Solid album.
Little Simz
3/5
Liked this one a lot.
The Cars
4/5
A debut album where the first three tracks are some of the most recognizable songs from the era? Not bad.
The rest of the album is great too. The Cars has a unique sound and were all-around pretty awesome.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
They're fine. A little too quiet and whiny for my taste. I was definitely surprised to see more than one of their albums on the list. Who cares that much?
Scritti Politti
3/5
This is like the precursor to the boy bands of the 90s-2000s. Like if the Backstreet Boys played instruments.
Kidding aside, it makes sense that these guys (especially the keyboardist) became successful producers/engineers after this. While I don't necessarily "like" it - it's catchy, it's interesting, it's well arranged, executed, and produced.
Worthy of the list.
Orbital
2/5
I love the name of the album. And that's where the compliments cease.
Bee Gees
3/5
Pre-Disco Bee Gees? I didn't know that was a thing.
It was definitely an interesting album to listen to. Very folksy, pretty Beatles-esque (though not as good).
Jane Weaver
3/5
Really interesting. Not typically my jam, but I enjoyed this one. Not quite a 4, but we'll call it a high 3.
Nitin Sawhney
1/5
This is real weird and bad.
The Zutons
3/5
The Zutons are cool. I was a big fan of a few of their tracks (not on this album), but this was also pretty great. Almost a 4.
3/5
MC5 is cool. Very Detroit. It was cool to hear a live show, but I still don't think live albums should be included on the list.
Megadeth
3/5
They aren't Slayer, but I appreciate Megadeth. It's easy to think that this is just loud and fast and doesn't take much talent - but I dare you to try to play it. :)
I also like how (good) metal incorporates changes in the rhythms, time signatures, and tones throughout each song. Keeps it interesting. Megadeth certainly excels at that.
Wild Beasts
3/5
Kinda weird at first but it grew on me a little bit. I get some U2 vibes here. I also like the ethereal-ness of it - spacey guitars and keys. I can dig it.
The whole thing is a little whiny for me though.
Mike Ladd
2/5
Very poetic. He's obviously well read. But I was bored.
Britney Spears
3/5
This is not a good album, but it deserves to be on the list for contextual and historical purposes.
This is a shining example of formula pop. These songs could have been performed by Christina, the Backstreet Boys, or any other number of pop artists at the time and they still would have been hits.
Having said that, Britney is the clearest example of the toll that can take. She CAN sing, but you can tell someone was really driving the whiny, growly thing that she does, and every song has to have a quota of "oh yeahs" - iconic Britney stuff. But it's almost like you're listening to someone performing under duress.
I don't know where I'm going with this. It's bad, but you should listen to it.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
This is on par with late-80s Madonna I suppose. I don't necessarily mean that as a compliment.
The whole thing seemed pretty cheesy and juvenile.
Who knew Eagle Eye was the more talented Cherry?
The White Stripes
4/5
If it weren't for Detroit, would there even be any good music? It seems like every decade/generation was inspired by (or aspired to be like) something that came out of Detroit. Jack White (and, Meg to a lesser extent) were that something for the 2000s (and 2010s).
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Dude can sing. King of the crooners. Arrangements are nice too. Though I'm not sure what makes any of his albums better or worse than the others. They're all pretty much the same schtick. It'll always just be dinner music to me.
Death In Vegas
3/5
I'm having a hard time with this one. On the one hand, I really dug the vibes.
The instrumentation was cool. A lot of if reminded me of the Gorillaz - who I am a fan of.
On the other hand - while I'm not opposed to instrumental music - most of these tracks seems to be screaming for vocals. The music was great but didn't really "go anywhere" over the course of 5-7 minutes, so (at times) it ended up sounding like the karaoke versions of some really great songs. Just - something was missing.
Blue Cheer
3/5
I can definitely see how this gets credit as the first "heavy metal" album. I dug it.
Silver Jews
3/5
Got some Neil Young and David Byrne vibes from this one. I appreciated the simple imperfection of the whole album.
OutKast
4/5
Classic album. This put Atlanta on the map. Andre 3000 is one of the greatest rap artists of all time. People sleep on Big Boi a bit too. He's not Andre, but they were a solid duo. It was so different when it came out, and it's still different than anything else out there now.
The Doors
4/5
classic sloppy white boy blues - what's not to love
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Are there even any other "swamp rock" bands? If there are, CCR is the best. I think there was another album of theirs on the list, but this one has to be at least as good.
The Strokes
4/5
The Strokes are cool. They give me Black Keys, Kings of Leon vibes, but I think they came out before both those bands, so - that's awesome.
Minutemen
3/5
Pretty great example of punk rock. Just a billion 1-minute songs. It was a fun listen. Didn't seem like 80 minutes.
Portishead
3/5
I gave a pretty shitty review of the last PH album that was on the list, but I actually liked this one. Glory Box was the stand out track (and a great way to end the album). This felt more like a band. Solid debut album.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
Count Basie it a pianist, but there isn't a lot of piano on this album. His true talent is as a band leader - and he was one of the best. Him and his orchestra were some of the most talented musicians in the genre. This is probably the shiniest shining example of Big Band.
3/5
I liked this. It had some subtle Doors vibes at times with a little rockabilly mixed in - but, still pure punk. You can also hear how this may have inspired the Grunge scene that would come later in the 80s. I liked the mix of male/female vocalists. It made the whole thing a little more interesting. Definitely worth the listen.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
PiL is interesting - but not in a good way.
Soft Machine
1/5
Not sure what this was, but there was a lot of it.
Skepta
3/5
British rappers are cool. Something about the accent makes it interesting, but - beyond that - this is a really good album. And he got some heavy hitters (Pharrell, ASAP), which lends him additional credibility. Good stuff. Almost a 4.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
PSB is the best British synth-pop duo of all time. That's a specific category, but - props.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Fiona is super cool. She's the right kinda weird for me. Her voice/style is almost like Stevie Nicks and Aretha Franklin had a baby - it's a cool vibe. I didn't even know this album existed, but I love it.
The KLF
2/5
Solid attempt in a stupid genre.
Santana
4/5
I always expect more guitar on Santana albums and then I remember he was really more a a band leader. Still, he shreds in his own unique way. Dude created a sound. How do you not give him credit for that?
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
I really liked this one. And the shit about their guitar player is crazy.
Jazmine Sullivan
4/5
I had never heard of this - which isn't surprising since I'm no expert in R&B, nor am I under any delusion that I'm the target audience for an album like this. Still, it's really good. It's like Missy Elliot and Lauren Hill had a baby. I like the concept with the little "vignettes" followed by a song. It gave it a real folksy, story-telling vibe - but remained very much R&B. It's badass.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2/5
I mean, sure.
Chicago
2/5
I like Chicago. They're super talented - but this is a bit self-indulgent for me. Any album that has a 7-minute long song title "Free Form Guitar" is going to get on my nerves a little bit.
Slint
3/5
Great name. Pretty good album. You can definitely tell how they may have influenced a lot of the mid-90s music scene. There were parts of the song Washed, in particular, that sounded like they may have been stolen by Weezer, STP, and Nirvana.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
This is an interesting album. It's a little random but you can tell it's a collection of stuff he was sitting on after Genesis. It's a little Randy Newman meets The Who. It's cool.
Baaba Maal
3/5
This has to be the best of his 475 albums, right? Right? I have no idea. I couldn't even find the album on a music streaming service anywhere. I had to "watch" it on YouTube. It's a tough one to judge.
Tortoise
2/5
It's okay. Sounds like a lot of other okay stuff.
Kings of Leon
4/5
Kings of Leon is underrated by a lot of people, including myself. I always forget about them until I'm listening to them, but they're really good. They have some Doors vibes, as well as some hints of the British Invasion. The lead singer's voice reminds me of the guy from Needtobreathe. So good.
KISS
3/5
This is a good-ish album - a couple of classic rock anthems, but most of KISS's stuff is kinda cheesy and forced (a la Great Expectations and Do You Love Me).
Beth is a real underrated song though.
Baaba Maal
3/5
See my review of his other album from 4 days ago. I liked this a little better. 3.5.
Al Green
4/5
Classic. Great voice, great band, great vibes.
Einstürzende Neubauten
2/5
They're so angry and disorganized. In a nutshell, this is why Germany keeps starting (and losing) wars.
Ramones
5/5
The epitome of punk. Classic.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
It'd be interesting to know what the staying power of Buddy Holly would have been had he not died. He was off to such a strong start, but - at the same time - this album sounds a bit like they're trying to impersonate Elvis. Granted, they started so close together that it's probably hard to say that either one was ripping the other off. Still, this is a classic album.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
In my opinion, one of the greatest rock albums of all time. LZ is so good. Each one of these dudes was at the top of their game. They're like an all star team of musicians. One of only a few bands where the "deep cuts" might be even better than the classics.
Slipknot
3/5
I'm not really into this at all, but I'll give them some credit for inventing (or popularizing?) "Nu Metal" - that's something.
On a side note, I do like Corey Taylor.
Manu Chao
3/5
Wikipedia billed this as a reggae album, but it's really not. I caught glimpses of the Gorillaz in here, but - for the most part - it's its own thing. Impressive that the songs are in different languages with different vibes. It's an interesting album for sure.
Waylon Jennings
3/5
This is "real" country music. It's still not my favorite, but it's classic - and Waylon was one of the best.
Stephen Stills
3/5
He's the least popular member of CSNY, but this is a good album. It actually seems like 2 or 3 albums. One country, one blues, one folk/rock. Good stuff.
Eagles
3/5
Probably the best Eagles album (it's basically their greatest hits). But, it's still the Eagles.
Supergrass
4/5
I knew “Alright” and thought it was (ironically) a better than average song, but hadn’t listened to any other Supergrass now I wish I would have. It’s everything I loved about 90s Brit rock. It’s like Oasis, Travis, Blur, and Robbie Williams all wrapped up into one album. And you can still hear the Beatles in there too. Great album.
Janet Jackson
3/5
This is real cliche and preachy, but I suppose that’s easy to say in retrospect. At the time, this was admittedly a super popular album. Almost the whole thing was released to the radio.
The guitar riff on Black Cat is badass though. Always loved that song. That’s enough for a slight bump.
Skunk Anansie
4/5
I kinda dug this. It reminded me of Rage at times, and of Celine Dion at others- which is pretty cool I guess. She can sing, that's for sure. I'm giving it a one-star bump for uniqueness. People should hear this. It's deserving of the list.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
I agree that this is better than Nirvana's first album and I'm glad it nudged it out in 91. It's pretty melodic and a little sophisticated, but has some of that 90s one-hit wonder stuff (think Deep Blue Something, Rembrandts). Solid effort from top to bottom.
Kanye West
5/5
I hate that I'm about to do this because KW is such a shithead, but fuck me this is a great album. Musically, he's a unicorn. Everything about the album (songwriting, rapping, singing, producing) is uniquely and unmistakably Kanye.
The Residents
2/5
They're just being weird for the sake of being weird. I appreciate the experimental nature of the work, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
Parliament
4/5
Tell Bruno that THIS is smoother than a fresh jar of Skippy. It's funky buttery goodness.
Maxwell
3/5
It's fine. He has a good voice and the songs are written and arranged really well, but it sounds like a lot of other stuff.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
She was clearly influenced by Lauren Hill - which comes through without it feeling like a parody or imitation. It's a solid hip hop album.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
Really good album. Solid musicianship.
N.E.R.D
4/5
Pharrell is cool and this is a great album. It's unique. It's fun.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Sometimes psychedelics are good for music, but not this time. It's just weird.
Spacemen 3
3/5
Pretty good. Honestly, I listened to it on Friday - today's Monday - and I don't remember much about it.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
LC is a great songwriter and story teller. It's not like I'm going to throw this on in the car, roll the windows down, and crank it - but it's undeniably good.
Anita Baker
3/5
Anita Baker has a great voice. It's like gospel and R&B and jazz and a little cabaret. It's also a little boring. But you can definitely hear the influence she had on Mariah and Christina. They definitely stole a few things from Anita.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
This is such an intriguing album. Musically, it's good. I like the songs. But - I heard so much of the Beatles in there (a la Rubber Soul - Sgt Pepper) that I had to do a little more digging to see who was influencing who in the mid-late 60s. Turns out both John and Paul listed Nilsson as their favorite American artist. That's respect.
Fugees
5/5
Putting this on the "1000" list almost doesn't do it justice. This would definitely make the top 100, maybe even 20? It's just so unique and recognizable, and just good - all the way through. It's authentic. It's awesome.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Kraftwerk
3/5
Sounds like robots.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
So good. Little Wing is one of my favorite songs of all time (even though it's so short). This album is classic Jimi. His drummer is so good.
Prince
5/5
This one is top 10 for sure. It's a master class in composing, arranging, producing, mastering and musicianship. Prince is like rock, blues, disco, gospel, and pop all smashed together.
The Coral
4/5
Really liked this one. It's like The Doors meets Simon and Garfunkel. Plus, since they're British, they have those baked-in Beatles harmonies.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Much better than the other two albums of PJs that were previously reviewed - which is odd considering this is her debut work. Now I feel like I listened to all of her stuff in reverse order and missed out on the progression of her work. Maybe I owe those a re-listen. I really liked this one.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
This was a fun album. I was leaning towards giving it a 4, but the disco-esque cover of Comfortably Numb annoyed me.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
This was pretty good folksy stuff.
The Cardigans
4/5
The Cardigans are so cool. They have the best vibes. Lovefool is honestly one of my all time favorite songs because it's hard to be anything but happy when it's one. Iconic voice, unique sound. Well done.
Fats Domino
3/5
This dude invented rock and roll, so that's cool.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Three of the best to do it. It's not really my jam, but respect where it's due.
The Police
3/5
The Police are cool, but mostly because Sting is cool. Still, they have an unmistakable sound.
The Byrds
3/5
I like the Byrds, but this isn't their best work IMHO. They started to stray from the formula here.
Gotan Project
3/5
I'll probably never listen to this again, but it was a fun album for the ride home. Nice grooves.
U2
5/5
See my review of "Joshua Tree" from May 2022. Copy/paste it here. I think one actually edges it out by a little, but both great albums.
Scott Walker
2/5
This guy is whiny in the creepiest of ways. I don't like it.
Röyksopp
2/5
These songs sound like all the weird levels of Dr. Mario and/or the music that plays in the background of the time lapse video of people refinishing a deck or converting a school bus into a camper.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Stir it up is one of my favorite songs of his. The vibe of that one permeates the rest of this album. So good.
The White Stripes
4/5
Great stuff - as we should expect from Jack White. Even Meg's semi-shotty drumming give the White Stripes something special.
Tom Waits
5/5
Tom at his best.
He has me at “I’m so god damn horny the crack of dawn better be careful”
He’s great, the band is great, the crowd was great. Love it.
Kate Bush
2/5
Kate should keep running up that hill until no one can hear her anymore.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
I was maybe a little too excited about this one. It was good, but I expected a little more from a supergroup of this caliber. That may be my fault for not tempering expectations. I still enjoyed it.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Good album. It took the Stones longer to figure out who they were than it did the Beatles. So, this is not their best work, but it's interesting to hear how they progressed.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Great band. I'm not familiar with all of their albums, but this one encompassed everything I like about them.
The Undertones
3/5
I dug this one. Seems a little ahead of its time. I bet a lot of bands that became popular in the decades that followed listed to the Undertones. Well done.
The Stooges
3/5
Iggy's cool.
Bill Callahan
2/5
Bill took country and made it weird(er). Kudos for originality, but I didn't really like it that much.
Actually, Faith/Void had a pretty good vibe, but it was way to long.
Donald Fagen
2/5
Still a little too Steely Dan for me, but it's aight.
Steve Winwood
3/5
Steve Winwood is super talented and I like his music. This one is a little "slow" for me though. I like his "rockier" stuff.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sonic Youth is the bridge between punk and indy rock. It's right in the sweet spot - more sophisticated and thoughtful than 70s punk, but still pretty edgy. It's cool.
The Saints
3/5
There's a lot of punk on this list - and I like punk - but let's be honest, most of this is hard to distinguish between. It's good. Whatever.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
I'm not a big fan of this genre, but PSB is probably the best at it. It's weird that this album came out in 1993 and still sounds like it was released in 1983. I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
Afrika Bambaataa
4/5
This album seems kinda cheesy, but it's clear how influential this was on the hip-hop movement and beyond (Rage!). There are all sorts of references to this album that continue to pop up in other genres.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
This is delightfully disturbing.
k.d. lang
2/5
She has such a great voice, but I don't like her music. The song titles and lyrics are so pretentious and the melodies are boring. Still, great voice.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Solid debut effort. Classic punk vibes.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Not my favorite album of his. it sounds like he's experimenting a little on this one - which I'm all for - but it lack the quintessential Stevie Wonder-ness in my opinion. That last track (Please Don't Go) was the Stevie-est of all of them. I really dug that one.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Never got real into DM, but I like them. They made electronic music palatable.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
I was only kinda familiar wit Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but I really liked this album. I can't really put my finger on why. It's poppy, but not in a mainstream way. It's fun, but it's also really beautiful in some ways. Great album.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
I get the appeal of Joni Mitchell. She has a great voice and a distinct sound. I just don't like it.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I've railed against including live albums on this list for the first 990 albums - but .... this one is pretty great. I would have loved to see Johnny Cash in concert, especially at this point in his career. He just doesn't give a shit and I love it.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Great voice. Sad story. Wish he coulda made more stuff.
Happy Mondays
3/5
This is a different spin on the new wave/electronic 80s stuff. I like it better than most of that stuff, but it’s still just okay.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Funky, jazzy goodness. Great musicianship.
Elbow
3/5
It's like if Sting were the lead singer of the Imagine Dragons. I mean that it a good way (as in, this is better than Imagine Dragons).
It's a little operatic and over-produced, but I like it.
Alice In Chains
4/5
This is probably one of the best "metal" albums of the era. It still has 80s-metal undertones (Cantrell's style is van halen-esque at times), but it's also grungy and clearly influenced some late 90s/early 00s bands. Great album.
King Crimson
3/5
This was good background music while I worked.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
Pretty voice. Fun album.
Soundgarden
5/5
Definitely deserving of the list. Soundgarden is full of talented musicians, but Chris Cornell was a generational talent. Unmistakable greatness.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Well, I'm definitely Team Paul. Arty is a great accompaniment, but his stuff kinda brings the album down a little. Still, this is one of the all-time great albums. Deserving of the list.
Madonna
1/5
This is the most ironically named album in history. It is not, in fact, music.
The Temptations
3/5
All the Temptations albums sound pretty much the same, but they declined over time.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I continue to be a Bob Dylan fan. This might slightly edge out Blonde on Blonde. It's peak BD.
Method Man
3/5
I like Method Man, but this album is just okay for me. It's hard not to compare it to Wu Tang or the stuff he did with Redman.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Musically, these guys were every bit as good as the Animals and the whole British Invasion sound, but they chose to mock it in a way that is both hilarious and genius.
D'Angelo
4/5
I vaguely remember this album coming out among a slew other R&B albums in the 90s, but it didn't really register at the time. I'm glad it made this list because, in retrospect, it's much more impressive than a lot of its peers.
His cover of Cruisin' is beautiful. I vibed to the whole thing.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
4/5
Love this album. For my money, BST is better than Chicago. So much fun.
Leftfield
3/5
As electroinca goes, it's better than a lot of it.
Guided By Voices
3/5
This was okay. Good background music while I was driving.
Shack
4/5
Really liked this one. It had some subtle hints of REM, but also reminded me of like Robbie Williams and Oasis a little bit. It was still it's own thing, but it sounded familiar at the same time.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
I only ever really new DMR for "Come on Eileen" - which I always thought was fun, but nothing special. This album surprised me a bit. The whole thing is pretty good. All the same fun vibes as "Eileen" - but also made me appreciate them a little bit more than I had.
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
Pretty sexy - especially for the early 70s.
TV On The Radio
3/5
This was kinda cool I suppose. It was a little bit like a bad impression of Beck. Still, some pretty cool vibes (especially for a Monday).
3/5
Never heard this one before, but I liked it.
Ute Lemper
3/5
She has a great voice and this had all the weirdness of Nick Cave and the brilliance of Elvis Costello. An all-star cast of writers, for sure. It was entertaining and I appreciated it.
Beach House
3/5
Really good arrangement and execution. This isn't typically my vibe, but I dug it.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Fun album. I dug it.
Coldplay
5/5
I remember working at Sam Goody when this album came out and hating it at first. But, the more we were forced to play it in the store, the more I found myself singing along. It's arguably one of the great debut efforts of all time - just in terms of how it took off and how it influenced the rest of the decade. Coldplay carved our a unique niche with this one.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
Pretty funky. Kool Keith is pretty "kool"
Love
3/5
I liked this one. I was dreading the 18-minute long song that is all of Side 2, but that was probably my favorite track. It had some George Thorogood (One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer) and Doors (Roadhouse) vibes that I dug. And, since it predates both of those tracks, they get bonus points for doing it first.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Neil Young is cool. Not much else to say.
Tangerine Dream
1/5
No thanks.
Grateful Dead
3/5
The Dead were never really my bag, but it's okay. I can appreciate what they're doing.
10cc
2/5
I was pumped from the first few seconds of the first track. Enjoyed that one, but then it just kinda flattened out for me.
John Lee Hooker
4/5
John Lee Hooker is the man. The collabs on this one are top notch. Great album.
John Cale
3/5
John Cale isn't Lou Reed, but he's definitely not his Garfunkel either if you know what I mean.
This is a good album.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Sorry you got drunk and fell out of a window, but I don't like your music.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
I never really got into the original tango.
Big Black
3/5
Classic punk rock stuff here. Anti-establishment. Noisy. I like it.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
I liked this one. Folksy but kinda punk and weird at the same time.
Boston
4/5
Boston sounds like a lot of other late-70s rock bands, but just a little more sophisticated. The guitar work on this is impressive. There are like 7 songs and the first 5 are classics. Well done.
Wilco
3/5
It's a little too artsy at times, but I like Wilco.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
This still has an "old school" jazz feel for something that came out in the 80s. Respect for staying true to form.
Metallica
3/5
I still don't think live albums should be on the list, but this one is obviously unique. I remember when this came out and people were going ape shit over it - and with good reason. It somehow made Metallica even more metal. I can't imagine how intense this show would have been. The recording can't really do it justice.
Animal Collective
3/5
This is like if the Beach Boys did acid. I like it.
808 State
2/5
I'd imagine a lot of wannabe cool dudes popped their collars and blared this in their DeLorean, but it's not for me.
LTJ Bukem
2/5
Had a lot of trouble caring about this one.
Barry Adamson
1/5
Adamson Schmadamson. Who cares?
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
Queens of the Stone Age are sophisticated grunge. They're up there with Soundgarden in my opinion. Great album.
The Adverts
4/5
There are a lot of punk albums on this list, but this one is one of the better ones. It's textbook punk rock.
Nirvana
3/5
Heart Shaped Box is probably the best song Nirvana ever recorded. Most of the rest of this sounds like they’re trying to reinvent themselves and it’s not working.
Ice Cube
4/5
One of the GOATs.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Another great debut album. FF has a unique sound (thought similar to The Killers and others) that I dig. Good song writing, good execution.
Eurythmics
2/5
Meh. That one song is cool. Otherwise . . .
Randy Newman
3/5
Randy Newman is hilarious. One of the great satirists of our time.
Red Snapper
3/5
I'm not a fan of this genre in general, but this is one of the more palatable albums in the cannon. It the aim was to satisfy - it did.
De La Soul
4/5
DLS is just fun. Pioneers of hip hop, sure - but mostly just fun.
Justice
3/5
Definitely heard the disco influences on this one. It's better than a lot of its peers in this category.
3/5
Pretty good.
Gillian Welch
4/5
If you're just going to have a guitar and vocals, they both need to be near perfect. In this case, they were. Impressive guitar work and Gillian has a great voice. Very "O Brother" - and I mean that in a good way.
Stan Getz
2/5
Really well executed. Great musicianship. Still made me feel like I was waiting for the Dentist.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Sledgehammer - awesome. In Your Eyes - classic. Peter Gabriel (in general) - pretty good. Synthesizers - pretty cool. This album - meh
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2/5
This whole album sounds like a Jimmy Dean sausage commercial.
Richard Thompson
2/5
It's fine.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Emmylou has a beautiful voice. Solid album.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
This was the start of modern rap and hip hop. Cornerstone piece of art right here.
Björk
2/5
she's weird, but cool - still, not for me.
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
Fix Up, Look Sharp was the stand out track (because it was simple). The rest of it had too much going on. The rapping is fine, but the backing tracks are less hip-hop and more ecstasy-fueled Rave music.
Otis Redding
5/5
The GOAT. Other people's songs, but it don't matter.
Terence Trent D'Arby
4/5
The cover reminds me of Tracy Chapman. The vibe is like a mix of Stevie Wonder and Tina Turner (with hints of Michael Jackson and a little Bonnie Raitt at times).
As Yet Untitled felt like and ode to Sam Cooke, which seemed slightly out of place until he followed it up with a Smokey Robinson cover.
This one kinda had everything. I dug it.
Killing Joke
3/5
It's good British punk.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
This was as advertised. Sounds like a slight different arctic monkeys album.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
2/5
Sounds like a weird carnival soundtrack.
Arcade Fire
3/5
I like Arcade Fire, but not as much as some people think I should.
Rod Stewart
4/5
Rod Stewart is cool. His albums are all equally good, just front to back. He's a model of consistency. Keep giving the people what they want, Rod.
The Dictators
3/5
Great example of what punk rock should be.
Slade
3/5
It's fine.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I'm still against live albums on this list, but Johnny Cash is great. I wish I could have seen him live.
Björk
3/5
Okay, fine.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
No live albums. Especially from ELP.
4/5
Muse is cool. Like U2 meets Soundgarden with a little techno circus music.
3/5
Rebel music! The husbands are gonna be upset when they hear Loretta singing about cheating on her husband and denying his drunken advances.
She's good.
3/5
Funky. As advertised.
Merle Haggard
2/5
I like old Merle. Like, when he was old - not his old stuff.
Billy Bragg
4/5
Wilco is cool and this is an interesting concept for an album. What's not to love?
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
Zappa is fun. Weird but fun.
Beck
4/5
Beck is the right mix of weird and catchy and super-talented. I kinda want to be him.
The Kinks
2/5
I like the Kinks. They are worthy of the list. However, this is not their best work.
Eric Clapton
3/5
This is a solid album. Glad he stopped doing heroin.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Lupe is a mix of Jay-Z and Kanye (which makes sense since the signed/produced him), but he's a little more "folksy" than both of them. He's a storyteller - "Kick and Push" is a great examples, but most of the tracks are similar in that regard. It's great (and under-appreciated).
The Pretty Things
3/5
I dig this one. Bery good post-Beatles, pre-Queen rock n roll
Pavement
3/5
I like Pavement, I do. But I'm not sure why they are deemed so "influential"
Doves
3/5
Heard a little Coldplay. Heard a little Foo. Heard a little bit of a lot of things I like. Good stuff.
Basement Jaxx
2/5
Not for me. Not really sure who it's for.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Put on a little Dylan - "sittin on a fence"
I said that line is great, you asked me what he meant by - "said I shot a man in gray, took his wife to Italy, she inherit a million bucks and when she died, gave it to me - I can't help it if I'm lucky"
I only wanna be with you
and I'm "tangled up in Blue"
I only wanna be with you
Ain't Bobby so cool?
Yes. Yes he is.
The Pogues
4/5
I'm not Irish, but I do love this genre. This one is right up there with Dropkick Murpheys.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Rufus is cool, but this one made me a little sleepy.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Wu-Tang Clan is certainly nothin' to fuck wit.