My User Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Sailing The Seas Of Cheese Primus	5	3.05	+1.95
Apostrophe(') Frank Zappa	5	3.17	+1.83
Hand. Cannot. Erase. Steven Wilson	5	3.19	+1.81
Jaco Pastorius Jaco Pastorius	5	3.21	+1.79
The Great Outdoors Jam Pigeons Playing Ping Pong	4	2.53	+1.47
Get Rich Or Die Ryan Spose	4	2.56	+1.44
Afraid Of Sunlight Marillion	4	2.61	+1.39
Sound Awake Karnivool	4	2.76	+1.24
Stop Making Sense Talking Heads	5	3.79	+1.21
A Charlie Brown Christmas Vince Guaraldi Trio	5	3.89	+1.11

Album	You	Global	Diff
For Emma, Forever Ago Bon Iver	2	3.48	-1.48
Blade Runner Vangelis	2	3.46	-1.46
Enema Of The State blink-182	2	3.37	-1.37
Spirit of Eden Talk Talk	2	3.28	-1.28
Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You Big Thief	2	3.25	-1.25
Speak & Spell Depeche Mode	2	3.18	-1.18
The Lonesome Crowded West Modest Mouse	2	3.16	-1.16
Chocolate Synthesizer Boredoms	1	2.08	-1.08

Metric

4/5

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. It's a mix of Veruca Salt, Tracy Bonham, and a DIY feel. Really dug it. I like how "Satellite Mind" had vocals that kinda felt all over the place, giving the idea of a satellite bouncing around. And "Gimme Sympathy," a song about choosing Stones or Beatles? I'm there. In fact it made me look at other works by the band, which is always a plus in rating. Top tracks: "Help I'm Alive," "Satellite Mind," "Twilight Galaxy," "Gold Guns Girls," "Gimme Sympathy"

Gemstones

Adam Green

3/5

Well. That was... odd. I liked his voice, and the simplicity here, very folk-singer-y. I can't tell how serious he's trying to be with the stuff, though. Songs like "Chubby Princess" and "Choke On A Cock"... right. I think if he made the album much longer it would have felt draggy. As it is, the 30-some odd minutes fit with the briskness of the songs. I didn't laugh, really. So I can't tell if that's a success or a failure. Top tracks: "Over The SUnrise," "Crackhouse Blues," "Emily"

Kick

INXS

4/5

It's such a fun album to listen to. Yes, there's the big BIG hit "Need You Tonight," but there are other fun songs on it too: "New Sensation" is definitely my favorite one. "Listen Like Thieves" is probably my favorite album of theirs, it's straight up rock. But this has a lot more going for it: swing, funk, orchestral moments ("Never Tear Us Apart," man!) Michael Hutchence oozed charisma. I know the band tried to recapture it with a reality show where they tied to find a new singer. But he was irreplacable. Fun, fun album. Top tracks: "Guns In The Sky," "Devil Inside," "New Sensation," "Kick," "Never Tear Us Apart"

Pinkerton

Weezer

3/5

I had seen a YouTube where basically every hit song by Weezer is interchangeable. Change the lyrics to Sweater to Beverly Hills, it sounds the same. Pinkerton... all of the songs don't sound EXACTLY the same, but it does come close. It is a pretty dark album, but I just got the sense of it's sound. It has a very garage-y sound to it to me, but at least it was short. Probably the best track for me was "Butterfly," very haunting. So I am still not a fan of Weezer, but I can say not every song is interchangeable. Top tracks: "Getchoo," "El Scorcho," "Butterfly"

Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides

SOPHIE

2/5

Well. That was... odd. I had accidentally hit a song in the middle, and I thought that this was the opening ( "Immaterial"), which I hold is a better to song to start the album with. "It's Okay To Cry" felt weak to start the album in comparison. It wasn't techno per se, but it had a lot of original sounds to it. I laud the originality here, even though I was not a fan of the music as a whole. The reason I didn't care for it was songs like "Immaterial," which was very much "hey let's make weird sounds" to me. So it was original to me, but I wouldn't say I was a fan. NEXT.

God Shuffled His Feet

Crash Test Dummies

3/5

I've always liked the lead singer's voice, it's a different tone than a lot of other singers I have heard. that cutting baritone, I wish more singers were like that. Let's get the big song out of the way. So many of these songs change in tone for me when I hear the Weird Al parody. This one is no exception ("He found little Mr. Happy was missing..."). The other songs at first sound a little morose, but that's really the tone of the vocalist, I think. The lyrics are a little... yeah. ("How Does A Duck Know?") Very Canadian, very strange. It wasn't bad, I liked the vocals, but... yeah. Top tracks: "I Think I'll Disappear Now," "When I Go Out With Artists"

Get Rich Or Die Ryan

Spose

4/5

If you had said the three words "Rapper from Maine," there are easily 10-15 jokes you can make. "How many ways can you rhyme 'moose'?" But all jokes aside, this was a lot better than I was expecting. Spose has great flow, the references are current (although in 10-20 years maybe not so much when you promise to watch "The Mandalorian" with your kid), and he has great backing behind him. I was initially bothered that this was a double album of almost 100 minutes. But once I started listening, I realized I liked it more and more. Top tracks: "Self-Destruct," "Self Help!", "Hey Big Guy," "Motherf***ers (Bring You Down)," "Metal Band," "You Don;t Get Me High"

Pop Art

Transvision Vamp

3/5

It's an interesting sound, it sounds more like hair metal to me than pop punk, like wikipedia said. I dug it some, I liked Wendy James vocals on this a good deal. It's definitely something I want to look into more, even with it feeling a little... dated. And how did not "I Want Your Love" become a bigger hit? Top tracks: "I Want Your Love," "Tell That Girl To Shut Up," "Andy Warhol's Dead"

Ram

Paul McCartney

3/5

I will say this is a lot better than McCartney's first solo album, _McCartney_. Perhaps it's because he used other musicians instead of just trying to do it all himself. Still, I preferred some of the later McCartney, particularly his work with Elvis Costello. This is... okay, although it has the one hit "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey". McCartney seemed to be on a run of taking two or three ideas and stitching them together to make a song (i.e., "Band On the Run", where he really perfected it. Besides the one song, the rest wasn't as memorable to me, but at least you had that. Top tracks: "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey"

Watch Out!

Alexisonfire

3/5

The performance hit really hard, and I appreciated that. But hardcore is always so... tiring. Every song feels the same, and it's an adrenaline rush to the tenth power. Even after the first 25 minutes, I felt... tired. Top songs: "It Was Fear of Myself That Made Me Odd", "Side Walk When She Walks", "No Transitory", "Sharks and Danger"

Enema Of The State

blink-182

2/5

blink-182 makes me think of the lyrics to Zappa's "Tinseltown Rebellion": But then they took some guy's advice To get a record deal, he said They would have to be more punk Forget their chops and play real dumb Or else they would be sunk The songs just feel... dumb. And I could go my whole life without hearing "All The Small Things." NEXT. Top songs: "Dumpweed," "What's My Age Again?"

The Shape Of Jazz To Come

Ornette Coleman

4/5

I listened to this after a hardcore album, hoping for smooth jazz. I needed something... calming. This was not that. Bebop is still good, though. "Eventually" and "Lonely Woman" felt all over the place. It wasn't until "Peace" that things kinda settled down (for Bebop, at least). Top tracks: "Focus On Sanity," "Peace," "Congeniality," "Chronology"

Diary

Sunny Day Real Estate

3/5

The music and even some of the vocals felt a LOT like Nirvana to me. That's not a bad thing, but it felt a little on the nose for me. I mean, it was on Sub Pop, just like Nirvana was. It didn't feel derivative of Nirvana, but you can hear there was an obvious connection there. Top tracks: "The Blankets Were The Stairs," "Shadows"

Cor-Crane Secret

Polvo

2/5

I've listened to this a couple of times, and it just seems like two or three genres mashed up in a way that isn't cohesive. Math rock and emo rock? It felt like apple pie flavored mac and cheese (yes, that's a thing). I wanted to like this, really. The biggest thing for me was that the sound desperately needed low end. It just sounded like a wall of guitar distortion. Just... no. NEXT.

Psychic

DARKSIDE

3/5

It's taken me a while to get my head around this album, and I'm not sure why. At first it sounded like a lot of random ideas thrown together. But I've listened to it a few times, and the more I listen to it, the more I have been digging it. It's low-key electronica, which shouldn't work for me. But there is a distinct difference between the tracks, unlike some electronica I have heard through this site. Top tracks: "Golden Arrow," "The Only Shrine I've Seen," "Freak Go Home"

Being Funny In A Foreign Language

The 1975

3/5

I had thought the 1975 was more of a band like the Struts, more rock-y. Instead, this album made think more of 1985 than 1975. It's definitely a pop-y feel, which was a pleasant surprise. Step up from what I expected, but it did feel very 80s pop, but there wasn't a super catchy hit for me. "I'm In Love With You" did make me smile, though. Top tracks: "I'm In Love With You," "All I need To Hear"

BABYMETAL

3/5

When my kid was in elementary school, I was driving him back from Boy Scouts, and he had a 3 Musketeers bar (full, not fun size). He talked nonstop on the ride home, probably the most he ever had, and then crashed on the couch. I feel like BABYMETAL is the equivalent to a sugar overload like my son had, and by the time you are done you are just... crashing on the couch. I know a number of metalheads don't equate the band to heavy metal. They say they can't shred, it's not metal blah blah blah. I disagree, and would say it's a valid form. But it's not aggression like some headbanging bands. It's just superduper hyped UP! Them singing in Japanese adds to the sugar rush of the band (take "I Love Chocolate", for example). I thought it was good, but halfway through the sugar high came down for me. Maybe it the album wasn't over an hour long, I would have enjoyed it more. As it is I feel the diabeetus coming on... Top tracks: "I Love Chocolate," "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!"

A City Dressed In Dynamite

That Handsome Devil

3/5

One of the terms listed for this in wikipedia is "Gonzo Rock," and quite frankly I think that hits it right on the head. It sounds like something Hunter Thompson would rave about. The more I listened to it, the more I dug it. It did remind me a bit of Mr. Bungle, but not taken to the extreme that that is. I think Mike Patton would really enjoy these guys, maybe even sit in for a track or two. That'd be interesting to hear. Would I like to hear some more of this? Sure. But it's not stuff you can put on in a party, I don't think: Top tracks: "Damn Door," "Kiss The Cook"

Dead Man's Party

Oingo Boingo

4/5

Fun album. Oingo Boingo definitely knows how to make fun music. It was catchy and just... fun! "Dead Man's Party," "Just Another Day," "Fool's Paradise," "Weird Science"

All Hail West Texas

The Mountain Goats

2/5

There's something charming about how lo-fi this album is. You can hear the tape grinding as he plays. Charm and all, though, I still wish that some of the songs had more production to them. A number of the songs have such a demo vibe, it started to grate on me ("Blues In Dallas"). My other problem I had was a number of the songs' lyrics. I felt they were... trying to be smarter than the singer really is. The song that I felt that was probably the most charming was "Riches & Wonders". After that one the others, I felt a little better about the others. But one song does not make it one I can recommend. The lyrics and the demo feel make me think it could have taken another pass.

Norther

Ex-Easter Island Head

2/5

All I kept thinking when I heard this was: "FOUR guys were needed to make this?" I mean, sure, maybe live they need four. But I don't see how this could not have been easily done buy one person. The worst was "Magnetic Language," which sounded like dogs playing with squeaky toys. Nope, sorry I did not get this. NEXT.

Animals

Pink Floyd

5/5

Who was born in a house full of pain Who was trained not to spit in the fan Who was told what to do by the man Who was broken by trained personnel Who was fitted with collar and chain Who was given a pat on the back Who was breaking away from the pack Who was only a stranger at home Who was ground down in the end Who was found dead on the phone Who was dragged down by the stone... While "Wish You Were Here" and "Dark Side Of The Moon" seem more hopeful as albums go, "Animals" completes the trilogy, and is a very dark album for me. No radio hits off of it. Still, I play it all the time. Every track is sublime for me. I would like to have (at some point) the 8-track version of "Pigs On The Wind," where they connected the two tracks together. One can hope. Probably my favorite album of theirs. It felt like everyone was clicking together (even though in reality they were most assuredly NOT).

Sublime

4/5

I have this album, but it's been a long time since I have listened to it in its entirety. It's a fun album, although a bit overlong. It's sad that the band did not become big until tragedy because it would have been interesting to hear their next steps afterwards. There was a time I got tired of hearing "Santeria," because it seemed on the radio ALL the frigging time. This would be a perfect album of about 40 minutes long, you cut things like "Pawn Shop" and "Seed," maybe put them on the next album or something. It's not that they're bad, but they don't stand up to the top songs on the album Top tracks: "Wrong Way," "Caress Me Down," "What I Got," The Ballad of Johnny Butt"

Odyssey Number Five

Powderfinger

3/5

It definitely had that late 90s / early 2000 feel. I was hoping for a more angular feel since they are named after the Neil Young song. It was... okay. A few of the songs hit me, but a lot of it just felt forgettable to me. Top tracks: "Like A Dog," "We Should Be Together Now"

Contra

Vampire Weekend

4/5

This band seemed to be channeling Paul Simon but through a punk lens. It's an interesting idea, really. I listened to this through YouTube as opposed to Spotify, and I would recommend it. Only because you get to watch the videos for the "singles", which were fun to watch. I was expecting the album to be more goth-y with a name like Vampire Weekend, but I was surprised how much fun it was. The opener, Horchata was a bit weaker than some of the other tracks. I think I would have switched that with "Cousins" to really get the fun of the album. Top tracks: "Holiday", "Cousins", "Giving Up the Gun", "Diplomat's Son"

The Lonesome Crowded West

Modest Mouse

2/5

I only knew this band through their "hit", "Float On." And this album sounds NOTHING like that to me. It's punk-ish. but a number of the songs were just... too long. NEXT.

Ruby Vroom

Soul Coughing

3/5

There were a few songs that were very conversational Dada, in my mind. I dug those, like "Screenwriter's Blues". But some of the songs that were closer to be "songs" just got repetitive and annoying ("Down To This", "Bus To Beelzebub"). I also felt the last two tracks could be a bit shorter. I get why this was listed by users; it's quite different from some of the other stuff around at that time. But it shouldn't be a mix of annoying and interesting.

The Best of The Hot 5 & Hot 7 Recordings

Louis Armstrong

4/5

It was hard to distinguish the piano player on the hot 5 recordings. Furthermore, the drums were almost inaudible on the hot 7 recordings except for the cymbals. The songs with the vocals are a little bit cringe-y. But the other stuff was really good, you can tell where a lot of later jazz was built off of this. Top tracks: "Heebie Jeebies," "Muskrat Ramble," "Ory's Creole Trombone"

Blade Runner

Vangelis

2/5

I'll be honest, Blade Runner is not my favorite sci fi film. It does have a lot of the stuff I enjoy: a noir feel, Harrison Ford, androids. But it's not my fave. I feel the same about Vangelis, I feel like I should enjoy his work more, but I never thought of it as great. And at least one of the songs on this has that "out of tune piano" feel, which sounds really bad for 1983. But it has some spoken dialogue, so that was cool, and Rutger Hauer's famous "Tears In Rain" speech, so I guess its not TERRIBLE. But I can't imagine coming back to it. I feel like I want to rewatch the movie, particularly at some point with my son. As for the soundtrack: NEXT.

Nonagon Infinity

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

4/5

he album is designed to play as an "infinite loop" where each song segues into the next and the last song segues into the first, so that "the record can be played front-to-back-to-front-to-back and the sound won't break" Unfortunately, since it's not on Spotify, I listened to it on Youtube, and the ads between the songs killed the vibe. But even so, it was pretty good. I don't think there was a stand out song, but I felt that was the point, as they run into each other.

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

Arctic Monkeys

4/5

I keep trying to place the vocals. At first I was thinking Bono, but now I think it's more of a cross to Geoff Tate's lower register and Elvis Costello. I dig it, though. The more I listen to it, the more I enjoy it. I do think it's good. Seriously, I liked the one AM that was in the original list, so sure, more of this. please. Top songs: "The Ultra Cheese," "Four Out Of Five," "One Point Perspective"

No Talking Just Head

The Heads

3/5

It’s not bad. It doesn’t make me think “what if David Byrne had sung it?” though. Byrne’s contribution is not just vocals, though. There were a couple of good moments with the rotating vocals: Andy Partridge, Ed Kowalczyk, Michael Hutchence. The first song was good, too. But for every track I liked, there were others that were just repetitive and bordering on the inane. Looking at you, “Punk Lolita “. Top tracks: “Papersnow,” “Damage I’ve Done,” “The King Is Gone,” “Indie Hair”

Fly

Yoko Ono

1/5

Why? Just… why? Why would you suggest this? And why is it 2 discs of Yoko caterwauling? I got two songs in, and I’m done. NEXT.

Forced Witness

Alex Cameron

3/5

It was fair for the most part, not something I went "wow!" to. Second to last track took me out of it, though, with the whole "f***got" thing. Look, if I had heard songs like that when I was younger, I probably wouldn't have been taken out of it as much. There's a song by King Crimson where the first line is "Health Food f****ts with a bartered bride," and that didn't bother me as much (and don't get me started on "The Wall"). And I get what Alex Cameron was doing here, this being more of a hyper-ized male stereotype, but it just didn't work for me. But let's take that song out of it for a second. Quite frankly, the rest was just... okay. I kinda liked his voice, but it didn't stand out as much as I wanted. I can imagine hearing this when it was released and going "meh," so that's where I am, kinda... "meh." Top tracks: "Runnin' Outta Luck," "The Chihuahua"

Sunbather

Deafheaven

3/5

The contrast of light and shade of the album was very interesting. I just wish the shade wasn't so AAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Top tracks: "Please Remember," "Pecan Tree"

Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera

3/5

I sometimes wish I was in the 60s, so I could "get" some of the weirder stuff that came out then. As it is, things like these leave me lukewarm. There's something there, but it's so hopelessly dated. I liked how the opening track leads into the second one, that was pretty cool. The vocal effect on "Dream Starts" I found a bit... annoying. "Reactions of A Young Man" souds exactly I expected it to with a title like that. I was never a bnig fan of the Strawbs, buit there was a big phase for me of listening to things like Cream and psychedelic Pink Floyd. Maybe I would have appreciated this more if I had listened to it then. Maybe. Top tracks: "Mother Writes," "Flames," "Long Nights of Summer"

Set Yourself On Fire

Stars

3/5

I liked the contrasting vocalists, I thought it worked really well with the songs. Do I think I will come back to it? Probably not, it didn't stay with me as much as I hoped. Not overly relistenable. Top tracks: "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead," "What I'm trying To Say", "Celebration Guns,"

Dogrel

Fontaines D.C.

3/5

Pretty good punk album, but the vocals could have been better. Had some good moments like "Hurricane Laughter," "Boys In The Better Land," and even "Dublin City Sky" worked. I just felt a more piercing vocal would have fit the band better.

L'autre...

Mylène Farmer

2/5

It was decent background music. Although a number of the songs seemed very repetitive (looking at you "Beyond My Control"). And they each could hav easily been cut down by a minute or so. It was decent, but not something that's going to make me look at and want more of. Top tracks: "Regrets," "Agnus Dei"

Boys And Girls in America

The Hold Steady

3/5

I am having a hard time placing the vocals. The Mrs. says he sounds like Cat Stevens, but I don't think that's it. The bonus track of "Against The Wind" made me realize he is probably closer to Bob Seger, but not 100%, but with a twang of Van Morrison. Even so I dug this more and more as I got along. I did felt there were a couple of songs were a BIT repetitive ("Party Pit" and "Chips Ahoy", for example). Still, I enjoyed the songs. hard rawking, with pretty good lyrics. I may look up some more of their stuff. Probably a strong 3. Top tracks: "Southtown Girls," "Same Kooks"

Bob Mould

4/5

I have never been a big fan of Husker Du. But this was pretty good, and the more I listened to it, the more i enjoyed it. There was a twang in the voice, that I could not place it. But even so, I enjoyed the music, sounded a bit like mid-era Pearl Jam (meant as a compliment). Definitely will check out more of his stuff. Top tracks: "Anymore Time Between," "Next Time That You Leave," "Egoverride," ""Roll Over and Die"

How To Be A Human Being

Glass Animals

4/5

If I had a nickel for every song I know that was entitled "Pork Soda," I'd have 2 nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. Seriously, I was expecting a cover of Primus, and instead got some straight-up funk. I felt the titles got to be a bit superfluous ("Season 2, Episode 3"), which can be a bit frustrating at times. You want more insight to the song, and the title doesn't help. Still, songs like "Cane Shuga" and "The Other Side of Paradise"... you couldn't help but bop your head to it. Strong outing from the band, I really dug this.

Alive Or Just Breathing

Killswitch Engage

2/5

I am a fan of metal. Just not a fan of metalcore. It just is... to exhausting. I'd like the singer to actually sing more than scream, I think he's got a good voice in there. But until that happens, gotta pass on this. NEXT.

Que c'est triste Venise

Charles Aznavour

3/5

It's not bad, very Sinatra-y. Problem is, it feels like a number of the songs have too many words in them. He seems to be cramming as much in there as possible. I wanted to him scat a bit more, I think that would have worked better. Top tracks: "Que c'est triste Venise," "Je t'aimais tant" (very hip, man....), "Tu t'amuses," "Le temps"

In Between Dreams

Jack Johnson

4/5

Jack Johnson is the banana pancakes of music. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. If you're in the mood for it, it's perfectly fine. Maybe I was in the mood for it too, because I enjoyed it. Some of them are pretty well-crafted, not as quirky as DMB (although "Staple It Together" does have a moment or two in it.) Driving home I was listening to it, and my son recognized him as "the singer from the Curious George movie." I mean, that's not a bad thing to be known for. It was filling, not extremely deep and complicated. Just like banana pancakes. Top tracks: "Better Together," "Good People," "Staple It Together"

Squeezing Out Sparks

Graham Parker

2/5

The lyrics in the songs got very repetitive, which grated on me after a while. It was just not as memorable as I expected it to be. It felt a lot like an Elvis Costello thing, but the lyrics weren't as deep. NEXT.

McDonald and Giles

Ian McDonald

3/5

1970. Ian McDonald and Michael Giles left King Crimson. In some alternative universe, they stayed together with Fripp. You could hear that in "Flight of the Ibis," which sounds a lot like "Cadence & Cascade". If Fripp had left King Crimson instead of McDonald & Giles, I would imagine there would be a bit more of "Wake" in there. At the very least "A Man, A City" which became "Picture of a City". It's not an album I come back to often, but it has a few good moments in it, like "Tomorrow's People – The Children of Today." Then there's the end of "Birdman". I only wish that at the end of "Reflection" they didn't just end in a big major chord kinda finish. A fadeout would have felt more proper. In some universe the original band stayed together for a second album. How much of this would have been there I don't know. But it's fun to wonder. Top tracks: "Tomorrow's People – The Children of Today", "Birdman - The Reflection"

Hammersmith Odeon, London '75

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

It's a good performance by the backing band, Springsteen seems a little out of breath in the beginning of the show (considering how much he ran around the stage back then, that's not surprising). Many of the songs I enjoy from "Born To Run" are on this one, although there are a few songs from earlier that I am unfamiliar with. I do wonder why this performance was suggested, though. Maybe you just had to be there. Top tracks: "Lost In the Flood," "Born to Run," "Thunder Road," "Rosalita"

Get Fucked

The Chats

3/5

I mean... it's good punk, but I don't get why this was suggested. It was EP-length, not even a half hour. It hit hard, and was to the point. Loud, but not too harsh. But there are a number of other skate punk bands that do it just the same. So... what's the deal? Top songs: "The Price of Smokes," "Getting Better," "Southport Superman"

Erratic Cinematic

Gerry Cinnamon

4/5

The first song reminded me of the SNL performance of "I Wish It Was Christmas Today". But as the album moved on, it became more charming and "sing-a-long-able." Reading his bio on Spotify, and seeing that a lot of his shows became massive group sing-a-longs, I totally get it. It's a fun album, and I enjoyed it a good deal. The title track was probably the song I liked the best, it had a real pining towards the movies. Top tracks: title track, "War TV," "Lullaby"

Uncovered

Zamilska

2/5

This felt like someone trying WAY too hard to be Nine Inch Nails. NEXT.

Join Us

They Might Be Giants

4/5

Why isn't TMBG on the actual list? Furthermore, why isn't "Flood" on the list? I feel like I should listen to TMBG more. Yes, there's the occasional spinning of "Flood," but this album shows there's more to their stuff. There are two videos for the opening song, I liked the one on Youtube better. I played my son the video to "Spoiler Alert," and he walked out after 5 seconds. He was not amused. He's just not old enough to get it yet, I guess. Top tracks: "You Probably Get That A Lot," "Old Pine Box," "Cloisonne," "When Will You Die?", "Protagonist," "Judy Is Your Viet Nam" "2082"

The Great Outdoors Jam

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong

4/5

Apparently we needed a 14 minute version of "Ghostbusters". If you are a fan of jambands like Phish or the Dead, then this is for you. I did like the songs, they had a good vibe. But some of the songs go from being comfortably long to "well, you had to be there." (the extra long version of "Ghostbusters" for example) Still, I will probably check out some more of this. Top tracks: "Melting Lights," "Offshoot," "Lightning"

Dilate

Ani DiFranco

4/5

I enjoyed it more than I thought. I only knew her from one or two songs (like her cover of "Do Re Me" which I did not realize was a cover until I looked it up). I knew of her style and I felt like this album really encapsulated it. The album does have a few misses, but I still dug it. The cover of "Amazing Grace" was... interesting. Another act I am going to have to check out more of. Top tracks: "Outta Me, Onto You," "Napoleon," "Going Down." "Joyful Girl"

Afraid Of Sunlight

Marillion

4/5

I was not as much of a fan of "Brave" as I should be. So when this album came out, I was not super excited about it. However, it's probably now one of my favorite Hogarth era albums of theirs. It goes from strength ot strength to me with "Gazpacho" and "Cannibal Surf Babe," one of my favorite songs of theirs. I don't know if I can call this a classic, but it is definitely up there for me, maybe a 4.3 or 4.4. Top tracks: "Gazpacho", "Cannibal Surf Babe", "Beautiful", "Afraid of Sunrise", "Out of This World", "Beyond You"

Ruin

The Amazing Devil

4/5

Bombastic, yet intimate. I liked the trading off of the singers, i thought that was pretty effective. Both of them did some great work on this. Top songs: "Drinking Song For The Socially Anxious," "Blossoms," "The Old Witch Sleep and the Good Man Grace," title track, "Inkpot Gods"

Zuckerzeit

Cluster

2/5

I'm a bit more impressed because the album is from 1974, and not 1984. If it was from the 80s or later, it would just be noodling than anyone can do with the Casio. As it is, there is a bit of skill here, but I feel this would be more apropos for soundtrack music. But even as soundtrack music, I didn't find it overly exciting. Kraftwerk was better, but not by a lot. NEXT.

Under The Pink

Tori Amos

3/5

I was never a fan of Tori Amos. It never clicked with me when I was younger. I know I heard "Cornflake Girl" a _LOT_ back when it came out. But I can appreciate her songcraft, and even though a few songs got a little overemotive, I kinda dug it. Top songs: "The Wrong Band," "Cornflake Girl," "Icicle," "Space Dog," "Yes, Anastasia"

How to Operate With a Blown Mind

Lo Fidelity Allstars

3/5

Had a good groove to a lot of the songs. I like how the vocals were done. Normally I would complain about the songs being too long, but I dug it more than I expected. Top tracks: "Kasparov's Revenge," title track, "Will I get Out Of Jail"

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Vince Guaraldi Trio

5/5

Appropriate album. Big Peanuts fan, and this album just works. It doesn't sound dated, and every song fits well. Classic cartoon, classic album.

Auri

3/5

I felt like this is something you would hear on the TV show "Outlander". It started off pretty good, I liked the first few songs but I started to lose interest. I'd give it a "meh." Top tracks: "The Space Between", "The Name of the Wind"

Go Farther In Lightness

Gang of Youths

3/5

I liked the quieter songs more than the bombastic ones, which were still decent. Songs like "Achilles Come Down" was hauntingly good. Reminded me of "Hey There Delilah," but in a good way. The singer started off sounding a bit like Neil Diamond. It kept coming in and out like that, but it was an interesting vocal style. The two instrumental pieces, which ran right into other songs were nice, but I kinda wished they were shorter, make them feel more like theintro they were supposed to be and not a separate song on its own. Still, an interesting album, I liked it a good deal. Top tracks: "Achilles Come Down," "Our Time Is Short," "The Heart Is A Muscle"

AmarElo

Emicida

3/5

I would have liked to hear more of the music, I felt it was undermixed. Look, I don't mind listening to music in another language; I like the band Magma for goodness sakes. And _THEY_ sing in an alien language. But listening to spoken word stuff in another language is not my thing. Still, it grew on me as the album went along. As I listened to it, the last bunch of tracks I really enjoyed. Top tracks: "Ismalia," "Libre," "Amarelo"

Cold Fact

Rodríguez

3/5

It was like a latino-esque version of Jim Croce, with a bit more protest. Not that that's a bad thing, I thought it was pretty good. the sound was a little dated, so I do not know if I would go back to it again. It reminded me a little of "More Trouble Every Day" by Zappa, not sure why. But I definitely can say it has historical merit, and probably could have been on the original list. Top tracks: "Sugar Man," "This Is Not A Song, It's An Outburst..."

For Emma, Forever Ago

Bon Iver

2/5

Vocalist is kinda... eh. I am sure there are fans but I just didn't get it. The playing was fine, but it was ultimately forgettable for me. NEXT.

Sound Awake

Karnivool

4/5

I don't know what I was expecting, perhaps an ICP rip-off? But not this, a band working to incorporate some progressive rock tendencies. Definitely dug this, and am looking forward to hearing more from these guys. Top tracks: "Simple Boy", "New Day", "Umbra", "The Medicine Wears Off", "The Caudal Lure", "Changes (Part 2)"

Revolution

Q65

3/5

Back when the Beatles came out, 60s garage bands were pretty much a dime a dozen. Some rose to the top, particularly because of the thing they could bring that other bands did not have. The Kinks had a smirkiness to their songs, you could almost hear the smiles as they sing. The Who had... volume. These guys... don't really feel like they have anything. Their covers of "Spoonful" and "Bring It On Home" were interesting, but I would rather hear the Cream cover of "Spoonful" or the Led Zeppelin cover of "Bring It On Home" (although it would have been nice if they credited the original writer). In fact I did pull out the LZ version after hearing the THIRTEEN minute version.

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

Big Thief

2/5

The band recorded this album in four different studios with four different producers. Because of that, the sound from the album almost gave me whiplash, going from experimental to country to indie. I don't want to fault that, some of Neil Young's eralies albums have a bunch of different styles all on one album, and it works. But sooner or later he decided not to vary throughout the album and just stick with one sound, whether it was country or rock or something else. The chasm between the genres here just seemed to wide to me, making me wonder what kind of song was going to be next. If I wanted that kind of surprise, I would put a playlist on shuffle. For me, I kinda liked the quiet, country songs the best, like "Blue Lightning" or "Wake Me Up To drive." But as a whole double album, it varied too much for me. NEXT.

I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One

Yo La Tengo

3/5

I liked this more the second time I heard it. Sure, it's still all over the place, but sometimes that's a good thing. The trading off of vocals is an interesting idea, but Kaplan feels like he is trying to hard to be Wayne Coyne. But it had some good moments to it, but I don't see why this should be on the list. Top tracks: "Moby Octopad," "Deeper Into Movies," "Autumn Sweater," "Center Of Gravity" (bossa nova, man)

Moffou

Salif Keita

3/5

The album got better as it went along. The first track, which really should grab you, just felt repetitive. But even so, the album itself was pretty good. I really got into his voice, thinking of it as its own musical instruement since I did not know the language. I don't know if I would come back to it, but I enjoyed it even though I did not know what he was singing about. There was a joy to it which I appreciated. Top tracks: "Madan," "Katolon"

John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman

John Coltrane

3/5

Coltrane is... well, Coltrane. Johnny Hartman is... well, a crooner. And the crooning really sets the music back, makes it definitely feel every year of the decades and decades ago it was made. I want to like this more, but the singing just made me feel a little... drowsy. I would give this a "NEXT," but... it's Coltrane. So it's 2.5 stars, rounding to 3.

Hand. Cannot. Erase.

Steven Wilson

5/5

Although I am a fan of Steven Wilson, I would hope to think I am not an "insufferable" fan of his. I do not understand people who bemoan the lengths of songs. If the song moves you, a 10 minute song feels like a 3 minute song. But if you are going to be analytical and think long = boring, then these kind of challenges are not for you. Getting to the album, this is probably Wilson's finest moment (but not my favorite album of his, that would go to "The Raven That Refused To Sing"). So many great moments to this album and the story is just heartbreaking, which you don't get that much in a concept album. My 17 year old son and I listen to numerous tracks from this album in the car (no I have no idea where he gets THAT from). Top tracks: well, pretty much the whole thing.

Is Ellipsis

Psyche Origami

4/5

Really dug this. Flow is pretty awesome, grooving on this for the second time right now. I could have done without the "WKMA Radio Pucker Up Hour" bit, and "Nuff Teef" was still good despite the sampling of the little girl which got tedious. Will definitely be listening to these guys some more. Top tracks: "Keep Swingin'," "At Last," "Psyche O States"

Spirit of Eden

Talk Talk

2/5

The vocals were a little too nasally for me. I found myself tuning out the music, which is never any good. NEXT.

Stop Making Sense

Talking Heads

5/5

My god, why is this not on the actual list? It is ranked as one of, if not THE best concert films of all time. So many of these songs I have heard studio versions, but the live versions here outstrip them: "Take Me To The River," "Girlfriend Is Better", "Thank You For Sending Me An Angel" The last track I mentioned, "Thank You..." is just so... joyous to me. I liken it to watching Ralph Kramden dancing on "The Honeymooners", it's just FUN. I have been meaning to show this film to my son. It is definitely something that needs to be done. Top tracks: The whole freaking album.

The Monitor

Titus Andronicus

3/5

The vocalist came across as a cross between Elvis Costello and Shane McGowan of the Pogues. But not as witty. A couple of the tracks were a bit catchy. I liked the two part "Titus Andronicus Forever" & "...and Ever". The enemy is everywhere, indeed. I saw the 14 minute song, and I was a little wary just because the stuff before it felt a bit long. But honestly that was probably the best song of the bunch. A lot of the songs felt a bit sloppy, and needed to be tightened up iMO. But still, not a bad album Top tracks: "Titus Andronicus Forever", "...and Ever", "The Batle of Hampton Roads"

"Awaken, My Love!"

Childish Gambino

4/5

Childish Gambino channels Parliament Funkadelic, Sly & The Family Stone, and Prince. And it works. It doesn't sound like a ripoff, more of a tribute to what had come before. I didn't like how "Stand Tall" ended, it was a bit abrupt. I had only heard Childish Gambino's rap music, this was quite unexpected. Top tracks: "Me and Your Mama," "California," "Zombies", "Redbone," "Terrified"

A Beginner's Mind

Sufjan Stevens

3/5

More on the acoustic side than the album that is in the actual list. It reminded me a bit of the Robert Plant & Alison Krauss albums, which I quite enjoy. But even so, I fail to see why this should be on the list. I'm not saying it's bad, but it's just not list worthy. I gave the last one a 3, so a 3 it gets. Top tracks: "You Give Death A BAd Name," "Olympus"

Tomb

Angelo De Augustine

3/5

It's funny because the previous album was the one he did with Sufjan Stevens, which was... okay. Solo, it's also... okay. The vocals are a little airy. I imagine songs like "You Needed Love, I Needed You" and "Tide" would be something you listen to on a country drive, or on a train headed to some uncertain place. I wish he didn't try to sing so much in the higher register, it just came off... whiny. The electronic drums kinda put me off, it just didn't seem to fit. Probably the same as Sufjan Stevens' album, so I give it a 3. Top tracks: "All Your Life," "You Needed Love, I Needed You"

Please Don't Take Me Back

Martha

2/5

The album kept teetering towards Fall Out Boy, and then kept skirting away from it. The quieter parts, sung by the woman, I liked more. The volume level made me feel like this was unnecessarily over-processed. Get a better producer, and maybe have a bigger change in styles song to song, and you might have something here. MIGHT. NEXT.

Gotcha! Gotcha! Gotcha!

Gotcha!

3/5

Cross Parliament and maybe the harder side of Fishbone, and you got what the band was shooting for. I was really digging the band (funk band from... the Netherlands?!). But singing things like "Boogie in the butt..." it's hard to feel the sincerity in their funkiness from probably one of the whitest places in America. There were a number of times it felt more like a jam than composed songs. And that only works if the songs are really good. These were... okay. Top tracks: "Stronger than Ajax / Save Da Day," "Love O' My Life"

Black Devil Disco Club

3/5

Electronic disco music. Form the 70s. Not a big fan of disco, but this was better than I expected. I was listening while I was at a comic book show, going through a bunch of comics. It worked as nice background music. Is it good dance music? Ehhhhh, maybe. Didn't hate it.

Smell No Evil

Ookla The Mok

3/5

I had heard of the band before, and heard a few tracks of theirs before. This is the first full album of theirs I had heard. I liked the music, and I get that it was supposed to be a concept album. But it felt like it was the same joke and song over and over and OVER again. There has to be some modulation, variation, build up to each song. Not them just singing "Dawn of the Day Before the Time of the Land the Lost Dinosaurs Forgot to Remember" a dozen times in 4 or 5 different songs. Top tracks: "Dawn of the Day Before the Time of the Land the Lost Dinosaurs Forgot to Remember", "Hockey Monkey," "Curb Your Dogma," "Gorilla City"

Music For People In Trouble

Susanne Sundfør

3/5

It was nice, calming music. I wanted to hear her more, and not have the spoken word intros, those got kinda annoying. It was nice and calming. I enjoyed it, nice change of pace. Top tracks: "Mantra," title track, "No One Believes In Love Anymore"

Lahai

Sampha

3/5

I felt there was a bit too much autotune. But aside from that, it wasn't bad. There was a bit of a groove and lyrical flow. I don't think I will investigate more, but for what it was it was decent. Top tracks: "What If You Hypnotize Me?," "Rose Tint," Can't Go Back," "Suspended"

The General Electric

Shihad

3/5

Pretty decent metal, although the songs did get a bit repetitive. Work on the lyrics some more and we'll talk. After the intro, the kick off song really kicks butt. "My Mind's Sedate" was also a bit repetitive, but the brevity helped. Interesting stuff. Top tracks: "My Mind's Sedate," "The Pacifier" Top tracks:

Korn

2/5

For a while, Faith No More was the band that supposedly kicked off nu metal, saying they inspired bands like Korn. The band denied it. I can see why after listening to this album. I give credit to Jonathan Davis, he has very... unique vocals. The drums felt very... sloppy. I understand the point of "Faget," but just having him scream the title does not make it a song I would listen to it again. In fact, a lot of the songs just had him sing the song title at the top of his lungs. It got... tiresome. By the time I got to the last song, I was just... tired of it all. NEXT.

From The Lions Mouth

The Sound

3/5

I dug this more and more as the album went on. The post punk vibe worked well. The Sound is a pretty tragic band, with two of the members already gone. There was more of a pop-ish sound to this than bands they had mentioned as influences (Joy Division, New Order, Velvet Underground (blergh)). The remastered release included the 1982 single "Hothouse", despite frontman Adrian Borland's wishes that the album should have the same track listing as the original. The song was not included as a separate track, but as a continuation of "New Dark Age". This is the version I heard on Spotify, and the bonus track is actually pretty good. I don't know if I will go deeper into their catalog, but it was pretty good. Top tracks: "New Dark Age," "Hot House," "Winning"

Ants From Up There

Black Country, New Road

3/5

The instrumentation was pretty good. The first few tracks had a lot of good stuff in it musically. And then the singer came on. Honestly, he wasn't that bad, but when I was looking at stuff online I thought they didn't even have a singer. But as the album went on, I warmes to the singer. He reminded me a bit of a cross between Peter Hammill and Nick Cave. I watched the video for "Concorde," I kinda wish I hadn't. It was a bit too weird. "Good Will Hunting," for some reason, reminded me of the title from King Crimson's album "Islands". Not sure why, though. "Snow Globes" was a bit.... repetitive. "Snow globes don't shake on their own" indeed. I would like to hear more instrumental work form this group. Probably not going to happen, though. Top tracks: "Intro," "Chaos Space Marine," "Good Will Hunting"

Ocean Avenue

Yellowcard

2/5

The violin was a nice addition to the instruments. But even with that, it still sounded like most pop-punk bands, which I have never been a big fan of. It just feels like vanilla flavored punk, there's no anti-establishment to it. The quieter stuff is okay, a bit of change of pace from the stupid punk posing. I posted this the last time I reviewed a pop punk group, and it just feels relevant every single time: "They used to play all kinds of stuff And some of it was nice Some of it was musical But then they took some guy's advice To get a record deal, he said They would have to be more punk Forget their chops and play real dumb Or else they would be sunk..." The violin could really add a touch of light to the shade, but instead we get a bunch of dumb stuff. NEXT.

I And Love And You

The Avett Brothers

4/5

The album is a bit all over the place, but that's a good thing. I had expected this to be all country / folk, knowing the Avett Bros from the few songs I heard when they teamed up with Mike Patton. This is a bit more obvious, but there are a number of songs here I felt really widened their palate. Kudos to Rick Rubin for getting them to stretch out. I don't know if it should be on the proper list, but it was a good album. Top tracks: "The Perfect Space," "Slight Figure Of Speech," title track

Sailing The Seas Of Cheese

Primus

5/5

Primus sucks. I go back and forth between this and "Frizzle Fry" as my favorite of theirs. "Pork Soda" has some great bits too, but the jams at the end I felt were lacking. The last track "Los Bastardos" reminds me a bit of "Los Endos", probably that was on purpose, I don't know. It has their two biggest tracks: "Jerry Was A Racecar Driver" and "Tommy The Cat." So on that alone this is a 4. The other tracks are really, really good too. So yeah, I think I am leaning towards this being my favorite album of theirs. It sucks, but I love it.

Apostrophe(')

Frank Zappa

5/5

My first encounter with this album was on the Rykodisc combination with Overnite Sensation. For a while I always thought they were supposed to be together like that. I do not think Zappa was not ultimately satisfied with the title track as a jam, but hearing two of my favorite musicians is a dream come true. It is a very accessible album, too. A great album to introduce people to his stuff. Highly recommended.

Psychic Warfare

Clutch

4/5

I had heard if Clutch and listened to a tracks before... But holy crap this kicked butt. Cross between southern rock and heavy metal, which shouldn't work. But it DOES. Will definitely check out more of these guys. Top tracks: "X-Ray Visions", "Firebirds!", "Sucker for the Witch", "Noble Savage", "Behold the Colossus", "Decapitation Blues"

The Beautiful Letdown

Switchfoot

2/5

Every slower song on this album sounds like you could take out the lyrics and put their "hit" "Dare You To Move" over it. They were really interchangeable. Look, every so often you reach for the vanilla ice cream. And this I what this album is: vanilla ice cream. It' not terrible, but you usually want something else to go with the ice cream: hot fudge, sprinkles... SOMETHING. Sometimes you eat it plan, and that's okay. Is this something I am going to come back to? Meh, I'd rather have vanilla ice cream. "Adding To The Noise," indeed. NEXT.

Weezer

4/5

Different from Pinkerton. But.. do two Weezer albums necessarily need to be on the list? They're not that radically different. But to be fair, people made fun of the person who put Pink Floyd's album "Animals" in when they already had two or three. So I guess people want to nominate what they want. The album has a bunch of songs I know, and a few good songs that are not hits. I dug it more than "Pinkerton," so it gets like a 3.5 which rounds to a 4. But I don't think I'm going to be going back to it. If I want to hear the hits I can always listen to the radio... Top tracks: "Buddy Holly," "Undone," "Say It Ain't So," "Only In Dreams"

Z

My Morning Jacket

3/5

I will give them credit: the first song is accurate "Wordless Chorus". Guess they couldn't find appropriate words for it. THe album has a lot of different styles in it. Some work, some are just... okay. I know people called this their "Ok Computer." I don't know if I would go that far, but I thought it had a wide range and showed a lot of promise. Top tracks: "It Beats For You," "What A Wonderful Man," "Laylow," "Dondante"

Imaginal Disk

Magdalena Bay

3/5

The vocals grew on me after a while, as did the intensity of the songs. I felt like they grew and grew as the album progressed. I don't know if I would call it synth-pop like they did (that goes to bands like Ultravox), but it was definitely not RAWK. Regardless of what you want to call it, it wasn't bad. Top tracks: "The Ballad of Matt & Mica," "That's My Floor," "Tunnel Vision," "Death & Romance"

30 Something

Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine

3/5

Back in College, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine opened for EMF, who were riding high on their song "Unbelievable." I was told when they played the UK, they switched and EMF opened for them. I didn't care for the band when I watched them in college, but I feel like I appreciate the music a bit more. Still, there was probably about half of it I dug, the rest was kinda fair. The slower songs just didn't hit as hard as I thought they would, so 3 it is. Top tracks: "Surfin' USM," "Second To Last Will & Testament", "Shopper's Paradise"

Speak & Spell

Depeche Mode

2/5

I had said before, the band feels too noodle-y to me. And there's already two of their albums on the list. WHy this one, because it was first? While it's interesting to see their roots per se I just don't think this album is warranted to be on the list. And "I Just Can't Get Enough" was WAY too repetitive. NEXT.

People

The Burning Hell

3/5

I was puzzled by this choice until I got to around the third song: "Amateur Rappers". That one cooks. It was a bit of a hit and miss for me. but I liked the vibe. Top tracks: "Amateur Rappers," "Barbarians," "Wallflowers"

King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown

King Tubby

3/5

I can see how this is influential to reggae as a whole. But it was kinda... forgettable to me. The more instrumental was good, but it could easily have some more to it. Top tracks: "Keep On Dubbing," "Say So"

Jaco Pastorius

5/5

Jaco once told Joe Zawinul he was "the greatest bass player in the world." This 1976 album supports the claim. You can't help but listen to the bass playing while all of the other stuff is going on all around him. It's almost mesmerizing. I keep meaning to watch the documentary, and this album reminds me of why I should. The album goes from jazz to fusion to ... beat poets jazz? (Used to Be A Cha-Cha). If you dig jazz with lots of bass in it, this is a great place to start. Recommended. Top tracks: The whole thing.

Carrie & Lowell

Sufjan Stevens

3/5

A bit on the airy side. I mean... his voice does not hit you hard, he's not a screamer. This is the third album of his on the extras list, and then there's one on the actual list. I don't dislike him, but if I didn't fall in love with him from the other albums, I fail to see how this one is going to be so vastly different. Top tracks: "All Of Me Wants All Of You," "Blue Bucket of Gold"

Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones)

Jai Paul

2/5

A... demo album? The sound is really compressed, and the vocals keep coming in and out. It sounds like they keep moving the microphone around the room. Instruments keep coming in and out and overpower the vocals. Is there something to these songs? Maybe, but the demo-y nature of the songs makes it too tough to listen to. There's no relistenability here. NEXT.

Body Talk

Robyn

3/5

Sometimes you are in a mood for a seven course meal, luxurious and rich. And sometimes you want a f***ing cheeseburger and some cake. That's what Robyn sounded like to me, and if you're in the mood for it, it's quite satisfying. Fortunately I was kinda in the mood for it, but I can see where some people might find it a bit tedious and repetitive. I did think the collab with Snoop Dogg was pretty good, although I was surprised that it did work. Do I think it's groundbreaking enough to be on the list? Sure, but I imagine there are more seven course meals to try than cheeseburgers. Top tracks: "Indestructible," "Dancing On My Own," "None Of Them," "U Should Know Better"

Come On Over

Shania Twain

3/5

This is probably first album that really had that country crossover with pop and rock. Lange's production is definitely key in making songs that would appeal to country and pop/rock fans. The three big hits on this album I remember hearing all the time on the radio. "You're Still The One" is one of my wife's favorite songs. EVen the non-hit songs are very well-crafted to have that crossover appeal, to the point I always feel that it's a bit... artificial. If there is autotune on this I couldn't rell you, Lange must have hid it really well. I didn't hate it, but it feels so vanilla to me. A lot of the messages for the songs are about empowerment, and I get that. But when you have a song like "If You Wanna Touch Her, Ask!", it just seems very... forced. But to be fair, songs like that didn't exist 30 years ago. But now.... nope. Top tracks: "Man! I Feel Like A Woman", "Don';t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You," "That Don't Impress Me Much," "You've Got A Way"

Daisies Of The Galaxy

Eels

4/5

I had to listen to this more than once, I felt like it warranted it. I liked the previous album that is on the actual list. Still, I can do without the falsetto. It just... oozes a Beck kinda feel, like "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues." I'm glad I listened to this a few times, because it did click with me the second time. (Although I could have done without "I Like Birds"...) Top tracks: "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues," "Motherfucker," "Flyswatter," "The Sound Of Fear"

A Salty Dog

Procol Harum

4/5

Bombastic, proto-prog? The band most well-known for "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" was so much more than that. Songs like "Boredom" almost sound like very early Gentle Giant, which I find interesting that it went that far back. "Crucifiction Land" sounds like The Beatles' "Yer Blues," actually. At least to me. A band I should definitely check out more of. Top tracks: "A Salty Dog," "The Wreck of Hesperus," "Pilgrims Progress"

World Of Echo

Arthur Russell

2/5

I want to think there's something deeper here, and yeah, it's very minimalist. But even so, the melody has to be there. I keep thinking of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" performed by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole on ukulele. It's very minimalist, but there's a melody there. There's just not a lot of THERE here in this. NEXT.

Chocolate Synthesizer

Boredoms

1/5

I thought I would like this more. It's a lot in the same vein as early Mr. Bungle. But there are moments in Mr. Bungle that seem more... coherent. This just seems like a bunch of people banging away with little to no musical talent. Couldn't even finish it. NEXT.

Game of Fools

Koritni

3/5

If AC/DC and Aerosmith had a baby, it'd be Koritni. I mean, it's standard rawk. Fun, a good time... but I fail to see why this should be included in the list. Top tracks: "Stab In The Back", "You VS Me," "Keep Me Breathing," "Tornado Dreaming" (didn't need 2 versions of this.

Mad Dogs & Englishmen

Joe Cocker

4/5

This was a fun performance to listen to. I'm not surprised by it not being in the list, as there were a lot of cover songs in it. But even so, it's a fun album. After the first couple f songs I decided to listen to the Deluxe Edition. I'm glad I did, because it gave me a better vibe about the entire performance. Having said that, the songs they cut are a mixed bag... the performance of "Something" is a bit weak, but I am surprised they didn't include "With A Little Help From My Friends". I think the only performances from the actual album I was not a fan of was "Let's Get Stoned" and "Delta Lady," which both felt a bit long and repetitive, like you had to BE there to enjoy. Fun album, I enjoyed it. Top tracks: "Space Captain," "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window," "The Letter," "Space Captain"

Re

Café Tacvba

3/5

This album seems a bit... all over the place. Polka ska / bossa nova / pop / hard rock. It feels like they are trying everything to see what sticks. Wikipedia compares it to the Beatles' White Album because of the varying styles. But it was still the Beatles, and you could tell that. This has such a wide variety of style I can't totally get the sense of what kind of band they want to be. But in fairness, at least every song is not the same exact thing.

Quebec

Ween

4/5

All I really knew about Ween was the Chocolate & Cheese. I was like "well, all right then." Quebec is weird, but I guess that was the point. The first song or two was in one direction, but by the time I got to the end, that last song "If You Could Save Yourself, You Could Save Us All" blew me away. They do have a number of songs that are hit and miss, but for the most part I dug it. I can see why the guys from South Park dig them as well. Top Songs: "It's Gonna Be A Long Night," "Transdermal Celebration," "I Don't Want It," "If You Could Save Yourself - You'd Save Us All"

Symbolic

Death

3/5

There are at least two songs in each track, mashed together. I feel like they could have taken each riff and let it breathe a little more. But that's not the point, is it? Hit them hard and fast with as much as energy as possible. Still, it had some good moment. And if this is really where death metal started, I guess that's not that terrible. And the color seems like a teen drew it. Top tracks: "Symbolic," "Crystal Mountain," "Misanthrope," "Perennial Quest"

Misplaced Childhood

Marillion

3/5

I'm a fan of Marillion. "Clutching at Straws" was a go to album for a while. But listening to this album now... Fish sounds like he's trying too hard. Someone once asked him about this album as a collection of songs, which ticked him off. He maintained it's a concept album, which... sure. But the concept seems a little buried in the metaphors. It's not the album I go to for them. And songs like "Lavender" which always felt a little cringey to me ("dilly dilly"). Then there's "Kayleigh". Their biggest song, even today. You can't deny the earnestness in it. Fish's sincerity comes through on that. Some of the songs that are more "medley" are fine enough, but I feel a few of them are just "hey let's play this lick for a while, then move onto something else." There's better stuff of theirs out there, really. But I get why this was suggested ("Kayleigh" in particular.) Top tracks: "Kayleigh," "Hear Of Lothian"

Act IV: Rebirth In Reprise

The Dear Hunter

4/5

Interesting cross between symphonic prog sensibilities and alt rock. I dug it, and will probably go back to hear the other albums in the cycle. I did not like how the album just... ended. It definitely made you think "wait, is there more?" Top tracks: "The Old Haunt," "A Night On the Town"

Out Of Time

R.E.M.

3/5

I didn't realize this album has their most depressing song and upbeat song. "Losing My Religion" and "Shiny Happy People" are songs that were definitely overplayed on MTV and the radio when it came out. Yet there's a reason they caught on and were played so much. The opening track, "Radio Song" I dug a lot. KRS-One's contribution made it feel pretty heavy. "Endgame" shows the instrumental skill of the band, really liked this as an instrumental. REM is not my favorite band, but I can see how this album broke them out as a band. Top tracks: "Radio Song," "Endgame," "Losing My Religion," "Shiny Happy People"

Penguin Eggs

Nic Jones

3/5

I liked the sparsity, but I felt some of the songs went on a verse or two too long. But, a lot of those songs usually do. Top tracks: "Planxty Davis," "The Flandyke Shore"

Telefone

Noname

2/5

About half of the album works. The other half... the songs sound like she is either: a) squeezing two many words into the beat b) was originally rapping under one track, and someone switched the backing track without telling her. The duets work better for me, really. But even then some of them were all... wait, what? NEXT.

Funeral Dress

Wussy

3/5

It was... okay. Kinda sludge-y. I liked the vocals by Lisa Walker better than Chuck Cleaver. Lyrics were... interesting. Top tracks: "Humanbrained Horse," "Conversation Lags"

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Various Artists

3/5

When I was in high school and college I went to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show numerous times. It's with a bit of fondness I look back on this album, but the songs themselves are your standard rock-musical fare. It's not the songs themselves that make the movie, it's the sincerity of the performance by the singers, not realizing how weird and schlocky the album and movie will become. But I guess... that's the point? I would sa if you have thrown toast at the screen in the movie theaters, dressed up as one of the characters, you probably already have this album. I wouldn't imagine giving this to someone who hadn't already seen (and loved) the campiness of the film. Top tracks: "Dammit Janet," "Over At The Frankenstein Place," "Time Warp"

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