There aren't enough stars in the sky to give this album the recognition it deserves. I love the raw emotion that the music breathes, the live feel of Albini's production, the occasional odd time signatures, and of course Polly Jean Harvey's impressive vocal performance.

Hated this album with a passion, though Snoop Dogg's contributions lifted my mood somewhat. Can't get past those gangsta rap subculture vibes, youknowwhatimsayin?

Definitely an album you have to spend more time with to really appreciate. Multiple listening sessions and reading about the background of the songs bring the album to life. I'm now listening to it for the 3rd time and loving it as never before, in all its weirdness.

Poor Waldo ...

Excellent synth pop album. A more accessible, but still very interesting, successor to their debut The Hurting.

I'm not a great U2 fan, but it was nice to listen to this album again, after so many years. It also reminded me of how excellent the first four songs are. The rest of the song did not capture me as much, but overall a very good album.

Did not enjoy this album at all. I guess the primary quality is in the lyrical content (especially with 2pac's backstory in mind), but the music just does not appeal to me enough.

Never heard of them. Seemed to be a decent rock album initially, but I got more and more annoyed by the vocals as the music progressed. Will not listen to this again.

Early Eagles, I guess. Turned it off after about 4 songs. All sounds a bit dated, and not in a good way.

Not in the mood for this kind of prog rock, gets on my nerves very quickly. There might be other Yes albums that I prefer, though.

Enjoyed that a lot more than I though I would. Very creative.

Only had time to listen to the first half. Pleasant vocals, pretty good songs. Not blown away by it, but decent enough.

I did not like this at all. Had to turn it off after a few songs. Very annoying vocals.

After a few songs my impression is that the songs and the music are very good, but I can't get used to Dylan's singing style.

Sounds okay, but for me this music requires a certain mood to really appreciate it.

Soul/Funk/R&B Bowie style. Great album, from start to finish. Fascination and Fame funky favourites.

Sounds pretty good, but yet again I was not in the right mood for this, having discovered a new progressive death metal band on the same day...

I'm sure I would have enjoyed this much more 20 or so years ago, but now it got on my nerves very quickly.

Did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would.

Interesting industrial music. Enjoyed it for large parts, but felt let down by the vocals and lyrics.

Love this sound. Beautiful voice, but has a little too much vibrato at times.

Every time I am about to listen to some Santana, I expect to like it, but end up disappointed. I do like this kind of jazz-rock with strong latin influence, but I keep feeling that something is missing.

Wonderful album. It was nice to listen to it again, and it was as beautiful as I remembered it to be.

This was a chore for me to get through, to be honest, There are definitely a few good songs to enjoy, but way too many silly or boring ones. For me, Blackbird is by far the best song.

Heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

Thoroughly enjoyed this album, though it did make me a little thirsty.

Brilliant debut album. Unique voice, great production and arrangement, good songs throughout, lots of variation. Loved it.

This will probably work well at a rave or during a work-out, but for a pure listening experience it was too repetitive and not captivating enough. When I first listened to this album, soon after it was released, I did remember it to be much less interesting than the debut Exit Planet Dust.

Had to turn it off after a few songs. Did not like the voice, and found the music boring if not irritating. Not for me.

This album did not really grab me, despite a few good moments.

Poor Waldo ...

Not my favourite Bowie album, but still very solid. "Life on Mars?" is one of my all time favourite David Bowie songs and stands out on this album. The other songs did not grab me as much, although after a few listens there were a couple that started to grow on me.

An okay album, but not particularly exciting. Simple songs, some of them catchy.

Dirty, straightforward, punk rock. The music had a certain energy and intensity, but ultimately I found the songs quite boring.

Initially thought this was a bit pedestrian, but as the songs progressed, I got more into it. On the second listen, I could appreciate the musicianship more (especially the jazzy elements), even got used to the voice and really enjoyed the album overall.

It's a sin indeed. 10 seconds in I already felt the urge to turn it off. Came out of it with only two half-decent songs, salvaging a second star.

Familiar Led Zeppelin sound, but also a bit of experimentation on this album. Not perfect, but lots to like, with Since I've been Loving You and Tangerine as particular highlights.

A few good songs here and there, but otherwise utterly boring.

Not doing much for me. Solid band, but mostly uninteresting songs.

Very enjoyable album, solid from start to finish.

That was pretty awful. Not for me, anyway.

David Byrne. Genius.

Interesting in parts, but overall a rather chaotic album that did not really grab me.

Wonderful album from start to finish.

Played this album a lot back in the early nineties, and it turns out it still sounds amazing today.

No, this did not work for me at all. Thanks to Andrew Weatherall's input it has some good moments, but that does not make up for the rest. Particularly disliked the rather whining vocals which ruined many of the songs.

Very good album. Interesting melodies with beautiful vocal harmonies, though I'm not a huge fan of the high falsetto vocals.

Excellent synth pop album. A more accessible, but still very interesting, successor to their debut The Hurting.

Enjoyed this album more than when it came out. A really solid selection of rock/pop songs.

This was my first proper introduction to Metallica (yes, I was late to the party) and really liked it at the time. Listening to it again after who knows how many years was a disappointment initially. However, around the half-way point I started to get more into it, and upon a second listen I was really enjoying it. It is not Master of Puppets of course, but nevertheless a well-produced album with solid songs that are compact and catchy.

Adequate blues/folk/country album. Rating might have gone up to 4 upon repeat listens, but for now it is just okay, so 3 stars.

Has its moments, but overall this album did not convince me. Nice try, though.

Decent 80s pop, but not much more than that. It has been a minute since I last listened to Duran Duran, but I did recognise some of the singles. The other songs seem rather forgettable.

There aren't enough stars in the sky to give this album the recognition it deserves. I love the raw emotion that the music breathes, the live feel of Albini's production, the occasional odd time signatures, and of course Polly Jean Harvey's impressive vocal performance.

Great album by a great band. Funky, groovy, and psychedelic. The opener and title track is an incredible piece of music, setting the tone for the rest of the album. Beforehand, I worried that this and maybe one or two other songs would dominate the record, the rest being mediocre fillers, but I have to say all songs were of top quality. If I would have to point out any issue, I'd say they could have left out some of the silliness; better leave that sort of thing to Zappa.

Had never heard of this artist before, but quite liked it. Dreamy synth pop that reminded me of Stereolab.

Apart from the intro song, I did not remember this album as well as I thought I would, and it did take a little while to get used to the sound again. In the end, I did enjoy it as much as back in 2009. I love the low-key but soulful performance of both vocalists, accompanied by the minimalistic electric guitar melodies and similarly sparse atmospheric electronic elements. Great album.

Was not familiar with this band, but I did recognise the single Tinseltown in the Rain. Pretty good, but did not capture me enough for a top tier rating.

This did nothing for me. Some parts were not too bad, but way too many songs were just boring.

I am more inclined towards basil and cilantro, but still, this was a very good album with beautiful songs. The right kind of gentle, pleasant music. And because I'm feeling groovyyyy I'll give it 5 stars.

As a kid I was a massive fan of Michael Jackson during the Thriller period, and also listened to the successor Bad quite a lot, but never gave the predecessor and break-through album Off the Wall too much attention, except maybe for the amazing opening track. Upon this revisit, I really appreciated the overall production (Quincy Jones) and execution of the songs. There are some really good, catchy, songs on here (e.g., the opening track, the title song, and I Can't Help It), but also several songs that are less captivating (e.g. Girlfriend and It's the Falling in Love). In my opinion, Thriller is still a significant step up from this album, so I'll leave it at 4 stars.

I thought I had never heard of this, even after listening to a couple of songs. However, later I realised Elis Regina performed the world famous duet Aguas de Marco with Antonio Carlos Jobim. It is the opener of the album Elis & Tom from 1974, which is so much better than this compilation. Very strange to include it in the list.

Still can't stand his voice. This was unlistenable for me this time around.

Overall, this album sounded decent, but the music felt a little too bland for my taste.

It is as if Hank Williams had a lobotomy.

Standard Rodgers/Edwards disco. Heard this play on the radio way too many times.

The band sounded pretty good, but the vocals totally ruined it for me.

Not my favourite Radiohead album, but this record sounds pretty much flawless and has some brilliant songs, so I'm left with no choice but to give this full marks.

Melancholic, dreamy, smooth, and a tad boring to be honest. Seems influenced by singers like Elvis and Johnny Cash.

Don't mind listening to some salsa every now and again, and they've added some creative elements to it on this album, but overall it just did not grab me. It was just ok. Just.

That feeling of nineties nostalgia. Brilliant album from start to finish.

Being the jazz-rock classic that it is, Hot Rats was the album that got me into Zappa. Peaches en Regalia has always been one of my favourite tracks, but perhaps I have been ignoring the other songs too often, because this time around I noticed some pretty amazing stuff across the whole album. Zappa has such a unique guitar playing style, and stands out when it come to composition and arrangement. The wild improvisations in the longer tracks do not always work perfectly, but the excellent musicianship and the energy and excitement that the album breathes makes it easy to get past the iffier parts.

No, this is not doing it for me. Wouldn't mind having it playing in the background, but it sounds lethargic at times and overall leaves me cold.

Sounds like Daft Punk. Not bad, but I prefer Daft Punk.

It's been a while since I listened to this album, but I'm falling in love with it all over again. Great beats and electronics, rap/spoken word with a nice flow, entertaining lyrics, and sometimes it gets quite moving. Really enjoyed this from start to finish.

Have to confess, I only had time for a quick skimming thru this album. I liked the African music bits, but the DJ nonsense and 80s hiphop bits sounded really dated, and overall it just felt like one big mess.

I was somewhat familiar with The The, but didn't know this album. It sounds okay, but as with the other albums I am struggling to really enjoy it.

Hated this album with a passion, though Snoop Dogg's contributions lifted my mood somewhat. Can't get past those gangsta rap subculture vibes, youknowwhatimsayin?

Very seventies sounding. Not bad, but it didn't particularly grab me either.

Very bluesy. Sounded okay, but not as adventurous as some of their other albums.

First album from the '50s. Lively and fun African/Latin jazz album that reminded me of '50s movies like Orson Welles' Touch of Evil and Hitchcock's Rear Window. The more jazzy parts reminded me of some of Charlie Parker's work. Best enjoyed on a hot summer night, but even on this cold November evening it lightened my mood.

Similar experience as with the earlier Screamadelica. Annoying vocals, music mostly quite boring. Waste of time for me.

Great blend of folk, country, and rock. Young's vocals are not the greatest, but they have character and work well within the vocal harmonies. The excellent guitar work, supported by a strong rhythm section, really draws you in and makes this album a pleasant experience overall.

Very, very mainstream punk pop. Decent sounding band, but ultimately I am finding their music rather boring.

Mainstream rock. Boring.

Rather conventional jazz that you can play in the background, but nothing special.

Some brilliant tracks on this album, but also some weaker ones that did not work as well for me, especially in the second half. Overall very good electronic music.

Starts off promising, but I kind of lost interest after 2 or 3 songs. Not a bad R&B album by any means, but it never really grabbed me.

When it comes to soul music, this is as good as it gets. For some reason My Girl sounded particularly good, and it was interesting to hear Redding's version of Wonderful World, a song obviously made famous by the great Sam Cooke. A superb album that made my day.

Beautiful voice that reminds me of Sarah Vaughn, especially in the ballads. The album offers a variety of songs that sound okay overall, but aren't particularly overwhelming either.

There are signs of the genius of Orbital on this early '90s album, but the sound feels rather outdated and the melodies are too repetitive to really enjoy this. The looping trickery on the opening and closing tracks was interesting, though.

I knew many of the songs on this album, just from listening to the radio in the '80s. Not really my thing, but it is all very well done.

This seemed completely unknown to me, until I heard the title song. Very enjoyable record.

Nope, didn't work for me.

One of the key jazz fusion albums of the early '70s. Love the funky and groovy sound, though I slightly prefer Hancock's older work with albums like Empyrean Isles and Maiden Voyage.

Yet another one of those albums where the vocals ruin the music. Morrissey can barely stay in tune at times, and the vocal melodies overall are irritatingly repetitive. It is quite strange that this album is on the list, because their next album, The Queen is Dead, sounds so much better. When I listened to it again, I found the difference in quality quite remarkable.

Pretty good album with beautifully arranged ballads to dream away on. Cave's vocals are living dangerously at times when he is reaching for the higher notes, but there is a vulnerability and emotion in his performance that I can appreciate.

Very unremarkable.

Going into this, I thought Aladdin Sane was my favourite Bowie album, but upon listening to it again I realised that must have been mainly because of Time. Overall, I thought the album sounded rather harsh and had a bit too much dissonance for my taste. However, Time and Lady Grinning Soul are still two amazing songs that compelled me to lift my rating from 3 to 4 stars. Maybe I'll enjoy this album more on another day.

Solid alt country rock album. Not a huge fan of Earle's vocals, but it has the heart and intensity required for this kind of music.

I was surprised I didn't know any of these songs, but it was a very pleasant sounding, light-footed album. The album employs a variety of genres including folk rock and blues, and opening with an ska-inflected song that immediately puts you in the right mood.

Sounds like this could be a decent Stevie Wonder tribute band, but instead we get this rather middle-of-the-road soul/funk/disco album filled with weak songs. There is no didgeridoo in the world that can mask that.

Did not care much for this album, although I still like the song I Wanna Be Your Dog. It had more psychedelic elements than I expected, reminding me of the Doors in some parts. The music just didn't engage me enough, and therefore felt quite dragging and repetitive.

Very difficult to find anything wrong with this album.

This was always my favourite Metallica album, but I really did not enjoy it as much this time around. The somewhat unusual production bothered me on this occasion: hardly any bass, and very harsh sounding drums. To Live is to Die is still the stand-out song for me.

Another brilliant Talking Heads album.

Sounded okay initially, though nothing really stood out. I remember some songs from their previous albums that resonated a lot more with me. I enjoyed it more when I listened a second time, realising that some songs sounded a lot like Talking Heads. Similar types of grooves, but more synth/electronics.

Never heard of this artist, but recognised the song Everybody's Talkin'. Laid-back folk/country/blues you can play in the background, but it did not exactly make a lasting impression.

Still love this album. The beats, the bass, the samples, the soul. Especially noticed the sample from Bjork's Possibly Maybe on Mutual Slump, which made me very happy.

Pretty good album. A bit slower-paced and atmospheric than The Knife, I'd say, but still very enjoyable. Having watched the TV series Vikings, I was of course very familiar with the opening song.

Interesting to hear an early REM album from the eighties. The music was okay, but did not blow me away either.

Tight, tight, thight!!! Not entirely my cup of tea, but I can appreciate the creativity and energy.

Still no fan of Dylan's singing, but at least this album did not irritate me as much as some of his other (later) work we have been treated with on this list.

Somehow I never checked out Jah Wobble's work back in the nineties, so I was unfamiliar with this album. It serves up an interesting melange of different musical styles. Not everything works, and some of the electronic elements sound a bit dated, but overall I enjoyed listening to it.

16 years later and this album still leaves me speechless. I have no speech. I am without speech.

Wasn't particularly overwhelmed by this, but it was okay. The songs were catchy and pleasant to listen to.

A truly mesmerising album that combines a beautiful soulful voice with unique electronic music.

It was an improvement on the Slim Shady LP with some good moments, but still disliked most of it.

Radio music from the '80s. Competent, but uninteresting album.

Some good old-fashioned rock & roll. Enjoyed the first couple of songs, but then it got a little repetitive.

The odds of getting this particular album on Xmas Day... Usually I don't mind a bit of Phil Spector, but this Santa Claus rubbish was just too cringeworthy.

Strong reject.

Decent album with a couple of great songs. That'll Be the Day definitely my favourite.

Cleary influenced by Michael Jackson, especially on first few songs. I thought the vocals were very good, and the production was decent, if somewhat cold and dry. But ultimately, the songs didn't grip me enough to want to listen to this again.

I only knew the La's from the song There She Goes. The album sounded okay, but will probably not listen again.

One of the worst albums on the list so far.

Frankly, I was not really in the mood for some Doors beforehand, but certainly on the second listen I quite enjoyed this album. Like Morrison Hotel, it sounds very bluesy, but the songs on this album were a lot more interesting, and the closing track Riders on the Storm is one of my favourite Doors songs.

Presumably this is mostly lyrics oriented and political, which is not really my thing. Musically it is fairly uninteresting, although I like the vocal + electric guitar combination on some of the songs.

Shouty punk. Thankfully the album was short.

Arguably Metallica's best album in my memory, but when I listened to it today, I did not enjoy it as much. The first tracks, and especially the title song, are brilliant, but about halfway in I got a little bored with the sound, especially the wild guitar solos, which nowadays sound quite old-fashioned.

I'm finding Morrissey's singing still quite annoying, but this album didn't sound all too bad.

I only remember the hit song Didi from his debut album Khaled (1992). It was a chore to get through this album, I'm afraid. It can be refreshing to hear one song in this Arabic/Western crossover style, but a whole album of this is indigestible to me.

I don't really like to see compilations on this list, but anything by Ella Fitzgerald is always welcome. One of the most pleasant and crystal clear voices of all time. This 45 minutes of heavenly music makes me want to seek out the complete Gershwin songbook.

Overall, this album (and Marvin Gaye's music in general) sounds a bit too sleazy for my taste. I did enjoy the more funky tracks, though.

The Rolling Stones are a huge band of course, and I like most of their music, but to say I'm a fan would be an exaggeration. However, I thought the band sounded really good on this album, supported by an array of great musicians. I particularly liked the soul/gospel accents (brass, backing vocals), elevating the blues/rock tunes. During the first listen the album felt quite long: into the second half my attention was starting to fade and I even got slightly irritated by Jagger's vocals toward the end. However, the second time around this was no longer an issue and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

It is an interesting sound that Cohen is going for on this album, but it does not appeal to me very much.

Very familiar glamrock sound, having heard the song Get In On (too) many times on the radio. Will avoid listening to this album ever again if I can help it.

Definitely an album you have to spend more time with to really appreciate. Multiple listening sessions and reading about the background of the songs bring the album to life. I'm now listening to it for the 3rd time and loving it as never before, in all its weirdness.

Live album. Pretty decent blues rock, but I found the endless guitar solos and improvisations rather tedious.

Pretty good live album with Jarrett playing solo piano, though I think I prefer the piano trio stuff. In this live setting, the involuntary humming and half-singing along with the melodies that we know from Jarrett was less of a distraction than I expected it to be.

Loving the afro beat grooves, but not too crazy about the song melodies and the solo work. I have heard better from Fela Kuti.

I remember some of the singles from their second album and quite liked those, but for some reason never checked out their debut. Glad we got it on the list, because I very much enjoyed it.

More enjoyable than I expected.

Last week we got Electric Warrior, now we get its successor The Slider. I can't decide which one I dislike the most.

Wacky psychedelic Latin album. At first listen, I thought it was all over the place and I did not like it and was glad when it was over. At second listen, I still thought it was all over the place, but I enjoyed it a lot more and at times could not suppress a stupid smile appearing on my face. I'm confused.

Of course I had heard of Joan Armatrading as a singer-songwriter, but never checked out her music. The band on this album sounds very good, but Armatrading's singing does not appeal to me very much. The only song that stood out for me was Like Fire.

This was pretty good. There are similar albums that I would give 5 stars without hesitation, but this one is just a little bit too loungy for me to give it full marks.

Overall, an enjoyable album with some pretty good songs, including the well-known Imagine and Jealous Guy.

They were trying very hard to make the songs sound interesting on this album. It was a good effort that brought back memories from the mid 90s, but none of the songs really gelled with me, so in the end the album left me underwhelmed.

I bought this album many years ago, and although I love the title track and maybe a few other songs, I can't seem to get along with it. I think it might be Prince's slightly creepy sleazy vocals, but I'm not sure.

Into the first minutes of this album I thought it was going to be quite boring, but after a while I noticed it was rocking away quite nicely. Not mind-blowing by any means, but just a very solid album.

Another album that sounds pretty good, but doesn't really blow me away either.

One of the greatest voices in jazz, accompanied in a tasteful, low-key, style by an excellent piano trio. This was a wonderful live recording of the album, which transported me to the actual jazz club in Chicago. The improv moments toward the end of Willow Weep for Me and the nod to Ella Fitzgerald in the final song were quite amusing. It was also nice to hear another interpretation of Thou Swell, which I only knew in Betty Carter's fast version (and which, to be fair, I still prefer).

Mixed bag for me, this. Very good guitar work throughout, but the vocals are putting me off. In the more melodic songs the harmonies sound quite dated, and I'm just not digging the loose style of the lead vocal in general. In summary, it just falls short of 4 stars.

After the first listen I thought it sounded interesting. There was a lot going on in the musical arrangement, so worth another listen. During the second listen I realised how sleep-inducing and cringingly pretentious it really was. I understand many others will like this a lot, but I'm just not buying it.

This was a straightforward but fun punk rock album that could grow on me even more with repeated listens.

Of course I've heard of this group, but I am not super familiar with their music. It sounds like they know how to play, but this album just doesn't work for me. It all sounds too restless, too busy. So unfortunately, 3 stars is the best I can do.

Pleasant sounding, very melodic indie album. The gentle vocals remind me of John Cale's singing, but at times they sound a bit too weak for my taste.

The album sounded fresh at first, but after a few songs I already started getting a little bored. Tight band, good vocals, but I stopped being engaged after a while.

Vocal acrobatics, but not in a good way. What a waste.

Yeah, this is just great, there is no denying it. They sure got that southern blues sound down on this album. I still prefer Robert Johnson's original version of Love in Vain, though.

Pleasantly surprised by this album. Had to get used to the rapping style and sample use at first, but certainly during the second listen I started to really enjoy it. Probably also worth checking out the lyrics more closely.

Well-produced techno/dance pop album from Madonna. It has some good songs, but for me, this sounds a bit too subdued overall and at times somewhat uninspired.

Very nice jazz album. Not blown away enough to give it 5 stars, but the overall sound of the ensemble is very good and there are some great moments, for example when the funky electric piano kicks in.

Every now and again I like to rock out on a couple of catchy AC/DC songs, but an entire album? No, thanks.

I was familiar with the overall sound of Motorhead and of course their best known song Ace of Spades, but never checked out their regular albums. But then again, perhaps their music is best enjoyed live (or at least through a well produced live album).

Finally we get a Miles Davis album! Due to its experimental nature and heavy improvisation Bitches Brew is not for everyone, and I am not always in the mood for it either, but it has this raw intensity and grooviness that can make listening to it an exhilarating experience. Definitely one of the most important albums in jazz history.

Given its length, some of the good, but not great songs could have been left out. Nevertheless, the overall vibe of the album and the many great songs made me give it 5 stars.

Pleasant vocals and good sound overall, but something is lacking.

Brilliant album from start to finish.

Well, this probably went over my head. The better passages reminded me of the Taxi Driver soundtrack, but otherwise I found this pretty much unlistenable.

The singles still sound pretty good, but I did not really vibe with the album overall.

Great album with stellar musicianship. Not sure why there are three versions of Sally Go Round the Roses, though.

Very good album, with a couple of great songs that I've had on repeat when it came out. However, having listened to the album again, there are just a few too many songs I don't care much for. Just short of 5 stars for me.

Fascinating album, especially when reading how this early electronic music was put together. There are several great passages, but at times I missed a bit of tension and structure. Maybe I need to listen to it more often, but Jarre's Oxygene, which came out only a few years later, was much more compelling/memorable.

Awful vocals.

Top tier Bjork album for me, along with Debut and Homogenic.

Rather boring dance muzak.

Never took the time to check out Gang Starr, but this was a pleasant surprise. It's hit and miss for me with hiphop and rap, but this hit me for sure. Smooth and groovy, just the way I like it.

Wow, this was good. Best rap/hiphop album so far on the list. I only knew Q-Tip by way of A Tribe Called Quest, but having heard this, I should definitely check out his other solo albums as well.

I don't listen to this kind of music as much as I used to, but I was happy to hear some King Crimson again after many years. Great album.

Great live album, very entertaining. What worked really well was the rawness of the recording, showing the engagement of the audience and Cash' personality as a performer, and including mundane announcements by the prison management that had nothing to do with the concert itself.

Brilliant album from start to finish. I can even appreciate Tucker's slightly-out-of-tune singing.

It took a few listens to feel the vibe again, but certainly when switching to the German version I could confirm this is still a great album.

Pretty good album, appealed to me much more than the stooges debut we had earlier on this list. I think I would have liked it even more if this had been a Bowie album.

1973 was a good year, wasn't it?

Pretty good, though I did not like it as much as Maggot Brain. The presence of a live version of Maggot Brain as a bonus track on this album made this even more evident.

It does not blow me away like it did in the early naughties, but the album still sounds great throughout, so I'll be generous and give it 5 stars.

Some very good songs on this record, especially the Ballad of Nicky McGuire and the closing title song, but also a few tracks that I found quite repetitive and uninteresting (Wilmot for example). So overall a good album, but not as good as I remembered it to be.

Very good album, but this musical style does not appeal to me enough to give it 5 stars, so 4 stars it is.

Stripped down but upbeat (punk) rock. The band sounds okay, but I'm finding the lead vocals quite irritating.

Great live album, sounded more bluesy than I expected. Maybe a bit too much mocking about with all the solos and psychedelic jamming. Enjoyed it nevertheless.

I remember the title song and still like it, but otherwise this is a pretty unremarkable album for me.

Excellent album. Laidback, groovy, nice flow of the songs. Love this version of 'I shot the Sheriff'.

Nice album, if the sound is a little dated. Several very good songs with great harmony singing, but also some songs where I started losing interest. Low end four stars.

Still a great album. Time to Pretend and Electric Feel are my favourite tracks.

Sounds okay, but nothing too special.

Even though this does not have the wow factor that most of my 5 star albums have, the album as a whole has such a nice flow to it. It has a very clear jazz influence, sounds funky with very cool bass lines, and the delivery of the lyrics is flawless.

Still hard for me to get into Prince.

Enjoyable listen, though I did not fully catch the vibe. It felt a little repetitive at times.

An interesting album that is over the place, but also offers a glimpse of the brilliance that was to come in subsequent albums.

Entertaining rock n roll live album. Jer-ry, Jer-ry!

I was struggling with the vocals at times, but the guitar tones are great. Strong album.

I expected to be able to give this 4 stars, but when listening to it again, I quickly got irritated by the music, not to mention the high-pitched vocals. I think I might actually prefer the earlier albums.

Magical album. Loved the drumming on this.

Another solid album from The Kinks. Very, very close to 5 stars for me.

Album started off okay, but then descends into what seemed to me like a practice session with no clear focus.

I might enjoy this more on a different occasion, but good grief, this album annoyed the hell out of me this time around. A very generous 2 stars.

Damon Albarn is an interesting artist that tries new things all the time, but this album did not work for me.

Enjoyable album, but not all songs are sufficiently gripping for full marks.

Listening to this was a bit like watching the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It was deeply unsettling and very unpleasant at times, but I did not hate it like some of the utterly boring albums on this list where you want to skip through the songs as quickly as possible.

I had a vague memory this was supposed to be good, but I didn't like the album recording at all. To jog my memory I watched bits of her live performance at Woodstock '99 on youtube and that sounded so much better. Since we are reviewing the album and not any live versions, I can only give this 2 stars.

Went into this with low expectations, but it turned out to be quite an interesting album. Experimental and unsettling at times, but it kept me intrigued.

Solid album, but maybe a little too straightforward for me to give 5 stars.

No matter how many Dylan albums you throw at me, I don't think I'll ever like one. On this album, only with Not Dark Yet and Can't Wait I could get past Dylan's annoying vocals and appreciate the sound of the band.

Everything about this album is pure class.

Yep, still love it.

Still the same response as when it was first released. It sounded okay, with some nice guitar work, but ultimately it did not really feel that special to me.

I expected just a decent album, based on a vague memory of listening to this band before, but it turned out to be much better than I expected.

It sounded okay, but I expected more from this supposedly classic album.

Starts of surprisingly well. Good production, catchy tunes. But after a while, the songs start to look like each other and I start losing interest. Preferred it over Evermore.

Vaguely remembering the first albums by NEU, this initially felt quite underwhelming. It felt quite repetitive and I could not get into a nice groove. However, as the songs passed by, things started to settle, and I found the second listen much more enjoyable. As I am still struggling with some of the songs, I have ended up with 4 stars.

Sounds okay, but doesn't really grip me. Too repetitive in some songs and all over the place in others. I think I prefer what NEU! and CAN are doing in this genre.

Okay, I guess.

Every fish has bowl, every shoe has a sole. Brilliant.

So much better than Meat is Murder. Was edging towards 4 stars, but a second listen made me realise this deserves full marks.

Even better than I remembered. Love the odd time signatures, love the live feel, love PJ's vocals. Everything.

Background music with some highlights here and there, but not enough to make me want to actively listen to this again.

Still very good throughout.

All I can say after this, is: "Wat kon Seedorf nou gebeuren toen hij van elf meter schoot? Er is leven, er is leven na de dood."

Excellent. More and more I'm starting to realise how important the drumming is on these Stones albums.

80's nostalgia. brilliant.

Curtis' not quite hitting the high notes is a little annoying for me, but I nevertheless enjoyed the hell out of this album.

Without Brass in Pocket this would be only 2 stars for me.

Pretty much unlistenable with these vocals.

Very tempting to make a cheap joke referring to the album title, but I really don't care much for this record.

Ha ha, very funny. Now can you please remove it from the list again. I feel sorry for those who would still have to endure it.

I really liked their album S.C.I.E.N.C.E, but everything else I've heard from them so far has been underwhelming for me. Clearly talented musicians, but it sounds too clean for me, and the songs are not compelling enough.

Very decent album that exceeded my expectations.

Slightly prefer predecessors Talking Book and Innervisions, which I felt had a bit more energy to them, but this was still a very good album.

I Can See For Miles was by far my favourite track on this album. Overall, however, I found most songs a bit boring, and it all just sounded too dated for me.

Spinal tap vibes, ha, ha!

Firth of Fifth has to be one of the best prog rock songs of all time. Now listening to the entire album for the first time in quite a while, I can confirm again it is brilliant from start to finish.

Another excellent album from Brian Eno. The mix of upbeat songs and more atmospheric tracks, tied together by the tasteful and unique arrangements and rhythms, makes listening to this album a very enjoyable experience throughout.

Prince' music has never really appealed to me, with a few exceptions. This album also has a couple of good songs, including When Doves Cry and the title song, but as a whole, I'm still not really digging it.

Beautiful dreamy melodies.

That one song they are doing over and over again does sound pretty good.

Love me some reggae with this warm weather. I was more familiar with other versions of Lively Up Yourself and No Woman No Cry, so I needed some adjusting, but with the second listen I was all in for the entire album.

A decent pop album with a couple of good songs, but no more than that. Actually found the vocals to be rather weak on this.

Too boring to give it more than three stars.

No, not for me.

Loved the overall vibe of this. Sultans of Swing is one of my most played songs of all time. And yet, there were not enough stand out songs for me to give this five stars. I think I'll be able to rate some of the later albums higher, if they are on the list.

Some good guitar work here and there, but otherwise I found this to be too jarring and crude, and not offering anything interesting musically.

Some great songs on this album, but also a few just okay ones. The closer sealed it for me. Only four stars.

Still a very impressive album.

This was really good. Nice grooves, creative sampling. Reminded me of both Daft Punk and DJ Shadow, but it still had its own sound.

A decent, but mostly uneventful album.

Good instrumentals, but rapping too shouty.

A bit of a mixed bag for me, this. I quite like the more folky songs, but would appreciate it much more in a live setting.

Pretty decent britpop, but Anderson's over-the-top vocal breaking gets on my nerves after a while.

This was always my go-to REM album, so if any of their works will get a top rating from me, it is this one. Not all songs are equally impressive, but overall, this is still a very good album.

Undeniable quality.

Pleasantly surprised by this. Catchy melodic grunge-rock. Interestingly, the vocal delivery in the slower songs reminded me of Lucinda Williams.

Wow, that was quite the surge of primary school nostalgia, and I probably even did not like this kind of music at the time.

Consistently bad throughout.

Better than expected. Fools Gold is still by far my favourite song from them, but there were some other pretty good tracks as well.

Some cool beats here and there, but overall, this didn't do anything for me.

Very good, with Starman and the title song as the main highlights. Not my favourite Bowie album, though.

Sounded okay, but there was nothing special about it. Very unlikely that I'll be listening to this again.

Slightly more accessible than Nothing's Shocking, but still a very engaging album.

Not sure what they were trying to do with this one, though I appreciate the attempt.

Decent album. I like this kind of warm, authentic sound, but it is not special or overwhelming enough for a five star rating.

Some nice songs on this album, but otherwise I feel pretty indifferent to it. Just okay, I guess.

There are several Joni Mitchell albums I would prefer over this one, but The Hissing of Summer Lawns is still very, very good. The overall atmosphere is just very pleasant, and I like the jazziness that will be further developed on Hejira and Don Juan, probably my favourite albums from her.

It's all over the place, but still an interesting blend of rock, soul, jazz and psychedelica.

One of the albums that got me into metal. Still very good, but a little too much polka for my taste.

Happy 45th birthday, 77!

This sounded even better than I remembered. Solid reggae album that exceeds its genre.

Ouch, that was quite painful to listen to. Pretty sure there are much better albums from Simone out there.

zzzzz...

Surprisingly, this took me two listens to get back into, but I can now confidently give this top marks. This and Alice in Chains' Dirt are my two favourite 90s grunge albums.

A pretty much flawless masterpiece.

This was my entry album to the White Stripes, and I loved it at the time. Still a good album today, but for me the wow factor has faded a bit.

It is quite possible that there are some decent songs on this album, but I simply could not get past the terrible overall sound and production to find out. Strong dislike.

Solid punk rock album.

Tough one to rate, this album. Overall, I quite liked this record, though nothing really stood out after two listens. It also took some readjusting to the 80s production style, with the pretty harsh drum machine and synth sounds, but it did sound funky in the right places, and the slower parts were done tastefully. So it may have sounded a little dated listening to this in 2022, but it kind of worked for me.

One of the best electronic music albums of all time.

It's not even black metal. What we get instead is absolute trash.

Solid album. I quite like the dark gloomy sound, but not enough to prevent my attention from dropping off from time to time. In these moments, it gets too repetitive and things like the rather harsh drums get a little annoying. I think I liked this better when I listened to it back in the nineties.

I thought this was quite pleasant sounding upon the first listen, but in the second round it already started to feel a bit empty.

Really good album, didn't know this one yet. Familiar sound, but also some surprising elements, making the album very interesting.

Never heard of this R&B artist. The vocals were solid, but the songs and overall production simply didn't work for me.

During my first listen the songs initially felt a bit too repetitive, but I started getting more into it when Around the World kicked in, and of course the Indo Silver Club is probably still my favourite Daft Punk track. With the second listen I was into it from the start and enjoyed it throughout. A love letter to techno/house/disco.

Lovely soul album. Although I prefer Otis Redding, who's delivery has more of a bite to it, this was still great to listen to.

Solid.

Some very good music, but ruined by the main man.

As on Bug, the vocals were quite irritating, but possibly contrary to Bug, I didn't care much for the songs and instrumentation on this either.

This was a new artist for me. The album sounded pretty good, with lots of variation and influences, but with many of the songs I felt I heard something like this before. A bit like a tribute band, but paying tribute to many different artists. A respectable effort, but just short of 4 stars for me.

That was some weird latin lounge. Not entirely convinced by it, but there are some interesting musical ideas in there and I could vibe with the overall latin sound. I'll be generous and give this a 3.

Radio-friendly hard rock. It is what it is.

I'm sure they had a lot of fun making this, but that does not mean that I did when I listened to it. The band sounds tight with very nice guitar work, but the vocal duo are a bit irritating and the songs don't really work for me.

Acceptable background music at best.

"Zeg maar niets meer..." Some great songs from the likes of Burt Bacharach and Ray Charles, but I'm still not particularly impressed by Dusty Springfield's voice. It was just okay.

Once again it's the vocals that ruin it for me. Otherwise, it sounded okay.

Has some cool beats and raps, but overall quite disappointing.

For some reason, I never really checked out this band, but this is a pretty good album. The energy it oozes reminds me a bit of Turnstile, who must have been strongly influenced by this band.

Pretty good album, though not all songs work for me. The opening title track is great, but I do not like the Velvet Underground cover, for example. As far as I remember, I found Gentlemen Take Polaroids much more impressive.

Interesting mix of hip-hop, indian music, and western pop. I immediately recognised the hit Brimful of Asha when I heard it, but did not realise it was from Cornershop. Not bad.

Excellent drum & bass album. It felt rather repetitive at first, but I got into it once the more familiar tracks kicked in, and on the second listen it all fell into place nicely.

I don't remember listening to any other songs than the first two tracks, which I believe were singles. Overall, I thought this was a pretty decent singer-songwriter album. I enjoyed her pleasant deep voice and delivery, as well as the tasteful musical accompaniment. However, some of the songs were maybe a little too simple to completely win me over.

The lyrics are worth checking out, but musically it does not engage me.

This was a major comeback for the 72 year old blues legend, during a time I was very much into blues music myself. My obsession with the blues has faded a lot over the years, but after a few listens I can still appreciate the album today. Most of the songs have a very stripped down setting, which I have always preferred when it comes to this genre. The recording sounds very crisp as well, and there are several interesting guest appearances to check out.

Top notch.

Very energetic afrobeat music which I enjoyed for the most part, but at some point I started to lose interest. I also thought the lyrics were a little on the nose, and therefore distracting from the music.

Back then I wanted to like this album, but just could not get into it. Today I am still struggling to enjoy it. Yes, there is some good guitar work from The Edge (the main riff on Mysterious Ways, and also Acrobat springs to mind), but the majority of the songs themselves are not compelling enough for me, and at times Bono's vocal delivery even starts to irritate me a little.

I was familiar with this kind of music through well-known collaborations between Indian and western artists, in particular John McLaughlin (Shakti), but I was not familiar with this particular record. Shankar's explanations of the different musical elements are interesting, but it would take more listening and explanation to fully understand it all. However, following the master's advice by listening with an "open and relaxed mind", I was able to enjoy and appreciate this album.

The musical arrangements sound a bit sterile and dated, but the quality of the songs and Turner's outstanding vocal performance make this a solid 80's pop album.

Solid as a rock.

Overall not as impressive as Bookends and Parsley, Sage ..., but still a wonderful album.

Magnificent album from the Queen of Soul.

I was a big fan of this album back in the 90s, and today it still sounds awesome. The first few tracks may seem a bit slow and repetitive, but it builds up to the first real high with Full Trottle. This continues with until Heat, where we take a bit of a breather, but halfway that song things blow up again and after One Love we enter the 'narcotic suite', the three tracks that finish off the album. My mind is glowing.

What on earth was this?

Just two rappers and electronic percussion. Very dry and staccato, but quite fun to listen to.

The first LP I ever bought, and still one of my favourite albums of all time. Pop music executed and produced to perfection.

Probably my favourite Bowie album. Sadly the version on streaming does not include Some Are, which was always my favourite track on the CD version I have.

The production was pretty good, and Renegade was a good track, with special thanks to Eminem. Everything else was just annoying.

Up there with Funeral. Solid album.

It has some good passages of nice grooves and interesting beats, but overall it lacked the energy to keep me engaged.

Not a single song on this worked for me. Tediously boring.

Really good album. I liked the aggressive guitar sounds, fast-paced drumming and overall production. Maybe a little bit too one-dimensional to give it full marks, though.

The music was not terrible, but I couldn't stand the vocals.

Not bad, but to me it feels like they are still trying to find their balance on this album. I hear many ideas that return on later albums in a much better way.

Last year Pitchfork 'rescored' this album from 5.4 to 8.4. Better late than never, I suppose. Excellent album throughout.

Great album with a very haunting sound, and the drumming in particular is quite interesting. Heart and Soul and Twenty Four Hours are my favourite tracks on this.

Good blues rock sound, but ultimately an uneventful listening experience for me.

A bit of a mess, this, but I did not hate it. The later album Sabu's Jazz Espagnole is much more digestible and looks to have been produced with more care.

When this album came out, I was disappointed and thought it was much weaker than Music for the Jilted Generation. After listening today I still feel the same. There are a few great tracks on this, but overall, the tone doesn't feel quite right.

I'm glad I granted this a second listen. At first, it sounded a bit too mainstream to me, but half-way in I started to get into it more. With the second listen, the great musicianship come through, especially the bass and drums (that snare...). I think I still prefer Blood Sugar Sex Magic, but this album turned out to be very, very good.

Really good band, okay songs, but very off-putting vocals, unfortunately.

Sits in between Queen II and Night at the Opera, both chronologically and qualitatively. Killer Queen is an amazing song, and there are a few other gems, but overall it still feels a bit uneven.

This is an excellent album. Great songs, great music, vocals a bit on the edge for me, but very soulful and expressive, and the best rendition of Hallelujah that I have heard.

Apart from the closer, the superb cover of Wild is the Wind, I did not care much for this on a first listen (similar to my experience many years ago). However, the second listen was much more enjoyable, and who knows what subsequent listens will bring. Again I find myself awarding four stars to a Bowie album; only Young Americans and Low got five stars.

At its most palpable moments, this reminds me of Cocteau Twins. Otherwise, it is mostly simple and repetitive songs with a thick layer of noise and distorted guitar sounds on top. This does give the music an interesting dreamy quality, but it is not enough for me to stay engaged for the entire album.

Nice minimal renditions of good songs by the old master himself. Probably not the best of the American Recording series, but still worth listening to.

Nice palate cleanser in between all the pop and rock music. Smooth piano playing by Evans, but don't care much for the bass solos.

Again a solid album from the Jam. No complaints, really, but it just isn't entirely my jam (boom-tisch) for a 5 star rating.

Whiny mainstream rock. Paradise by the Dashboard Light is a good song, but hardly makes up for the rest, especially when hearing it for the gazillionth time.

Not for me.

Not bad. I liked the acoustic guitar playing very much, as well as the minimal additional instrumentation. Banhart's vocals are interesting, but I can't say I am really enjoying them.

In my blues period many years ago Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out was one of my favourites. Jimi Hendrix' Little Wing is another brilliant song, but not in this version, I'm afraid. Layla is probably the best known song, and rightfully so. I also recognised the soul classic It's too late, but again I was not sure if I liked this version and definitely prefer Chuck Willis' original version from the late '50s. Anyway, the album was generally okay, but I only really liked a handful of songs.

Energetic rock, but nothing special.

The one song that characterised this album was Over and Over: it went On and On. I liked Young's unique guitar work, but it could barely compensate for an otherwise rather underwhelming set of often dragging and unimaginative songs. I guess the closing track saves it from dropping below 3 stars.

Good southern rock sound, but wasn't convinced by the vocal performances.

Very dark sounding, repetitive, and bleak.

Terrific album. Child in Time is such an awesome song, no matter how often I hear it. Wait-for-the-ricochet...

I was only familiar with some of the contributors on this album, drummer Louis Cole in particular, but not with Thundercat himself. Very interesting jazzy R&B melodies. Still a little bit on the fence with this one, though.

This sounded pretty energetic and original, but, although I do like the occasional weird song, there was just too much silliness on this album to really enjoy it.

A nice collection of good songs, though some of them are a bit too fluffy and/or silly for my taste.

I guess this requires a certain mood, perhaps on a hot summer evening when you want to chill with this playing in the background. Now it just sounded very slow, repetitive and devoid of any excitement.

This was my gateway album into Massive Attack. At the time it was especially the two tracks featuring Tracey Thorn that I kept playing. Although it may not be my favourite from them anymore, this is still a great album.

Great rock album with some of Hendrix' best songs and the iconic cover of Dylan's All Along the Watchtower. The mixing is quite adventurous and raw, which I did not initially appreciate, but with the second listen this was no longer an issue for me.

Interesting synth pop album. Most of the songs are just okay, but my favourite track by far was the highly Kraftwerkian I'm Your Money, and I loved the weird arpeggiated synths on Geisha Boys and Temple Girls.

Very good live album: good recording, lively atmosphere, solid band, energetic vocal performance. The lyrics are a bit annoying.

Solid (hard) rock album, but too mainstream for me to really enjoy it.

Finally a Beatles album that I can get fully behind.

This is the Radiohead album that won me over. Probably still my favourite, along with Kid A.

Another collection of wonderful, beautifully performed songs.

I didn't care much for this one, I'm afraid. The excellence of the musicians is obvious, but the album seems like a random selection of songs written by others that doesn't work as a whole.

Pretty decent album, but the singing is a bit iffy in places and none of the songs really grabbed me.

Great album, but there are some passages that drag on way to long, and I could have done without the spoken word intro to By the Time I Get to Phoenix.

Normally this is not my preferred choice when I want to listen to some Kraftwerk, but I was pleasantly surprised when hearing Autobahn again. It was strangely emotive, even.

This was always my favourite Sonic Youth album, and it still sounds great today.

My best experience in the past with this band was Hyaena, and I even about that album I had mixed feelings. However, Juju today has turned out to be an excellent album and my new favourite. I particularly liked Siouxsie's powerful vocal delivery, the galloping rhythms, and the dark guitar sounds. Everything just worked for me on this album, and makes me want to check out their back catalogue again.

This has been one of the biggest surprises for me on the list so far. Listening to this, I was overwhelmed by a wave of eighties nostalgia, enjoying the combination of hard rock and pop, of which I am usually not a fan. But I think it was especially the songwriting that won me over so emphatically. Today has been a good day.

Really good album, but Van Morrison's singing is what prevents me from giving full marks.

Very nice collection of beautiful songs. Cale's singing is a bit wobbly at times, but in this case I can live with that.

Overall an enjoyable album, with many highs but also some lows, especially in the high pitched vocal department.

It has some good moments, and Lauryn Hill is an excellent singer, but I was not enjoying the overall vibe of this album and wanted to skip many of the tracks.

I was not overly enthusiastic about this album at the time, but after a few listens today I was very impressed. Machine Gun is still my favourite song.

Pretty good, but one of my less favourite PJ Harvey albums. I respect it for its unique sound and intention to be different from previous work, but the songs don't appeal to me as much. Only In the Dark Places hit the right spot for me.

Wasn't really in the mood for this, but I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt, based on previous experience.

There is undeniable evidence on this record that they can play, but the songs and album as a whole are way too chaotic for me to enjoy it.

Did not hate it, but none of the (22!) songs really appealed to me.

Funny for a couple of songs, but then gets tedious very quickly.

Too boring.

Very mixed feelings about this artist. Great voice, great piano playing, but the songs somehow make me feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Starts off really well with the opener, then is okay for a while, though quite repetitive, but around the halfway point any chance for a good rating is gone. In my memory, Songs for the Deaf is much better, but maybe my taste has changed.

Sounded okay, but would not seek it out. The heavier bits reminded me of Sepultura.

Sounded good, but maybe a bit too polished.

I maintain that I'm not a fan of the Rolling Stones, but I keep giving 5 stars to their albums. Not sure what is going on there.

Overall a solid album, but too little highlights for a top rating.

Classic Kraftwerk. Didn't grab me as much as Autobahn, though; it felt a bit too repetitive.

Excellent album from start to finish.

I can see the appeal of this album to some, but it is not for me.

Great album. Very chill and relaxing, but also has the grooves to keep it interesting.

Wasn't really in the mood for this, but it sounded pretty good.

Pretty good noise rock album. Especially in the second half it get a bit too noisy and dissonant for me, and there are a few song with pretty awful vocals. I slightly preferred this over Loveless, so I'll give four stars.

Did not hate this, but found it quite unremarkable.

Has some moments where the band rocks properly, but the songs overall are quite boring. On top of that, the vocals are too annoying for me to give this more than two stars.

Terrible from start to finish. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.

I'm running out of adjectives to describe bad vocals; have I tried 'atrocious' yet? I remember liking Power, Corruption & Lies, but maybe it was just one or two songs that I enjoyed, or maybe there was less singing.

The album could have done without the first track, and I found the fade out on Little Wing a bit annoying, especially since it is my favourite song, but otherwise this was just great.

Nice to hear the hits again, but this album was all over the place. Takes too long to get started, and once it has, it quickly breaks the flow by songs that seem out of place (the Born to Run cover for example). The Power of Love still sounded great, though.

Solid album, I liked it. Probably deserves more listens than the two I gave it, but I can't see my rating go beyond four stars.

My favourite Talking Heads album. It is all about the rhythms and musical arrangement, keeping other aspects like the chord progressions and song structure simple. Catch the groove, or you're lost.

Glad this was a short one. The music sounded okay-ish, but also extremely outdated. However, what really ruined it for me were the incredibly stupid lyrics.

I quite liked this album, finding it much better than Modern Life is Rubbish and Park Life we were served before.