Journey Complete!
Finisher # to complete the list
799
Albums Rated
3.54
Average Rating
73%
Complete
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Reggae
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
211
5-Star Albums
43
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opus Dei | 5 | 2.39 | +2.61 |
| New Forms | 5 | 2.53 | +2.47 |
| Timeless | 5 | 2.53 | +2.47 |
| A Grand Don't Come For Free | 5 | 2.67 | +2.33 |
| Snivilisation | 5 | 2.71 | +2.29 |
| Basket of Light | 5 | 2.76 | +2.24 |
| My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts | 5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
| Vulnicura | 5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
| LP1 | 5 | 2.8 | +2.2 |
| I Am a Bird Now | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| good kid, m.A.A.d city | 1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
| Blonde On Blonde | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
| Tidal | 1 | 3.45 | -2.45 |
| Nilsson Schmilsson | 1 | 3.43 | -2.43 |
| My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy | 1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
| Ready To Die | 1 | 3.37 | -2.37 |
| 25 | 1 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
| The Chronic | 1 | 3.33 | -2.33 |
| Melodrama | 1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
| The Soft Bulletin | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 6 | 4.83 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 4 | 5 |
| Miles Davis | 4 | 5 |
| Joni Mitchell | 4 | 5 |
| Steely Dan | 4 | 5 |
| David Bowie | 9 | 4.33 |
| Brian Eno | 5 | 4.6 |
| Tom Waits | 5 | 4.6 |
| PJ Harvey | 4 | 4.75 |
| Neil Young | 4 | 4.75 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 5 |
| Björk | 3 | 5 |
| The Velvet Underground | 3 | 5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 5 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 5 |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 5 |
| Public Enemy | 3 | 5 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.4 |
| The Kinks | 4 | 4.5 |
| Pink Floyd | 4 | 4.5 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 3 | 4.67 |
| Kraftwerk | 3 | 4.67 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.67 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 5 |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 5 |
| Joy Division | 2 | 5 |
| Fleetwood Mac | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 | 5 |
| Massive Attack | 2 | 5 |
| Portishead | 2 | 5 |
| Cocteau Twins | 2 | 5 |
| Depeche Mode | 2 | 5 |
| Leonard Cohen | 5 | 4.2 |
| Sonic Youth | 5 | 4.2 |
| Elvis Presley | 3 | 4.33 |
| Metallica | 3 | 4.33 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.33 |
| Paul Simon | 3 | 4.33 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 4.33 |
| Roxy Music | 3 | 4.33 |
| Deep Purple | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Cure | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kanye West | 3 | 1.33 |
| Pet Shop Boys | 2 | 1.5 |
| Eminem | 2 | 1.5 |
| Adele | 2 | 1.5 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 1.5 |
| Bob Dylan | 4 | 2.25 |
| Morrissey | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Smiths | 2, 5 |
| King Crimson | 5, 2 |
| Rush | 2, 5 |
5-Star Albums (211)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Kate Bush
5/5
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.
30 likes
PJ Harvey
5/5
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.
17 likes
Dr. Dre
1/5
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?
14 likes
Cat Stevens
2/5
A few good songs here and there, but otherwise utterly boring.
14 likes
1-Star Albums (43)
All Ratings
4/5
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.
2Pac
1/5
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.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
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.
Eagles
2/5
Early Eagles, I guess. Turned it off after about 4 songs. All sounds a bit dated, and not in a good way.
2/5
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.
Brian Eno
4/5
Enjoyed that a lot more than I though I would. Very creative.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Only had time to listen to the first half. Pleasant vocals, pretty good songs. Not blown away by it, but decent enough.
The Flaming Lips
1/5
I did not like this at all. Had to turn it off after a few songs. Very annoying vocals.
Bob Dylan
3/5
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.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Sounds okay, but for me this music requires a certain mood to really appreciate it.
David Bowie
5/5
Soul/Funk/R&B Bowie style. Great album, from start to finish. Fascination and Fame funky favourites.
Elvis Presley
4/5
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...
Mike Oldfield
2/5
I'm sure I would have enjoyed this much more 20 or so years ago, but now it got on my nerves very quickly.
CHIC
2/5
Did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would.
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
Interesting industrial music. Enjoyed it for large parts, but felt let down by the vocals and lyrics.
4/5
Love this sound. Beautiful voice, but has a little too much vibrato at times.
Santana
2/5
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.
Gillian Welch
5/5
Wonderful album. It was nice to listen to it again, and it was as beautiful as I remembered it to be.
Beatles
3/5
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.
Nick Drake
5/5
Heart-wrenchingly beautiful.
The Pogues
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed this album, though it did make me a little thirsty.
Björk
5/5
Brilliant debut album. Unique voice, great production and arrangement, good songs throughout, lots of variation. Loved it.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
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.
Lorde
1/5
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.
Nirvana
3/5
This album did not really grab me, despite a few good moments.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Poor Waldo ...
David Bowie
4/5
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.
Beatles
3/5
An okay album, but not particularly exciting. Simple songs, some of them catchy.
The Dictators
2/5
Dirty, straightforward, punk rock. The music had a certain energy and intensity, but ultimately I found the songs quite boring.
John Martyn
4/5
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.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
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.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
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.
Cat Stevens
2/5
A few good songs here and there, but otherwise utterly boring.
The Cardigans
3/5
Not doing much for me. Solid band, but mostly uninteresting songs.
The Kinks
4/5
Very enjoyable album, solid from start to finish.
Eminem
1/5
That was pretty awful. Not for me, anyway.
Talking Heads
5/5
David Byrne. Genius.
Beck
3/5
Interesting in parts, but overall a rather chaotic album that did not really grab me.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Wonderful album from start to finish.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Played this album a lot back in the early nineties, and it turns out it still sounds amazing today.
Primal Scream
2/5
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.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Very good album. Interesting melodies with beautiful vocal harmonies, though I'm not a huge fan of the high falsetto vocals.
Tears For Fears
5/5
Excellent synth pop album. A more accessible, but still very interesting, successor to their debut The Hurting.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
Enjoyed this album more than when it came out. A really solid selection of rock/pop songs.
Metallica
5/5
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.
Stephen Stills
3/5
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.
Blur
3/5
Has its moments, but overall this album did not convince me. Nice try, though.
Duran Duran
3/5
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.
PJ Harvey
5/5
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.
Funkadelic
5/5
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.
Jane Weaver
4/5
Had never heard of this artist before, but quite liked it. Dreamy synth pop that reminded me of Stereolab.
The xx
5/5
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.
The Blue Nile
4/5
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.
Badly Drawn Boy
2/5
This did nothing for me. Some parts were not too bad, but way too many songs were just boring.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
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.
Michael Jackson
4/5
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.
Elis Regina
2/5
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.
Bob Dylan
1/5
Still can't stand his voice. This was unlistenable for me this time around.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Overall, this album sounded decent, but the music felt a little too bland for my taste.
Ray Price
2/5
It is as if Hank Williams had a lobotomy.
Sister Sledge
2/5
Standard Rodgers/Edwards disco. Heard this play on the radio way too many times.
Television
2/5
The band sounded pretty good, but the vocals totally ruined it for me.
Radiohead
5/5
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.
Richard Hawley
3/5
Melancholic, dreamy, smooth, and a tad boring to be honest. Seems influenced by singers like Elvis and Johnny Cash.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
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.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
That feeling of nineties nostalgia. Brilliant album from start to finish.
Frank Zappa
5/5
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.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
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.
Justice
3/5
Sounds like Daft Punk. Not bad, but I prefer Daft Punk.
The Streets
5/5
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.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
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.
The The
3/5
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.
Dr. Dre
1/5
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?
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Very seventies sounding. Not bad, but it didn't particularly grab me either.
The Doors
3/5
Very bluesy. Sounded okay, but not as adventurous as some of their other albums.
Machito
4/5
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.
Primal Scream
2/5
Similar experience as with the earlier Screamadelica. Annoying vocals, music mostly quite boring. Waste of time for me.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
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.
Green Day
2/5
Very, very mainstream punk pop. Decent sounding band, but ultimately I am finding their music rather boring.
Aerosmith
2/5
Mainstream rock. Boring.
Jimmy Smith
2/5
Rather conventional jazz that you can play in the background, but nothing special.
Boards of Canada
4/5
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.
Solange
3/5
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.
Otis Redding
5/5
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.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
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.
Orbital
3/5
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.
George Michael
3/5
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.
The Young Rascals
4/5
This seemed completely unknown to me, until I heard the title song. Very enjoyable record.
Elastica
2/5
Nope, didn't work for me.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
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.
The Smiths
2/5
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.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
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.
Taylor Swift
2/5
Very unremarkable.
David Bowie
4/5
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.
Steve Earle
4/5
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.
Paul Simon
4/5
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.
Jamiroquai
2/5
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.
The Stooges
3/5
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.
Carole King
5/5
Very difficult to find anything wrong with this album.
Metallica
4/5
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.
Talking Heads
5/5
Another brilliant Talking Heads album.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
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.
Fred Neil
3/5
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.
DJ Shadow
5/5
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.
Fever Ray
4/5
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.
R.E.M.
3/5
Interesting to hear an early REM album from the eighties. The music was okay, but did not blow me away either.
Gang Of Four
4/5
Tight, tight, thight!!! Not entirely my cup of tea, but I can appreciate the creativity and energy.
Bob Dylan
3/5
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.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
4/5
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.
Antony and the Johnsons
5/5
16 years later and this album still leaves me speechless. I have no speech. I am without speech.
Elliott Smith
3/5
Wasn't particularly overwhelmed by this, but it was okay. The songs were catchy and pleasant to listen to.
FKA twigs
5/5
A truly mesmerising album that combines a beautiful soulful voice with unique electronic music.
Eminem
2/5
It was an improvement on the Slim Shady LP with some good moments, but still disliked most of it.
Culture Club
2/5
Radio music from the '80s. Competent, but uninteresting album.
Fats Domino
3/5
Some good old-fashioned rock & roll. Enjoyed the first couple of songs, but then it got a little repetitive.
Various Artists
1/5
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.
Kanye West
1/5
Strong reject.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
Decent album with a couple of great songs. That'll Be the Day definitely my favourite.
Christine and the Queens
3/5
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.
The La's
3/5
I only knew the La's from the song There She Goes. The album sounded okay, but will probably not listen again.
Harry Nilsson
1/5
One of the worst albums on the list so far.
The Doors
5/5
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.
Billy Bragg
2/5
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.
Circle Jerks
2/5
Shouty punk. Thankfully the album was short.
Metallica
4/5
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.
Morrissey
3/5
I'm finding Morrissey's singing still quite annoying, but this album didn't sound all too bad.
Khaled
1/5
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.
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
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.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
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
5/5
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.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
It is an interesting sound that Cohen is going for on this album, but it does not appeal to me very much.
T. Rex
2/5
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.
Kate Bush
5/5
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.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Live album. Pretty decent blues rock, but I found the endless guitar solos and improvisations rather tedious.
Keith Jarrett
4/5
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.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Loving the afro beat grooves, but not too crazy about the song melodies and the solo work. I have heard better from Fela Kuti.
Cypress Hill
5/5
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.
Nirvana
4/5
More enjoyable than I expected.
T. Rex
2/5
Last week we got Electric Warrior, now we get its successor The Slider. I can't decide which one I dislike the most.
Os Mutantes
4/5
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.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
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.
Röyksopp
4/5
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.
John Lennon
4/5
Overall, an enjoyable album with some pretty good songs, including the well-known Imagine and Jealous Guy.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
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.
Prince
3/5
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.
The Cars
4/5
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.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Another album that sounds pretty good, but doesn't really blow me away either.
Sarah Vaughan
5/5
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).
The Soft Boys
3/5
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.
Elbow
2/5
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.
The Undertones
4/5
This was a straightforward but fun punk rock album that could grow on me even more with repeated listens.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
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.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
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.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
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.
Adele
1/5
Vocal acrobatics, but not in a good way. What a waste.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
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.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
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.
Madonna
3/5
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.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
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.
AC/DC
3/5
Every now and again I like to rock out on a couple of catchy AC/DC songs, but an entire album? No, thanks.
Silver Jews
1/5
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Motörhead
4/5
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).
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Miles Davis
5/5
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.
The Temptations
3/5
Erykah Badu
5/5
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.
k.d. lang
3/5
Pleasant vocals and good sound overall, but something is lacking.
Megadeth
4/5
Arcade Fire
4/5
Neil Young
5/5
Brilliant album from start to finish.
Charles Mingus
2/5
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 Magnetic Fields
2/5
That was a lot of songs. Did not enjoy them, mostly due to the vocals.
Supertramp
3/5
The singles still sound pretty good, but I did not really vibe with the album overall.
Pentangle
5/5
Great album with stellar musicianship. Not sure why there are three versions of Sally Go Round the Roses, though.
Radiohead
4/5
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
OutKast
4/5
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.
Tangerine Dream
4/5
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.
Fiona Apple
1/5
Awful vocals.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Björk
5/5
Top tier Bjork album for me, along with Debut and Homogenic.
Mj Cole
2/5
Rather boring dance muzak.
Gang Starr
5/5
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.
Elton John
4/5
Supergrass
3/5
Q-Tip
5/5
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.
King Crimson
5/5
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.
The Everly Brothers
4/5
Sonic Youth
4/5
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
The Go-Go's
2/5
Bee Gees
1/5
Robert Wyatt
1/5
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Johnny Cash
5/5
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.
Morrissey
3/5
Not bad, but I feel no inclination to listen to this album ever again. Morrissey's vocals do not appeal to me.
Digital Underground
2/5
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Brilliant album from start to finish. I can even appreciate Tucker's slightly-out-of-tune singing.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
Kraftwerk
5/5
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.
OutKast
3/5
Iggy Pop
4/5
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.
Roxy Music
5/5
1973 was a good year, wasn't it?
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Funkadelic
4/5
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.
Suede
3/5
Spiritualized
2/5
2/5
Rod Stewart
4/5
Coldplay
5/5
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.
The Sabres Of Paradise
4/5
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.
Elliott Smith
3/5
There is nothing wrong at all with this album, but it just doesn't quite come to life for me, partly due to the somewhat bland vocals.
The Divine Comedy
4/5
Very good album, but this musical style does not appeal to me enough to give it 5 stars, so 4 stars it is.
Tito Puente
4/5
Milton Nascimento
2/5
The Triffids
2/5
Violent Femmes
2/5
Stripped down but upbeat (punk) rock. The band sounds okay, but I'm finding the lead vocals quite irritating.
Peter Frampton
4/5
Deep Purple
4/5
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.
D'Angelo
3/5
I remember the title song and still like it, but otherwise this is a pretty unremarkable album for me.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Eric Clapton
5/5
Excellent album. Laidback, groovy, nice flow of the songs. Love this version of 'I shot the Sheriff'.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
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.
MGMT
5/5
Still a great album. Time to Pretend and Electric Feel are my favourite tracks.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Sounds okay, but nothing too special.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
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.
Prince
3/5
Still hard for me to get into Prince.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Enjoyable listen, though I did not fully catch the vibe.
It felt a little repetitive at times.
Roxy Music
4/5
An interesting album that is over the place, but also offers a glimpse of the brilliance that was to come in subsequent albums.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Entertaining rock n roll live album. Jer-ry, Jer-ry!
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
I was struggling with the vocals at times, but the guitar tones are great. Strong album.
Rush
2/5
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.
Can
5/5
Magical album. Loved the drumming on this.
The Kinks
4/5
Another solid album from The Kinks. Very, very close to 5 stars for me.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Album started off okay, but then descends into what seemed to me like a practice session with no clear focus.
Gary Numan
3/5
The Adverts
3/5
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Megadeth
2/5
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.
Gorillaz
2/5
Damon Albarn is an interesting artist that tries new things all the time, but this album did not work for me.
The Specials
4/5
Enjoyable album, but not all songs are sufficiently gripping for full marks.
Butthole Surfers
2/5
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.
Alanis Morissette
2/5
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.
Throbbing Gristle
4/5
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.
The Jam
4/5
Solid album, but maybe a little too straightforward for me to give 5 stars.
Bob Dylan
2/5
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.
Miles Davis
5/5
Everything about this album is pure class.
Public Enemy
5/5
Yep, still love it.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
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.
Jungle Brothers
2/5
Fairport Convention
5/5
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.
The Clash
3/5
It sounded okay, but I expected more from this supposedly classic album.
Taylor Swift
3/5
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.
Neu!
4/5
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.
B.B. King
5/5
Excellent recording, very powerful live performance by B.B. King and his band.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Decent, but nothing special.
Faust
3/5
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.
Beatles
3/5
Okay, I guess.
The Temptations
5/5
Every fish has bowl, every shoe has a sole. Brilliant.
Jacques Brel
3/5
Chansons, sung with great enthusiasm. Le Plat Pays is still a classic, of course. Not the kind of music I regularly listen to, but it was a nice change.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
Sounded okay, but very unlikely I'll put this on again.
The Smiths
5/5
So much better than Meat is Murder. Was edging towards 4 stars, but a second listen made me realise this deserves full marks.
The The
5/5
After discovering The The when Dusk came out, I must have checked Soul Mining as well not long after, but I have no memory of it. Now I realise this is actually a great album. It took a few listens to get accustomed to the vocals, which I am still not a fan of, but then I started to really appreciate the music. The final track sealed it for me: five stars.
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Supergrass
2/5
PJ Harvey
5/5
Even better than I remembered. Love the odd time signatures, love the live feel, love PJ's vocals. Everything.
Air
3/5
Background music with some highlights here and there, but not enough to make me want to actively listen to this again.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Pixies
5/5
Still very good throughout.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
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."
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Excellent. More and more I'm starting to realise how important the drumming is on these Stones albums.
The Human League
5/5
80's nostalgia. brilliant.
Joy Division
5/5
Curtis' not quite hitting the high notes is a little annoying for me, but I nevertheless enjoyed the hell out of this album.
Pretenders
3/5
Without Brass in Pocket this would be only 2 stars for me.
The Gun Club
2/5
Pretty much unlistenable with these vocals.
2/5
Very tempting to make a cheap joke referring to the album title, but I really don't care much for this record.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
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.
Incubus
2/5
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.
John Martyn
3/5
R.E.M.
4/5
Very decent album that exceeded my expectations.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
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.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
Very nineties, this. Never checked out this band at the time, but this sounded quite good.
The Who
3/5
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.
Finley Quaye
2/5
Starts off with a couple of decent tracks, but after that gets more and more boring.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Spinal tap vibes, ha, ha!
The Boo Radleys
1/5
Genesis
5/5
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.
Marty Robbins
3/5
Didn't mind this too much, but it was a bit boring at times.
Happy Mondays
1/5
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
Words fail me.
Brian Eno
5/5
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
3/5
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.
The Zombies
4/5
Beautiful dreamy melodies.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
AC/DC
3/5
That one song they are doing over and over again does sound pretty good.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
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.
Madonna
3/5
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.
The Doors
4/5
Carpenters
3/5
Too boring to give it more than three stars.
Saint Etienne
2/5
No, not for me.
Dire Straits
4/5
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.
Dolly Parton
5/5
The Divine Comedy
3/5
The Monks
2/5
Some good guitar work here and there, but otherwise I found this to be too jarring and crude, and not offering anything interesting musically.
Queen
4/5
Some great songs on this album, but also a few just okay ones. The closer sealed it for me. Only four stars.
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
Lou Reed
5/5
Still a very impressive album.
The Avalanches
5/5
This was really good. Nice grooves, creative sampling. Reminded me of both Daft Punk and DJ Shadow, but it still had its own sound.
Beastie Boys
2/5
David Gray
3/5
A decent, but mostly uneventful album.
The Pharcyde
2/5
Good instrumentals, but rapping too shouty.
The Waterboys
3/5
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.
Suede
4/5
Pretty decent britpop, but Anderson's over-the-top vocal breaking gets on my nerves after a while.
R.E.M.
5/5
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.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5/5
Undeniable quality.
Hole
5/5
Pleasantly surprised by this. Catchy melodic grunge-rock. Interestingly, the vocal delivery in the slower songs reminded me of Lucinda Williams.
5/5
Wow, that was quite the surge of primary school nostalgia, and I probably even did not like this kind of music at the time.
Lenny Kravitz
4/5
The Saints
1/5
Consistently bad throughout.
Ice Cube
2/5
Slightly preferred this over AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, but still had the same impression: nice grooves and cool beats, but disliked the rap style and lyrics.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Better than expected. Fools Gold is still by far my favourite song from them, but there were some other pretty good tracks as well.
Dr. Octagon
2/5
Some cool beats here and there, but overall, this didn't do anything for me.
4/5
Very good, with Starman and the title song as the main highlights. Not my favourite Bowie album, though.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Sounded okay, but there was nothing special about it. Very unlikely that I'll be listening to this again.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Slightly more accessible than Nothing's Shocking, but still a very engaging album.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
10cc
3/5
Not sure what they were trying to do with this one, though I appreciate the attempt.
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Decent album. I like this kind of warm, authentic sound, but it is not special or overwhelming enough for a five star rating.
Beatles
3/5
Some nice songs on this album, but otherwise I feel pretty indifferent to it. Just okay, I guess.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
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.
Chicago
4/5
It's all over the place, but still an interesting blend of rock, soul, jazz and psychedelica.
Sepultura
4/5
One of the albums that got me into metal. Still very good, but a little too much polka for my taste.
Talking Heads
5/5
Happy 45th birthday, 77!
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
This sounded even better than I remembered. Solid reggae album that exceeds its genre.
Nina Simone
2/5
Ouch, that was quite painful to listen to. Pretty sure there are much better albums from Simone out there.
Travis
2/5
zzzzz...
Pearl Jam
5/5
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.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
A pretty much flawless masterpiece.
The White Stripes
4/5
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.
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
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.
The Replacements
4/5
Solid punk rock album.
Janet Jackson
4/5
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.
Underworld
5/5
One of the best electronic music albums of all time.
Venom
1/5
It's not even black metal. What we get instead is absolute trash.
Nick Drake
5/5
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
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.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Kendrick Lamar
1/5
I'm feeling nauseous after that.
Goldfrapp
3/5
I thought this was quite pleasant sounding upon the first listen, but in the second round it already started to feel a bit empty.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Really good album, didn't know this one yet. Familiar sound, but also some surprising elements, making the album very interesting.
SZA
2/5
Never heard of this R&B artist. The vocals were solid, but the songs and overall production simply didn't work for me.
Daft Punk
5/5
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.
Al Green
5/5
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.
Deep Purple
4/5
Solid.
Kanye West
2/5
Some very good music, but ruined by the main man.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
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.
Janelle Monáe
3/5
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.
3/5
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.
Elvis Costello
4/5
Bon Jovi
2/5
Radio-friendly hard rock. It is what it is.
The B-52's
3/5
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.
Bobby Womack
2/5
Acceptable background music at best.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
"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.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Once again it's the vocals that ruin it for me. Otherwise, it sounded okay.
Queen Latifah
2/5
Has some cool beats and raps, but overall quite disappointing.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
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.
Japan
4/5
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.
Cornershop
3/5
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.
Roni Size
5/5
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.
Tracy Chapman
4/5
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.
Randy Newman
3/5
The lyrics are worth checking out, but musically it does not engage me.
John Lee Hooker
4/5
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.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
Top notch.
Femi Kuti
3/5
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.
U2
3/5
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.
Ravi Shankar
4/5
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.
Tina Turner
4/5
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.
Aerosmith
4/5
Solid as a rock.
Pulp
3/5
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Overall not as impressive as Bookends and Parsley, Sage ..., but still a wonderful album.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Magnificent album from the Queen of Soul.
The Prodigy
5/5
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.
Dirty Projectors
1/5
What on earth was this?
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Just two rappers and electronic percussion. Very dry and staccato, but quite fun to listen to.
Michael Jackson
5/5
The first LP I ever bought, and still one of my favourite albums of all time. Pop music executed and produced to perfection.
David Bowie
5/5
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.
JAY Z
2/5
The production was pretty good, and Renegade was a good track, with special thanks to Eminem. Everything else was just annoying.
Robbie Williams
1/5
Arcade Fire
4/5
Up there with Funeral. Solid album.
The Shamen
3/5
It has some good passages of nice grooves and interesting beats, but overall it lacked the energy to keep me engaged.
Julian Cope
1/5
Not a single song on this worked for me. Tediously boring.
Big Black
4/5
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 Modern Lovers
1/5
The music was not terrible, but I couldn't stand the vocals.
Queen
3/5
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.
5/5
Last year Pitchfork 'rescored' this album from 5.4 to 8.4. Better late than never, I suppose. Excellent album throughout.
Joy Division
5/5
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.
ZZ Top
3/5
Good blues rock sound, but ultimately an uneventful listening experience for me.
Sabu
2/5
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.
The Prodigy
3/5
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.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
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.
The Only Ones
4/5
Really good band, okay songs, but very off-putting vocals, unfortunately.
Queen
4/5
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.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
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.
David Bowie
4/5
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.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
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.
Johnny Cash
4/5
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.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
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.
The Notorious B.I.G.
1/5
The Jam
4/5
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.
Meat Loaf
2/5
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.
Sebadoh
2/5
Not for me.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Devendra Banhart
3/5
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.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
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.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Energetic rock, but nothing special.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
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.
TLC
2/5
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
Good southern rock sound, but wasn't convinced by the vocal performances.
The Cure
4/5
Very dark sounding, repetitive, and bleak.
Deep Purple
5/5
Terrific album. Child in Time is such an awesome song, no matter how often I hear it. Wait-for-the-ricochet...
Thundercat
3/5
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.
3/5
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.
Beatles
4/5
A nice collection of good songs, though some of them are a bit too fluffy and/or silly for my taste.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
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.
Massive Attack
5/5
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.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
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.
Heaven 17
4/5
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.
Sam Cooke
4/5
Very good live album: good recording, lively atmosphere, solid band, energetic vocal performance. The lyrics are a bit annoying.
Judas Priest
3/5
Solid (hard) rock album, but too mainstream for me to really enjoy it.
5/5
Finally a Beatles album that I can get fully behind.
Radiohead
5/5
This is the Radiohead album that won me over. Probably still my favourite, along with Kid A.
Nick Drake
5/5
Another collection of wonderful, beautifully performed songs.
Jeff Beck
3/5
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.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Pretty decent album, but the singing is a bit iffy in places and none of the songs really grabbed me.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
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.
Kraftwerk
5/5
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.
Sonic Youth
5/5
This was always my favourite Sonic Youth album, and it still sounds great today.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5
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.
Def Leppard
5/5
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.
Van Morrison
4/5
Really good album, but Van Morrison's singing is what prevents me from giving full marks.
John Cale
5/5
Very nice collection of beautiful songs. Cale's singing is a bit wobbly at times, but in this case I can live with that.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Overall an enjoyable album, with many highs but also some lows, especially in the high pitched vocal department.
Fugees
2/5
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.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
Good music and production, but I just find the rapping very irritating.
Portishead
5/5
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.
PJ Harvey
4/5
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.
Patti Smith
4/5
Garbage
4/5
The War On Drugs
4/5
Very nice background music.
Wilco
2/5
The first few tracks sound quite decent, but then it gets boring quite quickly. Sitting through a double album of this was therefore not particularly enjoyable.
Beach House
2/5
Terence Trent D'Arby
5/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
I guess you had to be there to enjoy this. You can hear these guys had played music before, but this never really got going for me. Prog rock doing its worst.
The Cure
4/5
Roxy Music
4/5
The Band
4/5
Wasn't really in the mood for this, but I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt, based on previous experience.
Steely Dan
5/5
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
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.
Frank Black
3/5
Did not hate it, but none of the (22!) songs really appealed to me.
Ramones
2/5
Funny for a couple of songs, but then gets tedious very quickly.
William Orbit
2/5
Too boring.
Tori Amos
4/5
Very mixed feelings about this artist. Great voice, great piano playing, but the songs somehow make me feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
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.
Slipknot
3/5
Sounded okay, but would not seek it out. The heavier bits reminded me of Sepultura.
Dire Straits
4/5
Sounded good, but maybe a bit too polished.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
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.
David Holmes
4/5
Overall a solid album, but too little highlights for a top rating.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Classic Kraftwerk. Didn't grab me as much as Autobahn, though; it felt a bit too repetitive.
Hanoi Rocks
1/5
This some kind of joke? FAIL
Portishead
5/5
Excellent album from start to finish.
Frank Ocean
2/5
I can see the appeal of this album to some, but it is not for me.
Aphex Twin
5/5
Great album. Very chill and relaxing, but also has the grooves to keep it interesting.
Tom Waits
4/5
Wasn't really in the mood for this, but it sounded pretty good.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
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.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
Did not hate this, but found it quite unremarkable.
Oasis
2/5
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.
The Icarus Line
1/5
Terrible from start to finish. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.
New Order
2/5
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.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
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.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2/5
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.
M.I.A.
5/5
Never heard of M.I.A. before, but this was a pleasant surprise. Totally vibed with it.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
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.
Talking Heads
5/5
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.
Iron Butterfly
2/5
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.
Blur
4/5
I quite liked this album, finding it much better than Modern Life is Rubbish and Park Life we were served before.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Live recording of Duke Ellington & His Orchestra. Swings nicely in places, but goes on for too long in others. Take the "A" Train is a Duke Ellington classic of course.
Brian Eno
5/5
Puts you in a calm, meditative, mood. Never tried it at an actual airport, funny enough.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
Very interesting album. Always down for some fender rhodes and violin. Some parts reminded me of a very soft Mahavishnu Orchestra. Overall, the album did feel a bit uneven, and my attention started to wear off a little toward the end. I'm curious about their other albums.
Slint
5/5
I think I would have preferred this if it was instrumental only, but still, this was very good. Vibrant recording, especially the drums sound very crisp. Low end five stars.
New Order
2/5
Boring at best, weak and outdated for the most part.
De La Soul
4/5
It was great fun listening to this album, with all the creative beats and use of samples. Recognised Steely Dan's Peg of course, and there was also a sample I recognised from Portishead, who used it in their song Wandering Star. Despite the overall pleasant vibes, there were also quite few moments that were a bit meh, or a bit too silly. The hit "Me myself and I" is still by far their best song.
Red Snapper
4/5
Cool beats throughout, and some great highlights at the very end, but quite a few of the songs miss a bit of spark for me.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Classic album of course, and I did enjoy it, but overall, the songs felt a bit directionless. Running Away and Thank You for Talkin' to me, Africa were my favourite tracks by far.
Stereolab
5/5
Still an amazing album. The odd meter tracks Percolator and Motoroller Scalatron are my favourites.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
This sounded even better than I remember.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
Come on, Huesker Due, you have to try harder to get a one star rating from me. Got very close, though.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Neil Young
5/5
Excellent album, excellent recording. It feels like you are in the room with them performing the music.
Willie Nelson
2/5
I was rather disappointed by this album, it sounded lacklustre to me.
5/5
My favourite Kinks album so far. Cheered me right up.
Elvis Presley
5/5
Really enjoyed this album, especially the doo-wop elements made it work for me.
Tricky
4/5
I had high expectations of this album, but this was mostly based on a few really good songs that I kept playing. Listening again to the album as a whole, my impression is that the first 5 tracks and the final track are very good, but the rest of the songs feel less compelling. In short, a very good triphop album, but definitely not my favourite, for which Portishead and Massive Attack would have to battle it out.
Traffic
5/5
For some reason never checked out this band, but this album sounded great. Good mix of rock, funk, and folk, and even some progressive rock that reminded me of early Genesis (especially on No Time to Live).
Lucinda Williams
5/5
Absolutely flawless. Top-notch americana.
Wild Beasts
2/5
Did not like this at all. The crazy vocal style was a major factor, of course, but also the songs overall felt rather pretentious to me.
Sonic Youth
4/5
This album has some extraordinary guitar playing scattered throughout and the band sounds great overall. However, in contrast to some of their other albums none of the songs really appeal to me, sometimes because the vocals are slightly annoying, sometimes because the rhythms are too simple and monotonous. A double album then feels very long indeed.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Fun 80's pop album. Was only familiar with the singles; Time After Time is such a great song still.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Amazing album. My favourite song is still All I Want. My least favourite is the title song, where the high-pitched high-vibrato singing is getting on my nerves a little, though less so than in the past.
Neil Young
4/5
Very enjoyable album overall, but no killer songs that give Harvest and Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere their fifth star.
The Clash
4/5
The straightforward rock&roll with shouty vocals are not really my thing, but this was quite well done.
Skepta
4/5
I was set on giving this only 2 stars after the first listen, but I got into it a lot more in the second round. Toward the end the songs were less engaging, and then that grime rhythm that is all over this album got a little boring.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Very nice songs with beautiful melodies, but I'm struggling with the vocal performance, as I was with Tigermilk. Okay, it has a fragility that matches the music, but there are passages where I am cringing at the singing.
Marianne Faithfull
4/5
Never really checked Faithfull's discography, though I think I heard Before the Poison (2005) at some point. This one took a few listens to get into, especially her voice being a bit out there, but in the end I quite enjoyed it. Interesting Lennon cover.
David Bowie
3/5
This was a completely new album for me. Not bad, but quite unremarkable for Bowie's standards. Some stand-out tracks for me were Love Is Lost, Where Are We Now, and Set The World On Fire.
Muddy Waters
5/5
Great live album, writing blues history. It gradually builds up toward I've Got My Mojo Working when Waters fires on all cylinders, followed by Otis Spann wrapping things up with a slow blues, arguably the best song on the record.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Solid album with lots of interesting ideas, but it did not resonate with me enough for full marks.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Sounded okay, but no real stand-outs, apart from maybe the single Oliver's Army, and Costello's voice got a bit irritating after a while.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
Can't get enough of this album. Beautiful dreamy music, interesting vocal harmonies, great songs throughout.
David Bowie
5/5
Bowie's farewell album. I hope he's had a safe journey back to the far away galaxy he came from.
Meat Puppets
2/5
All over the place. Terrible vocals. Here and there some interesting guitar work, but it might as well have been a fluke.
Cee Lo Green
4/5
A pleasant surprise, this one. Upbeat, funky, soulful, consistently enjoyable.
The Stranglers
3/5
Starts off quite well with good songs and the bass and organ particularly standing out, but the album gets a little boring after the halfway point.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Great rock & roll album. Simple but effective.
Eels
3/5
This sounded okay, I guess, but not an album I'll likely to put on again.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Sounded okay. Clearly influenced by Lucinda Williams, but the songs are much less interesting.
Nas
4/5
Solid hiphop album. Consistent quality throughout, with nice flows, beats, and samples.
Arcade Fire
5/5
Funeral was good, but Neon Bible was, and still is, my favourite Arcade Fire album.
Simply Red
3/5
Solid performances, liked the jazzy bits. Overall a decent album, but nothing special.
Sufjan Stevens
2/5
I listened to this album several times in the past, but it never really resonated with me. This time was no different. It is not terrible, but mostly quite boring, apart from one or two tracks.
The Young Gods
1/5
Extremely off-putting. These guys are begging for a 1 star review. Here you go.
Gram Parsons
3/5
Decent country album, but a bit too conventional for me. Some of the songs are beautiful, Emmylou Harris provides excellent backing vocals, but there are also songs where I get slightly off-putting hillbilly vibes.
Emmylou Harris
5/5
Wonderful country/bluegrass album. Great songs, great voice.
Linkin Park
2/5
There were some songs on this album that sounded familiar, but I never properly checked out Linkin Park, assuming it would be one of the many bad examples of nu-metal. I quite like the heavy, groovy, and bouncy riffs and screamy vocals on this album, and the songs are catchy. What ruins the album for me, however, is the bad rapping. There are bands in this and related genres that do this much better in my opinion. So, where I thought beforehand that with some luck I could give this four stars, I ended up with only two.
Michael Jackson
4/5
After the masterpiece Thriller, I kind of lost interest in Michael Jackson, but a friend insisted I should check out Bad. It was indeed a strong successor to Thriller, but I could feel this was the last album I would give serious attention. It was nice to give this another few listens after all those years: it has good songs throughout, and is well-produced of course, though maybe a bit too clean. The mannerisms in Jackson's vocal performance felt slightly more irritating than on Thriller, particularly in slower songs like "I can't stop loving you" and "Man in the Mirror". I can see many people give this 5 stars, but I'll leave it at 4.
Minutemen
3/5
This sounded quite interesting at first, with some excellent guitar and drum work on display, and energetic vocal delivery. After a while, however, things started to get boring, one song after the other sounding more or less the same. When the album is quite long, at least some of the many tracks should hit home to keep me engaged. So, even though there are some good moments to enjoy, I am unlikely to seek this out for future listening.
Lambchop
4/5
Very pleasant sounding album. Some songs sound a bit too similar to keep me fully engaged the entire time, but overall this is pretty good.
Bad Brains
4/5
Not really digging the vocals, but the band sounds sick.
Tom Waits
5/5
Excellent live recording of a wonderful performance from Waits and his jazz combo.
The Mars Volta
5/5
In the past I focused only on a few songs (the opener and Drunkship of Lanterns in particular), but listening to the album in its entirety again makes me realise it is great from start to finish. The overall sound and dynamics just blow me away.
Soul II Soul
2/5
Back to Life was and is still a good song, and is the only reason I'm not giving this a one star rating.
Air
4/5
I enjoyed this a lot more than Moon Safari. It creates a special mood that makes me want to watch the movie again.
Steely Dan
5/5
Absolutely flawless. Great songs, excellent musicianship, pristine production, beautiful album cover, Wayne Shorter on the title track, Michael McDonald on Peg, just wonderful.
ABBA
2/5
Depressing lifeless synth pop.
Scissor Sisters
4/5
Heard the name before, but never checked out their music. This actually was a pretty good album with strong, well executed songs. Very enjoyable.
Eurythmics
4/5
Decent album, with of course the title track standing out on a first listen. Got a bit better overall during the second listen, but still a bit too flat in places for full marks.
The Fall
2/5
Not really my thing. Annoying vocalist, repetitive songs.
Lana Del Rey
2/5
Surprised to get an album this recent. Anyway, I gave it a listen and found it quite boring.
Faith No More
2/5
Can't stand Patton's clean vocals on this. The Sabbath cover is great, and there are some other decent songs, but it's not enough to enjoy this even a little bit.
Ryan Adams
4/5
Solid Americana album, though maybe a bit long. In my memory Heartbreaker was better than this one, but I would have to listen to it again to confirm that. Presumably it will be on the list as well.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Jazzy and groovy hiphop. Very enjoyable all the way through.
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
With a robotic sounding rhythm section, mediocre songs and pretty uninspired singing, listening to this album was near unbearable. My spirits were somewhat lifted by the occasional accordion playing from Flaco Jimenez and the fiddle flourishes and sprinkles of steel guitar, but these moments were rare. One or two stars, it doesn't really matter. Okay, let's be generous today.
Donald Fagen
4/5
Pretty good album with that very clear Donald Fagen style we know so well from Steely Dan. The songs are all solid, but to me they are not as impressive as most SD songs are, and I really don't like the Ruby Baby cover.
Jean-Michel Jarre
5/5
Classic electronic music album that still sounds magnificent today, 47 years on.
N.E.R.D
4/5
This was a rather interesting album, from a group I was not very familiar with (apart from Pharrell's Get Lucky with Daft Punk of course). At first listen I thought the songs were catchy but also a bit weird melodically; it didn't quite work for me. The second listen was much more enjoyable, so I went from 2 to 4 stars in the end.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
Pretty sure I heard this album in the past, but only recognised California Uber Alles. Clear Public Enemy influence, but musically not as interesting and seems to primarily focus on the political messaging.
The Yardbirds
4/5
The overall psychedelic rock sound feels a bit dated, but I liked the energy and great guitar work on this album.
Brian Eno
5/5
Fantastic Byrne/Eno collaboration.
Justin Timberlake
1/5
I went into this with very low expectations and came out of it with expectations confirmed, but also frustrated, because behind Timberlake's rather irritating delivery there was some pretty good music here and there, especially when things got funky.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
This was an astonishing album and impossible to rate, really. Chaotic, abrasive, poetic, alienating, surreal, bluesy, atonal, polyrhythmic, dissonant, ..., fast and bulbous.
John Grant
4/5
Overall, I liked this album quite a bit. Grant has a very nice voice, combining well with the dreamy music and production. Most of the songs are strong and fit well together, but some of the later tracks change the overall tone of the album and perhaps could have been left out. Also, the lyrics feel rather clunky to me, though that might be a deliberate style of the artist.
Ms. Dynamite
1/5
Annoying vocal style, boring music, weak lyrics, what more do you want?
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Very relaxing and smooth album; excellent performance from Sinatra.
Missy Elliott
4/5
Great beats, creative lyrics, good mix of clean singing and rapping. One of the better R&B/rap albums we've had so far.
Blondie
4/5
This was a nice album with catchy upbeat tunes, though maybe a bit too conventional for me. Heart of Glass was my favourite track by far.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Not my favourite Zappa album, but still interesting enough for a positive rating. The emphasis here seems to be on the satire and playful experimentation, where other albums are more coherent and have moments of profound musical brilliance.
The Damned
4/5
Surprisingly good. I expected another shouty one-dimensional punk album, but this was great fun. Very energetic but also melodically strong.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
On a first listen I was not overly impressed, but with the second listen I was more in the mood and loved it. Together with Physical Graffiti my two favourite Zeppelin albums so far.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Mildly entertaining.
Korn
1/5
I thought this was going to be a 2-3 star album for me, similar to Slipknot or Linkin Park, but it turned out to be truly awful.
Norah Jones
4/5
Wonderful album. Beautiful songs, perfectly executed and produced. My only issue is that Jones' vocals have not really won me over.
Missy Elliott
4/5
Another strong album from Missy Elliott, having recently checked out her debut Supa Dupa Fly. I'm really liking her voice, whether she is singing, rapping, or just speaking. Maybe there are a few more songs on this one that are less compelling, but it is still worthy of a solid 4 star rating from me.
Burning Spear
5/5
Top class reggae album.
Slade
3/5
Catchy but simple rock & roll songs on this album. I thought the second half of the album was much better, but then realised these were bonus tracks.
The Cure
5/5
"Disintegration is the best album ever!" (Kyle Broflovski, 1998). I would go as far as that, but it is definitely out there.
Moby
4/5
Very good album, but could have done without a couple of the weaker songs to make it more palatable.
The Undertones
3/5
Decent album, but not as good as Hypnotised.
The Byrds
2/5
Did not care much for this slightly annoying hippie music.
Solomon Burke
5/5
M.I.A.
4/5
I enjoyed her second album Kala a bit more, but this debut was already pretty good. The songs are maybe a bit weaker, but the tasty beats make up for it.
Miles Davis
5/5
I have a slight preference for Bitches Brew that came out less than a year later, but this is nevertheless another great Miles Davis album.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
Beautifully soulful music, especially Brian Jackson's piano work is excellent, but I was not entirely convinced by Scott-Heron's singing on this album. It's somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me; I'll round it down to 3.
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
Some good music, but I'm getting very creepy vibes.
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Sounded mostly okay. Music a bit too messy in places. Not a fan of the vocals.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Many familiar songs, but never really checked out this album as a whole. I haven't listened to Violator in a while, but this seems just as good. Getting strong Kraftwerk vibes.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Siamese Dream still edges it for me, but this was a very strong follow-up album.
Shack
2/5
The overall sound is not bad, but the songs are very weak and boring, and there are moments where the singing is rather grating.
Public Enemy
5/5
Apocalypse 91 was always my favourite Public Enemy album, jam-packed with nothing but killer songs. Listening to Fear of a Black Planet, I wasn't as impressed initially, but the more I listen to it, the more I'm enjoying it. Maybe it is not as compact, and arguably has fewer memorable songs, but the overall quality is undeniable.
ZZ Top
2/5
Simple rock tunes, completely produced to death. Very dated, very boring.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
The Mothers taking on various genres and musical influences in their typical tongue-in-cheek kind of way. I might not always be in the mood for this, but the music was pretty good. Toward the end it is becoming crazier and crazier, which I happily went along with until maybe 5mins before the end.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
A few seconds in and you already know this is going to be a five star album.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Nope, this album is still not doing much for me. Solsbury Hill is a good song, of course, but that's about it.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Very good. Edging towards five star territory, but I'm not loving the vocals enough for a top rating.
Mylo
4/5
Poor man's Daft Punk? Maybe a little, but I still enjoyed listening to it.
Prefab Sprout
5/5
Eighties pop with sophisticated melodies and chord progressions. I thought I preferred the debut Swoon, but now I'm not so sure anymore. Loved it.
Simple Minds
4/5
Promised You a Miracle is still a great song, of course, but I was not too familiar with the rest of the songs going into this. Overall, I thought this was quite good. I didn't realise how bass-heavy this was; together with the vocals the music occasionally reminded me of David Sylvian/Japan. My only two issues are the rather muffled production and the lack of punchiness of the songs. At times the music felt a little pedestrian and my mind started to wander.
John Coltrane
5/5
Great jazz album, a true classic. Earlier albums like Giant Steps are perhaps a bit more accessible, but this is an amazing listening experience if you give it the attention it deserves. I was also reminded how excellent the recording is.
Guided By Voices
2/5
A mish-mash of half-baked or even half-finished demos, does that count as an album? No. And saying it was deliberate makes it even worse. One additional star for some good Beatles-esque melodies and some of the guitar work, but this is hard to enjoy amidst all the chaotic noise.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
This was just great. No further comments.
Goldfrapp
3/5
Goldfrapp is an excellent singer and I like the tone of her voice, but the songs on this album did not really grab me.
The Specials
2/5
No more Specials, please.
Tortoise
5/5
I hadn't listened to any Tortoise in a long while, but this is still a great album. They have this unique sound that I absolutely love.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
Especially during the Use Your Illusion period I liked this band a lot more than I do today. I can still appreciate the musicianship and energy, but it is not really my thing and Axl Rose's voice can get quite annoying after a while.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Pretty good, but a bit too much dissonance and sharp edges for me. In my memory I preferred Hyena, but haven't listened to that in a long while.
Barry Adamson
2/5
So weird. I was going to argue that this soundtrack album does not hold up on its own, without the movie, but that movie does not even exist! It is not terrible, but I will not listen to it again.
Baaba Maal
3/5
In general, I quite like the sound of music from West African countries like Senegal and Mali, and this album is no exception. However, I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped, because the music was a little too repetitive and the vocals got a bit annoying at times.
Public Enemy
5/5
Another great Public Enemy album, completing the three key works in their discography, along with Fear of a Black Planet and Apocalypse 91.
Giant Sand
3/5
I think I listened to Gian Sand before, but don't remember which album; pretty sure it was not this one. This sounded pretty good, but I did not particularly like the vocals.
Fairport Convention
4/5
I had a little bit more trouble getting into this one than Unhalfbricking, but it was still very good.
Electric Light Orchestra
5/5
Very good album throughout, without any of the tracks standing out; just a constant flow of very strong tracks. Reminded me occasionally of Queen and in other places of the Beatles.
Björk
5/5
For some reason, I lost track of Bjork's endeavours after Vespertine, but I'm glad we got this one to check out. The sweeping production has echoes of Homogenic, which I like very much, and the songs are all engaging. Terrific album.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
This may be considered a super classic album, but I really did not like this at all. Man, the endless whining on these songs, seriously ...
Ghostface Killah
2/5
Has some good moments with nice beats and flowing rap, but overall, this was a mostly annoying and too long gangsta rap album.
Kings of Leon
4/5
Overall, I liked this collection of very catchy upbeat southern rock tunes. There are one or two less compelling songs, though, and the vocals are getting a little too screamy in some places.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Five stars awarded without any hesitation whatsoever.
2/5
Initially, this album sounded quite interesting, but it got a little on my nerves during the second listen. Experimentation for experimentation's sake and very little musical enjoyment.
Bill Callahan
3/5
This could have been a solid 4 star album, were it not for the occasionally cringing style of singing. There are definitely some pretty good moments, and I quite like the sound of the band and overall arrangement, but often I got the feeling that music and lyrics had been written completely independently and everything was forced together afterwards. It's ti ... hi hi hi hime... to put God a-way (repeated endlessly).
Very boring.
New York Dolls
1/5
Could not get through this fast enough. Terrible.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Outstanding album. Strong vocals, catchy songs, great production.
Pink Floyd
3/5
Still an interesting album, but not one I would put on repeat or often return to. Interstellar Overdrive is a bit too much psychedelic craziness for me. Bike is still my favourite song.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Three excellent singers, of course, harmonising beautifully. However, I wasn't too impressed by the selection of songs. The first 3 or 4 tracks made for a slow start of the album, after which things start picking up. Telling me Lies and Those Memories of You save the album for me.
Laibach
5/5
I was first introduced to this band when they released Kapital, an album that I quite liked and have listened to many times since. The rest of their discovery has always been a bit of a mixed bag for me, but I might have found a new favourite with Opus Dei. The two versions of Life Is Life were familiar of course, as well as a couple of other songs, but this sounded very impressive overall.
Little Simz
3/5
Not bad, but the rhythm of the rapping gets a bit repetitive and I'm not sure if the lyrics make up for that in any way. The beats and overall production are pretty good. The early collab tracks break the flow of the album somewhat, despite the variation they bring. In short, some pros, some cons, just okay.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Slick, solid, 80s pop. Some great songs like Sledgehammer, Don't Give Up, and In Your Eyes, but hard to really connect with most of the other tracks.
Magazine
3/5
This is pretty good for what it is, but it is not really a style that appeals to me very much, and especially the expressive but ugly vocals put me off.
Van Halen
4/5
Very entertaining album. After one listen, I was considering to give it five stars, but with the second listen there were a few songs where I was less engaged.
Beyoncé
2/5
The album started off okay, and kept me interested for a few songs in anticipation of some really good tracks, but as the album went on I slowly realised there was not going to be a single track on this that I would actually like. Clearly a talented singer, and the production sounds like someone put in some effort, but the songs simply don't work for me.
Motörhead
5/5
Yeah, this rocks hard. Love it.
Mott The Hoople
4/5
Never heard of this band before, but this was pretty decent. The more glamrocky songs were less appealing to me, and Violence sounded terrible, but there were several great songs to make up for it.
King Crimson
2/5
Having listened to this, Epitaph is still the only King Crimson album that I dig. Larks' Tongues in Aspic has too many irritating elements that are so typical of prog rock for me to enjoy it. Book of Saturday and Easy Money are decent songs, though.
Neneh Cherry
4/5
Fun album. Buffalo Stance and Manchild are still standouts for me, but the rest of the songs are pretty solid too.
Tom Waits
4/5
I quite enjoyed this album, but for me, it lacked a little bit in cohesiveness.
The Police
4/5
Solid album, except for Mother. What on earth were they thinking including that song?
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
My least favourite MBV album. It has its moments, but mostly it is just noise that gets irritating very quickly.
The Police
4/5
Some really good songs, but also some quirky ones which I wasn't a fan of.
Napalm Death
1/5
So this is THE grindcore classic. Good to know.
Soundgarden
4/5
Classic grunge album, with Black Hole Sun still one of the best rock songs of all time. It is solid throughout, but many of the songs miss a certain something for me to give this 5 stars.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
5/5
I guess the voice is not for everyone, but if you don't mind it too much, you'll find the songs on this album are just great.
Mudhoney
4/5
Another good album from Mudhoney, after checking out Superfuzz Bigmuff a short while ago. Still don't like the vocals enough for 5 stars, and the beginning of Don't Fade IV is extremely annoying, but overall I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Living Colour
4/5
Very enjoyable album. Lots of different influences, but I like them best when it gets funky and heavy.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
I had forgotten how good this album is.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Old school rap with a bit of a rock twist. Sounded okay, but I prefer the self-titled debut.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Solid album with a good sound and a couple of outstanding songs.
Mudhoney
4/5
Although normally I would not like this vocal style, and the songs initially did not seem that special, I really liked the raw energy of the music, and the songs were catchy enough to enjoy this overall.
Sade
3/5
I expected to enjoy this more than I did. Smooth sounding with decent melodies, but ultimately a little too boring for my taste.
Rush
5/5
Classic progrock album.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
It took two listens, but I can confirm this is still a great album.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Similar to It's Blitz!", I liked this album quite a bit, but still not entirely on board with the vocals.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Pretty good voice; I remember him featuring on Antony & The Johnsons' album I am a Bird Now. Not sure what to make of the songs on this album, however. A bit too theater/musical-like for me, I guess.
Steely Dan
5/5
Not a Steely Dan album I listen to very often, but this is still top notch musicality. Such clever song-writing.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Found myself humming along nicely with this.
Orbital
5/5
Fantastic album, arguably Orbital's best work.
Boston
3/5
The classic opener More Than a Feeling is of course a great song, but the rest of the album sounds very middle of the road to me.
The Kinks
5/5
This was a great album, jam-packed with great songs, executed brilliantly by great musicians.
Morrissey
1/5
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
I liked this a lot more than Want Two.
Tom Waits
5/5
Probably the album I was most familiar with before checking it for this list, remembering it coming out back in the early '90s. Bring out your pots, pans and cutlery! It still sounds great.
Nirvana
4/5
Classic album, of course, and I agree it is great, up to a point. Every time I listen to this album, I really enjoy the first half of the songs, but then around track 7 I'm starting to feel a little tedium. The songs are still very catchy, but musically also feel similar to some of the earlier ones, and I don't love the overall sound enough to be okay with that.
Killing Joke
3/5
Sounded okay, but at times a bit repetitive, and reminding me of other bands I would prefer to listen to.
The Style Council
2/5
The jazzy pop songs in the first half of the album sound okay to me, but then the band take a complete left turn with some awful hiphop/funk in A Gospel and Strength of Your Nature. The rest of the songs don't offer much improvement; especially the vocal delivery is pretty dodgy at times.
Big Star
2/5
What a mess. It had its moments, but most of the time I felt like turning it off.
Big Star
3/5
Sounded okay, but nothing more.
Steve Winwood
2/5
I thought I might like this one, but no. The songs were quite boring, and especially the vocals sounded surprisingly weak.
The United States Of America
4/5
A pleasant surprise, with The Garden of Earthly Delights as an absolute highlight. There were a few moments where the psychedelics sounded a bit too jarring for me, but overall a very strong album.
Sepultura
3/5
I remember quite liking Chaos AD, but losing interest in Sepultura when Roots was released. After a few listens, I still have my doubts about the quality of the songs on this album. The vocals also seem more annoying than on previous albums; I don't mind harsh vocals, but Cavalera's technique sounds very forced and unhealthy. The album is okay when in you are in an energetic mood, but in general, I would not return to it often, except maybe for a few songs.
4/5
I expected this album to nothing but annoy me, but man, does it groove. Toward the end it did get increasingly annoying, but overall this was pretty good.
Van Halen
5/5
Classic hard rock album. Catchy songs, charismatic vocal performance, guitar skills. What's not to like?
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
This was a difficult one to rate. I do quite like this nuevo tango thing and remember enjoying the albums Tristeza de un Doble A and Zero Hour. This live album was a mixed bag for me, though. When in the right mood, I enjoyed it a lot, but other times some of the faster virtuoso bits were getting on my nerves and I wanted to turn it off.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Having listened to this album, I might have been a little too harsh on the debut album Tidal. I still think the vocals on that album sound a bit off, but I can appreciate the music much more now. Fetch The Bolt Cutters is a much more interesting album, though, even if it is not entirely my cup of tea.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
The title song is a classic of course, but I prefer them when they are fronted by Otis or some other star.
The White Stripes
4/5
Listening to this after many years I was a bit disappointed initially, but upon a second listen I could appreciate it again. I think a solid four stars is in order here.
Kings of Leon
4/5
Still liking the energy and southern twang, but some of the songs fall a little short to deserve full marks.
The Darkness
4/5
Juuuu-stin Hawkins rides again, ..., agaaain.
Straight-up middle of the road rock, but I rather enjoyed it.
Parliament
3/5
I'm always up for some funk music, but this was a little disappointing. The songs don't really get going for me. Decent, but I expected more.
System Of A Down
4/5
I usually turn to Toxicity for some System of a Down, but this debut is already pretty good.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Maybe I was not in the mood for Zeppelin, but this one felt a little uneven, and I got slightly irritated by Plant's singing. I'd say my least favourite LZ album so far, but the band still sounded solid of course.
Tom Tom Club
4/5
I can get on board with the grooves on several of the songs, but sometimes the music is too repetitive and the vocal parts a bit too goofy. Low end four stars.
R.E.M.
3/5
This album was okay, but the songs all sounded quite similar to me. I keep hearing 'Losing my Religion' in many of the songs, but I guess this is just the Michael Stipe signature song-writing style.
Adele
2/5
After having to endure '25' a while ago, I feared the worst for this album, but the opener Rolling in the Deep got me interested. The album's blues, soul, and country influences are in its favour, but in the end, the only song other than the opener that I enjoyed was He Won't Go. The rest of the songs were either boring ballads or were ruined by the Adele's vocal performance. Anyway, not as bad as 25, but ultimately again not an album I'll be returning to.
The White Stripes
4/5
Another solid album from The White Stripes.
Talk Talk
5/5
Great album, filled with sophisticated yet catchy pop songs.
UB40
4/5
Solid reggae/dub album. Very pleasant sounding, suitable for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
4/5
I remember quite liking this album, especially Supermassive Black Hole, but I probably heard it in its entirety only once or twice. It is still pretty solid throughout, though occasionally a bit too much over the top with the vocals.
CHVRCHES
1/5
Beats me why this is on the list. The overall sound of the band is not that bad, but the vocals are quite annoying and the songs are extremely formulaic.
TV On The Radio
4/5
Decent album. No songs that made a big impact on me, but overall quite enjoyable.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
Very much an '80s studio album; DX7 sounds, fade-outs, the whole shebang. Flawless, but also a little boring. Only the blues at the very end made it a bit more lively.
Anthrax
5/5
Wow, that was an amazing album. For some reason I always ignored them, but this was a great listen.
Miles Davis
5/5
Not my favourite miles davis album, but still an absolute jazz classic of course. A masterclass in melody and harmony.
The Beta Band
2/5
No, I did not like this at all. For the most part, I think it was the vocals that put me off, but the music itself did not do much for me either.
Coldplay
4/5
Still a strong album, though I didn't care much for the last couple of songs, and at times the vocals got a little annoying.
Hot Chip
5/5
For some reason I lost interest in Hot Chip after One Life Stand, but In Our Heads really good as well. It took a few listens, but even the songs I wasn't sure about initially turned out to be pretty strong.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
A bit disappointing, compared to the other 'songs' albums from this era. It wasn't bad, but sounded a little too Bob Dylan for my taste.
Radiohead
5/5
A bit less accessible than Amnesiac, I suppose, but very good nevertheless. Idioteque is still one of my favourite Radiohead tracks.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
I used to like this album a lot, and beforehand I expected to give it a straightforward 5 stars, but after re-listening I'm not so sure. The first two tracks feel like a long dj set without much variation, but then a passage kicks in that still hits hard with four tracks of great beats. The last tracks of the album feel a bit more like songs, with some vocal parts and stuff. I'll settle for four stars.
Ice Cube
2/5
Cool production from the Bomb Squad, but lyrics and vocal performance ruin it for me.
Paul Simon
4/5
Lovely sounding album. Surprised I didn't recognise any of the songs, but they were all pretty decent nevertheless.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
I remember being a fan of Adam & The Ants as a kid, but that was just based on singles like Prince Charming and Stand and Deliver. Kings of the Wild Frontier has that same unique sound I was already familiar with, but perhaps the songs are a little less catchy.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Pink Floyd at their best. Great album.
Kate Bush
5/5
As expected, this is one of the best albums I've rated so far (after 670 ratings), if not the best.
Joanna Newsom
1/5
She plays the harp quite well.
Radiohead
5/5
Apart from the singles, I was not very familiar with this album, so it took a few listens to come to a verdict. In the end, I thought it was very strong throughout, really oozing that nineties alternative rock feeling. So, even though I probably still prefer the more adventurous releases after it, I think it just about deserves the full 5 stars for me.
Paul Simon
5/5
Still a hugely entertaining album. Lots of musical variation, tied together by Paul Simon's unique vocal delivery and lyricism.
Goldie
5/5
Masterful.
Brian Eno
4/5
Pixies
4/5
A very good album which I would have given five stars, were it not for the moments of ugly, abrasive harsh noise. I like Albini's raw production (which I have praised on other albums on this list), but this was a bit too much to fully enjoy the album.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Get Innocuous is amazing and by far the best track on the record. The rest of the album is just okay.
The xx
4/5
I was not as impressed as the debut, but I still liked the vibe of this album.
U2
4/5
Strong album. New Year's Day is probably my favourite song.
Iggy Pop
4/5
Strong David Bowie and Lou Reed vibes on this one. Interesting album.
Pixies
5/5
There were some amazing songs on Surfer Rosa, but I wasn't fully on board production wise. Listening to Doolittle, this was no longer an issue, and the songs were still great. Overall, a more enjoyable experience, so I give this an additional fifth star.
Slayer
5/5
Lovely.
James Brown
2/5
I love the music of James Brown and I'm sure this was a legendary concert, but I did not enjoy listening to this recording. There are much better versions of the songs they were playing.
Mariah Carey
1/5
Aerosmith
3/5
Decent rock album, but Rocks impressed me more.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Not bad. Occasional signs of the greatness that is to come in later albums.
Pulp
5/5
I'm not a huge fan of Brit pop, but for some reason that I haven't been able to figure out yet, I really liked this album. I probably should revisit Different Class now, which I only gave three stars.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Very good album, but not enough five star moments for a five star rating overall.
The Cult
3/5
Tightly produced, straight up rock album. Well made, but not for me.
Peter Tosh
5/5
Classic reggae. Really good.
Morrissey
2/5
Music okay, singing very tedious.
Pere Ubu
4/5
Interesting punk rock album. Quite inaccessible at first, with lots of dissonance and weird sounds, but gets better with repeat listening.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Hmm, not entirely sure what to make of this. Instrumentally quite decent, vocally very iffy in places, and the songs mostly okay-ish. There is one truly enjoyable gem in 'Attics of My Life', and one truly awful howler in 'Candyman'. With some reluctance I'll give it three stars.
Cream
4/5
Solid, if sounding slightly dated, blues/psychedelic rock album.
Def Leppard
4/5
Very strong album, though it did not impress me as much as Hysteria.
Pere Ubu
3/5
This album did not capture me as much as Dub Housing.
Ali Farka Touré
5/5
In general, I quite like the sound of this kind of music, and Ry Cooder's guitar contributions on this album work quite well. It did feel a little too repetitive on the first listen, but my mind was calmer when I played it for a second time and I found it perfectly relaxing.
Pantera
4/5
Classic groove metal. Not crazy about the vocals, and some of the songs go on for too long, but love the drumming and riffage.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
This was quite weird collection of songs, none of which really worked for me. The samba/bossanova tunes were okay to listen to, but Gilberto's vocals are not convincing enough to enjoy the album overall.
Einstürzende Neubauten
4/5
Experimental, industrial, repetitive, ..., interesting!
I remember listening to much more accessible work from them in the past, but this was still worth a few listens.
The Afghan Whigs
5/5
Intense alternative guitar rock. Very impressive.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Really enjoyed this album. Of course I was familiar with most of the songs, but this was very good from start to finish.
Lou Reed
4/5
Solid album, though I still much prefer Berlin. Songs like Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side, and Satellite of Love are great of course, but several of the other songs are just a little too silly for me.
The Coral
2/5
They sound like a talented band, but despite their best efforts to create an entertainingly eclectic album, I found myself bored throughout.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
Without this album I probably would not have invested as much time checking out Joni Mitchell's discography as I have done, starting with her continuation on the more jazzy path with Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. Especially Larry Carlton and Jaco Pastorius give Hejira a unique sound that combines so well with Mitchell's songwriting and vocal performance. And then on top of that you have Amelia, probably my favourite Joni Mitchell song ever. Top end five stars for me.
The Offspring
4/5
Very enjoyable album. Not mind-blowing by any means, but solid throughout.
N.W.A.
2/5
There were some cool funky beats to enjoy, but mostly I found this album to be quite boring. The lyrics were obviously pathetic.
Black Flag
3/5
This had a good energy to it, and Rollins' intense vocals contributed to that, but musically there wasn't enough to really pull me in.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
An interesting album with some nice grooves, but too much atonality and ugly vocal parts to return to it any time soon. Here and there it reminds me of Joy Division, which I much rather listen to.
Scritti Politti
2/5
Absolute was a nice trip down memory lane, but other than that, this was not enjoyable at all. Eighties pop at its worst.
Kanye West
1/5
Absolutely terrible.
SAULT
4/5
A bit surprising to see such a recent album on the list. Anyway, I remember being quite impressed by this album, and I still like the sound of it today. However, the lyrics are quite cringy, especially the spoken word bits in between some of the songs.
Fugazi
5/5
I had heard of this band, but never got around checking them out. I'm very glad this album appeared on the list, because I love it. The occasionally shouty vocals are not usually something I'm particularly drawn to, but somehow it worked very well with the amazing sound of the band. Will definitely check out their other albums now.
Mekons
1/5
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
This sounded okay. Interesting synth work, but I could only really vibe with Souvenir, Maid of Orleans, Sacred Heart, and especially Romance of the Telescope.
Ryan Adams
5/5
Excellent Americana album. Great contributions from Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, and others.
Kate Bush
5/5
Perhaps not as special as The Dreaming and Hounds of Love, but still a very beautiful album. The Trio Bulgarka sounds amazing, especially on my favourite track Deeper Understanding.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
4/5
I think I enjoyed this more when it came out, but it is still a pretty decent album. Nature Springs is by far my favourite track, featuring Tony Allen's afrobeat drumming style.
Alice In Chains
5/5
Probably my favourite grunge album, with Pearl Jam's Ten a close second.
Ministry
2/5
Too abrasive and busy for me.
Billie Holiday
5/5
Holiday's voice might not have been in the best shape anymore for recording this album, but I still very much enjoyed her performance of the songs, accompanied by beautiful orchestral arrangements.
Can
4/5
Most of the tracks were really good, but I did not care much for the very experimental Aumgn and Peking O.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
Still an amazing album. Dark and light at the same time. Cicely was, and still is, my favourite song.
TV On The Radio
4/5
Black Sabbath
5/5
Classic Sabbath.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
Sounded okay. I'm sure it is a very influential record, but I will not likely return to it, except maybe for the title song.
Paul Weller
4/5
Technically, a very good album, but somehow also a little bit forgettable.
Weather Report
5/5
Not my favourite Weather Report album, but still very good of course. Zawinul and Shorter were total geniuses.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Initially I was taken aback by Cohen's extremely weathered voice, but after a few spins another beautiful, final, album emerges.
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
Soulless, boring, country-pop.
The Black Keys
4/5
Pretty solid album. Cool blues sound with modern production. Catchy tunes. The vocals are also good, but get a little boring after a while. I remember being more impressed with Magic Potion, but would have to check again.
Radiohead
5/5
I never checked out this one before, despite liking Kid A very much, but I can confirm this is another really good album.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Peter Gabriel's work never really worked for me, and this is no exception. Three stars, just about.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
Interesting to hear some of the early work from artists like Neil Young, Stephen Stills, and others. It sounded okay, but also a bit dated.
Kings of Leon
3/5
'Because of the Times' was the last Kings of Leon album that I checked out, before losing interest in the band. Hearing this one confirmed my feeling. It is not terrible, but not really worth my attention either. Three stars, just about.
Ray Charles
3/5
Ray Charles is a great singer of course, and the music was okay, but the songs on this album did not really resonate with me.
Death In Vegas
2/5
Repetitive and unpleasant.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Jimi Hendrix vibes. Great album.
The Charlatans
3/5
Decent Britpop album, but once again the vocals are too annoying to give this anything higher than three stars. Less annoying and less boring than Oasis, though.
David Bowie
5/5
Another excellent album from the Berlin Trilogy.
The Zutons
3/5
Sounded okay, but not sure why it is on the list.
Beth Orton
1/5
Ouch, that voice was not good. Unpleasant tone, irritating style, and simply out of tune in several places.
Tom Waits
5/5
Great album. It felt more balanced than Swordfishtrombones.
Grizzly Bear
2/5
I found this quite hard to get into, and even got me quite irritated on the first listen. Only the long outro of Ready Able worked for me; otherwise I found this album a load of pretentious hipster drivel.
4/5
Never heard of this band, but this was pretty good. I liked the overall soul/funk/jazz sound of the album, but the songs were not always as engaging as I would have liked them to be.
Foo Fighters
3/5
Solid rock album, but not very exciting. Nirvana light.
Pavement
2/5
Not for me.
Steely Dan
5/5
Possibly my least favourite Steely Dan album, but still very good, of course.
Pavement
2/5
Not for me.
a-ha
3/5
The singles still sound very catchy, the rest is listenable, but mostly forgettable.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Magnificent album.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
Classic jazz album, with of course 'Take Five', one of the best known music pieces in 5/4. Despite its experimentation with unconventional time signatures, the album did not feel particularly exciting to me, but I suppose back in 1959 this was very ground-braking.
Ice T
3/5
The best bits reminded me of Public Enemy, the worst bits made me want to turn it off. Without the stupid dialogue intermezzos and other filler tracks this could have been a pretty decent album. Right now, three stars is the best I can do.
Beck
4/5
I found this to be quite boring at first, but on second listen I enjoyed it a lot more.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Much better than I expected.
Massive Attack
5/5
It is already quite promising to me when an album starts with the bass line from Billy Cobham's Stratus, and then doubles up with a Mahavishnu Orchestra sample on the second track. And the rest of the album does not disappoint. Classic trip hop, with Unfinished Sympathy as the highlight.
Fela Kuti
3/5
I like the afrobeat rhythms, but this did get a little repetitive at times, not to speak of the drum solo bonus track.
The Cramps
2/5
Too noisy.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
Not terrible, but nothing special either. Three stars, but only just.
Small Faces
3/5
I appreciated the musical quality, but wasn't enjoying this as much as a concept album. Perhaps I just wasn't in the mood for this style, in either of the two listens I gave it.
Leftfield
5/5
Electronic music from the nineties was the best. Not a weak track on this album, but Afro Left is probably my favourite.
The Auteurs
4/5
Pretty decent album, nothing too exciting. The vocals took some getting used to.
Neil Young
5/5
Classic Neil Young, great album.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
Big band jazz at its best. Splanky sounded very familiar to me, and after a quick search I realised it was used as the end-tune for the Dutch current affairs TV programme Brandpunt, back in the 80s. Great album to have on the list.