Any album containing a song played by Marvin Berry and the Starlighters for the Enchantment Under the Sea dance is good enough for me! In a word though, this album is "joyous", end-to-end. It lands like a band of musicians who really are have a great time playing together and a band leader that is both putting on the act for the crowd and having fun goofing for the band itself. Even songs with titles like "(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You" lands like playful teasing between friends. I'll definitely be coming back to this album again and again. Worth every star. Interesting aside, this is the first album where I noticed the wikipedia page pointed to the book that appears to be the source material for this site's list. Spoiler alert.

Was there a typo that resulted in this album getting on the list? I fail to see any aspect of this one that merits it being in a list of 1001 albums I must hear. The whole thing feels over thought and way over produced. Given the pay counts (or lack thereof) on Spotify, I get the feeling that I'm not the only one this hasn't connected with. I wonder how many of those plays are purely generated from this site recommending the album. The worst part was that track had so much reverb and chorus on it that I was effectively forced to listen to every song multiple times at once. It was like each track was actually multiple instances of the song being played; each instance's timing slightly offset from the next. I could only get through track 6 (Open for You) before I had to call it.

My opinion about the music is irrelevant. From the wikipedia page - 'In 2019, He was found guilty by a French court of statutory rape of one of his former dancers when she was 15 years old.[8] He was handed a two-year suspended jail sentence in absentia, as he did not attend court in France.'

That was garbage. The music itself was mediocre, the rhymes and techniques were only occasionally engaging (I mean seriously, ending multiple back-to-back verses with the same word is like kindergarten-level prose) and the content of the lyrics was completely pointless. I honestly thought the album was meant to be self-satirizing, like some sort of commentary on how ludacris celebrity life has become, but alas I was just grasping for ways to give the album more credit than it really merits.

The 70's deliver again. Good old fashioned anti-establishment punk. The composition of the songs themselves show a complete disregard for established pop norms, instead preferring to forge their own path. The instruments float in and out of the song and even in and out of alignment with eachother. But they all work together to create a truly distinct and enjoyable album. I was pleasantly surprised to find tracks that appear to be direct forefathers for groups like LCD Soundsystem (Not Great Men) and Blur (Ether). I'd never heard the album before, but it will defintely be on my list and it defintely belongs here as well.

Took me back in time and I forgot just how many catchy hooks were on there. Also some irritating vocalization, but definitely a good bit of nostalgia and good to hear a strong female voice!

I forgot just how tired I had become with this extremely repetitive genre of music. After the first 30 seconds, you've heard everything the song has to offer. After the first 3 songs, you know the shape of every song on the album. It had it's time an place for me, but I'm over it!

I tried to get into it. I like the title track and Soliders. Beyond that it just wasn’t my taste. It struck me that they had a lot of big ideas and they worked hard to get them all in there. I’m sure if I enjoyed the band in general it would work for me, but I just couldn’t connect with the music enough to find my place in it.

I guess I knew of Leonard Cohen, but I never knew anything about him. This album was an enjoyable introduction, but boy did it feel like a lot to deal with. The lyrics are dense and left me with a sense that I barely had a grasp on how to handle the english language. I was impressed with the elaborate storytelling of every song and I defintely couldn't just passively listen. Rather each song pulled me in and nearly forced me to delve into it's narrative. What I felt the music lacked was an emotional connection that existed on an involuntary level. The connection required work.

Every song is simple and too the point. I can hear echos of this album's influence on countless other artists that I listen to.

With the exception of 'Gloria: In Excelsis Deo', each song felt (to me anyhow) like it was recorded right on the edge of creation and destruction. The underlying music ebbed and flowed with a casual fludity, while the lyrics and vocalizations alternated between settled and urgent. It felt intimate and meaningful and I'm left with a sense of loss for not having had the opportunity to appreciate the album it in it's context, in it's time.

Meh - A bunch of privileged white dudes signing about how they want to get over on girls while they misappropriate blues music. Hows about putting some actual blues artists in the list.

I'm not sure that the entire album merits being on this list, but there were defintely some enjoyable tracks. Groovin' was certainly the star of the album for a reason, but what stuck with me the most was the diversity of sounds and styles on the album overall. If I were to listen to tracks like "A Girl Like You" and "I Don't Love You Anymore" alongside "You Better Run" or "A Place in the Sun", I'd have sworn they were entirely different bands. In the end, I'm glad to be introduced to the album.

Listening to this album made me feel like I should be three pints deep on a pitcher of lager and playing pool in a smoke filled dive-bar. I enjoyed the album from start to finish and plan on putting some Bad Company on in the background at my next backyard BBQ.

How does one appreciate the art without considering the artist? If you're going to marry the two opinions together, do you consider who the artist was at the time of the creation of the art, or what you know about their whole life? This album made me struggle with this idea, because it is a great album but I'm not much of a Kanye fan nowadays. Every song on the album is a winner. So many great collaborators and the tracks themselves are as enjoyable to listen to (in some cases moreso) than the rap itself. Holding it all together is the clear narrative of the impact poverty on a generation. And yet some of the songs still convey hope and celebration. It's an album that hits on so many levels and I really enjoyed revisiting it. Who knows. Maybe I'll see what Kanye has been up to since then. Maybe.

That was garbage. The music itself was mediocre, the rhymes and techniques were only occasionally engaging (I mean seriously, ending multiple back-to-back verses with the same word is like kindergarten-level prose) and the content of the lyrics was completely pointless. I honestly thought the album was meant to be self-satirizing, like some sort of commentary on how ludacris celebrity life has become, but alas I was just grasping for ways to give the album more credit than it really merits.

I had heard songs from this album before, but I had always assumed they were from this decade. This album is phenominally timeless and filled with rich arrangements. I've honestly listened to the album 5 times already and each listening is revealing more and more to enjoy. This is exactly the type of experience I had hoped to have with this site!

Was there a typo that resulted in this album getting on the list? I fail to see any aspect of this one that merits it being in a list of 1001 albums I must hear. The whole thing feels over thought and way over produced. Given the pay counts (or lack thereof) on Spotify, I get the feeling that I'm not the only one this hasn't connected with. I wonder how many of those plays are purely generated from this site recommending the album. The worst part was that track had so much reverb and chorus on it that I was effectively forced to listen to every song multiple times at once. It was like each track was actually multiple instances of the song being played; each instance's timing slightly offset from the next. I could only get through track 6 (Open for You) before I had to call it.

Another good album I'd never heard of. Apparantly I need to pay more attention to bands from the 70s. I heard clear parallels to bands like Franz Ferdinand and the Strokes, but I also appreciated the differences. The band didn't hold strictly to 2 minute verse-chorus-verse and they allowed themselves to jam and explore. By and large I enjoyed the album and I'd point to Sometimes, London Lady, Peaches and (Get A) Grip [on Yourself] as good tracks to check out to get a feel for it. I could have done without the track Choosey Susie, to behonest, give the overt depictions of sexual violence.

This album was right up my alley. The blues-rock genre is already something I really enjoy, so this fit right in. The production of the album overall felt very genuine and laid back. I'd point specifically to the track Too Bad as a good example of this. Every instrument has it's place and each stands out so clearly that I feel like I'm hanging out in the room with the band playing around me. I was also pleasantly surprised by the clarity and grit of Rod's vocals. Overall a fun listen and a band that I'm curious to hear more of. and I was pleasantly surprised by the grit of Rob Stewart's vocals.

Man! Looking back on this album, there is so much cringe-worthy content. After listening to the track "Bad" and then "Speed Demon", I couldn't help but feel like this whole album was going to be like scrolling through r/IAmVeryBadAss. Seriously, all I could think about while I was listening to "Liberian Girl" was the scene in "40 year old virgin" where the main character was (falsely) talking about all the experience he had with girls. "Just like in the movies" - ha! Jokes aside though, the album is still undeniably good. My personal favorite is "Leave Me Alone", and there are many other that are great listening and chalk full of nostalgia for me. I guess what makes the album hard for me, hence the lower rating, is it's a bit much to take in one sitting. A ton of great singles, but I need a break between most songs to wash the synthesized taste of my mouth.

Its funny to me how much this album now sounds like electrified honky-tonk to me. In any case, it was still thoroughly enjoyable to listen to. The radio anthems that are nearly impossible to not sing along with, still hold strong, but the rest of the album is a solidly stable collection of tracks as well, that doesn't really leave much room for complaint - assuming you can get into the style at all. The production of the album is vocals and guitars forward and it's pretty obvious why (Axle, Slash and Duff - I mean, come on!). In contrast, the rhythm section could basically be any studio artists out there and I'm not sure it would feel any different. All around, a good one to revisit.

Well, I'm a sucker for a concept album, so the stage was already set for a favorable reception. The understated composition of every song belies the relentless and tragic story that unfolds across the entire album. I was honetly startled when the second voice came in for harmony on 'Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain', because it was almost like someone snuck in the room and interrupted while Willie was confiding a dark secret to me. And so it went through the entire album, until 'Remember Me'. It's an enjoyable song on its own, but it was jarring in it's place and in it's contrast with the mood of the album. All told though, it was a riveting bit of story-telling folded into musical form, which further enhanced the emotions of the tale and of the telling.

The 70's deliver again. Good old fashioned anti-establishment punk. The composition of the songs themselves show a complete disregard for established pop norms, instead preferring to forge their own path. The instruments float in and out of the song and even in and out of alignment with eachother. But they all work together to create a truly distinct and enjoyable album. I was pleasantly surprised to find tracks that appear to be direct forefathers for groups like LCD Soundsystem (Not Great Men) and Blur (Ether). I'd never heard the album before, but it will defintely be on my list and it defintely belongs here as well.

A very subtle and relaxed album. The song structures seem, to my untrained ear at least, to be completely linear and unrepeating lines throughout. There aren't verses and choruses, just a start, an exploration and an end. I'm so accustomed to hearing repetition in music, that I'm unsure of what to make of it. It must take an immense knowledge and comfort with your instrument, with your bandmates and with the foundations of music theory to make music like this. What I can't say for the album, is that any one track stood out to me. This is probably again due to my lack of understanding the format of Jazz and the challenge of what they are doing as musicians, but I feel like I could be dropped into the middle of any of these songs and I would have no idea which one is which. Again, I don't really know what to make of it. All told, I wouldn't likely go out of my way to put this album on again, but I do feel opened to something new and I'm curious to learn more from others that do have a deeper appreciation/fascination with the genre.

It's certainly a compositional and recording feat. I just didn't find it very interesting.

Well, the album started off strong, but then it all started to sound the same. I can absolutely understand songs like "Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough' and 'Rock With You' being on lists of 1001 songs you must hear, but as an entire album, it's hard to see. In fact, I noticed this first with when listening to Bad and I'm picking up on it again here, but this album also feels more consumable in pieces as opposed to trying to listen to the whole thing in one sitting. I do think that 'I can't Help It' redeems the latter half of the album, from being mostly forgettable. My tastes aside, it's undeniable that this album was massively influential on countless artists, so for that alone, I can't really bring myself to rate it below a four. In this case I think the album is great, less for what I hear in the music, then for what most people hear in the album.

First off, the improvised humor during the second song (Willow Weep For Me) and throughout the last song (How High The Moon) put a smile on my face. It was enjoyable to hear an artist just rolling with it in a live performance. And honestly, if you weren't paying close attention, I think it would just roll by you as a listener as well. It's a testament to how clean, tight and yet how fluid Sarah Vaughan and the Trio are across this album. Everything about this album felt in perfect balance, which I find especially remarkable given it's a recording of a live performance. Sarah's vocals are an enchanting blend of smooth, pitch perfect and with a touch of smokey rasp. She carries every tune perfectly and doesn't overly-adorn, preferring instead to be straight to the point. And sitting just below the canopy of the vocals is the remarkably stout trunk that is the backing trio. Their performance was equaly clear, concise and beautiful. All told, it's a lovely album, made more special by the candor and simplicity that comes from the stripped down production of recording a live performance.

Any album containing a song played by Marvin Berry and the Starlighters for the Enchantment Under the Sea dance is good enough for me! In a word though, this album is "joyous", end-to-end. It lands like a band of musicians who really are have a great time playing together and a band leader that is both putting on the act for the crowd and having fun goofing for the band itself. Even songs with titles like "(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You" lands like playful teasing between friends. I'll definitely be coming back to this album again and again. Worth every star. Interesting aside, this is the first album where I noticed the wikipedia page pointed to the book that appears to be the source material for this site's list. Spoiler alert.

If one of my kids asked me what classic rock was, I would sit them down and play them this album. It is quintissential. If it weren't for a couple of Plant's questionable performance (I'm looking at you "Bring it on Home"), I'd say the album was flawless. Classic riffs like the openning bars of "Whole Lotta Love", "Heartbreaker" and "Moby Dick" are all you need to hear to know exactly how impactful this album was on every record that came after it. But it didn't just come down to catchy bars. Almost every song is dynamic, leaving room for exploration of the spaces in between the muscial themes. I've listened to this album countless times before, and it continues to be worth every star I can give it.

Meh. I couldn't get through a single playthrough. I have got to believe that there are at least 1001 albums in the world better than this one. Sure, I recognized 'Alright', but it sounded nothing like the rest of the album. If that was the only song that got this album on the list, then I'm really lost. I did appreciate that the related wikipedia page taught me about cockney rhyming slang, so at least I've got that going for me.

I'm not so sure about this one. It's a wild and only partially folded amalgam of genres. The musicians (singer aside) clearly have a mastery of their instruments, but at the same time they seem unconcerned about anything sounding cohesive or finished. Like, literally, some of the songs just sort of stop. As for the engergy of the music, I bet they had a good time putting the music together and playing it. I suspect they'd also be a good band to hear live. Alas this isn't "1001 bands you should hear live" so it all comes down to the album. For that, this one didn't really do it for me and I'm not really clear on why its included in this list.

A punk rock musical? Nine minunte long medleys? What am I listening to? Well, shame on me for writting these guys off after Dookie. This is an album that was made at a serious inflection point for the band, and what they came up with is a real coming of age for the group. It took courage for the group to step out of the mold they'd been cast in and what they came up with is something that I really enjoyed. The album started off on an almost 50's pop production, amped through heavy distortion, but then I hit the 1:50 mark on "Jesus of Suburbia" and the vibe started changing. From that point on the story telling took over and the album gave way to an unfolding narrative. I was struck with the realization that I had heard a fair amount of this album in radio hits, but I had no idea how they fit together (i.e. "Holiday" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" are conjoined!). Since I hadn't heard the entire album, I didn't fully appreciate the songs in context and I was missing out on the goodness that didn't make the radio. The album includes plenty of flexes from the band's punk core ("St. Jimmy"), but they don't stay contrained by it, rebelling against their constraints. And maybe it's that spirit that really makes this album so good. After all - isn't that what punk is about?

I remember spotify annoucing this album to me and being happy when I figured the news out, that LCD Soundsystem had reunited. It took a while for this one to grow on me, but grow on me it has. The more linear songs, like "other voices" and "i used to", are good enough. The real gems in my opinion are the tracks that grow and unfold, such as "oh baby", "how do you sleep?" As far as the whole album goes, it is good, but I'm surprised to see it on the list. If anything, I would've expected to see "Sound of Silver" or "This is Happening". "American Dream" is (in a good way) a derivative or a continuation of those albums.

The album is just catchy enough to keep you listening and just deep enough to keep you thinking. I personally think "Miles From Nowhere" is the standout track, but I complete understand why the stand-out hits ('Where Do The Children Play?', 'Hard Headed Woman;, 'Wild World' and 'Father An Son') are what they are as well. I honestly have no idea how the Flaming Lips could claim that 'Fight Test' was not directly *ehm* "influenced" *ehm* by 'Father And Son'. Uncanny similarities aside, the album was a good listen on it's own two feet.

I enjoy the general sound of the band and I the vibe they are going for. But the songs are SO BORING and mind-numbingly repetitive. With the exception of 'Proud Mary', you can hear everything that each song has to offer within 20 seconds of the song starting.

Kraftwerk are pioneers of the electronic music scene and any of their albums merits a spot on this list, without a doubt! The core of the album is the openning track (Europe Endless), and then tracks 4 through 8 ('Trans-Europe Express' through 'Endless Endless'). If you consider those 6 tracks alone and played in order, it's really two musical movements. When I listen to those 6 songs together, I hear it like a musical interpretation of a trans-european train ride. The themes slowly ebb and flow, much like the scenary would out the window of the train. Where you end is much like where you started, but there is just enough variation to make it feel all its own. The other two tracks ('The Hall of Mirrors' and 'Showroom Dummies') are more like single b-sides that were tossed into the album. The seriousness of 'The Hall of Mirrors' stands in sharp contrast to the nearly humourous 'Showroom Dummies'. Both are enjoyable tracks, but they seem a bit out of place. This album provides a great trip through the state of the art for early days electronic music.

I'd never heard 'Eli And The Thirteenth Confession' and I'd never heard of Laura Nyro, so this was a complete surprise to me. In a word, the album struck me as ambitious. Laura's vocals are powerful and each song's arrangement feels packed full, to the point of bursting with purpose and intent. I can see why this would be an infuential album and I can also see how a number of these songs would go on to be hits for other bands as well.

I can't really say that this album did anything for me. It all kind of sounded the same and I didn't feel much of a connection to any of it. I guess I can see why the band opted to call it quits after this.

The version that I found on Spotify was the 2013 re-release, which included a bunch of extra tracks, but I will keep this vote limited to the origional first nine tracks ("Inspiration Information" through "Not Available"). Overall, I really liked the album, for what it was. It actually felt more like two sub-albums put together into one. The first four tracks are completely constructed compositions with vocals on top. The title track is the stand-out of them all, but I didn't think "Aht Uh Mi Hed" (read "That hurt me head" in a cockney lilt, I think) was far off. Then, starting with "Happy House", the album gives way to more experimental and funky tracks, which are entirely instrumental. Of that set, I particularly enjoyed "Happy House", "XL-30" and (to a lesser extent "Pling!". These tracks felt more like musical streams of conciousness, and I felt a connection of influence all the way to more current tracks by artist like Knxwledge. And then the (original) album wraps up with "Not Available", which I think is short for, "We had a song ready to record but the singer was Not Available". The song sounded ready to go, and it's just missing someone to sing along. That sort of sums up the album in general, I think, and the fact that there were two more releases with two sets of additional tracks added seems to support this. When it was released, despite 3 years of production, the album was still sitting as a work in progress. It has some gems, shows a lot of promising ideas, and who knows... maybe a couple more re-releases and it will feel complete.

I've never really sat down and listened to James Taylor, and to be honest I had the guy mixed up in my head with Jimmy Buffet. Ha! Once I realized (happily) I wouldn't be hearing Margaritaville, I settled into the album and was pleasantly surprised. James' vocals are so rich and clear, I couldn't help but be immediately drawn in. The album had it's share of folky ballads, which I expected, but the blend of country, folk, blues and even the touch of gospel provided far more musical diversity and depth than I expected. I think the tracks "Lo and Behold", "Steamroller Blues", "Oh Baby, Don't You Loose your Lip on Me" and the latter half of "Suite for 20 G" show this well. Given James' music remains ubiquitous to this day, it's undeniable that his music deserves it's place in this list. I've been remiss for dismissing it on account of having heard the "big hits" umpteen-million times, so next time I'm relaxing on a lazy day, I know where to go digging.

I feel like the lead vocalist's sound is an inside joke that I'm just not in on. I mean listen to "Tell Me When My Light Turns Green" or "I'm Just Looking" and help me understand what is going on. It's like the first time I heard "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" from "The Darkness" and I struggled to understand if it was authentic or satire. Looking over my difference in taste for the vocalist, tracks like "The Teams That Meet in Caffs" gave me a chance to consider the band on it's own. As a unit, they sound good. Not necessarily great, but good. I think they would probably sound great as a part of the background din of a pub, but the vibe didn't translate to recording in my opinion. In the end, I couldn't bring myself to finish the album. My only assumption as to why this is on the list would be because of the impact the album had in it's historical context. Given this is the 2nd album by this band that I've come across in the list, I'm a bit concerned. Especially given I've yet to see entire genres (i.e. classical, world music) represented. I can't really fathom how this one is on the list at all.

Its a fantastic album, crammed full of the energy and innovative novelty of a debut of an artist who will go on to greatness. I think the comparisons that others have made to Patti Smith's album "Horses" are apt in a lot of ways. The song "Dress" perfectly exemplifies the simultaneously approachable and yet rough nature of the album. The song is compelled forward by the persistent beat, and everything feels like it is charging and driving forward to an unheard point of explosion. Another track with a similar energy, which I loved is "Joe". But there are other faces to the album such as the somewhat swanky "Hair" or "Plants And Rags", which starts out as a girl and a guitar and slowly grows into an ensembled piece of at least 4 different stringed instruments that roll around eachother in near dissonance. It was super fun to listen to, and I'm stoked to hear another phenominal female artist on this list.

I don't get it. The arrangements are elaborate enough and the band (backed by a small orchestra it would seem) played them them perfectly. The production is slick and polished. The vocals are full of nicotine soaked rasp. The lyrics are dense and feel like short stories or letters read outloud. But the music just lacks anything to connect to. Each song just sort of lilts into the next. The emotional register of each song is perfectly uniform, bordering on monotone. Funny enough, "What Else Could It Be?" is like the one song I felt something with, and it's the one where the vocalist is singing in a screeching falsetto that seems two modulations higher than the vocalist dares belong. Yet, it kinda worked for me. So, what am I missing? Why is this album on the list?

Each time I listen to this album, I turn it on thinking I'll just play it in the background. And each time I listen to this album, I find myself progressing from unconciously tapping me feet to cranking it up and signing along. I just love how nearly every song grows and builds. "All My Friends" and "New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down" both exemplify what I'm talking about. Overall, this is one of my favorite albums and it's already on my list of heavy rotation, so it's easy for me to give this 4 stars.

I guess my take on Yes hasn't changed much from what I listended to "Close to the Edge". The band is clearly talented, the production is over the top good, and there is no doubt that the band has a huge following and has influenced countless other bands and artists. For whatever reason, I personally just can't connect with the music. It feels showboaty and a bit sterile. There were moments in the latter half of "Yours is No Disgrace" and "Starship Trooper", where I picked up on something, but the whole vibe still feels like it's at an arm's length. Another review wrote that it was like rush, but boring, and I think that sums it up perfectly.

This album is good for the soul. I can't help but feel the music and want to join in. Aretha's powerful and adept vocals are first and foremost the glorious centerpiece of every track. But when I listen to songs like "A Change is Gonna Come" I also realize that her performances enhance the movement and the emotions of the underlying music as well. Every pause and flourish beautifully embelishes the solid framing that the band provides. The songs don't just reference the range of human emotion, they evoke them, and that is one of the truest measures of art that I can think of.

The brilliant simplicity of the entire album, belies the complexity of it's appeal. The sound is visceral, the lyrics have depth and a purpose, and it is all exactly what it needs to be without any fluff or pretense.

Great storytelling makes great country music. Each and every song on this album feels like prose pulled from a hard-worn diary. Lucinda’s syrup drawl and lilting vocals bound between hints of whispers, laments and growls. The arrangements are simple, and well executed, but a touch simple for my taste. I can clearly see the appeal of the album. I didn’t personally connect with it, but I can appreciate it.

This album is a masterwork of an end-to-end experience. Every song is meticuously layered and arranged, creating an expansive and enveloping sound. I think "Fight Test", "Are You a Hypnotist??" and "In the Morning of the Magicians" are good examples of this. But breaking up the album and considering it song by song, undermines the value of the ablum, which is at it's highest as a whole. Although the creators have insisted this is not a concept album, there is a unifying feel and an arch to that I continuously enjoy experiencing end-to-end.

I remember this album being super divisive with my friends that were into punk. They kept calling these guys sellouts, which I just couldn't wrap my brain around. How could a band be sellouts on their debut album, when they'd only just begun. Wouldn't that just mean that they are what they are? And why give a shit anyhow - the album was great! The album is extremely tight. Billie and Mike's guitars are locked in an intricate and electrified swing dance, each locked to the same beat, but each with their own lightning fast and elaborate roles to play. Tre's drums are pounding, precise and raucously joyous. I think these descriptions stand out the most in the songs "Burnout", "Welcome to Paradise" and "In the End". Beyond the intrumentals though, the lyrics are actually about something, many speaking to the disillusioned and angst-filled vibe of the times. That and masturbation. For me, this album ushered in my punk-rock awakening. It intrigued me and got me interested enough to want to delve into the genre further. And it's that bridging role that this album played for so many, that I think drew ridicule and acclaim alike. Some wanted to keep their punk secret safe and unsullied, whereas others wanted to see what they'd been missing. I for one, was glad for it.

I'm conflicted by this album, but underpinning and riding above all musical opinions, is the feeling of loss. What could this band have done if Kurt had been able to get well and stay healthy? I see the album as a conflicted stream of conciousness. You only need to hear the first two tracks back-to-back to get a sense of what I mean. Tracks like "Heart-Shaped Box", "Dumb", "Pennyroyal Tea" and "All Apologies" playoff as near ballads. Others like "Scentless Apprentie", "Milk It" and "Tourette's" explode and writhe. Throughout it all though, I just can't shake the sense that this album is primarily a band that is working through its understanding of itself. We, the listeners, are left with unresolved emotions and lingering questions.

A bit of folk, a bit of rock, a bit of blues and all the reverb you can possibly muster. I dig the sound of the band in general, but the songs where Grace Slick took control are undeniably the best. I appreciate what this band did in creating a new sound, one which plays through clearly in bands like "The Black Angles" and tons of similar dark folk bands out there today. Out of context, I'm not sure the majority of the album does much for me, but I appreciate why it's on the list.

Sheesh - Way more ballads on this one that I know what to do with. It's interesting to see what's classified as rock n' roll over the years. A few of the songs piqued my interest, and you can't help but love the title track. Beyond that though, it felt a little flat and dreary. I guess I had to be there to appreciate it.

Its an eclectic bunch of songs, that's hard not to enjoy. A couple songs strike me as a bit unsettled thanks to how emotionally disconnected Lou's vocals sounds from the rest of the performance. It works well for narrative songs like "Walk On the wild Side" and "New York Telephone Conversation", but feels flat on other songs like "Make Up". Where the album really connects though are songs like "Perfect Day", "Vicious" and the final third of "Satellite of Love" (made even richer by Bowie's backup vocals). Overall it's an enthralling album that crosses boundaries and sounds amazingly modern for an album that's has been our for nearly half a centry.

I think the cover of this album is just about the most perfect depiction of what I felt listening to this album. The vibe of the album is intentional, pure, sparsely adorned, and holds your attention. The beats and arrangements are generally mellow and ride somewhere between jazz, hip-hop, funk and R+B. The instrumentals themselves are subtle and provide the solid foundation for the vocals, which always take center stage. Stand out tracks for me include \"Weary\", \"Mad\" (where Lil Wayne contributed some genuinely heartfelt lines) and \"F.U.B.U\". My sense of engagement with the album was disrupted by the occasional track where Solange's vocals sounded thin or strained. \"Where Do We Go\" is one such example, where I almost felt myself needing a warm cup of water and to take some extra breaths. Not sure what that was about, because it seemed really uncharacteristic when considered against the rest of the album. That aside, I found the whole album to be really engaging and a welcomed introduction to an artist I'd never heard of before.

Relentless soulful positivity. I'm shoked that so many songs that I've heard numerous times all come from one album, which I've never heard of. I mean seriously... "I Feel the Earth Move", "Its Too Late", "You've Got a Friend", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman)"! It took me a couple run throughs to get a clear sense of what made the album great, but chalk that up to my crappy headphones. If you only have the energy for one track, I found "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman)" to be the most emotionally dynamic track.

Huh. I didn't really connect with the album. It's just shy of 40 minutes and I still couldn't resist the urge to keep skipping ahead, looking for something that evoked a sense of how this is one of the 1001 greatest albums. By the time I got to "It You Think You're Lonely Now", I felt like I'd already heard what the album had to offer and my interest was entirely lost.

I think, I might actually get it... well a bit more than I used to anyhow. What I'm connecting with on this listening is that Cohen's work is great, for being a phenominal template. Interestingly enough, I was listening to some of the backup vocalists on tracks such as "Ain't No Cure for Love", "Everybody Knows" and "Take This Waltz" when it dawned on me. I still don't care much for Cohen's vocals or his drone delivery, but I can think of plenty of other artists that I would love to hear perform these songs. And that's ok, right? This is the 1001 best _albums_, not 1001 best performers. BTW - What is the world was going on with "Jazz Police"?!

I recorded this show on VHS and rewatched it so often, the magnetic media started to wear down. It is entirely impossible for me to disconnect this album from the experience of finally having access to my favorite band, for an entire show. The memory is made all the more poigniant by it's proximity to Kurt's suicide, where this entire show took on an entirely different palor and tone. Attempting to detach myself from my deep connection to the moment in time, the album itself is still legitimately great music. The pop relatability of the band's music, including their covers, is made plain in every track. Kurts vocals are remarkably stable and smooth, save for when he's growling out a chorus. Throughout it all, there is a tenderness and an intimacy that is common through the early days of the unplugged performances, and for which this album established the watermark. Really, the only reason I don't listen to this album much at this point, is because it hurts a little too much to listen to. Then again, it is better to have loved and lost, than it is to have never loved at all.

I love the sound of this album. It is ohrwurms from start to finish. There is a driving punk persistence to every song, thanks to the near metronomic accuracy of the rhythm section. Check out "When It Started" or "The Modern Age" to see what I mean. Riding on top, is the collection of guitars and vocals, all wrapped in a warm distortion that provides a cunning disguise for just how precise and polished the performances really are. Tying it all together are the production details that create a sense of depth as you listen to them. Put on some headphones and the track "Roma" and listen to the guitars play tug-of-war with your attention and dance around on the aural stage.

70's Black Sabbath is unbelieveably good. Sludge/stoner metal is a genre I can't get enough of, so this recommendation fell on happy ears! The album starts off with the +7m30s musical journey of "Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener", which shows those pretentious prog-rockers exactly how this sort of thing is supposed to work. Following that is the far more straight forward verse/chorus/verse growl of "Tomorrow's Dream". And then a ... piano and synthesized strings!? "Changes" is a beautiful departure from the general feel of the album, which is mirrored on the other end of the album by "Laguna Sunrise". Both offer a moment of calm, to catch your breath from all of the rock in between. And then the album ushers you out, the same way it welcomed you in, which the medley of subtracks brought together in "Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes" For those that have never looked into Sabbath, or that might've been turned off to the band by tracks like "Crazy Train", I think "Vol. 4" is a much better album to form your opinion on. Regardless, I appreciate the album both for what it is and for what it represents in the evolution of rock and metal. Super glad to see it on the list!

It's a lovely sort of ramble that sounds to me like a Sunday afternoon. I'm guessing it takes a certain frame of mind to fully appreciate.

A raging and raw album that floats between calm focus and chaos bursting at the seams (check out the tracks "Shoot", "Wish Fulfillment" and "JC" to see what I'm talking about). The parallel lyrical themes of mourning and female harassment/exploitation ground the album with a weight of meaning that either puts you off or pulls you in. For me, I appreciate their willingness to be honest and I think the album endures because of it.

I contiuously get Moby and the Chemical Brothers mixed up, even to this day, and that's not saying much in my book. The soundscapes are richer and not as entirely monotonous, but I still feel like I can see the repetitive layering and unlayering in every single track. The formula is laid out bare within a few songs, and then every track thereafter just feels like a reskin of the same thing. What ultimately kills it for me though, is Moby's voice. There was a time when the guy would get on any microphone within his greater radius and he would rant on and on about whatever political topic he felt compelled by at the moment. That's entirely within his right to do. Ultimately though his voice, in my head, became inseperable with the sense of impending agenda bombardment, and now I can't unhear it. I wonder what I would think of this album, if it was new to me again? As an aside, I swear the chorus and mid-song bridge on "South Side" is the musical and spiritual ancestor to "Friday" by Rebecca Black. That flasetto is horendous.

It's like the deliberate surrealism of Salvador Dali , with Van Gogh's fuzzed and enriched palette. The album is at once a hazy blur of sound and a precise vision of production. I think it's the sort of album that a student or a music industry professional could study endlessly, in search of just how they manged to so completely fill every possible inch of the soundscape. I'm not sure that I really connect with the album all that much. It feels like more of a work of Dali, and I'm more of a Van Gogh fan (to reuse my earlier anologies), but I can fully appreciate the artistry involved.

I expected disco, so I was glad when that assumption didn't hold up. What I didn't expect is just how all over the place this album would be. The album sounds like it was pulled together from many directions, including psychedelic folk, light rock, country and the symphony. Some songs sound like David Bowie tracks ("You'll Never See My Face Again"). Others sound almost like CCR ("Marley Purt Drive"). Others still have a Beatles vibe ("Melody Fair", "Never Say Never Again", and my favorite track "Whisper Whisper"). I don't really get what pulls it all together to make it work, but somehow, the album manages to work. I think the comparison mentioned in the Wikipedia article to Sgt. Pepper is apt.

An energetic and playful contrast to the prim and tidy arrangements of the 50s and before. Nearly 60 years on, this album is packed with back-to-back holiday standards.

This group is an enigmatic blend that defies explanation but somehow manages to find a endearing niche amongst the North American pop greats! The band is extremely tight and the production of the music is crystal clear. You can hear everyone doing their part and all parts and transitions are exactly in their places and precisely on their marks. Byrnes’ lyrics and vocals are both equally complex and precise, but not altogether too serious either. In all, the band was and remains quite unique. Their vision feels so precise that it’s easy to take for granted as just a given while it rolls by on the radio. But listening closer will reveal something really special that always has me scratching my head wondering, where in the world did they come up with this!

This break-neck sprint of an album is a striped down and pure cut rock gem! The sound of the group lives right at the intersection of punk and metal and there is absolutely no pretense about the fact that they came to party. Each track has an almost bootleg quality, which is a testament to the skill and sensibility of their producer. On the whole the album is fairly uniform and a bit of a one-trick pony, but I happen to really like that one-trick, so it suits me fine.

How does one approach an established genre,rip away all conventions, and interpret it entirely anew? This album is a veritable master class in doing just that. FKA twigs' vision of R&B is wholly her own and it creates an infinitely large space for creativity, where it seemed (to my uninitiated ear) there was wasn't much left to work with.

The lyrics may well be clever, but I can't get over the music and the vocals to appreciate them. Albums like this make me wonder what it is that I can't hear, because I really can't understand why this would be on the list.

The quality of this recording of a live performance puts a massive swath of studio albums to shame. Sure, we lose Mr. Brown a bit while he's working the crowd, but that's the price you pay to work the instrument that is the audience; and it's worth it in the long run, as the crowd swells and swoons along with the tracks. Literally every song is winner. I couldn't help but move my feet and wiggle in my seat as I listened along to tracks like "Think", "Night Train" and even the various instrumental brides. When things slowed down on "Try Me" and "I Don't Mind" I was still swaying along and hanging on every verse. This album provides a glimpse into the undeniable fact that James Brown (and his band) had mastered the art of the stage show, and that's even without being able to see his expressions and footwork. I wish I had had the chance to see them myself. That chance has passed. But I'm glad to have albums like this, so I can at least glimpse into the experience and carry the energy on in my heart.

Clearly talented musicians, but I've never really connected with their work. This album didn't change that for me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Contrary to what the WIKI article suggests, I wouldn't say Turbonegro shed their punk sensibilities, for an all-out glam rock style. The opening track "The Age of Pamparius" defintely gives you the impression you're in for a glam-rock adventure, flying on the back of a flaming guitar, but that gives way to well worn punk standards, just a song later. Moreover, track titles like "Don't Say Motherfucker, Motherfucker", "Redezvous With Anus" and "Good Head" make it pretty clean the group isn't taking themselves too seriously. In general, the album is fairly middle of the road punk, but with a longer format (more songs are longer than 3m, than aren't). I think they would've been better served by keeping each song tight and fast (giggity). I enjoyed the straight forward energy of the album, but the sophmoric lyrical subject matter was a detractor for me. I can get behind an appropriately depraved song (I'm thinking GWAR of Tenacious D), but this just felt pointless/aimless. I am still intrigued to hear more from the band. A quick glance at their top tracks on Spotify gives me the impression they've remained pretty superficial. We'll see if they grow on me over time.

I remeber being kid in the video store and seeing the wall sized poster for this album/movie. I had no real idea of who Prince was and my parents seemed pretty eager to keep it that way, but I remeber being frozen in awe of just how damned cool Prince must be. So, the elephant in the room - Darling Nikki. What a singularly fascinating song. I'm sure the sexual subject matter and the outro with lyric played in reverse is a big part of why this whole album was the focus of so much conservative and censorship ire. It's probably also part of the reason why my parents weren't stoked to see me gawking at the poster, all those years back. If you can look past that though, it is a relentlessly catchy track, merging funk, rock and healthy portion of musical theater. Outside of that one salacious track, the rest of the album is focused on common funk and R&B lyrical themes. The arrangements, the live band vibe, Prince's vocal diversity and improvisation all come together with fluid perfection. Nearly every track is a stand alone hit, and played back to back they sound cohesive and congruent. An all out great album!

This album has the feel of a high energy anti-establishment punk album of the 70's, heard through the haze of heavy sedatives. The tempo is slower, the gritty effects are traded for rich and mellow reverbs, but the bite is everywhere and just beneath the surface. Check out the track "All That Jazz" to hear what I mean. This is a great album and pair perfectly with works from groups like the Clash. I'm surprised that I never really listened to this group, but I know I will be now!

Fantastic from start to finish. I think SKA ran a bit off the rails in the 90's revival, resulting in the genre getting a bad wrap. Therefore, it's incredibly refreshing to go back to the roots with this album; to be reminded of just how fun the blend of influences are. The album starts out with the seminal \"A Message to You Rudy\", which introduces not only their fusion of reggae, punk, brass, funk and R&B, but also the bands socially minded lyrical leanings. And the whole album carries on as it starts, each track iterating on the same core spirit of house-party meets social commentary. And with that said, you'll need to excuse me. I'm going to immerse myself in The Specials' discography. Cheers!

Raising social consciousness and making tracks people can move to.

Can you imagine the discussions between the band members, when they were putting these songs together? "Oh yeah, that sounds great, but let's try it like 5 times faster." "Totally, and while you guys do that, I'm going to scream at the top of my lungs about BLUHHHHHHHHHHHHD!" Whatever state of mind they were in, the result is a blistering fever dream of thrash metal that set the bar for everything else to come. For my tastes, I'd love to hear the album sans vocals. At times Tom had a hard time keeping up with the track, which was distracting. More important to me though is that the lyrics feel cringy and pointlessly scandalous. I think they turn a lot of listeners off from appreciating the album on the whole.

A debut album with a force of clarity that doesn't need much wind in the lungs or adornment in the arrangements to be heard over the din of popular music and appreciated. Norah's vocals delicately blend aspects of Jazz and Country with the touch of a smoke ring and are irrefutably alluring and playful. Tracks like the cover of Hank Williams' "Cold Cold Heart" show the playfulness, while tracks like "Turn Me On" show the allure. Upon first listening, I'd say I'm most fond of the track 'Nightingale'. It layers and unfurls like silk sheets. What I enjoyed about it the most though is that the whole band had more of an opportunity to stretch their legs on this track, than on other tracks. Overall, the album is smooth and comforting like the hum of a loved one's voice while they hug you, and every distinct part is beautiful in its tone and simplicity.

Much like some people think cilantro (corriander) tastes like soap, and others don't have an internal voice, I think I was born with something that prevents me from enjoying bands like this, Tom Waits and most of Leonard Cohen's work. The tracks were sleepy and the lyrics felt so packed that their density shrouded their meaning. I'm sure there are millions of people, for whom this is exactly what they are looking for, but I just couldn't connect with it. I couldn't even power through the whole album. I don't know why, but I feel like I'm letting someone down.

Get this man a throat lozenge and a cup of lemon tea! Jokes aside, this is a beautifully intimate album. The backing band is a tight and dynamic collection of instruments, that is varied from track to track but cut down to just the essential pieces within any given track. Leonard's vocals whisper, growl, rumble and occasionally claw their way up into the lower musical register. The lyrics are quintessentially Cohen; poetic, built on a frame of relatable narrative and decorated to the hilt with evocative imagery and metaphors. I entered into the album thinking I wasn't in the mood for it. Turns out I was wrong.

The "O" in soul stands for Otis.

The sound of this album is like waking up in the middle of the night, in a sleepy haze, and hearing the echos of a jam session reverberating through the alley and up into your loft window. The album's entire vibe is fitting of the title emo. It is seemingly purpose built to evoke somber emotions wedged somewhere between tears, rage and resignation.

The tracks are fantastically soulful blues, played raw and straight. I think ‘Mr. Seigal’ and ‘In Shades’ show what I’m talking about perfectly. Of those two songs, I greatly prefer the latter and here’s why. The voice. I just couldn’t get over or get into was Tom’s vocalization on this album. If it’s his natural singing voice then I guess I just can’t relate to the appeal. To me though, it sounds like a chosen and overt stage persona. I honestly had to fight the impulse to rip my headphones off of my head to escape the gurgling wails of "Sha-lala-lala-lala" in 'Jersey Girl'.

The album listens end-to-end like a classic rock narrative about tough kids living rough lives. Almost like a coming-of-age rock opera following the lives of the youth of a town in the mid 20th century. For me, the absolute bright spot of this album is the explosive intensity of 'Massacre' segued into the lamentation of 'Still in Love With You'. Both songs and performances are phenomenal, but something about them being back-to-back heightens the poignance of both. Overall, the quality of the album (overdubbed or not) did well to maintain the air of a live performance and showcased exactly why Thin Lizzy deserves their place on this list.

For what it is and what it aims to be, it is good. The band's sound and overall production quality is clearly a template for countless bands to follow and songs like 'Its the End Of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)' and 'The One I Love' are anthems for that time period. I just don't care for it all that much. I don't connect with the lyrics, everything sounds uniform, and I find it all a bit bland.

Mellow rock with elements of jazz, latin, and psychedelic mixed in. Despite the light-hearted sound of the tracks, the lyrics all tell fairly sad stories. You can check out 'Dirty Work', 'Midnite Cruiser' and even 'Reelin' In The Years' to hear what I'm talking about. In and amongst the well-known classic rock hits on this album, I think I enjoyed the track "Change of the Guard" the most.

If the Waterboys were playing a live show in a pub and I was walking by, I'd pay the cover, grab a pint and take in the ambience. A Celtic-rock jam band. Seems a bit obscure to me, but it's a fine thing to have on in the background.

We need more funk in the world!

The album has the feel of a lounge act playing the early-bird happy hour at the Holiday Inn. I have no idea why this album would be something that anyone would have to hear before they die.

I admire Pulp's ability to juxtapose the highly consumable fuzzed brit-pop sound with novelesque narratives of tortured characters in a broken world. You can hear this in the first 4 tracks, which are kind of like couplets of alternating themes. The title track 'Mis-Shapes' is a perfect summary of the struggle of a younger generation coming up against the adversely challenging realities that their elder generations set before them. The story carries on in 'Common People', where two people explore (and ultimately become disillusioned with) just what it would mean to be common. Both tracks have this bubbly pop beat, which make it easy to overlook just how downtrodden these stories really are. Sandwiched between those two tracks is 'Pencil Skirt', which tells the story of a depraved would-be suitor who is stalking someone, persisting past all objections, and content only in the acquisition or torment of the object of their obsession. If you don't like that, then you'll want to steer clear of this character's escalating fantasies in the track "I Spy". And it carries on from there. Each song, something you can easily bop along with as it plays along in the background. Then a lyric grabs your attention, and you find that the stories are increasingly demanding your attention. Somewhere along the way, the pop tunes fall away entirely and you're struggling with the dilemmas of these characters.

Root-rock jam band with a bit of a honky-tonk feel. It's easy listening with a good vibe and some rich storytelling.

98 albums into 1001 and this is only the 3rd non-english album, and that's being generous in considering Kraftwerk's Trans Europe Express as being non-english. Is this list really that myopically focused on english language albums? This album is a perfect example of why the voices of the whole world need to be included in this list. With just some congas (I'm not even sure it isn't just one) and vocals the track 'Billumba-Palo Congo' shows the purity of Sabu's energy. While other tracks bring in one or two more instruments, the album continues on in much the same way. Each track is bare bones in its arrangement, but in no way does that compromise or undermine their ability to get your feet tapping and your hips moving. The album is vivd and proof to me that I don't need to speak the same language to appreciate the impact of good music. Perhaps more "Top X" lists need to take that into consideration.

Chemical Brothers, take note! Finally, someone that can do house/trance/EDM without just looping the same refrain over and over and over and over. I really appreciate seeing an album on this list that isn't vocal-centric. There are vocal tracks that come and go, but beats, instruments, sounds and samples are what takes center stage. Each track has a solid foundation that carries throughout, but there is a diverse cast of musical characters that roams into, out of and through each. Likewise there is a flow and continuity to the entire album that makes the whole thing feel like a complete work of art. On the whole the album is equally enjoyable playing in the background or occupying your entire attention span. I'm really glad to have been introduced!

This is a hidden gem of an album. Sure, there are some corny parts, but I just kept getting caught in the hooks. This whole album just sounds like someone who is genuinely having a great time making music, and that makes me happy.

If you're looking for 11 back-to-back tracks of good old-fashioned metal, you've come to the right place. Feathered hair tossing windmill power chords, finger-tip shredding solos, a chest pounding rhythm section, and Rob Halford's expansive vocal range growling and wailing. What's not to love? Side note, I was really intrigued by how 'The Rage' started. It had a Clash feel to it and I was hoping they'd continue on in that direction.

1001 songs you have to hear before you die, sure, I'll give you that for "Son Of A Preacher Man". If the albums was "Dusty Springfield and a ton of songwriters and a bunch of studio musicians In Memphis", then I might be more inclined to appreciate the album on the whole. But the album is "Dusty In Memphis", and if all we're talking about is what Dusty brings to these tracks, I don't see it as something that merits being in this top 1001.

This album coined the term Rock Opera. Regardless of what I think about the music, I have to at least appreciate it for the courageous step out of the norm that it is.

It's a good album, by a great band, but I don't see how this is above or beyond their first album, which is already on the list. While I won't complain about listening to The Specials, I think this spot on the list would be better filled by something new. PS: Anyone else mistake 'International Jet Set' for a Gorillaz track?

Imagine the pitch here. "Yeah, it's two dudes with a couple synthesizers, a drum machine, and expansive amorous interests. I think they'll fit in great here at 'Some Bizarre Records'!" The synth-pop sound that these guys brought into being with this album, is surprisingly rich and diverse. While I do think the album could stand to be a handful of tracks lighter, there are quite a few highlights. Obviously, 'Tainted Love'. Secondly, lyrical subject matter aside, 'Sex Dwarf' is a far better track than the name suggest. And lastly, I really enjoyed 'Memorabilia', which I swear LCD Soundsystem's sound is directly descended from.

It's a tough thing to have a world view and to weave that into music in a way that doesn't feel heavy handed or is off putting. I think Neil Young does that well. I can't say I'm a big fan of his music, or this album, but I appreciate his willingness to take a stand, given it can easily up-end his career. Even to this day, with his most recent stance to pull his music from Spotify in response to their support of podcasts that give a platform to disseminating misinformation, Neil is demonstrating that there is value in, and values around, his artform that he is willing to defend. That principle of integrity and willingness to take a stand, is something we all need to hear. For that, I think this album is worthy of being on the list, if for nothing else than the reminder it provides. Music is far more than just audio decoration, filling in the background of our lives.

A great album tied to a horrible time in my life. The scenes, personalities, and dilemmas described in each song are the stuff of younger year legend and the backing tracks are pumped full with the same vim and ornery playfulness. Each song is impossibly better than the one before. I miss the memories, but I’m glad I’m past them!

I forgot how raw this album sounds. Hindsight being what it is, the album's eclectic feel (especially beyond 'Alone + Easy Target'), is foreshadowing of Dave Grohl's nascent potential at this point in his career. The album's sound is one of overtly forward and fuzzed up electric guitars, although tracks like 'Big Me' and 'For All the Cows' offer moments that stand-out from that crowd. I tend to think that contrast and variation from the well-worn grunge/rock formulas is directly correlated to why those two tracks have higher play counts on Spotify for the front and back end of the album, respectively. Along similar lines, Dave's vocals are varied across this debut album, sometimes almost hidden behind the blaring leads and other times right out in front. In all though, I remember being amazed at how well he held the front-man role, and that perception holds up over time. As you would expect from any project that Dave is involved in, the drum tracks are steady solid throughout. They are the heart that sends the blood coursing through the veins of the album, delivering beats of energy and life to every track. With all of that said, I don't feel like this is the right Foo Fighter's album to be on the list. I view 'The Colour And The Shape' as being their real debut. This album did much to put distance between Dave and his past rolls in other bands; taking the step stone his past fame provided and vaulting from it. Where it's really at though, is where the band's feet fell next and where they journeyed from there!

My opinion about the music is irrelevant. From the wikipedia page - 'In 2019, He was found guilty by a French court of statutory rape of one of his former dancers when she was 15 years old.[8] He was handed a two-year suspended jail sentence in absentia, as he did not attend court in France.'

A bit of bop music, a bit of blues, and enough energy to bring even the most introverted wall flower onto the dance floor. The already infectious tunes are brought to life by raucous wails, punched up fills, and smooth rasp of Little Richard's vocals. In fact, you can hear in tracks like 'Jenny Jenny' that Little Richard is nearly overcome himself by the music trying to explode out of him. This man's performances transferred the rock-n-roll energy into legions of artists to come. They heard something special in the full-throated expressiveness and they couldn't resist taking that idea and running with it.

This is a powerful album, crammed to the brim with classic originals and covers. Each track shows Aretha's ability to connect the listener to the emotion and the meaning buried deep down in the soul of every song. The tracks 'Good to Me as I Am to You' and 'Ain't No Way' are so incredibly good.

Wild! The opening track (21st Centrury Schizoid Man) is like a prog-rock riff on themes from Black Sabbath's album Paranoid, nihilistic lyrics, echoed drum rolls down the set, and screeching horns and guitars. What's interesting through is this album came about a year before Paranoid did. Then, next up is 'I Talk To The Wind'; (my fav) a somber duet backed with clarinets, flutes, harmonics and a playful drum trilling and filling along in the background. Following that is 'Epitaph', which is an expansive and spatial lament reminiscent of tracks from Radiohead's 'OK Computer'. The next song 'Moonchild', just kind of slowly disintegrates into an ambient jam session, that almost sounds like they just forgot to stop recording and figured, "Eh, why not," when it came time to put it on the album. Then 'The Court of The Crimson King' ties all the themes together in an on-again-off-again crescendo. This is such a singularly unique album, and I love it!

Lately I've been hung up on stoner/sludge rock and bands like Elder, If These Trees Could Talk, and Russian Circles. I really enjoy how their albums fuse together the movements and diversity of sound that you would find in classical music, with the instrumentation and overall sensibility of prog-rock/metal. This album scratches similar itch for me. Between that and tracks like 'Isi', 'Hero' and 'After Eight' sounding like direct influences for LCD Soundsystem, this is definitely an album I can enjoy.

I have to give it to Tim; He's really into what he's doing. Unfortunately, that energy doesn't translate into a connection for me. The band is tight, and they do well with the music they've been given. They even get to stretch their legs a few times, in tracks like 'Devil Eyes'. But that isn't enough to offset the fact that Tim's vocals and lyrical delivery are just too awkward for me to hear past. Moreover, the characters he trying to convey and/or the stories he's trying to tell in each song, just don't seem believable as he depicts them. Nowhere is this more apparent than 'Get on Top' and 'Sweet Surrender'. I was literally cringing and tensed listening to 'Sweet Surrender', which was basically a 2-minute song followed by 4m44s of Tim's warbling and nasally improvisations. You figure that they would've learned from the previous track 'Get on Top', where there is a very apparent and abrupt cut around the 5m50s mark in and amongst a similar 4+ minute long outro. I will say that I was almost into 'Nighthawkin''... almost. All told, it feels like an attempt was made to make a gritty album that told the stories of hard worn lives in a big city, but what came through was more like a kid telling tall tales.

The album starts out with a touch of country, rock and psychedelic. Then after the jam session double track 'On Sir Francis Drake' the band moves on to a considerably more mellow mix of songs and instrumental tracks. Stand out tracks for me are 'Smug', 'On Sir Francis Drake', 'Trillium', and 'Sham'.

If there is one thing this whole exercise has taught me, it's that I am a fool for having ignored punk music from the 70's for this long. Shame on me! This album, with its 21 songs in 37 minutes, is a whirlwind of musical thoughts. Don't conflate that for a lack of quality though. In contrast to my equal appreciation of prog-rock, I also appreciate that Wire didn't feel the need to draw anything out. If they could get the idea across with a single verse and 40 seconds, then sobeit. Each track, be it an entire song or a segment, is complete and stands on its own. If you're only glancing across the album, you would be forgiven for thinking much of it is all the same, but a closer listening reveals the contours of something unique in every song. Some of the brightest spots for me, which also show the diversity of sound across the album, are 'Three Girl Rhumba', 'Lowdown', 'Mr Suit' and 'Champs'.

Ah! Back when I was not embarrassed to admit I enjoyed RHCP. I could not get enough of this album when it first came out. The union of rock and funk was something my musical ear had apparently been craving. Flea, Frusciante and Smith (and arguably Rick Rubin) put together a masterpiece, that has easily endured the decades since. Smith's jazz drumming is relentlessly precise and uncharacteristically diverse for that era of popular music. Flea elevated the bass guitar to a main instrument and also brought explosive personality to the stage and to recordings. And yet, they together never compromised on remaining the tight-knit rhythm section. In and amongst all of that, Frusciante steers clear of the need for a rhythm guitar part at all by magically weaving a sonic fabric of riffs, solos and powerful chord explosions. What is on a bit shakier ground are Kiedis' contributions. While some of the sincere songs like 'I Could Have Lied' and 'Under the Bridge' are quite powerful, much of the lyrical content across the rest of the songs range from fractional thoughts, to gibberish, to outright celebrations of misogyny. I remember gleefully singing along to all of these songs, so this is definitely also a lot about my sensibilities changing over time, but it's sad how much it takes away from my fond memories of the album.

Lower key dance beats, loops upon loops and rap/sing/rap stanzas. A simple formula for a decent album.

Delving even deeper into the vein that 'M.A.A.D City' opened, this album is a genuine and vulnerable telling of one man's struggle in a violent and oppressive world. What stands out on the surface may sound like bravado and avarice, but lying just underneath that facade is fear, self-doubt, and despair. In sharing that story, Kendrick has lent his voice to the telling of many people's stories. The list of examples is nearly as long as the entire album, but I'd point to 'Institutionalized', 'These Walls', 'Alright', and 'How Much A Dollar Cost' as prime examples of what I'm talking about. The tracks themselves are filled with the life and a diversity of numerous artists and musical elements from a wide array of genres. Check out 'For Free?' (spoken word), 'These Walls (R&B), 'u' (jazz), and 'Alright' (hip-hop) to get a sense of just how dynamic this album is. I think the statement from the Wikipedia article which says the album is, 'supremely "cinematic" production qualities but [with] "the freedom of a mixtape",' summarizes it perfectly. The rhymes and rap techniques are simply on another level. The internet has covered this thoroughly, so check that out if you don't hear it for yourself. My absolute favorite flow is on the tail end of the track 'i' and I only wish that it could carry on, instead of being broken up by the fight in the crowd. Please. Take the time to listen past the language and the talk about pussy and bitches! This album has so much to offer on every level, and it would be a shame to misjudge this book by it's cover.

Try as I might, I struggle to wrap my head around the appeal of this album. There are moments and fragments, but it seems like the band didn't really know what to do with what they had. I give the album 3 stars overall for being fine enough to listen to, and clearly the album has influenced many other artists, but it falls well short of greatness or being something, I absolutely have to hear.

It's like prog-rock, but instead of the musical parts being complicated, you just strum three chords and say every single word that comes to your mind. Bleh.

A handful of classics and the clear show of the promise yet to come from this band.

I'll give'm this. They knew the sound they were aiming for and they nailed it. Not sure I'm very into it though.

A fine enough blend of county and rock with a touch of folks, played in a way that kind of sounds like a bunch of songs that you've heard a million times on the radio. It's ok, but I wouldn't call it gold.

Janelle shows boundless creativity and talent across these 18 tracks and takes ample time to tip her hat to numerous inspirations. The album is a variable periodic table of musical elements; Funk, Rab, R&B, Classical, Latin, Swing, Pop, Samba, Jazz, Psychedelic, Rock, Folk, Ballads and maybe even some Broadway. Stand out tracks for me are 'Neon Valley Street', 'Dance or Die', 'Come Alive', '57821' and 'Tightrope'.

There are moments in and amongst the eclectic variety of jams, but it's a bit too scatter shot for me to really get into. It's too bad because the first track ('Krautrock') really worked for me, so I was stoked to see where it was heading. By the time I got to 'Lauft', I was lost.

Not my speed at all.

I know I'm supposed to view this group through a funk lens, but there is so much rock and jam in this album, I don't think it's right to limit my view. That idea is perfect captured both lyrically and musically in the track 'Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?!" Building from that idea, I think that spirit is a major part of why this album leaves such an indelible impression. Each track forces you to open your mind further and further, both on what you think the band is, and on various serious and nonsensical topics. But none of it comes across as heavy handed. They just want to help bring one nation together under a groove! Highlight tracks for me would be 'One Nation Under a Groove', 'Cholly', and especially 'Maggot Brain / Chant'.

Songs that speak fondly of loves past and yet to come, played out over a mostly American roots rock stage, with occasional forays into bluegrass, gospel, country, and rock. Its sweet, refreshing, and well-rounded.

A tight rock and roll set played in front of a jubilant Japanese audience. The break between each track reveals an almost beatlemania-esqe fervor amongst the crowd, which had to have been a thrill for the band as well! I feel like the energy just exploded on 'Come On, Come On', relented a bit during 'Need Your Love', and then just hard charged all the way through to the 'Clock Strikes Ten' encore. Also, the 'Hello There' and 'Goodnight' bookend tracks on the performance were a nice touch of showmanship. All told, this had to have been an epic show and is translated fantastically to recording, which is saying a lot for a live performance. Bonus points for 'Surrender' starting off with a sound bite that was sampled by the Beastie Boys.

The album is straight forward, raw in parts and laser focused on telling the story of a woman afloat in a setting that is as ill-fitting as hand-me-down clothes. The emotional baseline of the album isn't explosive or outraged like some of Liz's female-lead contemporaries (i.e. Alanis), but much more dry-witted and ambivalent akin to Courtney Barnett (who I really hope is on this list!) For exemplary paired down tracks, I'd point to 'Girls! Girls! Girls!' and 'Shatter'. For songs that include the band, I enjoyed 'Never Said' and 'Divorce Song'. Floating somewhere in between the two vibes are great tracks like 'Soap Star Joe'.

Normally, I'm in for this sort of album; Especially with one of the greats, such as Billie Holiday! But this album just felt like a complete production miss. The orchestral arrangements strike me as overly glossy and schmaltzy. On the other hand, Billie's vocals sound strained, especially during the line punctuating vibratos (of which there is one on nearly every single line). Honestly, I expected something great, but after 3 attempts, I just couldn't sit through the full length album.

Still walking the fine line between calm and chaotic, although maybe a bit more refined in places than prior PJ Harvey albums. As I've said with other artists that have multiple albums on this list, I don't understand what makes this one substantially different from PJ Harvey's debut album, such that she merits double billing. It would make more sense to me to just have a shorter list, then continuing to fill it with multiple albums from the same artist that basically represent the same thing.

Bad boy glam rock packed full of bluesy riffs, furious drumming, and synth fills. I can practically hear the sweat rolling off their chest hair and onto their skin tight vinyl pants! I honestly never fully appreciated just how great a track 'Hot For Teacher' is. Each part played and sung is remarkable on it's own, and they fold and flow together so perfectly. 'Girl Gone Bad' is another impressive showing by the band, showing just how tight the band is with or without David Lee Roth.

The tracks are spatial and moody and strike me as a group doing their level best to take the harsh edges off of their nascent electronic instruments. The vocals mostly blend into the crowded early 80's emo/electro scene, but there are moments where the singer's snaps out of the act, which I found far more sincere and engaging. Honestly, my impressions on the album are all over the place. Tracks like 'Motion And Heart' show how bad things can get, whereas 'Extended Souvenir' and 'Of All The Things We've Made' work way better. Then there are tracks somewhere in the middle, like 'Sacred Heart', where I think the synthwave backtrack is great, but the vocal track just kills it for me. I am curious to see where the group went from here, but I probably won't end up coming back to this album in particular.

"I've lost my harmonica Albert" - haha, ded!

Psychedelic blues rock. Yum! The band sounds effortlessly clean and tight-knit across the entire album. They show they can still deliver some crazed energy on tracks like 'Been down so Long' and 'L'America', but where they really shine are on the cool and casual tracks like 'Cars Hiss by My Window', 'Crawling King Snake', and 'Riders on the Storm'.

So, this is the first time I have ever listened to a Rolling Stones album. I know this band is legendary but due to some indelible marks made during my formative years from being bombarded with the song 'Start Me Up', I had put a mental block on them. Now that my time had come, I was glad to find out that I had the wrong impression. What struck me the most throughout the album, is how varied and diverse the song arrangements were. This is made loud and clear with the opening track. 'Sympathy For The Devil' is slow-to-boil perception bending tale, with a catchy piano progression, a bass guitar, a collection of utility percussionists, some people saying "woo-woo" over and over again, a couple of guitar cameos, and Mic giving it his all on top. Just brilliant. Songs like 'No Expectations' layer and build and are constructed as they play out. Others tracks, while straight forward in their structure, flourish in that they are built on non-pop roots like delta-blues ('Dear Doctor', 'Prodigal Son') and bluegrass ('Factory Girl'). This is definitely much more than just another classic rock album, and with the one exception of 'Stray Cat Blues', doesn't align (in a great way) with what I was expecting.

Four profoundly talented, creative, and meticulous musicians, each making it sound effortless. I appreciate that this album is extremely accessible, but that it's does that without compromising richness and complexity. You could listen to each track 10 times in a row and still discover new fills and trills with every playthrough.

Smoldering, sultry, raucous, and swaying back and forth between soulful and playful. The album covers a ton of ground (Rock - 'Dirty, Dirty Feeling', Do-Wop - 'Solider Boy', Soul - 'It Feels So Right', and even Blues - 'Reconsider Baby') and every single track is firmly footed in a pop sensibility. The one track I just can't shake though is 'Fever'. Elvis' performance is breathless and breathtaking. The solitary upright bass, surrounded by the ghosts of reverbed vocals and snaps, keep this barely tethered song from flying off. Bursts of bongo fills accentuate the creeping ambiance. It's haunting and seductive. All-up the album was considerably more enjoyable than I was expecting, made great by exemplary performances by Elvis, the Blue Moon Boys, and all of the supporting vocalists and artists. Shout out to the bass vocalist especially.

Oh, the days when every single hip-hop album had skits. What was that about? I kind of struggled with this album, since it feels to me more like two albums blended together. One is socially minded, has a purpose, and is focused. This album includes tracks like 'B.O.B. - Bombs Over Baghdad', 'Humble Mumble', 'Spaghetti Junction', 'Xplosion', and '?'. The tracks are musically and lyrically dense and each is full of enough dimension and depth to keep them fresh for years. The other album is sophomoric, goofy, and full of "get my stank on" innuendo (or worse). I'm thinking of tracks like 'Snappin' & Trappin'', 'We Luv Deez Hoez', and all the skits. On the whole, it is a great hip-hop/rap album that pushes the boundaries and challenges pre-conceived notions. I do think it would've benefitted from being 8-10 tracks lighter, but I can also appreciate that the group was probably having a great time being in full control of their recording process.

It must've been the historical context that made this album important, because I'm just not getting it out of context. British art-house post punk with an overtop smack of zeal that borders on being campy and self-satirizing but could also just be a leadman who can't help from being over the top.

It's remarkable how deftly the band flirts with and yet ultimately rejects a purely pop quality. Each song teeters on the edge of falling into the catchy pop tune chasm, threatening to fall in, if it weren't for the chaotic and dissonant anchors, holding it back. While not a terrible song, 'Look Inside America' shows what I'm talking about. Compared to every other song on this album, it's quite straight forward. It's nice, but it feels a little flat amongst the crowd. All told though, the album is a better listen than I recall, and with the benefit of hindsight, a noteworthy standout from the "alternative" crowd of the time.

I dig the vibe, but the energy is pretty flat. It's kind of like psychedelic punk, which I don't feel meshes all that well.

A dense and energetic album, that has added to my snowballing desire to delve more deeply into the world of Jazz. Two things stand out to my extremely untrained jazz-listening ears. The musical agility of each performer is incredible. My hands and lungs ache just thinking about the endurance and precision of movement and breath involved to play these parts. This stands out clearly in the tracks 'Move', 'Budo' and more subtly in 'Israel'. The band is cohesive and perfectly aligned with one another. Their level of collective coordination, even amongst the most frenetic parts of the songs, reveals their dedication to the craft. I can't really point to anyone track as showcasing this more than any other, as I feel like it's evident at all points, in all tracks.

The reason I love Dylan is the same reason I love Willie Nelson. Enchantingly simple arrangements and enthrallingly detailed narratives.

I get why people would enjoy this. I do not.

Just how exactly a rock band that got their start in the 70s, manages to come back decade over decade and be relevant and fresh, is beyond me! Pump, is packed with hits which have remained in constant rotation on both Pop and Rock radio stations ever since. It's a testament to how when a group finds just the right blended musical sensibility, they can transcend audiences and cultural phases, and tap into a vein with music that people can't kick, like a bad habit. The riffs and melodies are undeniably catchy, even if you're like me and you're not into the band all that much. With that in mind, I've got to give credit where credit is due. For my tastes, I'd say 'The Other Side' is the real gem on this album. The layered vocal tracks on the hook are unshakable, the brass/wind section is jubilant, and the core of the band is just pounding along with a blues-rock vibe that even the staunchest prude can't help but tap their foot to.

This album lines up with the stereotypes of country music that I was indoctrinated to dislike as a youth. The album has the feel of a honky-tonk meets crooner longue act, which could potentially be enjoyable, if wasn't for the fact that the whole thing is so monotonous and monotoned. For kicks, listen to the first 10 seconds of the tracks 'A Girl in the Night', 'Pride' and 'If She Could See Me Now' respectively, and see if you can figure out which is which. And that's kind of my problem with the whole thing. It's basically the same song, over and over and over again. Heck, the first distinguishing moment I heard in any of these songs didn't come until 1m15s into the 11th track (out of 13). It's like the whole album is just one big song, or that each song is just a shortened version of the whole album. In effect I listened to the whole album 13 times, and that's about 12.5 times more than I ever wish I had.

On the whole, In Rainbows is a spatial and casually meandering album that feels at once both intricately detailed and yet effortlessly crafted. From reading the related Wikipedia article, it sounds like creative process that brought the band to this end was chaotic, but I would never have guessed from listening. Overall, the mood of the album is very cohesive and gives off an air of genre-bending high-art rock. While the majority of the album flirts back and forth between the upper boundaries of melancholy and the lower boundaries of explosion, the one track that bursts through with non-stop energy is 'Bodysnatchers'. I love this track and would be interested to hear a mix of the album that builds up to this as the conclusion, since it feels like such a perfect culminating track.

In high school, I had a crush on a girl. She had long since decided we should only be friends. I had my head buried deep in the self-absorbed teenage sands and I was unfoundedly convinced that the time for our true relationship was imminent. You would've thought I'd have known better, given she already had a boyfriend. One day, she asked me to drive her to boyfriend's house, to which I agreed because ... of course I wanted to hang out with her! We got there and the plan somehow turned into the three of us hanging out in my car, in the dude's driveway. They chatted and cuddled while I strummed my guitar. In hindsight, I'm sure there were numerous clear signals that I should have gone for a walk or something, but as I said I was oblivious. In fact, as the plan went on, I became progressively convinced that I had been invited along because somewhere deep down inside she wanted to leave this guy and be with me. The masterstroke of my subterfuge, most certainly, would be my musical prowess. In reality, I was shit at playing the guitar and the main reason I was there is primarily because I had a car. I feel like Tim Buckley and young me, were on a similar wavelength.

This is an unapologetically straightforward album with a name that lays plain, what you're getting into. I remember hearing this album for the first time. It compelled me! I couldn't resist the urge to bang my head, clench my fists, furrow my brow, twist my face and gnash my teeth as each track pounded and growled along. I wasn't generally a rage filled person, but the visceral force of this album was infectious. It gave me a means for realizing emotions I had packed away and provided me with some harmless catharsis. This album isn't really in my rotation list anymore, but it was great to hear it again. I can only point to a few albums that have taken me out of the blue like that, and I appreciate them each for what they helped me to learn about myself. As far as the music itself goes, its quintessential hardcore metal. There is no glam. The big hair is traded for shaved heads and sweaty mops. The skin tight pants are traded for ripped denim. These bands look more like the roadies, than the main attraction. That plainspoken affect of the artists carries through to the sound. The guitars grunts, growl, screech and wail, trading blues rock riffs for prog-esque atypical time signatures. The drums, instead of rolling along in the background with the occasional flourish or solo, are right at the forefront, pounding out the path and playing equal parts with all other instruments. The vocals are a gravel throated fist to the face, evoking all of the emotions folded up into each track. All of this is prepared with a simple production quality, much like how the perfect Texas Brisket only needs salt, pepper, and time (prove me wrong).

I can't figure out what, but something prevents me from connecting with this album. To be fair, it is full of good music, energetic performances, and emotional storytelling. Normally that would be the perfect mixture for me. For some reason though, it just feels a bit too "put on" or stuck somewhere in the uncanny valley, just shy of the qualities that would resonate with my senses. I guess I would point to 'Indian Sunset' as an example of what I'm talking about. I should be into it, but it just feels a bit awkward. Looking beyond the well-known tracks like 'Tiny Dancer', I personally think 'Holiday Inn' is the stand-out here, but even that could do without the sitars and swelling strings. A good album, but something's just off for my taste.

As much as I want to complain about these songs being "played out" on the radio or complain about my perceptions of Billy Corgan steadily degrading over time ... I just don't care, because this album is way too good. I also openly acknowledge my fondness for this album is likely unduly swayed by nostalgia. What really drew me into this album, and still endears me to it today, is that it is founded in the grunge/alt musical sensibility, but it goes way beyond the simplistic structures of that genre. The songs are full of contours. They have intros, transitions, swings in guitar effects, phrases that build and climb, pauses of calm punctuated with eruptions of fuzz blaring guitars. I think the tracks 'Soma', 'Mayonaise', and 'Silverfuck' demonstrates what I'm talking about perfectly. Some of the greatest tracks/moments on this album, that come to my mind are, the first 57 seconds of 'Cherub Rock', 'Hummer', 'Rocket', 'Soma', 'Silverf*ck', and 'Rhinoceros' - oops, wrong album.

I didn't realize that DJ Shadow sampled from this album. Now I gotta go back and listen to some of his earlier stuff! I digress. These guys had an uncanny creative sensibility because this album is back-to-back earworms. The album doesn't seem to follow any particular theme as it bounces between subdue (i.e. 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', 'So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright', and 'The Boxer') or bubbly and bright (i.e. 'Cecilia', 'Keep the Customer Satisfied', and 'Baby Driver') tracks, but they ultimately blend together nicely into a well rounded collection. It's a solid album from start to finish that has endured for 50 years, and I'm sure it will hold it's beloved status for another 50, and then some.

A British prog-rock super group's adaptation of a late 19th century classical suite... this could really only go one of two ways. I enjoyed this album more than I anticipated I would. The calm chill of 'The Sage' and the raging ramble of the BabaYaga series of tracks culminating into 'The Great Gates of Kiev' were the real standouts for me.

A bit of blues, a bit of roots rock, a bit of soul, and maybe even a bit of country. All of it is touched with the dust of a road worn band, and the fuzz of distortion and reverb. I really enjoy the overall sound of the album. It's a mostly subdue and introspective album that maintains the lyrical poignance that you would expect from Dylan. Standing way out from the crowd on this album is the track 'Make you Feel My Love'. It's a gem of a love song that I'm surprised I've never heard come across before (either original or covered). Whoa is me, and my musically sheltered life.

I don't know what the thing is called when singers kinda twist, roll and truncate the words at the end of their lyrical phrases - but I can't stand it! "I do my makeup in, somebody else's cahw We order different drinks at the same bahws etc..." It's this sort of exaggerated baby talk that you see all over tik tok videos. It took me a while to get past that "technique" enough to consider what I really thought about the album. Contrary to what the pop-forward veneer might suggest, the lyrical content tackles some pretty series subject matter. The songs look past the buzz to the hangover, and past the honeymoon to when the infatuation has worn off. I appreciate that a musician that is getting hundreds of millions of plays on Spotify is willing to go there. Hopefully people who hear these lyrics and they create some awareness and emotional space for those whom their own introspections are missing or repressed. As for the music, it's alright, but not really great (for my tastes anyhow). Nothing about it really gives me goose bumps or intrigues me all that much. It a generally subdue backtrack that stays mostly hidden below and beneath Lorde's performance.

This is a great album that brings together numerous elements of popular genres and makes something entirely unique and special, from parts and pieces of things we've all heard before. Topping it all off is Debby Harry, a powerful and charismatic front woman, which even 40+ years later are still far too few and far between due primarily to the endemically flawed nature of both the music industry and how popularity works in our society. And yet, fortunately for all of us, all of these unlikely pieces fell into place. This album has a couple of new wave classics in "One Way Or Another" and "Heart Of Glass". I also enjoyed the tracks that veered from the formula of those hit tracks, specifically the darker vibe on the track "Fade Away And Radiate" and the ensemble rock sound of "I Know But I Don't Know".

If this guy hadn't previously been a part of Pink Floyd, there is no way this album would have been made. I can appreciate a touched mind's deranged performances (RIP Wesley Willis), but this is just nonsense.

Let me start this off by saying that the 'Blame Game' backing track is a straight ripoff from Aphex Twin's 'Avril 14th'. Aphex deserves all of the recognition he can get, so shame on Kanye for not doing right by him. There is a lot to enjoy about this album, and I agree that it is the pinnacle of Kanye's career. There are some great rhymes and techniques at play, Kayne's production skills are on full display, and the collaborations are fantastic (especially Nicki Minaj and JAY-Z on 'Monster'). There are also stark contrasts between and even within tracks that seem to mirror Kanye's continuously tortured state. You've got a track like 'POWER' throwing bravado every direction it can but then culminating in contemplations of suicide. You've also got loads of lines about how they're "f'in B's" and then a seemingly apologetic track like 'Runaway'. It's been sad to see the steady decline of Kayne (at least in the public eye) and this album seems to do a decent job of encapsulating the conflicts that were at play within the man at the time. It is simultaneously resplendent, self-congratulating, chaotic and introspective. I still struggle to separate the artist from the art, so I'm sure that is pulling my rating down here, but the album was much better that I figured it would be, and certainly far superior to anything that Kayne has made since.

Such a tragic loss of a profoundly talented musician.

It took me a while to place it, but the things I like about this album are very similar to what I liked about 'A Nod Is as Good as a Wink... to a Blind Horse' by Faces, which is also on this list. Every track is exuberant, and each part is played to perfection with a casual blue-rock affect. Chris Robinson in particular sounds like he's put everything he has into every single track, and that energy is infectious.

As far as Cash's albums go, it's not nearly as great for the music, as it is for chaotic fun of the performance itself. The whole show is resplendently defiant and yet Johnny remains endearingly charismatic to everyone involved. What I appreciate very specifically is how Johnny shows deference for the humanity of the inmates, especially in the stage banter between the songs.

I appreciate the lyricism and storytelling and there isn't anything particularly off putting about the songs. Don's voice is crystal clear, and the tunes are catchy. But it's all sort of eye-glossingly boring to me. I say that, then I feel like I'm an ingrate who is overlooking gorgeous nuance of the music, and I'm haunted by visions of my furrowed browed Dad shaking his head as he says, "Pearls before swine."

Tear the roof off this motherfunker!

It is quite an intriguing union of styles and sounds. The album has the heart of a rock album, which stands out on tracks like 'Listen', 'South California Purples' and 'Liberation', but there is a depth and a soulfulness there (i.e. 'Poem 58'), as well as an occasional pop-anthem vibe to some of the songs (i.e. 'Beginnings'), that make it feel a bit like a musical square peg. All told, the album is an enjoyable debut from a group of people that seem like they are really enjoying making music together, regardless of what genre people want to try and pack them into. Who would have thought at the time that these dudes would still be rocking and touring together half a century later!

The albums plays like an out of focus image rough cut into a puzzle of poorly fitting pieces. There is something there, you're sure of it, but it's hard to make out and you can't tell whether the focus required to put it together is worth it or not. Generally speaking, this sort of low-fi rock/punk/psychedelic thing would be right up my alley, so I'm a bit surprised to find that I can't quite settle into enjoying the album too much. I will probably come to appreciate what this album is, or the place it had in the context of musical history, but for the time being, it's just a bit too scattershot for me.

They had a vision for what they wanted, and they went for it; I'll give them that. When I think synth-pop, I definitely don't think about socially conscious bands that are looking to make commentaries with their music. The lyrical content makes the focus of this album plain, but the conspicuously artificial sound of the synthesized drum tracks and keyboards add an additional dystopian and ominous air to most of the tracks. The result is an album that isn't necessarily entertaining, or rather that feels less casual and more forceful with it's desire to be heard. I appreciate a group that is willing to do that, but I also have to admit that in this case, it kind of undermines my ability to enjoy it too much.

The album makes me think of laidback summer weekend afternoons. I appreciate the craftsmanship that they put into the harmonies and it's remarkable how they come across as one voice. All that said though, it's not really my cup of tea and I doubt I'll be revisiting the album for my personal enjoyment.

I get the impression that this album was an important milestone in the glacial evolution of the culture of the music industry. Regardless of how accurate that assumption is, I am sure that this had a positive effect on the "If you can see it, you can be it" scales over the years since this album's release.

To me, the Pixies fall into a similar category of esoteric or contentious brilliance and I think 'Bossanova' is perfectly curated collection of songs that illustrate what I mean. Each track is captivating in its own way, but it's hard to tell whether you're still listening because of the harmony or the dissonance. The band manages to flirt right at the boundaries of both ends of that spectrum simultaneously, turning it into more of a closed loop than a continuum. Overall, the album is built on the foundation of an electrified and blurred out beach-rock sound. The moods of the album are varied, ranging from mellow (i.e. 'Havalina') to manic (i.e. 'Rock Music') and many unsettled points in between (i.e. 'Is She Weird'), 'Hang Wire'). The vocals are all over the place and seem to be deliberately imperfect, and there is a quirk there that makes it all work. And I think that's the thing about the Pixies. They are easy to dismiss or dislike on the surface. I've personally resisted getting into their music and really understanding its appeal. You have to spend time with it and grow a personal connection. That's not what everyone is looking for when it comes to music, certainly not of this genre, but it's there if you've got time to give.