185
Albums Rated
3.5
Average Rating
17%
Complete
904 albums remaining
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Taste Profile
1960s
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
30
5-Star Albums
5
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Eli And The Thirteenth Confession
Laura Nyro
|
5 | 2.94 | +2.06 |
|
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
Your New Favourite Band
The Hives
|
5 | 3.13 | +1.87 |
|
Shaft
Isaac Hayes
|
5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
|
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
|
5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
|
Live Through This
Hole
|
5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
|
American Pie
Don McLean
|
5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
|
Melodrama
Lorde
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
|
Garbage
Garbage
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
|
1 | 3.41 | -2.41 |
|
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
|
1 | 3.33 | -2.33 |
|
Microshift
Hookworms
|
1 | 3.03 | -2.03 |
|
Ten
Pearl Jam
|
2 | 3.92 | -1.92 |
|
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
|
2 | 3.5 | -1.5 |
|
We Are Family
Sister Sledge
|
2 | 3.48 | -1.48 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
2 | 3.47 | -1.47 |
|
Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
|
1 | 2.38 | -1.38 |
|
Dub Housing
Pere Ubu
|
1 | 2.35 | -1.35 |
|
Melody A.M.
Röyksopp
|
2 | 3.21 | -1.21 |
5-Star Albums (30)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Willie Nelson
4/5
What a great album, and what a wonderful voice. (I mean, it's Willie Nelson, is anyone surprised?)
This is exactly the type of album that makes me glad I'm doing this project. Because while it's not something I'd seek out, and I don't universally adore every track, it's extremely worth the listen, and I would listen through it again if I'm in the right mood.
The album is calming, and oddly a good balm for loneliness but without being whiny. It feels like a chat with an old friend: mellow, reassuring, maybe even a little bit commiserating. And, above all, worth your time.
Fave track: Hands on the Wheel
29 likes
Kanye West
5/5
My God. After so many Gen X and Boomer nostalgia trips on this list there's FINALLY another Millennial one. It's been a while.
As someone who personally dislikes Kanye West because I'm NOT a misogynistic psychopath, this is a great fucking album. don't get me started on all the pop culture drama (I was Team Taylor before it was cool, let's leave it at that), but in my opinion this was the last actually good album Kanye West put out there. And man, it made me realize how much I miss Kanye West making good music.
Are there flaws in this album? Absolutely. The lyrics at times are inconsistent and clunky, there are like 14 writers on multiple songs, and at certain points West's fragile ego shatters the enjoyment of particular tracks. It's funny until it just becomes grating--the south Park Fish Dicks call-out was hilarious because holy shit you sensitive Trump voting snowflake, don't be so precious. But by the time he's bitching about a beef with SNL it's not funny anymore.
But. BUT...the production here is incredible. The guest appearances are incredible. West HIMSELF admitted that Nicki Minaj had the best verse in Monster. Holy shit. Consider the source. And it's truly an album of powerhouse appearances: Jay Z with his signature gift for poetic inflection, Rick Ross with killer timbre and flow, even Kid Cudi with his trademark shredding backing tracks. And I say that as someone who fucking hates Kid Cudi as an artist and person (he's an abuser, Google it). John Legend was also there. Sorry, John, you got a little overshadowed.
Besides being an album that I reluctantly love, MBDTF gets a strong five stars from me because POWER/All of the Lights/Monster is one of the best track sequences ever recorded. Pure audio perfection. And no track here is BAD, all are totally worth listening to more than once. I probably will.
All of that said, I'm holding my nose to give this five stars. Fuck you, Kanye, for making such a good album before becoming a has-been. Fuck you for relentlessly, intentionally trying to destroy the career of a woman who has more songwriting talent in one finger than you do in your whole body. But look who has the last laugh. The culture hates you now and it's LONG overdue.
Anyway, excellent album, garbage person. Would listen again, would rant again.
27 likes
Heaven 17
3/5
Oh this one was enjoyable if a little weird. Lyrics fit oddly well for the COVID era.
Fave track: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang. Should have been the theme song for Trump's presidency.
25 likes
Adele
5/5
The year is 2011, and everything is going wrong. You get into college and say goodbye to your high school friends, then try to convince yourself that you fit in with a group of equally awkward strangers.
You date the first guy who says he loves you, not learning yet that people are fully capable of saying things they don't mean--and of acting the exact opposite. You're slut-shamed by a group of uptight college girls for sex you aren't having.
By "you", of course, I mean me. Because 21 was my essential coming of age album.
Are there coming of age albums with better songwriting? Yes, definitely. Are there coming of age albums with better vocals? Very, very few. But there's something magical about the alchemy of this album's elements that Adele, in my view, has never been able to quite match before or since 21. Of course, that could be the nostalgia talking.
But this was the album that resonated with key points in my life. I'd dedicate "Don't You Remember" to fairweather friends ("When will I see you again?"), "Turning Tables" to my shitty exes ("I won't let you close enough to hurt me"), and "Someone Like You", my fave album track to absolutely no one. Rare is the album that's emotionally resonant and relatable, even on songs about experiences you've never had. But the emotional truth of this album just puts you right there in it.
Apologies to Adele for taking so long to get on board the hype train of this album, since I discovered it for myself nearly a year after its release. 21 deserves all the hype it got and more.
22 likes
Sam Cooke
5/5
Holy shit. I have been sleeping on Sam Cooke. This album is so amazing, definitely one of the best live albums I've ever heard in my life. If not the very best.
His vocal quality, his interactions with the crowd...what a gifted performer. The magnetism shines through so well that it feels like you're there even without a visual. Amazing. Definitely would re-listen to the entire setlist.
12 likes
1-Star Albums (5)
All Ratings
Nina Simone
5/5
Beautiful voice. Magically odd collection of songs. Highly influential tracks, often sampled in modern pop/hip hop.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Fave track: Thrasher
Garbage
5/5
Awesome guitar. Fave track = Supervixen, the opener.
Paul Weller
2/5
Why? Why was this generic, forgettable album made? This was the auditory equivalent of unsalted fries. I can't remember a favorite track because I can't even remember the names of any of the songs.
Nothing is actively bad here, but that's almost worse. Four bar phrases with the same melody blend into a Godfather-length album. I'd rather rewatch the Corleone saga than sit through this ever again.
Dreary sameness. I guess in theory I see how this could be someone's thing, but it's definitely not mine.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
5/5
Ah. A classic. And I know it's basic to say American Girl is my favorite track, but it is.
My only gripe is that the album is so short. Easily could have listened to Tom Petty for another half hour.
Wilco
3/5
A classic album. Who could forget the opening riff of "Jesus etc."? (Fave track)
Definitely glad I listened but wouldn't personally re-listen. Nothing against the album, just not my taste.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
Struck me as experimental synth. 80s flavor comes out in full force here. Fairly enjoyable album but probably wouldn't revisit.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Like a William Shatner album, but classier. Seriously, though, I was a little befuddled by this one. But still enjoyed it somewhat. Fave track was the title track.
Sigur Rós
3/5
Very experimental. Not exactly my thing stylistically but some very lovely melodies that make it worth a listen.
Fave track: Staralfur
The Doors
3/5
Just a whole lot of meh here. Didn't love or hate any of the tracks. Liked Light my fire (fave track), but not in love with any of them. Mildly forgettable album for me, I don't know what it is. Just made me wish I were listening to the Kinks or the Beatles.
Bee Gees
3/5
I mean...it was okay. I liked it better than the Doors, but I wouldn't go out of my way to listen again.
Nice ballads, just a little too much cheese for me. Fave track: More than a Woman. A classic.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
A great album, and a classic for a reason. However, didn't love every track so I'm taking off a star for the fact it had a few skips for me.
Fave track is Stairway to Heaven, because duh. Brings back fond and not so fond memories of high school marching band when we did a whole show with a Led Zeppelin theme.
Gillian Welch
4/5
Lovely acoustic album with songwriting that ebbs and flows gracefully. A little on the country/stripped down side for my tastes but undeniably a great album.
Fave track: I Dream a Highway
Talking Heads
3/5
Again...feel a bit meh about this one. Like it better than The Doors, don't like it as much as the Smiths or the Ramones. It's the gloomy rebel in me, I guess.
Fave track: The Good Thing
Queen
5/5
How could I do anything but love this album? Such an iconic set of tracks, a legendary voice gone too soon. A roaring triumph of an album with a bold set of classical influences. I love that Queen manages to be both highbrow and utterly weird.
Fave track: Bohemian Rhapsody, duh.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Didn't stick out to me a lot, but a nice, mellow, enjoyable record with a couple of tracks that were fun. The vocal style makes me wonder if they had some influence on Sara Bareilles.
Fave track: Apron Strings
Isaac Hayes
5/5
Awesome album. Classic for a reason.
Deep Purple
4/5
Awesome album. Classic for a reason.
Really long tracks but an amazing live album. Shredding guitar solos + great drums make me wish I was there.
Fave track is Smoke on the water of course, but also thoroughly enjoyed the drum solo.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Fantastic album. So many unforgettable classics in one place, it's unbelievable. Not surprisingly the songwriting is top notch but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be either Baby Driver or the title track.
CHIC
3/5
Well, this is about what I expected: a lot of funky cheese, and that's pretty much what I got. You can really feel the 70s vibes all the way through this one.
Fave track: Savoir Faire, the one WITHOUT the vocals.
The Undertones
3/5
I mean...it was okay but I didn't love it. A couple enjoyable tracks but probably wouldn't re-listen to the entire album.
Fave track: Whizz Kids
Moby Grape
3/5
Unabashedly weird. Not mad at it, but definitely "get-high-to-this" music. Didn't leave a big impression on me, didn't hate it either. Kind of reminds me slightly of credence Clearwater revival, though a little too psychedelic for me. Def prefer CCR.
Fave track: Indifference.
Ryan Adams
4/5
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
Very enjoyable album. Wouldn't normally favor the genre but it was a fun listen.
Fave track: North American Scum. Adore the punk influence.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Such a classic. Love a good electric guitar, love the album, love how utterly and unabashedly weird it is.
Fave track: Money. I can always get behind a weird time signature.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Really enjoyed the title track especially. Just a good, solid album. Love a little jazz.
Laura Nyro
5/5
Excellent album. Amazing how influential she was, and died so young. Such a tragedy.
Fave track: stoned soul picnic.
R.E.M.
5/5
Oh man. I really slept on this album and can't believe what I missed.
Everybody hurts got memed to death but it remains an amazing song. But my fave track remains "try not to breathe." For some reason their work reminds me of the Smiths. Though not sure why.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I don't know. I liked it a bit better than You Want It Darker but track to track my enjoyment varies pretty widely, so minus one star for that.
Of course this doesn't change the fact that Cohen is an excellent songwriter, and ultimately that is why you listen.
Fave track: Avalanche
Guns N' Roses
3/5
I don't know. It's a classic album but didn't do much for me. Guns N Roses is a good band, they just don't do much for me.
Fave track: Welcome to the Jungle
Pearl Jam
2/5
Oof, this one didn't do much for me. I acknowledge it's a good album, it was just VERY much not for me.
Fave track: Even Flow, I guess?
Heaven 17
3/5
Oh this one was enjoyable if a little weird. Lyrics fit oddly well for the COVID era.
Fave track: (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang. Should have been the theme song for Trump's presidency.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
What a great album! So hugely influential. Their influence extends WAY further than I even realized.
Fave track: "That Lady." Extra fun because Kendrick Lamar sampled it for "i".
Various Artists
5/5
Weirdly, it's been ages since I actually enjoyed a good Christmas album. Especially one I haven't heard before.
Sure, some of the tracks are cheesy, but in an enjoyable way. I have to give this album props for hitting the nostalgia for me, which is a real accomplishment for an album I don't think I ever heard as a kid.
Fave track: Silent night
Eric Clapton
3/5
Really enjoyed this album, though I can't say most tracks were particularly memorable for me. Clapton is a great musician and I love hearing all the interesting layers in the music, but I can't say I'd listen to the entire album start to finish repeatedly, so it's not a total winner for me as much as I enjoyed it.
Fave tracks: I Shot the Sheriff (the obvious choice) and Please Be With Me. Knew from the opening chords alone that I was going to adore the latter.
Dusty Springfield
5/5
Wow. What a versatile voice she has. A bit of cheese on here, but in the lovable sense.
There are other 5 star albums on this list that I feel are better constructed than this one, but purely for replayability and enjoyable aspects this has to be a 5 star selection for me.
Fave track is son of a preacher man. Duh.
Alice Cooper
3/5
I mean...I guess I understand the hype, but not really my thing. The production didn't excite me though the songs were good and I can understand why people like them.
Solid listen but wouldn't repeat the entire album experience. Fave track: No More Mr. Nice Guy.
Tom Waits
5/5
Aw man, I fucking love Tom Waits. The playful banter on the album, the smooth delivery, the humor sprinkled in...it's the perfect calming soundtrack for a Sunday.
A crappy college friend of mine loved this album, but I won't hold that against Tom Waits. Though now, of course, I regret waiting on Waits. Unlike that friend, Tom Waits is a compelling personality and genuine talent.
Fave track: Warm Beer, Cold Women. Bonus points to thi album for being funny and witty as hell. Felt like having a conversation with a cool whiskey-drinking bachelor uncle.
Sam Cooke
5/5
Holy shit. I have been sleeping on Sam Cooke. This album is so amazing, definitely one of the best live albums I've ever heard in my life. If not the very best.
His vocal quality, his interactions with the crowd...what a gifted performer. The magnetism shines through so well that it feels like you're there even without a visual. Amazing. Definitely would re-listen to the entire setlist.
Iron Maiden
4/5
I didn't expect to like this one, but I actually quite enjoyed it. Didn't hurt that I was angry while listening to it, which somehow works well.
Fave track: Transylvania
Coldplay
3/5
Coldplay? More like lukewarm. There aren't any standout tracks for me on this album that are really good or bad.
No matter how much of a hipster you are, you have to admit Clocks is a fucking banger. But sadly not a banger that's on this album.
Fave track: Trouble. But honestly the album is a bit of a pleasant snoozefest. Inoffensive, but I'd never claim it's something that truly deserves to be on this list. A solid meh.
John Prine
3/5
I'm not a huge country person but I can definitely see the appeal. Songwriting is solid, though not super excited about the melody lines or anything like that. Might go back and listen if in a yeehaw mood. Otherwise probably not.
Fave track: Illegal Smile. Loved the line about the oatmeal winning a staring contest.
Billy Joel
5/5
Masterful. Gorgeous songwriting. A true classic. So many wonderful tracks that it's nearly impossible to pick a fave.
But...if I had to choose...it would be either "The Stranger" or "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant".
ABBA
3/5
Meh. Very much the enjoyably forgettable one-night stand of albums: Good while it lasted, but no desire to revisit.
I have nothing against ABBA, even if their music is a bit high on 70s cheese. That's what is so enjoyable/delightful about them! But I just can't muster a whole lot of enthusiasm for an album mostly comprised of middle-of-the-road tracks.
Fave track is actually the title track, but then I've never been a huge fan of ABBA's vocals so I may be biased here. Even so, the title track fucking slaps. And Dancing Queen is still the perfect soundtrack for dancing like no one's watching. Fun, silly, unabashedly cheesy.
Boston
5/5
Aaah, I fucking LOVE Boston. I am a sucker for guitar ANYWAY, but add all of the exciting (at the time) new tech to their sound and it's just on another level.
As a band they have a very enjoyable emotive ability. I wouldn't objectively rank them above most of the other five-star albums on this list, but shit, the enjoyability is undeniable. This is full of air-guitar-in-the-car jams.
Fave track is a predictable choice: More Than a Feeling. This shit fucking SLAPS. Deeply underrated karaoke song.
The Jam
3/5
I mean...it's not bad. I enjoyed a significant chunk of this album. A few standout tracks for sure, with my fave being "That's Entertainment."
But is it a can't-miss, gotta-relisten, legendary smash of an album? Not exactly. It's fairly enjoyable but it didn't blow my mind.
Hookworms
1/5
Oof. This was REALLY not my thing. I like experimental stuff, but not this. This just felt like noise to me.
I don't really "get it", whatever there is to get. Wouldn't re-listen.
Fave track: Shortcomings, I guess. Not wild about any of them though.
The Waterboys
3/5
I mean...I enjoyed it but probably wouldn't revisit. Variety of genre was nice, and I will say it's a good album to relax to. Kind of a nice way to end a stressful day, though for me it was a bit forgettable.
Fave track: title track.
Mike Oldfield
4/5
What a completely and utterly weird album. Inventive, swinging wildly from one melodic line to a dissonant section in less than a blink.
I can't say this is my favorite album ever but I have to give it points for being creatively bizarre. And enough things in here are enjoyable that I would consider a re-listen.
Fave track: Tubular bells part I.
Sister Sledge
2/5
Meh. I mean...it was okay I guess? I didn't completely hate it. Not a huge fan of disco though, so I'm a bit biased against this one.
Fave track: We Are Family is the obvious choice but also enjoyed He's the Greatest Dancer.
Incubus
3/5
Feel like I ran into this album at the wrong age. I would have loved this as a teenager. As it is, fun but would probably only revisit a track or two.
Definitely reads to me, for whatever reason, that this album influenced a lot of pop punk sound, like Fall Out Boy. But who's to say for sure?
Fave track: Battlestar Scratchlatchtica. Whimsical, creative, and fun.
Butthole Surfers
1/5
I hate the butthole surfers. My God, I hate the butthole surfers. I guess if I'm being generous it was an experimental album but there are certain things that haven't been done FOR A REASON, the reason being that it sucks. And that's how I felt about this one.
My God, I loathed this one. I don't have a favorite track because I hated all of it. One star is too much for me. I don't get it, it sounds to me like noise.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Awww, CCR. I have to admit I have a bias in favor of this album because my dad likes it and he played it a lot when I was a kid.
BUT. I maintain that there are some jams on here that hold up, bias or not. Songwriting is good and for whatever reason this is one of my comfort albums.
Fave track: Lodi
Hole
5/5
Oh man. What an album. Surprised I haven't listened to Hole very much before, because this is exactly up my alley.
Some fun history in this one: there were some (very misogynistic) allegations that Cobain ghostwrote these tracks and Love's response was that he was a better songwriter--so obviously they were written by her. That's a pretty iconic comeback.
Also apparently the title was inspired by a phrase from Gone with the Wind. Have to love an American classic.
Fave track: Asking for It. A feminist anthem for the ages. This album was so ahead of its time.
Muddy Waters
5/5
Ahh, that was a fun listen. Certainly understand why it's made the list!
Love a bit of funky harmonica. These songs are really jams, at the end of the day. Relaxing, fun, bluesy. All among my favorite moods.
What I love about this album is that it meets you where you are. If you're in a good mood it's toe-tapping, and if you're not, it's mellow. Somehow, amazingly, it occupies both spaces at once very effectively. The sound is so polished it's hard to believe it's even a live album. Amazing.
Fave track: I Feel So Good.
Weather Report
4/5
Wow, a very funky album. Mildly to moderately enjoyable. I remember playing Birdland on jazz flute as a kid, which was some unexpected nostalgia...and probably the biggest reason it was my favorite track.
All of these songs aren't at what I'd call "legendary" status, but they're all very solid. I certainly understand why the album is on this list. This was very much worth the listen.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Here it is: An album that 100% belongs on this list, but that I don't particularly adore. It's a very, very good album, highlighting the versatility (and, yes, utter weirdness) of the Stones, but I have to take one star off for the fact that Gimme Shelter--my fave track--s a total monster of a song, and everything after that feels like a shadow of that greatness.
Don't get me wrong. Every track is worth a listen. Is the entire album worth a listen? Hell yeah. Would I say that any track on here is nearly as good as Gimme Shelter? No.
I have a special love for this song because of the strange story behind it: a pregnant lady was pulled out of bed in the middle of the night, still in her curlers, to record the background vocals for this track. No wonder she sounds so damn intense.
Red Snapper
3/5
Though I can't say this was my very favorite sound I've listened to in this project, it was definitely among the more unique sounds I've heard.
An innovative album. Manages to be edgy and dark and sexy at times, while at other points being campy and a little bit goofy. It feels "lived in", as albums go.
That said, I am not completely in love with most tracks and I am glad I listened, but wouldn't revisit most of this one.
Fave track: The Rough and the Quick. Definitely broke a few taboos at the time.
The Black Keys
4/5
Huh. Never listened to the Black Keys before but there's a certain pulsing smokiness to their music that I enjoy.
That said, for me this album isn't a banger-after-banger situation. Despite that, though, tracks verge from sorrowful to sexy and back again. Definitely worth a listen and maybe even a few re-listens.
Fave track: Howlin' for You. There's a certain sexy, wailing quality to the treble. It shouldn't work but it does. Probably thanks to the counterbalance with the percussion.
Sarah Vaughan
5/5
Oh man, I love live jazz albums. I admit to having a bias on this front. I just REALLY love the silkiness in jazz singers' voices.
It's interesting, one of my other favorite albums on this list--Sam Cooke--I enjoyed just as much, but they are SO different. Instead of being energizing, this album is calming and mellow.
And Sarah Vaughan is VERY funny, in a natural, effortless way. Classic jazz attitude, I love her energy.
Fave track: Willow Weep for Me. Extra points for the funny crowd interactions. She's like a damn comedian dealing with a heckler.
The Police
4/5
What an utterly strange album. When a band has more than one major mainstream hit I tend to assume that their work is pretty conventional across the board.
Well, in this case, I stand corrected. This is actually a very bizarre album, particularly the track "Mother". I can't call it my favorite track but it was certainly the most memorable.
Fave track? The obvious choice would be I'll Be Watching You but I actually think it's the opening track, Synchronicity I.
Robbie Williams
3/5
This album was horribly difficult to find on different apps and streaming services. And the tracks were so hit or miss it didn't feel worth the effort.
The best thing I can say about this artist is that he seems to be similar to MIKA in terms of music style choices on some songs, and I fucking love MIKA. But this took so much effort to track down and I found some of the tracks to be rather dull and forgettable.
Eh, maybe it was groundbreaking for its time but it was just okay in my opinion.
Fave track: Clean. That one kicked ass.
Orange Juice
3/5
Huh. Kind of a funky album but I liked it fairly well. Some classic 80s sound that makes it a very cheerful synth/guitar album with calm jams. The perfect album for making breakfast on a lazy Sunday, as far as I'm concerned.
Fave track: Louise Louise. Not objectively the best track musically on the album but I'm a sucker for a sweet little love song. Even though it seems like a bit of a toxic/complicated love song at that.
Prince
4/5
I mean, it's a classic with banger after banger. It's Prince. What else is there to say?
So many sex songs. Again...it's Prince. How could you expect anything less?
I guess this makes me a basic bitch, but I love 1999 (my fave track). I wish we could party like it's 1999 because partying like it's 2022 usually means lots of lonely drinking and masking up. #COVIDproblems
Anyway, thank you, Prince, for making my COVID-19 experience a COVID-1999 experience, even if it was only for a little while.
TV On The Radio
2/5
Meh. This one didn't really do a whole lot for me. I didn't HATE it, but nothing on here was very memorable either. I guess it was pleasantly forgettable, but definitely didn't blow my mind.
Fave track: Stork & Owl. Artsy, fun, and a vibe. Enjoyed that track a lot.
Normally I rate "meh" albums with three stars, but I'm subtracting a star punitively because having an entire album track that just consists of silence is insufferably pretentious, in a first-college-boyfriend sort of way.
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
Huh. Well, I can honestly say this album is truly like nothing I've ever heard before. Very well thought out and aptly named. Though I have to admit, I don't really love this genre so though it's unfair, minus one star for that.
Still, a solid listening experience. Fave track with Three Great Alabama Icons. This band really has a lot to say, and props for that. ❤️
Parliament
3/5
Ooo, this album was a funky one. Very charmingly 70s, and "charming" and "70s" aren't two words I usually put together.
That said I wouldn't re-listen. It's just not really my thing. That said: my fave track, the classic "Give Up the Funk" is a fucking jam and I defy anyone to not dance to it.
Deep Purple
1/5
Oh God. This was horrible. Special shout-out to Hard Lovin' Man, which was a flaming turd of a track imo. More like try-hard man.
This album convinced me that a shitty band can go on an improvement arc and learn to kick ass. And I love electric guitar and heavy, shredding production, so that's not why I hated this album. It's because it's so deeply unenjoyable. The album starts off meh, and as an experience the tracks just get worse and worse. For that disappointing trajectory I have to rate this one star. Ugh, this was really borderline unlistenable.
Fave track: Speed King was okay and then it was all downhill from there.
Lorde
5/5
Okay, so full disclosure: I'm biased because this is one of my favorite albums of all time and I heard it YEARS ago in my early to mid 20s.
To say I know this album like the back of my hand would be an insult to Lorde's and Antonoff's cowriting skills on this album, and also an understatement. Instead I'd rather say I know this album like I know the fit of a favorite pair of jeans: it's comfortable and reliable and somehow flatters almost every mood at the same time.
I would fight anyone who dares to call this album anything short of a masterpiece. There are so many wonderful moments here, from the plot twist in "Liability" (the girl she loves is not a gay lover, but herself) to the quarantine-relevant "Sober" ("but what will we do when we're sober?"). When you consider the songwriting and production talent on this album it's especially impressive what Lorde accomplished with this modern classic.
And I know it's not just her: Antonoff's influence is more than recognizable on this album with every creative chord and pulsing sixteenth-note beat (check out Taylor Swift's "Cruel Summer" for a background pulse analogous to what's used on the reprise of "Liability" on this album. His fingerprint is here on this album and yet, because he's Jack Antonoff, he very much is gifted at letting the artist shape the lines and the work without being overbearing. He's one of the mega voices for how pop music sounds and yet this album is SO different from Swift or Lana Del Rey, two of his other most well-known collaborators, among many others.
Choosing a favorite track for this album is beyond difficult because this album has NO skips for me. It really is that good, and for me it's one of the ten best breakup albums of all time, up there with Red and 21. It really is a masterpiece. But it's nestled somewhere between breakup and coming-of-age and, as any seminal breakup album should be, has layers to it that you catch on later listens, and more than one theme going on at a time.
Lorde may say she's a liability but as far as I'm concerned, in the music world she's a major asset. Five gold fucking stars. This album deserves all the hype it got and then some.
Bob Dylan
4/5
It's Bob Dylan. Which, to me, means that the real star of this album is the lyrics--to absolutely no one's surprise.
I listened to this album once without focusing on the lyrics. Then listened again with an ear for the narratives. And suddenly--incredible. Witchcraft!
I love Bob Dylan because I'm a lyrics-driven listener but I don't think this is the very finest album Dylan ever produced. That said...it's still an album from one of the greatest songwriters of all time--arguably THE best--so it's still a 4/5 for me.
Fave track: Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
A pretty good album, but I didn't love it or hate it. Very ballad-y, very murder-y, so it delivered on its premise.
I guess I just didn't expect the premise to be so...literal. I'm not complaining, I was just surprised that every single song was a murder ballad. I like a dark concept though.
Every track on here was SO hit or miss in terms of how enjoyable it was. Fave track was Where the Wild Roses Grow, just because it was so beautiful.
Overall a very weird album. Definitely deserves to be on this list, though I have to admit I wouldn't listen to it start-to-finish again. Just some select faves.
James Brown
4/5
I mean, it's James Brown. So of course it's gonna be good. But I have to say, it wasn't quite as good as I expected. It deserves to be on this list but it was not nearly as enjoyable for me as Sarah Vaughan or Sam Cooke. Obviously he's a great singer, great dancer, and in that sense a great performer. But the crowd interaction was a bit lackluster compared to many live albums imo.
Also there's the fact that as a person, James Brown was an absolute total flaming bag of shit. He literally pushed girlfriends down flights of stairs or beat them up. So although I know he's a great artist it's pretty hard to take his work and completely remove it from that context.
But hey, James Brown is a music legend so people will probably overlook it more than they should. Chris Brown has far less talent and people ignored and didn't care about that, too.
Fave track: Try Me.
Four stars for the album, but would give James Brown zero stars as a human being if I could.
The Adverts
3/5
This was honestly pretty forgettable for me: Nothing objectionable but nothing particularly pleasing here either.
Fave track: Gary Gilmore's Eyes. Catchy melody, solid harmonies. I appreciate it.
But overall a solid meh for this album. Respectable meh.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
I mean, wow. It's Stevie Wonder. What else is there to say?
Fave track on here is hard to pick because this album is delightfully relentless with banger after banger. Absolutely loved it, really brightened up my day.
But if I had to pick a fave it would be Don't you worry bout a thing. It's got longevity for a reason just like all of his work. So danceable, refreshing, and undeniably bursting with talent.
Fats Domino
4/5
Wow. Solid album, great voice, mellow and energizing energy at the same time. Soulful. Fun. More than a little blues-y. Not an indefinitely replayable album for me but excellent nonetheless.
Fave track: Honey Chile. Classic in the BEST way.
Earth, Wind & Fire
2/5
Oof. This is NOT my jam. Can't say it's the WORST album I've ever heard but it's definitely 70s cheese, and not in a good way. I get why it's on here--I know it's an enjoyable genre for some people, just like disco is--but uh, yeah. This ain't it for me.
Too much false setto. I like funk, but not this particular blend of it. Fave track: That's the Way of the World.
I want to give this one star because I didn't enjoy any of it, but it's not truly a flaming turd of an album. I just personally found it unlistenable.
Morrissey
4/5
Well...I don't like his politics but fuck, if this album doesn't deserve to be on here I don't know what does.
Despite being an unrepentant narcissist and all-around absurd person, Morrissey is an incredible musician. Not only do I get the appeal, it's kind of my thing. It's the mopey teenager in me. Why are so many famous people such weirdos? Probably because you have to be bizarre to actually want all of the trappings of fame.
There's really not a skip on here for me. That said, still prefer his work with the Smiths.
Fave track: Now my Heart is Full or Moon River. Got a good laugh out of him saying "I wrote that" at the end of the latter too. Haha
Jungle Brothers
3/5
I mean...it was a good album, at least solid, but not really my thing. I can see why a lot of people would like it, and it's very danceable so that gets an extra point or two from me. Great grooves to a lot of the songs.
Fave track: EASILY sunshine. The sample of Flashlight was a really fun nod.
Iggy Pop
3/5
I mean...it was okay, I guess? I don't hate Iggy Pop's music--I enjoyed the Passenger as much as anyone but this album wasn't really my thing.
It wasn't aggressively bad--there we're a few good tracks, including my fave, Nightclubbing. But overall this album was a solid meh. Didn't hate it, but wouldn't listen again.
AC/DC
3/5
It's AC/DC so you know it's gonna be good. That said, aside from the two bangers everyone knows--Back in Black and You Shook Me All Night Long--there's nothing else that stands out to me as particularly strong.
AC/DC is definitely a singles band, not an album band in my mind. Three stars for the album as a whole, even though it has a couple of S-tier tracks. If the whole album was as good as Back in Black (my fave track) I'd give it five stars for sure. But it's not, I'm afraid.
Michael Jackson
5/5
It's a Michael Jackson album. And not just ANY MJ album. Bad.
Bad is fucking good, to no one's surprise. Fave track is the title track of course. I admittedly have never been the world's biggest fan of Michael Jackson's music (personally not my thing) but the quality of the tracks is undeniable. There's not a single skip on this album, and that's extremely hard to pull off.
Donovan
3/5
I mean, I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. "Swinging hippie" is how I'd describe the genre, but I'm not mad at it.
Would I re-listen? I don't know, maybe to a couple favorite tracks--namely "Season of the Witch" and the title track--but the rest is simply not worth it IMO. Bumping this up a star on the strength of those two great tracks alone.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
I mean...it was all right I guess? On a personal enjoyment level. I definitely understand why many people could have fallen in love with this album but I didn't.
Love the raw anger in the music though. Don't know if you'd exactly classify this as punk or whatnot but it definitely has a pleasing proactive energy. It's just personally not a style I care for.
Fave track: On my Hotel TV.
Radiohead
4/5
Surprisingly (I say "surprisingly" because this isn't generally my genre of music), I REALLY enjoyed this album. I wouldn't say I would regularly listen to every single track but MOST of these hold up brilliantly.
It's hard to explain but the vibe I got from this personally is that it's like if the Smiths and Coldplay had a baby? But like, in the BEST way. Really good album. Definitely deserves to be on this list.
Fave track: Let Down. This whole album was magnificent at making me sad without me knowing why.
The Sonics
4/5
Overall, a great album. Would definitely listen again. Lots of classics on here but my favorite would have to be Walking the Dog. Overall just a really fun and killer sound. Classic.
John Grant
3/5
Can't say I would have gravitated to this album on my own, but it's a solid addition to this 1001 list. My fave tracks, "Where Dreams Go to Die" and "Jesus Hates F****ts" were true standouts, with gorgeous melody lines and thoughtful songwriting.
Can't say every single track on here is a must-listen, but the album deserves to be on this list, for the variety and compelling stories of each song if nothing else. Title track also deserves a shout-out for its gorgeous melody. Overall a solid listen.
Doves
3/5
I liked this album okay, but it was moderately forgettable and equally enjoyable.
Got a strong Coldplay deja Vu on some of the tracks. My favorite track was probably NY. But none of them really stood out for me. On the bright side I didn't hate any of the tracks either. Relaxing, calm, mid tempo. Don't really understand why this made the list of essential albums, though.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
5/5
This album is so fucking good. And it's not JUST because of Free Bird (an undeniably excellent track), but because the whole album is full of shredding Southern rock.
This album is the American South's Dark Side of the Moon. No skips, it really is that good. Like a truly good Southern album it's a rambling journey of great storytelling.
Bon Jovi
3/5
Meh. You can tell Bon Jovi is a singles band, not an album band.
Livin on a Prayer fucking SLAPS. You Give Love a Bad Name is infinitely screamable out of your car window. But then after the absolutely S-tier three opening tracks, where do you go from there? The rest falls flat for me.
Fave track: Livin' on a Prayer. Duh.
Patti Smith
4/5
It finally arrived on the lineup: An album that I acknowledge as genuinely good, but personally disliked. There's no good reason for me to dislike it, and I know that--but stylistically it's very far off from what I enjoy. This doesn't diminish the quality of the vocals, the songwriting, the melody lines, or anything else about it. It doesn't change the fact that this album deserves to be here. A little extra shout-out to my fave track, Gloria: In Excelsis Deo (the first one). Five-star quality here, but I'm docking a star because I didn't personally enjoy it. I know that's unfair, but life is unfair and that's just how it goes sometimes.
Portishead
3/5
I don't know whether this is the best album to listen to while you're working or if it's the worst. Pros: it's very trancelike. Cons: It nearly made me fall asleep for that very reason. Fave track was "Sour Times," but there were quite a few good ones in here. But even with that being the case, there's a certain sameness quality that would deter me from regularly re-listening to this album from start to finish. A strong meh for me.
The Cars
3/5
I mean...yeah, I get the appeal. You can definitely see why this album has a lot of nostalgia for the Boomer and Gen X crowds (at least, based on what some folks have told me).
It's a fun album. Solid addition to this list. Can't say it's an automatic five-star for me but it's absolutely worth a listen.
Fave track: Just What I Needed. How could it not be? It was just what I needed.
Cream
4/5
Overlooking for a moment the fact that Eric Clapton is an absolute shit stain of a human (so is Morrissey, and I love the Smiths), this is a classic album and it is not just ANY rock album. It straight up SHREDS.
I don't usually love straight-hitting, 4/4 rock, but there's just enough creativity and killer guitar licks in this collection to elevate the experience. Every few measures there's something unpredictable to keep your ear on the hook.
And compositionally, they know what works and continue the part that you keep anticipating. Take, for instance, the famous opening lick in "Sunshine of Your Love". That's the kind of sound that serves the purpose of a hook in a rap song: it's the part that cements the entire song structure in your head. It's the crazy glue, the mortar that holds the bricks of composition together.
Considering the album was SO fucking long (I opted for the deluxe), it mostly didn't lose my interest which says a lot. A strong four stars. I'd say five but there are a few skips on here for me.
David Bowie
3/5
I mean...it's David Bowie. But that's why I was surprised at how mediocre this album was.
It's not that it was actively BAD, but given David Bowie's "legend" status, I did expect it to be better. "Changes" (my fave track) was awesome and it was all downhill from there.
Also, footnote here that David Bowie was a fucking statutory rapist and just because a lot of male were doing it at the time doesn't make it okay. It's never okay to rape people and that shouldn't be a controversial opinion but it fucking seems to be.
However, regardless of my opinion of the man in question, this art is just subpar. None of the Bowie classics on here aside from Changes. And that wasn't enough to rescue it from mediocrity. For that song alone I boost it to 3 stars.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
I mean...I didn't HATE it, but I can't say there was anything memorable about this album for me.
I guess my fave track was Malibu Beach Nightmare, and I have a memory of liking the first few tracks MUCH more than the second half of the album. Not a BAD album but would never re listen.
The Cure
3/5
As I say in many reviews, I didn't hate it, I'm not mad at it, but I'm also not a superfan.
I like the Cure, and in my opinion they're objectively better than Coldplay. How's that for a contradiction? But I would rather be listening to Boston or Radiohead.
Lovesong is a wonderful song though. Fave track on the album hands down. Keeping this at 3 stars on the strength of the music even though it's not personally my jam.
Eagles
3/5
I like Hotel California--both the title track and the album. People criticize the Eagles for being basic or "dad music" but this album deserves its hype.
That said, I don't love every track and though I'd re-listen to two or three tracks, can't say I'd revisit the album in its entirety.
Fave track: Hotel California. It's the most famous track for a reason.
Duran Duran
4/5
Okay, Duran Duran is definitely a guilty pleasure for me. And it's not that they're BAD...but would I put them on the upper echelon of greatness? Is every track S-tier? Definitely not.
Did I enjoy this album more than some albums from huge legendary musicians and bands, though? Hell yeah. What can I say? I have a weakness for 80s synth-pop and danceable shit. It's glossy in a totally delightful way. I defy anyone to not enjoy "Rio" (an underrated karaoke classic) and Hungry Like the Wolf (very tame sexual references by today's standards but probably scandalous at the time to have a lady moaning on the track).
Giving this a bonus star for enjoyability. Also because my dad called Duran Duran "boring" and someone's gotta counteract that energy. Take that, dad. :)
Pulp
3/5
I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It was just...kind of there.
I'll give this album a bit of credit for getting slightly better as it goes along. The first 4-5 opening tracks were pretty weak imo.
Giving this an extra star for having a couple of bops. But definitely not one I'd return to over and over.
Fave track: It's a Dirty World
Steely Dan
3/5
I can't say I'm a huge Steely Dan fan or anything, but I get the appeal. However, wouldn't re-listen to most of the tracks, personally.
Fave track: either title track or With a Gun.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Oof. This album really wasn't my thing. Not that it was BAD, per se, but it's very stylistic--and if you don't particularly like the style (namely, dark and bombastic), this really isn't going to be the album for you.
I found this album a slog, personally, but the tracks "Blown a Wish" and "Soon" redeem it somewhat for me. But even so, I didn't like the vocals and found that hard to get past. Meh, I guess.
Saint Etienne
3/5
Huh. Can't say I loved it, but there were a few enjoyable tracks, at least.
Faves: "Spring" and "She's the One". All were at least solid, but I can't say there were a ton of standouts, or that I'd relisten. Still, worth your time for sure. 3 stars from me.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Pretty solid album. Definitely enjoyable. Freewheeling and structured jazz at the same time. Really enjoyed this sound but I can't say I'd listen to every track again.
Fave tracks: Let's Start and Black Man's Cry. Would give this album 4 stars if I loved all the tracks this much, but knocking off a star for the second half of the album which was less interesting imo.
Adele
5/5
The year is 2011, and everything is going wrong. You get into college and say goodbye to your high school friends, then try to convince yourself that you fit in with a group of equally awkward strangers.
You date the first guy who says he loves you, not learning yet that people are fully capable of saying things they don't mean--and of acting the exact opposite. You're slut-shamed by a group of uptight college girls for sex you aren't having.
By "you", of course, I mean me. Because 21 was my essential coming of age album.
Are there coming of age albums with better songwriting? Yes, definitely. Are there coming of age albums with better vocals? Very, very few. But there's something magical about the alchemy of this album's elements that Adele, in my view, has never been able to quite match before or since 21. Of course, that could be the nostalgia talking.
But this was the album that resonated with key points in my life. I'd dedicate "Don't You Remember" to fairweather friends ("When will I see you again?"), "Turning Tables" to my shitty exes ("I won't let you close enough to hurt me"), and "Someone Like You", my fave album track to absolutely no one. Rare is the album that's emotionally resonant and relatable, even on songs about experiences you've never had. But the emotional truth of this album just puts you right there in it.
Apologies to Adele for taking so long to get on board the hype train of this album, since I discovered it for myself nearly a year after its release. 21 deserves all the hype it got and more.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
This album is much, MUCH better than Let it Bleed. Like, leagues better; there are simply no skips. And it's not that Let it Bleed is BAD--but rather, this was just simply so much better. LIB was a collection of one S-tier song and the rest were Bs and Cs; this was S-tiers and A-tiers only IMO. It's all aged beautifully: The vocals work, the instruments sound as layered and sophisticated as they did when this album first came out (I assume; it predates me).
I'd be remiss to pick any fave track other than "Tumbling Dice," especially considering the cool history. Keith Richards got the idea for the track when he rolled out of bed one morning feeling uninspired and then tuned up his guitar. And out "tumbled"--heh, heh--the full melody of this song.
Even for those of us who don't have Keith Richards's musical mind, it's easy to recognize a stellar track when you hear one. And this is IT.
Sebadoh
2/5
This was definitely a major meh for me. I didn't find it memorably great or terrible. It wasn't unlistenable, but generally I didn't enjoy it.
Exceptions are my fave tracks: "Two Years Two Days" and "Elixir is Zog". Some fun sounds in there, but I just don't really get the appeal of this one. Decent guitar, okay vocals, but not my style. At least mercifully short.
Richard Thompson
3/5
Is it fun and enjoyable? Yes. Are there a few standout tracks? Also yes.
But do I find it infinitely enjoyable to listen and re-listen to? Nah, not really. It was a solid album, it was worth a listen, and I enjoyed it. Highlights/fave tracks included "We Sing Hallelujah," "Withered and Died," and "The Little Beggar Girl."
Good stuff here, solid listening, and deserves to be on the list. Just not my particular cup of tea.
Hugh Masekela
3/5
I mean...I enjoyed it somewhat. Definitely had a fun groove to it, and the perfect thing to listen to on a lazy Sunday while doing other things: Chores, going for a walk, etc.
But I didn't find it super exciting or unexpected, to be honest. It reminds me a bit of the music that's used as a filler in sitcoms, at least for the first half of the album. That shifts a bit to a much stronger second half, and I don't doubt the artist's overall talent, but I only found this one to be enjoyable to a limit.
Love jazz, though. Definitely would enjoy a re-listen, at least a bit.
Radiohead
4/5
I wonder if being a fan of Radiohead albums is sort of like choosing between Elvis and the Beatles: There's a famous saying that you can like both artists, but you can't love them equally.
Well, I feel similarly about Kid A and Ok Computer. I recognize the greatness of both albums but I'm definitely more of an Ok Computer girl, myself.
That said, Kid A deserves to be on this list, I thought it was very much worth a listen, and about three tracks on here are absolute bangers I will come back to over and over again.
The biggest stars for me here were Everything In Its Right Place (a killer opener track, off-putting and experimental but darkly compelling), Optimistic (catchy melody, bright chords mixed with a dark key), and Idioteque (great lyrics while somehow being unironically danceable).
Radiohead's reputation as a seminal band is well-earned. Kid A's not exactly my vibe but earns 4 stars on my list just the same.
Small Faces
3/5
Well, shit. This is the most aggressively British album I've heard in a while. It was all right, I guess--enjoyable catchy songs mixed with forgettable, so-so tracks.
Fave track: Lazy Sunday. It has a jaunty yet cozy sound to it.
Yes
3/5
I mean...this album was a whole lot of meh for me. Didn't love it, didn't hate it either.
Fave track, "A Venture," was pretty good. But even then, not blown away. Can't say this was a waste of time--I see the appeal--but I didn't adore it either. Solidly middle of the road for me.
Green Day
5/5
Oh man. This album takes me back. It's 2003 and my extended family still hangs out in the summers. My uncle demands that someone show him "that broken dreams song." My cousin knows what he means and brings it up on her iPod.
I think that's what's so remarkable about American Idiot: its ability to be both universal and personal in scope. "Wake Me Up When September Ends" could be (and is) a song about personal loss, but it's also a song about national loss. Remarkably, this album can comprehensively describe individual feelings without sacrificing the universal commentary.
I wouldn't say "Jesus of Suburbia" is the absolute favorite track for me on this album (that award goes to Boulevard of Broken Dreams), but it has what's by far the finest lyrics of the album: "Everyone's heart doesn't beat the same/ it's beating out of time"
FUCK, y'all. This album was prophetic. That really cuts to the heart of it, doesn't it? The American way is to disagree on something because you want to make it better...but in your obsession with your OWN truth, you can't respect, let alone understand, another point of view. The divisiveness of American culture has been boiling for a long time, if not forever.
If I were rating purely on enjoyability I'd rate this four stars...but I have to give it an extra based on how much of a crucial and influential cultural touchstone it is. Absolutely fucking deserves to be on this list.
Willie Nelson
4/5
What a great album, and what a wonderful voice. (I mean, it's Willie Nelson, is anyone surprised?)
This is exactly the type of album that makes me glad I'm doing this project. Because while it's not something I'd seek out, and I don't universally adore every track, it's extremely worth the listen, and I would listen through it again if I'm in the right mood.
The album is calming, and oddly a good balm for loneliness but without being whiny. It feels like a chat with an old friend: mellow, reassuring, maybe even a little bit commiserating. And, above all, worth your time.
Fave track: Hands on the Wheel
Femi Kuti
3/5
A solid, fun album. Jazzy, funky, and totally chill vibes. Didn't adore it so I probably wouldn't revisit, but it was enjoyable.
Fave track: Survival
Supergrass
3/5
This one was fine enough. I don't love or hate it. There have been a lot of those lately.
Fave track: "Time to Go," the closer. Found the melody lines kinda forgettable in this one. Vocals were okay, but wouldn't re-listen.
Pavement
3/5
I mean...it was okay. I don't dislike it but also can't say I'm a huge fan either. Best tracks for me were Silence Kid and Range Life. But even so, I can't exactly say that any of these melodies were particularly memorable for me.
This album is aggressively 90s in a good way, though, so it has that going for it. Rating this 3 stars but would give 3.5 if I could.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
Ah, we're at last graced with a British invasion album. And I have to admit that this is very different from what I expected. I Googled the artist and even though there are these piercing songs about classism and discrimination she was apparently linked to royalty or nobility in Europe and dated Mick Jagger? What is all of that about? I don't know, but this album was solidly enjoyable. Nice melodies, great lyrics, just okay vocals. 3 stars for me, but a strong 3 stars.
Fave tracks: "Broken English" and "Working Class Hero"
Beck
3/5
What a weird album. I mean, it's a Beck album so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I'll say one thing for this record: No two tracks sound the same. For that reason I can't say I'm in love with the whole album, but I also can't say I hate it, either. A few tracks were forgettable (but not BAD), most were decent, and a couple of them were definitely fun and worth revisiting.
Overall, a solid 3 stars.
Fave tracks: "Derelict" and "Computer Rock"
Nick Drake
4/5
There are some REALLY beautiful ballads here. I enjoyed this one a lot. Particular standout tracks were "Hazey Jane" (I and II), "One of These Things First," and "Fly". All gorgeous melodies and gentle acoustic strings. It does sound aggressively 70s, but for once not in a bad way. It sounds 70s in the way that Jim Croce or Fleetwood Mac does: Gorgeous songwriting, bold vocals, and a general sweetness. A lot of these songs sound like a sunset put to music. Worth the listen. Would give this 4.5 stars if I could, but it falls slightly short of perfect even though I loved it. Sorry, it's the tinge of cheesiness for me.
Fave track: Fly
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Well, Neil Young's got guts for sticking it to Joe Rogan with the Spotify debacle. Especially because it mainly hurts him a lot more than it will upset streaming on Spotify. And I appreciate that all it took to find this album was a quick Google search and a full YouTube playlist is available.
It's a great album, too; as you'd expect from a Neil Young album the vocals are strong but the real star is the searing melody lines and the FANTASTIC guitar on every song. This isn't quite at the level of "Rust Never Sleeps" for me but it's still quite good. Absolutely worth a listen and worthy of being on this list. One of my favorite discoveries from these albums.
Fave track: "F***in up"
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Whew, hello, Marvin! I was wondering when you'd show up on this list and here you are.
Even though this album doesn't include "Heard it Through the Grapevine," it's still pretty great, and still deserves to be on this list. "I Met a Little Girl" would be a classic wedding song, and "A Funky Space Reincarnation" is really weird. This album really showcases Marvin Gaye's versatility as an artist.
Fave track: I Met a Little Girl. It's sappy but great.
Suicide
3/5
A very weird album. I can't say I loved it--it was trying a little hard to be edgy for my tastes (an impression that the band name doesn't help correct)--but it was respectably listenable. It does deserve to be on this list, simply for the fact that it's really weird.
Uneven track listings and timings, a lack of structure, and a sound that facilitates distinctive preferences for one track over another--but like a lot of memorable albums, no one can agree on which tracks are good.
Personally, my fave picks were "Girl" and "Cheree". But yeah...this wasn't my thing. Bumping it up from 2-star enjoyability, simply because there's at least some creativity that brings distinctiveness to each track, which is more than I can say for other artists on this list (looking at you, Paul Weller).
The Doors
3/5
I have to admit, I'm not one of those people who really understands the appeal of The Doors. I did my best to keep an open mind (or an open door, heh heh) listening to this album, but it just isn't my thing.
To me, the Doors are like the Stones without the sex appeal, the Beatles without the legendary songwriting, Queen without the bombastic and impressive vocals. They're a good band to be sure, but to me they're missing an extra ingredient that really qualifies them as genuine legends.
The Doors are highly listenable but also highly boring. Sorry to say it, but it's true, you Doorks.
Abdullah Ibrahim
4/5
This one is really pretty. I love a good calming set of piano tracks. The title track was definitely the best, but it was all good. Everyone should invest time in piano music now and again. Absolutely worth a listen.
Fave track: Water from An Ancient Well
The Avalanches
3/5
Wow. In terms of enjoyability this was really all over the map. Some tracks felt dull ("Since I Left You" being a prime example--sorry folks, but I didn't like the title track).
However, "Frontier Psychiatrist" is a fucking banger and I dare anyone to say differently. Best track, hands down. Just sitting around the house when your brain goes "That boy needs therapy!" Seriously. Very creative use of sampling. If I loved every track this much I'd give this album five stars. Such a good song and worth listening to the ones I didn't care for to find a gem.
Foo Fighters
3/5
Good album. Unfortunately I liked the first track so much better than the others, so it was a bit of a downhill slope. Still, I see the appeal and I'm glad Dave Grohl is a nice dude.
Fave track: "This Is a Call"
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
Well, that was an adventure. I don't know what in the name of French classical funk that was supposed to be, but I enjoyed it.
This artist is either le Leonard Cohen or le William Shatnère, depending on whom you ask. Lots of dramatic talking and strange musical interludes. If you enjoy weird fusions of musical styles, you might like this one. I liked it pretty well and found it creative but didn't fully five-star adore it.
Fave track: The opening track, "Melody," by far.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Weird album. I do get the appeal, and it's not like a few rock or punk albums on this list I could name that are just absolute noise to me. That said, the bombastic style doesn't do a whole lot for me in general. This definitely falls squarely into the category of "worth a listen, but not worth a re-listen."
A few good tracks here at least. The best one was "Been Caught Stealing," IMO.
Pere Ubu
1/5
What the everliving fuck was that? I hated every second of this mindless cacaphony. I was working on some data entry while listening to this album and somehow the data entry was the less miserable task.
Lots of questions here. Such as, why was this noisefest made? Why does the singer sound perpetually kicked in the gut? Why is this album on this list when it could be used as a torture device by government organizations?
Seriously, though, this was genuinely dreadful. I only finished it out of spite. It's between this and Locust Abortion Technician for the audio diarrhea award.
Röyksopp
2/5
I mean...I like some of Röyskopp's music, honestly, but this wasn't it. Sample of Blue on Blue was creative, and cemented the opening track as my fave song, but aside from that song I wouldn't relisten.
Fave track: So Easy
Don McLean
5/5
Fucking finally. A good, classic American album to just revel in. And by American, I mean heavy on the ballads and storytelling. It's a tradition that this record follows so satisfyingly well. And I'm happy to say that the entire album, not just its calling card (which is "American Pie", duh) is fucking excellent.
Every track is worth it. But my fave deep cut is "Everybody Loves Me, Baby." And may I say that if you don't like this album, then just know that everybody loves it, baby. What's the matter with you?
Gladly giving this one five stars.
Dr. John
3/5
Is this... psychedelic Cajun weed smoking music? Is it Cajun funk? I really can't pin down exactly what this one is, but that's part of its charm.
Worth a listen for sure, but wouldn't revisit every track. However, the closing track was excellent so I'm bumping this up a star. Most songs here felt a bit dull and ambling to me, but that one was worth the price of admission.
Fave track: "I Walk on Guilded Splinters"
Silver Jews
3/5
Meh...this one was okay. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Definitely a stronger second half of the album, which is better than the reverse situation.
My favorite tracks on this leaned more heavily country and less into...hipster-folk, if you can call it that? That's more what the first half of the album was IMO.
Fave track: Tennessee. Yes, the "ten-I-see" pun was total cheese, but it was self-aware. And more importantly, the melody was calm and nice. Overall a smooth and enjoyable listening experience, but not SO enjoyable I'd revisit. The Mississippi of albums.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Just a good, classic, American album. I love the Boss because the whole theme and idea in his music is always about class struggles, but in a way that manages to not feel preachy.
Fave track: Gotta Hand it to "Born to Run." That said, this album has a few skips for me so I'll stop short of rating this as total perfection.
The Zombies
4/5
I enjoyed this one more than I expected to. And hey, now I know where that weird "Who's your daddy" song comes from. Even though I didn't love EVERY track here, most of them were quality, so the album deserves some bonus points for that.
Fave track: Care of Cell 44, the opener. Also enjoyed A Rose for Emily (emo before it was cool) and Time of the Season if you can get past the creepy lyrics.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Wait a minute, WHAT? Are you saying that "We Got the Beat" and "Our Lips Are Sealed", two S-tier tracks, are on the same album? That's some amazing shit right there.
Though not every track hits hard, the whole thing is enjoyable. Great music for doing anything with purpose, even if it's just washing the dishes. Powerful, brash vocals. You go (go), girls!
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
This was a great album that 100% deserves to be on this list. Holy SHIT, the opening track (Ponta de lança Africano) fucking slaps and is by FAR my very fave.
I'd rate this 4.5 stars if I could because while every track was enjoyable I would only return to listen to a few of them.
Side note: Did Rod Stewart sample "Taj Mahal" (another great track) with Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? Because if so...the original is better.
This artist, by the way, is well known for his adaptation of the classic jazz standard "Mas Que Nada." Whew, this was a great way to spend a morning.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
You know...it's not my favorite album on this list, but I get the appeal. The aggressively 90s synth is delightful and I really thoroughly enjoyed it.
I can't say I'd re-listen to every single track, but the majority were enjoyable. I can't complain about this one, it was genuinely fun.
Fave track: This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave. Has a wonderful driving-down-the-road sound to it.
Stephen Stills
3/5
I mean...this album is solidly, enjoyably okay. Would I re-listen a lot? No, but there are some interesting tracks on here.
Not sure how to describe this one. Honky tonk blues? In any case, I liked it a good bit but it stops short of killer tracks or any real love for the style here. But yeah, I'd give this a halfhearted endorsement. Why not?
Fave track: Hide It So Deep
Joy Division
3/5
It's Joy Division so of course it's a solid album. That said, I don't enjoy the style enough to listen and re-listen...but there were some strong tracks here.
Fave track: "She's Lost Control"
Songhoy Blues
3/5
Eh, it was all right. The style didn't do a LOT for me but a couple of the tracks were pretty good. Can't say this album felt like it had a lot of interesting texture though, in terms of production.
Fave track: "Mali", the closer, is lovely.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Whew. Excellent album. And now I know where the sample for "Rapper's Delight" came from. For an album made 40 years ago this sound still feels very fresh, aside from the occasional synth misfire ("Scorpio" is an embarrassment imo).
But for every misfire on this album there are about 3 classics. An excellent experience overall, well worth the listen.
Fave is the title track but "She's Fresh" deserves an honorable mention for the fresh, funky sound.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Overall, a solid album. I really enjoyed the funky beats and the general vibe. Though I have to admit the first half of the album is 4 stars for me and the second half is only 3 stars. But what can you do?
It is definitely worth a listen. Giving this 4 stars because I like the vocals and I'm feeling generous today.
Fave track: Title track.
Goldie
2/5
Well...this was an album. I can't say I HATED it, but the experience was profoundly underwhelming. It sounds like the stock music they used in early 2000s GTA games.
It's not actively horrible, honestly. It's just really forgettable. I can't say I have a fave track but I also didn't hate it. A blah two stars from me.
Tito Puente
4/5
This was one of the most danceable albums I've ever listened to, but I'm torn between 4 and 5 stars. On the one hand the grooves are infectious and almost every song is a banger, but on the other hand...my God it's so damn long and this album badly needed an editor to crop out the filler tracks.
A reluctant 4 stars from me because while I absolutely loved this album, it fell just short of perfection for me.
Fave track: Hong Kong Mambo
The Prodigy
1/5
What in the fucking fuck was this shit? Why this list includes not one, but at least TWO albums from the Prodigy is completely beyond me.
You know an album is trying to be edgy when the first track is the gleefully misogynistic "Smack My Bitch Up". And when your defense against the song is that it's not sexist lyrics but rather a reference to heroin, that's not exactly an ironclad defense.
That, and it's just a shitty song. Frankly this is a shitty album and the worst use of sampling I've ever heard. It's like bad house music found an ugly friend to stand next to just to look hotter.
Probably not the very worst album on this list but easily the least enjoyable. And it's not because I don't enjoy experimental music; Portishead and a track or two from that weird bells album in the 70s were both more fun than this. I hate this crap. Had a track or two I hated less than the others, but overall a waste of time.
Side note: "Smack My Bitch Up" was written by four men. Wow, color me fucking shocked.
The Prodigy
2/5
Ew, no. Can't say this was objectively bad but getting through it was a slog. It reminds me of the music used in the Sims that they danced to on radio stations. Just utterly strange.
My fave track, "No Good" was ironically the only one that I thought was any good. That said, I didn't despise this album, it's just not a style of music I can really get into. And the sound hasn't aged particularly well--it lacks a sense of timelessness for me.
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
This album is okay, I guess. The kind of music that sounds decent stone cold sober, but even better after a drink or two.
It's as if the edgelords you knew in high school formed a band and actually turned out to be pretty good.
Fave track: Religion II. Nice bass lines all the way through, solid drums. Worthwhile but I didn't adore any track.
The Specials
3/5
This is a solid meh for me. Glad I listened for a track or two, but not in love with the whole album or anything.
One of the biggest signs this was "meh" is that I listened to it and liked a couple of tracks earlier but had no memory of doing so.
Fave track: Sock it to 'Em, JB kicked ass.
Air
3/5
A good, solid album. Enjoyed it, but didn't adore it.
They're one of those bands where you think "oh I don't think I've heard of them." But then you hear "Sexy Boy" (my fave track, which delights in its own campiness) and you're like "Oh, duh. Yeah, they're the ones who did "Sexy Boy." THAT'S why they sound familiar."
Anyway, I would recommend anyone give this a listen but not a re-listen. The song production here is very stylized and it sounds pretty dated now. But it's not a bad album. I get the appeal.
Dire Straits
3/5
Eh. I mean, it's okay. I get the appeal, and there's a nice mellowness here you don't get from their arguably biggest hit ("Money for Nothing").
Music for boomers to fall asleep to, but in a wholesome way. Really enjoyed the consistency between tracks throughout this album. I can't say I particularly loved or hated it, but it was certainly cohesive.
Fave track: Lions
Brian Eno
4/5
Huh. From the first track or two I fully expected to hate this one, but it grew on me with each new track. I confidently label this as one of those albums that is significantly stronger on the back half. It's a good thing I'm doing this completionist project or I'd definitely not go to the effort of listening after the first track or two. A warm, inventive, and sweetly odd little album here. I am overall slightly charmed but not overwhelmed by this album.
Fave track: "Some of Them Are Old," closely followed by the title track.
Kanye West
5/5
My God. After so many Gen X and Boomer nostalgia trips on this list there's FINALLY another Millennial one. It's been a while.
As someone who personally dislikes Kanye West because I'm NOT a misogynistic psychopath, this is a great fucking album. don't get me started on all the pop culture drama (I was Team Taylor before it was cool, let's leave it at that), but in my opinion this was the last actually good album Kanye West put out there. And man, it made me realize how much I miss Kanye West making good music.
Are there flaws in this album? Absolutely. The lyrics at times are inconsistent and clunky, there are like 14 writers on multiple songs, and at certain points West's fragile ego shatters the enjoyment of particular tracks. It's funny until it just becomes grating--the south Park Fish Dicks call-out was hilarious because holy shit you sensitive Trump voting snowflake, don't be so precious. But by the time he's bitching about a beef with SNL it's not funny anymore.
But. BUT...the production here is incredible. The guest appearances are incredible. West HIMSELF admitted that Nicki Minaj had the best verse in Monster. Holy shit. Consider the source. And it's truly an album of powerhouse appearances: Jay Z with his signature gift for poetic inflection, Rick Ross with killer timbre and flow, even Kid Cudi with his trademark shredding backing tracks. And I say that as someone who fucking hates Kid Cudi as an artist and person (he's an abuser, Google it). John Legend was also there. Sorry, John, you got a little overshadowed.
Besides being an album that I reluctantly love, MBDTF gets a strong five stars from me because POWER/All of the Lights/Monster is one of the best track sequences ever recorded. Pure audio perfection. And no track here is BAD, all are totally worth listening to more than once. I probably will.
All of that said, I'm holding my nose to give this five stars. Fuck you, Kanye, for making such a good album before becoming a has-been. Fuck you for relentlessly, intentionally trying to destroy the career of a woman who has more songwriting talent in one finger than you do in your whole body. But look who has the last laugh. The culture hates you now and it's LONG overdue.
Anyway, excellent album, garbage person. Would listen again, would rant again.
The Beau Brummels
4/5
Actually a really solidly enjoyable album. Is it just me, or is there more than a hint of Bob Dylan influence here? I don't know who was there first--I'm guessing Dylan--but there's clearly a sound connection here.
Fave track would be "Triangle", the title track. Overall great vocals throughout. While I can't say this is one I completely adore, I would definitely re-listen.
Elton John
4/5
Holy shit. I'm so sorry, Elton John. Can't believe I haven't heard a single one of his albums in full until now.
While I can't give this full five-star treatment (there are a few skips for me), the vast majority of the deep cuts are enjoyable and this album absolutely deserves a place on a list of seminal albums in music history.
Notably, you can hear the sonic influence here: "this song has no title" has a VERY similar opening piano line to Mika's "Underwater". I doubt that is coincidental; it's probably a direct homage, whether or not it's conscious.
Fave track: torn between Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding (reads like a synth version of Bohemian Rhapsody), or Saturday Night's All Right for Fighting (that guitar!!!)
David Bowie
3/5
Meh. I could have lived without this one. It just wasn't really my thing. Pretty sparse on vocals and that's my favorite part of Bowie songs, so...eh. it was fine. Bowie's meh is still a lot of people's best, so naturally this still gets 3 stars for effort.
Fave track: speed of life. What a bop. Wish I'd liked the rest of the album as much.
Fave track:
Mariah Carey
4/5
I mean, it's Mariah Carey so it's gonna be good. But that said, this album was worth a listen but not the legendary status where I'd consider it essential for this list.
Fave track: "Butterfly", the title track. But this record is no Daydream. Her vocals really "Carey" (har har har) this record. Because even though she has these great whistle tones and amazing technique, and that lives up to the hype, the melodies are meh and the production is just okay. This album reads as much more dated to me than Daydream and the Emancipation of Mimi.
And there's the fact that the artist is a serial sexual harasser (funny, isn't it, how the culture dismissed that one during #MeToo) and overalls seems like a shitty person. If I knew her in real life then I'd say I don't know her.
Anyway, I digress. Normally this album would be 3 stars but I'm bumping it up one on the strength of the vocals alone.
Solomon Burke
4/5
Oh man. I'm always a sucker for jazz, blues, and soul. This kind of had Sam Cooke vibes, in a good way. I didn't adore it but I did strongly like it. How could you not with that voice?
This album makes me want to curl up with a scotch and watch Mad Men.
Favorite track: Beautiful Brown Eyes. Lovely production, soulfully sung, great time signature, and blue eyes have enough songs about them already. Nice to have some variety in here.
Carpenters
4/5
Awww, this was some 70s cheese but in a wholesome way. A very sweet, calming little album. I have to give the favorite track award to the title track, but there was a lot to love here.
Gary Numan
4/5
Huh. I mean, this is a weird one but not SO weird that I'd call it experimental or unstructured. Kind of feels like the audio version of David Lynch trying to be a normie. Which would never happen, of course, but I think that description captures the quirky conventionality here.
Fave/standout tracks were "In My Car" (easily the most well known for a reason) and the cover of "On Broadway." Lots of good, solid stuff here but not quite at five star territory.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
I know this is one of those great, classic albums, but the truth is I don't love it as much as I'm supposed to. There are a lot of important things this album is trying to say--about Black history, about stories that deserve to be told--but I just didn't quite fuse with the style.
Fave track: Billy Jack. wonderful vocals here but it's just not an album that resonates with me.
Jazmine Sullivan
3/5
Huh. Can't really say this was my thing but I appreciated it just the same. A very honest, soulfully sung album.
I wasn't in love with any of these tracks but they were all solidly good. "Lost One" was by far my fave.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Ahh, Johnny. Love Johnny Cash. Truly the kind of artist that makes people question if they really hate country music after all (for the record, I don't, but it gets a bad rap thanks to racist fans--looking at you, Wallen stans).
But for real, this whole album is incredible. Johnny Cash is an excellent storyteller with the perfect voice for country lore. I love the fact this was recorded live at a prison, and that he devoted so much of his career to making music that everyone loves. Everyone deserves good music and he knew that.
Fave track could be Folsom Prison Blues or Cocaine Blues. You can't go wrong with any track here, though. No skips.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Eh. This felt like listening to a bag of cotton balls. Inoffensive and comforting, but a bit bland.
I know it's a classic and whatnot but this really didn't do much for me.
Fave track: the everybody's Talkin cover was pretty good. I wish you well, fellas, you just ain't for me.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I don't know, man. I love Led Zeppelin in general, and I'm a sucker for raspy vocals and crunchy guitar but this album just didn't do much for me. I honestly found the whole thing pleasant enough to listen to but very forgettable compared to their others on this list.
Fave track: Custard Pie. Even a meh Zeppelin album is guaranteed to have a few killer guitar licks and this is one of them.
Burning Spear
3/5
Overall an interesting reggae album. I'm not going to lie; it made me sleepy. Good songs, and it has a laid-back groove to it. It's not that I actively have any concerns, complaints, or annoyances about this album, but more that I have an issue with sameness on this record. The tracks generally are pleasant but they do have a certain quality of sameness to them. But it's a nice record even if I wouldn't revisit. It was worth a listen.
Fave tracks: "Tradition" and "Jordan River".
Jurassic 5
4/5
This was a really fun album. It was also an album so aggressively 2000s that I was 0% surprised when I learned the release date was 2002.
This is an age of hip hop and R&B that I miss a lot. Not just because it was from a more carefree time in my own life, but because things back then just had a different rhythm. This is a wonderful "dance around the kitchen" album, in a very different way than the tango albums from before.
Fave track: Thin Line. What can I say? I enjoy Nelly Furtado's weird squeaky voice. Production slams too.
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Eh...I mean it was pretty solid. Jerry Lee Lewis is a talented vocalist and performer, no big shock here. Giving this album a solid four stars because it has this great strong energy, but it's not quite an album with no skips.
Side note, this rating is based on enjoyability, not the character of the individual. Lewis was a predator and I'd be remiss to review an album of his without mentioning he's gross.
Fave track: High School Confidential, if you don't listen too closely to the words, which betray a creepy fixation on high schoolers.
Radiohead
4/5
Whew! I'm always a big fan of Radiohead. This album is kind of the perfect soundscape to be bummed out to. Vocals are emotionally raw, production is on point--all in all a rewarding listening experience, and definitely one I'd return to. A few tracks I felt meh about but that's personal preference; overall an incredibly strong album.
Fave track: 15 step. The opening track is straight FIRE. Love everything about it.
Fave track:
Neu!
3/5
Eh...it's fine enough I guess? There are a couple of bops on here but overall could live without it.
Fave track: E-Musik. Weirdly good walking music.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
This one was kind of all over the place. Some tracks I really liked, while others were just plain underwhelming. Vocals are fun, instrumentals are strong, but wow, Dance with Me made my ears bleed.
Fave track: Pablo Picasso. Not sure if they're idolizing him or making fun of him but it's catchy as hell either way.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
"But you love Ladysmith Black Mambazo!" A lot of people know this group from that classic Mean Girls reference. And while Cady (the REAL Cady, not the Plastics Cady) has great taste, that's actually not where I first heard about them. I heard them in a song many years ago on a Josh Groban album on a song called "Lullaby". It's worth a listen, you should look it up.
But regardless of where you first heard about them, they're great. Their sound is relaxing and mellow but without putting you to sleep. I can't tell you how many albums on this list are just DULL, or so mellow that they're basically rocked me to sleep. This album's a nice middle ground that way.
Fave track: "How Long?" Harmonies are killer.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
I don't know. It's sort of a fun, psychedelic, crackling sound throughout this album. And it's sonically cohesive. And yet, I can't say this is really an album I'd return to again and again. Lots of skips here.
That said, some real gems here too, which kick this album up from two stars to three for me in terms of enjoyability.
Fave track: Monkey Island, for that guitar lick alone. Wowza!
4/5
It's a great album. I didn't love EVERY track, but it's well worth a listen. You ever listen to an album and you can just hear the creativity in every track? That's how this one is.
Fave track: Suffragette City
Radiohead
4/5
Ah, Radiohead is a great "feel your feelings" band, and this is probably one of the all-time greatest sad albums. The Bends is especially perfect for those times when you're feeling down, but can't quite figure out why, other than general ennui.
I have to give the fave track award to "Fake Plastic Trees," which is everything Coldplay's "Fix You" is trying to be: this perfect blend of sad and uplifting, and a very depressing, haunting song set in a major key.
This whole album is great. There aren't any skips for me, but I can't say I'd revisit every track so this is a very strong 4 stars.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
This album was...confusingly good? Really liked the whimsical songwriting and weird melody lines.
Is this where the lime in the coconut bit started? Suddenly I understand why all of my classmates' Boomer parents were obsessed with this song. It's perfect meme material but before the internet really existed.
Gotta Get Up gets the fave track award just for the cheerful jauntiness alone. Overall a solidly enjoyable album. Didn't love every single track but would definitely revisit.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
Huh. Well that was an experience. This was okay, but wouldn't revisit. Didn't help that I happened to have a migraine when I played the opening track and the scream made it worse. God, I sound so old.
Fave track: Wail
Dr. Dre
3/5
Is this where the "Deez Nuts" joke came from, or did it exist before? Which came first, Deez Nuts or the Dre?
Anyway, this was overall a solid album but I didn't like it quite as well as I expected to (the gleefully misogynistic "Bitches ain't shit" wasn't the only reason, but it didn't help). This is one of those albums I fully acknowledge is good, and I love Snoop Dogg, but like...Dre isn't my favorite and since this is largely his album it just didn't do much for me.
Fave track: Lyrical gangbang
Nirvana
5/5
I keep thinking I should check this album out and then getting distracted by my usual comforting favorites (i.e. mostly Taylor Swift). But that's why this project is such a great experience.
Seriously a fucking fantastic album. Not much left to say that hasn't already been said, but obviously this album was hugely influential, even if the baby on the cover ended up being litigious (weird true story, by the way). No skips here. Duh.
Fave obvious track: Smells like Teen Spirit.
Fave deep cut: Something in the Way.
Even if you don't love grunge, and I'm on the fence about it, there is some real vocal versatility on this album you will appreciate. Genuine artistry. RIP, Kurt.
The Hives
5/5
Fuuuuuck. This album completely shreds. It's a "feel your feelings" album that unites Gen X and millennials and I'm thankful for that. This album is the sonic personification of assertiveness.
Does it have the absolute best track lineup on this list, objectively? Not quite. Is it fucking cathartic, kick-ass, and nostalgic to listen to? HELL yes.
Hate to say I told you so (fave track), but this album aged very well.
Sheryl Crow
4/5
To be honest I don't really like Sheryl Crow's voice, so I'm a bit biased against this album. That said, the actual lyrics and vocals are well done, so that regains some esteem in my eyes.
I want to like this album more than I actually do. Obviously "All I Wanna Do" (fave track) is worth the price of admission alone, but the deep cuts are often solid too--personally I also loved "Leaving Los Vegas" and "No One Said It Would Be Easy."
Overall solidly enjoyable but I'd only re-listen to about a third of the album.
Steve Earle
3/5
Just some classic guitar-slammin' country. Makes workplace lethargy slightly more endurable. That said, vocals and songwriting were just okay IMO. Production was smooth and nice at least. Worth a listen, but largely wouldn't re-listen to most of this
Fave tracks: "Someday," "Fearless Heart".
Elbow
3/5
A few tracks on here were bangers. Others didn't do much of anything for me. Definitely one of those albums that feels like the spiritual equivalent of a Hugh Grant rom com: worth the experience but a rare revisit.
Fave track: Grounds for Divorce
Janelle Monáe
3/5
Idk. This one didn't do too much for me. It's in that category where I recognize it's a good album but there were very few standout tracks for me. Enjoyed the experience but wouldn't listen again aside from 1-2 tracks.
Fave track: Tightrope. It will always be Tightrope.
Alice In Chains
2/5
Yeah, look...this one didn't do much for me. I love loud, bombastic music but this was kind of an audio blend of sameness to be honest. A good album but just not my thing. Probably would be a four star album if I liked it. As it is, eh...sorry, not very listenable for me.
Fave track: Them Bones